World news | The Guardian

Almost a dozen emergency warnings remain in place across Victoria, with state premier saying we are not through the worst of this by a long way'

Palestinian academic rejects accusations of hypocrisy, saying board resisted attempts to remove Thomas Friedman, while cancelling her invitation this year

State department says armed colectivos' appear to be setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for AmericansThe United States has urged its citizens to leave Venezuela immediately amid reports that armed paramilitaries are trying to track down US citizens, one week after the capture of the South American country's president, Nicolas Maduro.In a security alert sent out on Saturday, the state department said there were reports of armed members of pro-regime militias, known as colectivos, setting up roadblocks and searching vehicles for evidence that the occupants were US citizens or supporters of the country. Continue reading...

UN and many western countries as well as human rights groups say that in the absence of a meaningful opposition the election is neither free, fair nor credibleVoters in war-torn Myanmar queued up on Sunday to cast their ballots in the second stage of a military-run election, following low turnout in the initial round of polls that have been widely criticised as a tool to formalise junta rule.Myanmar has been ravaged by conflict since the military ousted a civilian government in a 2021 coup and detained its leader, Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking a civil war that has engulfed large parts of the impoverished nation of 51 million people. Continue reading...

Rhythm guitarist helped guide the legendary jam band through decades of change and successBob Weir, the veteran rock musician who helped guide the legendary band the Grateful Dead through decades of change and success, has died at age 78, according to a statement posted to his verified Instagram account on Friday.The Instagram statement, posted by his daughter Chloe Weir, said he was surrounded by loved ones when he died. Bob Weir had been diagnosed with cancer in July and succumbed to underlying lung issues", the statement said. Continue reading...

In Philadelphia, protesters demanded ICE leave US communities and Trump end warmongering in VenezuelaOn a rainy Saturday in Philadelphia, two separate protests, both with a few hundred people, marched from city hall to the federal detention center. They differed slightly in solutions as well as crowd makeup - white older adults dominated the morning's march organized by the groups behind the No Kings protests, while a more racially diverse crowd swathed in keffiyehs and N95 face masks led the afternoon's, planned by the local Democratic Socialists of America chapter. However, both groups shared a goal: for ICE to get out of American communities and to put an end to Donald Trump's warmongering in Venezuela.From Venezuela to Minneapolis, all we're seeing is a regime that is scrambling, willing to kill its own citizens, willing to kill foreign citizens, to maintain its power," said Deborah Rose Hinchey, co-chair of the city's Democratic Socialists of America chapter. Continue reading...

Award-winning screenwriter tells Desert Island Discs that success has not silenced self-doubtThe award-winning screenwriter Jesse Armstrong has said a writers' room can feel like walking on the moon" when it is working well, but has admitted to experiencing impostor syndrome during his career.Armstrong was behind the hit HBO drama Succession, starring Brian Cox as the global media tycoon and family patriarch Logan Roy, who sets off a power struggle among his four children. Continue reading...

NASUWT says evidence growing that unregulated access affects behaviour in school and harms mental healthOne of the UK's biggest teaching unions has called on the government to ban social media for under-16s over concerns about mental health and concentration.The Teachers' Union (NASUWT) wants legislation to be tightened so big tech firms would face penalties for allowing children to access their platforms. Continue reading...

Officials expect charge against Daricka Moore, 24, to be elevated to capital murder, with death penalty consideredAuthorities in Clay county, Mississippi, say a man has been taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder following the fatal shootings of six people, including a child, on Friday night.Daricka Moore, 24, is accused of killing multiple relatives as well as a local pastor before his arrest, according to Clay county sheriff Eddie Scott, who addressed the case during a Saturday news conference. Officials said the charge against Moore, who lives in the county, is expected to be elevated to capital murder, and prosecutors could seek the death penalty if he is determined to be mentally competent. Continue reading...

Jacques Moretti, who is in custody, told Swiss prosecutor's office he forced door open and found people lying behind itThe French owner of the Swiss bar where 40 people died in a fire during new year celebrations has told investigators a service door had been locked from the inside.Jacques Moretti, co-owner of the Constellation bar in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana, was taken into custody on Friday, as prosecutors investigated the tragedy. Continue reading...

The New York mayor's popular moves on rent and free childcare defied rightwing predictions of a far-left hellscapeRightwing politicians and media issued grave warnings about Zohran Mamdani.The election of the democratic socialist would, according to some, cause a spike in crime, and a reduction in freedom, prompting rich people to flee the city and leading to, in the words of one conservative thinktank, collapse, dependency, and political repression" in the manner of Venezuela" and Cuba". Continue reading...

Videos emerging despite internet and mobile phone blackout show demonstrations continuing despite reports of escalating crackdownDemonstrators have continued to take to the streets of Iran, defying an escalating crackdown by authorities against the growing protest movement.An internet shutdown imposed by the authorities on Thursday has largely cut the protesters off from the rest of the world, but videos that trickled out of the country showed thousands of people demonstrating in Tehran overnight into Saturday morning. They chanted: Death to Khamenei," in reference to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and: Long live the shah." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Voters say they have little confidence that government can control borders despite sharp falls in net migrationA large majority of UK voters believe immigration is increasing despite sharp falls in the number of people entering the UK, according to exclusive polling shared with the Guardian.Voters also say they have no confidence in the government's ability to control the UK's borders, according to the poll by More in Common. The results will come as a blow to Keir Starmer's administration, which has taken an increasingly hardline stance on immigration in recent months. Continue reading...

Warnings in place covering most of the weekend as weather system continues to sweep UKA man has been found dead after a tree fell on to a caravan during Storm Goretti, as weather warnings have been put in place covering most of the UK for the rest of the weekend.Devon and Cornwall police said emergency services were called at about 7.35pm on Thursday to the Mawgan area of Helston where work took place on Friday to remove the tree. A man in his 50s was found dead in the caravan. His death is not being treated as suspicious and his next of kin have been informed, police said. Continue reading...

Surge in 2025 sales correlates with growth in church attendances in England and Wales, research showsFor Christian booksellers, any good news about Bible sales has been few and far between. But recent retail figures have shown a revival.Sales of the good book reached a record high in the UK in 2025, increasing by 134% since 2019 - the highest since records began - according to industry research. Last year, total sales of Bibles in the UK reached 6.3m, 3.61m up on 2019 sales. Continue reading...

State and local officials say they do not believe investigation into shooting death of Renee Nicole Good will be objectiveState and local leaders say they do not believe that the FBI investigation of the shooting death of Renee Nicole Good will be fair and impartial, and are sounding alarms about the impact of federal officials holding onto evidence in a potential prosecution of the ICE agent who killed her.Minnesota's lead investigative agency, the bureau of criminal apprehension, initially began investigating the shooting in conjunction with the FBI. But the BCA issued a statement Thursday morning saying that the US attorney's office had reversed course: the investigation would now be led solely by the FBI, and the BCA would no longer have access to the case materials, scene evidence or investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation". Continue reading...

Five parties issue joint statement after US president warns he would acquire the island the nice way or the more difficult way'Greenlanders don't want to be Americans" and must decide the future of the Arctic island themselves, politicians in the self-governing Danish territory have said, after Donald Trump warned the US would do something whether they like it or not".The leaders of five political parties in the Greenlandic parliament issued a united statement on Friday night, soon after the US president reiterated his threats to acquire the mineral-rich island. Continue reading...

Experts note the blackout is unprecedented in its extent but also selective, allowing some government communicationsIran's internet shutdown, now in place for 36 hours as the authorities seek to quell escalating anti-government protests, represents a new high-water mark" in terms of its sophistication and severity, say experts - and could last a long time.As the blackout kicked in, 90% of internet traffic to Iran evaporated. International calls to the country appeared blocked and domestic mobile phones had no service, said Amir Rashidi, an Iranian digital rights expert. Continue reading...

Human rights groups say at least 60 arbitrary arrests' have occurred for celebrating the US military operationAuthorities in Nicaragua have arrested at least 60 people for reportedly celebrating or expressing support for the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, a human rights watchdog group and local media outlets said Friday.Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega and his wife, vice president Rosario Murillo, are staunch allies of Maduro, who was captured by US military personnel in Caracas last Saturday and taken to New York to face trial on drug and weapons charges. Continue reading...

Nearly 300,000 violent and sexual assaults recorded by NHS trusts in England over three years, Guardian analysis shows

Consumers advised to review paying for services such as Netflix, Apple TV and Amazon Prime if they are unusedBritons are spending up to 1,200 a year on subscription services but could save as much as 400 by killing off zombie" memberships, according to research.Millions of households have unused or duplicate subscriptions - whether for a neglected exercise app or an unwatched Netflix account - with recurring charges quietly draining spare cash from bank accounts. Continue reading...

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Trump's attack on Venezuela suggests expansionism is under way but some argue it is simply standard US foreign policy stripped of hypocrisyThe attack on Venezuela and the seizure of its president was a shocking enough start to 2026, but it was only the next day, when the smoke had dispersed and Donald Trump was flying from Florida to Washington DC in triumph, that it became clear the world had entered a new era.The US president was leaning on a bulkhead on Air Force One, in a charcoal suit and gold tie, regaling reporters with inside details of the abduction of Nicolas Maduro. He claimed his government was in charge" of Venezuela and that US companies were poised to extract the country's oil wealth. Continue reading...

Dozens of properties including some owned by firefighters and local councillors destroyed in fire that ripped through Victorian town

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calls protesters vandals' and saboteurs' and blames US for instigating the unrestIranians took to the streets in new protests on Friday to press the biggest movement against the Islamic republic in more than three years, as authorities sustained an internet blackout as part of a crackdown that has left dozens dead.Iran's supreme leader vowed that authorities will not back down in the face of the rapidly growing protest movement, setting the stage for an intensified violent crackdown. Continue reading...

Letter from 11 South Australian cultural leaders labels cancellation of Palestinian-Australian's participation a grave mistake' which brought festival into disrepute

As dysfunction reigns, the party shows yet again that its greatest obstacle to winning government is not Labor but itself

Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales was held for 25 days even after attorneys said they presented ICE with US birth certificateA Maryland woman has been released and reunited with her family after spending 25 days in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody - despite her attorneys saying documentation showed she was born in the US and therefore is a citizen.Dulce Consuelo Diaz Morales and her legal team maintain she was born in the US and possess records supporting that claim. ICE, however, had disputed this, asserting she is a Mexican citizen who entered the US unlawfully. Continue reading...

Artistic director of US's national opera also cites shattered' donor confidence and box office revenueThe Washington National Opera (WNO) announced on Friday it is moving its performances out of the John F Kennedy Center, in what could be one of the most significant departures from the institution since Trump took control of it.Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity," the opera said in a statement to the New York Times. A separate website appears to be set up for the opera. Continue reading...

Information watchdog says party's data controller should consider taking further action' over unauthorised portalZarah Sultana's unauthorised launch of a Your Party membership portal may have been serious criminal activity" and should be referred to the police, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has advised.Jeremy Corbyn's Peace and Justice Project (PJP), which referred Your Party to the information watchdog last September over a potential data breach, has been advised by the ICO that it should consider taking further action" regarding the matter, after deciding it was not a matter for them. Continue reading...

Met Office issues rare red warning as winter storm causes power cuts, travel disruption and school closuresSnow and ice are expected to grip much of the UK over the weekend as parts of the country continue to reel from the effects of Storm Goretti, which left thousands of people facing power cuts, school closures and travel chaos.The storm brought winds of nearly 100mph after forecasters issued a rare red warning for dangerous, stormy" winds in the south-west. Continue reading...

Palestine activist and doctor Ghassan Abu-Sittah also cleared over alleged support for Hamas in case brought by GMCThe rector of the University of Glasgow has been cleared of misconduct by a medical watchdog over alleged antisemitism and support for Hamas.Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a plastic surgeon and prominent Palestinian activist, appeared via video link on Friday before a fitness-to-practise panel of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, where a case of misconduct against him was rejected. Continue reading...

Local leaders' appeal for non-violence largely holds despite growing outrage over US immigration enforcement in the city

Agreement after 25 years of negotiations prompts farmers to block roads in Paris, Brussels and WarsawEuropean Union member states have backed the biggest ever free trade agreement with a group of Latin American countries, ending 25 years of negotiations but stoking further tensions with farmers and environmentalists around the bloc.The contentious Mercosur deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay prompted immediate protests in Poland, France, Greece and Belgium, with farmers blocking key roads in Paris, Brussels and Warsaw. Continue reading...

Many of the old challenges remain but there are a number of reasons why this time a deal of some kind could be possible

Military opens window for civilians to leave as Kurdish groups turn down demand their fighters withdraw from citySyria's army says it will renew attacks against a Kurdish-majority district of Aleppo where clashes have raged this week, after Kurdish groups rejected Damascus's ceasefire terms that demanded their fighters withdraw from the city.The army said it would target military sites used by Kurdish fighters in the Sheikh Maqsoud district, announcing the opening of a humanitarian corridor from 4pm (1300 GMT) to 6pm on Friday for civilians to leave. Continue reading...

Jacques Moretti was detained on Friday, a national day of mourning, because prosecutors considered him a flight riskPope Leo also chooses to express a view on the recent events in Venezuela, calling for world governments - I think he means US president Donald Trump in particular - to respect the will" of the Venezuelan people.Goes without saying that it's particularly important coming from the first US pope.I wish to repeat my urgent appeal that peaceful political solutions to the current situation should be sought, keeping in mind the common good of the peoples and not the defence of partisan interests."This pertains, in particular to Venezuela. In light of recent developments in this regard, I renew my appeal to respect the will of the Venezuelan people and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all ensuring a future of stability and concord."The Holy See strongly reiterates the pressing need for an immediate ceasefire and for dialogue motivated by a sincere search for ways leading to peace.I make an urgent appeal to the international community, not to waver in its commitment to pursuing just and lasting solutions that will protect the most vulnerable and restore hope to the afflicted peoples." Continue reading...

Bosses at body that trained chef Jamie Oliver were awarded million-pound bonuses after sale to private firm

Exclusive: In first comments since US attack on Venezuela, Richard Hermer refrained from singling out Trump administrationNations are right to consider diplomatic relations when deciding whether to call out" breaches of international law, the attorney general has said, after the UK government faced criticism over its reluctance to condemn the US attack on Venezuela.In an interview with the Guardian, Richard Hermer, the government's most senior law officer and a close ally of Keir Starmer, said that in a complicated and dangerous" world, leaders should be able to use statecraft" to consider other factors when establishing whether to hold allies to account. Continue reading...

Study of man often featured in works by the Flemish master reveals hidden painting of woman beneath model's beardIs it a bald elderly man with a big bushy beard and a wine-addled stare? Or a friendly young woman with flowing locks and a crown of braids?To Belgian art dealer Klaas Muller, an answer to that question mattered less than the fact that this particular take on the duck-rabbit optical illusion was painted by one Peter Paul Rubens. Continue reading...

Kyiv dismisses as absurd' Moscow's attempt to portray missile launch as retaliation for supposed attempted drone strike on Putin residence

City firms welcome clarity as government signals it will not reopen Brussels-era rules, despite closer cooperation elsewhere

The ad campaign ended in late 2025, the Swedish streaming giant confirmed, having previously said, despite protests, that it did not violate advertising policiesSpotify is no long running advertisements for the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the streaming service has confirmed, after the Trump administration campaign ended in late 2025.There are currently no ICE ads running on Spotify," the Swedish company said in a statement. The advertisements mentioned were part of a US government recruitment campaign that ran across all major media and platforms." Continue reading...

Exclusive: SIK leader Jess Berthelsen rejects Trump claim that the US needs Greenland for national security'Greenland will not be annexed", the longtime leader of its largest labor union has declared, refuting Donald Trump's claims that the Arctic territory's current status poses a national security threat to the US.In an interview with the Guardian, Jess Berthelsen, chair of SIK, Greenland's national trade union confederation, said people in the territory do not recognize the US president's allegations that Russian and Chinese ships are scattered throughout its waters. We can't see it, we can't recognize it and we can't understand it," he said. Continue reading...

Deal would create world's largest mining company and come almost a year after previous discussions failed

Case brought by Muslim leaders and MP follows failed 2024 bid and seen as part of global anti-women's rights backlashA group of religious leaders and an MP in the Gambia have launched efforts to overturn a ban on female genital mutilation at the country's supreme court.The court case, due to resume this month, comes after two babies bled to death after undergoing FGM in the Gambia last year. Almameh Gibba, an MP and one of the plaintiffs, tabled a bill to decriminalise FGM that was rejected by the country's parliament in 2024. Continue reading...

Bassem Abudagga losing hope after being told wife must go to visa application centre, of which none remain in GazaA Palestinian academic has failed in his latest attempt to be reunited with his family in the UK after the Home Office concluded their case was not urgent and it was more appropriate for his two children to remain with their mother in a tent in Gaza.Bassem Abudagga was also told in a letter from Home Office officials that no reason had been found that was sufficiently compelling" to defer a requirement that his wife attend a visa application centre (VAC) in Gaza so she could provide fingerprints to satisfy the conditions for evacuation. Continue reading...

The opposition isn't obliged to give the government a free pass - but it's time to let the inquiry and criminal court proceedings do their work

Netherlands expected to join Ireland in prohibiting most consumer fireworks as other EU countries debate crackdownWindow-rattling explosions turned Yara Basta-Bos's street into a war zone" last week, but she was spared from the worst of the new year chaos she had seen in the past. A few years ago, the emergency doctor in Amsterdam had to treat a patient clutching their own eyeball after a firework blew it out of its socket.It feels like such a waste," said Basta-Bos, president of the Dutch society of emergency physicians, adding that last week's revelry resulted in more than 1,200 injuries - one-third of whom ended up in hospital - and two deaths. Of course, fireworks are nice to look at. But the level of damage it's causing in the Netherlands right now is just unbelievable." Continue reading...

Police say declaration of Melbourne CBD and surrounds as a designated area will end on 9 January, more than four months ahead of schedule