Authorities still investigating deaths of Hassan El-Khawas, Zeina Alayn and their daughter Sara El-Khawas at Shoreham-by-SeaA father, mother and their teenage daughter who died off the Sussex coast on Tuesday have been identified by police.Sussex police named the victims as Hassan El-Khawas, 55, his partner, Zeina Alayn, 37, and their 14-year-old daughter, Sara El-Khawas. A younger girl who was also part of the family remains in hospital in a critical condition. She has not been named. Continue reading...
President says he plans to meet dictator this year but Kim Yo-jong says Washington remains Pyongyang's enemyDonald Trump has said he is planning to meet North Korea's Kim Jong-un later this year, though the reclusive leader's younger sister cast doubt on their communications and dampened hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough between them.Trump, who also claimed North Korea had 57 nuclear weapons, had suggested he and Kim were holding secret negotiations on Tuesday after announcing the US would downgrade its participation in military exercises held by South Korea, a US ally. Asked whether Kim had responded to his request for a conversation, Trump said: Yeah, he has." Continue reading...
Result tees up marquee race in US midterm elections, which could decide if Republicans or Democrats control SenateIncumbent Dan S Sullivan, the US senator, advanced in Alaska's non-partisan primary race for his seat on Tuesday alongside Mary Peltola, a former Democratic congresswoman.With the top four candidates moving forward from Alaska's open primaries to the general election, the Associated Press reported that Sullivan and Peltola, had qualified for November's general election. Continue reading...
Discovery marks latest grim finding in lake as water levels in crucial reservoir outside Las Vegas continue to declineHuman remains have once again been discovered at Lake Mead outside Las Vegas, Nevada, marking the latest in a line of gruesome discoveries as water levels in the crucial reservoir continue to drop, authorities said.These remains were discovered on 16 August, USA Today reported. The National Park Service (NPS) told the outlet there did not appear to be anything suspicious about the body. Continue reading...
Image captured in early June shows animal foraging in the waterway in first since early 1900s, signaling its recoveryAn otter has been spotted in the Bronx River for the first time in more than 100 years, in a further sign that New York's previously befouled waterways are recovering some of their ecological health.The North American river otter was photographed by a motion-activated camera foraging near some vegetation in the Bronx River, a waterway that flows through New York's Bronx and empties into the East River. Continue reading...
Military orders criminal investigation into deaths of five-year-old and six family members in Gaza in 2024The Israeli military admitted on Wednesday its troops had opened fire on a car carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab and six family members in Gaza in 2024, saying it had ordered a criminal investigation into the killing.The killing of Hind and her family was one of the most high profile of a series of incidents involving civilian casualties during the first months of the Gaza conflict which prompted international outrage. Continue reading...
by Presented by Nosheen Iqbal with Patrick Butler; pr on (#77SSF)
The prime minister has announced a 442m plan to get rough sleepers off the streets by Christmas. It solidifies tackling homelessness as a central policy for Andy Burnham's government, and gives voters a measure by which to judge his success - although without a concrete target for ministers to hit.Nosheen Iqbal speaks to social policy editor Patrick Butler - watch on YouTube Continue reading...
Mykhailo Fedorov's blistering critique comes at a time of growing pressure for democratic renewal in UkraineFor more than a month, demonstrators have gathered in Ivan Franko Square outside Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office. The protesters have been chanting a name - not that of Ukraine's embattled president but that of the man he recently sacked as defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. On Sunday evening, 2,000 people marched along Khreshchatyk, Kyiv's main boulevard, waving cardboard banners in support of their ousted hero.Zelenskyy has refused to reinstate Fedorov, who during his six months in the job was widely seen as an effective and reforming figure. On Wednesday, Ukraine's parliament, the Rada, voted to approve a successor as defence minister, Yevhen Khmara. The move shows that Fedorov has been shut out from government permanently, and confirms his transition from trusted insider and Zelenskyy loyalist to a potent political opponent. Continue reading...
Senator Jon Ossoff, who is up for re-election, came up with arguably the standout line of the midterm elections so farHello there,Jon Ossoff really struck a nerve. That much is clear. Continue reading...
Elections in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming provide a sense of how voters are feeling ahead of November's midtermsPrimaries in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming held on Tuesday provided the latest view into how voters are feeling ahead of November's US midterm elections.One candidate aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) netted an extraordinary win while another was defeated handily. Donald Trump's handpicked candidates received a mixed reception from voters. In Alaska, voters chose their fighters for one of the year's marquee US Senate races, and in Florida, extremism remained alive and well among Republicans. Continue reading...
Owner of firm behind Temu Range Rover' will open facility in Bedfordshire in autumnThe Chinese carmaker behind the irreverently nicknamed Temu Range Rover" is plotting further UK expansion with a major research and development centre in England.Chery, which makes the Jaecoo and Omoda car brands, said the launch of a new R&D site was the next step in our long-term plan" for Britain as it also moves towards manufacturing its cars in the UK. Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose (now) and Mabel Banfield-Nwachi (earli on (#77SFG)
PM pledges to get rough sleepers off streets for Christmas but issues rallying call' for community and voluntary organisations to help with planAndy Burnham has admitted government funding may not fully be enough" to achieve his aim of offering a place to stay to every rough sleeper by Christmas, as he made a rallying call" for communities to get behind his plan.Speaking on a visit to the north-east of England, the prime minister said:The government money itself may not fully be enough. So I am saying, putting the call out to community and voluntary organisations - we're at one here in Newcastle today, doing fantastic work.But we're saying to the wider community, voluntary, and faith sector: come on, let's get behind this. Let's show what Britain can do when we all pull in the same direction.We did it in the pandemic, we can do it again, and it's a rallying call, really, that I'm putting out there today with a lot of government money behind it.We did bring the numbers right down, but because we were the only area providing a high level of support, more people started to travel and it became difficult. Continue reading...
An AfD win in next month's state election in Saxony-Anhalt would shatter a decades-long political consensus and reverberate throughout the EU Don't get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereIn just over two weeks' time, Saxony-Anhalt - home to historic timber-framed houses, the dramatic Harz mountains and the birthplace of Martin Luther - will hold what could prove one of the most significant state elections in Germany's postwar history.The vote, on 6 September, could see a far-right party whose local branch is officially classified by the country's domestic intelligence service as confirmed rightwing extremist" appoint a state premier and govern a state alone, for the first time. Continue reading...
Expected quarterly rise if 4% highest likely to wipe out Burnham's VAT cut on electricity billsHousehold energy bills across Great Britain are expected to climb to a three-year high this winter as the impact of the Middle East war wipes out Andy Burnham's tax cut on electricity bills.The government's cap on energy prices is on track to rise by 4% from this October to the equivalent of 1,729 a year through the last three months of 2026, which could hit struggling households especially hard this winter, according to analysis by the energy consultancy Cornwall Insight. Continue reading...
US president cancelled planned tariff imposition just hours before it was to come into force. Plus, why are people so obsessed with television vampires?Good morning. Donald Trump has paused his threatened punitive tariff on Canada just hours before it was due to come into effect. After Trump's announcement, the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, said substantial progress" had been made towards a trade deal, but more work was needed.Tuesday's 11th-hour backdown comes after a contentious year for the two countries, with the longstanding alliance strained by tit-for-tat tariffs and online broadsides in which Trump has mused about wanting to turn Canada into a US state.How much trade do the two countries do? Historically, Canada and the US have been strong trading partners. In 2024, trade between the countries was estimated to be roughly $909bn, according to the office of the US trade representative.What else happened in Florida's elections? Byron Donalds, a congressman backed by Trump, won the Republican nomination for governor in the race to succeed Ron DeSantis. Donalds trounced three reasonably prominent Republican rivals, including Jay Collins, DeSantis's handpicked lieutenant governor. If he wins the November election, as he is expected to do in the conservative stronghold, Donalds would become the first Black governor in any southern US state. Continue reading...
David Morens confessed to concealing government documents linked to grant research fundingA former adviser to infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiring to evade public records laws and conceal government documents related to grant research funding and the Covid-19 pandemic.David Morens, who had worked under Fauci as a senior official at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases during the pandemic, entered his plea, to a conspiracy charge during a hearing in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. Continue reading...
Trump administration put sanctions on the international criminal court's president and a senior trial lawyerThe international criminal court on Wednesday condemned the latest US sanctions targeting senior ICC staff, including its president, as a flagrant attack" on the global tribunal's independence and vowed to continue seeking justice for atrocities around the world.The state department announced Tuesday that it had hit ICC president Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and ICC senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, who is from Senegal, with sanctions that freeze any assets they have in US jurisdictions or come into contact with the US financial system. Continue reading...
by Jakub Krupa (earlier) Mabel Banfield-Nwachi (now) on (#77SFH)
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies said they uncovered group responsible for money laundering $3.35m but did not name individuals involvedThe rise in Germany's borrowing costs to a 15-year high reflects the increased security challenges facing the country following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the need to spend much more defence, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday.German 10- and 30-year borrowing costs hit a fresh 15-year high in Wednesday's session. Bond yields of other major Western economies including the US and Japan have also climbed to multi-decade highs this week due to ballooning government debt and geopolitics, increasing borrowing costs for companies and households and complicating policy.I am grateful to the MPs for supporting Andrii Sybiha for the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Yevhenii Khmara for the position of Minister of Defence of Ukraine.The tasks for both ministers are absolutely clear: Ukraine needs more strength. And it will have it. Glory to Ukraine!" Continue reading...
Internal documents obtained by Guardian show White House meetings, scheduled calls with top Trump officials and communications with Fox News producers Continue reading...
by Tiago Rogero South America correspondent on (#77SFK)
Beto Coral held up banners in Florida warning fellow Colombians to not vote for Abelardo de la EspriellaIn the week before Colombia's presidential election, Beto Coral, a well-known activist living in the United States, travelled to Florida to persuade fellow Colombians not to vote for the far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.Coral held banners outside polling stations in Miami warning that the millionaire lawyer, whose candidacy was endorsed by Donald Trump, would help deport all of you". Continue reading...
Lee Jae Myung has long pushed for stronger homegrown defences, yet Donald Trump's move has sparked alarm in some quartersAt their first summit, in August last year, the South Korean president, Lee Jae Myung, told Donald Trump: If you, Mr President, become the peacemaker, then I will assist you as the pacemaker."The remark at the Oval Office captured the thrust of Lee's approach to North Korea: dial down the military posturing and make repeated peace overtures to revive dialogue, even if they have been consistently rejected by Pyongyang largely over Seoul's insistence on denuclearisation. Continue reading...
Food Foundation sounds alarm over supply risks and price shocks as about 40% of Britain's food is importedThe UK is vulnerable to food price shocks because of its dependence on imports of fruit and vegetable from countries even more exposed to the climate crisis, researchers say.Much of Britain has sweltered under a record five heatwaves this year and endured drought and wildfires, with the hot, dry conditions damaging crops and reducing yields of domestic produce. Continue reading...
Mohommed Farhat spray-painted slogans and torched a car in Woollahra. He pleaded guilty but supreme court judge says case appears to be a miscarriage of justice'
The director's BBC hit opened the door to Hollywood action films including Hamburger Hill, The Dogs of War and Raw DealJohn Irvin, the British film-maker who directed the Bafta-winning BBC miniseries Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, as well as films including Hamburger Hill, The Dogs of War and Raw Deal, has died aged 86.Irvin died peacefully at home" on 11 August, surrounded by his family, his producer Claire Evans confirmed to the Guardian. Continue reading...
In video celebrating Maggie's cancer charity, queen recalls longing to let it out' on visit to centre in 2024The queen has spoken for the first time of how difficult she found it to keep King Charles's cancer a secret before it was announced publicly.Camilla found herself longing to let it out" during an official visit to a Maggie's cancer support centre in 2024, after Charles had received his diagnosis but before the news was released. Continue reading...
Alpine communities hit out after influencer videos draw huge queues to Friedrich August refuge in DolomitesHundreds of people overwhelmed a mountain hut in the Italian Dolomites, not for the panoramic views but in search of a creamy pastry, reigniting the debate about social-media-driven tourism.The visitors ventured en masse to the Friedrich August refuge - perched at 2,300 metres (7,500ft) above sea level, between Col Rodella and Passo Sella in Val di Fassa - some reportedly waking up at dawn or camping overnight, just to ensure they could buy a freshly baked krapfen, a traditional German pastry similar to a doughnut, before they ran out. Continue reading...
South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise would end on 21 August at the request of the USSouth Korea's military has confirmed that joint military drills with the US will be cut short, days after Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises.In a statement on Wednesday, South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said at the request of the US side, the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise - which began on Monday would end on Friday, six days earlier than originally planned. Continue reading...
by Damien Gayle Environment correspondent on (#77S8Y)
Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution was restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zoneChildren's lungs grew bigger and stronger after the most polluting vehicles were restricted from entering London, a study has found.Examinations of London schoolchildren before and after the introduction of the city's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) found a restoration of lung capacity that had been stunted by exposure to pollution. Continue reading...
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#77S8X)
Findings highlight importance of sleep health during middle age, particularly for those with lower socioeconomic statusSleep that is extremely disrupted or that goes on too long could mean a loss of nine months from working life after the age of 50, a study has found.It also found that women with no sleep disturbances had a longer working life from 50 to 68 than their male equivalents. Continue reading...
A man, woman and teenage girl have died, while a younger girl is in a critical condition, say Sussex policeA couple and their teenage daughter have died after getting into difficulty in the sea off the West Sussex coast, police said on Tuesday.A man, a woman and a teenage girl died after the incident in Shoreham-by-Sea, the chief superintendent of Sussex police, James Collis, said. Continue reading...
Mykhailo Fedorov's appeal is most direct challenge to Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Russian invasion in 2022Ukraine's recently dismissed former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has called for a wartime presidential election in the most direct political challenge to Volodymyr Zelenskyy since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.The politician, whose abrupt sacking last month triggered a wave of protests, said that Ukraine had to restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war" in a video address released online late on Tuesday evening. Continue reading...
Tributes paid to great friend and collaborator' who played with band for 56 years and died in hospice care in TexasThe ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard has died at the age of 77.A spokesperson for the band confirmed that Beard died on 17 August in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas. His family were by his side. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian