World news | The Guardian

US president says in social media post we'll hit Iran very hard again' if it does not stop its proxies in Lebanon'

Business secretary says PM spending the weekend making time to reflect on the political realities' he faces

Business secretary says Starmer is reflecting on political realities' amid overwhelming pressure from MPs

Sports and nationwide music festival affected, with temperatures for some expected to reach 42C from MondayAuthorities in France have placed more than a third of the country under a red heat alert, cancelled some outdoor sports events and restricted alcohol consumption at the nationwide Fete de la Musique event amid a brutal heatwave forecast to push temperatures above 40C.Level 1 or 2 heat alerts were issued on Sunday for about 53 million people, or 76% of the population. A record 35 of the country's 96 mainland departments were put on danger-to-life red alert, with another 45 under an orange warning. Continue reading...

Crews struggle to contain fire from cold-storage facility that continues to spew smoke across the metro areaMayor Karen Bass has declared a state of emergency for the city of Los Angeles, as firefighters still struggle to contain a blaze from a cold-storage facility that continues to spew smoke across the metro area.This emergency declaration is crucial because Boyle Heights is not just responding to a fire. Residents have lived through days of smoke, shelter-in-place orders, disruptions to daily life, and ongoing questions about what this means for their health and well-being," Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights, said in a statement. Continue reading...

Health alerts are in place as very high humidity adds to danger of heat stress for the most vulnerableThe Met Office has expanded its extreme heat warning for the UK, predicting record-breaking highs of 38C (100.4F) this week.The Met Office forecasts that extremely high temperatures could last from Monday until Thursday, leading to health concerns for elderly and vulnerable people. The forecaster said there was growing confidence" that this week may break the record for the hottest June temperature of 35.6C, which was set in 1976 in Southampton and Camden Square, London, in June 1957. Continue reading...

New College of Florida to acquire USF Sarasota-Manatee in deal that leading Democratic lawmaker says reeks of grift'A liberal arts college seized by Florida's hard-right governor, Ron DeSantis, and transformed into a model for conservative higher education is to triple in size after state Republicans engineered a hostile takeover of a rival university's campus.New College of Florida, which is controlled by DeSantis's hand-picked board of trustees, will acquire the Sarasota-Manatee campus of the University of South Florida (USF) next month in a deal described by a leading Florida Democrat as a grift". Continue reading...

JD Vance says talks aim to make progress on the nuclear issue, make progress on the Lebanon ceasefire issue'

Artist had requested only his partner and great-nephew attend, with memorial services planned in places he livedOnly two people attended David Hockney's funeral last week - in line with the British artist's final wishes.The two mourners at the private ceremony were Hockney's 61-year-old partner, Jean-Pierre Goncalves de Lima, and his 33-year-old great-nephew, Richard Hockney, a photographer who worked as the artist's assistant and frequently modelled for him. Both are trustees of the David Hockney Foundation, established by the artist in 2008. Continue reading...

A secretive investigation into the attack that killed at least 175 has concluded, reports suggest. Will its findings ever see the light of day?The attack on a girl's elementary school in the Iranian town of Minab was one of the US military's deadliest civilian bombings in decades. But nearly four months on, the Pentagon has produced no answers about why the military fired a Tomahawk cruise missile into a school on the first day of the war, killing at least 175 people, mostly children.Some critics doubt that the Pentagon ever will, or will bury the results under classifications to keep the worst mistakes secret from the public. Continue reading...

Maps created as part of Defra-funded Slimers project allowed test growers to halve amount of slug pellets usedFarmers believe they have a new weapon in their age-old battle against the slugs that destroy their crops: modern technology.Slug prediction maps, which have been created by computer models as part of an research project, are now helping growers to better target the use of pesticides, saving them money and reducing environmental harm. Continue reading...

Former party leaders reflect on the turbulence that followed the referendum in which most Scottish voters backed the losing sideThe decision to quit the EU bolstered support for Scottish independence, which a decade after the Brexit referendum is at near record levels, according to Scottish Labour's former leader Kezia Dugdale.Dugdale said the Brexit vote creates a frame around fairness" for many in Scotland because, unlike England, Scottish voters comprehensively backed remain in 2016, by 62% to 38%, yet found their country taken out of Europe. Continue reading...

For one day every June, South Africa's searing racial inequality seems to melt away at Comrades raceIn the early morning dark, thousands of runners waited, jostling with anticipation. South Africa's national anthem rang out. Then the haunting swell of Shosholoza, first sung by Zimbabwean migrant workers in South Africa's goldmines. Finally, that unmistakable, spine-tingling piano: Chariots of Fire.Runners gather before the start of the marathon Continue reading...

Advocates say the Safe Third Country Agreement forces immigrants to head to an unsafe country: the United StatesIt was the threat of gang violence in Honduras that pushed Carlos and Antonia to flee their home. In 2021, with their toddler, Alejandro, and a handful of belongings, the married couple ventured north hoping to reach safety in the US.The journey, through Guatemala and Mexico, was filled with danger and uncertainty Continue reading...

Bank details at risk as criminals use AI to create fake sites and emails offering pre-release beta test versionLike millions of gamers around the world, you have been waiting years for Grand Theft Auto VI to be released. Now you have the opportunity to play the much-anticipated game before everyone else.An email has arrived inviting you to play a pre-release beta" version of the game so that you can alert the makers to any bugs before its official release later this year. Continue reading...

Spain's leading festival of photography showcases the work of more than 300 visual artists in nearly 100 exhibitions across the countryPhotoEspana, Spain's leading festival of photography, held its official opening in Madrid this month and by September nearly 100 exhibitions will have showcased the work of more than 300 visual artists in the capital and across the country. Loosely corralled under the theme of reimagining, the exhibitions feature work by major figures in Spanish and international photography and less well-known emerging artists.From the series Invisible Line. Photograph: Alejandro Cartagena Continue reading...

Scores of Alan Latham's firms were removed by Companies House, including one set up for movie starring Liz HurleyA prolific film producer, whose projects have starred the likes of Frasier's Kelsey Grammer and Four Weddings and a Funeral's Anna Chancellor, has had scores of his production businesses forcibly removed from the UK's companies register, leaving workers unable to chase unpaid fees.Alan Latham, whose low-budget films have previously raised questions over his use of tax credits, has seen 50 of his film businesses compulsorily struck off by Companies House, according to data compiled by the film workers' union, Bectu. Continue reading...

Ten years ago Ebbw Vale had the highest proportion of leave voters in Wales despite huge EU funding, which has not been fully replacedWhere Ebbw Vale's steelworks once stood is now a cluster of gleaming modern buildings including a hospital, a leisure centre and a college. Over the past decade, these public facilities have been joined by a public-private cybersecurity research centre and two tech firms. A new railway station opened at the site in 2015.Yet, during the Guardian's visit to the Welsh valleys town last week, the area was quiet. Nearly as many sheep as people appeared to be using the new facilities: a ewe and three lambs, escaped from somewhere, busied themselves in a strip of rewilded land next to the tech buildings. Continue reading...

Frontrunner Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to return to full-scale military confrontation with armed groupsColombians go to the polls on Sunday in a presidential runoff expected to trigger to a dramatic shift in the country's decades-long armed conflict, now at its most violent point since the landmark 2016 peace agreement between the government and most of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc).Polls show the frontrunner is the Trump-admiring far-right lawyer and millionaire businessman Abelardo de la Espriella, who has vowed to abandon President Gustavo Petro's total peace" plan of negotiating the disarmament of all criminal organisations and instead return to full-scale military confrontation with armed groups. Continue reading...

Even voters for far-right and Eurosceptic parties back closer relations, polling saysTwo-thirds of EU citizens would back Britain rejoining the bloc, while most UK voters say Brexit has been bad for the issues they care about and want closer ties, including levels of integration - such as free movement - long seen as toxic, a survey has found.Ten years after the Brexit referendum, the polling by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a thinktank, found 66% of respondents across 15 countries felt UK membership was a very good, good or neither a good nor a bad" idea. Continue reading...

Unclear if threat has been carried out or if move will jeopardise talks with US scheduled for SundayIran has said it is closing the strait of Hormuz after waves of Israeli strikes in Lebanon in a move that threatens to derail the fragile interim peace deal with the US, signed just days ago.The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ships not to approach the strategic waterway, which before the war carried a fifth of global oil and liquid gas supplies, citing what it called Israeli crimes in Lebanon and a US violation of commitments to establish a ceasefire there. Continue reading...

Bulldozers sent in to clear roadblocks that have stifled the country as farmers and Indigenous groups protest against conservative presidentBolivia's president declared a state of emergency on Saturday and deployed soldiers and bulldozers to raze anti-government roadblocks that have paralysed the country.For more than six weeks, unions, Indigenous groups and coca farmers have marched through cities and blocked roads across the country with rubble, logs and debris in protest against the conservative government. Continue reading...

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Police Scotland arrested 36-year-old man after five people were injured, with counter-terrorism investigators brought inPolice Scotland said a man was charged after a series of attacks in Edinburgh on Friday night.Counter-terrorism officers were brought in to investigate the attacks in which five people were injured. Continue reading...

Blaze broke out in single-storey pavilion in New Zealand Way in White City on Saturday eveningThree people have died after a fire at a building in London, the London fire brigade (LFB) has said.The fire service said it received reports of the blaze in New Zealand Way in White City, west London, at 6.52pm on Saturday. Continue reading...

Buckingham Palace says move is intended to increase clarity and accessibility' of monarchy's financesKing Charles will become the first head of state to reveal their personal tax bill in what the palace said was an attempt to enhance the transparency of royal finances.Charles, 77, will publish his financial details as part of the royal household increasing the clarity and accessibility" of the monarchy's finances by producing a new report on the subject. Continue reading...

One Nation leader appears to suggest women should not be paid by employers while on maternity leave and calls for family income splitting

Wishah among at least 260 journalists killed since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023Qatar-based news network Al Jazeera has said one of its journalists was killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza on Saturday, becoming one of the at least 260 Palestinian journalists to have been killed since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023.Ahmed Wishah, a cameraman for the network, was killed in a strike targeting a house in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, the broadcaster said on its website. Continue reading...

Italian house's catwalk emphasised the brand's molto sexy' look with flamboyant, sometimes revealing outfitsDolce & Gabbana leaned heavily into the art of theatrical misdirection on the second day of Milan fashion week as it aimed to draw attention away from its debt issues, catwalk controversies and management reshuffles.On the catwalk its signature molto sexy" Italian aesthetic that comes served with a generous scoop of la dolce vita was in full swing. This was Euro summer on steroids. There were clingy muscle vests and micro shorts that made short shorts look modest while some models simply went topless. Jeans came ripped, shredded or smothered in sparkling jewels while T-shirts featured everything from giant prints of Sicilian lemons and ancient amphitheatres to a mosaic depiction of Christ. Continue reading...

East of England ambulance service says number of people listed as seriously injured has increased to 32Nine people are in a critical condition after the Bedford train crash that killed the driver of one of the trains, police have confirmed.The total number of people listed as seriously injured has increased to 32, East of England ambulance service said on Saturday. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereA losing streak? Makerfield shows mounting dangers for Nigel FarageFrom Restore and tactical voting to questions over that 5m gift, the Reform leader faces challenges on several fronts, writes senior political correspondent Peter Walker.As those around Nigel Farage are fond of pointing out, Reform UK has now led in more than 300 consecutive national polls. When it comes to byelections, though, it is fair to say the party's results are more mixed.Yes, Robert Kenyon came second in Makerfield to a popular regional mayor backed by a Labour campaign so relentless that the main risk was annoying voters by knocking too often on their doors. Kenyon also increased his and Reform's share of the vote from the 2024 general election. Continue reading...

Some Labour MPs still want former mayor to face scrutiny' of ideas through contested leadership raceAllies of Andy Burnham are increasingly confident of a coronation-style transfer of power after the number of MPs backing him for the Labour leadership surged following his byelection victory.Burnham and his team are understood to have spent the last few days enlisting the support of MPs and ministers, as he prepares to challenge Keir Starmer in the coming weeks. Continue reading...

430 ICE street arrests filed over a five-month period were clustered in predominantly Latino communities across New Jersey and New YorkFederal agents have arrested hundreds of immigrants off New York and New Jersey streets in recent months in a stealth enforcement campaign that disproportionately targeted people from Latin American countries, according to an investigation by the City Reporter based on a review of more than 1,200 lawsuits.More than 93% of the people grabbed off area streets who filed suit were from Latin American countries, although Latinos make up only 66% of immigrants without legal status in the region. Continue reading...

Suggestion that Scott Bessent so described a world leader included in Regime Change, by New York Times reportersScott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, advised Donald Trump not to host Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, having called the Ukrainian president a little fucker", a special-needs child" and Mr Bean on crack", according to a new book.The suggestion that a US cabinet official described a world leader in such terms is included in Regime Change, a blockbusting account of the second Trump administration by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, set to be published worldwide on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Colombians will choose on Sunday between two men whose lives have been very differently shaped by the militias, and whose visions for the country are poles apartWhoever wins Sunday's presidential runoff vote in Colombia, the country's next leader will have a personal history intertwined with one of the criminal forces at the heart of a decades-long armed conflict that claimed nearly half a million lives.The lives of Ivan Cepeda and Abelardo de la Espriella have, in very different ways, been shaped by their relationship with Colombia's paramilitaries - private armies originally established by rightwing landowners, drug traffickers, businessmen, mining magnates and politicians to fight leftwing guerrilla groups. Continue reading...

Arrests after explosion and caravan fires heighten controversy over number of people living in vehiclesJan Johnston was tucked up in the van she calls home when she was rocked by the explosion. I heard this massive boom," she said. I came out and there was thick, black, billowing smoke. It was like a bomb had gone off."It turned out not to be a bomb, but a suspected arson attack on one of the many caravans, motorhomes and converted vehicles tucked away in side roads and industrial estates around the town of Glastonbury in Somerset. Continue reading...

Designer turns to the accessory that launched his empire as he invokes the golden age of Italian sportFor his second standalone menswear show in Milan, Ralph Lauren reverted to the accessory that launched his empire in 1967 - ties.Skinny silk ties featuring subtle swirly prints were neatly knotted and used as the finishing touch to elegant pinstripe suits, while more brightly printed or striped cravats were whirled and worn like ties peeking out from under knitwear and rugby shirts. Continue reading...

Now fighting is over, the question is how Iran's government will behave. Early clues point to more authoritarianism and prioritising relations with ChinaThe precise ideological lessons that Iran's new leadership draws from the 110-day war may prove to be the overriding factor in determining whether negotiations with the US culminate in an agreement that verifiably prevents the country from developing a nuclear weapon - an outcome that could usher in a new era for the Iranian economy while also reshaping the Middle East.Does this rapidly assembled leadership team, forged in the fire of war, still represent an Islamic ideological crusade - a description coined by Henry Kissinger - or does the acceptance of the memorandum of understanding, in the words of JD Vance, denote a desire for pragmatism? Continue reading...

National Highways agency uses virtual reality test to see if drivers are distracted by introduction of low-flying dronesI'm barrelling down the motorway at 70mph, swerving from lane to lane, with cars speeding past me. There's just one problem, I don't have a driving licence.Or at least it would be a problem were this a real road test. But despite the life-like surroundings, I am in fact trialling a complex simulation created by virtual reality company MXT on behalf of National Highways, the government-owned agency responsible for the UK's major roads. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Tourism minister says another likely record year of visitor growth is not a worry amid move to welcome tourists out of season and market less frequented areasSpain is redoubling its efforts to push its tourist appeal beyond the familiar sun and sand and coast" model as it prepares for another record-breaking year in which the number of foreign visitors could reach 100 million for the first time, the country's tourism minister has said.Speaking to the Guardian, Jordi Hereu rejected suggestions that Spain was now saturated with tourists but said it had become clear that the old formulas no longer work", especially amid growing concerns about overtourism and the effects of the climate emergency. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Research suggests financial penalties necessary if number of large vehicles on roads is to be reducedDrivers who are told about the safety risks posed by SUVs to cyclists and pedestrians are very unlikely to be deterred from buying one, a new study has found.The findings indicate that if governments want to reduce the number of large, dangerous vehicles on the roads, it is likely to require financial penalties, according to the psychologists at Swansea University who led the research. Continue reading...

JD Vance pulls out of US-Iran meeting in Switzerland on implementation of peace deal after clashes in southern Lebanon

In middle Israel' there are fears Iran could rebuild stronger - and there is particular ire for Donald TrumpIn the Tree brasserie off Herzl Street in Rehovot, there was much that almost everyone agreed on. Few contested that the ceasefire deal concluded by Iran and the US a few days earlier was very bad for Israel. We were betrayed by President Trump," said Avi Perez, 55.They believed, too, that Israel, more than ever, was surrounded by danger that it would have to confront alone. It is strange. One day we were in the [bomb] shelters with our children ... The next day, everything is supposed to be normal. But nothing has been resolved," said Shaham Nowick, 35, as he studied the menu. Continue reading...

Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency to use International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition for regulatory work'

Tests taken in Western Australia suggest a second bird was also infected, but there is no evidence poultry or agriculture systems are affected

Makerfield victory gives Andy Burnham a path back to Westminster and a chance to challenge Keir Starmer

Cambridgeshire police say 30-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder is not fit to be interviewedA man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy ended up in a crocodile enclosure has been released because he is not fit to be interviewed, police have said.The 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been bailed while detectives from the major crimes unit conduct further inquiries, Cambridgeshire police said. Continue reading...

Birds have been in the park since the Russian ambassador gave King Charles II two in 1664 - but none ever bred thereThey arrived in the royal park shortly before the Great Fire of London, when the Russian ambassador presented a pair to King Charles II as a gift.But although pelicans have been living in St James's Park since 1664, none ever learned the art of courtship - until now, when for the first time in more than 360 years, chicks have been born. Continue reading...

Ministers say PM faces being forced out by party if he does not act, with one calling his departure inevitable'

Thomas, 43, a former military police officer, has whip suspended during investigation into the allegationsA Liberal Democrat MP suspended by the party has been arrested on suspicion of controlling and coercive behaviour and assault, the Guardian understands.Cameron Thomas, the MP for Tewkesbury, was arrested by Gloucestershire police on Wednesday. The Liberal Democrats said the 43-year-old had had the whip and membership of the party suspended. Continue reading...