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US president says Khamenei's death is justice for the people of Iran' as he repeats call for regime change

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Confirmation of supreme leader's killing follows announcement by Donald Trump that one of the most evil people in history, is dead'

Australian foreign affairs minister says Israel and US should explain the legal basis for the attacks' on Iran and won't say if Pine Gap used during strikes

Olivia Dean tops the winners list with four, while Sam Fender bags two - see all the category winners here News: Olivia Dean sweeps the board at 2026 Brit awards, winning four including artist, song and album of the year

Crowds gather in DC, New York and beyond to denounce Trump's Iran strikes as an illegal act of war

Joint operation prompts Tehran to retaliate with missile attacks on bases across Middle East

The US joined an Israeli assault after intel suggested Iran's top clerics and commanders could be hit at once

Bystander describes loud crashing sound from the rocks' as light aircraft goes into sea at Lee-on-the-SolentA pilot survived after a light aircraft crashed on to a beach in Hampshire on Saturday.The pilot had exited the aircraft before firefighters arrived and was subsequently assessed by the ambulance service, Hampshire and Isle of Wight fire and rescue service said. Continue reading...

The 26-year-old dominates in Manchester, landing the night's biggest prizes as Rose, Wolf Alice and Mark Ronson also take top honoursOlivia Dean was the big winner at the 2026 Brit awards, taking home awards for artist of the year, pop act, song of the year for her Sam Fender duet Rein Me In, and album of the year for The Art of Loving.In less than a year, Dean has leaped to the forefront of British pop thanks to The Art of Loving, her second album. With songs that get to the heart of the joys and frustrations of casual modern dating, she is enormously relatable, while her sophisticated and cosmopolitan songcraft, deftly finessing styles such as bossa nova, trip-hop, neo-soul and jazz together, has given her an unusually broad and cross-generational appeal. Continue reading...

Actor, originally charged on two counts, also accused of shouting homophobic slurs during attacks on 17 FebruaryShia LaBeouf surrendered to New Orleans police after they obtained a new warrant Friday to arrest him again in connection with a case that had already left him facing two counts of battery.The new warrant brought the number of people whom the Transformers film franchise star is accused of battering to three. He turned himself over to police in advance of a bail hearing on Saturday afternoon, after which he posted a $5,000 bond to continue out of authorities' custody while awaiting the outcome of the case. Continue reading...

Air strikes halt bitter political feuding ahead of elections as prominent Israelis call for broad open-ended war

Regime could try to retain control of streets as US and Israel have expressed no intention of mounting ground invasionVenezula's Nicholas Maduro was captured. But Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have chosen a different strategy for Iran: to target and aim to kill the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and as many other senior regime figures as possible.Though Iranian military sites and its air defence systems were also targeted by coordinated US and Israeli bombing, beginning in the morning, the most significant attack was on Khamenei's compound in Tehran. Continue reading...

Makerfield MP has been under pressure over thinktank's commissioning of PR firm to investigate reportersThe Labour minister Josh Simons has resigned from the government after the Guardian revealed that he falsely linked reporters to a pro-Kremlin" network in emails to GCHQ despite having claimed to be surprised" and furious" about a PR firm's investigation into their journalism.Simons, who had been a Cabinet Office minister, previously ran the thinktank Labour Together. He quit on Saturday, saying his position in office had become a distraction from this government's important work." Continue reading...

Tehran carries out extensive retaliatory strikes on Israel and US air bases as region is plunged into fresh conflict

Alan Nicolle was already approved for urgent aged care supports, but delays and confusion under a Kafkaesque' system made his final days exhausting and painful

Second Israeli-US attack during nuclear negotiations may finally jettison any chance of agreement

Missiles and bombs landed across Iran, hitting political and security targets in Tehran, including supreme leader's residence

Lucy Powell calls for party to make more use of Greater Manchester mayor after Gorton and Denton defeatAndy Burnham would have won the Gorton and Denton byelection, Labour's deputy leader said as she called for the party to make more use of the Greater Manchester mayor.Labour fell to third in the previously rock-solid seat on Thursday, with the Greens winning a fifth seat in parliament and Reform UK coming second. Continue reading...

Leader launches roadmap' of first 100 days in power to show party is ready to govern if it wins Senedd electionsThe leader of Plaid Cymru has described the prospect of leading the next government in Wales as a heck of a task" but that he senses voters are increasingly driven by their Welsh identity and may be ready for Britain to be redesigned".Speaking to the Guardian as he published a glossy 60-page roadmap" for his party's first 100 days in government, if it takes power in May, Rhun ap Iorwerth said he was ready to lead the devolved administration in Cardiff but would work with other parties if he did not win a majority. Continue reading...

PM says British planes in the sky today' to protect allies in Middle East from retaliatory strikes by Tehran

North Carolina's Michael Phillips revealed that he had a 0.38in member in bid to reduce stigma of the conditionA North Carolina man has challenged anyone on earth to disprove his claim of having the world's smallest penis as he advocates against body shaming and aims to raise awareness about the medical condition known as micropenis.Michael Phillips, 38, threw down the gauntlet in an interview posted Friday on TMZ's YouTube channel, in which he purported that his penis was 0.38in (0.97cm) when fully erect - and, holding up the fingernail on his right pinky to illustrate that length, added: When it's flaccid, it's smaller than that." Continue reading...

The education secretary wants a fairer system and the Tories have leapt in with their own plan - but why now?For anyone who attended university in England in the last 15 or so years, the idea of student loans feeling like some sort of debt trap is hardly news. But three weeks ago, when the journalist Oli Dugmore discussed this on the BBC's Question Time, it felt like a moment.It was less the size of the initial debt, he explained, than the way above-inflation interest rates meant the interest charged alone was now almost as much as the original sum. So was it mis-sold to me?" he asked, rhetorically. Yes, I'd say so." Continue reading...

Caspar San Giorgio to appear in court after defacing London statue with slogans including Zionist war criminal'A 38-year-old man has been charged with criminal damage after Winston Churchill's statue outside the Houses of Parliament was sprayed with graffiti labelling the former prime minister a Zionist war criminal".The Metropolitan police arrested Caspar San Giorgio, of no fixed address, shortly after 4am on Friday. He was charged in the early hours of Saturday morning and is due to appear at Highbury Corner magistrates court in London. Continue reading...

Cygnet Texkimp was approved to export machines to Rydena, but ministers examining deal after Guardian highlighted founders' links to Kremlin military supply chainMinisters are reviewing a decision to allow a British company to export hi-tech equipment to Armenia after the Guardian uncovered links to the Russian military supply chain.Cygnet Texkimp, based in Cheshire, was weeks away from exporting two machines that produce carbon fibre prepreg", a lightweight material that can be used in a range of civil and military applications. Continue reading...

Experts say global measles vaccination rates are falling as Trump officials signal a deprioritization of the virusThe US government has amplified anti-vaccine rhetoric and signaled that it does not consider measles to be a priority, which could have global ramifications as countries around the world have lost or are on the brink of losing measles elimination status.The World Health Organization announced in late January that six European countries: the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan had all officially lost their measles elimination status, which means the virus has been circulating continuously in those countries for more than 12 months. In order to contain measles, at least 95% of children should be fully vaccinated against it, according to health recommendations, but vaccination rates have been falling across Europe. Continue reading...

US president violates UN charter just days into his Board of Peace era, and chooses to take the biggest gamble of his administration

Rebranded' terror group seeks to recruit those alienated by Damascus government's western pivotOn the surface, all that remains of Islamic State in the Syrian town of Baghuz are discarded tubs of whitening cream, spent RPG motors and children's backpacks, with an old grenade nestled in the frayed pink nylon.It was here nearly seven years ago that IS made its last stand. Its most zealous followers were obliterated along with the blood-soaked caliphate they fought to defend. Their bodies were collected and buried next to the town graveyard, while bulldozers came and sealed the entire area under a layer of heavy yellow earth. Continue reading...

Private providers accused of prescribing powerful stimulants without examining young patients properlyChildren with ADHD are being put at risk by poorly regulated private clinics that prescribe powerful stimulants without key physical examinations, doctors have warned.A surge in remote-only assessments has led to what one clinician described as widespread and unsafe practice", where children are being diagnosed and medicated via video link. The clinical warnings have now forced health authorities in Greater Manchester to overhaul prescribing rules, mandating face-to-face checks to protect the safety of children. Continue reading...

Few clues as to how 10 heavily armed men intercepted on stolen speedboat came together from across Florida or what they hoped to achieveFoot traffic was slow outside the Bay of Pigs Museum on Calle Ocho in Miami's Little Havana neighbourhood. A few tourists in T-shirts and shorts bypassed the gallery dedicated to one of the most fateful days in Cuba's history and headed instead to nearby Maximo Gomez Park to take photographs of Cuban exiles playing dominoes.This is the street at the heart of the Cuban expat community of more than 1 million people where tens of thousands partied through the night in November 2016 to celebrate the death of Fidel Castro, and where they gathered in sorrow almost exactly 30 years ago to mourn four Cuban-Americans shot down by the communist country's air force as they conducted a mission for the humanitarian exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Continue reading...

Project Play finds UK taxpayers are funding record child fatalities' and repeated violence' against children in northern FranceThe deaths of 22 children while trying to cross the Channel in the last two years, along with the mistreatment of thousands of others, were due to catastrophic failures" of the UK and French governments, according to a new report.Project Play, an NGO that has worked with 2,192 children hoping to cross the Channel from northern France to the UK to claim asylum in the last two years, has documented the impact of the hostile conditions in northern France due to regular teargassing, evictions and dinghy-slashing by the French police. Continue reading...

Legendary nightclub Le Palace, where Serge Gainsbourg and Prince also performed, to rise againIn the late 1970s, Le Palace in Paris's busy theatre district was one of continental Europe's most famous nightclubs.On the opening night on 1 March 1978, Grace Jones stunned VIP guests with her rendition of Edith Piaf's classic La Vie en Rose. Later, Serge Gainsbourg and Prince came to perform, Bob Marley was photographed there and Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol and Karl Lagerfeld were part of a glittering cast of international celebrities, politicians, designers and models who came to drink and dance. Continue reading...

As the director general prepares to stand down, potential candidates have fallen away amid a series of crisesThere is an impressive shortlist circulating in Britain's media circles, comprising some of the most talented executives in the business. Unfortunately for the BBC, it contains the names of figures no longer in the running to become its next director general.Those closely observing the corporation's search for a successor to Tim Davie have been quick to note how the events of the past week help explain the alarming attrition rate. Continue reading...

Department of foreign affairs alerts travellers to extremely volatile' situation

Roger Cook condemned dog whistling under the guise of immigration policy' after police lay charges against alleged member of white supremacist group

Likelihood of winning to decrease after NS&I cut the proportion of the total invested amount paid out in prizesThere was some bad news this week for Britain's 22 million-strong army of premium bond holders: the odds of winning a prize are to get worse.National Savings and Investments (NS&I) says it is cutting the proportion of the total invested amount paid out in prizes from 3.6% to 3.3% a year with effect from April's draw. Continue reading...

Case brought by 29 workers and backed by UVW union seen as test case that could lead to changes at other restaurantsHarrods is facing legal action over its addition of a 1-a-head cover charge to diners' bills that does not go to workers, in a test case that could lead to changes at a string of upmarket restaurants.Legislation, which came into force in October 2024, requires business owners to hand over all tips and service charges to staff. Some restaurants, including those at Harrods, add a mandatory cover charge as well as an optional service charge and only pass on the latter to their workers. Continue reading...

PM criticises sectarian politics' in byelection but party may fear Greens' nascent leftwing political machineThe Green party's success at winning Muslim votes in Gorton and Denton has sent tremors through Westminster, prompting recriminations and accusations from opposition parties, who sense another major realignment in British politics.Experts say Hannah Spencer's unexpectedly wide margin of victory was delivered in part by a significant shift of Muslim voters from Labour to the Greens. Continue reading...

Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days Continue reading...

Event's first venture outside London aims to recognise geographical diversity of UK's music talentVisitors to Manchester this week have been visibly amused to be arriving into Olivia Deansgate station, with many posing for selfies in front of the temporary sign. The tribute to the chart-busting musician is just one indication of how Manchester is embracing the arrival of the Brit awards on Saturday, the event's first venture outside London in its five-decade history.Stacey Tang, theBrit awards chair, said the move to the Co-op Live arena was about recognising the geographical diversity of the country's music talent. Creativity doesn't happen in one postcode in the UK ... so the idea that the biggest night in music should always be in London, I think, is ageing out," she said. Continue reading...

US threats to seize Greenland have created new international fault lines' that can be used to spread disinformation, Danish intelligence agencies sayDenmark's intelligence services have warned that a foreign power may try to sway the general election on 24 March, saying the main threat was from Russia over support for Ukraine but also citing the chaos caused by US efforts to seize Greenland.The PET police intelligence service and FE military intelligence said in a joint statement the election campaign could be marked by disinformation and cyberattacks to sow division, influence the public debate or to target candidates, parties or specific political programmes". Continue reading...

Syaban Shadikillah told to get new driver's licence after being issued one using photo of him with colander on his head

The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, is widely regarded as one of the Democratic party's leading contenders for the 2028 presidential election. He has also published a new book, Young Man in a Hurry, reflecting on his childhood and his path to the governor's mansion.This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Newsom about why he believes the Democrats suffered such heavy losses in 2024, why the party needs to be less judgmental, and whether he intends to run for president in 2028 Continue reading...

Critics claim the operations are geared at social media, but police say they have enabled real arrestsPolice officers from Bangkok's metropolitan bureau had less than 24 hours to prepare for their latest undercover operation. They would be starring as performers of a lion dance at a temple fair held for the lunar new year. Their mission: track down and arrest a suspected thief who had a history of evading officers.The dance was spontaneous. We just did what we did," said the police captain Lertvarit Lertvorapreecha, adding that nobody had time to practise. In his haste, he accidentally picked up his colleague's male mask, which he wore with a red silk dress, trousers and tactical shoes. Continue reading...

Taliban offer to resolve dispute via dialogue after Pakistan bombed cities in Afghanistan in latest escalation with its neighbourWashington endorsed Pakistan's right to defend itself" after it bombed major cities across Afghanistan amid heightened tensions between the two hostile neighbours.The Taliban government in Kabul stressed it was ready to negotiate on Friday as violence intensified between the two countries. Continue reading...

Riot police use teargas to disperse people gathering around wreckage of plane loaded with money from central bankAt least 15 people have died after a military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed on Friday near Bolivia's capital, damaging about a dozen vehicles on a highway and scattering bills on the ground, an official has said.Fire chief Pavel Tovar did not specify if those killed were in the plane or on the highway near the airport in La Paz. He said people had been injured. Continue reading...

US president accuses Tehran of failing to negotiate in good faith' over its nuclear programme

As tensions between two countries reach new highs, US president says regime is talking with us'Donald Trump has suggested the US could carry out a friendly takeover" of Cuba as tensions between Washington and Havana reach a new high after the capture of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro.As he left the White House for a campaigning event in Texas on Friday, Trump said: The Cuban government is talking with us. They're in a big deal of trouble." Continue reading...

Sherry Xue Li ripped off millions from foreign investors and funnelled some stolen money into US political campaignsA New York businesswoman was sentenced Friday to nine years in federal prison over a financial scheme that ripped off more than $30m from foreign investors and funnelled some of the stolen money into US political campaigns, including a Donald Trump fundraiser during his first presidency.Sherry Xue Li was also ordered to forfeit $31.5m, as well as property at three locations, and to make restitution to her victims. Continue reading...