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Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as traders fear attacks from Yemen and Iran creating two-chokepoint problem'The Houthi attacks off the coast of Yemen targeted Saudi Arabian tankers, but two Chinese vessels carrying Saudi oil appear to be trying to exit the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Reuters reports.From Reuters:Two Chinese supertankers carrying a combined 4 million barrels of Saudi Arabian oil are exiting the Red Sea via the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Thursday, shipping data showed, even as a Saudi vessel came under attack in the region.The ships' attempt to transit the strait will clearly test how tightly the Houthis will impose the naval blockade on Saudi Arabia they announced on Monday. Continue reading...

The prime minister said the 100m package would mean the typical pub would save around 1,100 in the next financial yearReynolds also said she would welcome Gary Lineker and other UK-based millionaires increasing the amount they pay into public coffers after they called for a wealth tax.But she would not be drawn into whether Andy Burnham's government will consider what they are asking for. She said:Well, look, it's day four of this new government, and obviously any major tax changes would be announced at a budget.I welcome the fact that people of good means are saying that they want to pay more. They can pay more.This is fully funded, and it will be funded in a couple of major ways. Firstly, by looking at business rate reliefs on businesses that cause social harm, such as vape shops, and secondly by cracking down on those online businesses who are not paying VAT.I am confident as chief secretary, having looked at the numbers, and we will set out the numbers in more detail at the budget, that we will fund this announcement in the ways that I've just mentioned.There may be additional measures that we look at as well, but it is those two principal ways that we're going to fund this business rate relief. Continue reading...

CBA chair says contempt charge over closing speech by Rajiv Menon KC has left lawyers fearful of doing their jobThe prosecution of a leading human rights barrister for contempt of court over his closing speech during a trial of Palestine Action activists has left lawyers fearful of doing their job, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has said.Rajiv Menon KC is due to stand trial next week, accused of breaching the judge's directions in the trial of six people for a direct action protest at an arms factory of the Israeli subsidiary Elbit Systems UK in Filton, near Bristol, in 2024. Continue reading...

US military says it is degrading Tehran's ability to threaten ships in strait of Hormuz; Houthis say tankers violated their blockade; US signs nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia

Oradea is only major city in EU where local authorities have repeatedly blocked Pride plansCampaigners in a Romanian city have vowed to go ahead with plans for a Pride march after local authorities denied them permission for the fourth consecutive year.Since 2023, campaigners in the western city of Oradea - population 180,000 - have sought authorisation for Pride events. Each year, however, they have come up against opposition, turning Oradea into the only major city in the EU where local authorities have repeatedly blocked Pride plans. Continue reading...

The US secretary of state said proposals put forward so far were not acceptable to Ukraine'Since one of the questions was on the Russian readout from the Rubio-Lavrov meeting, let's bring you the details of what it actually said (10:15).Russia warned the United States against making unacceptable" arms deliveries to Ukraine, the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, reported by AFP. Continue reading...

One Nation leader labels family violence leave ridiculous' and decries woke' support of women's rights in November podcast

Budget airline, which has two US investment firms vying to buy it, also affected by passengers booking laterThe low-cost airline easyJet has revealed a 70% slide in profits because of soaring fuel costs and later bookings as a result of the conflict in Iran, only weeks after it agreed to a 5.7bn takeover.The carrier reported a pre-tax profit of 85m between April and June compared with 286m during the same period a year earlier, as its fuel costs increased by 105m after the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East in late February sent energy prices rocketing. Continue reading...

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Alan Greer, who killed himself after officers visited his home, could be Police Scotland's Wayne Couzens moment'A police officer who took his own life in May was a rapist who attacked at least nine women over 14 years.PC Alan Greer's offending came to light when his first known victim, a woman he raped in her home in Glasgow in 2012 after she had called the police to report being the victim of a crime, reported the attack late last year. Continue reading...

NT minister for trade and business Robyn Cahill makes scientifically inaccurate claims while pushing to make territory datacentre capital of the globe'

BMW, Ford, Nissan and Toyota, plus parts maker Bosch, wrote joint letter to ministers in AprilMajor carmakers privately lobbied the UK government to revoke a ban on new petrol and diesel cars after 2035, according to documents that reveal for the first time the efforts to overturn a key decarbonisation policy.BMW, Ford, Nissan and Toyota, plus the parts maker Bosch, wrote a joint letter to ministers in April calling for an open technology approach" including petrol and diesel cars after 2035, when the government had said new cars must produce zero carbon emissions. Continue reading...

No 10 announces reprieve after Andy Burnham previously pledged to raise tax from e-commerce warehouses and channel it to cutting hospitality sector's billsBusiness rates will be cut by 20% for pubs, clubs and live music venues across England from April next year, Downing Street has announced.The discount will apply to nearly 32,000 hospitality businesses and is expected to save a typical pub about 1,100 annually, but will not be available to the very largest live music venues. Continue reading...

Dunedin will be the focal point, having last experienced such an eclipse in 1163 - before any humans reached New ZealandHotels are booking out two years in advance in the New Zealand city of Dunedin as it prepares for the region's first total solar eclipse in more than 850 years.At 4.17pm on 22 July 2028, the moon will pass in front of the sun, casting a roughly 100km-wide shadowy band across parts of southern New Zealand. Everywhere within that band - from tourist hotspot Queenstown in the west to Dunedin city in the east - will be plunged into daytime darkness for 2 minutes and 51 seconds. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Darren Rosheski won NHS payout over partner Helen Dutton's death from rectal cancer after GP misjudged her symptomsI remember the doctor, after he'd examined Helen and found a large lump in her colon, saying it's very sinister - we need to bring you in to be investigated."Darren Rosheski is recalling the moment a consultant doctor at Tameside hospital broke the news to his partner, Helen Dutton, that her symptoms - which also included back pain, passing blood and altered bowel habits - were so worrying that they needed further tests. Continue reading...

Scientists believe sunfish-smashing behaviour could be form of entertainment or to help younger whales feedOrcas have been observed ramming into giant fish so hard that the prey explode, possibly as a form of gory entertainment.On several occasions, orcas were observed to hold sunfish in their jaws while a second whale smashed into the target at high speed, causing it to break into thousands of pieces. Since the fish had already been killed, scientists suggested the behaviour may represent a form of play. Continue reading...

More than 70 attacks have been recorded over past year, including acts of violence, property damage and vandalismOne mosque is attacked in Britain every five days, according to new data released by the government's partner for monitoring anti-Muslim hatred.More than 70 attacks on mosques in the UK have been recorded over the past year, which include acts of intimidation, violence, property damage, harassment, anti-Muslim hate speech, online abuse and vandalism. Continue reading...

New prime minister has made Sarwar - the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer's resignation - a peerScottish Labour's rivals in Holyrood have slammed Anas Sarwar's shock decision to resign as leader to sit in Andy Burnham's new government, calling him a chancer" and accusing him of lying to voters.The prime minister has made Sarwar - who was the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer to resign - a peer and given him a ministerial post at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, No 10 announced on Wednesday. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed.The Jordanian army said it intercepted four Iranian missiles on Wednesday with two additional missile falling in an open area, AFP reports.The two missiles that the army did not intercept fell in two remote, uninhabited areas, without causing any human casualties or material damage" the army said in a statement. Continue reading...

Jamieson Greer denies tariffs have pushed up prices during grilling from lawmakers over cost-of-living concernsDonald Trump's chief trade official denied the president's sweeping tariffs have increased prices for US families, as lawmakers challenged him over cost-of-living concerns across much of the country.US inflation surged to a three-year high earlier this year. During a heated exchange before US senators on Wednesday, however, US trade representative Jamieson Greer appeared to claim Trump's controversial economic agenda had not driven prices higher. Continue reading...

In Kentucky and West Virginia, rescuers freed trapped residents as states face catastrophic floods and damageTropical storm Bertha made landfall in St Bernard parish, on the Gulf coast south-east of New Orleans, Louisiana, on Wednesday afternoon, the US national hurricane center said.The Miami-based forecaster added that maximum sustained winds were estimated to be 45mph (75km/h) with higher gusts. Continue reading...

European Commission says Paramount Skydance's decision to end Universal venture addresses merger concernsParamount Skydance's 80bn takeover of Warner Brothers took a step closer to being realised after it won conditional approval from the European Union.The European Commission said Paramount's offer to end a film distribution joint venture with Universal Pictures addressed its concerns over the potential merger. As part of its commitments in the EU, Paramount has 13 months from the date of closing the deal to pull out from the venture. Continue reading...

PM says he wants to ensure everything has been looked at' amid outrage at policy from family of PC Andrew HarperAndy Burnham is immersed in a deepening political row after ordering a review of plans for the early release of thousands of killers, rapists and sex offenders from prison in September.After the family of PC Andrew Harper expressed outrage that his killers may be eligible for release, the prime minister responded by pledging to make sure that everything has been looked at again" before a fresh tranche of about 6,000 offenders were freed on tags. Continue reading...

Campaigners in Ukraine pledge to continue nationwide protests until Mykhailo Fedorov gets his job backVolodymyr Zelenskyy was under growing pressure to reinstate his sacked defence minister on Wednesday, after campaigners said they would continue indefinite nationwide protests until Mykhailo Fedorov got his job back.On Tuesday, Zelenskyy bowed to public demands by firing Ukraine's commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. He appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi as the new head of the country's armed forces, as part of a radical reshuffle of the top military command. Continue reading...

Public prosecutor for the region said suspect had been initially arrested shortly after the murder on 29 April last yearA 70-year-old woman has been charged with the murder of Karen Carter, the British expat found dead in south-western France last year, according to reports.According to the Dordogne Libre and others, the woman was charged on 2 July with Carter's murder in Tremolat, in the Dordogne, and is under judicial supervision". Continue reading...

Party chair queries status of funds Reform leader received from crypto billionaire Christopher HarborneThe Conservatives have asked HMRC to investigate whether Nigel Farage should have paid tax on the 5m gift he received from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.The party chair, Kevin Hollinrake, wrote to the tax authorities questioning whether it was a payment to compensate him for running to be an MP. Continue reading...

UK warehouse landlord says board unanimous in recommendation to accept best and final offer'The board of the UK warehouse landlord Segro has U-turned and said it would be willing to accept a 14bn takeover by Segro's bigger US rival, Prologis, in a deal that would be one of the largest foreign takeovers of a UK-listed company.In the latest blow to the troubled London stock market, Segro said in a statement that its board had unanimously concluded" it would recommend its shareholders accept what Prologis called its best and final offer", made just hours before a deadline. Continue reading...

Brussels talks between senior diplomats now underway in attempt to sign off 21st package of sanctions, after previous failed attemptsThe Venice Biennale said it would challenge a European Union decision to withdraw a 2 million grant in response to the return of Russia to its 2026 edition, despite continuing aggression on Ukraine, Reuters reported.The Italian government sharply criticised the move, while the European Commission warned it would suspend or terminate funding if the Russian pavilion returned. Continue reading...

Proposal throws global south countries under the bus', says ActionAid UK director

Exclusive: Guardian investigation of CT Group uncovers practice that appears to seek hidden influence over public opinionA political lobbying firm founded by the former electoral strategist for David Cameron and Boris Johnson secretly pays journalists to write pieces for British newspapers that are favourable to their clients, a Guardian investigation can reveal.In a practice that appears to create a backdoor for private companies to influence public opinion, lobbyists for CT Group - co-founded by the campaign strategist, Lynton Crosby - told an undercover reporter that they had paid journalists to place apparently independent stories in newspapers. Continue reading...

New defence secretary emphasises military will be spending priority over other departments under Burnham

Figures come as large parts of southern Europe endure another record-breaking period of extreme temperaturesFrance recorded more than 5,700 excess deaths during its June heatwave, authorities have said, as swathes of southern Europe continue to endure another record-breaking period of extreme temperatures.The French national health agency said on Wednesday that it had recorded 5,764 excess deaths between 17 June and 2 July, an excess mortality rate of 36%. Continue reading...

As measles, hantavirus and cyclospora spread, experts say lost staff and expertise are slowing the responseA series of health challenges - hantavirus, screwworm, Ebola, cyclospora, measles, whooping cough, bird flu - are exposing the widening gaps in America's ability to prevent, identify and halt infectious disease outbreaks.The rapid dismantling of the US public health system at all levels means the US is in worse shape than it was before the Covid pandemic, former top CDC officials say. Continue reading...

New PM says the main perpetrator in the killing of PC Andrew Harper will now not be subject to early release' and he will also review whole policy'Wes Streeting said the US president was right" to demand Europe pays more for its own defence.Donald Trump has been increasingly critical of Europe for relying too much on the US for its security, and has demanded Nato allies reach 5% of GDP on defence spending by 2035.President Trump has called on Europe to carry a greater share of the burden for our own defence, and he is right to do so. The UK has always been a leading light on defence spending, but the world is changing and in these dangerous uncertain times it is clear that we have needed to go further.That's why we've committed 298bn over the next four years, including an additional 15bn on top of last year's spending review settlement. At the recent Nato summit, all members reaffirmed our commitment to 3.5 by 35 [3.5% of GDP by 2035]. Continue reading...

Daniel Siad faced allegations of rape and trafficking in France and appeared in more than 1,000 documents in Epstein filesA modelling scout who recruited women for Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his home near Paris, French officials have said.Daniel Siad, 69, was under investigation by the prosecutors specialising in human trafficking in France, accused of rape and other charges. His name appeared in more than 1,000 documents in the US Department of Justice Epstein files that were declassified earlier this year. Continue reading...

US secretary of state says international community should join forces' against authoritarian Ortega regimeNicaragua's congress, controlled by the country's long-serving president, Daniel Ortega, has announced a work plan" to implement the authoritarian leader's order that the country should no longer hold elections.The UN and the US strongly condemned Sunday's announcement by Ortega, who has been in power since 2007 and, after a controversial constitutional change last year, now governs alongside his wife, Rosario Murillo, as co-president". Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese will cast practical' policies as the key to countering the anxiety and frustration in Australia

Isabel Rose, 26, given six-year sentence for blackmail and perverting course of justice after accusing British bankerA British woman who reported being raped to police in Hong Kong has been sentenced to six years in prison for blackmail and perverting the course of public justice.Isabel Rose, 26, from south-east London traveled to Hong Kong in early 2024 to visit a British banker she had met while travelling in south-east Asia. Continue reading...

Clear frontrunner leaves lucrative role at New York's Dia Art Foundation to join UK arts organisation at critical junctureJessica Morgan has been confirmed as the new director of Tate, marking her return to the arts organisation where she worked as a curator for more than a decade, at a critical juncture in its history.Morgan, the clear frontrunner in the race to replace Maria Balshaw, who left this spring after nine years in charge, is currently based in New York, where she has led the Dia Art Foundation since 2015. Continue reading...

Police open investigation into Nottinghamshire service that treated Valdo Calocane, who killed three people in 2023The NHS trust that treated the triple killer Valdo Calocane in the years before the Nottingham attacks is being investigated by police for corporate manslaughter.Calocane, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order after he fatally stabbed the 19-year-old students Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley Kumar, and the 65-year-old caretaker Ian Coates, on 13 June 2023. Continue reading...

Victims of crime say it's no laughing matter' after ministers caught on hot mic ribbing' about scheme

John Neal failed to disclose relationship with female colleague that risked triggering conflict of interest concernsLloyd's of London has ruled that its former boss John Neal breached compliance rules by failing to disclose a close relationship" with a female colleague that risked triggering conflict of interest concerns at the insurance market.An investigation by the Council of Lloyd's, which is responsible for the market's management and supervision, said it could not find any conclusive evidence" Neal was romantically involved with the company's then corporate affairs director, nor that there were any process failures relating to her promotion during Neal's tenure. Continue reading...

Proceedings suspended as politicians call for Modi government to address police violence and education scandalsIndia's opposition parties have shut down parliament in a protest calling for the resignation of the education minister, in solidarity with the new youth-led cockroach" movement.Opposition politicians, led by the Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi, gathered outside the parliament building in Delhi on Wednesday, many dressed in black and waving placards calling on Dharmendra Pradhan to quit. Continue reading...

Equinor benefits from move to ramp up oil and gas production during strait of Hormuz blockades

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Measure to cost more than 500m, with money allocated to allow devolved nations to do the sameSingle bus fares across England will be capped at 2 from January, Andy Burnham has announced, as he continues a cost of living blitz in his first week as prime minister.The nationwide cap is currently set at 3 until the end of March 2027, although some areas - including London and Greater Manchester, where Burnham set a 2 limit as mayor - have lower top rates for single tickets. Continue reading...

Annual June figure comes after new PM pledges to reduce cost of living and improve economy

Greenpeace petitions Dutch courts to order JBS to disclose how its aims are compatible with responsibilities to climate and human rightsThe world's biggest meat company, JBS, faces a landmark legal challenge to disclose how its $6bn (4.5bn) global expansion plan is compatible with responsibilities to the climate, nature and human rights.Courts in the Netherlands, where JBS is headquartered, will assess the petition filed by Greenpeace for information on whether the company is compliant with Dutch laws on duty of care" as well as its own publicly stated commitments. Continue reading...

These visualisations from exclusive polling modelling show how the UK parliament could change under different voting systemsNew analysis produced exclusively for the Guardian reveals how different voting systems would return wildly different seat totals in the UK parliament based on current polling.While the current first past the post (FPTP) system could leave Reform UK just 30 seats short of a majority based on recent polls, the modelling shows how proportional systems would be likely to give the UK a more finely balanced parliament that better represents the votes people cast. Continue reading...

Ten-second siren' to blare on most phones on Monday as part of national test despite reservations from some states