World news | The Guardian

After oil prices surged on Monday the US president sought - and failed - to offer a clear vision for when the largest US intervention in the Middle East in years will end

As speculation mounts that Kim Jong-un and Trump could meet this month, analysts say Pyongyang will continue to see nuclear weapons as a matter of survivalNorth Korea's launch last week of a missile from a naval destroyer elicited an uncharacteristically prosaic analysis from the country's leader, Kim Jong-un. The launch was proof, he said, that arming ships with nuclear weapons was making satisfactory progress".But the test, and Kim's mildly upbeat appraisal, were designed to reverberate well beyond the deck of the 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel the Choe Hyon - the biggest warship in the North Korean fleet. Continue reading...

Staffing levels at centres critical' under Management and Training Corporation, prisons watchdog says

Sentences of 16 and 12 years handed down over 2025 death of 32-year-old Zivan Radmanovic

Assistant commissioner Andrew Holland says we believe he is alive and getting support' after Lake Cargelligo killings

Research found extreme disproportion in use of police power in districts such as Richmond-upon-ThamesBlack people are up to 48 times more likely than white people to be stopped and searched by police in some of London's best-off areas, a new report has found.The study found that the reasons given by officers for subjecting black people to the controversial power were more likely to be vague, with examples including that a black person gave a furtive glance". Continue reading...

Uber is expanding a pilot program aimed at addressing concerns about the safety of its ride-hailing platformUber launched a feature on Monday to allow both female riders and drivers across the US to be matched with other women for trips, expanding a pilot program aimed at addressing concerns about the safety of its ride-hailing platform.The new feature is being rolled out nationwide despite an ongoing class action lawsuit against the policy in California, filed by Uber drivers who argue that it is discriminatory against men. Rival ride-hailing company Lyft is also facing a discrimination lawsuit over a similar offering that it introduced nationwide in 2024. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Independent adviser says some judges in England and Wales have not heard of changes to way cases are investigatedAn overhaul of the way police investigate rape is being put at risk by a lack of awareness in courtrooms in England and Wales, the government's independent adviser on rape has warned.Prof Katrin Hohl said legal experts were concerned progress would stall or reverse if the conviction rate for rape dropped significantly because a new approach for investigating the cases, known as Operation Soteria, was hitting outdated practices in the courts. Continue reading...

Home affairs minister Tony Burke confirms US president Donald Trump's overnight comments on social media that the players had been taken care of'

Communities secretary tells MPs that government has to act against record levels of hate crimesA new definition of anti-Muslim hate will not restrict freedom of speech, the communities secretary has pledged, as he said that clear expectations" will still be set for new arrivals and existing communities in Britain to learn English.MPs were told by Steve Reed that the government had a duty to act against record levels of hate crime against Muslims, but that you can't tackle a problem if you can't describe it". Continue reading...

Chancellor says she is ready to help households with rising costs but stops short of setting out specific steps

Anglers describe harrowing phone calls to loved ones once ice detached from shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario

Merger to take drone firm public is latest business move by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr as father is in White House

Crude prices could surpass their 2008 record, with potentially dire effects for consumers and businessesFears over the global economy have been stoked by the oil price soaring past $100 a barrel as a result of the US-Israel war with Iran.Economists say the increasing likelihood of a prolonged conflict in the vital energy exporting region could have serious consequences for living standards around the world amid the threat of a renewed inflation shock. Continue reading...

Justice correspondent most known for his January 6 Capitol riot coverage, is latest to quit Bari Weiss-led network

Katie Nicholl's name appears on many of the stories that Frost, Prince Harry and others have complained aboutA senior former Mail on Sunday journalist has denied commissioning a blag" of sensitive medical information about Sadie Frost that the actor had not even told her own mother.At the high court, Katie Nicholl, the former diary editor and royal editor at the paper, was accused of using blagged information from a private investigator to uncover extraordinarily intrusive" details of Frost's medical history. Continue reading...

US president claimed he wanted to eradicate cartels and made comments about Mexico's president that were deemed sexist in summit speech

Former Sinn Fein leader being sued for symbolic 1 each by three victims of Troubles-era bombings on UK mainlandGerry Adams is as culpable for IRA bombings on the UK mainland as the individuals who planted and detonated the devices, the high court has heard at the beginning of a civil trial.The former Sinn Fein leader is being sued for symbolic vindicatory" damages of 1 each by John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, who were injured respectively in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing, and the London Docklands and Manchester bombings in 1996. Continue reading...

The prime minister is facing pressure from unions and some backbenchers to prepare a support package as oil and gas prices threaten to push up inflationAs we mentioned in the opening post, the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has a call with fellow G7 finance ministers this afternoon to discuss surging oil prices and the economic impact of the US-Israeli war with Iran.You can follow all the latest market developments in our business live blog, which is leading on how stock markets are tumbling after the oil price surged over $100 a barrel for the first time in four years:The longer this conflict goes on, the more effect it will have on the cost of oil.Any time Brent Crude passes 100 dollars per barrel raises concern across the markets, for the haulage industry and drivers.Average petrol and diesel prices have rocketed in the last week and are unfortunately likely to keep on rising, so the situation for UK drivers is looking increasingly bleak.Unleaded is almost certainly going to reach an average of 140p in the next week or so, while diesel looks highly likely to climb to at least 160p a litre.

Malkinson spent 17 years in prison after being wrongly convicted in rape case for which another man is now on trialA woman who alleged she was raped by Andrew Malkinson admitted to police 22 years ago that she wasn't too sure it was the right man", a court has heard.Malkinson spent 17 years in prison for an attack he did not commit in what jurors heard was a most terrible" miscarriage of justice. Paul Quinn is now on trial at Manchester crown court accused of the 2003 rape after fresh DNA tests allegedly linked him to the victim. Continue reading...

John Swinney expresses huge relief' that no one was hurt in blaze believed to have started in vape shopScotland's first minister has pledged to help deal with the costs of the horrific" fire that has closed Glasgow Central station for at least two days and gutted a Victorian office block.John Swinney said it was a huge relief there had been no injuries, but that there would be significant financial costs from the fire, which caused chaos for the city's commuters and the cancellation of west coast main line services to Glasgow. Continue reading...

Russian oligarch says money is his to allocate despite international sanctions imposed on his assetsThe Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich has stepped up his row with the British government over the 2.5bn proceeds of his sale of Chelsea FC, insisting that the money is his to allocate despite the international sanctions imposed on his assets.The UK and EU imposed sanctions on Abramovich in 2022, freezing his assets in response to Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, citing his ties to Vladimir Putin's regime. Continue reading...

Australian Services Union, which represents more than 135,000 workers, also calls for roster justice' rules

Exclusive: Spokesperson for One Nation leader says it supports roof-top solar, as Matt Canavan also defends using scheme

Wait times at security checkpoints in Houston and New Orleans as long as three hours due to shortage of TSA agentsTravelers complained of long waits Sunday - lasting hours in some cases - at security checkpoints at airports in Houston and New Orleans, which officials blamed on a government shutdown of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).The estimated wait time at the standard security checkpoint at the William P Hobby airport in Houston early Sunday evening was at one point three hours, according to the Houston Airports website. The Hobby airport on social media Friday said it expected more travelers than normal due to spring break. Continue reading...

Ruling could free $175bn, but legal hurdles and higher costs have left businesses questioning if claims are even worth itThe US supreme court recently struck down Donald Trump's tariffs, opening the door to up to $175bn in refunds for businesses that paid the import taxes. However, the process for claiming that money is by no means certain. Trump himself said that the issue could be tied up in courts for the next five years".Across the country, small businesses have struggled to navigate the fallout from Trump's global tariff wars. The Guardian asked small business owners in the US how their lives and livelihoods have been affected. Continue reading...

Reform UK leader strengthens ties with crypto sector with stake in former Tory chancellor's company Stack BTC

Amendment to victims and courts bill in England and Wales aims to remove anomaly in parental responsibilityA proposed law to restrict paedophiles' parental rights in England and Wales is too weak because it does not protect children of theirs born after their conviction, parliament will hear this week.Under the victims and courts bill, a parent convicted of serious sexual offences against any child and who is sentenced to four or more years in prison will lose parental responsibility but they could come out of jail and have other children who would not be protected. Continue reading...

Move could lead to escalation of war as Donald Trump has already called Mojtaba Khamenei an unacceptable' choice

Greens senator sounds warning as Labor expected to announce possible defence measures to protect Gulf countries within days

In today's newsletter: Across the Iranian diaspora, reactions to the escalating conflict reveal a complex mix of fear, grief and deep political ambivalenceGood morning. War has broken out in the Middle East. As the Iran war broadens and spills out into neighbouring countries, media agencies have rightly focused on trying to understand how the conflict came about, where bombs have fallen, and how many have died, while many states globally fear spikes in energy prices and wonder how the war will impact their economies.What can easily get lost are the voices of the people directly affected.Iran | Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as his successor.UK politics | Keir Starmer sought to repair fractured relations with Donald Trump over the war with Iran on Sunday, as a Labour backlash gathered pace over Tony Blair's assertion the UK should have supported the US's initial airstrikes on Iran.Energy | Great Britain has only two days of fossil gas stored after a decline in energy reserves, as more tankers carrying liquefied natural gas are diverted from their course to Europe towards Asia because of the Iran war. Meanwhile, global oil prices surged past the $100 (74) a barrel mark for the first time since 2022.Health | More than 400 lives may have been saved as a result of Martha's rule, which lets NHS patients request a review of their care. Thousands of patients were either moved to intensive care, received drugs they needed or benefited from other changes as a direct result of over 10,000 calls to helplines.AI | ChatGPT is driving a rise in reports of organised ritual abuse and witchcraft, spirit possession and spiritual abuse" against children - which is historically under-reported in the UK - as survivors of satanic" sexual violence use the AI tool for therapy. Continue reading...

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Figure above 40% every week since early January as report says situation no longer in freefall nor in recovery'Workers are heading back to offices across the UK in droves, pushing office occupancy to the highest since before the Covid-19 pandemic, as an expert described the numbers as no longer in freefall nor in recovery mode but settling".Investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chasehave led the push with strict return-to-office mandates despite anger among many employees about being ordered back to the office five days a week. Companies in other sectors have also increased days in the office but many businesses, including law and accounting firms, still allow staff to work remotely two days a week. Continue reading...

David Weaver says proposed jury reforms and slow progress on equality risk eroding support in marginal seatsLabour is in deep trouble" with Black voters, a former government adviser has warned, saying the party is at risk of being seen as accepting the normalisation of racism".David Weaver, who is the chair of Operation Black Vote (OBV), said the government's plans to restrict juries would heighten, normalise and embed" racial disproportionality in the justice system and that Black voters were saying: We don't know what Labour stands for any more." Continue reading...

Lawyer for 24-year-old asks for identifying details of mother and siblings to be kept secret for their mental and physical safety'

Benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closes down by 2.85%, marking the single biggest one-day drop since Donald Trump's liberation day' tariffs announcement

Network Rail said Scotland's busiest station would remain closed until further notice'Travel disruption is expected to last throughout Monday after a large fire broke out near Glasgow Central station on Sunday.National Rail said that the station would remain closed with no estimate on when the station will reopen" after the blaze at a vape shop in Union Street. Continue reading...

Amon had testified he held an honest and reasonable belief that the teen was over the age of 16

Proton VPN moves from 174th to 19th place as NordVPN goes from 189th to 13th, as porn websites in Australia start requiring age verification for users

This liveblog is closed. Follow the latest coverage on our new liveblog here.The Israeli military said it launched a wave of strikes across Iran" on Sunday, targeting military sites.A military statement said it had initiated a wave of strikes targeting the Iranian terror regime military infrastructure across Iran". Continue reading...

Alexandra Caples suggested expanded NSW laws could damage trust between police and communities, undermining broader efforts to counter extremism'

Kasasa island, in the Seto Inland Sea, has only seven residents but its fate is strongly intertwined with relations between Tokyo and BeijingHis island home is shrouded in mist, but his union jack woolly hat makes Hideya Yagi easy to spot as he greets the approaching boat. The 80-year-old, a former president of a construction company, is pleased to see the small group of passengers disembark, mainly because he is one of only seven registered residents at their destination, Kasasa island.Kasasa is known as the Hawaii" of Japan's inland sea because of its warm climate and beautiful coastline. Yagi and his wife, Mihoko, eke out a quiet life alongside just one other couple and an elderly woman. The other two residents are almost always absent. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president hopes for reciprocal support for Kyiv in repelling Russian forces. What we know on day 1,474Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday that Kyiv's drone experts will be on site in the Middle East next week", as he seeks US air defence missiles in exchange for drone expertise. Ukraine is facing a shortage of the expensive US PAC-3 air defence ammunition and Kyiv fears a longer Middle East war could disrupt supplies even further. When asked how exactly he wants to help the United States and its Gulf allies repel the drones, Zelensky said: It is too early to say anything else at this stage", adding: I think that next week, when the experts are on site, they will look at the situation and help."Zelenskyy said he and Dutch prime minister Rob Jetten discussed joint arms production during his visit to Kyiv on Sunday, and he stressed Ukraine's unique experience in defending against Iranian-made drones used by Russia. We would very much like this to be an opportunity for both sides," Zelenskyy told a press conference after a meeting with Jetten. It is important that we are producing weapons together with the Netherlands - and we will certainly continue and expand this joint work," Zelenskyy said, adding they had discussed investments and possible production volumes in detail. The Netherlands are an important donor to the PURL program through which Europe buys US weapons for Ukraine, so far contributing $870m to it.Demand for Ukraine's drone defence technology could lead to new defence partnerships for Kyiv, but equally could mean fewer drones for Ukraine itself in a stretched market, says Shaun Walker, the Guardian's central and eastern Europe correspondent. Ukraine has significant experience battling the Shahed drones now being used by Iran to attack its Gulf neighbours, something that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly said he is ready to share in return for help against Russia. We are ready to help, and expect that our people will also receive the necessary support," he said over the weekend. However, the attention of the White House is now elsewhere, perhaps drawing momentum away from peace talks with Moscow, and the attack on Iran seems to reinforce Vladimir Putin's view of the world, in which stronger nations can target their weaker adversaries with impunity.Global weapons flows have grown by almost 10% in the past five years, with Europe more than tripling imports in the wake of the war in Ukraine, a report showed on Monday. The surge can be explained, in part at least, by the fact European countries are buying in weapons to supply to Ukraine and because they are seeking to boost their own military capabilities against a perceived threat from Russia, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said. While imports of weapons to Europe are still not at the levels seen during the cold war, Europe is now the largest recipient of arms [globally]," Mathew George, director of SIPRI's Arms Transfers Programme, told AFP.Russia's defence ministry said on Sunday that its air defence units had intercepted 234 drones over various parts of central and southern Russia over a nine-hour period, including six drones headed for Moscow. The ministry reported no damage or casualties during the period, extending from 2pm to 11pm. Continue reading...

Minister announces action plan to boost social cohesion that will also give regulator powers to shut down charitiesThe UK government will expand powers to tackle extremism by setting up a new whistleblowing route for university staff and giving the Charity Commission powers to shut down charities, as part of a new action plan to strengthen social cohesion.The plan, announced by the housing, communities and local government secretary, Steve Reed, will invest a further 5m in the Common Ground Resilience Fund, which was launched to support organisations and authorities tackling divisions in communities. Continue reading...

Review finds evidence does not back use of treatment for 16 and 17-year-olds with gender incongruence or dysphoriaThe NHS is pausing new referrals for masculinising or feminising hormone treatment for 16 and 17-year-olds after an in-depth review found there was insufficient evidence to support its continued use.Prescriptions for hormones had been available in England for under-18s with a diagnosis of gender incongruence or dysphoria who met certain criteria. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Goldsmith and brother Ben the major investors in trkradio, which is due to go to air next monthThe former Conservative minister Zac Goldsmith is launching a new sports radio station, trkradio, in the run-up to the men's football World Cup this summer.The Track Radio Corporation is understood to have been granted a licence by Ofcom last week, with Goldsmith and his brother Ben, a financier and environmentalist, the major investors. Continue reading...

National Gas insists storage broadly in line with levels for time of year despite disruption for tankers carrying LNGGreat Britain has only two days of fossil gas stored after a decline in energy reserves, as more tankers carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) are diverted from their course to Europe towards Asia because of the Iran war.Great Britain had 6,999 gigawatt hours (GWh) of fossil gas stored on Saturday, according to figures from National Gas, which owns and operates the gas national transmission system. This compares with 9,105 GWh a year earlier. Continue reading...

Owner Lee Cox describes the winner as dog of a lifetime' as he claims the crown at prestigious dog contestBruin, a clumber spaniel, has won the best in show prize at Crufts, which took place at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham.His owner, Lee Cox, described the four-year-old Bruin as a dog of a lifetime" as he won the competition and was met with roaring cheers from the audience. Continue reading...

Pro-independence party formed by Alex Salmond in 2021 had suffered membership fall and financial crisisThe Alba party has announced that it will wind up and not field any candidates for the 2026 Scottish parliament election.The pro-independence party was formed in 2021 by the late Alex Salmond as a new political force" but has been suffering from a sharp fall in membership and a financial crisis. Continue reading...

Deadly attack near Ramallah is third in territory in a week as Israeli violence surges with global attention on Iran war