World news | The Guardian

Greater Manchester mayor's hopes of imminent return as MP appear remote as relationship with Starmer at low ebbAndy Burnham has not given up hopes of returning to Westminster and will try again, allies say, but would need to be convinced that Keir Starmer would not try to block him again before running.The Greater Manchester mayor's hopes of an imminent return to parliament appeared remote, however, as No 10 sources suggested that relations between the two men were at a low ebb and played down chances of a rapprochement. Continue reading...

Statement, since withdrawn, followed ex-minister becoming third Conservative MP to join Farage's party in just over a weekThe Conservatives are facing a backlash after claiming that Suella Braverman defected to Reform UK after mental health" issues, as the former home secretary finally joined Nigel Farage's party after months of denials.Braverman, who was sacked from the cabinet by both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, became the third sitting Conservative MP to defect in little over a week. She immediately went on the attack against her former party. Continue reading...

Four arrested during seizure which was part of largest shipment ever found on such a vessel bound for EuropePortuguese police have made a record seizure of almost nine tonnes of cocaine after intercepting a narco-sub" off the Azores carrying what is thought to be the largest shipment of the drug ever found on one of the Europe-bound, semi-submersible vessel.The Portuguese Judicial Police (PJ) said its officers had confiscated the haul in a recent joint operation with the country's navy and air force that had been conducted in coordination with the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the UK National Crime Agency. Continue reading...

Only one ticket sold for premiere of film about US first lady at Vue's flagship London branch as insiders question launch strategyAs film exhibitor strategies go, counter-programming is one of the most reliable. It worked for The Dark Knight and Mamma Mia!, released in the US on the same day in 2008, as well as for Dunkirk and Girls Trip in 2017. In 2023, Barbie and Oppenheimer leveraged the tactic to the tune of $2.5bn in combined box office takings.This week we could see another example as Amazon releases its authorised documentary about Melania Trump in more than 100 UK cinemas. There it will compete against an already-eclectic slate of releases including the Jason Statham action film Shelter, the ape horror Primate, Bradley Cooper's comedy-drama Is This Thing On? and Richard Linklater's Jean-Luc Godard fictionalisation Nouvelle Vague. Continue reading...

Home secretary to regain authority to sack chief constables and set crime- fighting targets in England and WalesLabour has announced wholesale changes to policing with a pledge to increase crime fighting, but faces warnings that at the plan's heart is an unprecedented centralisation of powers.Shabana Mahmood said policing in England and Wales was the last public service to have survived unreformed for 50 years, despite being too costly and failing in parts. Continue reading...

Experts suggest Xi Jinping is asserting his authority by sidelining an officer who has significantly betrayed his trustStanding inches from Xi Jinping at a military ceremony in late December, China's highest-ranking general, Zhang Youxia, may have had little inkling about the fate that was to befall him just a few weeks later when he was put under investigation.The 75-year-old's physical proximity to China's leader, who stands to his right, reflects the position he holds in China's hierarchy. As vice-chair of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the ruling body of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), he is the second-most powerful person in China's military, after Xi, the commander-in-chief. Continue reading...

Roy Morton was 80 when he was stunned, restrained and arrested in bungled raid at his home in 2021Scotland Yard has settled out of court with a retired ballet dancer who sued the force after he was shot with a Taser weapon in his own home in a bungled dawn raid.Roy Morton, who has a pacemaker and lives alone, was stunned, restrained and arrested by firearms officers who forced entry into his home in Cricklewood, north-west London on 28 December 2021. Continue reading...

Aircraft carrier strike group assets aided by Israeli aircraft could have enough firepower to bring down regimeThe Iranian government is bracing itself for a fresh US and Israeli missile assault after it was announced that the US Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group has now deployed key assets to the region, observers have said.It is thought that Washington has the firepower in conjunction with Israeli aircraft to mount an attack designed to topple the government accused of brutally suppressing protests and killing thousands of Iranians. Continue reading...

Party see prevention of Greater Manchester mayor from running as an opportunity but a high Greens vote could allow Reform UK to win the seatThe Greens are set to stage an all-out fight to win the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection, with officials in the party arguing they have a real chance of victory after Andy Burnham was barred from applying to be the Labour candidate.The Greens came third in the seat in the general election, nearly 14,000 votes behind Andrew Gwynne, the sitting MP who stepped down last week. But they plan to flood the constituency with activists in the hope of persuading locals they are the party more likely to defeat Reform UK. Continue reading...

Azruddin Mohamed's election comes six months after he formed political party that became country's second largestA Guyanese businessman facing extradition to the US on gold-smuggling and money-laundering charges has been elected as the country's opposition leader, six months after he formed a political party that quickly became the second largest in the South American country.Azruddin Mohamed, 38, was confirmed as Guyana's opposition leader after 16 lawmakers from the We Invest in Nationhood party (Win) and another from a single-seat outfit voted in his favor. The tally made Win the second-largest party in parliament, securing Mohamed's election even as a magistrate's court hears state arguments for his extradition to the US. Continue reading...

Her defection means there are now eight Reform MPs in the CommonsKeir Starmer was being interview by Beth Rigby from Sky News this morning when he defended the decision not to let Andy Burnham be a byelection candidate.After Starmer delivered his first answer (see 10.15am), Rigby asked him to what he would say to Labour MPs who think he is being cowardly" and just blocking Burnham to avoid the risk of a leadership contest.Millions of people will be better off if we have the continuation of a Labour government in Wales, and if we're able to win the government in Scotland and retain and win councils across England.When I came into politics in 2015, the first thing I did was support Andy Burnham's leadership campaign. The first team I worked in was for Andy Burnham. And in the job he's doing now, he and I work closely together ..So there's no question of me and Andy not working very well together. He's doing an excellent job.The battle of our times is the battle between patriotic, Labour party, Labour government, and the division of Reform. There's no doubt about that ... In that battle, we are all fighting this.I think everybody in the Labour party, everybody who's a Labour MP, wants to be in that fight, wants to fight alongside all their colleagues in a fight that matters hugely to the future of our country. Continue reading...

Many alerts remain in place with power outages in some regions

Mark Rutte said Europe would need to spend billions and billions of euros' on defenceThe European Commission got also asked about the regular US criticism that it is targeting" US big tech companies and that, in doing so, it undermines free speech.Digital spokesperson Regnier replied:Again, we don't target any company ... based of its origin.Now on your censorship point: I think if anyone dares to compare freedom of expression with child sexual abuse material or freedom of expression with undressing women digitally without their consent, then they are not fully aligned with Europe or absolutely not aligned with Europe. We don't even live on the same planet.No comments to be made on this US internal matter. But, of course, we deplore any loss of innocent lives."I have said innocent lives, but it's not for us to judge, innocent or not innocent. Any life lost, we deplore it, in general, and it is, of course, for the justice system in the US to establish the facts." Continue reading...

Inquiry into enlistment medical examinations has been expanded from army to also include navy and RAFMore than 500 people have contacted police investigating sexual abuse that allegedly took place during armed services medical examinations over almost 50 years.The investigation was launched after reports about the abuse of some recruits at army enlistment medical examinations but its scope has been expanded to include the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor's participation in 26 February byelection would divert resources', says prime minister

Britain among 10 countries to build 100GW grid in North Sea linking countries through subsea cablesThe German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has said he wants the North Sea to become the largest reservoir of clean energy worldwide", as he announced plans to accelerate efforts to link up offshore wind power projects with Europe.The UK and nine other European countries have agreed to accelerate the rollout of offshore windfarms in the 2030s and build a power grid in the North Sea, in a landmark pact to turn the ageing oil basin into a clean energy reservoir". Continue reading...

More than 100 people killed and hundreds of thousands displaced in South Africa, Mozambique and ZimbabweDevastating floods have killed more than 100 people in southern Africa since the beginning of the year and displaced hundreds of thousands, as authorities and aid workers warn of hunger, cholera and attacks by crocodiles that have spread with the waters.More than 70 people have died in Zimbabwe and 30 in South Africa, where hundreds of people were evacuated from Kruger national park earlier this month after a deluge of rain. Continue reading...

Elijah Wood joined protest in Utah's Park City in memory of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, while Natalie Portman said what is happening is absolutely horrific'The Sundance film festival, which is currently under way in Park City, Utah, saw a mass protest against the two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Sunday, along with high-profile interventions from major film industry figures.Actor Natasha Lyonne was among those spreading social media posts about the protest, called Sundancers Melt ICE", which was called for Sunday afternoon. The organisers asked for a 10-minute respectful" event at sunset on Park City's Main Street to memorialise Renee Good, who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on 7 January, and Alex Pretti, who was killed on Saturday by an agent of the Department of Homeland Security. Continue reading...

The Labour party has once again been plunged into turmoil after the NEC blocked Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton byelection. Will the row quickly fade, or does it risk piling further pressure on the prime minister? Meanwhile, Pippa Crerar will be joining Keir Starmer on his trip to China - but can he focus on diplomacy abroad, or will the Westminster psychodrama continue to overshadow the visit? Continue reading...

Warnings issued across 26 US states, while Portugal braces for heavy rain as Storm Joseph rolls inThe US is enduring another bout of severe winter weather, as a succession of powerful weather systems brings heavy snow, freezing rain and extreme cold temperatures across much of the country.Twenty-six states, from Texas to Massachusetts, were under storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service over the weekend, with many alerts remaining in place this week. Continue reading...

Aisha Chughtai, who represents the district where Alex Pretti was fatally shot, vows to fight through despair' caused by federal immigration enforcement

Airline raises forecasts for profits and passenger numbers, after boss said spat with Tesla CEO boosted bookings

Trump and team seem to prioritize vilifying victims of their immigration operations, regardless of conflicting evidenceIn the moments after federal officers shot Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti dead, Trump administration figures almost immediately made public statements in press conferences, televised interviews and social media posts that were at best indifferent to the evidence available at the time and at worst completely fabricated.A pattern is emerging, in which the Trump administration prioritizes the vilification of the dead victim as to blame for the incident over preserving the neutrality of any investigative process. Continue reading...

Thousands of people across Sydney and Melbourne take part in March for Australia rallies on Invasion Day

Makers of TV series to work with Sam Mendes' production company on theatre show to open in London in 2027There's the wildly popular TV series, a two-hour immersive experience, a board game, a card game and, perhaps only for the superfans, the opportunity to buy branded full-length hooded cloaks.Now The Traitors is to be adapted for the stage in what producers say will be a bold and surprising" theatrical experience. Continue reading...

Fire in Otways has burned about 9,400 hectares and could spread as far as Lorne amid onset of heatwave in Victoria

Allies of Greater Manchester mayor say No 10 has chosen factionalism' as decision leads to a furious backlashThe Labour party faced the prospect of civil war on Sunday night after Keir Starmer and his allies blocked Andy Burnham's return to parliament to stave off a potential leadership challenge.There was widespread anger among Labour MPs and union backers after the 10-strong officers' group" of the party's ruling body, including the prime minister himself, voted overwhelmingly to reject Burnham's request to seek selection for the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection. Continue reading...

Preventing the mayor from returning to Westminster deprives the party of its most potent candidate in Gorton and DentonWhen Labour dignitaries gathered at the Titanic hotel in Liverpool on Friday night, one question loomed above all others: to change captain or not?For many, that question has become even more pressing after Keir Starmer's allies brutally stopped Andy Burnham's return to Westminster before it had even begun. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Outgoing director general indicates support for update to licence-fee model as part of wider changesThe BBC will face profound jeopardy" over its future unless it embraces significant changes to its funding, its outgoing director general has said, as he signalled his support for an overhaul of the licence fee.Speaking to the Guardian, Tim Davie called for supporters of the corporation to stand up and fight" for it, amid increased hostility from its commercial and political critics. Continue reading...

Ministers plan to license content from institutions such as National History Museum and National Library of ScotlandMet Office data and legal documents from the National Archives could be used by artificial intelligence systems as the UK government pushes ahead with plans to employ nationally owned material in AI tools.The government is providing funds for researchers to test how Met Office content could be used by the technology, such as in helping agencies and councils know when to buy more road grit. Another project will explore whether legal data from the National Archives - the UK's repository for official documents - could help medium- and small-sized businesses with legal support. Continue reading...

Study finds top performers over past decade have companies in industries such software, marketing and finance

Authorities unveil giant billboard with direct threat to US as warships head to regionIranian authorities unveiled a new mural on a giant billboard in a central Tehran square on Sunday with a direct warning to the United States to not attempt a military strike on the country, as US warships head to the region.The image shows a bird's-eye view of an aircraft carrier with damaged and exploding fighter planes on its flight deck. The deck is strewn with bodies and streaked with blood that trails into the water behind the ship to form a pattern reminiscent of the stripes of the US flag. A slogan is emblazoned across one corner: If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind." Continue reading...

Are the German people on board with the government's massive militarisation programme? Kate Connolly reportsNot so long ago, to be a German soldier dressed in German uniform was quite a difficult role to embody. I mean, you could be going down the street and you could be spat on, or you could have names called at you.I've recently seen people get into conversation with soldiers, which I hadn't seen in the past, [and] more recently, somebody going up to a soldier and actually getting him into conversation about his role, and at the end of the conversation, thanking him." Continue reading...

Rescuers save at least 300 people after inter-island ferry sank early on Monday en route from the port city of Zamboanga to southern Jolo islandAt least 15 people have died after a ferry with more than 350 people sunk early on Monday near an island in the southern Philippines, according to local officials, with the coast guard warning that 28 people remained missing.The M/V Trisha Kerstin 3, an inter-island cargo and passenger ferry, was sailing to southern Jolo island in Sulu province from the port city of Zamboanga with 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it apparently encountered technical problems and sank after midnight, coast guard officials said. Continue reading...

We're going to have to confront this idea that the centre of Sydney can be dominated weekend after weekend,' NSW premier says

Zhang Youxia, second-in command under president Xi Jinping as chairman of the Central Military Commission, has long been seen as Xi's closest military allyChina's most senior general is under investigation, China's defence ministry has confirmed, in the highest profile case to date in an aggressive anti-graft purge of senior military leadership in recent months.Zhang Youxia serves as second-in-command under president Xi Jinping as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission - the supreme command body - and has long been seen as Xi's closest military ally. Continue reading...

Taxi app's analysis shows Scottish capital had highest number of trips made between 10pm and 4pm in 2025Edinburgh and Glasgow have a busier nightlife than London, according to data on late-night journeys from Uber.The global ride-hailing app analysed millions of trips and takeaway deliveries from the UK's biggest cities, and found that Edinburgh had the highest proportion of journeys made between 10pm and 4am. Continue reading...

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Netanyahu says it will open Rafah crossing and begin second phase of ceasefire after search endsIsrael said on Sunday its military was conducting a large-scale operation" to locate the last hostage in Gaza, as Washington and other mediators pressure Israel and Hamas to move into the next phase of their ceasefire.The statement came as Israel's cabinet met to discuss the possibility of opening Gaza's key Rafah border crossing with Egypt, and a day after top US envoys met the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, about next steps. Continue reading...

Snow, sleet and perilously cold temperatures sweep eastern two-thirds of country as thousands of flights grounded

Yousef Pezeshkian says nothing will be solved by trying to postpone moment images of violent crackdown circulateThe son of Iran's president has called for the internet restrictions in the country to be lifted, saying nothing will be solved by trying to postpone the moment when pictures and video circulate of the protests that were violently crushed by the regime.With a battle under way at the top of the regime about the political risks of continuing to block Iran from the internet, Yousef Pezeshkian, whose father, Masoud, was elected in the summer of 2024, said keeping the digital shutdown would create dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the people and the government. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor will not be tested in tough byelection or against PM for now, but can continue to pose speculative threat

PM says recent agreement just cuts tariffs on a few sectors, as Trump threatens 100% tariffs on Canadian importsCanada's prime minister, Mark Carney, said on Sunday his country had no intention of pursuing a free trade deal with China, responding to Donald Trump's threat to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada if the US's northern neighbour went ahead with a trade deal with Beijing.Carney said his recent agreement with China merely cut tariffs on a few sectors that were recently hit with them. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Almost half of GPs have seen children up to the age of seven who have obesity, research findsAlmost a quarter of GPs are seeing children aged four or under who are obese, according to a survey of UK family doctors.The alarming" research also found that almost half (49%) of GPs have seen boys and girls up to the age of seven who have obesity, including a handful younger than a year old.Almost one in four (23%) said they had seen children aged zero to four where obesity was a clinical concern.Among the doctors, 81% have seen obesity in those between their first 12 months and the age of 11.Four in five (80%) find it somewhat or very challenging to talk to the parents of an obese child under the age of 16 about their weight and health, with only 10% saying that is easy to do.Nearly two thirds (65%) find it hard to talk to obese young people themselves, with just 20% saying that is easy. Continue reading...

PM will now face questions over whether he is focussed more on protecting job than boosting Labour's chancesIt is a sign that the political deck of cards is stacked against you when the only good hand is one that was never really going to be dealt. And so it was with Keir Starmer and Andy Burnham.In an ideal world for the prime minister, Andrew Gwynne's announcement that he was stepping down from his Gorton and Denton seat would have been followed by Burnham saying he already had a job as Greater Manchester mayor and would sit this one out, thanks very much. Continue reading...

When organisers posted a TikTok promoting 45-minute pilates sessions, the video amassed 2m views. Now plans are afoot for female classes and youth clubsIt's early afternoon on a gloomy day at the Jamia Usmania mosque in Bradford and a group of mostly elderly men have finished their midday prayers.The assembly of mainly retired men would usually return to the familiar drumbeat of day-to-day life, but instead they make their way downstairs to tackle squats, glute bridges and the butterfly position in the mosque's weekly 45-minute pilates class. Continue reading...

Serco employees also say they are given email addresses identical to public servants, making them indistinguishable

Lee Knight says accolade for A Friend of Dorothy, based on friendship with neighbour, sends message to never give upA writer-director from Stanmore in Middlesex whose short film has been nominated for an Oscar has said he feels utterly overwhelmed" by the accolade.Lee Knight's film A Friend of Dorothy, starring Miriam Margolyes and Stephen Fry, is in the running for best live action short. Continue reading...