World news | The Guardian

Hard-right party wins byelection with 17-point swing from Labour and adds more than 500 council seats

Daniel Graham tells court it was suggested he accept responsibility because I have mental health issues'One of the two men accused of felling the Sycamore Gap tree has denied being responsible and said he was asked to take the blame because he had mental health issues.Daniel Graham said his co-defendant, Adam Carruthers, was responsible for felling the tree next to Hadrian's Wall. Continue reading...

Federal law prohibits president from directing or influencing the IRS to investigate or audit an organization

Nicola Packer tells court she had feared hospital staff wouldn't help me' if they knew she had taken abortion pillsA woman on trial accused of having an illegal abortion has said she told hospital staff she had miscarried as she feared them knowing the truth would affect the level of care she received.Nicola Packer, 45, took abortion medicine during the Covid lockdown in November 2020, after being prescribed the pills in a remote consultation with a registered provider, a jury at Isleworth crown court heard. Continue reading...

Liberal PM will also meet with US president on Tuesday amid tensions over threatened annexation and tariffsKing Charles has accepted an invitation to open Canada's parliament on 27 May, in an historic honour that matches the weight of our times", the country's prime minister, Mark Carney, said on Friday.In his first news conference since an election dominated by Donald Trump's threats to Canada's sovereignty, the prime minister also confirmed he would meet the US president at the White House on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Analysis finds government stats for Black and Asian adults in England are in error due to outdated guidanceA million ethnic minority adults are wrongly classified as weighing below the thresholds for being overweight or obese due to official figures not using up-to-date guidance, a leading charity has warned.Analysis by Nesta has found that, while official statistics class 64% of adults in England as being overweight or living with obesity, the correct figure should be 67%. Continue reading...

Soaring cryptocurrency values after Trump election has put pressure on financial regulator to take tougher lineThe UK financial regulator is preparing to ban retail investors from using borrowed funds such as credit card balances to invest in cryptocurrency as it seeks to overhaul supervision of the fast-growing digital assets market.

Guardian Australia spoke to a range of people all across the country to ask about their lives and perspectives ahead of Saturday's ballot

Labor's confidence going into Saturday's election is tempered by gnawing anxiety about the underlying polling data

Labor's goal of retaining majority government remains on knife-edge as opposition leader confident he can pull off a surprise win

Duke of Sussex loses legal challenge over the level of taxpayer-funded security he is entitled to while in the UK

British Medical Association says move comes after union was unable to reach agreement with Wes StreetingThousands of resident doctors in England will be balloted for strike action over pay, raising the threat of a summer of stoppages, the British Medical Association has announced.The move comes seven months after they accepted a 22.3% pay rise over two years, for 2023-24 and 2024-25, bringing to an end one of the longest and bitterest disputes in recent NHS history. Continue reading...

Farage says his party has overtaken Tories after securing byelection victory, mayoralty and council seats

Backbenchers accuse PM and his team of complacency about Runcorn contest and criticise No 10's policies

Appeal court backs ruling against home secretary's redefinition of when police could put limits on protestersCivil rights campaigners have hailed a huge victory for democracy" after the court of appeal upheld the quashing of a key anti-protest regulation they said was introduced unlawfully.The government had appealed against a high court ruling that the previous Tory home secretary, Suella Braverman, did not have the power to redefine serious disruption" as more than minor" in the law concerning when police could impose limits on protests. Continue reading...

The 1m increase on last year compounded by part-closure of west coast mainline on Sunday and MondayA warm and sunny May bank holiday weekend is expected to bring a million more drivers out on the roads than last year, with the part-closure of Great Britain's main rail line on Sunday and Monday likely to aggravate the situation.Congestion is set to peak with the temperatures on Friday afternoon, when getaway drives and commuter traffic coincide. Continue reading...

Co-leaders say party is being publicly discredited and criminalised' by intelligence agency's move to change classificationElsewhere, TikTok has been fined 530m for violations of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation after the Irish Data Protection Commission's inquiry into its data transfers to China.DPC deputy commissioner Graham Doyle said in a press statement:The GDPR requires that the high level of protection provided within the European Union continues where personal data is transferred to other countries.TikTok's personal data transfers to China infringed the GDPR because TikTok failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that the personal data of EEA users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU. Continue reading...

A poll on unnecessarily crude terms, good news on a male contraceptive - and the restorative nature of a solo trip to IkeaYouGov, which you might have thought would be otherwise occupied as byelection season comes upon us, has released the results of a poll revealing which swearwords people in the UK find most-to-least offensive. I shall not go into details here in a family newspaper. Suffice it to say, the one you'd expect is in first position, and arse" is - ahem - bringing up the rear. Continue reading...

Government stake reduced to less than 2% while bank's profit of 1.8bn beats analyst forecasts by 200m

State education department secretary apologises after thousands of students and parents caught in unacceptable' situation

DNC to campaign against Trump's one, beautiful bill' to reduce public spending by at least $1.5tn to pay for tax cutsDemocrats plan to put the squeeze on four of the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress as the GOP gears up to pass a massive bill that may slash the social safety net to pay for tax cuts.The Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Friday announced the Fight to Save Medicaid", a pressure campaign that aims to derail the bill's passage in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold only a three-seat majority. Continue reading...

Doncaster mayor warns prime minister after Farage's rightwing party deals blow to Labour in Runcorn and Lincolnshire

Ibtisam Ghalia and her four children are just one of the families living on brink of starvation with no sign of an end to blockadeEvery day, Ibtisam Ghalia and her four children count their remaining stocks of food. These are meagre: a kilo or so of beans, a bag of lentils, a little salt, some herbs, spices, and enough flour for half a dozen flatbreads cooked on a griddle over a fire of wood splinters, waste plastic and cardboard.In the two months since Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza, stopping food, medicine, fuel and anything else from entering the devastated territory, Ghalia's cupboard" has slowly diminished. Continue reading...

Latest poll shows Albanese on track for minority government. Follow today's news live

Roberts-Smith argues his unsuccessful defamation case against McKenzie and Nine newspapers should be retried because of a miscarriage of justice'

Runcorn win was much bigger than polls implied, suggesting overall effectiveness of ground campaign

Result will heighten government's fears it could lose scores of MPs to Nigel Farage's party at next general election

Charities say the judgment creates a legal framework that simply cannot uphold the dignity' of trans peopleFourteen national LGBTQ+ charities have written to Keir Starmer seeking an urgent meeting to discuss what they describe as a genuine crisis for the rights, dignity and inclusion of trans people in the UK" after the supreme court's ruling on biological sex.The UK supreme court ruled last month that the terms woman" and sex" in the Equality Act 2010 referred only to a biological woman" and to biological sex", with subsequent advice from the equality watchdog amounting to a blanket ban on trans people using toilets and other services of the gender they identify as. Continue reading...

Manufacturer Incat built Hull 096 to run between Buenos Aires and Uruguay, dubbing it the most complex' project it has ever undertakenAn Australian boatbuilder has launched what it describes as the world's largest battery-power ship, describing it as a a giant leap forward in sustainable shipping" and the most important" project it has ever done.Incat, a manufacturer based in Tasmania, constructed the ship - called Hull 096 - after being contracted by the South American ferry operator Buquebus to build a vessel to run between the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires, and Uruguay. Continue reading...

After Europe's biggest blackout in over 20 years, experts warn that while such incidents are rare, no grid is infallibleEurope's biggest blackout in over 20 years on the Iberian peninsula unleashed hours of chaos for people in Spain, Portugal and parts of France earlier this week. But in the aftermath it has raised a common question for governments across the continent: could the same happen here?Europe's political leaders and energy system operators have given assurances that such blackouts are extraordinarily rare, and that European power grids are some of the most stable in the world. Continue reading...

Joan Partridge, in Redditch, is collaborating with cosmetics firm after post showing her beauty routine went viralAt 103 years old, dispensing pearls of wisdom is second nature to Joan Partridge. But even she was surprised when a video of her applying rouge found an appreciative audience of almost 200,000 on TikTok.I do my makeup every day, every morning, I think it is your confidence," said Partridge, who is the eldest resident at Millcroft care home in Redditch, Worcestershire. Since the video went viral, Partridge has caught the attention of a cosmetics company which is keen to collaborate with her. Continue reading...

Simon Patterson tells Victorian court of inflammatory messages' his wife sent to his parents amid a financial dispute

Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates

A trucking company has apologised for the debris, which it says spread over a couple of kilometres' on the M1 causing traffic chaos before 5am Friday

Musician whose hits also included the satirical anthem Supermodel from the Clueless soundtrack died early on ThursdayJill Sobule, the singer-songwriter whose hits included the satirical anthem Supermodel from the Clueless movie soundtrack and the groundbreaking single I Kissed a Girl, has died in a house fire at the age of 66.Sobule's body was found in a home in Woodbury, Minnesota, on Thursday. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire. Continue reading...

Angus Taylor reveals further twist to efficiency drive, stating a Dutton government would move people around appropriately to meet the needs of regional areas'

Police say three passengers have been taken to hospital with serious injuries after crash near Point Lonsdale

On the eve of the federal poll, the famed 36-year-old Darwin saltwater croc tips a Peter Dutton victoryOn the eve of Australia's national poll to determine its next leader, two hunks of meat were dangled above a murky pool.Attached to one line, the picture of prime minister, Anthony Albanese. Upon the other, the man who would dethrone him, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton. Continue reading...

Three-metre shark was found on sand bank near the coastal town of Ardrossan in South Australia

UKHSA says people in most deprived areas almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital as those in least deprivedPeople in the most deprived areas of England are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital as a result of infectious diseases than their least deprived counterparts, according to a major study.The report, by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), analysed NHS and government data to look at the state of health inequalities in England due to infectious diseases and environmental health hazards. Continue reading...

Police horses Yvonne and Snaffles on the mend after dog escapes owner's control and nips at their legsMembers of the public captured a bulldog which was trying to bite the legs of two police horses while they were out on patrol in London.Metropolitan police horses Yvonne and Snaffles were being ridden by officers when the out-of-control canine began nipping at their legs. Continue reading...

First mayoral race results expected around 2am with important Runcorn and Helsby byelection result about an hour laterPolls have closed across England for local and mayoral elections, as well as a key parliamentary byelection, with the first results due to be announced within hours.It is the first full-scale electoral test for Keir Starmer since the general election, and could have notable repercussions for Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, as well as to a lesser extent for the Liberal Democrats and Greens. Continue reading...

World Liberty Financial's USD1 will be used to close MGX's investment in world's biggest crypto exchangeA stablecoin launched by Donald Trump's World Liberty Financial cryptocurrency venture is being used by an Abu Dhabi investment firm for its $2bn investment in crypto exchange Binance, one of World Liberty's co-founders said on Thursday.World Liberty, which aims to allow people to access financial services without intermediaries like banks, said in March it would launch USD1, a dollar-pegged stablecoin backed by US treasuries, dollars and other cash equivalents. Continue reading...

Long-awaited document, which could be published as soon as Friday, is expected to make difficult readingA long-awaited assessment of the impact of assisted dying legislation will put a price on administrating the procedure for the first time and is expected to conclude it will save parts of the NHS money by accelerating the deaths of terminally ill people.The Whitehall document, which is expected as soon as Friday, is likely to make difficult reading for both sides of the campaign, government sources have suggested. Continue reading...

State department certifies licence for $50m or more' in defence hardware and services after minerals deal signedThe Trump administration will approve its first sale of military equipment to Ukraine since Donald Trump took office, in an indication that the minerals deal signed by the two countries this week may open a path to renewed weapons shipments.The state department has certified a proposed licence to export $50m or more" (37.6m) of defence hardware and services to Ukraine, according to a communication sent to the US committee on foreign relations. It would mark the first permission of its kind since Trump paused all Ukraine-related military aid shortly after taking office. Continue reading...

Daniel Graham, 39, told police he was being framed as part of a dispute and did not have skills to cut the tree downA man accused of felling the Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian's Wall told police he was being stitched up" and did not have the skills to do it in the first place.A jury at Newcastle crown court heard police interviews with Daniel Graham, 39, in which he also said he had no idea what he was doing on the night the tree was felled, which took place a month earlier. Continue reading...

Ahead of a London theatre run in May, Ultravox singer says 1985 charity gig probably couldn't happen today because of low attention spansSitting in the royal box at London's Wembley Stadium, just shy of the 40th anniversary of the Live Aid concert that he helped make happen here, Midge Ure ponders its legacy. We created a monster," he says. And it had to happen."The two Live Aid shows in London and Philadelphia on 13 July 1985, featuring performances by U2, Queen, David Bowie and more, form the core of the stage musical Just for One Day. Today, it was announced that it will transfer to London's West End in May, after short runs at London's Old Vic in 2024 and Toronto earlier this year. Continue reading...

Trump administration suspended delivery of US military aid to Ukraine in March but is now set to restore exportsUkraine and the US signed a long-awaited minerals deal last night, signaling a major step forward in bilateral relations. But the full text of the agreement, including key details on the contentious small print issues that dragged out negotiations, has yet to be made public.Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal suggested yesterday that the process of ratifying the agreement could start today, with party consultations. Expect more details to emerge. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Black Sabbath frontman details training he is doing to ensure he is fit to play all-star reunion gig in JulyAmid concerns about his health, Ozzy Osbourne has insisted he will perform in July at what is being billed as his final concert, fronting the original lineup of Black Sabbath.Speaking along with his bandmates to the Guardian's Alexis Petridis in an interview to be published on Friday, he said: I'll be there, and I'll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up." Continue reading...

Fanny Wilkinson designed 75 parks in the capital, the first UK female landscape gardener to be paid for her workShe was a proto-feminist pioneer who blazed a trail for female gardeners and changed the face of London by creating green lungs" in the capital for Victorians suffering from pollution and overcrowding.Now a charity is seeking to shine a light on Fanny Wilkinson, the UK's first professional female landscape gardener, by unveiling the first ever statue of the suffragist at one of the 75 London parks she designed more than a century ago. Continue reading...