Exclusive: former PM says immigration benefits UK but controls are needed to close off avenues' for populistsTony Blair has warned Keir Starmer to close off the avenues" of the populist right by keeping tough controls on immigration.The former prime minister said the new government should tackle parties such as Nigel Farage's Reform UK by dealing with people's grievances while sticking to the centre ground to hold Labour's electoral coalition together. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Entry/exit rules due to be tightened three weeks before half-term holiday, requiring face and finger scansUK government officials fear tailbacks and chaos at UK ports in three months' time unless the EU again delays plans to introduce a biometric travel registration scheme requiring facial and finger scanning.From 6 October all non-EU nationals will be required to enter biometric and fingerprint technology under a new European entry/exit system. Continue reading...
by Eleni Courea Political correspondent on (#6P2RN)
New members surpass 1945 figure, while record number of women are elected into parliamentThe House of Commons will induct a record 335 new MPs this week, the largest number in modern history.The number of newcomers to parliament surpasses the previous record of 327 in the 1945 election, which was held in the aftermath of the second world war and was the first election to take place in 10 years.F Continue reading...
Jarrod Hawkins crawled into the smoke-filled home to save the children from the Lalor Park house fire on SundayA heroic neighbour who helped rescue children from a deadly house fire says he's heartbroken that three young kids died in the catastrophic blaze.Three children aged six, two and five months were killed in the fire at Lalor Park, in Sydney's west, early on Sunday.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...
Report into Jewellerygate' scandal alleges former president involved in embezzlement of high-value gifts received from foreign leadersFederal police investigators have claimed that a criminal group, allegedly involving Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro, tried to illegally siphon off and sell luxury gifts from foreign leaders worth at least $1.2m.The new claims came on Monday, three days after police formally accused the far-right politician of embezzlement, money laundering and criminal association and suggested he face criminal charges. If Bolsonaro is charged and convicted, those alleged crimes could reportedly land him in jail for a total of 25 years. Continue reading...
by Prianka Srinivasan and Virginia Harrison on (#6P2PR)
Guardian analysis shows web of agreements between Pacific countries and Australia, US and China, as experts raise concerns over rising militarisationAs competition for influence in the Pacific region intensifies, analysis by the Guardian has mapped a vast network of security, policing and defence agreements between the island countries and foreign partners - leading to concerns about militarisation of the region.The Guardian examined agreements and partnerships covering security, defence and policing with the 10 largest Pacific countries by population. Australia remains the dominant partner in the region - accounting for more than half the deals identified - followed by New Zealand, the US and China. Continue reading...
Twenty-one-year-old arrested in Penrith after woman found with two stab wounds to her chest at Kingswood on MondayA man has been charged after the stabbing of a young woman in an alleged domestic violence-related murder in Sydney's west.The 21-year-old was arrested in Penrith and was due to face court on Tuesday, after the woman was found with two stab wounds to her chest.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...
Report found ligature points previously used in suicide attempts at Harmondsworth had not been removedThe prisons watchdog has described truly shocking" conditions in an immigration removal centre close to Heathrow airport as the worst its inspectors had ever seen.His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons has published a damning report on conditions at Harmondsworth, a 658-bed centre, the largest of its kind in Europe.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...
US president to host bilateral talks with UK leader travelling to Washington for major Nato summitKeir Starmer is to meet Joe Biden this week for the first time at the White House as he travels to Washington for a major Nato summit of world leaders.The US president's press secretary confirmed he would host bilateral talks on Wednesday as the new prime minister seeks to underline the strength of the special relationship despite the change in the UK government. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey Political correspondent on (#6P2KK)
On fifth day in office, PM and deputy will meet England's regional mayors as Labour draws up new bill for king's speechEvery area of England should take over key powers from Westminster, Keir Starmer will say as he and Angela Rayner declare an end to the levelling up" agenda and look to kickstart a new era of devolution.The prime minister and his deputy will meet every regional mayor in England on Tuesday on just their fifth day in office, as the party draws up a devolution bill to be launched as part of next week's king's speech. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#6P2GD)
Andrew Mitchell becomes shadow foreign secretary and Kemi Badenoch moves to communities in new lineupDavid Cameron has left Rishi Sunak's frontbench as the Conservatives unveiled an interim shadow ministerial team ahead of a party leadership race.The party said Lord Cameron, the former foreign secretary, and Richard Holden, who chaired the Tories through the disastrous election campaign, had resigned from Sunak's top team. Andrew Mitchell, who had the largely honorary title of deputy foreign secretary in government, becomes shadow foreign secretary. Continue reading...
Yevgeniya Berkovich and Svetlana Petriychuk's charges were based on play about women marrying jihadists in SyriaA Russian military court has sentenced a playwright and a theatre director to six years in prison on charges of justifying terrorism" in a play about women marrying jihadists in Syria.The judge sentenced director Yevgeniya Berkovich and writer Svetlana Petriychuk after moving their trial behind closed doors. Continue reading...
Museum has been plagued by numerous delays and has seen off almost 40 Italian governmentsMore than half a century and 39 Italian governments after it was first envisioned, a new museum will open later this year to house modern art from Milan's Pinacoteca di Brera gallery.The Brera Modern, just a few doors from the main gallery, has been plagued by numerous delays, most recently the discovery of asbestos and problems with the conditioning system. Continue reading...
Health secretary wants to bring back family doctors, cut pressure on hospitals and solve pay disputesMinisters will divert billions of pounds from hospitals to GPs to fix the front door to the NHS", Wes Streeting has promised as he said millions of patients will be able to see the same family doctor at every appointment.The health secretary made his first major policy announcement as he prepared to begin vital talks with junior doctors on Tuesday, aimed at finally ending the strikes that have crippled the health service since 2022. Continue reading...
Self-proclaimed misogynist brazen' about refusing to pay tax on revenue from online businesses, court toldAndrew Tate and his brother, Tristan, have been accused of failing to pay tax on 21m of revenue from their online businesses.Devon and Cornwall police are bringing a civil claim against the brothers and a third person referred to as J over unpaid tax, Westminster magistrates' court heard on Monday. The force is seeking about 2.8m in seven frozen bank accounts. Continue reading...
Yair Lapid says he will offer Benjamin Netanyahu political support if he reaches a hostage deal after fears such a move could lead to collapse of governmentIsraeli far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has said making a ceasefire deal would be a senseless folly" and instead Israel should press on in its military campaign against Hamas.He posted to social media to say:Hamas is collapsing and begging for a ceasefire. This is the time to squeeze the neck until we crush and break the enemy. To stop now, just before the end, and let them recover to fight us again is a senseless folly that will take the achievements of the war bought with much blood down the drain. We must continue until victory. Continue reading...
Stephen Fry and other celebrities join unions and activists in calling on PM to launch review of water ownershipTrade unions, celebrities and river activists are calling on the new UK government to halt attempts by the water industry to raise customer bills in England and Wales by up to 91% and immediately start a root-and-branch review of water ownership.The author Michael Rosen and comedians Nish Kumar and Stephen Fry joined campaigners from Greenpeace, Surfers Against Sewage, River Action, the Rivers Trust and activists across the country in signing a letter to Keir Starmer urging him to step in, days before the regulator Ofwat is to announce whether it will approve huge increases in customer bills across England and Wales. Continue reading...
Another visitor in same motorcycle group hospitalized for severe heat illness' as other four members treated at sceneA visitor to Death Valley national park died Sunday from heat exposure and another person was hospitalized as the temperature reached 128F (53.3C) in eastern California, officials said.The two visitors were part of a group of six motorcyclists riding through the Badwater Basin area amid scorching weather, the park said. Continue reading...
Storm roars across Gulf of Mexico, and is forecast to continue gaining strength as it heads towards the USA reconstituted Hurricane Beryl is expected to come ashore in south Texas early Monday, possibly slamming into land as a powerful category 2 hurricane, with the heavily-populated greater Houston area anticipating wind, heavy rain and possible tornadoes.The storm was expected to strengthen into a category 1 hurricane later on Sunday as it travels over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued hurricane warnings across much of the Texas coast. Continue reading...
Proposal is one of several being looked at by Ministry of Justice to address the acute' prison crisisLabour is considering plans to release offenders after they serve just 40% of their sentence in a bid to tackle prison overcrowding, the Guardian has been told.While the proposed plan - first reported by the Daily Telegraph - is just one of several options that the Ministry of Justice is weighing, prison overcrowding has emerged as one of the most urgent issues facing the new government, with governors warning that the prison estate in England and Wales will be effectively full within the next week or so. Continue reading...
Former immigration minister says party failed to deliver, as Suella Braverman and Victoria Atkins also speak outThe Conservatives failed to deliver" on their promises and lost the trust of voters, said the former cabinet minister Robert Jenrick, who did not rule out running for the leadership of his party.Two other potential leadership candidates - Victoria Atkins and Suella Braverman - said on Sunday it was not the time to declare their intentions but that a postmortem was now needed in the party. Continue reading...
Kyiv shouldn't have to fight shameless bondholders' as repayment deadline nears, say campaignersCampaigners are urging Britain's new Labour government to prevent Ukraine being sued in the UK courts if the country defaults on its debts to private creditors.Debt Justice said a two-year suspension of Ukraine's debt payments was scheduled to expire on 1 August, and that action was needed to protect Kyiv from the possibility of legal action from its creditors. Continue reading...
World Wrestling Entertainment great who has also carved out an acting career says he will stop in 2025 after farewell tourThe American actor and wrestler John Cena has officially announced his retirement from competing in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) events.Cena made the announcement in front of a packed, enthusiastic crowd at the Money in the Bank event in Toronto, Canada, and said his final competition would be sometime in 2025. Continue reading...
Front Electronique acts as world of the night' to combat rise of Marine Le Pen's National RallyMore than 1,200 artists, DJs and promoters from the French music industry have come together in a bid to galvanise the world of the night" into political action and to protest at the possibility of the first far-right French government since the second world war.Members of the Front Electronique (FE) have organised live debates on video streaming service Twitch and free concerts, and released a fund-raising album Siamo Tutti Antifascisti Vol.1 (We are all Anti-Fascists) featuring 38 artists. The compilation is described as a call to arms". Continue reading...
Met Office warns showers and temperatures below average set to continue all weekend in UKBritain's wet summer refuses to abate, with the Met Office predicting heavy rain on Sunday afternoon - potentially jeopardising play at Wimbledon and disrupting the British Grand Prix.Rain isn't the only form of weather making the public pine for a more orthodox summer. Temperatures on Saturday were below average by 2-3C, with a high of 21C being reached in Northern Ireland, the forecaster said. Continue reading...
by Daniel Hurst Foreign affairs and defence correspon on (#6P1C4)
Andrew Fowler's book reveals one of Australia's most important requirements for its submarines was the ability to work alongside the US in South China Sea
Another 50 injured taken to hospital from the Unrwa-run Al-Jawni school in Nuseirat, central GazaThe health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said an Israeli strike on Saturday on a school where displaced people were sheltering killed 16 people.The ministry, which condemned the strike as an odious massacre", said another 50 injured were taken to hospital from Al-Jawni school at Nuseirat in central Gaza. Continue reading...
Met police confirm protesters held on suspicion of public order offences, including one related to placardFour people were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of public order offences while attending a pro-Palestinian march in central London, including one relating to a placard.The Metropolitan police confirmed on X that three people were held on suspicion of breaching Public Order Act conditions imposed on the march, with a fourth man detained on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence relating to a placard. Continue reading...
The Spanish archipelago has welcomed more than 19,000 migrants since the start of 2024Hundreds protested on Saturday in the Canary Islands against an influx of migrants to the Spanish archipelago, which has welcomed more than 19,000 migrants since the beginning of 2024.Located off the coast of northwest Africa, the Canary Islands have become an increasingly popular destination for migrants braving the perilous Atlantic crossing in the hope of finding a better life in Europe. Continue reading...
by James Tapper, Anna Fazackerley and Lizzie Dearden on (#6P18Z)
Workers in healthcare, education and justice are battling crumbling systems. They told us what actions they want to see from the new governmentKeir Starmer opened his first cabinet meeting on Saturday with the words: We have a huge amount of work to do." From the NHS to schools and prisons, the public sector is battling chronic underfunding, staff shortages and record demand for its services. The Observer asked five key workers what Labour's priorities should be in the months and years ahead.Jonathan Clucas (above), headteacher at Layton primary school in Blackpool
Tennis and motor racing affected by downpours and flood alerts remain live near two rivers in Hampshire and GloucestershireIt could be a case of rain stops play for sports fans and revellers alike this weekend with wet weather and even floods forecast.Wimbledon fans faced a tentative wait to see if their favourites would take to the court after heavy rain delayed proceedings in SW19 on Saturday morning. Continue reading...
Starmer reveals relief at 10pm exit poll and pride in high number of state-educated, female cabinet ministers General election 2024: live newsKeir Starmer touched upon a number of difficult topics in his first press conference as prime minister, answering questions on prisons, NHS understaffing and the economy.The 20-minute session also gave way to a few lighthearted moments from a politician who has long been accused of lacking pizzazz. Continue reading...
Police open new scene in Salford park in connection to death of 67-year-old Stuart EverettDetectives investigating the murder of a 67-year-old man whose body parts were found in a Salford nature reserve have cordoned off a new search area.The investigation began after a passerby found a dismembered abdomen in Kersal Wetlands on 4 April. Continue reading...
Labour spelled out the need to hit the ground running and the government's top team face some urgent challenges General election 2024 - live A landslide majority may have been secured, but several cabinet ministers have immediate issues to confront now they are safely installed in Whitehall. With the new government needing to make an early impression, here we look at five figures with pressing concerns. Continue reading...
Many say they feel stuck in middle between far-right National Rally and hard-left France UnbowedAs France faces a high-stakes second round of elections on Sunday, French Jewish people say they are grappling with tough choices and feel caught between extremes amid concerns about rising antisemitism.As part of her longstanding efforts to detoxify the image of the far-right National Rally (RN) - currently leading in opinion polls - Marine Le Pen, to the incredulity of many, has sought to present herself as a friend of Jewish people and Israel. Continue reading...
The reformist's life has been shaped by conscription duty in a deprived city and great personal tragedyThe shock election of Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran's new president is as much a testimony to his personality as to his politics.A former heart surgeon and health minister, he came across in the many presidential TV debates as a man of great personal integrity and humility, desperate to bring the country together after it had been divided domestically and abroad. Continue reading...
Cabaret club's sails collapsed in April and new ones are up in time for Olympic torch to pass by on 15 JulyParis's Moulin Rouge cabaret club, whose landmark windmill sails fell down in April, has inaugurated a new set, a week before the Olympic torch was due to pass by the venue.The home of the can-can was temporarily laid low after the sails of the red-painted windmill tumbled to the ground in the early hours of 25 April. Continue reading...
The journalist, and critics, accuse the Italian PM of leading the country towards authoritarianismThe first time Rula Jebreal came face to face with Giorgia Meloni was for a TV debate in November 2016.It was the day after the US presidential election, six years before Meloni became prime minister, and the pair were invited on to Piazzapulita, a talkshow broadcast on the privately owned television channel, La7, to discuss the victory of Donald Trump. Continue reading...
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