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Births of the mammals extremely rare in captivity, say keepers, with Womble' only the second calf born at ChesterInside a heated incubator at Chester zoo, a wrinkled newborn aardvark nicknamed Womble" spent its first weeks being bottle-fed milk through the night by keepers determined to keep the rare calf healthy.Named after the creatures in Elisabeth Beresford's children's books and the subsequent animated TV series, the nocturnal animal is only the second aardvark born at the zoo in its 94-year history. Keepers say births of the species are extremely rare in captivity, with the last aardvark calf born in the zoo in 2022. Continue reading...

Case hailed as human rights victory as Tromso court says Tommy Olsen's actions are lawful and protected under international treatiesThe decision of a Norwegian appeals court to dismiss the extradition of an activist accused of facilitating the illegal entry of people into Greece has been hailed as a rare victory for human rights.In a judgment described as unprecedented by lawyers representing Tommy Olsen, the Norwegian founder of the NGO the Aegean Boat Report, the court unanimously rejected the request saying his actions were not only lawful but protected under international treaties to which both countries adhered. Continue reading...

UK calls incident unacceptable' after Su-27 jet comes within six metres of unarmed RAF plane over Black SeaA Russian jet flew within six metres of an RAF spy plane flying at 500mph over the Black Sea, one of two mid-air incidents last month described as dangerous and unacceptable" by the defence secretary, John Healey.An Su-27 jet conducted six passes in front of an unarmed RAF Rivet Joint flying close to its nose, risking a collision that could have caused a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer described the agreement, worth double original estimates, as a huge win' for British businessesKeir Starmer has struck a trade deal with six Gulf states in what he described as a huge win" for British business which ends four years of talks led by four different prime ministers.The deal will offer 3.7bn worth of opportunities, double original estimates, for exporters, particularly in the food and luxury car sectors but also defence, aerospace, hospitality and other services, the government said. Continue reading...

Eritrean man was due to be forcibly removed to France under one in, one out' schemeAn Eritrean asylum seeker who was due to be forcibly removed to France today under the one in, one out" scheme has had his ticket cancelled after making a serious attempt on his life, the Guardian understands.Other detainees said they believed he had made an attempt on his life because he feared he would be in danger in France due to his specific circumstances had he been forcibly returned there. He was discovered yesterday by his cellmate, who raised the alarm. He is now on round-the-clock suicide watch in detention.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. 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...

Former health secretary standing down after saying he no longer had confidence in Keir Starmer as PMLabour is in a curious, transitional state at the moment. Officially Keir Starmer is committed to staying as leader and prime minister until the next election. There is no formal leadership contest underway. But, informally, it has already started, with Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting already setting out their offer to the Labour membership. We will hear more from Streeting this afternoon. But much of the parliamentary party is already working on the basis that a Burnham premiership is all-but-inevitable, and so Streeting's interventions may turn out to be more about shoring up his position in a potential future Burnham administration than a rehearsal for an election that may never happen.Here are some of the stories out today covering Starmer, Burnham and Streeting.Ailbhe Rea in the New Statesman says an insider describes the atmosphere in No 10 now as very, very odd". She says:Starmer and his remaining loyal cabinet ministers want to make every day that they are still in office count, and are determined to cut through the noise of the leadership drama. Many cabinet ministers, who may not survive long in their posts if Starmer is replaced as Prime Minister, are desperate to set a legacy and bank achievements in their briefs while they can. Let's get out there and make the case for what we're doing," has been Starmer's message to colleagues. There is even a fleeting hope inside Downing Street that the leadership speculation burns itself out", that Wes and Andy tearing chunks out of each other for weeks might just make Keir look better". But even many loyalists accept that is wishful thinking. The writing is on the wall, even if we don't know exactly what form that takes yet," one concludes.Patrick Maguire, Geraldine Scott and Larisa Brown in the Times say Starmer could stay in Downing Street until early next year. They report:Ministers familiar with Starmer's thinking say he has no plans to step down before the Labour Party conference in September and is unlikely to relinquish office before Christmas.They told The State of It, the political podcast from The Times and Sunday Times, that there were still significant obstacles ahead for Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, who on Tuesday refused to rule out breaking Labour's manifesto pledge against tax rises.Caroline Wheeler in the i says cabinet ministers are already angling for jobs in a Burnham administration. She says:Senior ministers are preparing visits to Makerfield amid growing expectations in Westminster that Burnham could ultimately take the Labour leadership - and with it the power to appoint the next Cabinet.The equation cabinet ministers are making is that if they go and he wins they will get a plum job," one senior source said. If they don't go and he wins, he will remember. And if they don't go and he loses, he will remember."Many now believe that Burnham is lining up to make Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, as his chancellor. It comes as Miliband's special adviser was seconded to work with Burnham for the by-election campaign ...Burnham is also widely expected to make Lucy Powell, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, his deputy prime minister. Multiple sources said that other women likely to be given top jobs include Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, and Louise Haigh, the former transport secretary, who is also the co-chair of the influential soft-left Tribune group of MPs.Sam Blewett at Politico has taken an in-depth look at the team supporting Burnham. He says the key figure is Kevin Lee, director of the Greater Manchester mayor's office, who has been advising Burnham with little break since 2010. Continue reading...

Deal is the biggest acquisition for Murdoch since family resolved dispute over future control of media holdingsJames Murdoch, second son of publishing giant Rupert Murdoch, has agreed to acquire some of Vox Media's assets, including New York Magazine, in a deal believed to be worth about $300m.The 53-year-old publishing scion is acquiring the assets through his company, Lupa Systems, which has built up holdings in Art Basel, the traveling art fair business, and Tribeca Enterprises, the media and entertainment company co-founded by Robert De Niro, and the Indian streaming service Bodhi Tree Systems. Continue reading...

In state department cable, Jerusalem embassy told to issue protest to Palestinian Authority leaders, warning consequences will follow' if they failed to complyThe US has ordered its Jerusalem embassy to pressure the Palestinian leadership into dropping a bid for a UN general assembly vice-presidency, anxious that the role could allow Palestinians to chair high-profile debates on the Middle East.A 19 May state department cable seen by the Guardian instructed the US embassy in Jerusalem to issue a demarche (a formal protest) to the leaders of the Palestinian Authority (PA) pressuring them to withdraw the bid by 22 May, warning that consequences will follow" if they failed to comply. Continue reading...

In first speech since quitting cabinet, Streeting says party must deliver change or it will hand keys of No 10 to Reform

A decade after the referendum, EU leaders would welcome closer ties - once the UK has understood the European deal' Don't get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereBrexit's back. Well, sort of. If it ever really went away. At any rate, an awful lot of ink has been spilled - in Britain, at least - over last weekend's remarks by a would-be PM that Brexit was a catastrophic mistake" and the UK's future lay back in the EU".That reflects, first, just how deep the wounds of Brexit still run. A decade after the referendum unleashed an identity politics so powerful it still dominates UK debate, Britain's voters remain divided into the two warring tribes of remain versus leave. Continue reading...

This blog is now closedIn Brussels, Rutte begins by stressing the importance of Nato ministers meeting in Sweden, the alliance's newest ally" who joined in 2024.This says a great deal about how fundamentally our security environment has changed, especially when it comes to Europe. It is more dangerous, it is more contested and it makes it all the more important that Nato allies work together to safeguard our freedom and security," he says. Continue reading...

Dr Peter Stafford's wife and four children are also being monitored for symptoms amid Ebola outbreak in the DRCAn American doctor who contracted Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been flown to Germany for treatment, along with his wife and four children, as the World Health Organization warned of the scale and speed" of the outbreak.Authorities have reported at least 134 suspected deaths and more than 500 cases of the hemorrhagic Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved treatments or vaccines. The outbreak, which has spread into urban areas, has been declared a public health emergency requiring international response. Continue reading...

The singer was one of her country's most's popular musical exports, and travelled the world with an evangelistic vision for spreading cumbia musicToto la Momposina, one of the most celebrated musicians in Colombian history, has died aged 85.Her three children announced her death from a heart attack on Instagram. Toto was a woman who, with her voice and extraordinary dedication, carried the culture and memory of the Colombian people to the far corners of the world," they added. Continue reading...

PM tells Commons extending the temporary 5p cut is a necessary response to cost-of-living pressures

UK report argues people have greater control over longevity than widely understood, but others say claim is simplisticIndividuals bear at least 80% of the responsibility for their ill health in old age, according to a report aimed at challenging the belief that physical decline is either inevitable or primarily the responsibility of the state.The report, launched at the Smart Ageing Summit in Oxford last week, argues that individuals have far greater control over their longevity than is commonly understood. The authors call on the government to take legislative action on alcohol comparable to restrictions on smoking. Continue reading...

MEPs had twice frozen ratification process in protest at Trump's threats to increase tariffs and take control of GreenlandThe EU has finally agreed to implement its trade deal with the US after five hours of talks between members of the European parliament and member states in the hope of averting more tariffs threatened by Donald Trump.It means the agreement struck last July at the US president's Scottish golf course can now enter into force, removing import duties on most US goods entering the EU. Continue reading...

Stuart Machin argues government should reduce tax and regulatory burden on supermarkets insteadThe boss of Marks & Spencer has called a government proposal for voluntary price caps on essential food items completely preposterous", saying it should reduce tax and regulatory burdens instead.Stuart Machin, the chief executive of the clothing, homewares, food and beauty retailer, said M&S already lost money on some basic items such as milk, bread and baked beans and made very slim profits on other products such as eggs and sugar. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Australia faces a pronounced political fault line', Giridharan Sivaraman tells Brisbane seminar on human rights

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James Roscoe had served as deputy ambassador to US since 2022 and stood in after Peter Mandelson's departureBritain's second most senior diplomat in Washington, who stood in as interim ambassador after the sacking of Peter Mandelson, has abruptly left his post.The UK government gave no reason for James Roscoe's sudden departure which comes amid an investigation into the leak of discussions at a meeting of the UK's national security council. Continue reading...

Campaigners warn against blanket restrictions and say focus should be on blocking teenagers from platforms with risky' featuresOnline safety campaigners have urged Keir Starmer to block under-16s from accessing social media apps that do not meet strict safety standards, instead of implementing a broader Australia-style ban.The NSPCC, Molly Rose Foundation and Smartphone Free Childhood said tech platforms should not be allowed to offer risky" features to teenagers such as infinite scrolling, disappearing messages and push notifications. Continue reading...

Nurses' union criticises catastrophic system-wide failure' in NHS as more under-18s getting stuck in emergency wardsChildren and young people in England having a mental health crisis are spending up to three days in an A&E unit before they get a bed in a specialist unit, NHS figures reveal.One children's nurse who works in an emergency department said such long waits for under-18s who were in acute distress were frankly barbaric" but becoming far more normal". Continue reading...

Centre for London report finds levy on property wealth would free up homes, fund social housing and help renters save for depositsStamp duty should be scrapped and replaced with a new property wealth tax to fix London's housing crisis, a leading thinktank has proposed.A report on the capital's property market suggests an annual tax to replace the levy paid when buying a property and council tax would encourage downsizing and raise funds for social housing. It would also help renters to save a house deposit. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Employment tribunal claim says worker lost his job after distributing leaflets throughout London officeGoogle is facing a legal challenge from an AI engineer who claims he was unfairly dismissed after he protested against its work for the Israeli government, in the latest sign of growing concern about the social and ethical impacts of AI.The engineer distributed flyers around Google DeepMind's London offices, which read Google provides military AI to forces committing genocide" and asking colleagues: Is your paycheck worth this?" He also emailed colleagues about Google's 2025 decision to drop a promise not to pursue weapons that harm people and surveillance violating international norms and urged them to unionise. Continue reading...

The 18-year-old high school student reached the top of the world's tallest mountain on her second attempt

Union says emphasis on academic goals conflicts with proposed measures on special educational needs provisionChanges to special educational needs provision in England could be thwarted by academic attainment at all costs" policies that prioritise exam results and punish inclusive schools, headteachers have said in response to a government consultation.The Association of School and College Leaders said the government's emphasis on academic goals conflicted with its measures designed to help mainstream schools accommodate more children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send). Continue reading...

England wins highest percentage per entry at International Wine Challenge, with Kent the country's best regionEnglish wines won the highest percentage of gold medals per entry in a global competition, with experts describing the improvement as remarkable.At the International Wine Challenge, English wines are winning more gold medals than ever. In 2025, the country won 10, but this year it was awarded 25.M&S Champagne Delacourt Vintage Blanc de Blancs 2017, FranceM&S Collection Barossa Valley Shiraz 2024, AustraliaExceptional Botrytis Riesling 2017, Aldi, New ZealandExceptional Asti NV, Aldi, ItalyFletcher's LBV Port 2021, Aldi, PortugalTesco Finest Picpoul de Pinet 2024 Les Costieres de Pomerols, FranceTesco Finest Barolo 2021 Fratelli Martini Secondo Luigi, ItalySainsbury's Taste the Difference Rioja Gran Reserva 2018, CVNE, Spain Continue reading...

NSW police say they are aware of organised crime links' after alleged incident at Canley Heights home

Researchers also question whether UK's impartiality rules allow for proper scrutiny in era of multiparty politicsBroadcasters are letting down voters by relying on so-called vox pop interviews and failing to scrutinise political claims during election campaigns, according to researchers.The study by Cardiff University looked at how this year's national elections in Wales and Scotland, alongside the local elections in England, were reported on UK-wide television news between 2 March and 6 May. Continue reading...

Millions of litres of sewage have been spilling into the capital city's waters since February after the catastrophic failure of a Moa Point wastewater plantA fix to stop millions of litres of sewage continuing to pour into the waters off the coast of New Zealand's capital, Wellington will be in place by November, officials have said, with full repairs at the cost of NZ$53.5m by late next year.More than 100 days since the catastrophic failure of the city's wastewater treatment plant on 4 February, a mix of raw and partially screened human effluent is still being flushed directly into the Pacific Ocean. Continue reading...

Single strike on the village of Deir Qanoun al Nahr in the coastal Tyre province killed 10, including three children and three women, health ministry saysIsraeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon on Tuesday killed at least 19 people, including four women and three children, Lebanon's health ministry said, the latest in near-daily attacks from both sides that have not stopped despite a fragile, US-brokered ceasefire.Israel's military did not immediately comment on the casualties or specific incidents, but said that between Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon, it had targeted more than 25 sites of Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Continue reading...

National Audit Office says potential benefits are considerable but uncertain' while risks are immediate and substantial'The cost of the government's 38bn nuclear plant in Suffolk is subject to significant uncertainty" and may outweigh the benefits for UK households until at least 2064, according to the government's spending watchdog.The National Audit Office (NAO) has warned that although the potential benefits of the Sizewell C nuclear plant are considerable, they remain uncertain. The risks, however, are immediate, substantial and borne by the public". Continue reading...

Hollingworth, appointed governor general by John Howard in 2001, resigned over his handling of child sexual abuse in the Anglican churchFormer governor general Peter Hollingworth, who resigned over his handling of child sexual abuse in the Anglican church, has died.Hollingworth, who devoted much of his life to fighting poverty, served as the Anglican archbishop of Brisbane for 11 years from 1990, the first Australian-born person to hold the position. Continue reading...

Roots of idea for ending neoliberalism' have been growing over many months - with many different influencesManchesterism is the end of neoliberalism". That was the claim made by Andy Burnham in his campaign launch video this week - a film which made an audacious offer not just to his byelection constituents in Makerfield, but how he intended to change national politics and the economy.But the 2026 doctrine of Manchesterism is very different to its 19th-century namesake, when it was a byword for free trade. Continue reading...

The boundaries of entertainment are always pushed for each series,' psychologist says, as speculation grows over show's futureThe pressure to keep audiences glued to hit reality TV shows is leading to participants being put in increasingly risky and exploitative situations, according to a psychologist and executive who have both previously worked on Married at First Sight UK.Two women have alleged they were raped during the filming of the show, which is one of Channel 4's most popular and profitable programmes, and said not enough was done to protect them. Continue reading...

Investigation launched as video circulates online showing officer firing at vehicle and colleagues dragging away bodyAuthorities in Jamaica have launched an investigation after CCTV footage of a woman's fatal shooting by police sent shock waves across the Caribbean nation.Footage circulating on social media shows a police officer firing at a vehicle during a protest on Sunday in Granville, in Jamaica's north-western parish of St James. The bullet hit Latoya Bulgin, 45, who was behind the wheel of the vehicle. Continue reading...

Filings reveal $220m to $750m in trades on US president's behalf in first quarter of 2026, including securities linked to largest US companiesHundreds of thousands of dollars was invested in Eli Lilly on Donald Trump's behalf earlier this year, according to financial disclosures, as the US drugmaker benefited from his administration's bid to expand access to blockbuster obesity treatments.Ethics filings revealed several thousand trades on the US president's behalf tied to stocks and bonds in the first quarter of 2026, with a cumulative value of between $220m and around $750m. Continue reading...

Darren Jones says release will be one of the largest government publications ever laid in this house'On Friday parliament's intelligence and security committee issued a damning statement about the government's response to the humble address requiring the release of documents relating to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US. It said the government was not fully complying with what is in effect an instruction from the Commons. For good measure, the committee also accuses the government of not keeping proper record of its decisions and of doing far too much business by WhatsApp. Here is our story, by Henry Dyer and Paul Lewis.At 12.30pm Jeremy Wright, deputy chair of the committee and a former Tory attorney general, will ask a Commons urgent question about this. He is asking Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM, to reply. Continue reading...

About 40% of parking spaces under apartments in Australia sit empty, yet strict planning rules mean more unwanted spots continue to be built

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander blames Conservative government for obscene increase in times and costs'

Party confirms that no other candidates have been shortlisted for election expected to take place on 18 June

Conflict, mistrust and delayed detection could complicate response to emergency caused by Bundibugyo variantTo be around the centre of an Ebola outbreak is to become used to the smell of chlorine. At hospitals and government buildings, surfaces are sprayed with it and hands washed in a 0.05% solution that can kill the virus in 60 seconds.Infrared handheld thermometers take temperatures at airports and border crossings. Any indication of a fever prevents passage. Contact-tracing teams crisscross the countryside. Continue reading...

Retired NHS worker Nicholas Stone died after becoming unwell at protest against far-right Bristol PatriotsThe police watchdog is investigating the use of force against a retired NHS worker who attended a counter-demonstration against the far right and died shortly after contact with officers there.Nicholas Stone, 65, who lived in Bristol, died on 10 January after becoming unwell at a protest opposing the rightwing group Bristol Patriots, who were demonstrating in the city centre. Continue reading...

Pub owner's sale to Barcelona-based brewer Damm is latest takeover of a British beer by an overseas buyer

At least 130 people thought to have been killed, says Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus before emergency meeting

Zainab Sheriff unjustly sentenced to four years in prison for incitement and threatening language, say activistsLawyers, politicians and activists have called for the release of one of Sierra Leone's best-known celebrities, who they said was unjustly imprisoned as part of a government crackdown on free speech and political dissent.Zainab Sheriff, a singer and reality-TV show contestant who became a political opposition figure, was sentenced in April to four years and two months' imprisonment for incitement and using threatening language. Continue reading...

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Pay growth eases to 3.4% as businesses face pressure from soaring energy costs

We cannot continue to blame migrants for the problems of our economy,' backbencher Andrew McLachlan says