In latest stage of 42m restoration project, 30-strong team removed mast from Nelson's Battle of Trafalgar flagshipThere is only one correct way to extricate a 15-tonne wrought iron mast from one of the world's most famous and beloved warships - very slowly, and with extreme care.Which is precisely what a 30-strong team, led by shipwrights and riggers, did on Monday night into Tuesday morning, when they lifted the foremast from HMS Victory as part of a 42m conservation project. Continue reading...
Lauren Ashley Mastrosa given 18-month community corrections order after book was read by handful of advance readersThe author behind an offensive novel depicting toddler role-play has been convicted but spared jail for penning child abuse material.Lauren Ashley Mastrosa, a 34-year-old former marketing executive for a Christian charity, wrote Daddy's Little Toy under the pen name Tori Woods and published it through an online pre-release in March 2025. Continue reading...
Monarch to allude to recent strains in special relationship in speech to both houses during four-day state visitKing Charles is expected to allude to recent strains between the UK and US in a rare address by a monarch to the US Congress as he will underline that time and again our two countries have always found ways to come together".The king's remarks in a speech to both houses on Tuesday will come after Donald Trump has threatened to tear up a trade deal signed by the UK and US, mocked the Royal Navy and insulted the UK prime minister. Continue reading...
The NSW premier, who was unequivocal in the wake of the Bondi terror attack, has now linked the fate of his state's laws with those of the Queensland legal challenge
by Jason Burke International security correspondent on (#758F6)
Coordinated attack by JNIM and the Tuareg minority inflicted significant casualties on government forces and Russian auxiliariesWhen al-Qaida-affiliated Islamic militants launched a series of attacks on military bases and raids into major towns in Mali and neighbouring Burkina Faso last summer, observers suggested they had been inspired by their counterparts in Syria, who had overthrown the regime of Bashar al-Assad and taken power six months or so earlier.Despite the tactical successes that earned them the fearful title of the Ghost Army", seizing swathes of territory and denying cities and the military of fuel and other essentials, the chances of Jama'at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) definitively defeating Mali's military regime and the thousand or so Russian mercenaries hired to defend it looked poor. Continue reading...
Claim by environment minister opens new report into profound ecological damage allegedly done by IDF forcesLebanon's minister for the environment has accused Israel's military of committing an act of ecocide" in the foreword to a report detailing the harm done to the country's natural resources during the invasion of 2023 to 2024.Israeli military aggression reshaped both the physical and ecological landscape" of southern Lebanon, according to the report, which does not consider the impacts of Israel's latest barrage of attacks this spring.Damaged 5,000 hectares (12,350 acres) of forest cover, including broadleaf, pine and stone pine stands, destroying habitats, disregulating local climates and causing soil erosion.Destroyed $118m (87m) of physical agriculture assets, including crops, livestock facilities, forestry resources, fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure.Caused further losses of $586m (433m) in lost agricultural production as a result of disrupted harvests and reduced yields.Destroyed 2,154 hectares (5,320 acres) of orchards, including 814 hectares of olive groves and 637 hectares of citrus plantations, and caused extensive damage to banana plantations.Contaminated soils with phosphorus concentrations up to 1,858 parts a million, with particular contamination hotspots in south Lebanon and Bekaa valley in the east.Caused widespread air pollution episodes extending well beyond immediate strike zones and releasing particulates; sulphur and nitrogen oxides; and toxic compounds such as dioxins and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#758F4)
Social mobility groups say post-16 funding gap risks young people falling out of education, work and trainingA coalition of 14 social mobility organisations is urging the government to fund a student premium" to support disadvantaged young people post-16 and prevent them from falling through the cracks" into joblessness.State-funded schools in England currently receive additional pupil premium funding to support children from low-income backgrounds, who are eligible for free school meals. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: As campaigners and critics reckon with the bill's failure, the debate reveals a country struggling to support vulnerable people and those living with terminal illnessGood morning. Last week the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill in England and Wales fell at the final hurdle - just weeks after Scotland's parliament voted down similar proposals to legalise assisted dying.For those opposed to a change in the law, it was a victory. For supporters, it has prompted anger - not just at the outcome, but at the process, with campaigners arguing that the unelected House of Lords had thwarted democracy by blocking legislation that had already passed the Commons.Monarchy | King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House on Monday for a state visit in Washington with the transatlantic alliance showing fresh signs of strain.US news | The suspected gunman at the White House correspondents' dinner had, according to the FBI, written that I am no longer willing to permit a paedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes". Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from Torrance in southern California has appeared in court charged with three federal crimes including attempting to assassinate the president.UK politics | Keir Starmer will face a vote on whether to launch a standards investigation into his appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington. The speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, has granted a debate today on potentially referring the prime minister to the privileges committee.Education | Half of headteachers say parts of their school are either out of use or unfit for purpose due to leaks, damp, mould, asbestos, ageing boilers and malfunctioning fire doors, according to a survey by the National Association of Head Teachers(NAHT).Conservatives | Police are assessing evidence about donations to Robert Jenrick's campaign to become Conservative leader in 2024 after a referral from the elections watchdog, the Guardian can reveal. Continue reading...
First lady accuses the comedian of hateful and violent rhetoric' over joke made days before the White House press dinner shootingJimmy Kimmel has refused to apologise for a joke made days before the White House correspondents' dinner shooting in which he described Melania Trump as glowing like an expectant widow", after both Donald Trump and the first lady accused him of inciting violence.On Monday Melania Trump accused Kimmel of hateful and violent rhetoric" and atrocious behavior", and said it was time for ABC to take a stand" against the comedian, who has long been critical of Trump and his policies. Continue reading...
by Ben Doherty and Sarah Basford Canales on (#758BN)
Australia is dependent upon UK's ability to deliver new submarines but report says cracks are already beginning to show'Cracks are already beginning to show" in the UK's funding for the Aukus agreement that could derail the ambitious nuclear submarine plan, a British parliamentary inquiry has found, highlighting a threat to Australia's security.UK shipbuilding has been under-funded for decades and the country's submarine availability is critically low", the House of Commons defence committee's report found. Continue reading...
Tees Transporter Bridge and a former working men's club in Barrow-in-Furness among sites at risk of decay or neglectTeesside's Transporter Bridge, a disinfecting station in Hackney and a former working men's club in Barrow-in-Furness have been included on a list ringing alarm bells for Victorian and Edwardian heritage.The Victorian Society has published its annual top 10 endangered buildings list, intended as a way of drawing national attention to at-risk places in England and Wales. Continue reading...
by Aamna Mohdin Community affairs correspondent on (#758DT)
Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy say criticising Israeli government is not disloyalty but a Jewish obligationThe UK's most senior progressive rabbis have warned that Israel's current political direction risks becoming incompatible with Jewish values", while insisting that criticism of the country's government is a Jewish obligation" rather than an act of disloyalty.Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, co-leads of Progressive Judaism - the newly formed movement representing around a third of synagogues in the UK - said Israel's trajectory could pose an existential threat" not just to the country itself but to Judaism. Continue reading...
The RSF leadership, accused of committing genocide, used UAE as a safe haven' for family members and their wealth, records showA network linked to the leadership of a militia accused of genocide has amassed a vast property portfolio in Dubai as part of a sprawling paramilitary-industrial complex" across Africa and the Middle East, an investigation has revealed.Family members, sanctioned individuals, and entities linked to the leader of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, have acquired more than 20 luxury properties, worth 17.7m, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to the Sentry, a US investigative group. Continue reading...
by Joseph Gedeon in Washington and Lucy Campbell on (#757RK)
Alleged shooter, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, charged with three federal crimes in White House press gala attackThe suspected gunman who tried to storm the White House correspondents' dinner appeared in federal court on Monday and was charged with three federal crimes, including attempting to assassinate the president.The alleged shooter, identified by law enforcement agencies as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance in southern California, was charged with attempting to assassinate the US president, transportation of firearms to commit a felony, and unlawful discharge of a firearm during violence. Continue reading...
Efforts continue to free two trapped passengers in wreckage after long-distance train collides with commuter train outside Jakarta, injuring 81Rescuers were racing to reach survivors on Tuesday morning outside the Indonesian capital of Jakarta after two trains collided overnight, killing at least seven people and injuring scores.Rescuers were working to get to two people still trapped alive in the wreckage, a spokesperson for the state-owned KAI rail company told local television in the early hours. Continue reading...
Pakistan officials dismiss Afghan media reports and official statements about strikes on university in Kunar province as blatant lie'Mortars and missiles fired from Pakistan on Monday struck a university and civilian homes in north-eastern Afghanistan, killing seven people and wounding at least 85, Afghan officials said.Pakistan denied the accusation of targeting a university. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#758A6)
NAHT survey says widespread disrepair forcing closure of playgrounds and classrooms, with Send facilities also hitHalf of headteachers say parts of their school are either out of use or unfit for purpose due to leaks, damp, mould, asbestos, ageing boilers and malfunctioning fire doors, according to a new survey by the National Association of Head Teachers(NAHT).Among those who say their schools are suffering, almost three-quarters (73%) say they have toilet blocks that are either closed (8%) or not fit for purpose (65%). Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent on (#758A5)
Resolution Foundation report says crisis' stems from rising ill-health and a failing system of benefits and job supportBritain has the third-highest rate of young people not in work or education among Europe's richest countries because of rising ill-health and a failing system of benefits and job support, a report has warned.The Resolution Foundation thinktank said the UK was facing a crisis" in youth jobs amid a dramatic rise in the number of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (Neets) to almost 1 million - the highest level in more than a decade. Continue reading...
Police warn of violent pornography and toxic' influencers as suicides outstrip homicides for third year runningThe first teenage girl has been identified as having been driven to kill herself after domestic violence, as police chiefs blamed violent pornography and toxic" influencers for being behind a rise in teen abuse.Suicides after domestic abuse have outstripped homicides for the third year running, according to the Domestic Homicide Project, which records deaths in England and Wales after domestic abuse. Continue reading...
Royals pose for photographs with president and first lady at start of state visit before heading inside for private teaKing Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House on Monday for a state visit in Washington, a city still rattled by a weekend shooting and a transatlantic alliance showing fresh signs of strain.British flags could be seen lining lamp-posts outside the White House, where Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, greeted Charles and Camilla with handshakes. The four appeared to exchange pleasantries and posed for several photographs before heading inside the White House for a private tea. Continue reading...
by Lucy Campbell (now); Sammy Gecsoyler, Tom Ambrose on (#757RJ)
Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei says actions of the United States strike at the heart of international law' as blockade continues in strait of HormuzIran is proposing that shipping companies should pay charges for specific services when they cross the strait of Hormuz, in a move that would enable it to raise money from shipping traffic without presenting the payment as a toll.Iran's framing is designed to maximise political and legal support for the plan it is developing with Oman. Iran has made a solution to its demands an essential precondition to winding down the conflict, including an end to its effective blockade of the Strait and the counter-blockade of Iranian ports being mounted by the US Navy. Continue reading...
by Raphael Rashid in Seoul and Justin McCurry in Toky on (#7588C)
Regime used its isolation after closing borders to escalate killings when global scrutiny disappeared, NGO claimsNorth Korea dramatically increased its use of the death penalty after closing its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic, using its isolation to escalate killings when international scrutiny disappeared, according to a report mapping 13 years of executions under the country's leader, Kim Jong-un.The number of documented cases of executions and death sentences increased by 117% in the nearly five years after North Korea sealed its borders in January 2020 compared with an equal period before the closure, according to a report by the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), a human rights NGO in Seoul. Continue reading...
Fiona Hill tells MPs UK is vulnerable' because it does not educate people on how to deal with information warfareBritain is becoming a soft target for Russian and other state propaganda because the UK is not prepared to educate people on how to deal with information warfare, according to a former White House adviser and security expert.Fiona Hill told a parliamentary committee that she feared the UK had become extraordinarily vulnerable" to online manipulation feeding into the electoral system because there was a lack of discussion about civil defence. Continue reading...
Ian Collard tells MPs he had not seen UKSV assessment summary before briefing Olly Robbins on clearanceA top Foreign Office security official who played a key role in granting Peter Mandelson's vetting clearance felt pressure to deliver a rapid outcome" because of contacts from Downing Street, MPs have been told.In testimony relayed to parliament via the Foreign Office (FCDO), Ian Collard said he had not seen the assessment summary produced by the vetting agency when he gave an oral briefing to Olly Robbins, the department's former permanent secretary. Instead, Collard had received an oral briefing from a member of the FCDO's personnel security team. Continue reading...
British officials pushed for White House meeting to be held privately fearing repeat of scenes when Trump berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of world's press
Severe storms put nearly 50 million at risk and follow a deadly weekend after tornado killed two people in TexasSevere storms are expected to sweep across the mid-Mississippi valley and midwest regions of the US on Monday, putting nearly 50 million people at risk.The storm prediction center has issued a level 4 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms across south-west Illinois and south-east Missouri, including major cities such as St Louis. Forecasters warned of multiple strong to intense tornadoes, widespread severe/damaging wind gusts and scattered large to very large hail", with some hail potentially reaching baseball size. Continue reading...
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle earlier confirmed that MPs will decide whether to let inquiry into Keir Starmer's statements over Peter Mandelson proceedDowning Street has said that the UK is in a good position" to handle the global supply problems caused by the Iran war not being resolved.Speaking at the morning lobby briefing, the PM's spokesperson said:We remain focused on a long-term, permanent solution to the crisis. As a result of the forward-planning, the government undertook over the past few months, the UK is in a good position.We're ramping up planning for all different potential impacts on the UK economy and consumers, and that means focusing on a live monitoring of stock levels and what plans are in place for addressing supply chain disruption.Even Boris Johnson didn't block his MPs voting for scrutiny. Labour MPs must be given a free vote on any motion to refer Starmer to the privileges committee, not forced into being accomplices to a cover-up.If Keir Starmer has misled the House and the public, he must be held to the same standard that we should expect of any prime minister. Continue reading...
The singer's company filed three applications on Friday after Matthew McConaughey launched similar strategyTaylor Swift has filed applications to trademark her voice and image in a move seemingly designed to protect against AI misuse.On 24 April, Swift's company TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications, Variety reports. Two of these are sound trademarks which cover Swift saying the phrases Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and Hey, it's Taylor." Continue reading...
by Presented by Lucy Houghwith David Smith; produced on (#75822)
Details about the shooting at the White House correspondents gala have started to surface as the alleged shooter is set to be charged.The suspect was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior officials were gathered, before law enforcement stopped him. It happened less than two years since Trump was the target of an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a subsequent attempt at a golf course in Florida.Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian's Washington bureau chief David Smith, who was in attendance. Continue reading...
Across country, at least 14 have been injured as Zelenskyy highlights importance of air defencesTop EU officials and Hungary's incoming government will discuss on Wednesday the changes Budapest needs to push through to release 17bn in EU funds that have been blocked due to rule-of-law concerns under the outgoing government of Viktor Orban.Some of the frozen funds, such as 11bn euros ($13bn) from the post-pandemic Recovery Fund, must be drawn by mid-August, or be irrevocably lost, Reuters noted. Continue reading...
Russian backing for the ruling junta has not stopped rebel fighters striking significant blows in recent daysWhen Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali's military junta, sat down with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in the Kremlin last summer, it symbolised Moscow's commanding sway over Mali at the expense of the west.As the two men spoke, roughly 3,500 miles to the south, about 2,000 Russian troops were propping up the regime in the landlocked desert country, as part of Moscow's broader push for influence across the Sahel region. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#757YK)
Show curated by Edward Enninful will highlight era's do it yourself' attitude and shift focus away from Cool BritanniaSteve McQueen's first major film, a Chris Ofili painting in tribute to Doreen and Stephen Lawrence and images of clubbers at the Hacienda will be exhibited at Tate Britain as part of its 90s exhibition.The show will explore art and fashion during a decade that reshaped Britain's cultural identity and established conditions that are still with us", said Edward Enninful, the former editor of British Vogue who is curating the exhibition. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Some donations to 2024 Tory leadership campaign allegedly originated from US businessman in breach of electoral rulesPolice are assessing evidence about donations to Robert Jenrick's campaign to become Conservative leader in 2024 after a referral from the elections watchdog, the Guardian can reveal.The information was passed on by the Electoral Commission, which the Guardian understands has been investigating allegations that almost 40,000 of donations to Jenrick's leadership campaign before he defected to Reform UK, were from a foreign source in breach of electoral rules. Continue reading...
Experts say counterfeits lack UV filters, increasing the risk of eye damage, and urge shoppers to check for safety marksWhile many will be enjoying the spring sunshine, experts have cautioned against wearing fake designer sunglasses, warning they could do more harm than good.As the College of Optometrists notes, sunglasses not only protect the eyes against glare on sunny days, but can also shield them from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. Continue reading...
Musician Chris Martin, tennis star Iga witek and footballer Robert Lewandowski join Piotr Garkowski in epic fundraiserA Polish social media influencer has raised more than 50m after a nine-day, nonstop online stream during which he was joined by a parade of celebrity guests to help a charity supporting children battling cancer.Streaming from a studio flat in right-bank Warsaw, social media influencer Piotr Garkowski, 23, nicknamed atwogang, listened to a charity song dedicated to children battling cancer on loop for nine days straight, filling time with entertaining dares and celebrity appearances. Continue reading...
Enough family reference samples collected to identify at least 60% of disinterred USS Arizona crew membersThe United States government could move to disinter the remains of unidentified USS Arizona crew members who were killed in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 after the clinching of a key DNA-related milestone, officials recently announced.Before that announcement, officials determined enough family reference samples had been collected for comparison with DNA taken from remains - along with medical and dental records - for the individual identification of at least 60% of the battleship crew members to be disinterred, said a statement on Friday from the agency tasked with identifying US military personnel who are unaccounted for after past conflicts. Continue reading...
Secret Service director says security succeeded in stopping shooter before he could do further harm but others disagreeThe shooting in the White House correspondents' gala has prompted questions over security with some asking how a shooter was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior administration officials were gathered and many others praising the actions of law enforcement that swiftly stopped the attack.As details about the shooting at the Washington Hilton continued to surface, the alleged shooter Cole Tomas Allen, 31, mocked an insane" lack of security at the Washington dinner in a manifesto reportedly send to his family 10 minutes before his assault started. Continue reading...
Heatwaves reach 45C across India as unseasonably cold weather affects parts of central CanadaWidespread heavy rain is sweeping over southern China. By Wednesday, rainfall totals are expected to exceed 100mm across many parts of Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, and in some areas as much as 150-200mm.As a result, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management have been holding meetings with meteorological and hydrological departments to emphasise the importance of reinforced patrols and emergency responses to mitigate against the probable flooding that the intense rainfall is expected to bring. In particular, reservoirs with known safety concerns must remain empty during the period, as well as through the coming rainy season. Continue reading...
Images in Helen Polley's post included a marching band, people laying wreaths and ex-serving members giving speeches set to a track by US rapper Chingy
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