World news | The Guardian

The 2024 festival was cancelled after multiple authors pulled out over the non-profit's stance on the Israel-Gaza warThe literary free speech organization PEN America has announced plans for their 2026 World Voices festival. The four day event will take place in New York and Los Angeles from 29 April to 2 May and feature writers from over 140 countries, with in person appearances from authors including Judith Butler, Bill McKibben, Cory Doctorow, Megha Majumdar and Katie Kitamura.In a press release, the event is billed as a testament to literature's ability to unite us, and to counteract the closed mindedness that has resulted in a nationalist maelstrom. It continues to affirm PEN America's commitment to championing writers and their work." Continue reading...

Anyone who was at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from 5 March to 15 March advised to get antibiotics and vaccinationThe government has announced a major expansion in vaccination against meningitis in Kent after seven new cases of the disease were confirmed in the county, taking the total number of cases to 27.On a visit to the University of Kent, the health secretary, Wes Streeting, said anyone who attended the Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury from 5 March until 15 March should come forward for antibiotics and vaccination. Continue reading...

UK central bank has left rates on hold, and warned that CPI inflation will be higher in the near term as a result of the new shock to the economy' from Iran war

Heather Hallett says superhuman' efforts of workers were at times the only reason health service survived

US defense secretary suggests Thursday will be largest strike package yet ... death and destruction from above'

On second anniversary of his sister ending her life at Dignitas, Tony Marra will protest outside parliament with other campaignersTwo years after Paola Marra, on the eve of her death, appealed to politicians to change the law on assisted dying, the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill is stuck in the House of Lords. For her brother, the second anniversary of her death will be spent protesting outside parliament.Marra died aged 53 on 20 March 2024. She documented her solo journey from north London to Dignitas in Switzerland in photographs and a short film by the photographer Rankin, released posthumously, as well as in a powerful interview with the Guardian. Continue reading...

Lovehoney sponsors Aphrodite-themed pleasure garden' full of flowers associated with love and sexIt is one of the most prestigious events of the UK social calendar, but the great and good attending Chelsea flower show may be in for a shock this year as the Royal Horticultural Society unveils a sex-themed garden sponsored by a company that sells vibrators.Lovehoney, a sex toy company, is sponsoring an Aphrodite-themed pleasure garden" full of flowers and plants associated with love and sex.Chelsea flower show will be held at the Royal Hospital Gardens from 19-23 May. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Hanne, 16, from Sussex, was denied board on flight to London after weekend in CopenhagenA 16-year-old British schoolgirl has been left stranded in Denmark after she was refused board on a flight to London because of new UK border rules introduced on British dual nationals.Hanne*, from Sussex, was denied board on a flight home on 8 March after a weekend seeing her British father, who is an academic on a short work stint at a university in Copenhagen.Has your child been refused board on a flight because of the new rules? If you want to share your story, email: lisa.ocarroll@theguardian.com* Names have been changed. Continue reading...

Hungarian PM, who is facing an upcoming election, appears in no mood to compromise as EU leaders meet in Brussels this morningGermany's chancellor Friedrich Merz also called for de-escalation in the Middle East, welcoming what he said were signals by US president Donald Trump that combat action in Iran could come to an end, which could allow Europe to contribute to securing peace in the region.I am expressly grateful that the US president sent a signal in this regard last night that he is prepared to bring the fighting to an end," he told reporters ahead of an EU summit in Brussels in comments reported by Reuters. Continue reading...

Close relatives of affected post office operators will be able to make claim over harm scandal caused familiesFamily members of post office operators affected by the Horizon IT scandal will be able to claim compensation under a new government scheme.Campaigners have lobbied for compensation in relation to the harm the scandal has caused to the mental health and wellbeing of close relatives who have not been eligible under the redress schemes being run by the Post Office and the government. Continue reading...

Carriers warn they cannot hold off passing on costs for long, while some airlines plan to increase flights via Asia

The move would be a major escalation in the US-Israel war against Iran. Plus, FBI director admits to buying data tracking Americans' locationsGood morning.Donald Trump threatened to massively blow up" the world's largest gasfield after Israeli strikes on Iran's South Pars field led Tehran to take revenge on energy facilities across the Middle East.What's happening to oil and gas prices? Brent crude rose by 8% to $116 a barrel. European gas prices jumped, with the Dutch wholesale gas price up 24%.What do we know about the war's economic cost? The war cost the US $12.7bn by day six - the total is likely to have now exceeded $18bn. Here's a visualization of how that has been spent.Could US-Israeli attempts to take out Iranian leaders backfire? Some analysts think so. It is not an approach that produces Jeffersonian democrats but hardened resistance fighters. It breeds more resistance," said Sanam Vakil, an Iran expert at Chatham House.Follow our live coverage here.Who has spoken out? Labor rights activist and co-founder of the UFW Dolores Huerta, 95, released a statement on Wednesday saying: I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here." The report also includes the stories of two women, who were daughters of organizers in the movement, who said they were children when the grooming and abuse began. Continue reading...

Energy company plans full return to London by moving global HQ to new development on South Bank

Artist who topped UK charts with Because I Got High created comedic videos from footage, which officers claimed invaded their privacyChart-topping US rapper Afroman has been cleared of wrongdoing after Ohio police filed a lawsuit against him, alleging defamation, emotional distress and invasion of privacy after the artist used footage from a police raid on his home in a series of mocking videos.In 2022, police searched the rapper's home for evidence of drug possession and trafficking, and kidnapping. No evidence was found and no charges were filed. Continue reading...

Unemployment holds steady, but Bank of England is unlikely to be convinced by ONS data to cut interest rates

Now, the total is likely to have exceeded $18bn and counting. Where are America's war dollars going, in a war that was never declared in the first place? Continue reading...

Residents of Coen and surrounding towns in far north Queensland spent Thursday sandbagging, stockpiling food and preparing for power outages ahead of possible category 5 storm

Ireland's former taoiseach warns of conservative Russian influence and says US is now off the pitch' under TrumpLGBTQ+ rights in Europe are caught in a chill wind" from east and west as Vladimir Putin's Russia exports its conservative agenda and the Americans are off the pitch" under Donald Trump, Ireland's former taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.Varadkar, who in 2017 became Ireland's first out gay prime minister, said Europe needed to step up" to avoid the continent becoming further squeezed by global forces seeking to chip away at recent progress. Continue reading...

Move will put national security and lives overseas at risk, critics say, as overall UK aid budget is slashed to 0.3% of gross national incomeClimate aid to developing countries from the UK will be cut by about 14% to roughly 2bn a year under government plans, in a move critics said would put national security and lives overseas at risk.The move follows bitter rows with the Treasury, which wanted deeper cuts owing to pressure on spending resulting from the war in Iran. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: After a spate of infections linked to a nightclub in Kent, some parents and experts are questioning the UK's vaccination regimeIt is every parent's worst nightmare. University students enjoying themselves at a nightclub, only to fall ill a few days later with a potentially deadly illness. So far, two young people have died and more are seriously unwell in hospital after a meningitis outbreak in Kent, which appears to have started at Club Chemistry in Canterbury in early March. Health authorities have launched a major response: 30,000 people have been given antibiotics and up to 5,000 University of Kent students will receive a meningitis B vaccine, the strain that is believed to be behind the outbreak.The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has urged calm, explaining that the risk of transmission is low, urging students to keep going to school and insisting that people do not need to seek private vaccinations. But that has not stopped a rush for jabs, causing a national shortage. The high street pharmacies Boots and Superdrug say they have seen a major spike in bookings, with some locations running out of stock.Middle East | Israel struck Iran's giant South Pars gasfield on Wednesday, marking a major escalation of the war, hours after Israeli forces killed the regime's intelligence minister and launched some of the most intense airstrikes in Beirut for decades.Reform UK | Nigel Farage called for the release of Sean Diddy" Combs and commended the efforts to free a former Honduran president jailed in the US for drug trafficking. The remarks were made on the personalised video platform Cameo.Assisted dying | Senior ministers believe Keir Starmer will not intervene to give the assisted dying bill further time in parliament as he is wary of opening up new divisions among Labour MPs.Media | The former Google executive Matt Brittin is expected to be named as the BBC's next director general within days, with the corporation's board meeting this week for a final discussion about the appointment.Green party | A government led by the Green party would not set targets for GDP growth but would instead focus on people's mental health, social cohesion and community welfare, Zack Polanski has said in a major speech to set out his plans for the economy. Continue reading...

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Increased wind and solar generation, along with falling electricity contract prices, are expected to deliver lower energy bills

Long-awaited Alexa+ aims to get Britons re-engaging with their devices - but it may have its work cut outCommiserations, mate, Chelsea lost 3-0 in the Champions League last night against Paris Saint-Germain," says Alexa as it attempts to break the news gently to an awaiting Blues fan. Such is the injection of personality and understanding that Amazon hopes will lead to Britons re-engaging with their millions of Alexa devices, restoring it to the cutting edge of voice assistants rather than resigned to being a glorified egg timer.After its early access launch last year in the US, the long-awaited generative AI upgrade Alexa+ is finally making its debut in the UK, supporting eight years of existing devices strewn through more than half of UK households. With the UK being Amazon's most engaged market and more than 40 accents to contend with across the UK and Ireland, the next-generation ambient AI assistant" has its work cut out for it. Continue reading...

Iran war has increased gas price, with effects on UK energy bills that could be avoided, Common Wealth saysHousehold energy bills could be reduced by up to 203 a year by stopping expensive fossil gas setting the price of energy in the UK, according to a report.Under the existing system, gas - the most expensive form of electricity production in the UK system - set the price of energy 85% of the time in 2024 in the UK, even though it generates only about a quarter of Britain's electricity. Continue reading...

Cameo videos produced by the Reform UK leader were used to drum up interest in obscure memecoins

Abuse survivor tells news.com.au that her mental health suffered after being contacted by journalist Richard Guilliatt

A brushtail possum was found peering out among the toy kangaroos and dingoes in a retail store in Hobart's airport, delighting staff and customers

More than a dozen Victorian Labor sources, including ministers and factional powerbrokers, confirm move for leadership change

The reported inquiry predates Joe Kent's departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counter-terrorism centerThe resignation of Joe Kent, a senior counter-terrorism official who spoke out against the US war in Iran, took a dramatic turn on Wednesday with a report that he is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over an alleged leak of classified information.The inquiry predates Kent's departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counterterrorism center, where he had overseen the analysis of terrorist threats, according to Semafor and CBS News. The FBI declined to comment on the existence of any such investigation. Continue reading...

This liveblog is closed - follow our new liveblog here.Iran is still exporting millions of barrels of oil, with about 90 ships, including oil tankers, having crossed the strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the war with Iran, according to maritime and trade data platforms reports.This is despite Iran saying it had closed the vital waterway to vessels from the US and its allies. Continue reading...

Gia Lam should have been offered interpreter by medical team at Fairfield hospital, coroner's court finds

Hoskins, like Dennis an Olympic cyclist, was struck by his car in 2023. His return to Instagram included picture with caption an absolute weapon'

Have you cancelled a holiday? Are you working from home more or taking fewer journeys? Tell us your experienceGlobal oil market prices have surged, with the US-Israel war on Iran disrupting key shipping routes. The strait of Hormuz, where as much as a fifth of global fuel supply travels through, has been closed due to the conflict.Asia is deeply affected by the crisis, relying heavily on imported energy that passes through the strait. Continue reading...

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Independent committee to investigate safety standards and whether building practices contributed to worst residential fires in decades

The detention of Dylan Lopez Contreras, 20, of Venezuela, a freshman in the Bronx, sparked national outrageA New York high school student who was detained at an immigration courthouse in May last year, sparking national outrage, was released on Wednesday.Dylan Lopez Contreras, 20, of Venezuela was a freshman at Ellis Prep academy, a Bronx public school dedicated exclusively to students who have recently arrived in the US. It was the first widely known instance of a public school student being arrested by federal immigration agents. Continue reading...

Lawmakers leave closed-door meeting after AG refuses to commit to honoring subpoena to testify under oathDemocrats on the House oversight committee walked out of a closed-door briefing from attorney general Pam Bondi about the Jeffrey Epstein files on Wednesday, leaving what California congressman Robert Garcia called an outrageous fake hearing" after Bondi refused to commit to honoring a subpoena to testify under oath.The committee voted to subpoena Bondi earlier this month, with five Republicans joining Democrats to demand that the attorney general answer questions about the justice department's failure to properly release files from the federal investigations into Epstein. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese also announces new national fuel supply taskforce and reiterates call for motorists to only take what you need'

Republicans block resolution to take up the measure, which Democrats vow to bring up again and again and again'

Thousands of police prepare to deploy to South Korea's capital ahead of K-pop's most anticipated comebackSeoul has stepped up security ahead of BTS's huge comeback concert on Saturday, which more than a quarter of a million fans are expected to attend, with authorities raising the terror alert in the area and preparing to deploy thousands of police to the capital.South Korean president Lee Jae Myung warned at a cabinet meeting this week that the issue is safety" and urged heightened vigilance by the interior ministry and emergency services to prepare for every possibility. He described the concert as an important occasion to reaffirm the country's global cultural standing. Continue reading...

Mayor of London says returning to EU now more desirable because of economic instability caused by Donald TrumpLabour should go into the next general election promising to rejoin the EU, Sadiq Khan has said.The mayor of London has repeatedly made the case for joining the customs union and single market, but went much further on Wednesday night by suggesting the party should promise full membership at next ballot. Continue reading...

Sergey Brin gives $25m on top of $20m he's already given to Super Pac trying to blocking state's proposed 5% wealth taxA Google founder has more than doubled his financial contribution to the fight against a proposed wealth tax in California. New filings with the state show that former Alphabet president Sergey Brin donated $25m to a Super Pac dedicated to blocking the tax on top of $20m he had already given.Brin is not alone among Google's top brass in upping his financial stake in the campaign against the ballot proposal. The company's former CEO Eric Schmidt donated $1.02m, adding to a previous $2m contribution. Continue reading...

Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, and Alireza Farasati, 22, arrested after counter-terrorism investigationTwo men have been charged with spying for Iran over alleged surveillance of the Jewish community in London, police said.Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian and British national, and Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, have both been charged with engaging in contact likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 9 July and 15 August last year. Continue reading...

Jerome Powell resists Trump pressure as policymakers weigh energy shock against a weakening US jobs market

There is growing confidence that the 20 people diagnosed with the illness have not infected anyone outside the areaHealth officials increasingly believe they have contained the fatal outbreak of meningitis in Kent, with no cases emerging that are not linked to the original cluster of 20.In another boost to efforts to contain the infection, the bug that caused it has been identified as a known strain of meningitis B, the Guardian understands. Continue reading...

PM will consider exempting large numbers from proposed changes, which would leave people waiting 10 years for settled statusKeir Starmer is hoping to soften the impact of his government's changes to the immigration system after a backlash from Labour MPs and a dramatic intervention from his former deputy Angela Rayner.The prime minister is considering exempting large numbers of people from the proposed changes, which would make it harder to achieve settled status in the UK, as he attempts to keep his restive party onboard. Continue reading...

Death confirmed of Esmail Khatib, the third senior Iranian figure killed in 24 hours, as Israel also launches intense airstrikes on Lebanon

Former Sinn Fein leader, who is being sued for symbolic damages, also denies any prior knowledge of the attackGerry Adams has told the high court he was stunned by the 1996 Docklands bombing as he denied being at the nerve centre of the IRA's operations.The former Sinn Fein leader also denied having any prior knowledge of the bombing of the commercial district of east London, which shattered a 17-month-old ceasefire. Continue reading...

Attempt to decapitate' state may harden resistance instead of destabilising regime

Steady UK opposition to the war and the US president's insults mean MPs are finding it easier to point out the obviousWhen is a U-turn definitely a U-turn? To the consternation of politicians through the ages, this is rarely something within their control, but decided instead by the herd. And thus it is with Kemi Badnoch over Iran and Donald Trump.The Conservative leader would very much like it to be known that she had not changed her stance on the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, or on the US president. Continue reading...