World news | The Guardian

Albanese defends plan forcing Meta, Google and TikTok to make deals with Australian news publishers through a levyThe Trump administration has described Australia's moves to make big tech companies pay for news online as extortion" but Anthony Albanese defended the plan by saying it was about protecting and rewarding media outlets for the work they produce.Labor's plan to encourage Meta, Google and TikTok to make deals with Australian news publishers, or face a 2.25% levy, is likely to be supported by the Coalition and Greens in parliament. But a bigger problem may be the ire of Donald Trump, who has strongly opposed extra regulation being imposed on US-based tech companies. A major tech industry lobby group on Wednesday urged the White House to consider retaliatory trade measures. Continue reading...

Labor under pressure to scrap group voting tickets as Avi Yemini details plan to funnel votes to conservative parties at state election

Exclusive: Cambridge research finds socioenvironmental stressors may influence body's ability to function healthily in pregnancyStress from racism and deprivation could explain why black women are more likely to die during childbirth, a study has found.Researchers reviewed 44 existing studies that examined three physiological pathways associated with worse pregnancy outcomes: oxidative stress, inflammation, and uteroplacental vascular resistance, and found black women had higher levels of the three metrics. Continue reading...

Prime minister says the middle of a global fuel crisis is the worst possible time to jeopardise' Australia's partnerships with Asian trading partners

In today's newsletter: As Labour braces for heavy local election losses, senior figures are signalling unease and morale is sinking, can the prime minister hang on?Good morning. Keir Starmer is on thin ice. The prime minister survived a bruising Tuesday in the Commons as MPs continued to scrutinise his account of the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as US ambassador. Almost all Labour MPs backed Starmer in a key vote on whether he should face an inquiry into whether he misled parliament.But in Westminster there is a growing feeling that the Labour leader is on borrowed time. Next week's local and parliamentary elections, which Starmer will face as one of the most unpopular prime ministers since records began, is likely to see public dissatisfaction crystallise. He's in last chance saloon," one minister said after last night's vote.US | King Charles has extolled the importance of Britain's special relationship" with the US in a speech to Congress that made pointed reference to the importance of Nato, the defence of Ukraine and the climate crisis.Middle East | Britain is facing a 35bn economic hit and the risk of a recession this year as the fallout from the Iran war adds to the pressure on Keir Starmer's government, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) has warned.Oil | The UAE has quit the Opec oil cartel after 60 years of membership, in a heavy blow to the group and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, as global energy markets contend with the biggest supply crisis in history.UK news | The chair of NatWest was forced to defend the bank against accusations of climate backtracking" at a chaotic annual shareholder meeting, which was temporarily suspended owing to singing protesters.Women's rights | Fifa has given permission for Afghan Women United - a squad composed of refugees scattered around the world in Australia, the Middle East and Europe - to represent Afghanistan in official competitions without requiring the approval of the Taliban, which banned the team. Continue reading...

Badge holders and carers report being harassed, filmed and threatened by strangers who think they are faking disabilityDisabled people who use blue badges to go about their daily lives have said they are being harassed, questioned and even assaulted, as anti-benefits rhetoric becomes more mainstream in the UK.About 3 million people in the UK now have a blue badge, including 1 in 15 adults in England. The number of people who qualify for the scheme - which allows drivers to park in more accessible spaces - has caused some to warn of misuse and fraud. Continue reading...

Exclusive: 839,000 homes in urban areas face threat of surface-water flooding, with social housing tenants most vulnerable to costsEight in 10 of the homes that are at high risk of flooding in England are now in towns and cities, according to analysis by the National Housing Federation (NHF), which said social housing tenants are disproportionately vulnerable to the financial cost.Research found that 839,000 homes in urban areas are now classed as being at high risk of surface water flooding, a threefold increase since 2018. Continue reading...

Charity says starting specialised care after first miscarriage instead of third reduces risk of future lossesGiving women access to specialised care after their first miscarriage could prevent about 10,000 pregnancy losses a year across the UK, according to a study.Currently, women in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible for specialist care on the NHS for early baby losses after they have had a minimum of three miscarriages. Continue reading...

Delegates at event in Cape Verde highlight opportunities from tech while stressing AI is no replacement for talentLast July, the Nigerian singer-songwriter Fave found herself caught up in a viral moment: an unauthorised version of a track featuring an AI choir had been released, quickly becoming an internet sensation. To get ahead of the situation, she recorded her own remix that integrated the AI-assisted song and added it to her discography.In my view, [that] was smart and very business aware," Oyinkansola Fawehinmi, a Lagos-based entertainment lawyer, observed a few months later. She essentially reclaimed the AI version' and released it as her own official expression." Continue reading...

Dublin scholars find 1,200-year-old manuscript of Caedmon's Hymn composed by Northumbrian cattle herderA lost copy of a poem composed in the seventh century by a Northumbrian cattle herder - the earliest surviving poem in the English language - has been discovered in Rome.Scholars from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) uncovered the manuscript that contains Caedmon's Hymn at the National Central Library of Rome. Continue reading...

Financial markets are betting the Reserve Bank will hike interest rates for a third straight meeting next Tuesday

Research on maths teaching in English secondary schools upends decades of debate over mixed-ability educationTeaching pupils in classes grouped by ability improves the results of high-flyers but does not affect the progress of less able children, according to a study that upends decades of debate over mixed-ability education.The research by University College London's Institute of Education found that secondary school pupils in England with previously strong maths performances made slower progress in mixed-attainment classes than when they were taught alongside children with similarly high ability. Continue reading...

Niesr says even under best-case scenario, economy would grow at slower pace in 2026 and 2027 because of conflictBritain is facing a 35bn economic hit and the risk of a recession this year as the fallout from the Iran war adds to the pressure on Keir Starmer's government, a leading thinktank has warned.The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) said that even under a best-case scenario the UK economy would grow at a much slower pace this year and next because of the Middle East conflict. Continue reading...

Latest ONS figures also suggest lower population growth in coming decades than previously expectedDeaths are projected to outnumber births in the UK every year from 2026 and the population is expected to grow at a slower rate over the next few decades than previously reported, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).About 1.7 million people are projected to join the population between 2024 and 2034, pushing the total up 2.5% from 69.3 million to 71 million, before it starts to decrease in the mid-2050s. Continue reading...

No 10 deploys full weight to block parliamentary inquiry bid as MPs warn PM running out of political capitalKeir Starmer has seen off a major Labour rebellion over a bid to force a parliamentary investigation into his appointment of Peter Mandelson, but many of his own MPs warned he was running out of political capital.After Downing Street deployed its full weight to force Labour MPs to block a referral to the privileges committee over the scandal, some angrily accused Starmer of leaving them facing accusations of a cover-up". Continue reading...

Singer-songwriter was known for collaborations with former husband John Martyn as well as star-studded 1960s singles and 2014 comeback albumBritish folk singer Beverley Martyn, known for her collaborations with her former husband John Martyn as well as spirited, sublime solo work, has died aged 79.A statement from the family of the late John Martyn announced the news, saying she died peacefully at home on Monday. Beverley was a remarkable woman of great inner strength," the statement continued. She was beautiful, intelligent, warm and kind." Continue reading...

Remarks marking 250th anniversary of American independence tell US lawmakers: The actions of this great nation matter'King Charles has extolled the importance of Britain's special relationship" with the United States in a speech to US Congress that made pointed reference to the importance of Nato, the defence of Ukraine and the climate crisis.In a speech that will be read as a veiled plea to Donald Trump to return to the United States' traditional European alliances and restore his country's role as a defender of liberal values, Charles said: America's words carry weight and meaning, as they have since independence. The actions of this great nation matter even more." Continue reading...

US president claims Friedrich Merz doesn't know what he's talking about' after German leader criticised US strategy in Iran

Ex-Niaid employee David Morens accused of trying to shield correspondence related to outbreak of pandemicAn ex-adviser to the former top public US health official Anthony Fauci has been indicted by Trump administration prosecutors on accusations that he illicitly concealed federal records during the Covid pandemic.The justice department on Tuesday announced charges against David Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, amid a sharply divisive debate over the origins of the coronavirus, which has become particularly politicized during Donald Trump's two presidencies. Competing theories - including a natural spillover versus a potential lab leak - have fueled partisan clashes, with splits along ideological lines. Continue reading...

Eight local broadcasting licenses under review after White House launched attack on late-night host over comment

Defection is damaging to Saudi Arabia's prestige - and could strengthen the US hand in the regionThe United Arab Emirates' decision to walk out of Opec is a political as much as business decision, and will reignite the simmering rows between the UAE and Saudi Arabia - which had been covered up by their shared anger with Iran over its attacks on the Gulf states since the start of the US-Israel war on Tehran.In the short term, leaving the oil producing cartel it joined in 1967 gives the UAE the freedom to respond quickly to a long-term prospect of constrained supplies, and to maximise profit. But it is a decision the UAE has considered before, as UAE and Saudi tensions over production quotas have been longstanding. Continue reading...

Eight EU members continue to include force or violence in their definitions in national criminal codesThe European parliament has called on the EU to draw up a standardised consent-based definition of rape, in what legislators described as a crucial step towards addressing the patchwork of laws, some of them insufficient, that now exist across the bloc.On Tuesday, 447 of the parliament's 720 MEPs voted to approve a report calling for a common definition of rape, centred on only yes means yes", prompting a loud round of applause in the chamber in Strasbourg. Continue reading...

Multiple people injured when gunman opened fire inside a social security office and later an appeals courtAn 89-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting and wounding several people in attacks on government buildings in Athens.Hours after the double shooting in the Greek capital, authorities announced a suspect had been detained in the western port city of Patras, reportedly attempting to flee to Italy. His arrest followed a countrywide manhunt. Continue reading...

US president says Americans have had no closer friends than the British' amid recent tensions between both nationsDonald Trump has praised the special relationship" between the US and the UK, as he hosted a ceremonial military welcome for King Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House.Against a backdrop of recent tensions between London and Washington, the US president, speaking on the second day of Charles's state visit, said: In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British." Continue reading...

Subject of charges remains unclear, after earlier case over congressional testimony was dismissed

MPs rejected a Conservative party proposal for the prime minister to face a parliamentary inquiry into his appointment of Peter MandelsonQ: Was there pressure on you to approve Mandelson's vetting?This is a reference to the claim that Keir Starmer misled MPs last week when he talked about no pressure being placed on the Foreign Office.One is during my tenure. I was not aware of any pressure on the substance of the Mandelson DV case.Question two was there pressure? Absolutely. And I've described it. And I also have seen what the Foreign Office said to you last night. [See 8.50am.]I didn't receive any direct calls from the chief of staff during my time as permanent undersecretary. So there was no call at all. My interactions were always when others were present in a general meeting, there weren't very many of those either ...I've really racked my brains and I cannot recall Morgan McSweeney swearing in a meeting at me, or indeed just in general. So I don't see any substance in that part of it and I think it's important I say that this morning, given how many people have come to think that might be true. Continue reading...

Prosecutors allege Gannon Van Dyke won $400,000 using insider information to bet on Maduro raid on Polymarket

Tech company is latest Silicon Valley firm to sign agreement with US military despite widespread employee oppositionGoogle has reportedly signed a deal with the US Pentagon to use its artificial intelligence models for classified work. The tech company joins a growing list of Silicon Valley firms inking agreements with US military.The agreement allows the Pentagon to use Google's AI for any lawful government purpose", the report from the Information added, putting it alongside OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI, which also have deals to supply AI models for classified use. Similar agreements, both at Google and other AI firms, have sparked significant disagreements with the Pentagon and major employee pushback. Continue reading...

Scotland Yard says incident in Golders Green at tribute to protesters killed in Iran is not being treated as terrorismPolice are investigating a suspected arson attack at a memorial wall in north London.Scotland Yard said the investigation was being led by counter-terrorism policing, but it was not being treated as a terrorist incident. No arrests have yet been made and the memorial wall was not damaged. Continue reading...

Companies are now seeking refunds on tariffs after supreme court ruled Trump's emergency levies were illegal

Oil prices surged as talks on reopening of strait of Hormuz remain gridlocked, sending prices $1 higher than last yearUS gas prices rose to their highest level in four years on Thursday, reaching an average $4.18 a gallon at the pump as US-Israeli peace talks with Iran remain at a standstill.The last time average US gas prices breached $4.15 a gallon was in April 2022, when oil prices soared shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Average gas prices are now $1 higher than just a year ago, when they were closer to $3.15 a gallon. Continue reading...

Home secretary is challenging high court decision that PA's proscription interfered with freedom of speechThe ban on Palestine Action has created a culture of fear" among those campaigning for Palestinian rights and judges were right to deem it unlawful, the court of appeal has heard.Shabana Mahmood is challenging the high court's decision in February that Palestine Action's proscription, the first of a direct action protest group, represented a very significant interference" with the rights to freedom of speech and assembly. It also found that the ban, which remains in place pending the appeal, was a breach of the home secretary's own policy on proscription. Continue reading...

Residents must sign in and out at a security gate, and vehicles and bags are routinely searched

One Nation outperforms the Coalition for the first time, while the rightwing populist party's leader has a positive rating among all age groups

Exclusive: State government commits to strengthening laws as Higgins labels Albanese government's response to women's safety issues disheartening'

Tech giant accused of cynical attempt to bust the union' in decision to shutter location in Towson, MarylandWorkers at the first Apple store to unionize in the US are pushing back against the company's decision to shut down the store by June, alleging the company's decision is rooted in a cynical attempt to bust the union".On Monday, the union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Apple, alleging unionized employees at the store in Towson, Maryland, are being denied transfer rights and other rights compared with workers at non-unionized stores. The union is also alleging retaliation for being unionized. Continue reading...

Sakharov prize winner was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony in Belarus in 2021Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, the 2025 Sakharov prize winner, has been freed from Belarusian prison.His release has been confirmed by Poland's prime minister Donald Tusk, who posted a picture of him on social media saying: Andrzej Poczobut is free! Welcome to your Polish home, my friend."Both have paid a heavy price for speaking truth to power, becoming symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy." Continue reading...

High fuel prices and passenger delays caused by EU's EES entry-exit system causing problems, says trade body

In theory, Musk and Altman's court fight could pose key questions about AI safety - in reality, it's motivated by money and personal grievance

Defendant, 21, in court with second man over alleged scheme to kill music fans outside Vienna stadiumA 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty in an Austrian court over a jihadist plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna nearly two years ago, which led to shows by the US megastar in the country being scrapped.The plan to kill onlookers massing outside the venue was thwarted at the 11th hour but Austrian authorities still cancelled Swift's three scheduled performances in August 2024. Continue reading...

Massachusetts woman jailed for six months after court heard she admitted to freeing bees on sheriff's deputiesA beekeeper has been jailed for six months after she set swarms of her insects on sheriff's deputies attempting to carry out an eviction at a friend's house.Rebecca Woods insisted she only released her truckload of hives to allow the bees to enjoy the lovely, flowering landscape" near the home of an elderly friend and cancer patient. Continue reading...

Bank's chief executive points to alleged fraud as it sets aside a further 105m for motor finance compensation

First-quarter profits of $3.2bn prompt outrage from campaigners, who say figures come at expense of consumers

US embassy warns employees to avoid Reynosa area after arrests of Audias Flores and Cesar Alejandro N'The Mexican authorities have arrested two top criminals, one of them a close ally of the slain founder of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), prompting gunmen to block roads near the border city of Reynosa.Audias Flores, known as El Jardinero", is a regional commander in control of swathes of CJNG territory along Mexico's Pacific coast. He was considered a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera, alias El Mencho", who ran the cartel and was killed in a security operation in February. Continue reading...

Vice-president faces challenges as he assumes potential role of point man in endeavor to end a war he opposedAs a man who wears his Christian beliefs on his sleeve, JD Vance is no doubt acutely conscious of Jesus Christ's dictum from his sermon on the mount declaring that blessed are the peacemakers".Yet the US vice-president, a Catholic convert who recently found himself at odds with Pope Leo, is discovering the difficulties of living up to that standard while serving a mercurial political master who is waging a war Vance once cautioned against. Continue reading...

Philip Barton says there was pressure over pace of vetting from No 10, which he says was uninterested' in process

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...

This blog is now closed

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...