World news | The Guardian

Russia's president says Ukraine's attacks on infrastructure are causing obvious' but not critical problemsThe Russian president, Vladimir Putin, acknowledged that the country was suffering from a certain shortage" of fuel in an interview published by the Kremlin on Sunday, after repeated Ukrainian strikes in their four-year war.Kyiv calls the attacks fair retribution for Russia's near-daily barrages on Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure since its February 2022 offensive. Continue reading...

Makerfield MP on course to be PM will argue for more decision-making in regions and communities as he sets out platform for governmentAndy Burnham will pledge to deliver good growth in every postcode" by overseeing a significant transfer of power out of Whitehall to local communities as he sets out his case to become the UK's next prime minister.In his first major speech since winning the Makerfield byelection, Burnham will argue for decision-making to be devolved to regions and communities to drive economic growth locally, replacing the current top-down national model. Continue reading...

Princess becomes first royal to climb highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales, 18 months after cancer remissionThe Princess of Wales has completed the Three Peaks challenge to raise money for a cancer charity, becoming the first member of the royal family to achieve the feat.Catherine, 44, revealed in a message on social media she had successfully taken on the trek not only as a physical endeavour but to give something back" and raise awareness of the wider impact of serious illness. Continue reading...

Heat records of over 40C set as extreme weather spreads east, with more than 191m in Europe enduring 35C or above

About 31 in every 1,000 facing haemorrhage or severe tears, NHS figures show, in trend described as national crisis'

Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith, from Dorset, is accused of killing Natalia Villalba in an apartment in BogotaA British man has been arrested in Ecuador after the body of a woman was found inside a suitcase in Colombia.Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith is alleged to have caused the death of 36-year-old Natalia Villalba in an apartment in the Chico neighbourhood of Bogota on 18 June, local authorities said. Continue reading...

Deal could be announced in July and vow will safeguard future of shows such as Coronation Street and Love IslandSky has committed to spending 2bn on ITV's studios business over the next five years as it hammers out a takeover of its broadcasting arm, a move that will safeguard the future of popular programmes such as Coronation Street and Love Island.Sky, owned by the US telecoms company Comcast, has been in talks for months to buy ITV's media and entertainment operations, which include its free-to-air TV channels in the UK and the ITVX streaming platform. The 1.6bn takeover deal could be announced in early July, the Sunday Times reported. Continue reading...

Almost 24.4bn of government money went to private equity-run firms in year to April 2025, Guardian analysis shows

Five students and five instructors dead along with pilot after plane fell suddenly near aerodrome, says prefectA skydiving plane has crashed in north-eastern France, killing all 11 people onboard, according to the region's prefect.The parachuting-school plane crashed near Nancy at 11am, said Yves Seguy, the prefect of the Meurthe-et-Moselle region. Continue reading...

Document appears to have been subject to conflicting interpretations on key issues of Lebanon ceasefire and strait of Hormuz

As Labor pushes on with reforms, the Coalition must decide whether to join in the parliamentary deal-making

Iran attacked Bahrain and Kuwait after US strikes, and threatened a complete halt' to talks

Labour deputy leader says she thinks energy secretary would suit Treasury but tittle-tattle' over posts unedifying'Ed Miliband would make a good" chancellor to Andy Burnham, Labour's deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has said, before the likely next prime minister's first major speech on the economy since he returned to Westminster.Powell, who served as Miliband's chief of staff in opposition and is close to the former party leader, appeared to endorse him to run the Treasury - although some in Burnham's camp acknowledge such a move could be politically risky. Continue reading...

Quarterly Ofgem price cap rises to equivalent of 1,862 a year from 1 July amid growing consumer energy debtMinisters are facing growing pressure to lower energy costs as households in Great Britain face the steepest rise in summer bills in four years this week.The quarterly cap on gas and electricity charges will rise by 13% from Wednesday to the equivalent of 1,862 a year for an average household, just days after figures revealed that consumer energy debt had reached record highs. Continue reading...

IOPC confirms complaints from three survivors of alleged sexual misconduct by late Harrods owner in addition to ongoing investigationSurvivors of abuse at the hands of the late Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have complained to a watchdog about how the Metropolitan police handled allegations.More than 400 claims of sexual misconduct have been made against Al Fayed, including rape and human trafficking, dating between 1977 and 2014. Continue reading...

Urn with loving messages to Gary Bonsor' to be buried in local churchyard as efforts to find family draw a blankIt is a puzzling story with a still unsolved mystery at its heart: just who is the individual whose cremated remains were left on the counter of a burger van at Newbury racecourse?And why - despite the cremation urn being labelled with a name and a message that hints at a loving family - has no one come forward to claim it? Continue reading...

Reports claim replacement being lined up for co-founder amid concern over high pay and company's struggling share priceThe boss of Ocado has collected nearly 100m since the online grocery company floated on the stock market in 2010 despite its share price now languishing below its flotation level, analysis has shown.Tim Steiner, a former Goldman Sachs trader who co-founded the British technology company in 2000, is thought to be in discussions over his future after it emerged Ocado had approached at least one potential replacement. Continue reading...

Citizens in Minnesota using lessons learned from migrant crackdown to protect elections from president's threatsWhen thousands of immigration agents flooded Minnesota earlier this year, a loose network of neighbors sprang into action. They fed each other. They got kids to and from school safely. They tracked the surge that tore through their communities.After organizing, block by block, to monitor Donald Trump's extraordinary crackdown on their state, the same neighbors are shifting their focus to a different threat. What if the US president tries to steal an election? Continue reading...

UK is latest country to set minimum age for social media access but big tech is fighting back globally against curbs

As extreme weather events become more common, economists say government will need to take more active role to protect consumersAnyone attempting to notch up a productive day's work in the searing heat of southern England this last week was left in little doubt about the impact of extreme weather.But the economic effects of the climate crisis for the UK are not confined to the many hours lost to quietly perspiring - or fetching kids dismissed early from scorching classrooms. Continue reading...

Marco Rubio is scrambling to provide effective disaster response to country whose president US deposed in JanuaryThis week's dual earthquakes in Venezuela are a test for the new era of American power in the western hemisphere, as the Trump administration scrambles to provide an effective disaster response mission to a country that it now calls an ally in Latin America, after a US special forces raid in January deposed the country's strongman leader, Nicolas Maduro.The US is marshalling what secretary of state Marco Rubio called a big, fast, effective" and whole-of-government" response as the state department sent three specialised urban search and rescue teams and pledged a $150m assistance fund that one former disaster relief expert called the largest he had seen within 24 hours of an incident. Continue reading...

Crocodile Dundee was held up by the One Nation leader as an exemplar of Australian monoculture'. Hoges had other ideas

Exclusive: Concerns in-person vote system is giving bigger say to organised fringe activists who can attend conferenceSenior Greens are examining ways to revamp the party's structures to make it more effective and representative now its membership has more than tripled since Zack Polanski became leader.Under the party's direct-democracy model, policy is voted on only by members who attend one of its two annual conferences, a system some Greens believe risks empowering organised fringe activists who make the effort to travel to the events. Continue reading...

Analysts and western leaders believe Iran will increase support of militia groups despite deal between US and TehranAs Marco Rubio ended his brief visit to the Middle East on Friday, he sought to cast in the best possible light his discussions with leaders of the Gulf states. Those leaders are deeply anxious that the deal agreed earlier this month between Iran and the US fails to address their worries about continued Iranian efforts to project power and influence throughout the region.They've shared with us some very concrete concerns," the US secretary of state admitted, and insisted that any definitive agreement will require Tehran to not only restrict its nuclear programme but also halt its support of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, militia in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen. Continue reading...

Doubled penalties will have little effect if platforms not held to account for the content they carry, observers say

Search for survivors continues with nearly 70,000 people reported unaccounted for by their family membersThe death toll in the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela earlier this week has risen to 1,430, according to one of the country's top politicians, Jorge Rodriguez.Another 3,200 people were injured and 3,100 left homeless by the disaster, the National Assembly president added, speaking on state television. Continue reading...

With more than a third of Welsh parliament seats, Reform MSs have caused tears and walkouts - and voted against their own partyTears, walkouts, own-goal votes: the Welsh parliament has only been sitting for a few weeks, but Reform UK has already made a dramatic first impression in its new role as the official Senedd opposition.Plaid Cymru won May's historic Welsh elections, ending 100 years of Labour dominance and blocking the momentum of Nigel Farage's Reform UK, which came second. He had been aiming for it to become Wales's biggest party but it still performed better than any Welsh Conservative result on record, and increased its vote share from 1% in 2021 to 29% in 2026. Continue reading...

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Election will determine balance of power in New Caledonia before fresh negotiations with France on the territory's statusPolls opened in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia on Sunday for the archipelago's first provincial elections since 2019, after the vote was delayed as talks stalled over its political future.The election, initially planned for 2024, will determine the balance of power in New Caledonia ahead of fresh negotiations with France on the territory's status, with independence remaining the defining political issue. Continue reading...

Premier Chris Minns says he wants to restore confidence to beachgoers after series of shark sightings and attacks

Speaking on Desert Island Discs, the Grammy-nominated musician referred to his alcoholism as a parasiteFatboy Slim has said he felt paralysed and rigid with fear" at the prospect of DJing sober after spending time in rehab to deal with his alcohol addiction.The artist, whose real name is Norman Cook, referred to his alcoholism as a parasite and said getting sober was probably the hardest thing I've ever done" during an appearance on Radio 4's Desert Island Discs with Lauren Laverne. Continue reading...

Suspect held after five people injured, including three who were taken to hospital, in Ealing on Saturday afternoonA man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a vehicle hit multiple pedestrians on a busy London road before driving away, police have said.Five people were injured, including three who were later taken to hospital, during the incident in Ealing Broadway, Ealing, west London, at about 2.30pm on Saturday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian analysis suggests several groups with thousands of members run by what expert calls engagement farm' operations in south-east Asia

Firefighters are battling the blaze in Fishlake national park that was stoked by strong winds and low humidityHundreds of firefighters in Utah have struggled to suppress a wildfire that scorched an additional 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) as of Saturday, as low humidity and strong winds accelerated the fire spread, according to state officials.The Cottonwood fire erupted on Monday in the Fishlake national forest, located in central Utah. The blaze intensified overnight, growing from about 70,000 acres (28,000 hectares) to more than 92,000 acres (37,000 hectares) on Saturday morning, according to the US Forest Service. The fire is at a 0% containment level and is the largest blaze currently burning in the US, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Continue reading...

Democrats called plans for commemorative passport and gold coin with Trump portrait more befitting a monarchy'Donald Trump's efforts to brand the US government with his name and image advanced on Friday when the White House unveiled new images of a passport watermarked with his portrait to mark America's 250th anniversary.The White House called it simply the patriot passport", while on Truth Social the president introduced it as The U.S.A.'s New Passport, which says, Welcome, but be good!'" Continue reading...

No immediate reports of damage after Bahrain hit by number of drones' as ship in strait of Hormuz also targetedBahrain has said it was attacked by Iran with drones on Saturday, apparently in response to overnight US strikes on Iran. A ship in the strait of Hormuz was also attacked.Bahrain's foreign ministry said a number of drones" were launched at the country, though there were no immediate reports of damage. It condemned the attack and described it as a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents". Continue reading...

Police say they also found more than 600 dog collars in area where they suspect animals were killedInvestigators uncovered 117 dead dogs at a northern California animal rescue sanctuary, with many of the canine remains having evidence of gunshots.Miranda's Rescue, a sanctuary outside Fortuna, California, described itself as a no-kill" facility. Investigators said the organization accepted hundreds of dogs each year from shelters across the San Francisco Bay Area in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding. Continue reading...

Temperature records broken in Germany, Denmark and Slovakia as Europe remains gripped by heatwave

Agreement could also end hopes of ICC jurisdiction in Lebanon, which advocates pushed for to prosecute IsraelA new agreement between Lebanon and Israel could block victims of Israeli war crimes in Lebanon from pursuing accountability and hinder future efforts to give the international criminal court jurisdiction in the country, legal experts have said.Lebanon and Israel signed a 14-point framework agreement in Washington on Friday designed to work towards an end to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Matthew Torbitt faces two counts of fraud by false representation in relation to travel and expense claimsA prominent political commentator has been charged with fraud in relation to his time as a Labour adviser, the Guardian can reveal.Matthew Torbitt, a regular guest pundit on GB News, faces two counts of fraud by false representation in relation to his travel and expenses claims while working in parliament. Continue reading...

Go Cornish Celebration engages younger generation as council finalises strategy to boost everyday use of KernewekSeven-year-old Albie, a pupil at Trewirgie infants' school in Redruth, did not hesitate when asked why he liked learning Kernewek, the Cornish language.We used to talk this way in the old days," he said. And I like speaking now. I enjoy the songs we sing, the Cornish books we read, all the words. It's fun." Continue reading...

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says too many children still on platforms but he is heartened' by world-leading law

Court files show how men connected through TikTok and encrypted apps planned attack on White House UFC fightWhen Tycen Proper, 19, finished high school, his family gave him at least $3,000 of graduation money", according to court documents. Despite the generosity, he seemed content to just live at his parents' home, in a tiny Ohio town near Amish country, and spend more and more time on the internet.But Proper did have ambition of a kind, an affidavit says. He quit his job to focus on a special project that he was planning with friends from the internet. His mother saw him studying maps of Washington DC. He also put his graduation money into investments that made his father uneasy: a rifle, a shotgun, body armor, ammunition. Continue reading...

Experts say students from poorer backgrounds increasingly having to limit their options because of money worriesMost days, Mariam spends hours simply waiting.The 19-year-old University College London student often finishes her lectures by mid-morning but has careers events or society meetings in the evening. The three-hour round trip to her family home means travelling back and forth makes little sense, so she waits on campus instead. More often than not, by the time the event starts, she is too exhausted to stay long. Continue reading...

Former Westminster correspondent earned a reputation for uncovering political wrongdoing in the 1990sThe acclaimed journalist David Hencke, whose career at the Guardian spanned more than three decades, has died of liver cancer aged 79.As Westminster correspondent, Hencke was instrumental in exposing the cash-for-questions scandal that forced the resignations of two Conservative ministers, and the scoop that led to Peter Mandelson's first resignation from government. Continue reading...

Animal who went missing from private ranch for nearly two weeks had been falsely reported as found earlier in the weekThe search for a giraffe who absconded from a private game ranch in rural Texas and effectively went missing for nearly two weeks was found safe on Friday just a few miles away from the homestead, according to authorities.An aerial search ultimately pinpointed the whereabouts of Gracie the w[a]ndering giraffe", said Nathan Johnson, the Real county sheriff, in a Facebook post announcing the success of efforts to find the creature. Continue reading...

Relocation of Action on World Health raises questions over why Reform UK leader is involved in a US pressure groupNigel Farage's campaign against the World Health Organization (WHO) is moving to the US with a new board of lobbyists, raising questions over why the Reform UK leader is involved in an American pressure group.The Action on World Health campaign, co-founded by Farage, is relocating to the US state of Delaware as a charitable foundation and grassroots non-profit. Continue reading...

Staff at Radio 4 show, which has 5 million listeners, told making content for likes of TikTok will take precedence for correspondentsThe task of briefing the nation on Radio 4's agenda-setting Today programme has been one of the most urgent tasks facing the BBC's top journalists for decades.Insiders at the corporation, however, say that duty has effectively been downgraded, after an edict that will result in correspondents prioritising making content for TikTok, Instagram and other digital platforms. Continue reading...

Hotels report increase in last-minute bookings, including from families attempting to escape hot homes

The 46-year-old was stopped at about 9.30pm on Friday while preparing to board a Jetstar flight to Perth, according to police and local media