World news | The Guardian

More than double the monthly average rain fell in the first 11 days, marking the wettest start to the month since 1998

German chancellor Friedrich Merz to host talks between Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK, joined by Ursula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte, says Merz's officeOn France, AP noted that the red alert has been issued only eight times since it was created in 2004 after a deadly summer the year before.It is reserved for extreme, prolonged heat with major health risks and the potential to disrupt daily life. Continue reading...

Anyone showing support for Palestine Action will feel full force of the law', says justice minister as government defends decision to proscribe protest groupRichard Adams is the Guardian's education editorStudents in England are expected to receive A-level grades that are closer to normal for the first time since the Covid pandemic triggered school closures and exam cancellations.If the student, for instance, needed three As [and] gets AAB, as long as the B is not in something that's absolutely crucial for the course, I think there's a very strong possibility the student would find they'd be getting a place. Continue reading...

Police found 800 cartridge cases at the scene, where gunmen had arrived in two pickup trucks and opened fireEight people have been killed and two others wounded when a group of gunmen unleashed a barrage of gunfire on a crowd outside a nightclub in a town in south-western Ecuador.Law enforcement arrived on the scene following an emergency call alerting them to a shooting, and found several people wounded and seven bodies", said Javier Chango, the police colonel, at a press conference on Sunday, adding that an eighth person died in the hospital. Continue reading...

More than 200 refugee groups, charities and unions sign letter calling for action after weeks of protests outside asylum hotelsMore than 200 refugee organisations, charities and trade unions have signed an open letter calling on Britain's political leaders to end pernicious and insidious currents" of racism and hatred that underpin a slew of anti-migrant protests.The letter, coordinated by the campaign coalition Together With Refugees, has been signed by organisations including Amnesty International UK, City of Sanctuary UK, Care for Calais, Doctors of the World, the End Violence Against Women Coalition, Freedom from Torture, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, the Public and Commercial Services Union, Refugee Action and Safe Passage. Continue reading...

Judge finds John Young assaulted pupils as young as 10 while head of PE between 1966 and 1993A former teacher has been found guilty of 26 offences of sexual and physical assault against boys at one of Scotland's best-known private schools.A judge sitting at Edinburgh sheriff court ruled on Monday that John Young, known widely as Jake Young, deliberately and gratuitously assaulted boys as young as 10 while he was head of physical education at Edinburgh Academy. Continue reading...

A national database of lesson plans was one of the recommendations of the fourth interim report into how to lift Australia's flagging productivity

Three arrested and San Pedro cactus plants also found at rural properties that hosted lucrative astral journeys'Police in eastern Spain have arrested three people and seized 11 litres of ayahuasca, 117 San Pedro cactus plants and several bottles of toad poison after raiding two rural properties that were used to host lucrative spiritual retreats promising astral journeys".Officers from the Guardia Civil force began investigating the business in the Pedreguer municipality of Alicante province five months ago after receiving a complaint from a former customer. They discovered that the retreat, which advertised online and billed itself as an award-winning and internationally renowned spiritual centre, offered traditional curative medicine" breaks that were especially popular among European visitors. Continue reading...

Jock Purcell tells court Sebastian Robinson was hopeless with paperwork' and says Matt Wright - who has pleaded not guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice - was lenient' with record keeping

Opposition says recognition rewards Hamas for its terror and murder but prime minister asserts it is a step towards peace

Leicester-born producer was editor of BBC children's show for more than 20 years and introduced Blue Peter badgeBiddy Baxter, the pioneering television producer who transformed Blue Peter into a national institution, has died at 92, according to the BBC.As editor of the children's programme between 1965 and 1988, she introduced viewer engagement segments including the national appeals and the famous Blue Peter badge, encouraging children to send letters, pictures and programme ideas.

Motoring groups welcome plan to ban over-70s who fail eye tests but call for young drivers to face passenger restrictionsHow do you feel about mandatory eye tests for older drivers?Motoring groups have welcomed government plans to overhaul road safety laws that could result in over-70s being banned if they fail eyesight tests but have implored ministers to go further with measures they believe could protect younger drivers and their passengers.Ministers are considering cutting the drink-drive limit in England and Wales and introducing mandatory eye tests for older drivers, the Times reported on Monday. The proposals also reportedly include tougher penalties for uninsured driving and failing to wear a seatbelt - but not measures to stop inexperienced drivers being responsible for the safety of groups of their friends. Continue reading...

Nasser Mashni responds after Anthony Albanese said Australia will recognise Palestine at the UN general assembly in September. Follow today's news live

Africa Rice initiative aims to give farmers more control over their land in order to reduce flooding and increase yieldsSalmata Ouattara remembers 2023 as the turning point for her rice farm.June is usually the peak of the rainy season in Ivory Coast, but in the preceding years she and other farmers in M'Be on the outskirts of Bouake, the country's second biggest city, would wait weeks for rainfall. Then in September, they would watch helplessly as their farmlands were flooded. Some abandoned their farms, frustrated by fluctuating crop yields. Continue reading...

Smoke seen billowing into sky above Scottish capital from gorse fire at extinct volcano and beauty spotFirefighters have worked through the night tackling a gorse blaze on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.Smoke was seen billowing into the sky from the fire at the landmark hill, which is an extinct volcano and beauty spot to the south-east of the city centre. Continue reading...

Israel admits deliberate attack on the journalist, known for frontline coverage, in a strike on a tent outside al-Shifa hospitalA prominent Al Jazeera journalist who had previously been threatened by Israel has been killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike.Anas al-Sharif, who was one of Al Jazeera's most recognisable faces in Gaza, was killed while inside a tent for journalists outside al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on Sunday night. Continue reading...

Remote US state is not an easy destination for either leader, but the choice of venue reflects the many factors at playIt is unlikely that Vladimir Putin will arrive in Alaska on Friday to present Donald Trump with a territorial demand for the 49th state, sold by Tsar Alexander II to the US for $7.2m (5.4m) in 1867. The Russian president, after all, has another land deal on his mind - to persuade Trump of the merits of swapping parts of Ukrainian territory in return for him perhaps agreeing to the ceasefire the US president so desperately wants, but does not know how to get.

Cult cinema also considers third or fourth space' as it negotiates over future of its Leicester Square siteThe Prince Charles cinema is planning to expand to a second site in the capital despite being locked in a battle over the future of its original location in central London.The independent cinema, which is known for showing a wide-ranging selection of cult films from across the history of cinema, has put in a bid to take over and reopen what was the Stratford Picturehouse in east London. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: A Guardian investigation uncovers chilling evidence that civilians in Gaza appear to have been targeted by coordinated gunfire during food distributionsGood morning. In May 2025, Israel dismantled the United Nations-led humanitarian aid distribution system in Gaza. In its place came a distribution scheme run by the secretive Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) that came under immediate scrutiny for its militarised model" and close ties to Israeli authorities, which rights groups warned undermines the core humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence".In the months since, humanitarians' worst fears about the aid sites have been realised. International observers have expressed concern as daily reports emerged of civilians being shot, shelled or crushed while attempting to access aid. Almost 1,400 Palestinians have reportedly been killed while seeking food, primarily near GHF distribution sites.Israel-Gaza war | Benjamin Netanyahu has defended his plan to take control of Gaza City, even as senior UN officials warned the move risked unleashing another calamity" on the territory. On Sunday, Anas al-Sharif, a prominent Al Jazeera journalist, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Israel admitted a deliberate attack on the journalist.Ukraine | Europe's leaders have raised the pressure on Donald Trump to involve Ukraine in a planned summit with Vladimir Putin, as Germany warned the White House against any deal hatched over the heads of Europeans and Ukrainians".Housing | Lower-income householders, minority ethnic people and those with young children are more likely to live in homes at risk from dangerous overheating, research has found.UK news | Half of the people arrested during the protest in relation to Palestine Action in London on Saturday were aged 60 or above, according to police figures. A total of 532 people were arrested at the largest demonstration relating to the group - all but 10 under section 13 of the Terrorism Act for displaying supportive placards or signs.Crime | Foreign criminals from 15 more countries face deportation before they have a chance to appeal, in an expansion of the UK government's deport first, appeal later" scheme. Continue reading...

Koryo high pulled out of the popular competition after an outcry over reports that some of its members had bullied a junior playerOne of Japan's most popular sports tournaments is reeling after the sudden withdrawal of a team whose teenage players have been accused of abusing a younger teammate.Koryo high school, which had been representing Hiroshima prefecture in the summer high school baseball championships, announced on Sunday it would no longer take part. Continue reading...

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said he is working with states and territories on the future of road-user charging' for electric vehicles as fuel excise revenue decreases

Career-focused subjects such as business studies and economics to surpass traditional academic disciplines like history in popularityStudents in England are expected to receive A-level grades that are closer to normal for the first time since the Covid pandemic triggered school closures and exam cancellations.The grades will more closely resemble those given out in 2019, before the pandemic, with the proportion of A* to E grades linked to national results from the GCSE exams taken by the same pupils two years ago. Continue reading...

Plea about de minimis' rule, which has underpinned the rise of the online specialists Shein and TemuRachel Reeves must intervene to assist British retailers by ending an imports tax break that favours Chinese online rivals and rethinking plans for higher levies on large stores, the boss of the DIY chain B&Q has said.The outspoken plea comes as the government faces growing pressure over its management of the economy after the Bank of England said when it cut interest rates on Thursday that tax rises were contributing to rising inflation and unemployment. Continue reading...

Labor prime minister Anthony Albanese said a two-state solution was the best hope to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza'

Alicia Kemp, 25, fatally struck Thanh Phan, 51, while riding through the Western Australia capital under the influence of alcohol

Screenwriter known for reviving Doctor Who and writing Queer As Folk says LGBT community needs to fight backRussell T Davies has said gay rights are rapidly and urgently getting worse" thanks to the rise of Reform UK and the influence of the Trump presidency on British politics.The award-winning screenwriter, who is best known for reviving Doctor Who and writing Queer As Folk, said the LGBT community should be revolting in terror and anger and action" in response to growing support for Reform, which has pledged to ban transgender ideology" in schools. Continue reading...

Liu Jianchao, the envoy in charge of managing ties with foreign political parties, was reportedly detained in late JulyLiu Jianchao, a senior Chinese diplomat widely seen as a potential future foreign minister, has been detained by authorities for questioning, the Wall Street Journal has reported.Liu was taken away after returning to Beijing in late July from an overseas work trip, it reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. Continue reading...

Some people described an extremely bright fireball and a loud sound as the object passed overhead in night sky

Docklands attraction to re-open in 2026, but new owner admits nervousness given it's failed so many times before'

Less than half of class marginalised workers' were offered career development in the past year in Australia, compared to 76% of privileged' employees, a new study suggestsMark went to a state school but we won't hold that against him."Former corporate high-flyer Mark Baxter heard variations of this phrase from senior leaders in the early years of his career. Continue reading...

The man grabbed on to the outside of the train at St Poelten, west of Vienna, and was later taken aboard after it performed an emergency stopA man has survived clinging to the outside of a high-speed train in Austria, the state railway said, after it reportedly left while he was having a cigarette break.The man grabbed on to the outside of the train at St Poelten, west of Vienna, late on Saturday, said Austrian railways spokesperson Herbert Hofer, and was later taken onboard after the train performed an emergency stop. Continue reading...

Lower mortgage rates have helped cool rental sector after years of above-inflation increases in rent, data showsAverage private rents in Great Britain have fallen for the first time in five years as lower mortgage rates helped take some of the heat out of the rental sector, data shows.Years of above-inflation increases in rents have put the squeeze on many households but the estate agent Hamptons said the average rent on a newly let property fell by 0.2% year on year in July. It was the first annual decline since August 2020, during the height of the Covid pandemic - although this national figure masks wide regional variations. Continue reading...

Ministers also considering lowering drink-drive limit among measures to reduce road deaths and injuriesOlder drivers could face mandatory eye tests and the drink-drive limit could be cut as the government tries to reduce the number of road deaths.In a major overhaul of the UK's road safety laws, ministers are also reportedly considering tougher penalties for uninsured drivers and failing to wear a seatbelt. Continue reading...

Hassan Cevik, 31, charged with murders of Terry McMillan, 58, and Brendan McMillan, 27, in SouthwarkA man has been charged with the murder of a father and son after a stabbing at a business premises in central London.Terry McMillan, 58, and Brendan McMillan, 27, from Chislehurst, Bromley, died after reports of stabbings inside a commercial property in Long Lane, Southwark, at about 1pm on 28 July. Continue reading...

Former justice secretaries criticise expansion of policy that they say allows perpetrators to go unpunishedForeign criminals from 15 more countries face deportation before they have a chance to appeal in an expansion of the UK government's deport first, appeal later" scheme.Ministers are extending the scheme, which applies in England and Wales and was restarted in 2023, to cover 23 countries including India, Bulgaria, Australia and Canada. Continue reading...

Demonstration follows revelation firm's servers holding huge collection of intercepted Palestinian phone callsActivists have staged a protest on the roof of a Microsoft datacentre in the Netherlands after revelations the Israeli military is storing large volumes of data in the country.Images posted on social media showed some of the activists blocking access to the large Microsoft facility in the north-west of the country on Sunday, while others scaled the building's roof and lit flares. Continue reading...

Humanitarian office says 37 children have died from acute malnutrition since July, as overall toll nears 100

Israeli PM says taking over city is best way' to end war, despite condemnation from within Israel and around worldBenjamin Netanyahu has defended his plan to take control of Gaza City in the face of widespread international outrage, even as senior UN officials warned that the move risked unleashing another calamity" on a territory already experiencing starvation, pure and simple".In a rare press conference with foreign journalists in Jerusalem, the Israeli prime minister said the plan, signed off last week by the security cabinet to criticism both at home and abroad, was the best way to end the war and the best way to end it speedily." Continue reading...

Building rules have been focused on keeping warm in winter and saving on energy bills, not cooling down

Move comes as Germany warns White House against any deal hatched over heads of Europeans and Ukrainians'Europe's leaders have raised the pressure on Donald Trump to involve Ukraine in a planned summit with Vladimir Putin, as Germany warned the White House against any deal hatched over the heads of Europeans and Ukrainians".Speaking before a bilateral meeting expected to take place between the US and Russian leaders on Friday in Alaska, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said he hoped and assumed that Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, would also be involved. Continue reading...

Sir Ephraim Mirvis joins relatives of hostages in calling for their release before any recognition of a Palestinian stateThe chief rabbi has criticised Labour's pledge to recognise a Palestinian state at a national march for the hostages" in central London organised by a number of Jewish groups.Family members of Israeli hostages taken on 7 October also joined the march on Downing Street to urge the release of those being held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Continue reading...

Total of 532 arrests at London protest on Saturday, most for displaying placards or signs in support of proscribed groupHalf of the people arrested during the protest in relation to Palestine Action in London on Saturday were aged 60 or above, according to police figures.A total of 532 people were arrested at the largest demonstration relating to the group since it was proscribed last month. All but 10 were under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act for displaying supportive placards or signs. Continue reading...

Duke of Sussex absolutely committed' to supporting children and young people in Lesotho and BotswanaPrince Harry is considering establishing a new charity after a dispute that led to him leaving Sentebale, a spokesperson has said.It comes after the Duke of Sussex was criticised by the Charity Commission for allowing a row with the chair of Sentebale, which he co-founded in 2006, to play out publicly". Continue reading...

Donald Trump rewarding the Kremlin's hardline attitude shows Russia can still sideline Ukraine from deal to end warIn the five months since Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy met at the Oval Office in late February, Ukrainian officials have worked hard to repair the damage of that day, which ended with the Ukrainian president being kicked out of the White House.With advice from European allies, Zelenskyy recalibrated his strategy for dealing with the Trump administration, and there was a feeling it was broadly going well. We managed to reset communications, to find a new language to work with Trump," said one senior official in Kyiv a week ago. Continue reading...

US carmaker makes move for licence that would allow it to provide energy to domestic and business premisesElon Musk's Tesla is gearing up to launch a household electricity supplier in Great Britain in the coming months.The US electric car manufacturer run by the world's richest man has formally applied to the energy regulator for Great Britain, Ofgem, for an electricity supply licence, according to a notice published on the watchdog's website. Continue reading...

Police make arrest after tractor went through field and into vehicles after vintage car show in GloucestershireA man in his 50s has died after a tractor drove through fields and crashed into parked vehicles after a vintage car show.It is thought the incident occurred close to Fiddington, a village near Tewkesbury, at about 11.25pm on Saturday. Continue reading...

Latest consumer figures support third rate cut for 2025, analysts say, but ultimate decision is up to the board

Yvette Cooper wants guidance to change after row over claims police covered up' status of two men on charges relating to an alleged rapeAnti-racism campaigners have criticised proposals to allow police to reveal the ethnicity and migration status of suspects, after a row triggered by claims police covered up" the backgrounds of two men charged in connection to the alleged rape of a child.The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, this week told the BBC she hoped the Law Commission would accelerate" a review of contempt of court and that guidance needs to change" about information released when a trial is pending. Continue reading...

Four members of family from Thetford, Norfolk, died after car collided with another vehicle in Alentejo regionA UK family have been killed in a car accident while holidaying in southern Portugal, local authorities have confirmed.Domingos Serrano, 55, his wife, Maria, 51, and their 20-year-old twin sons, Afonso and Domingos, died when their car collided with another vehicle on Saturday on the IP2 motorway near Castro Verde, in the Alentejo region,. Continue reading...

Report for DVSA proposes move to lessen potential anxiety' and bolster pass rates among female candidatesHaving a mardy person sitting next to you in the car can be a distraction at the best of times, but it is all the worse when the grump is your driving examiner.In an effort to avoid additional potential anxiety" during tests and bolster pass rates among female candidates, a report commissioned by a government agency has suggested asking people taking a test whether they would like their examiner to be chatty" or formal". Continue reading...