Companies increase hiring for first time since June, and households more optimistic about their financesCompanies have ramped up hiring in recent weeks while consumer confidence has started to rise, research suggests, in a boost for Rachel Reeves as the government looks for signs of economic growth.The chancellor has received a fillip after the market research company GfK's consumer index improved from -22 in January to -20 in February as households said they were more optimistic about their personal finances and the economic outlook. Continue reading...
by Jeff Ernst in Tegucigalpa and agencies on (#6VDYK)
Move apparently empties military facility on Cuban base of migrant detainees and comes in wake of ACLU lawsuitThe US government has flown 177 deportees from Guantanamo Bay to Honduras, from where they are set to be transferred on to Venezuela, apparently emptying the military facility of migrant detainees.The move on Thursday came days after human rights lawyers filed a lawsuit seeking access to dozens of people who had been held at the US naval base. Continue reading...
By Ramsay's own estimate, he has lost more than 2,000 during one week in stolen maneki-neko cat modelsNearly 500 cat figurines were stolen in one week from Gordon Ramsay's new London restaurant, the TV chef has said.The restaurateur, 58, recently launched Lucky Cat 22 Bishopsgate by Gordon Ramsay in one of London's tallest buildings, which features the beckoning Japanese cat models called maneki-neko. Continue reading...
Charges of criminal negligence dropped against three key defendants over death of British singer in OctoberA court in Argentina has dropped charges of criminal negligence against three of the five people indicted in connection with the death of Liam Payne, the former One Direction singer who fell from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires last October.In a decision issued Wednesday, the Argentine federal appeals court ordered the other two defendants in the case to remain in custody. They are facing prosecution on charges they supplied the famed British boy band star with narcotics. Continue reading...
No injuries reported after three explosions in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, with two more bombs being defusedIsrael's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he has ordered the military to conduct an intense operation" against terror hubs" in the West Bank after a series of explosions on three parked buses that authorities said was a suspected terrorist attack. No injuries were reported.The explosions on Thursday happened on a day when Israel was grieving after Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages from Gaza as part of a ceasefire deal. The bus explosions were reminiscent of bombings during the Palestinian uprising of the 2000s, but such attacks are now rare. Continue reading...
Police watchdog is investigating death of 27-year-old who showed unusual behaviour' at security checkA 27-year-old man has died at Manchester airport after being arrested by Border Force officers.The man had been stopped while going through security in Terminal 2 on Wednesday after displaying unusual behaviour", the police watchdog said. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler Social policy editor on (#6VDRV)
Local authorities can collectively borrow 1.5bn to plug budget gaps caused by underfundingA record 30 English local authorities have been granted effective bailouts" enabling them to borrow money to avoid bankruptcy, as ministers advised them against selling off prized local assets such as historic buildings, parks and allotments.The councils, all of whom were considered to have unmanageable debts", were given the green light by ministers to collectively borrow 1.5bn to plug significant budget gaps caused by underfunding and soaring demand for social care and other services. Continue reading...
Reform leader contradicts Trump rant, saying you shouldn't always take things Donald Trump says absolutely literally'Nigel Farage has contradicted his ally Donald Trump, saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not a dictator" after the US president's attack on the Ukrainian leader this week.Farage, who became one of the last UK party leaders to distance himself from Trump's remarks, said he had been delayed in calling it out earlier because he was heading to the US to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Continue reading...
University of Chichester had suspended recruitment to its history of Africa and the African diaspora MResAn independent adjudicator has ruled partly in favour of students who challenged the University of Chichester after their African history course was abruptly terminated in 2023.The University of Chichester suspended recruitment to its research master's (MRes) in the history of Africa and the African diaspora without warning, and made the course leader, Prof Hakim Adi, an academic and expert in African history, redundant. Continue reading...
Republican Kentucky lawmaker formally announced his retirement in a Senate floor speech on ThursdaySenator Mitch McConnell announced he will not run for re-election next year, bringing an end to a decades-long career for a Republican leader who marshaled his party through multiple administrations with a singleminded focus on power that enraged his critics and delighted his allies.The Associated Press broke the news of McConnell's retirement on Thursday, which marked the Republican senator's 83rd birthday. McConnell formally announced his retirement in a Senate floor speech on Thursday. Continue reading...
by Jane Clinton (now) and Martin Belam (earlier) on (#6VDBB)
UK foreign secretary criticises Russia over Ukraine war, saying it faces a test' over Ukraine war as he speaks at G20 foreign ministerial meetingAs well as appearing on the airwaves this morning to promote Labour's 270m Arts Everywhere fund, culture secretary Lisa Nandy also supplied some quotes for the press release accompanying the launch.She said:Arts and culture help us understand the world we live in, they shape and define society and are enjoyed by people in every part of our country. They are the building blocks of our world-leading creative industries and make a huge contribution towards boosting growth and breaking down barriers to opportunities for young people to learn the creative skills they need to succeed.The funding we are announcing today will allow the arts to continue to flourish across Britain, creating good jobs and growth by fixing the foundations in our cultural venues, museums, libraries and heritage institutions [and] will ensure that arts and cultural institutions truly are for everyone, everywhere.Look, we've had a decade where funding to the arts, funding for communities has been slashed. We've seen culture erased from our classrooms and our communities. It's economic madness.This is one of the fastest growing industries in the UK - film, music, literature, TV. We export them all over the world. We've got countries clamouring to invest here in the UK. Some of the biggest streamers in the world, who want to invest more in the UK, but it takes support from the government Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6VDP6)
Vicar calls MP's position untenable after newly revealed messages show him suggesting she be burned on a bonfire'A serving Anglican priest has called for Andrew Gwynne to resign after new WhatsApp messages emerged in which the member of parliament suggested she should be burned on a bonfire".She described the chat involving two Labour MPs, as well as several other Labour party members, as reminiscent of playground bullying and name-calling". Continue reading...
by Eleni Courea Political correspondent on (#6VDN2)
From MPs' demands for peerages to Rishi Sunak calling a minister fucking useless', stories from former chief whip Simon Hart's diaries have drawn attentionThey say that to govern is to choose, but for one former chief whip it meant rescuing a Conservative MP from a suspected KGB agent in a London brothel.The story of said MP is one of many colourful anecdotes in Simon Hart's political diaries, which have become the talk of Westminster this week. Continue reading...
by Guardian staff and agencies in Mexico City on (#6VDKB)
Claudia Sheinbaum's warning follows Washington designating Mexican cartels as terrorist organizationsMexico will never tolerate an invasion" of its national sovereignty by the United States, Claudia Sheinbaum has warned after Washington designated Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations.This cannot be an opportunity for the US to invade our sovereignty," the Mexican president said. With Mexico, it is collaboration and coordination, never subordination or interventionism, and even less invasion." Continue reading...
Plane caught fire and flipped at Toronto's Pearson airport, hospitalizing 21 of 80 people onboardDelta Air Lines is offering passengers of a jet that caught fire and flipped over on a Toronto runway $30,000 each - no strings attached".Flight 4819 crashed after touching down at Toronto's Pearson airport on Monday afternoon. Videos of the crash were captured by witnesses and then passengers inside the plane. Continue reading...
Layoffs affect workers with around one year or less of service at Internal Revenue Service as tax deadline loomsThe US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will lay off roughly 7,000 workers in Washington and around the country beginning on Thursday, a person familiar with the plans told the Associated Press.The layoffs affect probationary employees with roughly one year or less of service at the agency and largely include workers in compliance departments, according to the person, who was not authorized to disclose the plans and spoke on condition of anonymity on Wednesday. Compliance work includes ensuring that taxpayers are abiding by the tax code, filing their returns and paying their taxes, among other duties. Continue reading...
by Kirsty McEwen (now); Charlie Moloney and Hamish Ma on (#6VDA2)
This blog is now closed, you can read our full report on the day's events hereThe handover of the four bodies from Hamas to the Red Cross is now complete.The vehicles are on their way to Israel, and the crowd in Khan Younis is beginning to disperse. Continue reading...
Lawyers for impeached South Korean president who caused chaos argue that court has no jurisdiction to put him on trial for act of governance'Lawyers for Yoon Suk Yeol have told a court in Seoul that the impeached president declared martial law in late 2024 to prevent the country becoming a legislative dictatorship" controlled by his political opponents.The claim came as Yoon became the first South Korean president to stand trial in a criminal case, brought over his short-lived declaration of martial law in early December. Continue reading...
Corporate conglomerate Akima subject of critical audits and complaints over detainee treatment at facilities in USA corporate conglomerate now running the US government's immigration detention center at the Guantanamo Bay naval base on a lucrative contract has been the subject of critical audits and a civil rights complaint over conditions at three other migrant lockups it has run within the US, documents reviewed by the Guardian show.In one example, a federal audit report on a migrant facility run by the company in Miami found multiple incidents of alleged inappropriate use of force" - including guards pepper-spraying a man in solitary confinement even though he posed no threat to them, the report said. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey Political correspondent on (#6VDCT)
Exclusive: As chancellor scans budget for savings, Simon McDonald says need for humanitarian spending is greater than ever'The former head of the Foreign Office has warned Rachel Reeves not to cut Britain's international aid spending, amid signs the chancellor is willing to raid the development budget to help pay for higher defence spending.Simon McDonald, the former lead civil servant at the Foreign Office, said it would damage Britain's global reputation if Reeves chose to reduce aid as she looks for savings across Whitehall in this year's spending review. Continue reading...
by Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on (#6VD8M)
Citizens Advice believes Ofgem made flawed interest rate calculation for companies in Great BritainThe companies behind Great Britain's gas pipes and power lines have pocketed a windfall of nearly 4bn from household bills during the energy and cost crisis, according to a report.The analysis, by Citizens Advice, argued that energy network owners were able to make the excess profits" over the past four years after the industry regulator misjudged their costs. Continue reading...
As administration cuts off resources from African countries to contain outbreak, workers say everybody's lost'As the Trump administration dismantles the US Agency for International Development (USAid) and retreats from funding global public health efforts, mpox - formerly known as monkeypox - is at greater risk of becoming a wider global emergency, according to aid workers and global health experts.It's a real mistake not to be doing everything we can to control this while we're still able to," said Stephen Morse, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University focusing on risk assessment of infectious diseases. Taking huge steps backwards is only going to make everything worse." Continue reading...
European manufacturer reports 8% drop in income for 2024 but says there is solid demand' for its productsAirbus has said it aims to make 820 planes this year as the world's biggest aerospace manufacturer attempts to overcome problems in its supply chain.The European company said that deliveries would rise by 7% compared with the 766 planes made last year, as it reported an 8% drop in income for 2024 excluding various charges, to 5.4bn (4.7bn). Continue reading...
by Daniel Boffey and Chris Matthews and Ella Joyner on (#6VDBG)
Data shows aircraft parts from more than 100 western companies reached Russian aviation industry via IndiaBritish firms are among more than 100 western companies, including the aerospace giant Boeing, which have exported aircraft parts to India that reached Russia, according to customs data.Analysis suggests products worth more than $50m have passed through intermediaries in India to Russian airlines and other entities over a 21-month period up to September 2024. Continue reading...
People in village near the capital line up with their haul, where a mosquito zapper and some pesos awaitVillage officials in the Philippines are handing out cash rewards to residents who capture mosquitoes in a bid to combat an outbreak of dengue.At the Wednesday launch, residents from the village of Addition Hills in metropolitan Manila lined up with plastic cups and bags containing their captures as they waited to receive their bounty: one Philippine peso (1.7 US cents) for every five mosquitoes. Continue reading...
They say the support for British Steel's transition to electric replacement is needed to prevent immediate job lossesBritish Steel should get an extra 200m from the government to support it in keeping the UK's two remaining blast furnaces open until electric replacements are built, according to a proposal put forward by unions.Chinese-owned British Steel has said it will replace its polluting blast furnaces at Scunthorpe with electric arc furnaces, which can be used to make much cleaner, recycled steel. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: Zelenskyy described Trump's claims as disinformation" - only for the US president to double down. But his claims have no plausible basis in factGood morning. Donald Trump's view of Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un: The smartest one gets to the top". Donald Trump's view of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who won Ukraine's presidency in a landslide, enjoys continued popular support, and had to postpone new elections because his country was, as you will remember, invaded: he's a dictator.Zelenskyy earned that astonishing designation yesterday by rejecting Trump's claims that he is very unpopular, that Ukraine brought the invasion on itself, and that to be considered a legitimate leader he must hold new elections even under the threat of Russian attack. At a press conference in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said: Unfortunately, President Trump, with all due respect for him as the leader of a nation that we respect greatly ... is trapped in this disinformation bubble". And he added: I would like to have more truth with the Trump team."Bills | The companies behind Great Britain's gas pipes and power lines have pocketed a windfall of nearly 4bn from household bills during the energy and cost crisis, according to a report. The analysis, by Citizens Advice, argued that energy network owners were able to make the excess profits" over the past four years after the industry regulator misjudged their costs.Brazil | British journalist Charlotte Alice Peet, 32, has been missing in Brazil for 11 days, a foreign correspondents' association in the country has said, urging authorities to step up their search efforts. Peet has worked as a freelance journalist for outlets such as the Independent, Times, Telegraph and Al Jazeera.Immigration and asylum | Plans to prevent refugees who arrive in the UK on a small boat, lorry or via other irregular" means from becoming a British citizen are facing their first legal challenge. The case is being brought by a 21-year-old Afghan refugee who arrived in the UK aged 14, after fleeing the Taliban and being smuggled to Britain in the back of a lorry.Sellafield | The UK nuclear industry regulator has taken Sellafield, the world's largest store of plutonium, out of special measures for its physical security - but said concerns remained over its cybersecurity. In 2023, the Guardian revealed a string of safety concerns at the site - from issues with alarm systems to problems staffing safety roles at its toxic ponds - as well as cybersecurity failings.Politics | Boris Johnson is charging 121 for a handshake and a photograph before a live event in Edinburgh. The former Conservative prime minister will appear at the Usher Hall on 2 September for an event titled An Evening with Boris Johnson, which will also allow guests to take part in a question and answer session. Continue reading...
Extremists tipped for second place after shifting debate to immigration and crime and winning endorsements from Musk and VanceIn the tumultuous German election campaign, which has been rocked by jaw-dropping US interference, a spate of violent attacks and rare fears for the country's political stability, all eyes have been locked on the party most likely to finish second.When the dust settles after Sunday's vote and conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz is - barring further surprises - elected chancellor, the 2025 race will be remembered as the moment the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland, consistently polling in second place, went from sideshow to centre stage. Continue reading...
by Warren Murray with Guardian writers and agencies on (#6VD5P)
Ukrainian drone strike 700km across border takes Russian refinery out of service; EU prepares to step up military aid. What we know on 1,093 Continue reading...
by Pjotr Sauer and Luke Harding in Kyiv on (#6VCN8)
Remark follows Ukrainian leader's claim US president living in a Russian disinformation bubble'The US and Ukraine appeared to be heading towards an irreconcilable rift after Donald Trump escalated his attacks on Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling the Ukrainian president a dictator" and warning that he better move fast" or he won't have a country left".The US leader's comments on Wednesday, which were rife with falsehoods, came after Zelenskyy said Trump was trapped" in a Russian disinformation bubble," following Trump's claims that Ukraine was to blame for Russia's 2022 invasion, remarks that echoed the Kremlin's narrative. Continue reading...
by Helen Livingstone (now); Léonie Chao-Fong, Erum S on (#6VCG6)
This blog is closing now but you can find our latest full story on the falling out between the US and Ukraine here and all our Ukraine coverage here.Lavrov also speaks about Russia's alliances with Belarus, North Korea, China and Iran, and countries in Africa.He says the comprehensive partnership with China" was at an unprecedented level and exceeding any prior alliances of a classic type," with both leaders attending important anniversaries in each other's countries.I will tell you something that is a key issue for us at this stage of international development, and that is our move towards a multipolar world. It is a historic process, and it is to do with the subjective trend of new power centres appearing on the world map.Our partners in the Global South and in the east are unique civilisations and religions and are members of various integration associations, but all of them are united by a desire towards development, progressive development without external pressure...At the same time, we must state that the collective West, although verbally are in agreement and accepting the multipolar realities, in reality, they still want to preserve their former dominance in the West.... Continue reading...
The tomb of Thutmose II is the first pharaoh's tomb to be discovered since Tutankhamun in 1922It was when British archeologist Dr Piers Litherland saw that the ceiling of the burial chamber was painted blue with yellow stars that he realised he had just discovered the first tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh to be found in more than a century.Litherland had been exploring the Valley of the Kings in Egypt for more than a decade when he discovered a staircase which led to the tomb, now known to have belonged to Thutmose II, who reigned from 1493 to 1479BC. Continue reading...
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