Grandsons aged six and seven found dead at NSW property in case police are treating as double murderA woman whose two grandsons died in a regional town in New South Wales is in a mental health facility after what police are treating as a confronting" alleged double murder.The boys, aged six and seven, were found dead by police after officers forced entry to a property at Coonabarabran, in the state's north-west, during a welfare check about 2pm on Monday. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Poll before 80th anniversary of VE Day finds tensions with Russia seen as most probable causeEighty years after the second world war, polling shows many Americans and western Europeans believe an even more devastating third global conflict could break out within a decade, with tensions with Russia seen as the most probable cause.As Europe prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the YouGov polling also showed large majorities felt that events during and before the second world war were relevant today and must continue to be taught to younger generations. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#6X330)
Exclusive: First minister of Wales hoping to counter threats to Welsh Labour from Reform and Plaid CymruThe Welsh first minister will criticise Keir Starmer's welfare reforms in a major speech on Tuesday, saying she will pursue a leftwing red Welsh way" and put a clear dividing line between Welsh Labour and the national party.Eluned Morgan will distance herself from Starmer's government in a speech on Tuesday billed by allies as a reset moment for Welsh Labour to counter the threats from Reform UK and Plaid Cymru. Continue reading...
Military armistice ending second world war was signed in this nondescript Reims schoolhouse before VE DayFor a building that witnessed one of the pivotal moments of European history, it is oddly unremarkable: a nondescript red-brick schoolhouse on an unexceptional street on the wrong side of the railway tracks in Reims, eastern France.In May 1945 it was the College Moderne et Technique. Students came and went. Passersby may have wondered, briefly, at the two US military police officers outside the doors, but Americans were everywhere - the city had been liberated in August 1944. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#6X331)
Candidates for Merseyside chief constable and Met deputy commissioner set to be appointed without competitionTwo of the most senior jobs in British policing paying more than 200,000 a year have attracted only one applicant each, the Guardian has learned.The roles were deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan police and chief constable of Merseyside police, based in Liverpool. Continue reading...
Actor was assigned by Trump to come up with a plan to save Hollywood, but his proposal only included tariffs in certain limited circumstances'US president Donald Trump announced his 100% tariff on films coming into our country produced in foreign lands" one day after meeting with actor Jon Voight to discuss his proposals to bring film production back to the US - which only suggested that tariffs could be used in certain limited circumstances".The Midnight Cowboy and Heat actor, who was appointed a special ambassador" to Hollywood by Trump, has been meeting with studios, streamers, unions and guilds for months to develop a plan to lure film and television productions back to the US. Production companies often seek more cost-effective locations or tax incentives in other countries such as Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Hungary, Italy and Spain. Continue reading...
by Morwenna Ferrier and Ellie Violet Bramley on (#6X2XG)
This blog has now closed. You can see a gallery of the highlights hereThe night is still oh-so-young and co-chair Colman Domingo is already onto his second look (still custom Valentino designed by creative director Alessandro Michele), having shed his Andre Leon Talley-coded cloak in favour of a joyfully pattern-clashing look of grids and polka dots. It's busy but it works! The polka dots on the brooch have apparently been hand-painted on.That's already two looks down - can he beat the total of four different looks that Lady Gaga wore to the 2019 Met Gala? Only time will tell. Continue reading...
Government response comes amid outrage over the murder of the men who had been held captive for more than a weekPeru's president, Dina Boluarte, has suspended gold mining and announced a 12-hour curfew in Pataz, in the northern region, after criminals kidnapped and killed 13 gold mine workers.A Peruvian gold mining company La Poderosa said on Sunday that the bodies of 13 contract workers from a local firm had been found by police inside one of the mine's tunnels. Continue reading...
National Pharmacy Association says some patients hoard them for holidays despite threat posed by antimicrobial resistancePharmacists are facing inappropriate demands for antibiotics every day, with some patients stockpiling them for holidays despite the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance, a report says.Staff receive requests for the drugs to treat minor ailments such as coughs and colds even if they are not needed, according to the National Pharmacy Association, which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies in England. Its survey found 79% of pharmacists were having to refuse requests for antibiotics from patients at least once a day. Continue reading...
Royal College of Emergency Medicine says many endured degrading and dehumanising' waits on trolleysMore than 1 million older people a year in England are forced to wait longer than 12 hours in A&E, with many having to endure degrading and dehumanising" corridor waits on trolleys.The number aged 60 and over waiting more than 12 hours to be transferred, admitted or discharged increased to 1.15 million in 2024, up from 991,068 in 2023. The figure was 305,619 in 2019, according to data obtained by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) under freedom of information laws. Continue reading...
Gerald Darmanin, now justice minister, called night of 2022 Champions League final biggest failure' of his careerThe former French interior minister has apologised to Liverpool fans for using them as a scapegoat" for the chaos surrounding the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, where supporters of the club, including children, were teargassed by police amid false claims they had caused a riot.Gerald Darmanin, who is now France's justice minister, called the night the biggest failure" of his career. On 28 May 2022, Liverpool supporters said they feared for their lives as they were forced to enter Stade de France via a narrow subway and boxed-in lanes that could not accommodate the thousands of people that had arrived. Continue reading...
Firefighters needed almost 24 hours to put out blaze on moorland in Devon, and area remains vulnerable to fireA wildfire has destroyed about 5,000 hectares (12,500 acres) of moorland on Dartmoor in Devon.Emergency services were called to the blaze at about 2.25pm on Sunday, and firefighters spent almost 24 hours at the scene before it was extinguished on Monday. Continue reading...
Several dozen prospective jurors got brief description of charges as hip-hop entrepreneur sat with lawyersThe federal sex trafficking trial of Sean Diddy" Combs, the hip-hop entrepreneur whose wildly successful career has been dotted by allegations of violence, began on Monday in New York City with jury selection that could last several days.Opening statements by lawyers and the start of testimony are expected next week. Continue reading...
Rebels' media office say at least six strikes hit the crucial Hodeida port on Monday afternoonIsrael's military has carried out a fresh round of airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen's Red Sea city of Hodeida, a day after the Iranian-backed rebels launched a missile that hit Israel's main airport.The rebels' media office said at least six strikes hit the crucial Hodeida port Monday afternoon. Other strikes hit a cement factory in the Bajil district in Hodeida province, the rebels said. Israeli media reported that dozens of Israeli air force took part in the operation. Continue reading...
Government fears further electoral losses from unpopular policy as well as from planned 5bn of benefits cutsDowning Street is reviewing its controversial winter fuel payment cut amid growing anxiety at the top of government that the policy could wreak serious electoral damage, the Guardian has been told.Keir Starmer's senior team has been discussing for several weeks how to handle public anger over the policy, which bubbled over in last Thursday's local elections, when the party lost two-thirds of the council seats it was defending. Continue reading...
Rachel Reeves concerned that lenders' restrictions are holding back growth in the SME sectorMinisters will meet bank bosses on Tuesday to discuss how big lenders can support the government's growth strategy as concerns mount inside Whitehall that small businesses are struggling to access the funds needed to make vital investments.Senior executives from HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds are expected to explain how they will meet the government's mission to increase lending after criticism from business groups about the lack of credit available after the pandemic. Continue reading...
Marcel Ciolacu quits after coalition candidate fails to make it to run-off against nationalist George SimionRomania's pro-EU prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu, has announced his resignation after his governing coalition's candidate came third in the first round of a presidential election decisively won by a far-right Trump admirer who opposes military aid to Ukraine.Rather than let the future president replace me, I decided to resign myself," Ciolacu, told reporters after a meeting at the headquarters of his Social Democratic party. Continue reading...
Largely expected decision by international court of justice marks second diplomatic victory for Gulf stateAn attempt by Sudan's government to make the United Arab Emirates legally accountable for acts of genocide in West Darfur has been rejected by the international court of justice after the judges voted by 14 to 2 to declare they had no jurisdiction. By a narrower majority the judges voted 9 to 7 to strike the case entirely from the ICJ list.There have been repeated allegations during the two-year civil war in Sudan that the UAE has been flying arms to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in an attempt to oust the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Continue reading...
Catholic charity says the late pontiff endorsed the idea of creating a vehicle of hope' to deliver medical aidJust over a decade ago, the converted Mitsubishi whisked Pope Francis through the streets of Bethlehem before it was left to gather dust. Now, in keeping with one of the late pontiff's last wishes, the popemobile is being given a second life - as a mobile health clinic for children in the Gaza Strip.In a region ravaged by more than 18 months of war, the initiative is both symbolic and practical, said Peter Brune, the secretary general of the Catholic charity Caritas Sweden. Continue reading...
British Virgin Islands criticised for launching financial crime-fighting cartoon mascot before new legislationUK offshore havens have missed a deadline to publish their plans to improve corporate transparency, as MPs criticised the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in particular for launching a financial crime-fighting cartoon mascot before new legislation.Jurisdictions including the BVI and Bermuda pledged last year to approve laws allowing access to company ownership data to those with a legitimate interest" by April 2025, with implementation to follow in June. Continue reading...
Song made famous by Aretha Franklin is on military band's set list for handover of chancellery to Friedrich MerzThe German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is to be played out of office by a military band who will perform tunes chosen by him that are intended to sum up his mood and political life.Scholz will bow out to the Beatles, Johann Sebastian Bach and an Otis Redding hit made famous by Aretha Franklin. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6X2MF)
Layton Carr, 14, described as a cheeky, happy lad' after his death in blaze at an industrial estate on FridayThe family of a 14-year-old boy who died in a fire in Gateshead has paid tribute to him, saying Layton Carr was loved by all that met him, and it showed".Layton was such a kind, caring and loving boy," his family said in a statement released by Northumbria police. From the minute he was born it was obvious the character he would turn out to be. Continue reading...
Vague and grandstanding as the US president's messaging may be, it has serious ramifications which could wipe out large sections of the film businessDonald Trump's bombshell announcement that Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands" will be subject to an 100% tariff has certainly caught the attention of Hollywood, as well as the international film industries it seems to be aimed at - principally Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as European countries such as Hungary and Italy that have often acted as bases for US film production.Vague and grandstanding at it is - Trump concluded his post with an all-caps WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!" - the chaotic roll out of previous Trump tariffs has triggered feverish speculation, as well as defiance, in the film industry in exactly how this might play out. Continue reading...
UK tech entrepreneur and his daughter were among seven killed when the Bayesian sank in a violent stormA 55-metre (180ft) barge carrying a heavy-lift crane has begun work to raise the British-flagged superyacht Bayesian from the seabed off Sicily, where it sank last summer killing seven people including the UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch.The barge, named Hebo Lift 2, with its 700-sq-metre deck, specialist diving apparatus and a remotely operated underwater vehicle, arrived last week in Porticello, a fishing port near Palermo, where marine salvage experts have started operations to raise the Bayesian. Continue reading...
Tipping point' as supermarket's move will increase amount of Fairtrade tea sold in UK by almost 50%Sainsbury's has drawn a line under a previous controversial attempt to create its own ethical label by agreeing a major tea deal with the Fairtrade Foundation.As a result of the move, all classic teabags in the by Sainsbury's" range will move to Fairtrade, with Kerrina Thorogood, the foundation's director of partnerships, describing the move as a tipping point" for ethical tea. Continue reading...
Signalling cable taken from four locations, delaying high-speed services between Madrid and Seville, week after massive power cutSpain's transport minister has said the country's rail network suffered an act of serious sabotage" after vital signalling cable was stolen over the busy bank holiday weekend, bringing severe delays to high-speed services between Madrid and Seville that affected more than 10,000 travellers.The country's state-owned rail operator, Renfe, said the problems on the line between the capital and the southern region of Andalucia had been caused by the theft of cable from four different locations in the Toledo area, south of Madrid, late on Sunday. Continue reading...
Home Office says it has a zero-tolerance approach' to illegal drug use and has introduced more robust' proceduresA total of 29 staff have been sacked after positive drug tests at the Manston migrant processing centre - a sixfold increase in the space of a year, the Guardian has learned.Thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in the UK after crossing the Channel on dinghies are processed at the site near Ramsgate in Kent by Home Office officials and contractors. Many of the new arrivals are vulnerable and arrive in the UK traumatised. Continue reading...
Inconsistent application' of Schengen rules on passport validity has seen people turned back at border by airlinesSome Britons flying to Scandinavia this summer risk being turned away at the gate if they are travelling on an older passport due to the inconsistent" application of Schengen travel rules, it has emerged.The Guardian was contacted by a British artist who was denied boarding by the airline Norwegian because her passport was issued more than nine years and nine months ago". She was due to fly from Gatwick airport to Copenhagen. Continue reading...
Severe thunderstorms around Delhi cause seven deaths, with western Europe also hit by stormy conditionsResidents of Delhi and surrounding areas woke last week to severe thunderstorms with intense rainfall, large hailstones and squally winds. The storms arrived in the early hours of the night, lasting six hours before easing by about 8.30am on Friday morning. At Safdarjung, the primary weather station in Delhi, 77mm of rain was recorded, the majority of which, 60mm, fell within the first three hours. The event itself was the second highest 24-hour rainfall total in Delhi during May since 1901. The deluge of rain led to flash flooding, felled trees, widespread disruption and claimed seven lives.Further sharp showers are forecast across India this week, alongside thunderstorms across western and central parts where relatively cooler air will become situated aloft through the course of Monday and promote convection. Some forecast models show the potential for thunderstorms to produce very heavy rainfall, particularly in Gujarat and south-west Rajasthan, until Thursday. However, due to the nature of thunderstorm formation, the exact intensity can be difficult to forecast days ahead, and often still proves too tricky to predict on the day. So the conditions in Delhi on Friday morning may not have been a one-off. Continue reading...
Police admit strip-search of Raya Meredith in July 2018 was illegal in a class action being heard in NSW supreme court on behalf of 3,000 alleged victimsPolice officers illegally strip-searched a woman at a Byron Bay music festival, the New South Wales supreme court has heard, subjecting her to a degrading and humiliating" inspection that included being told to remove her tampon while undressed in front of a police officer.NSW police admitted in court documents that its July 2018 strip search of Raya Meredith - which discovered nothing illegal - was unlawful and unjustified, and ignored laws protecting her rights. Continue reading...
Reported delays come as tax office says it is shutting free-to-use online filing service used by some small businessesHM Revenue and Customs has come under fire for taking more than four months to process tax refunds owed to some individuals and businesses that accountants say used to take a maximum of a few weeks.The reported delays coincide with anger over a separate HMRC announcement that it is shutting a free-to-use online filing service used by some small businesses. Continue reading...
Lawyers say evidence file outlines atrocities including torture and rape carried out by the Rapid Support Forces in the country's brutal civil conflictScotland Yard has received a dossier of evidence documenting myriad alleged war crimes committed by a paramilitary group during the conflict in Sudan.Lawyers have submitted a 142-page file of evidence to the war crimes unit of the Metropolitan police containing details of numerous atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Continue reading...
Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates
Event where fashion and politics meet puts editor Anna Wintour, a vocal Democrat supporter, in the spotlightOn Monday night, the party of the year will ask the question: can Vogue keep diversity in fashion in Trump's America?The Met Gala, the knotty point where fashion meets politics, will be in the spotlight. The annual event has become a pop cultural phenomenon by reinventing party dressing as a world of internet-breaking daredevil stunts. Kim Kardashian wearing the dress in which Marilyn Monroe serenaded John F Kennedy, Lady Gaga changing outfits four times in front of the cameras and Katy Perry dressed as a cheeseburger serve the thrills for the social media generation that a James Bond car chase did for their parents. Continue reading...
Inquest into deaths of six victims in April 2024 told Joel Cauchi's father and mother worried about weapons especially if he's going to lose contact with reality'
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