World news | The Guardian

Pair will be absent for short period' from vocational trainer, whose charity is under investigation by Charity CommissionThe two most senior executives at City & Guilds have been put on leave shortly after a scandal over millions of pounds of bonuses triggered a Charity Commission investigation into the vocational training body.The chief executive, Kirstie Donnelly, and the chief financial officer, Abid Ismail, will be absent from work for a short period", as its new owner, PeopleCert, commissioned an internal investigation into events before and after its acquisition of City & Guilds' training and qualifications business. Continue reading...

US president also calls for return of final Israeli captive's remains from group, which has refused to give up weaponsDonald Trump has issued a fresh ultimatum to Hamas, adding to calls for the group's disarmament as the second phase of the US-brokered ceasefire with Israel begins, even as key elements of the first phase remain unfulfilled.In a late-night post on social media on Thursday, Trump vowed to push for what he described as the comprehensive" demilitarisation of Hamas, warning of severe consequences should the group refuse to comply. He also demanded the return of the remains of the final Israeli captive still believed to be held by the group, sharpening tensions at a fragile moment in the truce process. Continue reading...

Trend of mini-me dressing - wearing same clothes as one's children - has extended to four-legged friendsBeyonce and Kim Kardashian are some of the many who have long indulged in mini-me dressing - wearing the same clothes as their children - but now the trend is being extended to people's four-legged companions, too. The dog clothing market is soaring and this winter it is coats that are topping the most in-demand list.Bestsellers at Pawelier, a London-based luxury pet accessories shop include a 135 four-leg puffer coat complete with a fuzzy hood and toggle detailing, and a 110 reversible down-filled jumpsuit in cornflower blue and cappuccino brown that wouldn't look out of place on a designer catwalk. The Italian greyhounds and whippets pictured bundled up in them appear to be prepped for an Alpine adventure rather than a lap around the park. Continue reading...

Russian attacks on Ukraine's power plants as severe frost set in have been described as crimes against humanity'Outside the main pumping station for Bucha, three engineers, bundled up in parkas, are working on the emergency generator keeping the Ukrainian city supplied with water.One holds a heat gun to the generator's filter in an effort to unfreeze it, his face reddened by blowing snow and a daytime temperature of -12C (10.4F). Watching attentively is the city's mayor, Anatolii Fedoruk. The generator in his office is also frozen when the Guardian visits and he apologises for the lack of coffee. Continue reading...

Some supporters are concerned about the number of Conservatives being welcomed by their party, and fear it could alienate votersIf Reform UK was officially celebrating Robert Jenrick's defection to Nigel Farage's party, the reaction of the rank-and-file was an altogether more complicated one - ranging from jubilation to despair that yet another Tory was coming onboard.Enough already! Reform uk please take note, you are going to lose members and voters if you don't cap this craziness ... We don't want a Tory party Pt II," was the early response from James Scott, one of a number of members expressing their unhappiness on one of the largest private Reform Facebook groups. Continue reading...

Yoon Suk Yeol's conviction for obstructing own arrest separate from main trial that could lead to death penaltyA South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison for mobilising presidential security forces to block his own arrest and abusing his powers. It is the first judicial ruling linked to the events surrounding his failed martial law declaration in December 2024.The ruling is separate from Yoon's main insurrection trial, where prosecutors earlier this week sought the death penalty and a verdict is due next month. Continue reading...

The incident at Gunnedah near Tamworth is the third fatality involving police in the state this year

Jafar Panahi, director of Palme d'Or winner It Was Just an Accident, says Iranian leaders want to destroy countryThe Khamenei regime will not be able to maintain control over Iranian society after the violent suppression of the latest wave of protests, one of the country's leading film-makers has predicted.It is impossible for this government to sustain itself in this situation," the director Jafar Panahi told the Guardian. They know it too. They know that it will be impossible to rule over people. Perhaps their only goal right now is to bring the country to the verge of complete collapse and try to destroy it." Continue reading...

Women allege Spanish singer subjected them to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation ... in atmosphere of control'The Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has broken his silence over allegations that he sexually abused two women who worked in his Caribbean mansions, saying he has never abused, coerced or disrespected any woman".The 82-year-old entertainer, whose career spans six decades, had been accused by two female former employees who allege they had been sexually assaulted and subjected to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation ... in an atmosphere of control and constant harassment". Continue reading...

Italy's Giorgia Meloni and France's Marine Le Pen among figures showing support for Hungary's prime ministerRightwing leaders from around the world have come together to endorse Hungary's Viktor Orban, hinting at the symbolism that the country's elections hold for global far-right movements even as the populist leader lags in the polls.A campaign video published online by Orban this week includes endorsements from nearly a dozen leaders including Italy's Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini, France's Marine Le Pen and Germany's Alice Weidel. Continue reading...

Relative calm in Tehran and authorities say they have no plan to execute protesters but internet shutdown continuesIran's nationwide protest movement appeared to have slowed on Thursday under the weight of a brutal crackdown by authorities that has left thousands dead and put tens of thousands in prison.In Tehran, Iranians reported relative calm on the streets as the sound of gunfire faded and fires were extinguished - a marked contrast from the weeks before when large crowds confronted security forces. Continue reading...

Lesbos court clears aid workers of people smuggling, a move Human Rights Watch called a vindication of their lifesaving activities at seaTwo dozen aid workers, who had faced up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of smuggling migrants into Greece, have been acquitted by a court on Lesbos.The verdict was met with cheers, tears and cries of jubilation as the presiding judge announced the words that would end a seven-year legal ordeal for the humanitarians. All 24 had engaged in rescue work on the Aegean island at the height of the refugee crisis. Continue reading...

Ashley St Clair files lawsuit in state of New York over deepfakes that appeared on social media platform XThe mother of one of Elon Musk's children is suing his company - alleging explicit images were generated of her by his Grok AI tool, including one in which she was underage.Ashley St Clair has filed a lawsuit with the supreme court of the state of New York against xAI, alleging that Grok, which is used on the social media platform X, promised to stop generating explicit images but continued to do so. Continue reading...

Former shadow justice secretary turns fire on Tories and Labour as he joins Nigel Farage's party

Former shadow justice secretary shares stage with Nigel Farage in wake of being summarily sacked by Tory leader

FoIs show integrated care boards are curbing assessments but have not told GPs or patients who face long waitsThe NHS is restricting people's ability to be assessed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in order to save money but not telling GPs or patients, despite soaring demand for the service.More than half of the NHS's 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) in England have imposed limits on how many people can be assessed for ADHD during 2025-26, freedom of information responses show. Continue reading...

Artist and beekeeper who highlights eco crisis plans to spend 40,000 award on building cultural centre in PeruAn artist and beekeeper from a remote corner of the Andes has won one of the UK's most prestigious contemporary arts awards and plans to spend the 40,000 prize on building a cultural centre in the Peruvian mountains.Antonio Paucar was declared the winner of the biennial Artes Mundi prize after presenting work ranging from a spiral made of alpaca wool to a video of him writing a poem - in his own blood - about the environmental crisis facing his region as he sits at a table high in the mountains. Continue reading...

Even Nigel Farage looked taken aback by the news Honest Bob was about to join his flock, but he quickly saw the upside

Defection of former Tory minister to Reform is another twist in ambitious politician's career

Iconic performers' will visit 10 European cities, as event reels from boycott over Israel's 2026 participationThe Eurovision song contest will go on its first-ever tour to celebrate its 70th anniversary, its organiser has said, as it reels from a boycott due to Israel's participation.Five countries have pulled out of the contest over Israel's war in Gaza, leaving 35 to participate in the world's biggest live televised music event - the fewest since entry was expanded in 2004. Continue reading...

As has been the case with past Tory defections to Reform, there is a trove of social media snipes to embarrass the new stablemates

Visit by Damien Egan, Labour Friends of Israel vice-chair, was called off after opposition from pro-Palestine group and unionOfsted has launched a snap inspection of Bristol Brunel academy, the secondary school criticised for cancelling a visit by a local MP who is vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel.Inspectors arrived at the school on Thursday morning after revelations that its leaders had called off a visit by Damien Egan, the Labour MP for Bristol North East, after opposition from a pro-Palestine group and members of staff belonging to the National Education Union. Continue reading...

Their cause drew global attention and they influenced a 2bn defence contract decision but some key demands were not met

Record 3.5 million visited in 2025 and plans are afoot to ensure gallery does not become overburdened like LouvreThe head of the Prado has said the Madrid art museum does not need a single visitor more" after it welcomed a record 3.5 million people last year, adding that plans are being drawn up to ensure it does not become a victim of its own success like the Louvre in Paris.In 2025 the Prado, which is home to such masterpieces as Velazquez's Las Meninas and Hieronymus Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights, was visited by 3,513,402 people, an increase of more than 56,000 from the previous year. Visitor numbers have risen by more than 816,000 over the past decade. Continue reading...

Health department unexpectedly announced nearly $2bn in program cuts Tuesday before rolling back decisionUS health officials reversed course and began reinstating nearly $2bn in cuts to mental health and substance use programs on Wednesday night, one day after they unexpectedly announced the immediate shutdown of programs.The reversal is a blow to the agenda of Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, who has made aggressive and legally contested cuts to health agencies in the first year of the Trump administration and has proposed folding the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (Samhsa) into a new agency he would call the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA). Continue reading...

Providers and doctors say lack of access to contraception another reason for the 11% rise in procedures in 2023The rising cost of living and a lack of access to contraception have driven another rise in abortion rates in England and Wales, providers and doctors said.Government statistics released on Thursday showed that abortions increased by 11% in 2023 compared with the previous year. Continue reading...

Activist, who promotes conspiracy theories and anti-immigration rhetoric online, says her ETA has been revokedA Dutch anti-immigration influencer who has promoted conspiracy theories such as the great replacement" says she has been banned from the UK.Eva Vlaardingerbroek posted an image online of what appeared to be a notification from the British government that her UK electronic travel authorisation (ETA) had been cancelled on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Experts at the Mauritshuis in The Hague believe Paulus Potter toned down The Bull to respect 17th-century sensibilitiesThe Bull by Paulus Potter is one of the star paintings at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, a bucolic image of animals and a farmer.But new research suggests the painting has unexpected hidden depths: conservators restoring the artwork say the bull's testicles were originally much larger, and appeared to have been halved in size by the artist to respect 17th-century sensibilities. Continue reading...

Mayor urges calm as protesters gather at the scene as city continues to reel in aftermath of Renee Nicole Good's killing. Plus, how Adam Tooze makes sense of our bewildering ageGood morning.A federal officer shot a man in the leg during an enforcement operation in north Minneapolis, sparking protests in a city still on edge after the killing of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent last week.What did the Minneapolis mayor say? I've seen conduct from ICE that is disgusting and intolerable," Jacob Frey said. But he urged protesters to go home. We cannot counter Donald Trump's chaos with more chaos ... Anyone who is taking the bait tonight, stop. You are not helping the undocumented immigrants in our city."What had Trump say he was going to do? Trump had repeatedly talked in recent days about coming to the help of the Iranian people, saying the US was locked and loaded" if Iran started to shoot at the protesters. Continue reading...

Key maps show the growing strategic importance of Greenland as Arctic ice melts under global heatingLying between the US and Russia, Greenland has become a critical frontline as the Arctic opens up because of global heating.Its importance has been underscored by Donald Trump openly considering the US taking the island from its Nato partner Denmark, either by buying it, or by force. Continue reading...

Officials ask at least 43 states for sensitive details as critics fear effort to sow doubt about midterm election resultsThe justice department is undertaking an unprecedented effort to collect sensitive voter information about tens of millions of Americans, a push that relies on thin legal reasoning and which could be aimed at sowing doubt about the midterm election results this year.The department has asked at least 43 states for their comprehensive information on voters, including the last four digits of their social security numbers, full dates of birth and addresses, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Eight states have voluntarily turned over the information, according to the Brennan Center, and the department has sued 23 states and the District of Columbia for the information. Continue reading...

US president says he has been assured by Tehran there's no plan for executions' of protesters

Supply failures dramatic example of how climate crisis threatens basic human need - and with it political stability

The ACCC recalls Dr Schwartz Hand Sanitiser after it was identified as containing a high concentration of methanol

Claim comes after former festival board member Tony Berg accused Louise Adler and Randa Abdel-Fattah of hypocrisy' in their accusations of repressing freedom of speech

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Opposition leader says government took a month to deliver this bad bill' as Labor criticises Liberal hypocrisy' on proposed hate laws

Prime minister wants cabinet ministers to move on from policies that have tanked with votersBefore the 2015 UK election, the Australian political expert Lynton Crosby devised a strategy for the Tories that became known as scraping the barnacles off the boat" - shedding unpopular policies that hindered the party's electoral appeal.Instead, the party focused on core issues it believed would help win over floating voters: the economy, welfare, the strength of David Cameron (and weakness of Ed Miliband) and immigration. Everything else was deprioritised and the Conservatives stuck to their messages rigidly. It worked. Continue reading...

Apology comes as former Adelaide festival board member accuses Louise Adler of hypocrisy after she resigned citing free speech concerns

Shabana Mahmood has lost confidence in Craig Guildford over his force's exaggerated and untrue' intelligence assessments

Talks fail to solve fundamental disagreement' over Arctic island controlled by CopenhagenDonald Trump reiterated on Wednesday that the US needs Greenland and that Denmark cannot be relied upon to protect the island, even as he said that something will work out" with respect to the future governance of the Danish overseas territory.The remarks, which came after a high-stakes meeting between US, Danish and Greenlandic officials, indicates that there are still fundamental differences between how Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk see the political future of the island. Continue reading...

Four more who had paused their strikes choose not to continue after government opts against giving contract to Elbit Systems UKThree Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners have announced the end of their hunger strike after the government decided not to award a 2bn contract to the Israeli arms company subsidiary Elbit Systems UK - with another four who had paused their protest choosing not to continue.Fears had been growing for the welfare of those taking part. On Wednesday, Heba Muraisi, 31, would have been on day 73 of refusing food, the same number of days as reached by the Irish republican hunger striker Kieran Doherty, who survived the longest of 10 men who died in a 1981 action. The earliest death among the Irish republicans was after 46 days, raising fears about the risk to life of the prisoners in jail awaiting trial for offences relating to protests claimed by Palestine Action. Continue reading...

Lars Lokke Rasmussen acknowledges new security situation' in the Arctic but says US control is not the answer after brief meeting in WashingtonThis liveblog is now closed

Exclusive: Artist reminisces about his life in film using interviews recorded in last four years of his lifeFifteen years ago, Sir Ian McKellen was among the leading arts figures who criticised the Tate for not showing its collection of paintings by LS Lowry in its London galleries and questioned whether the matchstick men painter" had been sidelined as too northern and provincial.Now, 50 years after Lowry's death, McKellen is to star in a BBC documentary that will reveal a trove of previously unheard audio tapes recorded with Lowry in the 1970s during his final four years of life. Continue reading...

Failure to foresee fall of shah in 1979 was collective disaster for western diplomacy, but academic experts see little indication of mass defections nowWhen asked to predict whether fissures were appearing at the top of the multilayered Iranian state that may imply Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's days in power were finally ending, western diplomats adopt a haunted demeanour, perhaps recalling of one of western diplomacy's greatest collective disasters.Before the fall of the shah in January 1979, insouciant diplomats based in Tehran were sending cables to their capitals offering total reassurance that Mohammad Reza Pavlahi's hold on power was utterly secure. In September 1978, the US Defence Intelligence Agency, for instance, reported that the shah is expected to remain actively in power over the next 10 years". A state department report suggested the Shah would not have to stand down until 1985 at the earliest". Continue reading...

Human Rights Watch says attorney general has power to facilitate immediate bail, one of activists' key demandsHuman Rights Watch has written to the attorney general saying ministers' claims that they cannot intervene in the hunger strike by Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners is not fully true".One of the demands by those refusing food is for immediate bail and the NGO says Richard Hermer, the government's most senior law officer, could facilitate this by instructing prosecutors not to oppose their bail applications, although the government denied this. Continue reading...

Serious Fraud Office mounts seven raids on sites linked to Home Reit which raised 850m to tackle homelessness

Sam Levinson's hit HBO drama series returns in April with Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney and Jacob Elordi returningThe first trailer for the third season of Euphoria promises more sex, drugs and violence, teasing a troubled life after high school for the show's characters.Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer and Jacob Elordi are among those returning for episodes four years in the making. The new season will take place five years after the characters were last seen. Continue reading...