Somerset detectorist strikes gold with ‘spectacular’ Roman ring find

• Families in Gaza living near the Israeli military-controlled "Yellow Line" have reported to the UN that they face constant fear of injury or death. • The UN chief praised the outgoing leadership of the World Food Programme (WFP) for making the agency leaner and more agile in responding to global crises.

• President Jose Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste highlighted the ASEAN bloc as a successful model for regional cooperation during the Shangri-La Dialogue. • He emphasized that the organization's commitment to sustained diplomacy, consensus-building, and practical cooperation is essential for preventing conflict.

• Tehran has suspended negotiations with the United States, citing recent Israeli military actions in Lebanon as the primary reason for the breakdown. • The escalation threatens to reignite direct military exchanges and risks destabilizing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane.

About 800 Mozambicans said to be caught up in violence in Mossel Bay as anti-immigration protests sweep countryFive Mozambique nationals were killed in “xenophobic attacks” in South Africa at the weekend, the Mozambican government said – the first deaths officially linked to protests against illegal immigration sweeping the country.About 800 Mozambican nationals were caught up in violence that broke out in the southern coastal city of Mossel Bay on Friday, a government statement said. Continue reading...

Senate committee also hears Murray Watt needed personal security after sending the union into administrationGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government has paid millions of dollars in personal protection for the administrators of the CFMEU, and had to organise security for minister Murray Watt after he introduced the legislation that placed the union into administration, it has been revealed.Under questioning from Liberal senator Jane Hume in the Senate committee on education and employment legislation, it was revealed that the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has paid millions of dollars to keep the administrators safe. Continue reading...

Senior independent director to handle process again after Albert Manifold’s shock departure last weekBusiness live – latest updatesBP has backed Dame Amanda Blanc to lead its search for a new chair for a second time, shrugging off investor concerns over her role at the oil company after the shock departure of its chair last week.Some shareholders have voiced concerns over Blanc, the senior independent director at the British oil company, running the process again after Albert Manifold’s short stint as chair. Continue reading...

Israeli military says it intercepted missiles from Lebanon this morning while Netanyahu says his forces will continue operating in the south of the countryTrump says Hezbollah and Israel have agreed to ‘stop all shooting’Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the crisis in the Middle East.Donald Trump has hailed an agreement to de-escalate the fighting in Lebanon, which has killed thousands of people and inflamed tensions in the broader US-Israeli war with Iran.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) threatened to open “new fronts” and keep the strait of Hormuz closed over Israel’s offensive in Lebanon, state media reported. “Iran considers crossing the red lines in Lebanon and Gaza to mean direct war,” state TV quoted the IRGC’ intelligence organisation as saying.The ceasefire already in place between Iran and the US is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon, Iran’s top diplomat said yesterday after Netanyahu ordered attacks on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut. “Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation,” foreign minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.US secretary of state Marco Rubio will face questions at Congress today for the first time since the Iran war began. He will testify before House and Senate committees on the state department’s 2027 budget request, where he is expected to face questions about Trump’s war efforts and shifting diplomatic goals.Oil prices jumped and equities slid as Middle East peace talks stumbled and tensions mounted between Iran and the US. Crude futures shot more than 5% higher yesterday as an Iranian news agency announced Tehran had suspended the negotiations with the US via mediators, AFP reported.US forces intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles targeting American forces based in Kuwait late on Sunday, the US military said yesterday. No American personnel were harmed, it added. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: Its software is used from health services to militaries. But controversies and criticism of the $375bn company are leading some to ask if Palantir is too powerfulGood morning. The Peter Mandelson story keeps unfolding. Peter Walker explains here what is in the latest release of documents, and Henry Dyer takes a look at the key papers missing from the latest disclosures. But today we are covering another major story – Palantir.Few companies attract controversy more than Palantir. Since the pandemic, the US data analytics company has grown voraciously, using its AI-driven software to make sense of intractable datasets for customers around the world. For the NHS, it analyses patient records; for the US military, it’s focused on targets in Iran. Palantir’s products are widely used, with the business now worth $375bn.UK politics | Peter Mandelson was receiving sensitive security briefings about the Foreign Office’s work, and was in discussions with the head of MI6, before he had completed the developed vetting process, documents reveal.Ukraine | Russian air raids on major Ukrainian centres including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv killed at least five people and wounded dozens by early morning on Tuesday, authorities said.Environment | More than a million jobs, higher wages, nearly half a trillion pounds in investment in the pipeline – the UK’s green economy is powering ahead, according to research by the country’s leading business organisation.US news | Donald Trump is reconsidering whether to keep pressing for a $1.8bn fund to compensate his allies, a person familiar with his thinking said, as the justice department paused the program to comply with a court order.UK news | Sir Alan Bates has said that the schemes set up to compensate post office operators over the Horizon IT scandal have been an “utter disaster” and that the government should not be involved in running them. Continue reading...

Former frontbencher launches most significant internal criticism of $368bn Aukus deal since ALP national conference in 2023Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia needs a backup plan for the Aukus submarine agreement, Labor MP Ed Husic has warned, arguing sluggish American production and the “transactional nature” of the Trump administration have put the multi-billion-dollar defence deal at risk.The defence minister, Richard Marles, this week agreed to US requests for Australia to accept three second-hand Virginia-class nuclear submarines, rather than a combination of new and old vessels. Continue reading...

Worries over AI and loan debt mean 34% of people think degrees are usually not worth the time and moneyThere was a time when going to university seemed a no-brainer. Better qualifications opened doors to better jobs with greater earning potential.But with the graduate premium shrinking, mounting anger about spiralling student debt and growing fears about AI eating into the graduate jobs market, it is not surprising that attitudes are shifting. Continue reading...

John McFall prepares for mission to Haven-1 space station after UK Space Agency signs deal with US startup VastA British Paralympian and surgeon could become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit after the government signed a deal with a US company that is building a small commercial space station.John McFall, a member of the European Space Agency (Esa) astronaut reserve, was cleared for activities in orbit last year and could take part in a mission to the Haven-1 space station soon after its proposed launch in 2027. Continue reading...