Articles about Calls

Social mobility groups say post-16 funding gap risks young people falling out of education, work and trainingA coalition of 14 social mobility organisations is urging the government to fund a “student premium” to support disadvantaged young people post-16 and prevent them from “falling through the cracks” into joblessness.State-funded schools in England currently receive additional pupil premium funding to support children from low-income backgrounds, who are eligible for free school meals. Continue reading...

Mining magnate also claims children are being taught to be ashamed of the Australian flag in a speech to 4,000 people on the Sydney Opera House stepsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, called for immigrants’ social media to be screened and said children are being taught to be ashamed of the Australian flag in untelevised remarks before an Anzac memorial service on the steps of Sydney Opera House on Friday.Rinehart’s public appearance was attended by about 4,000 people and sponsored by her company, Hancock Prospecting, and RSL New South Wales. Continue reading...

• Following an incident at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner where shots were fired, President Trump called for national unity and extended overtures to the press corps he had previously criticized as enemies of the people. • The shooting occurred at the Washington Hilton, a venue that has hosted the black-tie event for over 50 years, with suspect Cole Thomas Allen, 31, from Torrance, California, taken into custody. • Trump appeared calm following his evacuation and held a press briefing expressing dismay at the violent disruption, signaling a temporary thaw in his combative relationship with the mainstream media.

• Turkey has recalled its ambassador from Greece in protest over new Greek legislation claiming expanded maritime boundaries in the Aegean Sea, escalating long-standing territorial tensions. • The Greek parliament passed the law Friday with support from NATO allies; Turkey's Foreign Ministry condemned the move as an "aggressive provocation" and violation of international law. • NATO has called for dialogue between the two member states; US State Department officials expressed concern about rising tensions within the alliance.

• The Israeli Defense Forces conducted sustained airstrikes across Gaza Friday night, striking targets in Khan Younis and Rafah; Palestinian health authorities reported 34 deaths and 89 injured, though casualty figures remain disputed. • The UN Security Council's humanitarian affairs office announced plans for an emergency session Monday to address escalating civilian casualties and requested immediate access for international inspection teams to assess damage. • Aid organizations warned that the latest military operations have severed critical supply routes, leaving approximately 1.2 million Palestinians facing acute food shortages and limited access to medical facilities.

Green party leader accuses Keir Starmer of ‘silly games’ in accusing his party of playing down hate crimesZack Polanski has called on politicians to treat antisemitism with “consideration, care and nuance” as he accused Keir Starmer of trying to play political games with the issue.The Green leader’s comments come after the prime minister accused him of playing down recent antisemitic incidents. Polanski’s party is facing increasing scrutiny for recent comments by some candidates and members. Continue reading...

Karl Turner, who lost Labour whip after criticising PM, calls for privileges committee to examine if Starmer misled parliamentUK politics live – latest updatesA former Labour MP has joined opposition parties calling for Keir Starmer to face a Commons committee to examine whether the prime minister misled parliament as the government’s crisis surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington continues.Karl Turner, who lost the Labour whip last month after making a series of interventions criticising Starmer and No 10, has written to the speaker of the Commons urging him to refer Starmer to the privileges committee, the same body that found Boris Johnson had lied in the Commons over the lockdown parties scandal. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Retired NHS worker Nicholas Stone, 65, died after becoming unwell at protest against far-right group Bristol PatriotsThe daughter of a retired NHS worker is calling for a full and independent investigation into the death of her father after it emerged he died after police contact at a protest against the far right.Nicholas Stone, 65, who lived in Bristol, died on 10 January after becoming unwell at a protest opposing the rightwing group Bristol Patriots, who were staging a demonstration in the city centre. Continue reading...

One insider estimates Australians pay A$10 in fees per ticket, with fans bearing the burden of monopolised music tour schedules and inflated artist valuesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia is being urged to improve ticketing transparency after a US federal court found Live Nation Entertainment had a harmful monopoly over big concert venues.This week, a New York jury found the global entertainment giant and its subsidiary Ticketmaster liable for systematically stifling competition to extract excessive profits from concertgoers. The jury identified a baseline overcharge of US$1.72 for every ticket sold by Live Nation since 2010 – totalling an additional US$595m in 2025 alone. Continue reading...

António Guterres welcomes truce and says through spokesperson he hopes halt in fighting will ‘pave the way for negotiations’Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.United Nations chief António Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire announced on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon, urging “all actors” to fully respect the truce.A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has come into effect, pausing fighting in a devastating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that has killed more than 2,100 Lebanese people and displaced more than 2.1 million. The agreement was announced earlier by Donald Trump, who said he had spoken with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese president Joseph Aoun, and invited both leaders “for meaningful talks” at the White House. Both leaders welcomed the agreement. But how long the ceasefire will hold is the key question, as both Israel and Hezbollah have maintained their right to defend themselves if the truce is broken. Here’s our report.Netanyahu called it a “historic” opportunity for peace, though he refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting. “We are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,” he said, due to the “danger of an invasion” and to prevent fire into Israel. “That is where we are, and we are not leaving.” The Israeli prime minister maintained that his key demand was dismantling Hezbollah. He has previously declared his intention to occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River – about 30km from the border – while Lebanon demands the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and for displaced residents to be able to return to their homes.Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei welcomed the ceasefire and stressed it was already part of the original Iran-US agreement brokered by Pakistan. Baghaei said Iran emphasised “from the outset” the need for a “simultaneous ceasefire throughout the region, including Lebanon”, and expressed his “solidarity” with the people and government of Lebanon. He called for the return of displaced residents to their homes and emphasised the necessity of the “complete withdrawal” of Israeli forces from the south of the country – which, as mentioned, Israel has refused to do.The Lebanese army urged residents to “exercise restraint” in returning to their villages and towns in southern Lebanon ahead of the ceasefire coming into effect. The army added that even then residents should avoid areas that remain occupied by Israeli forces. It was followed by a similar statement issued by Hezbollah, urging caution amid Israel’s history of “breaking covenants and agreements”.The Israeli military issued an urgent warning to the people of southern Lebanon not to return south of the Litani River despite the ceasefire coming into force.In the hours before the truce took effect, Israel and Hezbollah continued to exchange fire. Just as the ceasefire came into force, the Israeli military said it had hit more than 380 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the past 24 hours, including rocket launchers, headquarters and Hezbollah members themselves. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes on Lebanese towns and villages killed dozens of people, including an attack on the town of Ghazieh which killed at least seven people and wounded 33, the health ministry said on Thursday. Continue reading...

Campaigners organise open letter to director demanding ‘fair day’s wage’ for all workers at V&A museumsA row over pay has broken out at the V&A before the opening of its newest site , with thousands of people calling for it to become a living wage employer.On Saturday, V&A East will open its doors in Stratford, east London, showcasing stunning fabrics, photos and black British music. It joins a wider group of V&A museums including its original site in South Kensington, Young V&A in Bethnal Green and V&A Dundee. The V&A describes its latest opening as one of the most significant new museum projects in the UK. Continue reading...

Leader of Tories criticises Farage after he says holding another independence vote ‘probably quite reasonable’Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party, has accused Nigel Farage of being an opportunist who does not believe in unionism after he urged Scottish nationalists to back Reform.Farage said earlier this week he believed in “genuine nationalists” who do not support the Scottish National party’s bid to rejoin the EU, and urged them to vote Reform in the Holyrood election on 7 May. Continue reading...

Sarah Mullally urges Anglicans to join Leo’s ‘courageous’ call and says human cost of war is incalculableThe archbishop of Canterbury has said she is standing in solidarity with Pope Leo XIV’s calls for peace amid his public feud with Donald Trump.Days after the US president objected to comments from the head of the Catholic church suggesting a “delusion of omnipotence” was fuelling the US-Israeli war in Iran, Sarah Mullally urged Anglicans to join Leo’s “courageous” call. Continue reading...

Eluned Morgan says US under Donald Trump is ‘not partner it once was’ with Iran threats and ‘contempt’ towards UKWales’s first minister has called on Keir Starmer to suspend a big joint defence project with the US, saying that under Donald Trump the country is “not the partner it once was”.In a statement on Wednesday, Labour’s Eluned Morgan cited the US president’s “contempt” towards the UK and his threat to “annihilate” Iran as reasons to halt the development of the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (Darc) programme in Pembrokeshire, part of the Aukus defence partnership between the UK, US and Australia. Continue reading...

Decision to seek contact ban orders for people who repeatedly call about non-criminal matters is believed to be UK firstPeople who call with complaints about their neighbours could face a contact ban for wasting police resources, a police force has said.In a social media post on the weekend, North Wales police (NWP) said they had responded to four antisocial behaviour callouts in 24 hours for disputes such as “neighbours who don’t put their bins away or kids playing in the garden making too much noise during the day”. Continue reading...

Anas Sarwar says there have been ‘no stitch-ups, no deals, no backroom chats, no back-channel contact with Reform’UK politics live – latest updatesAnas Sarwar has dismissed as “a desperate lie from a desperate man” a claim by Reform UK’s Scotland leader, Malcolm Offord, that he offered to do a deal with the hard-right party to keep the Scottish National party out of power.Offord made the claim on Channel 4’s Scottish leaders’ debate on Tuesday evening, alleging the Scottish Labour leader came “bouncing up” to him at an event in December last year, suggesting they “work together to remove the SNP”. Continue reading...

Burke says Taylor chasing votes lost to One Nation while cricket great urges opposition to admit policy would discriminate against MuslimsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAngus Taylor’s plans to favour immigration from liberal democracies would fundamentally change the character of the nation, Labor has warned, challenging the Coalition to explain where existing deportation powers are insufficient.Home affairs minister Tony Burke lashed Taylor’s new hardline policy, which was unveiled on Tuesday, accusing the Coalition of chasing voters who are moving to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. Continue reading...

Flamengo footballer previously accused pop star’s security of aggressive behavior to his 11-year-old stepdaughterThe Chappell Roan security incident raises a bigger question: what do celebrities owe their fans?The Flamengo footballer Jorginho has clarified his comments on last month’s incident between his 11-year-old stepdaughter and a security guard in Brazil, calling his previous claims against Chappell Roan “a misunderstanding”.“I made my initial statement in the heat of the moment, after hearing that my child and wife had been approached by an adult male security guard in an intimidating way,” Jorginho wrote on Instagram. “I reacted as any father would. My priority is, and always will be, protecting my family, and that is exactly what I did.” Continue reading...

Australian prime minister says it’s ‘disappointing’ that there was no resolution on freedom of movement during weekend’s talksFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese says peace negotiations to end the growing Middle East war should resume quickly, as Australia called for the full reopening of the strait of Hormuz and free navigation for all countries.Hours after the US president, Donald Trump, said he would institute an American blockade of the strategic waterway from Tuesday morning, Australian time, Albanese urged Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations in Pakistan. Continue reading...

John Brennan says president who made volatile remarks about destroying Iranian civilization ‘is clearly unhinged’The former Central Intelligence Agency director John Brennan has added his name to growing calls for the president to be ousted on grounds that he is unfit for the job, arguing that the US constitution’s 25th amendment addressing involuntary removal from office was “written with Donald Trump in mind”.Brennan, who served as head of the spy agency during Barack Obama’s presidency, told MS Now on Saturday that Trump’s recent volatile remarks about destroying Iranian civilization and the danger he posed to so many lives merited his removal from the Oval Office. Continue reading...

Australia’s foreign affairs minister says priority ‘must be to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has urged the US and Iran to continue the ceasefire and return to negotiations quickly, after peace talks failed to secure a deal or the re-opening of the strait of Hormuz.Historic face-to-face meetings in Pakistan – marking the highest-level of direct engagement between Washington and Tehran in decades – seemingly broke down after a marathon 21-hour first day of talks. Continue reading...

Joe Bennett says ceasefire presents ‘very opportune moment’ to raise case of his parents, Lindsay and Craig ForemanMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe son of a British couple detained in Tehran on espionage charges has called on Keir Starmer to prioritise their case in the “very opportune moment” of a ceasefire in the Iran conflict.Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were arrested while on a five-day trip across Iran in January last year and have been held in Evin prison for 15 months. Continue reading...

White House says only person committing war crimes is actor ‘for his awful movies and terrible acting ability’The long-running war of words between the George Clooney and the White House has ignited again after the Oscar-winning actor criticised Donald Trump’s threat to Iran that “a whole civilization will die tonight”.On Wednesday, in a speech to 3,000 high school students in Cuneo, Italy, Clooney said the US president had committed a war crime with his threat. Continue reading...

Over 70 Democratic lawmakers are calling for amendment to be invoked to remove Trump from office amid warDemocratic party leaders have vowed to renew the effort to curb Donald Trump’s war in Iran next week after several days of escalating tactics that culminated in a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday evening.In recent months, several war powers resolutions have failed in Congress after a handful of Democrats continued to vote alongside Republicans. But Trump’s aggressive overtures this week – including a Truth Social post that said “a whole civilization” could be wiped out if Iran didn’t agree to demands, have pushed some to act. Continue reading...

Markwayne Mullin visits Asheville to survey Hurricane Helene recovery in first big trip since Kristi Noem’s ousterMarkwayne Mullin, the US homeland security secretary, used a visit to Asheville, North Carolina to call for a fundamental shift in the role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), arguing that states and local governments – not the federal agency – should lead disaster response.“We shouldn’t look at Fema as being a first responder, but look at Fema as supporting the first responders you already have,” Mullin told reporters at a roundtable discussion. Continue reading...

President Masoud Pezeshkian says 14m people ‘declared their readiness to sacrifice their lives’ for defence of IranMiddle East crisis – live updatesIranians officials called on young people to form human chains around the country’s power plants and people in Tehran stocked up on basic provisions, as the clock ticked down on Donald Trump’s deadline to open the strait of Hormuz or face massive strikes on civilian infrastructure.Iranian media showed people gathering outside electricity stations, waving Iranian flags and holding up banners, including at the country’s largest power plant, near Tehran, and in Tabriz in the north-west. In Dezful in the south-west, people gathered on a bridge said to be 1,700 years old. Continue reading...

State-funded savings accounts set up for children at birth going unclaimed, with £1.5bn estimated to be sat in bank accountsAs Elle Middlemas approached her 18th birthday, she began wondering if she had a child trust fund, a government savings account given to all children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, that can be accessed as soon as they officially hit adulthood.She quickly hit a dead end. She wasn’t sure if she was even owed the money and could find no information online. An email to HMRC seeking clarity led her nowhere. Continue reading...