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• Russia launched a series of deadly strikes on Kyiv following a week of repeated warnings and threats from Moscow. • The delayed timing of the attacks appeared designed to inflict a psychological toll on the residents of the Ukrainian capital. • These strikes highlight Russia's ongoing strategy to destabilize Ukraine through both physical destruction and mental warfare.

Proposal for 10-12.5% levies, to also include EU, Taiwan, Canada and Australia, would allow US president to skirt court-imposed limitsDonald Trump has threatened tariffs of between 10% and 12.5% on 60 countries including the UK, EU and Australia over alleged forced labour failures, in the latest attempt to revive his signature trade policy.The EU immediately hit back, saying it expected the US to respect the tariff deal it entered into last July and arguing stealth tariffs breached the spirit of that agreement. Continue reading...

Wetter weather expected to bring surge of slugs out of hiding, just as strawberries experience bumper early crop Entomologists in England are expecting a surge in slugs coming out of hiding to munch the nation’s strawberry plants after weeks of sun followed by wetter weather has caused a bumper crop.The Royal Horticultural Society is bracing for a surge in inquiries from its 625,000 members, who write in with their garden gripes. Workers at the RHS have also noticed a spate of slugs in the charity’s gardens, including Wisley in Surrey.Slugs love a young, vulnerable seedling, so transplant sturdy plantlets grown in pots. These can then be given some protection with cloches.The leaf-munching creatures are excellent for compost heaps as they get rid of dead and decaying matter, helping turn your waste into lovely compost. So why not go out with a torch on a mild evening while the weather is damp, and hand pick slugs into a container? These can then be placed either into a compost heap, where they can feast on all your garden waste, or near less vulnerable plants.Some gardeners do strategic planting, making sure to put plants slugs find delicious near their favourite plants so these are eaten instead.Why not dig a pond to encourage frogs, which will do slug elimination for you without the guilt of setting down poison pellets or drowning them in beer. It’s better for the ecosystem, too.Encourage birds with a bird feeder – especially during spring when the young can be fed with a juicy snail.Raking over soil and removing fallen leaves during winter can allow birds to eat slug eggs that have been exposed. Continue reading...

Powerful winds and rain expected in parts of Japan and Australia, while temperatures in Spain could hit 40CA powerful tropical storm is forecast to track near Okinawa, Japan, on Monday before moving towards the south-east of the country. Typhoon Jangmi (also known as Typhoon No 6) has formed within the monsoonal gyre over the Philippine Sea.A monsoonal gyre is a large, slow-rotating weather system that spawns typhoons through smaller vortices formed within it. This flow can intensify storms. Such typhoons are typically characterised by a broad areas of low pressure and extensive wind fields, often without a distinct eye. Continue reading...

President makes comments after reports Iran and Oman have discussed jointly charging a toll for ships. Plus, how ‘balcony solar’ could help fight rising energy costsGood morning.In a casual aside during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Donald Trump threatened to “blow up” Oman, a US ally, if it failed to “behave” over the reopening the strait of Hormuz.What is the latest on a deal to end the war? Negotiations are continuing but the US earlier this week struck Iranian targets, reportedly killing four members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which prompted an apparent Iranian retaliatory attack on an American airbase in Kuwait.What is happening inside Iran? Internet restrictions were partially lifted this week, revealing increasing anger from Iranians over rapid food price inflation.What is the humanitarian toll of the war? More than 1 million people in Lebanon have been displaced in the latest round of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, which began in March. At least 3,213 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the start of the war, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The office of Israel’s prime minister reported that 23 Israeli soldiers and a defence contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon, and two civilians have been killed in northern Israel.What is life like inside Israel’s “yellow line”? The Guardian’s William Christou, in Kfarchouba, Lebanon, spoke to the villagers living in fear of nightly raids and daytime bombings from the Israeli military occupying their land. Continue reading...

US president calls on US ally to ‘behave … or else we’ll have to blow them up’ in casual aside during cabinet meetingDonald Trump has threatened to “blow up” Oman if it fails to “behave” in a casual aside during a cabinet meeting, as the US scrambles to reopen the strait of Hormuz.The US president made the threat following reports of talks between Iran and Oman about jointly charging a toll for ships passing through the crucial waterway, which has been all but closed since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. Continue reading...

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has urged the United States to evacuate its diplomatic staff from the embassy in Kyiv. • This demand comes as President Vladimir Putin threatens "revenge strikes" against Ukraine, escalating tensions between the two nations. • The move signals a severe breakdown in diplomatic relations and suggests that Russia may be preparing for further military aggression.

• China is launching a global "AI governance" offensive to challenge U.S. tech leadership, utilizing diplomatic efforts at the United Nations and international summits. • Key initiatives include a September 2025 agreement with ASEAN to establish an AI safety network by 2026 and a joint "AI Plus" action plan to increase regional AI adoption. • In July 2025, China further expanded its influence by launching the China-BRICS AI Development and Cooperation Center during the World AI Conference in Shanghai.

Hundreds of firefighters continue to battle the wind-driven fire in the Simi Valley area as at least one home is destroyedMore than 17,000 people were under evacuation orders in southern California on Tuesday as a wildfire threatened suburban homes.The wind-driven Sandy fire was reported Monday in the hills above Simi Valley, about 30 miles (48km) north-west of Los Angeles. Continue reading...

Renewed threat comes after US president said he was ‘an hour away’ from ordering a strike before pulling backMiddle East crisis – live updatesDonald Trump has again threatened Iran, saying the US may launch new attacks if Tehran continues to refuse the significant concessions he wants before a deal can be struck to end the Middle East war.The US president said he had called off a fresh wave of strikes, which would have broken the ceasefire in place since early last month. “I was an hour away from making the decision to go today,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Potential investors fear Andy Burnham could push to bring utility companies into public ownershipA rescue deal for Thames Water is under threat because of a potential change in prime minister, government insiders have said.Ministers are negotiating a takeover deal for the stricken water company with a consortium of creditors led by American investment firm Elliott Management. Continue reading...

Flood warning in place on Gold Coast. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRestricting welfare to citizens not ‘punishing’ but ‘incentivising’, shadow minister saysThe shadow immigration minister, Jonno Duniam, has said Angus Taylor’s budget reply proposal to limit welfare payments only to Australian citizens was not a punishment for permanent residents but to “incentivise that pathway to Australian citizenship”But they’ll still have to wait under the visa system a number of years, in almost all cases, to receive the kinds of welfare benefits that you are talking about.And, in many cases now, under Labor’s current approach, there are wait times between 4 and 10 years for various supports that people may want to take advantage of.We want to ensure that we have houses for them to live in.And can I say – we want to preserve for those who eventually become Australian citizens, which I hope is all of them that want to come here, the services that we provide in this country. Continue reading...

Two campaign groups claim that change to how NHS treatments are approved amounts to ‘unlawful power grab’Campaigners against the UK’s controversial drug pricing deal with Donald Trump are threatening the government with legal action unless it scraps a key element of the plan.They claim that a change to how drug treatments are approved for use by the NHS, which could lead to it paying even higher prices for them, amounts to an “unlawful power grab”. Continue reading...

Trump administration move echoes indictment of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro as fuel crisis racks CubaTensions between Cuba and US seem set to rise further amid reports that Raúl Castro, the country’s 94-year-old former president, may soon face the type of indictment that led to the US abduction of the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, in January.Although Raúl is officially retired, he remains the most potent figure in Cuban politics following the death of his brother Fidel in 2016, and by targeting him Washington appears to be heaping pressure on Cuba’s communist leadership at the end of an already extraordinarily intense week. Continue reading...

Medicare has already paused hospice and home healthcare agency signups as potential fraud is investigatedUS politics live – latest updatesJD Vance has threatened to “turn off” federal funding for government health insurance programs in states that refuse to comply with the Trump administration’s crackdown on suspected fraud.States which fail to “get serious” about fraud would lose Medicaid and Medicare funding, the US vice-president announced on Wednesday, sparking fresh accusations that Trump officials are using unfounded allegations to punish political rivals. Continue reading...

• U.S. stock markets declined Tuesday with the S&P 500 falling 0.9% from record highs as technology stocks weakened and oil prices continued rising amid uncertainty over the Iran conflict. • Benchmark U.S. crude jumped $3.43 to $101.50 per barrel, while Brent crude climbed $3.62 to $107.83 per barrel, as President Trump said the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was on "life support" after rejecting Iran's latest peace proposal. • Brent crude has surged 50% from pre-war levels around $70, contributing to inflation pressures globally and straining U.S. households through higher gasoline and goods prices tied to new tariffs.

According to the Australian National Imams Council, a man entered Masjid Taqwa mosque claiming to have an AK-47 firearm in his vehicleGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s peak Islamic body has condemned growing “anti-Muslim sentiment”, after a man allegedly threatened worshippers at a Brisbane mosque on Sunday, falsely claiming to have a gun.The man is alleged to have attended the Masjid Taqwa in Bald Hills, Brisbane at about 10.46am on Sunday and threatened worshippers who were praying in the mosque. Continue reading...

Revolutionary Guard issue warning as Trump awaits Iran’s response to Washington’s latest proposal for peace dealIran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened to target US sites in the Middle East if its tankers come under fire, Iranian media reported on Saturday, as Washington was left waiting for Tehran’s response to its latest negotiating position.“Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial vessels will result in a heavy attack on one of the American centres in the region and enemy ships,” the force said, a day after US strikes on two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Continue reading...

Alex Jenkinson, 39, from Suffolk is expected to stand trial in July, with the former Duke of York giving evidenceA man has denied threatening Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after reports the former prince was accosted near his Sandringham home earlier this week.Alex Jenkinson, 39, pleaded not guilty at Westminster magistrates court on Friday to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear or provoke unlawful violence against the former duke of York. Continue reading...

Roman Lavrynovych is one of three accused of arson attacks on a vehicle and two houses in London tied to the prime ministerA Ukrainian man has admitted setting fire to a car that once belonged to Keir Starmer for £3,000, after telling a court he had been being threatened by a “powerful” Russian-speaking man using the pseudonym El Money.Roman Lavrynovych, 22, is accused, along with Stanislav Carpiuc and Petro Pochynok, of arson attacks on a vehicle and two houses in north London linked to the prime minister. Continue reading...

• President Trump warned Iran on Wednesday of 'higher level' military strikes if it refuses a peace deal, while deeming direct talks in Pakistan 'too soon' amid reported negotiation progress to end the war. • The U.S. paused the brief Project Freedom mission to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iranian attacks on vessels and U.S. Gulf allies resumed, marking the first in nearly a month. • Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Iran of holding the global economy hostage by threatening ships, laying sea mines, and imposing tolls on the vital waterway, calling the upcoming U.N. resolution a key test.

The launch of ‘Project Freedom’ in the strait of Hormuz has brought the region back to the brink of full-scale war. Plus: The electoral battle for CongressGood morning.Donald Trump has again raised the stakes in the Gulf region with the Monday launch of “Project Freedom” to open a route through the strait of Hormuz. More than 800 ships and roughly 20,000 crew members remain stranded in the region.Have any vessels made it out of the strait? US Central Command (Centcom) said two US-flagged merchant vessels had “successfully transited” the strait, but Iran has denied this claim. Late on Monday, the container shipping company Maersk said the Alliance Fairfax – a US-flagged vehicle carrier – exited the Gulf. Shipping industry experts remain skeptical about whether vessels will be able to travel safely to and from the Gulf under Trump’s plan.This is a developing story. Follow the liveblog here.How will this play into the overall battle for Congress? Red states, including Alabama and Tennessee, are rushing to revise their congressional maps after the original supreme court decision. On Monday, Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, signed a gerrymandered congressional district map into law that gives Republicans an electoral advantage in four additional races in November’s midterm elections.How are Democrats fighting back? Eight candidates have been added to their slate of top contenders vying to reclaim a Democratic House majority in November’s midterm elections.When do voters head to the polls? Ohio voters will today select candidates before November’s midterm elections, including the candidates for Ohio’s Senate special election. Indiana voters also go to the polls today, with seven Republican state senators battling for re-election against candidates backed by Trump. Continue reading...

US launched an operation on Monday in the Gulf, dragging the region back to the brink of full-scale warSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald Trump has threatened that Iran will be “blown off the face of the earth” if it attacks US vessels trying to reopen a route through the strait of Hormuz.The US launched an operation on Monday to help hundreds of ships trapped with their crews in the Gulf, dragging the region back to the brink of full-scale war. Continue reading...

US announced withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers last week after German chancellor said US was being ‘humiliated’ by IranDonald Trump has threatened to withdraw more US troops from Germany after stunning European leaders and some senior members of his own party by last week announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany.The move left 30,000 US troops still in the country, according to CNN. But Trump threatened on Saturday that more cuts were coming. “We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” he told reporters on Saturday. Continue reading...

Wilderness Society says changes undermined intent of national standards intended to reverse decline of plants, animals and ecosystemsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGreen groups have accused the Albanese government of watering down a proposal to protect threatened species and ecosystems.National environmental standards were the key plank of reforms to Australia’s nature laws, passed by the parliament in November. Continue reading...

US president says European countries are ‘absolutely horrible’ to refuse to support operations in strait of Hormuz Europe live – latest updatesDonald Trump has threatened to withdraw US troops from Italy and Spain a day after saying he was looking at reducing the number deployed in Germany.The US president’s threat to Germany came after the country’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said America was being “humiliated” by Iran. Continue reading...

The US president said he would carry out of a review of US military presence in Europe after public criticism of the US-Israeli war on IranItaly and Spain have joined a growing list of countries that US president Donald Trump is threatening with pulling US troops from as part of a broader review of the US military presence in Europe.Responding to a question from a reporter, Trump said he would “probably” consider such a move, linking it to the two countries’ criticism of the US campaign in Iran.“Look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.” Continue reading...

• Ex-FBI Director James Comey surrendered to authorities and appeared in court on April 29, 2026, facing DOJ charges for allegedly threatening President Trump's life via a seashell social media post. • Prosecutors claim the post symbolized a threat, leading to swift federal action amid heightened political tensions. • The case underscores escalating rhetoric between Trump allies and former officials, potentially influencing 2026 midterm dynamics.