Spy tech firm says itâs just âa software companyâ amid pressure for a ban on new contracts with government agenciesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJust weeks after it implied some cultures are inferior to others in a manifesto described by one UK MP as the âramblings of a supervillainâ, the US spy tech company Palantir says it is just âa software companyâ amid calls for Australian government agencies to ban any new contracts with the controversial company.In Australia, state and federal contracts with Palantir have reached nearly $80m, and federal investment in the company is reportedly more than $160m. Continue reading...
The prime minister also accused anyone marching alongside Hamas supporters of âvenerating the murder of JewsâGolders Green attack â latest updatesKeir Starmer has called on people to âopen their eyes to Jewish painâ in the wake of the Golders Green terror attack, and accused anyone marching alongside supporters of Hamas of âvenerating the murder of Jewsâ.The prime minister made his strongest ever remarks on antisemitism after visiting the area of the attacks for a meeting with emergency workers and community leaders. Continue reading...
Electoral Commission is investigating claims money given to MP came from US businessman now convicted of wire fraudUK politics live â latest updatesLabour has called on Robert Jenrick to give up almost ÂŁ40,000 donated to his campaign to be Conservative leader in 2024 following allegations that the sum came from an impermissible foreign donor now convicted of fraud.The party called for Jenrick to make a donation to charity after the Guardian revealed the Electoral Commission has been investigating claims that ÂŁ37,500 out of ÂŁ100,000 given to his campaign by a UK company Spott Fitness ultimately came from a company run by a US-based businessman, Gary Klopfenstein. Continue reading...
Winston Marshall, former member of Mumford & Sons, says those crossing are âeconomic migrantsâ not refugeesThe son of the Spectator owner, Paul Marshall, has said Britain should construct a mine-laden âfloating wallâ as a radical measure to stop Channel crossings.Winston Marshall, a former member of the band Mumford & Sons who is now establishing himself as a rightwing online influencer, said that while the idea âmight sound ridiculousâ, it should be explored because previous attempts to stop the crossings had failed. Continue reading...
Interim report contains 14 recommendations, after inquiry examined agenciesâ actions before the attack in which 15 people were killedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSydneyâs Jewish community told police of a âhighâ threat of an attack at Decemberâs Chanukah by the Sea festival at Bondi beach, but NSW police appeared not to have completed a comprehensive risk assessment for the event, an interim royal commission report has found.The interim report of the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, established in the wake of Decemberâs terror attack, found no gap in current laws that could have prevented the shooting. But it did call for greater better coordination of policing at Jewish festivals and events. Continue reading...
Human rights commissioner says alleged jailing highlights the âgrowing risks of transnational repressionâ in AustraliaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustraliaâs human rights commissioner has said the Chinese student who was allegedly jailed for six years by Chinese authorities for joining protests in Sydney underscores the âvery real and growing risks of transnational repression affecting people in Australia â including international studentsâ.Commissioner Lorraine Finlay told Guardian Australia that while she couldnât comment on the circumstances of individual cases, âno one should fear punishment abroad for exercising their lawful rights to free expression and peaceful protest hereâ. Continue reading...
Fed officials cite elevated inflation, slow job growth and uncertainty in Middle East as reasons for holding ratesSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxThe US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged after its latest board meeting, defying once again Donald Trumpâs call for a cut as the central bank prepares for a leadership shake-up next month.On Wednesday, Fed officials continued to cite elevated inflation, slow job growth and uncertainty in the Middle East as reasons why rates were left untouched. Continue reading...
Soaring oil prices and the blockade are preventing food, fuel and medicine being delivered to millions of people in desperate need, say NGOsThe volatility of global oil prices caused by the US and Israelâs war on Iran is taking a toll on the most vulnerable people, by slowing or blocking food and medical aid from reaching them.Now aid organisations are calling for a âhumanitarian corridorâ to be opened through the strait of Hormuz amid rocketing transportation costs. Continue reading...
Vote goes PMâs way but he faces anger from his own MPs who accuse him of creating perception of âcover-upâUK politics live â latest updatesKeir Starmer saw off an opposition bid to refer him to a standards committee over Peter Mandelsonâs appointment after Downing Street deployed its full weight to force Labour MPs to shore up the prime minister.However, the Labour leader bore the brunt of anger from some of his own backbenchers who accused him of creating a situation where they would be perceieved as being complicit in âa cover-up.â Continue reading...
Hinckley says âbad things keep happeningâ at Washington Hilton and it was ânot a secure place to hold big eventsâUS politics live â latest updatesThe man who shot Ronald Reagan at the Washington Hilton in 1981 has said it was âspookyâ for him to learn of Saturdayâs shooting at the hotel during a prestigious media gala attended by Donald Trump and senior members of the presidentâs administration.In an interview with TMZ published on Monday, John Hinckley Jr also observed that âbad things keep happeningâ at the hotel and maintained it was âjust not a secure place to hold big eventsâ. Continue reading...
Star tells awards ceremony: âI disagree with everything that this administration stands for, but thereâs no place for the kind of violence we saw two nights agoâIn the wake of the shooting at the White House correspondentsâ dinner, George Clooney used an awards-show speech to make a plea against âhatred and corruption and cruelty and violenceâ.Clooney was speaking at an event at the Lincoln Center in New York, where he was given Film at Lincoln Centerâs annual Chaplin award, which ârecognises an individualâs significant contribution to cinemaâ. Continue reading...
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 âstudent premiumâ to support disadvantaged young people post-16 and prevent them from âfalling through the cracksâ 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 podcastAustraliaâs richest person, Gina Rinehart, called for immigrantsâ 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.Rinehartâs 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 âsilly gamesâ in accusing his party of playing down hate crimesZack Polanski has called on politicians to treat antisemitism with âconsideration, care and nuanceâ as he accused Keir Starmer of trying to play political games with the issue.The Green leaderâs comments come after the prime minister accused him of playing down recent antisemitic incidents. Polanskiâs 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 â 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 governmentâs 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 â totalling an additional US$595m in 2025 alone. Continue reading...
AntĂłnio Guterres welcomes truce and says through spokesperson he hopes halt in fighting will âpave the way for negotiationsâHello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East.United Nations chief AntĂłnio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire announced on Thursday between Israel and Lebanon, urging âall actorsâ 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 âfor meaningful talksâ 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. Hereâs our report.Netanyahu called it a âhistoricâ opportunity for peace, though he refused to withdraw his troops from southern Lebanon during the pause in fighting. âWe are remaining in Lebanon in an expanded security zone,â he said, due to the âdanger of an invasionâ and to prevent fire into Israel. âThat is where we are, and we are not leaving.â 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 â about 30km from the border â while Lebanon demands the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and for displaced residents to be able to return to their homes.Iranâs 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 âfrom the outsetâ the need for a âsimultaneous ceasefire throughout the region, including Lebanonâ, and expressed his âsolidarityâ with the people and government of Lebanon. He called for the return of displaced residents to their homes and emphasised the necessity of the âcomplete withdrawalâ of Israeli forces from the south of the country â which, as mentioned, Israel has refused to do.The Lebanese army urged residents to âexercise restraintâ 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 Israelâs history of âbreaking covenants and agreementsâ.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 âfair dayâs wageâ 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 âprobably quite reasonableâKemi 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 âgenuine nationalistsâ who do not support the Scottish National partyâs 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 Leoâs âcourageousâ call and says human cost of war is incalculableThe archbishop of Canterbury has said she is standing in solidarity with Pope Leo XIVâs 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 âdelusion of omnipotenceâ was fuelling the US-Israeli war in Iran, Sarah Mullally urged Anglicans to join Leoâs âcourageousâ call. Continue reading...
Eluned Morgan says US under Donald Trump is ânot partner it once wasâ with Iran threats and âcontemptâ towards UKWalesâs 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 ânot the partner it once wasâ.In a statement on Wednesday, Labourâs Eluned Morgan cited the US presidentâs âcontemptâ towards the UK and his threat to âannihilateâ 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 âneighbours who donât put their bins away or kids playing in the garden making too much noise during the dayâ. Continue reading...
Anas Sarwar says there have been âno stitch-ups, no deals, no backroom chats, no back-channel contact with ReformâUK politics live â latest updatesAnas Sarwar has dismissed as âa desperate lie from a desperate manâ a claim by Reform UKâs 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 4âs Scottish leadersâ debate on Tuesday evening, alleging the Scottish Labour leader came âbouncing upâ to him at an event in December last year, suggesting they âwork together to remove the SNPâ. 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 Taylorâs 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 Taylorâs new hardline policy, which was unveiled on Tuesday, accusing the Coalition of chasing voters who are moving to Pauline Hansonâs One Nation. Continue reading...
Flamengo footballer previously accused pop starâs 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 monthâs incident between his 11-year-old stepdaughter and a security guard in Brazil, calling his previous claims against Chappell Roan âa misunderstandingâ.âI 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,â Jorginho wrote on Instagram. âI reacted as any father would. My priority is, and always will be, protecting my family, and that is exactly what I did.â Continue reading...
Australian prime minister says itâs âdisappointingâ that there was no resolution on freedom of movement during weekendâs 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...