The Guardian

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to join leaders and meet King Charles as UK and EU ­support Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party, has written in The Telegraph to call for an increase to defence spending among Nato countries. She welcomed Keir Starmer’s plans to increase domestic defence spending to 2.5% of national income by 2027 but said “that step cannot be the final one”. Starmer said the rise from the current 2.3% means £13.4bn more will be spent annually on defence after 2027. It will be paid for by cuts to to foreign aid.In making his surprise announcement

Victims commissioner tells chancellor cutbacks and national insurance hike creating ‘existential crisis’ for rape and domestic abuse charities The government has cut millions of pounds in funding for victims’ services, prompting warnings that “criminals will go unpunished” unless it urgently changes its position.The Victims’ Commissioner has written a letter to chancellor Rachel Reeves, shared exclusively with the Observer, saying a combination of funding reductions and the upcoming employers’ national insurance increase was creating an “existential crisis” for charities. The commissioner and charities in the sector are calling for an urgent funding increase in the next spending review, which concludes this

City damaged during occupation by Islamic State group reopens 850-year-old mosque in time for Ramadan as reconstruction gathers pace In the small courtyard of Sara’s grandmother’s house, children are running and playing as if time had never passed. “The house kept our memories,” Sara says, sitting on the sofa of the courtyard. “It seems like we never left. On the contrary, when we came back, we felt we belonged to this house.”Located in the old Iraqi city of Mosul, right behind the Great Mosque of al-Nuri, their home is part of the local cultural heritage. It was heavily damaged during

Directive allows government organisations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer services in languages other than EnglishPresident Donald Trump has signed an executive order designating English as the official language of the United States.The order on Saturday allows government agencies and organisations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/02/trump-signs-executive-order-designating-english-as-official-language-of-us Author : Associated Press Publish date : 2025-03-02 03:31:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Minns government says contract with prison operator MTC Australia will end in late 2026Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne of New South Wales’s largest prisons will return to public hands as Labor continues to reverse what the union representing guards has dubbed “the failed prison for profit model”.The Minns government announced on Sunday its contract with MTC Australia – a subsidiary of a controversial American private prison operator – to run Parklea correctional centre would end in October 2026.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue

Bureau of Meteorology says guidance ‘favours landfall on Thursday’ possibly near Brisbane as Queensland disaster management committee meetsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA tropical cyclone lingering off the Queensland coast will “likely” turn towards the state’s south-east later this week, the Bureau of Meteorology says.Queensland authorities have begun preparations for the possibility that slow-moving Tropical Cyclone Alfred hits densely-populated urban areas near Brisbane. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/02/tropical-cyclone-alfred-likely-to-head-towards-southern-queensland-coast-later-this-week Author : Ben Smee Queensland state correspondent Publish date : 2025-03-02 01:37:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to

Australian navy ship heading to Coral Sea after Aurimas Mockus calls for help one week out from reaching AustraliaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Royal Australian Navy ship is bound for the Coral Sea after a Lithuanian man attempting to row across the Pacific Ocean from San Diego to Brisbane got into trouble.Aurimas Mockus activated his emergency beacon on Friday night about 740km east of Mackay, Queensland, and 90km west of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/02/lithuanian-rower-attempting-to-cross-pacific-activates-emergency-beacon-off-queensland-near-cyclone-alfred Author : Australian Associated Press Publish date

Ukraine leader embraced in No 10 and given £2.26bn defence loan one day after his White House dressing downKeir Starmer has described his meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “meaningful and warm”, according to Downing Street.The British prime minister met the Ukrainian president on Saturday evening, just 24 hours after Zelenskyy’s meeting with the US president, Donald Trump, and vice-president, JD Vance, in Washington. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/01/starmer-hosts-zelenskyy-for-meaningful-and-warm-talks Author : Nadeem Badshah Publish date : 2025-03-01 23:06:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Veteran director, who originally opposed adapting 1967 film for the stage, is ‘very proud’ as Menier Chocolate Factory production will move to London’s Garrick theatreThe Menier Chocolate Factory has announced that its acclaimed production of The Producers is to transfer to the West End this autumn. Having sold out its three-month run at the 180-seat London venue before first night, it is set to move to the Garrick theatre. But according to its original creator Mel Brooks, the musical might never have happened at all.The 98-year-old Brooks has told the Guardian he was initially reluctant to adapt his 1967 movie

Officials say minerals deal would serve as commitment to US security guarantee and Ukraine leader shouldn’t have pressed issueInside the Trump White House, officials blamed the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the meltdown in the Oval Office on Friday, and expressed frustration that he pushed for security guarantees even though the US had made clear they wanted to negotiate that later, according to people familiar with the matter.The officials had told their Ukrainian counterparts in advance of the meeting that Trump wanted to sign an economic partnership this week at a ministerial level, as aides worked on the details about

Coalition energy efficiency package also on the cards as climate advocates urge better subsidies on solar and other alternativesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor is expected to flick the switch on a household battery incentive scheme in a dual cost-of-living and climate action pitch to voters.Guardian Australia understands the government is preparing a large residential energy efficiency package as part of Anthony Albanese’s re-election platform.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/02/labor-backs-household-batteries-in-bid-to-spark-voters-on-cost-of-living-and-climate-worries Author : Dan Jervis-Bardy Publish date : 2025-03-01 19:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked

Peer argues that national ‘trickledown’ approach will fail to benefit those in most needKeir Starmer’s government must strictly target the delivery of its core “missions” at areas of maximum deprivation or lose huge numbers of votes to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, an independent commission led by a former Labour cabinet minister will suggest this week.The Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (ICON), chaired by Labour peer Hilary Armstrong, a former party chief whip and housing minister, will say the government risks “wasting billions of pounds in higher public spending while failing to transform the places that need it most” unless it adopts

Nice may be at the heart of France’s upmarket Mediterranean coast, but violent drug gangs making €1.5m a month are colonising part of itThe sight of the gun tucked into the man’s trousers told us it was time to go. We had been in one of France’s most notorious estates for several hours, trying to understand life on the frontline of the country’s spiralling drug war.Seeing three people he did not know and a camera, he decided enough was enough. “You, where do you live?” he said, rushing towards us from the foot of a tower block where he had

This year’s 16 fatal accidents fall below average rate of 20 per month, yet recent crashes were US’s deadliest in a decadePeople across the US are worried about flight safety after several high-profile plane crashes this year, including a commercial crash in Washington DC that killed 67 people. Google searches for “is flying safe” have jumped in recent weeks. But the numbers suggest 2025 has actually been a relatively safe year to fly – at least in terms of the overall number of accidents.January and February typically have about 20 fatal aviation accidents per month, according to numbers from the

Back home there was widespread support for Ukraine’s president, but also dismay at his car-crash encounter in the Oval OfficeLive reaction to Zelenskyy’s clash with Trump and VanceUkrainians have rallied behind Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his mauling on Friday in the White House, and have accused Donald Trump and the US vice-president, JD Vance, of deliberately and cynically “starting a brawl”.There was widespread support for Ukraine’s president at home and dismay at his car-crash encounter in the Oval Office. There was also praise for Zelenskyy’s insistence that a peace deal without security guarantees was meaningless, and that Russia could not be

Ukraine’s president due to meet European leaders scrambling to mitigate fallout from diplomatic meltdown in WashingtonLive reaction to Zelenskyy’s clash with Trump and VanceVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said it is important for Ukraine to be heard and not forgotten after his discussions with Donald Trump in Washington veered sharply off track.His comments came as he arrived in London for a defence summit with European leaders to discuss Ukraine’s future. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/01/zelenskyy-says-important-for-ukraine-to-be-heard-after-clash-with-trump Author : Geneva Abdul Publish date : 2025-03-01 12:07:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

More than a thousand people have been evacuated near forest of Ofunato in northern region of IwateMore than a thousand people have been evacuated as Japan battles its largest wildfire in more than three decades.The flames are estimated to have spread over about 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) in the forest of Ofunato in the northern region of Iwate since a fire broke out on Wednesday, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/01/japan-battles-largest-wildfire-in-decades Author : Agence France-Presse in Tokyo Publish date : 2025-03-01 10:22:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Doctors caring for pontiff, 88, are assessing how Friday’s incident will affect his condition, says officialPope Francis, who has been in hospital for two weeks with pneumonia in both lungs, has spent a peaceful night after suffering a breathing crisis, the Vatican said.Francis, 88, had suffered an “isolated breathing crisis” that caused him to vomit and provoked a “sudden worsening” of his respiratory condition, the Vatican said. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/01/pope-francis-spends-peaceful-night-after-breathing-crisis-vatican-says Author : Guardian staff and agency Publish date : 2025-03-01 09:17:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

European leaders voice support for Ukrainian leader as US support for Kyiv hangs in the balance following disastrous meetingJD Vance was supposed to be the inconsequential vice-president.But his starring role in Friday’s blowup between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy – where he played a cross between Trump’s bulldog and tech bro Iago – may mark the moment that the postwar alliance between Europe and America finally collapsed. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/mar/01/live-european-leaders-rally-behind-zelenskyy-after-trump-vance-clash-updates Author : Daniel Lavelle (now) and Adam Fulton (earlier) Publish date : 2025-03-01 08:13:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

New Mexico town shocked by deaths of actor, wife and dog – but answers to critical questions may take time to emergeAs New Mexico authorities investigate the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, their adopted home town of Santa Fe is grappling with the mystery of what happened to the couple.Hackman, a Hollywood legend with two Academy Awards picked up over a 60-year career, and Arakawa, a classical pianist, had lived in the area for decades and had embraced the close-knit community that is New Mexico’s capital city. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/01/gene-hackman-death-santa-fe-new-mexico Author : Dani

2024-25 summer at 1.89C above long-term average ‘will be one of the coolest in the 21st century’, according to one expertGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLast summer was Australia’s second-hottest on a record going back to 1910, at 1.89C above the long-term average, according to data from the Bureau of Meteorology.The second-hottest summer – coming after the second-hottest winter and the hottest spring on record – included the second-hottest January and the third-hottest December.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/01/bureau-of-meteorology-data-shows-second-hottest-summer-on-record Author : Graham Readfearn Publish date : 2025-03-01

PM pledges support for Ukraine but declines to directly comment on US president’s approach as community rallies in SydneyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has reiterated Australia’s support for Ukraine after a fiery meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. But even as Sydney’s Ukrainian community rallied in protest, the prime minister declined to comment directly on how the confrontation might affect Australia’s relationship with the US.US military support for Ukraine hangs in the balance and talks over a minerals deal deteriorated after a disastrous interchange at the White House that also included the

Ukraine president expresses regret over contentious meeting but says relationship with Trump can be salvagedUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed regret that an Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump devolved into a shocking display of acrimony between the leaders of two historically allied nations, while insisting that their relationship could be salvaged.Hours after the public confrontation in which Trump and Vice-President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy, accusing him of “gambling with world war three,” the Ukrainian leader defended himself during an in-studio interview on Fox News, while also agreeing that the dispute was “not good for both sides”. Continue reading... Source link

Ahmed Ouf, Cumberland councillor tilting at federal seat held by Jason Clare, shares thanks for ‘outpouring of community support’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo school-age boys, one the son of a local councillor, were taken to hospital on Friday afternoon after an alleged hit-and-run accident in Auburn in western Sydney.One of the children is the son of Ahmed Ouf, a Cumberland councillor and an independent candidate for the federal seat of Blaxland.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/01/two-boys-including-ahmed-ouf-son-taken-to-hospital-after-alleged-hit-run-auburn-western-sydney-ntwnfb Author : Donna Lu Publish date : 2025-03-01 01:16:00 Copyright

Born in 1912 in Poland, Girone was one of about 245,000 survivors living across more than 90 countriesRose Girone, believed to be the oldest living Holocaust survivor and a strong advocate for sharing survivors’ stories, has died. She was 113.She died on Monday in New York, according to the Claims Conference, a New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/28/rose-girone-oldest-living-holocaust-survivor-dead Author : Associated Press Publish date : 2025-02-28 23:32:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.