The Guardian

Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJim Chalmers says the opposition’s policy to index tax brackets would cost the budget a quarter of a trillion dollars over ten years, while claiming that the government is returning bracket creep to taxpayers.It’s a slightly tricky position, as Angus Taylor argues that Labor is “betraying” itself because the high figure is actually how much the government is keeping and spending through bracket creep ever year.This is a Government that returns bracket creep when it is responsible to do that.That would cost tens of billions of

Asylum seekers express dismay at continuation of scheme agreed last year that has failed to stop crossings in ChannelThe Home Office is extending a controversial scheme to stop asylum seekers crossing the Channel in small boats, the Guardian has learned.The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, signed a deal they hailed as “groundbreaking” last July, known as “one in, one out”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/16/uk-and-france-extend-one-in-one-out-small-boats-pilot-scheme-until-october Author : Diane Taylor Publish date : 2026-05-16 21:07:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Turnout down at second Unite the Kingdom march featuring Islamophobic and ethnonationalist hate speech and flyersThe far-right activist Tommy Robinson told tens of thousands of supporters to prepare for the “battle of Britain” during a rally in London on Saturday.Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, drew tens of thousands of supporters on to the streets of central London for the second year running in an event where Islamophobic and ethnonationalist hate speech and flyers were distributed to the crowds. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/16/tommy-robinson-tells-tens-of-thousands-at-london-rally-to-prepare-for-battle-of-britain Author : Geraldine McKelvie Publish date : 2026-05-16 18:21:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

Three paramedics at health centre among dead, while Israel also says it killed Hamas military chief in GazaIsrael carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon, killing at least six people, including three paramedics working at a health centre, just hours after its envoys had agreed with the Lebanese government to extend a ceasefire.Israel also said it had killed the Hamas military chief, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, in a targeted strike in Gaza on Friday. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/16/israeli-strikes-southern-lebanon-hours-after-extension-of-ceasefire Author : Julian Borger in Jerusalem Publish date : 2026-05-16 15:57:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Men arrested at ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march meeting point over incident on Thursday after flags were removed from lamp-postsTwo men have been arrested in London after an incident in Birmingham in which a man was run over by a van after flags were removed from lamp-posts.Officers arrested the men at Euston station near the meeting point of the “Unite the Kingdom” march. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/may/16/two-men-arrested-after-man-run-over-by-van-in-birmingham-near-flag-protest Author : Neha Gohil Midlands correspondent Publish date : 2026-05-16 13:39:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Police monitoring both Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march and also the annual ‘Nakba day’ pro-Palestine marchCommenting on today’s policing operation in London, the Met Police said they had made two arrests near Euston station.A statement from the force read:Officers have made two arrests in the vicinity of Euston station.Two men, wanted on suspicion of GBH following an incident in Birmingham where a man was run over, were spotted arriving into London to attend the UTK protest. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/may/16/far-right-unite-the-kingdom-rally-tommy-robinson-london-nakba-day-march-latest-news-updates Author : Taz Ali and Hamish Mackayin London Publish date : 2026-05-16 11:15:00 Copyright for syndicated content

Week of leadership jostling has left Keir Starmer looking vulnerable and short of time – even though no challenger has officially come forwardIt was a minute or so into his BBC interview on Friday morning, after being asked about “moves” to remove Keir Starmer, that Steve Reed ran out of patience. “There is no contest,” he interrupted. “‘Moves’ mean nothing. People need 81 nominations to stand against the prime minister.”The housing secretary, a close ally of Starmer and a founding member of the Labour Together thinktank that catapulted him to power, was right, of course: no one has formally challenged

Supporters at the Victorian state library protested against prosecutors dropping a manslaughter charge against the man accused of killing herGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIsla Bell, the 19-year-old whose body was found in a Melbourne tip 18 months ago, has been remembered as a loving, courageous and open-hearted young woman with a green thumb and an “exquisitely beautiful soul”.Friends, family and supporters gathered outside the Victorian state library on Saturday to honour the teenager and protest against prosecutors dropping a manslaughter charge against the man who had been accused of killing her. Continue reading... Source

Family and supporters had hoped the US president could help free the 78-year-old British citizen during summit talks in BeijingDonald Trump raised the case of jailed Hong Kong democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai in talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping but was told it “is a tough one”.Family and supporters of the 78-year-old British citizen had hoped the US president could help secure his release. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/16/trump-not-optimistic-jimmy-lai-release-xi-jinping Author : Press Association Publish date : 2026-05-16 03:28:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Proposal comes after seven states drawing water from drought-stricken river failed to come to an agreementThe US government has proposed a plan for the drought stricken Colorado River that could cut up to 40% of current supplies to Arizona, California and Nevada, as the waterway’s reservoirs continue to plunge to critically low levels.A top Arizona water official shared details of the Trump administration’s plan at a state meeting on Wednesday. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/15/us-plan-colorado-river-california-arizona-nevada Author : Uwa Ede-Osifo Publish date : 2026-05-16 00:44:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi appeared in US federal court to face six terrorism-related chargesThe US justice department has arrested and charged an Iraqi national accused of involvement in nearly 20 alleged terror attacks and attempted attacks across the US and Europe.The wave of violence attributed to Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi has caused huge concern in many European countries but especially the UK, where Jewish community centres, charities, synagogues and other sites have been targeted in recent weeks. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/15/iraqi-terror-attacks-arrested-charged Author : Maya Yang and Jason Burke Publish date : 2026-05-15 22:31:00 Copyright for syndicated

Prosecutors have described fatal shooting outside of DC’s Capital Jewish Museum last year as calculated and plannedThe US justice department will seek the death penalty for the man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum, prosecutors said in a court filing on Friday.Elias Rodriguez faces federal hate crime and murder charges in the killings of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event at the museum last May. Rodriguez shouted “free Palestine” during the shooting and later told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for

Weinstein has been convicted of other crimes in the US and is already behind bars but move leaves rape charge in limboHarvey Weinstein’s retrial in New York on a rape charge ended in a mistrial on Friday after the jury deadlocked in the closely watched criminal case that another jury had already failed to decide last year.The disgraced former Hollywood mogul has been convicted of other sex crimes on the US east and west coasts and is already in jail. But Friday’s declaration of another mistrial leaves the New York rape charge in limbo after three trials. Continue reading... Source

Lead singer Stuart Murdoch’s self-deprecating It Only Takes One Lion is inspired by team’s current song, Yes Sir, I Can BoogieThe lyrics came to Stuart Murdoch in the hazy aftermath of Scotland’s dramatic qualification for the World Cup.The Belle and Sebastian frontman had watched his side’s playoff victory over Denmark through his fingers before deciding to write his own anthem to a team he has followed for more than 50 years. “Most people recognised instantly the next day that they’d witnessed the most important Scottish game ever,” says Murdoch. “That was our magic moment.” Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/may/15/belle-sebastian-scotland-anthem-dramatic-world-cup-qualifier

Redress to customers for force-fitting devices in homes includes £20m penalty and £70m of debt write-offsThousands of British Gas customers who had prepayment meters force-fitted in their homes will between them receive compensation and energy bill debt write-offs worth up to £112m in the biggest energy supplier settlement on record.Great Britain’s energy regulator found that British Gas forced PPMs on homes that were not keeping up with their bills at the height of the Russian gas crisis, in one of the most complex investigations in Ofgem’s history. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/15/british-gas-prepayment-meters-compensation-customers Author : Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent Publish

Record heat in North and Central America coincides with egg-sized hailstones in eastern ChinaExtreme weather across several parts of the world this week has brought record-breaking temperatures to Honduras, North America and Indonesia.Honduras smashed its all-time May maximum temperature record earlier this month – only for it to be broken again on 13 May in Choluteca, known as the furnace of Central America. Temperatures climbed to 42.2C (107.9F), surpassing the previous record of 42.1C. With intense heat forecast to persist over the coming weeks, more records are expected to fall. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/15/weather-tracker-furnace-creek-siberia-snow-siberia-week-extremes Author : Ed Walton

Housing secretary Steve Reed says no one has numbers for challenge and Labour should row in behind prime ministerOne of Keir Starmer’s closest allies in the cabinet has conceded that the prime minister is “unpopular” but has insisted Labour should not repeat the same pattern of changing leaders that damaged the Conservatives.The housing secretary, Steve Reed, one of Starmer’s most loyal ministers and staunch defenders, told broadcasters on Friday that no one had the numbers to challenge him and the party should come together behind the prime minister. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/15/keir-starmer-ally-steve-reed-admits-pm-is-unpopular Author : Jamie Grierson Publish date

Butterfly Conservation poll is open until 7 June with choice of 60 species from small tortoiseshells to purple emperorsWill it be the rapidly disappearing former garden favourite, the small tortoiseshell? Or the poet John Masefield’s “oakwood haunting thing”, the charismatic purple emperor? Or perhaps the brimstone, the ultimate harbinger of spring?The question of which is Britain’s favourite butterfly is being put to a popular vote for the first time. The charity Butterfly Conservation is running the poll, which runs until 7 June, giving people the chance to choose their favourite from the 60 species that fly around Britain every summer.

US official says it is important for Xi Jinping to have the strait of Hormuz open and is confident China will try to limit material support for IranXi warns Trump of ‘clashes and even conflicts’ with US over TaiwanAnalysis: For anxious Taiwan, Trump’s silence after Xi talks is best possible outcomeJamieson Greer also said US export controls on semiconductor chips were not a major topic of discussions with Chinese officials in Beijing.The US trade representative’s comments to Bloomberg on Friday suggest a breakthrough on selling Nvidia’s advanced H200 chips to China remains far away, Reuters is reporting, despite Nvidia chief

Taylor claimed that migrants were coming to Australia and claiming benefits before they were becoming citizens, a situation he said Australians did not accept. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning, it’s Nick Visser here to take over the blog. Let’s get to it and see what Friday holds.Big news to start the morning: Australia’s Delta Goodrem has qualified for the Eurovision final. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/may/15/australia-news-live-delta-goodrem-eurovision-budget-reply-angus-taylor-immigration-income-tax-bracket-creep-jim-chalmers-inflation-ntwnfb Author : Nick Visser Publish date : 2026-05-15 00:07:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

There was wind, there was fire, there was Goodrem’s remarkable upper-range – resulting in a refreshingly self-assured offering from Australia‘Sung by a silver robot from 1984!’ The 11 biggest bangers in Eurovision 2026Standing before a glistening crescent moon and adorned in more than 7,000 Swarovski crystals, Australia’s 2026 Eurovision hopeful Delta Goodrem has delivered a powerful performance on the 70th anniversary of the global song contest – and become the first Australian act to qualify for the grand final since 2023.Heading into the competition as an early favourite behind Eurovision heavy-hitters Denmark and Finland, Goodrem delivered a note-perfect rendition of

State-sponsored march through Muslim quarter of Old City saw protesters waving flags and chanting ‘Death to Arabs’ on anniversary of city’s annexationIsraeli nationalist demonstrators chanted “Death to the Arabs”, “May your villages burn” and “Gaza is a graveyard” in a state-sponsored march through Jerusalem to mark the anniversary of the city’s capture and annexation.The annual assertion of Jewish control over Palestinian east Jerusalem has grown more extreme in recent years, and Thursday’s event culminated with the national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, unfurling an Israeli flag in front of the al-Aqsa mosque, the holiest Islamic site in the city. Continue reading...

Simons says: ‘I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home’Al Carns, the defence minister first elected in 2024, will launch his own leadership bid if a contest starts, Sky News is reporting.Asked about this last night, Carns told Sky: “I’m just a humble junior minister.”Unless Labour understands that insecurity on an emotional level as well as on an economic one, we will continue to lose voters who would naturally align with us. Working-class voters have not simply left Labour. Many feel Labour stopped understanding their lives, and so they looked elsewhere.What is the point of

Outgoing health secretary declares Labour’s ‘plan for the NHS is working’ as hospitals hit key targetHospitals in England have hit a key target for improving the time it takes patients to get treatment, which prompted Wes Streeting to declare that Labour’s “plan for the NHS is working” before departing as health secretary.Streeting had told the NHS to ensure that hospitals treated at least 65% of patients within 18 weeks by the end of March. New NHS England figures published on Thursday showed that hospitals did so, treating 65.3% of people on the NHS waiting list within that timeframe in March.

Zeal for ‘the Hamptons of England’ has rubbed off on sales, with luxury British fashion brand back to a full-year profitThe luxury fashion brand Burberry has said a new £2,000 handbag named after the Cotswolds has bolstered sales, as the English region becomes increasingly popular with wealthy Americans.Joshua Schulman, the company’s chief executive, said its tote bags – which mix leather and the signature Burberry check – had helped drive its best performance in bag sales since 2023. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/14/burberrys-handbag-cotswolds-hits-sweet-spot-americans Author : Sarah Butler Publish date : 2026-05-14 11:38:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the