The Guardian

Analysis of a mega poll shows Keir Starmer would lose more seats than Tories amid voter discontent with main parties Labour faces losing scores of seats to Reform UK across England and Wales as a widening section of ­voters lose faith in the mainstream parties, according to a new analysis seen by the Observer.With senior figures in the Labour party now privately talking about a “change of era” in which more ­moderate voters are turning to Nigel Farage’s party, new research on Reform’s influence suggests it will take far more seats from Labour than from the Conservatives on ­current trends.

Herbert River predicted to reach record levels as north Queensland seaside town of Rollingstone records 999mm of rain in 48 hoursFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHundreds of north Queensland residents have fled their homes as suburbs and towns are inundated by rising flood waters, with authorities warning a near-record deluge could become more severe than “once in a lifetime” storms five years ago.A woman was killed on Sunday morning during an attempted rescue from flood waters at Ingham north of Townsville.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news

Global collaboration with US researchers likely to be set back by years, including on spread of drug-resistant HIVA flagship programme to create malaria vaccines has been halted by the Trump administration, in just one example of a rippling disruption to health research around the globe since the new US president took power.The USAid Malaria Vaccine Development Program (MVDP) – which works to prevent child deaths by creating more effective second-generation vaccines – funds research by teams collaborating across institutes, including the US university Johns Hopkins and the UK’s University of Oxford. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/feb/02/trump-aid-spending-freeze-halts-leading-mvdp-malaria-vaccine-programme Author : Kat

The chancellor’s apparent volte-face in backing a third runway has left many in her party disillusioned and led them to label it as an act of desperationIn 2020, Rachel Reeves, the MP for Leeds West and Pudsey, was clear why she opposed expansion of nearby Leeds Bradford airport. It would, she said, “significantly increase air and noise pollution”, so on environmental grounds, it should not happen.By the autumn of 2021, as shadow chancellor, Reeves was the senior Labour figure chosen to lead her party’s hugely ambitious plans for a green industrial revolution. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/feb/02/reevess-heathrow-expansion-plans-leave-labours-green-agenda-grounded Author :

Phosphate, key to food production, is choking waterways, but a new sponge-like material returns it to the soil for cropsIt is one of the least appreciated substances on the planet and its misuse is now threatening to unleash environmental mayhem. Phosphorus is a key component of fertilisers that have become vital in providing food for the world. But at the same time, the spread of these phosphorus compounds – known as phosphates – into rivers, lakes and streams is spreading algal blooms that are killing fish stocks and marine life on a huge scale.It is a striking mismatch that is

Transport minister Jo Haylen admits ‘I made the wrong decision’ after ministerial car booked out for 13 hours for Hunter Valley lunch at wineryGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe NSW transport minister, Jo Haylen, has apologised after using her ministerial driver to chauffeur her and some friends to and from a three-hour private lunch on the Australia Day weekend – at a cost of $750.“I made the wrong decision,” Haylen said on Sunday when apologising and confirming she would repay the money for the 13-hour, 446km trip to the Hunter Valley.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s

Sunday’s stoppage to be worsened by engineering works, as dispute threatens to affect every weekend until JuneRail passengers face severe disruption on Sunday as Avanti West Coast train staff resume strike action that threatens to affect every weekend until June.The strikes, which were suspended for two weeks to allow for “intensive talks” between unions and the intercity rail operator, will be compounded by planned engineering works by Network Rail. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/02/avanti-west-coast-passengers-severe-disruption-rail-strikes-resume Author : Mark Sweney Publish date : 2025-02-02 05:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Incident reveals Russia’s maritime presence in the area is in a state of disrepair and disarray, argue western sourcesA fire onboard a Russian spy ship off the coast of Syria has underlined the poor state of the Russian navy as its toehold in the Mediterranean hangs in the balance, analysts and western security services say.The 55-year-old Kildin got into trouble off the Syrian coast last Thursday, when flames and thick black smoke could be seen billowing from its funnel and it hoisted two black balls up its mast, signifying that the crew no longer had control of the vessel. Continue

Assault by the Rapid Support Forces in city of Omdurman also leaves more than 150 people woundedFighters with the opposition Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have attacked an open market in the Sudanese city of Omdurman, killing 54 people.The attack on Sabrein market also wounded at least 158 others, Sudan’s health ministry said. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/01/dozens-killed-as-opposition-rsf-forces-attack-open-market-in-sudan Author : Associated Press Publish date : 2025-02-01 15:44:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Federal opposition leader also doubles down on claim his nuclear plan would cut power bills by 44% despite Coalition’s own modelling being silent on issueFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe scale of the Coalition’s planned spending cuts won’t be revealed ahead of the federal election, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has suggested.Dutton on Sunday also repeated his claim that energy would be cheaper under the opposition’s nuclear plan – despite the modelling underpinning the strategy explicitly not assessing the impact on power bills. Continue reading... Source link

Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor chair to lead party still reeling from extensive lossesKen Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor party, won the crowded race to become the next chair of the Democratic National Committee on Saturday.The move provides Martin with a powerful perch to determine the messaging and trajectory of a party that is still reeling from its extensive losses in the November election and confronting four more years of Donald Trump’s leadership. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/01/ken-martin-chair-democratic-national-committee Author : Joan E Greve Publish date : 2025-02-01 18:57:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Aviation experts say piloting Black Hawk helicopters is a complex challenge but army defends training operationsIn March 2023, two US army Black Hawk helicopters collided and crashed into a Kentucky farmer’s field after a nighttime evacuation training mission, killing nine service members.That crash was among a dozen fatal crashes during army Black Hawk training missions since 2014 that claimed the lives of 47 service members and in April 2023 helped prompt Pentagon officials to temporarily ground and provide more training to all army aviators not involved in critical missions. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/01/washington-plane-crash-army-helicopter-training Author : Jules Feeney Publish

Move would threaten life-saving global humanitarian aid programs, from HIV/Aids treatments to clean water accessThe website for the US Agency for International Development, or USAid, appeared to be offline on Saturday, as the Trump administration moves to put the free-standing agency, and its current $42.8bn budget for global humanitarian operations, under state department control.A message stating that the “server IP address could not be found” appeared when attempts were made to access the website on Saturday. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/01/usaid-website-offline-trump Author : Edward Helmore Publish date : 2025-02-01 22:09:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Tariffs on imports mean higher costs for finishing fuels, much of which is likely to be passed on to consumersUS consumers will see higher prices at the gas pump from Donald Trump’s decision on Saturday to apply tariffs on Canadian and Mexican oil, according to analysts and fuel traders.The likely hike in fuel prices reflects the double-edged nature of Trump’s trade protections, which are designed to bolster domestic business and pressure US neighbors to curb illegal immigration and drug smuggling, but which will also run counter to his promises to tackle inflation. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/01/us-gas-prices-trump-tariffs Author :

Essex police said a boy and a girl died at the scene and the car involved failed to stopTwo people have been arrested after two children died in a car collision in Essex, police have said.Officers were called to Walthams Place in Basildon at about 6.25pm on Saturday to reports of a crash and a car failing to stop. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/01/two-arrested-after-two-children-killed-in-basildon-car-collision Author : Nadeem Badshah Publish date : 2025-02-01 22:41:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Kremlin claims Ukrainian military attacked site in area occupied by Kyiv since last AugustUkraine’s military has said that Russian forces struck a boarding school housing people preparing for evacuation in a part of Russia’s Kursk region held by Ukrainian forces, killing at least four people.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack had destroyed the boarding school in the border town of Sudzha, “even though dozens of civilians were there”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/02/fatal-missile-strike-on-kursk-school-blamed-on-russia-by-ukraine Author : Reuters Publish date : 2025-02-02 00:01:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Rebels had captured the city in January in major escalation of 10-year-old conflictAt least 773 people were killed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s largest city of Goma and its vicinity this week amid fighting with Rwanda-backed rebels who captured the city in a major escalation of a decade-long conflict, Congolese authorities have said.The rebels’ advance into other areas was slowed by a weakened military that recovered some villages from them. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/01/at-least-770-killed-in-goma-east-drc-in-fighting-with-rwanda-backed-m23 Author : Associated Press in Goma Publish date : 2025-02-01 22:43:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Research shows in tough times people often let home and contents insurance lapse, which could lead to dangerous decision to stayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPeople are more likely to risk their lives in bushfires if they are uninsured or underinsured, experts have said.In the chaos of an approaching fire, most people struggle to make rational decisions; having no house insurance could feed into making the dangerous decision to stay and protect a home, bushfire behaviour and management professor at the University of Melbourne, Trent Penman, said.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue

Decision could set the stage for a damaging trade war between the US and three of its top trade partnersDonald Trump has signed an order authorizing tariffs after vowing to impose dramatic taxes on goods from Canada, Mexico and China starting this weekend.The decision could set the stage for a damaging trade war between the US and three of its top trade partners. Trump has also threatened to impose tariffs against European Union nations. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/01/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china Author : Victoria Bekiempis Publish date : 2025-02-01 22:29:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

UK will be first country to bring in tough new laws to tackle the technology behind the creation of abusive material Britain is to become the first country to introduce laws tackling the use of AI tools to produce child sexual abuse images, amid warnings from law enforcement agencies of an ­alarming proliferation in such use of the technology.In an attempt to close a legal ­loophole that has been a major ­concern for police and online safety campaigners, it will become illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material. Continue reading... Source link

The US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, indicated multiple operatives were killed and no civilians were harmedThe US military has conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African country during Donald Trump’s second term as president.Trump said on Saturday that he ordered strikes on a senior IS attack planner and others from the organisation. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/01/donald-trump-us-airstrikes-islamic-state-somalia Author : Nadeem Badshah Publish date : 2025-02-01 21:06:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Judge condemns firm for use of customer’s data after problem gambler was sent 1,300 emails over two years‘I lost 10 years of my life’: how UK betting giant’s unlawful marketing kept suicidal gambler hookedGambling companies in Britain could be forced to overhaul their advertising practices after a betting firm was ruled to have unlawfully targeted a problem gambler who was bombarded with more than 1,300 marketing emails.In a ruling at the high court, a judge found that Sky Betting & Gaming sent the man personalised marketing without proper consent after gathering hundreds of thousands of pieces of data about him

Tens of thousands rally against government and in memory of railway station roof collapse that killed 15Serbia’s powerful populist leader Aleksandar Vučić was facing his biggest challenge yet as student-led demonstrations intensified at the weekend in what was being called the Balkan country’s greatest ever protest movement.Three months to the day after a concrete canopy collapsed at the entrance of Novi Sad’s railway station, tens of thousands of protesters converged on the northern city, blockading its three bridges in commemoration of the 15 people killed in the accident. The tragedy has been blamed squarely on government ineptitude and graft. Continue

The chancellor is under fire after a study cited as evidence for expanding the terminal to boost the UK’s economic growth was ordered by Heathrow itself Rachel Reeves was facing criticism on Saturday night as it was confirmed that a report she cited as evidence that a third ­runway at Heathrow would boost the UK economy was commissioned by the airport itself.Experts and green groups also challenged Reeves’s view that advances in the production of ­sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) had been a “gamechanger” that would substantially limit the environmental damage of flying, ­saying the claims were overblown and did not

Recruiting top graduates could stop other countries pulling ahead in artificial intelligence race, tech council saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne Australian company has tentatively blocked staff from using the technology, others are scrambling for advice on its cybersecurity implications – while federal government ministers are urging caution.But others have welcomed DeepSeek’s arrival, calling for Australia to follow China’s lead in developing powerful yet less energy-intensive AI technology.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/feb/02/as-deepseek-upends-the-ai-industry-one-group-is-urging-australia-to-embrace-the-opportunity Author : Josh Taylor Publish date : 2025-02-01 19:00:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs