The Guardian
17 minutes ago
Israeli troops capture strategic Beaufort Castle as they push deeper into Lebanon
Defence minister announces seizure of fortress as advance against Hezbollah moves beyond Litani RiverMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsraeli troops have captured the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and its strategic ridge in southern Lebanon in a major advance against Hezbollah that took them beyond the Litani River – their deepest incursion into the country in more than 26 years.After days of intense fighting and airstrikes in nearby villages, the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, said the military had captured the fortress, also known as Qalaat al-Shakif, which the Israel Defense Forces used as a base during their previous occupation of southern Lebanon between 1982 and 2000. Continue reading...
The Guardian
43 minutes ago
‘Your devices could be at risk’: how McAfee antivirus scams trade on fear
Urgent renewal emails and huge discounts figures are used to pressure people to hand over their dataYou have had McAfee antivirus software installed on your laptop for years after becoming fearful that your computer would be infected. So when an email arrives to say your protection is about to expire, you are not surprised. Better still, there is a “renewal discount” of 89% if you pay on the same day.“Once the expiration date has passed, your computer becomes susceptible to many different virus threats,” the email warns. Continue reading...
The Guardian
50 minutes ago
French police arrest more than 400 as PSG fans celebrate Champions League win over Arsenal
Interior minister says rioting took place in about 15 cities in France, with almost 300 people detained in ParisFrench police detained more than 400 people involved in violent clashes in Paris and other French cities that erupted on Saturday night after Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal to win the Champions League title.Seven officers were injured as football fans set off fires and vandalised shops, the interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, said, describing the violence as “absolutely unacceptable”. One small group even tried to storm a Paris police station. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 hour ago
‘Labour have lost their way’: voters in Makerfield say it’s time for a change
Andy Burnham and the Reform candidate lead the polls, but issues such as flooding and the state of the high street are main concerns locallyThe roads that connect the collection of towns and villages that make up this constituency in England are studded with turquoise banners declaring: “Makerfield needs Reform.”Once at the heart of Wigan’s coal-mining industry, and represented by a Labour MP continuously since the 1900s, Farage’s party has gained a foothold here, and with any other Labour candidate installed, this parliamentary seat would almost certainly fall to Reform. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 hour ago
Thousands without power in Perth as destructive storms hit WA
Wind gusts up to 125km/h forecast to hit city as residents urged to stay away from windowsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIntense storms are lashing the western coast of Australia with an unusually deep low pressure system packing powerful winds and heavy rain.The extreme weather eventbrought wind gusts of up to 125 km/h to Perth and communities along Western Australia’s coast on Sunday afternoon. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 hour ago
English Green party leader Zack Polanski tells Australian colleagues to ‘connect with anger’ to counter rightwing populism
Australian Greens should ‘take on’ Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, Polanski tells Victorian conference, just as he took on Nigel Farage’s Reform UKGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastZack Polanski, the leader of the Green party of England and Wales, has told his counterparts in Australia that they need to start “connecting with people’s anger” and learn from the “storytelling power” of populist rightwing politics.Speaking via video link at the Victorian Greens campaign conference on Saturday night, Zack Polanski said the party in Australia needed to start “taking on” Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, just as his own party had taken on Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Continue reading...
The Guardian
1 hour ago
Nicola Sturgeon: I feel as if I’m serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit
Former Scottish first minister says she will not apologise for actions of her ex- husband found guilty of embezzlementNicola Sturgeon has said feels like she is “serving a sentence for a crime I did not commit” after her former husband and former Scottish National party chief executive, Peter Murrell, admitted embezzling more than £400,000 from the party.Murrell pleaded guilty this week to embezzling the sum from the SNP between 2010 and 2022 to fund a lavish personal lifestyle. Continue reading...
The Guardian
2 hours ago
‘It’ll be like Barbenheimer’: UK gripped by new wave of Beatlemania in lead-up to four biopics
Fab Four are still making waves 60 years on – and upcoming Sam Mendes films are expected to turn the hype up to 11If anyone needed a reminder of the enduring cultural clout of the Beatles, the past few weeks have provided a glut. Firstly, there’s the small matter of The Boys of Dungeon Lane, Paul McCartney’s 20th solo album, billed as “an adventurous and limber take on guitar music” by the Guardian.When England announced their World Cup squad, the soundtrack was Come Together, played alongside a film of fashionable young people in New York and a clip of a young, puckish John Lennon. The same week Stephen Colbert was played off from his final episode of the Late Show by a Paul McCartney rendition of Hello Goodbye. Continue reading...
The Guardian
2 hours ago
Government declines to protect Indigenous sacred site to be bulldozed for Brisbane Olympic stadium
Environment minister Murray Watt decides against emergency declaration to halt construction but does not rule out ‘longer term protections’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government has decided against an 11th-hour intervention to halt construction of an Olympic stadium and aquatic centre in the heart of Brisbane, in a park that traditional owners say is a First Nations sacred site.The environment minister, Murray Watt, issued a statement on Sunday afternoon to say he had considered applications made under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act for him to stop construction in Victoria Park. Continue reading...
The Guardian
3 hours ago
Recruiter who was allowed to buy back his insolvent firm falls behind on payments after offering staff Vegas trip
Premier Group Recruitment went into administration with debts of £2.9m – including £647,000 owed to HMRCA recruitment executive – who was allowed to buy back the assets of his bust company in instalments despite it accumulating almost £3m of debt – has fallen behind on promised payments after pledging to send staff on an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas.The development is the latest case to raise questions about the practice of “phoenixism”, accounting’s controversial art of liquidating companies to allow directors to rise from the ashes with a new entity, free of debts. Continue reading...
The Guardian
4 hours ago
From bikinis to cat bowls: how museum gift stores became the place to shop
Curated edits mean people are treating museums as stand-alone shopping destinations rather than simply exit points First it came for bookshops. Then your favourite coffee shop. Now there is a new frontier when it comes to upping your merch game: museums.Instead of art print postcards and coffee table books, you are now more likely to find everything from slogan T-shirts to coffee mugs when you “exit through the gift shop”, as museums look to merch-maxx in order to boost revenue Continue reading...
The Guardian
4 hours ago
Japan defence minister rebuffs claims of ‘new militarism’ levelled by China
Shinjiro Koizumi says Japan valued as a ‘peace-loving’ nation while China expands military capabilities ‘without sufficient transparency’Japan’s defence minister took a veiled swipe at China on Sunday, pledging to keep strengthening the military despite Beijing’s criticism of Tokyo’s increasingly muscular security stance.Under the prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, Japan has quickened its pivot to a more proactive defence policy, further shaking off – with US encouragement – its pacifist outlook in place since the end of the second world war. Continue reading...
The Guardian
5 hours ago
When will the EU punch its weight in a perilous world? That’s the question countries eager to join should be asking | Simon Tisdall
Twin threats from east and west have clearly made the bloc more appealing – but its rule-bound institutions need urgent attentionGiant butter mountains, wine lakes and an apocryphal EU ban on bendy bananas formed the mythological backdrop to Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum debacle. Yet while many Vote Leave claims were exaggerated, inaccurate or blatantly untrue, the EU’s capacity for laying itself open to ridicule is undiminished 10 years on. Take the strange case of the whingeing EU commissioners, annoyed that their officially provided electric vehicles cannot manage the time-consuming 280-mile journey between Brussels and Strasbourg without stopping to recharge.This important issue, first reported by Politico, raises vital questions. Do these highly paid bureaucrats really need chauffeur-driven “company cars”? Surely they could catch a train, or fly, or cycle. EV use is mandatory for road trips. The vehicles are supplied in line with the EU’s Green Deal emissions-cutting policy, which commissioners might be expected to support, not carp about. So why is the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, allowed a petrol engine? The biggest question of all is why make these tedious Brussels-Strasbourg journeys in the first place?Simon Tisdall is a Guardian foreign affairs commentator Continue reading...
The Guardian
5 hours ago
‘The potential is huge’: Plymouth hopes defence money will have it sailing again
Local leaders are optimistic investment and regeneration plans will help make ‘ocean city’ an appealing place to livePlymouth may only have been rebranded as “Britain’s ocean city” in recent years, but its role as a centre of UK defence can be traced back to the 16th century thanks to its strategic location on Devon’s south coast. Sir Francis Drake set sail from Plymouth on his circumnavigation of the globe and it was here the Pilgrims finally departed England for America on board the Mayflower.In more recent decades, a dependence on the defence sector no longer seemed an asset, as spending cuts and the loss of dockyard jobs forced the city with a proud maritime history to square up to a new foe: economic uncertainty. Continue reading...
The Guardian
5 hours ago
‘One day I thought, that’s enough’: the people fighting back against pothole-riddled roads
The dire state of roads has provoked pothole vigilantes and become a political flashpoint from Manchester to Manhattan. How did we get here?Sitting in St Albans crown court, waiting for his case to be called, Derek Bennett’s anger momentarily gave way to a sense of disbelief. “I mean, there’s rape and murder cases going on,” he says. “I couldn’t believe I was there, with this stupid subject.”Initially, neither could the judge, whom Bennett says remarked that such issues were surely a matter for the magistrates. But Bennett, a 68-year-old construction consultant who has spent decades navigating building rules and regulations, had read the law carefully. Section 56 of the UK’s Highways Act 1980 clearly states the “highway authority or other person” responsible for a road in Britain is liable to maintain it, and should it fall into “disrepair”, a member of the public may apply for a crown court order to fix it. The other crimes would just have to wait. Bennett was here about potholes. Continue reading...
The Guardian
5 hours ago
Germany’s embattled nightlife scene welcomes plan to reclassify clubs
There is hope that a change to building regulations could resurrect music clubs, which have been hit by rising rents, social shifts and noise disputesA move by the German government to reclassify nightclubs to distinguish them from amusement and adult entertainment facilities could give a much-needed boost to the country’s struggling nightlife, industry advocates say.Under a fundamental change to building regulations approved by Friedrich Merz’s cabinet last week, nightclubs will be formally recognised as providing cultural and artistic value, making it more difficult for developers to evict venue operators in favour of new construction. Continue reading...
The Guardian
6 hours ago
Australia to buy only secondhand nuclear subs from US in major Aukus switch – as it happened
This blog is now closedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastExtra negative gearing limits could hurt market and family budgets, Labor saysClare O’Neil has rejected calls from the Greens and others to put further limits on negative gearing access, saying the government should not interrupt “immediate arrangements”.There’s people in the debate who want to see the government go further. I really understand that but I just think we need to step back.Negative gearing is a very immediate impact on a household and family budget and it’s not something that governments, when they’re making tax changes, should do, to interrupt people’s immediate arrangements.We need to land this. We’ll do that in the appropriate time given the need … This is not a political timeline. It is a policy timeline … It’s important this gets resolved speedily and that’s what the government is working towards.I think there’s a range of things that are on the table in those conversations and I won’t speak about them in detail …The government wants to get the right outcome here and we are not going to be driven by the politics of the moment. It’s really important we reach the right landing point for this and I think I have spoken in previous interviews this week about some of the issues we see. Continue reading...
The Guardian
6 hours ago
Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv denies its drone ‘deliberately’ hit Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
Russian atomic energy agency claim that drone strike damaged Europe’s largest nuclear plant just a ‘propaganda ploy’, Ukraine military says. What we know on day 1,558Russia’s state nuclear energy company Rosatom said on Saturday a Ukrainian drone had struck the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, but had not caused damage to key equipment. Rosatom’s head Alexei Likhachev called the incident “deliberate” and said it left a hole in the wall of a turbine hall. “This afternoon, a Ukrainian kamikaze combat drone struck the turbine hall building of Power Unit No. 6, resulting in a subsequent detonation,” Likhachev said in a statement.The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was captured by Russia in March 2022 and remains close to the frontline in the south-eastern Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia region. Kyiv military have denied Russian claims as “yet another propaganda ploy”, saying its troops did not strike power unit No. 6 at the plant. “Ukrainian servicemen act strictly within the international humanitarian law and are fully aware of the consequences of any actions targeting nuclear facilities,” the military said in a statement. “At the relevant section of the frontline, there was no active fighting during the incident, and no weapons were used.”The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday said it has been informed by the Zaporizhzhia plant that a drone had struck a turbine building at the site. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi expressed serious concern about the reported incident. “Attacking nuclear sites is like playing with fire,” he said. The IAEA’s team has requested access to examine the affected turbine building first-hand, the agency said in an X post.Ukrainian drone strikes caused fires at more Russian oil facilities overnight into Saturday, Russian officials said, in what appeared to be the latest attack on Moscow’s oil industry. Authorities in Russia’s Rostov region said falling drone debris sparked a fire that damaged an oil depot and tanker in the port of Taganrog, while officials in the neighbouring Krasnodar region reported a fire breaking out at an oil depot in Armavir for the same reason.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on X noted the Krasnodar attack and said: “We are rightfully bringing the war back to where it came from.”Ukrainian professional tennis player Oleksandra Oliynykova, an outspoken critic of Russia’s war against Ukraine, on Saturday criticised Russian tennis players at the French Open about their stance on the war, after her third-round exit at the French Open. Oliynykova lost in straight sets to Russia’s Diana Shnaider. The Ukrainian said players from Russia were allowed to participate in international tournaments even though they openly took part in events sponsored by Russian companies linked to the war effort or even after what she said was promoting the positions of Russia in relation to the war on social media. Continue reading...
The Guardian
9 hours ago
The household battery revolution that could change energy bills … and the world
Australia is pioneering a revolution in home renewables and battery use, proving what is possible with the right policiesThe timing was rich with symbolism. As intense heatwaves pummelled Europe and Asia, and oil markets around the world leapt and sputtered, the two big chimneys of one of Australia’s largest power stations were being demolished. Meanwhile, the Australian energy minister was holding a media conference to hail a fall of up to 10% in the benchmark electricity price in parts of the country.Quietly, and with surprisingly little fanfare from the rest of the world, Australia is pioneering a revolution in home renewables and battery use, proving what is possible with the right policies. The country was already one of the global leaders in domestic solar power, with panels on one in three homes. It also remains, however, a major contributor to the climate crisis through its vast fossil fuel exports. But it is batteries that are giving Australia a new burst of speed. Continue reading...
The Guardian
10 hours ago
New Aukus drone tech to protect critical undersea cables as Marles warns: ‘seabed is a battlefield’
Minister at Singapore defence summit also reveals Australia to buy only secondhand Aukus submarines from USFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe defence minister, Richard Marles, has said the “seabed is a battlefield” in a combative speech urging Beijing to be more transparent about its maritime operations, and taking aim at weak international controls over so-called “shadow-fleet” vessels.The warning came as the US, UK and Australia announced a new Aukus project to develop new underwater drone technology to protect undersea cables. Continue reading...
The Guardian
12 hours ago
Former M&S chief appointed to tackle UK youth unemployment crisis
Part of Marc Bolland’s government advisory role will be to help disabled or depressed young people to find training or jobA former chief executive of Marks & Spencer has been appointed as a government jobs adviser in its latest attempt to tackle the growing youth unemployment crisis.Marc Bolland, who oversaw the retail chain from 2010 to 2016, will lead a summit of business leaders, amid warnings that the country risks a “lost generation” without urgent intervention. Continue reading...
The Guardian
12 hours ago
An industry targeting Australia’s ageing population is growing, but can AI deliver more humanity in aged care?
While companion robots are being introduced and virtual experiences hope to ‘take loneliness away’, one expert agrees tech should never replace the human elementFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast“You’ll never get rid of humans,” Prof Wendy Moyle says, during a discussion about robots and other technology in aged care and residential homes.Then, a beat later, she adds: “Well, I don’t think we’ll get rid of humans.” Continue reading...
The Guardian
14 hours ago
Kanye West concert in Italy cancelled over ‘public order and safety issues’
Reggio Emilia prefect stops gig after Jewish community ‘concerns’ over rapper’s previous antisemitic remarksA Kanye West concert in Italy has been cancelled over “public order and safety issues”.The 48-year-old rapper, who changed his name to Ye in 2021, was due to perform at the Pulse of Gaia festival at the RCF Arena in Reggio Emilia on 18 July, but the city’s prefect, Salvatore Angieri, stopped the gigs after “concerns” from the local Jewish community over previous antisemitic remarks by West. Continue reading...
The Guardian
15 hours ago
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