World News Hub

Germany was largest exporter of plastic waste in 2025, sending 810,000 tonnes overseas, analysis finds

The Guardian • 4 months ago

UK was close behind, exporting 675,000 tonnes, with much of the waste sent to Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia Germany was the world’s largest exporter of plastic waste in 2025 and sent more than 810,000 tonnes abroad, according to analysis of trade data carried out for the Guardian.The UK followed close behind, according to the analysis by Watershed Investigations and the Basel Action Network. It e...

Governor Janet Mills suspends Maine Senate bid weeks before primary clash

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Mills cites lack of funds as rival to unseat Susan Collins fuels Democratic rift under Donald TrumpSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxJanet Mills, the Maine governor, on Thursday suspended her bid for the US Senate just weeks before the Democratic primary.Mills, who received backing from the Democratic establishment in Washington DC, said she no longer had...

UK stole 25m years of life and labour through slavery in Barbados, says report

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Experts put estimate for economic harm done by 200 years of chattel slavery at $2tn, but stress this is ‘not an invoice’Britain stole 25 million years of life and labour through slavery in Barbados, according to new research by a team of international experts.Their report concludes that Barbados’s population of African descent have suffered damages estimated at up to US$2tn (£1.5tn) from 200 years...

Trump launches fresh attack on Merz after threatening US troop reduction in Germany – Europe live

The Guardian • 4 months ago

US president uses social media post to criticise chancellor over Ukraine, immigration and ‘interfering’ in Iran conflictThe Commission was also asked about yesterday’s meeting of Hungary’s incoming prime minister, Péter Magyar.But we didn’t get much more than what we saw in yesterday’s social media posts from Magyar and the EU’s Ursula von der Leyen. Continue reading...

UK stole 25 million years of life and labour through slavery in Barbados, research finds

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Experts estimate ‘accounting of the harm that was done’ by 200 years of chattel slavery would be US$2tn in damagesBritain stole 25 million years of life and labour through slavery in Barbados, according to new research by a team of international experts.Their report concludes that Barbados’s population of African descent have suffered damages estimated at up to US$2tn (£1.5tn) from 200 years of ch...

Iran supreme leader issues defiant statement on strait of Hormuz

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Mojtaba Khamenei says Tehran will eliminate ‘enemy’s abuses of the waterway’ and guard its nuclear and missile programmesUS politics live – latest updatesIran’s supreme leader has broken his recent silence with a defiant statement hailing Iran’s control over shipping in the strait of Hormuz and vowing to guard the country’s nuclear and missile programmes.“Today, two months after the largest milita...

David Allan Coe, outlaw country singer-songwriter, dies aged 86

The Guardian • 4 months ago

The musician was known for working-class anthem Take This Job and Shove It as well as hits like The Ride and othersDavid Allan Coe, the country singer-songwriter who wrote the working-class anthem Take This Job and Shove It and had hits with You Never Even Called Me By My Name and The Ride among others, has died. He was 86.Coe’s wife, Kimberly Hastings Coe, confirmed his death to Rolling Stone on ...

Governor Janet Mills drops Maine Senate bid weeks before primary clash

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Mills cites lack of funds as rival to unseat Susan Collins fuels Democratic rift under Donald TrumpSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxJanet Mills, the Maine governor, on Thursday dropped her bid for the US Senate just weeks before the Democratic primary in a race that reflected an internal party debate over how to win one of this year’s most competitive Se...

US economic growth rebounds 2% as consumer spending slows amid Iran war

The Guardian • 4 months ago

First quarter output, driven by AI investment and government spending, rose as oil shock fuels inflation fearsUS gross domestic product (GDP) accelerated 2% in the first three months of 2026, though consumer spending is slowing as the war with Iran continues to impact energy prices.The last GDP reading for the fourth quarter of 2025 showed that US economic growth slowed to a 0.5% pace, largely due...

Labour calls on Jenrick to give £37,500 campaign donation to charity amid electoral law investigation

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Electoral Commission is investigating claims money given to MP came from US businessman now convicted of wire fraudUK politics live – latest updatesLabour has called on Robert Jenrick to give up almost £40,000 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 m...

Spectator owner’s son calls for mine-laden ‘floating wall’ to stop Channel crossings

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Winston Marshall, former member of Mumford & Sons, says those crossing are ‘economic migrants’ not refugeesThe son of the Spectator owner, Paul Marshall, has said Britain should construct a mine-laden “floating wall” 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, s...

Limiting capital gains tax changes to new investments would ‘severely delay’ budget reforms, Deloitte says

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Treasurer Jim Chalmers had indicated ‘transitional’ proposed changes as Labor attempts to repair a ‘structurally flawed’ budgetFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOnly applying changes to the CGT discount and negative gearing rules to new investments would “severely delay” desperately needed reforms required to repair a “...

Financial Times journalists in dispute with management over plans for office days

The Guardian • 4 months ago

FT branch of NUJ say there is not ‘compelling case’ for mandate for editorial staff to be in office four days a weekJournalists at the Financial Times are at loggerheads with the publication’s management over plans to order staff back to the office four days a week by the end of the year.Members of the Financial Times’ union have unanimously voted to invoke the company’s dispute procedure over the...

Israel intercepts and detains crews of Gaza aid flotilla near Crete

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Global Sumud Flotilla describes interception as ‘violent raid’ as IDF urges activists to deliver aid via ‘established channels’Israeli forces have intercepted and detained the crews of at least 22 boats near the Greek island of Crete from a flotilla that is attempting to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid.The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of about 58...

Israel intercepts and detains crews of Gaza aid flotillas near Crete

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Global Sumud Flotilla describes interception as ‘violent raid’ as IDF urges activists to deliver aid via ‘established channels’Israeli forces have intercepted and detained the crews of at least 22 boats near the Greek island of Crete from a flotilla that is attempting to break Israel’s maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid.The Global Sumud Flotilla, consisting of about 58...

Canada to create powerful financial crimes agency as US weakens its approach

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Cryptocurrency ATMs also face ban, after public inquiry found Canada lacked anti-money-laundering strategyCanada is to establish a new and powerful law enforcement agency to investigate financial crime, in stark contrast to the US, where weakened federal investigators have struggled to pursue fraudsters and the White House has pardoned convicted money launderers.A bill to create the Financial Crim...

Trump administration move to reclassify cannabis sparks confusion

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Order last week is only partial rescheduling, making ‘an already complex process more confusing,’ expert saysThe Trump administration is making good on its promise to reschedule cannabis, but only partially – raising plenty of questions for those in the cannabis industry.Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, signed an order last week that removes products sold under state medical cannabis lic...

Firefighters battle Powys wildfires for fifth day as public urged to stay away

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Mid and West Wales fire and rescue service has been trying to extinguish fires in Elan valley since SundayFirefighters are struggling to control wildfires raging though the scenic Elan valley in mid-Wales for a fifth day.The Mid and West Wales fire and rescue service has been working to extinguish fires in and around the Powys beauty spot since Sunday. It is not yet clear how much damage the biod...

Golders Green attack suspect referred to Prevent scheme in 2020, say police

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Man, 45, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder after London stabbings, was known to anti-radicalisation schemeGolders Green attack – latest updatesThe suspect in the Golders Green double stabbing was referred to Prevent, the official counter-extremism scheme, in 2020.The Guardian understands his case was closed within six weeks by the deradicalisation scheme, which has faced previous critic...

Golders Green attack suspect was previously referred to Prevent – live updates

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Man had been referred to scheme to try to stop people becoming terrorists in 2020 but case was closed the same yearHere are some of the latest images from the newswires in Golders Green this morning:A 45-year-old man, who is a British national, born in Somalia, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said he came to the UK lawfully as a child.The Metropol...

Statue with Banksy signature of man blinded by flag appears in London

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Artist has not yet confirmed whether large sculpture on plinth in Waterloo Place is by himBanksy’s signature has appeared scrawled at the base of a large new statue in central London.The elusive artist, known for his provocative works of graffiti, has not yet confirmed whether the statue is by him. He often posts confirmation on his website shortly after a work is discovered by the public. Continu...

Banksy signature on London statue of man marching blinded by flag

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Artist has not yet confirmed whether large statue on plinth in Waterloo Place is by himBanksy’s signature has appeared scrawled at the base of a large new statue in central London.The elusive artist, known for his provocative works of graffiti, has not yet confirmed whether the statue is by him. He often posts confirmation on his website shortly after a work is discovered by the public. Continue r...

Keir Starmer demands ‘swift, agile and visible’ response to London attack

The Guardian • 4 months ago

PM says it is ‘absolutely clear’ people are being targeted for being Jewish as he holds meeting with criminal justice agencies and ministersGolders Green terror attack – latest updatesKeir Starmer has said the government and criminal justice system must respond to the suspected terrorist attack in Golders Green in “a swift, agile and visible way”, as he convened a meeting in Downing Street on Thur...

US supreme court ‘demolishes’ Voting Rights Act | First Thing

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Ruling has gutted provision intended to prevent racial discrimination in voting. Plus, oil tops $126 a barrel to reach highest level since 2022Good morning.The US supreme court has gutted a major section of the Voting Rights Act through a landmark decision on Louisiana’s congressional map, in a major upheaval in US civil rights law that threatens to weaken the voting power of minorities.How have l...

Hegseth faces further grilling over war costs as Iranian supreme leader releases fresh US threats – US politics live

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Defense secretary to be quizzed by lawmakers on Senate armed services committee as Khamenei Americans belong ‘at the bottom’ of GulfSign up for the Breaking News US emailIran’s supreme leader that the Islamic Republic will protect its “nuclear and missile capabilities” as a national asset, even as US president Donald Trump tries to get a deal on those issues.Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei spoke in a w...