The Guardian

New legislation will require schools to use Mandarin by default, taking priority over minority ethnic languages such as Tibetan, Uyghur and Mongolian China’s National People’s Congress (NPC), the state legislature, will vote on Thursday on a suite of new laws agreed at this year’s annual two sessions gathering , including a piece of legislation that will diminish the role of minority ethnic langu…

Hezbollah and Iran had launched joint attack on more than 50 targets including Israeli military bases Middle East live – latest updates Israeli warplanes bombarded Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon after Hezbollah launched drones and rockets at northern Israel on Wednesday night in a sharp escalation of the 10-day conflict. Hezbollah let off successive volleys of rockets and drone sw…

Criminals using artificial intelligence tools to take over mobile, bank and online shopping accounts, says Cifas Criminals are increasingly exploiting AI technology to take over people’s mobile, banking and online shopping accounts, the UK’s leading anti-fraud body has warned. Last year, a record number of scams were reported to the national fraud database, fuelled by AI, which allows for large-s…

The fox is said to be ‘settling in well’ after mischievous 3,400 mile journey from Southampton to New York A sly fox slipped on to a cargo ship and travelled from Southampton to New York, according to officials at Bronx Zoo. The zoo, which is looking after the animal, said it appears healthy after early examinations. Continue reading...

Blake Miguez, 44, not criminally charged over allegation reported to local police but never disclosed to public A Louisiana Republican congressional candidate endorsed by Donald Trump was the subject of a 2007 rape accusation that was reported to local law enforcement the same day of the alleged assault – but never disclosed to the public or, reportedly, the president’s team as he became one of t…

Administration opens new trade investigation into manufacturing in foreign countries The Trump administration on Wednesday opened a new trade investigation into manufacturing in foreign countries – an effort that comes after the supreme court struck down Donald Trump’s previous use of tariffs by declaring an economic emergency. The US president and his team have made clear that they’re seeking to…

While offering no details to hundreds of supporters, US president seemed to suggest conflict would not end soon Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Donald Trump told hundreds of supporters assembled inside a packaging plant in northern Kentucky on Wednesday that Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities had been significantly degraded. “Their drones are do…

Energy secretary says move is part of broader release as oil prices soar due to supply shocks from US-Israel war on Iran The United States will release 172m barrels of oil from its strategic petroleum reserve in a bid to reduce oil prices that have soared due to supply shocks from the US-Israeli war with Iran, US energy secretary Chris Wright said on Wednesday. Wright said the release is part of …

Two international tourists who were travelling to flood-ravaged North Burnett region from Brisbane thought to be first flood-related deaths Two bodies have been discovered in the search for a pair of missing backpackers, marking the first flood-related fatalities in a rain-hit region. Police on Thursday said they believed the bodies were of two international tourists who were travelling to Queens…

Australian company’s restructuring plan to push into artificial intelligence and enterprise sales Australian software giant Atlassian has announced it is laying off around 10% of its workforce, or roughly 1,600 positions, as part of a restructuring plan to push into artificial intelligence and enterprise sales. Shares of the company rose more than 4% in extended trading on the Nasdaq. Continue re…

Victorian premier to say vendors will have to pay for inspections and make them available to all buyers if Labor re-elected. Follow updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Chalmers ‘really sad’ former spy chief quit royal commission into antisemitism Chalmers said he was “really sad” to learn about Dennis Richardson departing the royal commission into antisemitism. Ri…

Newly released documents also show Peter Mandelson was offered highly classified briefings before formal vetting was complete Keir Starmer overruled officials who warned of a “reputational risk” in making Peter Mandelson US ambassador, despite being handed a dossier of evidence about the peer’s relationship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, documents reveal. The disclosure in newly released …

PM knew of US ambassador’s ‘close relationship’ with Jeffrey Epstein and potential conflicts of interest from his lobbying role Four months after Peter Mandelson was sacked as UK ambassador to Washington over his links with Jeffrey Epstein, he sat down for a primetime BBC interview . A less hubristic individual would have long since slunk away into the shadows. But despite all the condemnation an…

Strike in Shukeiri killed teachers and health care workers and is latest incident in three-year war At least 17 people, most of them schoolgirls, were killed on Wednesday when an explosive-laden drone blamed on Sudan’ s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces struck a secondary school and a health care centre. At least 10 people were wounded in the strike in the village of Shukeiri in the White Nile pr…

Crew of Thai-registered bulk carrier forced to flee fire, as US says it has destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels Middle East crisis live – latest updates Three merchant ships have been struck in and around the strait of Hormuz, including a Thai registered bulk carrier that caught fire after leaving a port in the UAE, forcing crew members to evacuate for their safety. The Mayuree Naree was str…