The Guardian

Sunday’s presidential vote is contest between left and right – and between contradictory proposals for dealing with the decades-long armed conflict Mateo Pérez Rueda was one internship away from completing a degree in political science. The 24-year-old also worked as a bicycle delivery rider and sold fruit salads and juice to finance his passion: the Colombian independent digital magazine El Conf…

Hong Qi, who orchestrated protest against Communist government, claims interpreter on 101 call launched political tirade A Chinese dissident who orchestrated an anti-government protest in China after fleeing to the UK has claimed that a “pro-regime” interpreter used by a British police force berated him when he sought help. Hong Qi, who made headlines last year after using a mobile phone while in…

Exclusive: Local authority asked what steps it is taking after hordes of splashing revellers seen disturbing nesting birds Ministers have written to the City of London demanding it stop people from swimming in a protected pond on Hampstead Heath, after disturbing scenes of cygnets and eggs being disrupted went viral on social media. Swans and their 12-day-old cygnets were disturbed by hordes of s…

While some found this week’s heat a breeze, many in poorer areas face health risks in furnace-like homes Travelling from his air-conditioned flat to the air-conditioned Elizabeth line to his air-conditioned office, 27-year-old banker Aykhan found this week’s heatwave a breeze. Smiling while grabbing lunch in the shopping centre under the gleaming One Canada Square skyscraper in Canary Wharf, he s…

Undermanned side upsets finals-bound ACT Brumbies 21-19 Players come together to mark victory and club’s expected demise An undermanned Moana Pasifika have capped off their potential final match with a stirring victory, upsetting the finals-bound ACT Brumbies 21-19. But there were mixed feelings as players celebrated a rare win before coming together with staff to mark the occasion of the club’s …

Truck was carrying Afghan families returning Pakistan when it overturned, official says A truck overturned in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing 18 people on board including 10 children, a provincial official told Agence France-Presse. Deadly traffic crashes are common in Afghanistan, due in part to poor roads after decades of conflict, dangerous driving and a lack of regulation. Continue r…

Despite government pledges, more than 20 authorities will not allow gullies, citing safety, legal and parking concerns The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, has said charger gullies to connect electric cars parked on streets will help cut costs for drivers, yet millions of UK households may be unable to use the simple technology because their local councils will still not allow charging cables to cr…

Exclusive: Shams Sadiq says officers offered financial inducements and to turn a ‘blind eye’ to certain offences A cafe owner claims police offered him financial benefits and to turn a “blind eye” to certain low-level offences if he informed on Palestine Action. Shams (his nickname) Sadiq, who owns two Manchester cafes, said the inducements were offered when he went to collect electronic devices …

Soho Society, funded by Westminster council, is ferociously opposing all new proposals, venue owners say A society of residents funded by the council could “destroy Soho’s reputation on the international stage” as London’s entertainment district by ferociously objecting to all new bar and restaurant licences, operators in the area have said. The Soho Society, a group of residents established in 1…

Some Iranians hoped foreign intervention would unseat the regime but instead the US-Israel war has damaged livelihoods and strengthened those in power As Donald Trump swung this week between threats of new military action against Iran and predictions that a lasting ceasefire deal was imminent, many Iranians were left exhausted and gripped by uncertainty. Despite the partial lifting of an internet…

Pentagon chief also tells Singapore defence summit of ‘alarm’ at China’s military buildup but says US does not seek ‘needless confrontation’ The US has more than sufficient stockpiles of weapons and is “more than capable” of resuming the war with Iran, Pete Hegseth told a defence summit hours after a meeting in Washington failed to produce a deal to end the conflict. “Our ability to recommence if…

Zeppelin Witheridge charged with public nuisance over ‘Scientology speedrun’ social media trend Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A social media stunt that treats churches like video games has gone from TikTok to the dock, landing an alleged teenage “speedrunner” in court. Zeppelin Witheridge, 18, has been accused of using a police car as a BMX ramp after a viral challe…

Suggestion the Luce EV should be stripped of prancing horse logo shows strength of feeling from Ferrari fans For passionate enthusiasts, Ferraris are not merely cars but works of art. The emotion stirred by their classic red curves is, they say, akin to standing before a Michelangelo sculpture, while the sound of the engine revving evokes a sensation comparable to listening to the music of Giusep…

Bureau of Meteorology says WA residents should brace for wind gusts higher than 125 km/h - the strength of category two cyclones A major storm system bearing down on millions of Western Australians on Saturday is bringing cyclone-strength winds, and is set to deliver a “wintry blast” to the east of the country early next week. Residents across WA’s populated south-west were warned to tie down loo…

New digital marking system is aimed at reducing human errors but many students say it has resulted in wrong grades National outcry has erupted in India after more than 400,000 students have requested copies of their exam papers and answer sheets amid an outcry over marking errors in the country’s most important school-leaving exams. Within days of the grade 12 exam results being issued, students …