The Guardian

Image of man in underwear, blindfold and bound to iron rod has been widely shared on social media Middle East crisis live – latest updates An Israeli soldier’s photo of a Palestinian man from Gaza stripped to his underwear, blindfolded and bound face-down to an iron rod corroborates extensive reporting on Israeli torture of Palestinians in detention and itself may constitute a war crime, rights g…

John Edwards resigned in June after independent investigation following claims of sexual harassment and bullying The UK information commissioner who resigned over sexual harassment and bullying claims is understood to be taking legal action against a woman who flagged his conduct. The science and technology secretary, Liz Kendall, said she was “appalled” by the fact that John Edwards was preparin…

Activist is challenging ruling last year that restored colonial-era homophobic law against same-sex intimacy Some of the UK’s top judges are hearing arguments over whether a Trinidad and Tobago court had the legal right to overturn a 2018 ruling to remove colonial-era homophobic laws that criminalise anal sex between consenting men. The country’s “ buggery law ”, often referred to as its “sodomy”…

Hotel did not allow two Muslim women to wear full-body bathing suit, which has become bugbear of European far right An Austrian court has found an alpine hotel’s ban on burkinis discriminatory, a politically explosive ruling in a country where the far right is on the rise. The full-body bathing suit worn by some Muslim women has become a bugbear of the European far right, which has campaigned to …

Exclusive: Andrew Bailey says no policy changes were made as a result of pressure from crypto tycoon-backed Reform leader UK politics live – latest updates The governor of the Bank of England has broken his silence about the pressure Nigel Farage put on him to drop a cryptocurrency policy that could be costly for Reform UK’s billionaire backer, saying he is “able to spot” and resist lobbying. And…

Nearly a quarter of market traders now hold master’s degree, PhD or medical doctorate, research shows One in five young market traders now holds a master’s degree, PhD or medical doctorate, according to exclusive figures shared with the Guardian, in a sign of how Britain’s markets are attracting an unexpected new generation of highly educated entrepreneurs. Separate data from Kerb, the street foo…

Meta said it was working with officials to be a ‘good neighbor’ and drinking water supplies were not affected Officials in Wyoming said a contractor for Mark Zuckerberg ’s tech company, Meta , flushed bacteria-contaminated water into public sewers during construction of a controversial new AI datacenter . The incident prompted water authorities in Cheyenne to implement strict safety regulations o…

Mark Gatz was arrested at illegal campsite in June and had faced multiple citations for residing in Tonto national forest A man in Arizona has pleaded guilty to violating federal fire restrictions and unlawfully residing in a national forest, after authorities said he spent years living at a makeshift campsite surrounded by what officials described as “approximately 1,000 pounds of trash”. Mark A…

Daily realities of healthcare, prices and Gaza driving wave of anti-establishment sentiment among Democratic voters in closely watched contest In Macomb county, Michigan – a blue-collar Detroit suburb that twice voted for Barack Obama before backing each of Donald Trump’s three runs for the US presidency – residents are exhausted. Time and again, township trustee Shannon King, a Democrat still ma…

As alliance gathers in Ankara, European leaders informally agree strategy to try to keep US president on side Europe live – latest updates Nato leaders have informally agreed not to mention the football World Cup to Donald Trump in case they irritate the US president at a crucial time for the military alliance. Officials said European leaders had discussed in the sidelines of the summit in Ankara…

Far-right leader plans to take part in 2027 vote despite court of appeal upholding her conviction for embezzlement The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen launched her presidential campaign on Wednesday, after a decision by a court of appeal shortened her ban on running for office, allowing her to take part in the 2027 vote. Le Pen said voters would decide her future. Continue reading...

July update projects GDP growth of 1% this year, making UK the third fastest-growing economy in the G7 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has upgraded its growth forecast for the UK, while leaving those for other G7 countries weaker or unchanged, amid hopes the economic impact of the Iran war may be less severe than feared. In a July update of its World Economic Outlook, which was finalised be…

Hostilities between US and Iran resume as US president lashes out at ‘vicious, violent people’. Plus the fallout from the USMNT’s exit from the Fifa World Cup Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning. Hostilities have resumed between the US and Iran. Tehran accused the US of violating the agreement intended to end the war, after the US military launched strikes aroun…

Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 45, believed to have left UK before bodies of partner and children were discovered Police are hunting for a man after the deaths of his wife and two daughters in Bedfordshire. Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, known as Zandile, and Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found dead in a detached house in Great Denham, near Bedford, on Monday. Continue reading...

Maine’s embattled US Senate nominee has faced calls to withdraw after a sexual assault allegation he denies Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine, has been accused of trying to influence the process of picking his replacement amid a chorus of calls for him to withdraw from the race. Platner has publicly said he is…