The Guardian

Leader of leftwing Economic Freedom Fighters was convicted last year for firing rifle in the air at 2018 rally The South African leftwing politician Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison for firing a rifle in the air at a political rally in 2018. Lawyers for the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, South Africa’s fourth largest political party, immediately sought leave to a…

The defence minister insists that increases in spending did not happen because of thinktanks, retired generals ‘or washed-up bureaucrats’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast If there’s anyone who knows just how much pressure Donald Trump is heaping on allies to lift defence spending, it’s Richard Marles. The message was received loud and clear when he met his US counterpa…

Hampshire is latest school to fall to declining enrollment amid a decades-long crisis affecting liberal arts colleges Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox When Hampshire College enrolled its first class of students in 1970, it offered a new breed of liberal arts education, one meeting each student’s interests and motivations, emphasizing learning across di…

Exit of former Newsnight editor after eight years comes after appointment of new chief executive Priya Dogra Channel 4’s content chief, Ian Katz, who holds responsibility for the broadcaster’s £650m annual programming budget and output, is to leave after almost nine years in the post. Katz, a former senior executive at the Guardian, became the channel’s director of programmes in January 2018, hav…

Nadia Fall calls for bold thinking as she announces new shows including anti-Trump version of Thelma & Louise Theatres facing financial difficulty can only prosper by “programming their way out of it”, according to the Young Vic artistic director, Nadia Fall, who has announces her new slate of shows, including an anti-Trump musical version of Thelma & Louise . Fall, who took the helm at the Young…

Ukrainian president says nearly 700 Russian drones and 19 ballistic missiles mostly targeted Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia “does not deserve any easing … or lifting on sanctions” after an overnight attack killed 16 and wounded 100 people in Ukraine. He said: “ Russia is betting on war, and the response must be exactly that: we must defend lives with al…

Ministers drawing up contingency plans for ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’ if supply of CO 2 is disrupted Business live – latest updates The UK could face some gaps on supermarket shelves this summer if disruption caused by the Iran war continues, with shortages of carbon dioxide potentially hitting supplies of chicken, pork and fizzy drinks. Government ministers are reportedly drawing up contin…

Peter Kyle did not dispute Times’ report that under a ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’ supermarkets might start running out of some items Good morning. ‘We don’t comment on leaks,’ is the usual government response to an unsanctioned lobby scoop. But this morning Peter Kyle , the business secretary, took a different response. Asked about a Times splash saying the government is making plans to deal…

UK’s biggest supermarket voices caution for year ahead despite annual profits rising 8.5% to £2.4bn Business live – latest updates Tesco has warned that profits could fall back in the year ahead amid “increased uncertainty caused by the conflict in the Middle East”. The warning came after the UK’s biggest supermarket hit its highest share of the market in a decade. Continue reading...

Court finds law – which effectively meant protesters could not march without risk of arrest – is unconstitutional Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast New South Wales’ highest court has struck down an anti-protest law brought in after the Bondi beach terror attack which gave police the power to restrict marches, includ…

New meeting to come after rare direct talks between the countries mediated by US; Netanyahu earlier says Israel about to ‘overwhelm’ part of southern Lebanon US and Iran in indirect talks to extend two-week ceasefire The US defence secretary and the chair of the military’s joint chiefs of staff will hold a press conference on Thursday morning US time about the US-Israel operation against Iran, th…

Wednesday’s strike brings the total of those killed in US military strikes on alleged drug boats to at least 177 Three people were killed in a US strike on another alleged drug-trafficking boat, the fifth such deadly attack in as many days, military officials have announced. US southern command said it conducted “a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations” …

Some petrol stations may see short-term fuel outages as refinery output slows, but national supplies should not be affected Full report: Geelong oil refinery fire Geelong oil refinery fire: what we know so far Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Victorian motorists are being warned to brace for a spike in petrol price…

Two killed, including a child, in Kyiv with another death in the city of Dnipro amid strikes across the country Russian forces attacked Kyiv and other cities early on Thursday, killing three people, including a 12-year-old child, injuring more than 20 and badly damaging buildings, officials said. Moscow has fired hundreds of drones on its neighbour almost nightly since the beginning of the four-y…

Energy crisis unfolding in Middle East has added political urgency, and more funding, to transform South Korea’s solar industry In Guyang-ri, a farming village of 70 households about 90 minutes south-east of Seoul, people gather for communal free lunches six days a week. The meals are funded by the village’s one-megawatt solar installation, which generates roughly 10m won ($6,800) in net profit e…