The Guardian

Kurdish Syrian man, 26, said he fled forced conscription by YPG militia because he ‘didn’t want to kill people’ An asylum seeker sent back to France under the controversial “one in, one out” scheme faces being returned to Syria after authorities in Paris ruled it was safe to do so, in what is believed to be the first case of its kind. When the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the French …

Exclusive: The collection, including donations from Paul McCartney’s brother Mike, shows band’s development in early 60s A rare set of letters and photos from the early days of the Beatles, in which they write about feeling like stars for the first time, is to go on display in Hamburg. The collection, from an influential period when the band lived in the German city, includes the only letter in e…

PM worried about ‘cumulative’ effect of marches, as Met chief says Jewish communities facing biggest threat Some pro-Palestinian demonstrations could be stopped, the prime minister has warned, as the UK’s most senior police officer said the threat to the Jewish ­community was greater than it has ever been. Keir Starmer indicated he wanted the language expressed on some protest marches to be subje…

As a Mast of Fraternity and Memory is unveiled in Nantes, calls are growing for Macron to announce framework for discussions In the French port city of Nantes, once France ’s largest departure point for ships that trafficked enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, a new wooden mast rises 18 metres into the sky from the waterside. The Mast of Fraternity and Memory , inaugurated this month, marks a …

German defence minister responds to US president’s announcement that 5,000 US troops would leave bases in Germany Hello and welcome to our live coverage of events in the Middle East. The German defence minister, Boris Pistorius, said that it was “foreseeable” that the US would withdraw troops from Europe , after the Pentagon announced it would pull thousands of American soldiers from Germany. Tru…

Daytime temperatures on Friday were 10 to 14C above average in four states Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Record-breaking warm temperatures for the start of May in many parts of the country will be washed out by a cold front bringing rain, thunderstorms and much cooler weather. A high-pressure system dragged warm northerly winds across south-east Australia, the Burea…

‘Targeted support’ means certain banks and financial institutions can offer free extra help with investments and pensions Many Britons are daunted by the world of investing, but new City rules mean certain banks and financial institutions can offer free extra help with investments and pensions. Last month marked the launch of “targeted support”, a new regulated service that permits companies to s…

Company had struggled to increase post-pandemic demand before war in Iran pushed up jet fuel costs Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Spirit Airlines has announced that it has gone out of business after the low-cost airline ran out of cash and a rescue attempt by the Trump administration appeared to stall. The airline that once operated hundreds of daily…

WHO prequalification of Coartem Baby means newborns can be safely treated rather than using medication for older children The first malaria treatment for babies has been approved by the World Health Organization, opening the door to widespread use around the globe. In parts of Africa, up to 18% of children under six months will be infected with malaria, but there has historically been no safe tre…

Staff warned news operations face 15% cut, above BBC-wide 10% target, as corporation pushes through £600m savings plan The BBC’s news operation is to cut costs by a steeper-than-expected 15%, with staff told to expect heavy redundancies. The division, home to about a quarter of all BBC staff, is being saddled with one of the highest cost-cutting targets as the corporation attempts to cut as many …

Documentary makers seek to start ‘informed conversation’ in country where public is allowed on just 8% of land Anger and momentum are building for Scottish style rights of access to mountains, meadows, rivers and woodlands in England where the public is allowed on just 8% of land, a new documentary suggests. Our Land , a film whose title is a nod to the protest song by Woody Guthrie, explores the…

Rural dwellers reveal failings in backup plans, as campaigners call for deadline to be extended from 2027 to 2030 “Every time there is a power failure I lose all means of communication with the outside world,” says Robert Dewar of life in a remote village in the Scottish Highlands since the landlines were transferred from the old copper cable network to broadband connections. Blackouts also knock…

Gurindji families mourn ‘a life so precious, gone far too soon’ Warning: This article contains images of and references to Indigenous Australians who have died Kumanjayi Baby Girl’s relatives have released a statement saying they felt “helpless” when they heard she was missing, and hope their community can unite in grief. “A life so precious, so full of innocence, gone far too soon,” the Gurindji…

The US sanctions target people operating in broad sections of Cuban economy, including energy, defence and mining Cuba’s government has said new sanctions imposed on the island by Donald Trump amounted to “collective punishment”, as an enormous 1 May procession outside the American embassy in Havana vowed to “defend the homeland”. In an executive order on Friday, the US president said he would im…

Marvel praises Conway’s ‘undeniable and indelible impact’ of celebrated comic book writer who also worked for DC Gerry Conway, a renowned comic book writer who helped create characters and stories for Marvel and DC, including the Punisher character in the Spider-Man comics, has died. He was 73. In a Monday statement announcing his death, Marvel described Conway as a legendary comic book writer wi…