The Guardian

Government estimates that one in 60 adults in Fiji now living with HIV, as escalating use of methamphetamine fuels ‘epidemic’ Fiji has declared a national HIV emergency amid a spike in infections as the Pacific nation grapples with a correlating rise in methamphetamine use. The country’s health and medical services minister, Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, said in a statement on social media that an o…

President stumps for Senate nominee Michael Whatley in North Carolina and urges voters to ‘crush the communists’ Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail on Wednesday, imploring North Carolina voters to “pretend I’m on the ticket” and “crush the communists” in the November elections at a rally in support of the Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley. Despite Trump’s deep unpopularity, Repub…

The US president call the move a ‘hostile act’, as Canada seeks to move closer to the EU and diversify its defence ties Donald Trump has threatened the European Union with “serious tariffs” and a cut to trade after the bloc proposed to make Canada its first ever associate member, calling the idea “laughable”. Suggesting the move was a “hostile act”, the US president told reporters he could put “v…

Independent senator had denounced as ‘cruel’ the plan to impose a $5,000 cap on allied health services for veterans Labor has backdown on plans to impose a $5,000 cap on health services for defence veterans, caving to growing political pressure after weeks of criticism. The government announced it would no longer pursue the cap for allied health services, which had been to come into force on 1 Ju…

The US artist, whose swirly, colorful, instantly recognizable designs became hugely commercially successful, died on Monday Peter Max, whose colorful, psychedelic pop art expressed the optimism of the “flower power” movement of the 1960s and graced everything from postage stamps to a cruise ship, has died at 88. Max died on Monday, his son, Adam Max, said in a written statement on Wednesday. No c…

LeJames Norman, 40, killed at Huntsville penitentiary while scheduled execution in Georgia halted by judge A man convicted over the shooting deaths of three people was executed on Wednesday in Texas, while another execution scheduled for the same time in Georgia was halted by a judge. It’s the fifth execution in Texas this year. Georgia has yet to put anyone to death this year. The nation’s busie…

Global financial institution predicts GDP will grow to just 1.6% in 2027 as Treasury faces rising energy costs and inflation Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its forecast for Australia’s economic growth in 2027, warning that the Reserve Bank may have to hike interest r…

Boys aged 14 and 16 charged after Marco Tapia, 23, was killed inside his family’s home in Glen Alpine Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Two teenage boys have been charged with murder after the shooting death of a university student in Sydney this month, which police say was a case of mistaken identity. Marco Tapia, …

Scientists say global heating was a destabilising factor in collapse of 200,000 sq metre glacier in August Climate breakdown probably weakened the glacier that collapsed causing catastrophic floods and killing hundreds of people in Nepal and Tibet last month, the first scientific study of the disaster has found. Researchers identified unusually warm conditions before the glacier’s collapse , whic…

Pair accused of misappropriating millions in taxpayer dollars as Trump officials target alleged fraud in blue states Federal law enforcement officers have arrested two employees of California-based homelessness non-profits on corruption charges, alleging that they misappropriated millions in taxpayer dollars. The US justice department has arrested Michael Young, a founder of the Culver City-based…

Exclusive: Ten category C prisons in England and Wales asked to add second beds, in breach of safe occupancy limits The Prison Service has drawn up plans to “double up” hundreds of prisoners in temporary prefabricated cells built for one person, at the request of the Ministry of Justice, leaked documents show. Amid an ongoing overcrowding crisis in England and Wales, governors of 10 category C pr…

Follow the day’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Australia has broken into the top 10 of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, ranking eighth out of 148 countries – its highest ranking ever. The 2026 report marks a significant climb for Australia, moving up 35 places from 43rd since the Albanese government took office. The job is not done and …

Pro-Israel Gregory Meeks raises concerns over threat to civilian lives from package of 40,000 one-ton bombs The top Democrat on the House foreign affairs committee has thrown up a roadblock to one of the largest US arms transfers of Trump’s second term, refusing to clear a $2.8bn sale of 2,000lb bombs to Israel. Gregory Meeks announced the hold on Tuesday on a package of 40,000 of the bombs, amon…

Government sources say legislation aimed at China poses a risk to British businesses and must be addressed European legislation that threatens to lock British business out of EU industry could derail a planned reset summit between the bloc and the UK, government sources have said. The “Made in Europe” legislation – formally known as the Industrial Accelerator Act – is designed to curb China’s inc…

Ursula von der Leyen has opened door for Canada to become associate member to deepen links in ‘openly hostile world’ Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has been advocating closer alignment with “middle powers” since January in the face of recklessness in Washington. But what should worry another middle power, the UK, is that it was Brussels that came up with Wednesday’s big reveal in Strasbour…