The Guardian

Annual political gathering kicks off this week in Beijing with the economy, technology and the military high on the agenda More generals purged as Chinese delegates gather for event China’s annual Two Sessions meetings begin this week, with thousands of political and community delegates descending on Beijing from across mainland China , Hong Kong and Macau to ratify legislation, personnel changes…

Foreign affairs committee report finds summit improved political relationship but efforts lack ‘strategic priorities’ Keir Starmer’s efforts to reset the UK’s relationship with the EU are lacking in “direction, definition and drive”, parliament’s foreign affairs committee has said. A report based on months of expert witness testimony found the summit between the UK and the EU at Lancaster House l…

Shabana Mahmood says UK’s generosity abused as visas halted for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan The government has imposed an emergency brake on visas for the first time on nationals from four countries, as Shabana Mahmood accused them of exploiting Britain’s generosity to claim asylum. Study visas for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan have been halte…

Party worries crowded field to replace Gavin Newsom – and quirk of primary system – could open door for Republicans in November It’s been three decades since Democrats last had a wide open competition for the California governorship, one of the most visible and most powerful positions in the US. Instead of relishing in the competition of a crowded field, though, party leaders worry that the race …

Push to give English same status as Māori and NZ sign languages sparks backlash from opposition parties and linguistic experts A bill to recognise English as an official language of New Zealand has cleared its first hurdle in parliament amid ridicule from opposition parties and linguists who say it is “unnecessary” and “cynical”. The bill seeks to give English, which is spoken by 95% of the count…

Homeland security secretary was grilled in Senate hearing over immigration enforcement crackdown in Twin Cities US politics live – latest updates Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox The secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem , on Tuesday would not retract her statements calling the two US citizens who were killed by immigratio…

Nigel Farage’s attempts to appeal to centre-ground voters may cause tension in his party, according to Hope Not Hate More than half of Reform UK members believe non-white British citizens born abroad should be deported or encouraged to leave, according to the first publicly available poll of those in Nigel Farage’s party. The findings come as the Reform leader attempts to court centre-ground vote…

Company will halt production of controversial paraquat weed killer by end of June as it faces thousands of lawsuits Syngenta, maker of a controversial pesticide linked to Parkinson’s disease, said on Tuesday that it will stop making its paraquat weed killer by the end of June. The announcement comes as the company is facing several thousand lawsuits brought by people in the US who allege they dev…

Chloe Jeffries from the Gold Coast in Queensland was holidaying in the Hakuba Valley with her family An Australian schoolgirl has died while on a family holiday at a Japanese ski resort. Eight-year-old Chloe Jeffries from the Gold Coast in Queensland was reportedly riding a snowmobile in the Hakuba Valley on Saturday when it rolled, fatally injuring her. Continue reading...

Religious freedom group says 200 troops sent complaints of superiors using extremist Christian rhetoric to justify war US military commanders have been invoking extremist Christian rhetoric about biblical “end times” to justify involvement in the Iran war to troops, according to complaints made to a watchdog group. The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) says it has received more than 20…

US president attempts to counter simmering anti-Israeli backlash in Congress and among Maga supporters Donald Trump attempted to counter a simmering anti-Israel backlash in Congress and among his own Maga supporters on Tuesday by denying suggestions that he had been bounced into attacking Iran because Israel had already decided to do so. Amid growing criticism among opponents and allies alike, Tr…

Wigdor LLP accuses billionaire of trying to ‘destroy those who seek to hold him to account for alleged sexual assault’ A law firm that represented multiple women who accused former Jeffrey Epstein associate Leon Black of sexual misconduct alleged in a Manhattan civil suit on Monday that the powerful financier deployed “multiple frivolous and malicious lawsuits” as retaliation for representing the…

At least four tankers have been struck by drones and maritime traffic has dropped by 80%, reports say Iran has effectively closed the strait of Hormuz to oil and gas exports for the past four days with a mixture of drone strikes and fear that has halted commercial maritime traffic despite intense US attacks on Iran’s navy. At least four tankers have been struck and Lloyd’s List Intelligence repor…

US president criticises prime minister for third time 24 hours, describing him as ‘not Churchill’ over initial refusal Middle East crisis – live updates Donald Trump has launched a deeply personal attack on Keir Starmer over his refusal to let the US launch initial strikes on Iran from British bases, telling reporters: “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.” In his latest extraor…

Lib Dems table amendment to crime and policing bill, saying system ‘simply not doing enough to protect women’ Parliament is to debate whether all suicides in cases involving victims of domestic abuse should be investigated as homicide. The Liberal Democrats have tabled an amendment to the crime and policing bill saying that if “there is reasonable suspicion that a death by suicide has been preced…