The Guardian

Public offering of Aliko Dangote’s Nigerian oil refinery business could swell his net wealth by two-thirds The fortune of Africa’s richest person could swell by two thirds to nearly $60bn (£44bn) after his refinery in Nigeria listed publicly in the continent’s biggest-ever initial public offering. If Monday’s flotation of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals on the Nigerian exchange goes…

Prime minister had been due to speak at the TUC conference in Brighton UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has cancelled his engagements for Monday and Tuesday after his father, Roy, died. Among other plans, the prime minister had been due to speak to the TUC conference in Brighton on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The Sweden Democrats slipped to third after decades of growth, but their hardline positions have already reshaped the political mainstream Swedish centre-left opposition widens lead to three seats with 95% of votes counted – live Since the party was founded in 1988, the story of the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD) has been one of such continuous growth that a triumph in Sunday’s general election …

Impasse comes amid growing Saudi anger with Tehran over Houthi advances and strikes on airbase and pipeline Oil prices rise after drone attacks shut down Saudi Arabia’s east-west pipeline Gulf states have postponed a critical meeting with Iran on the future of the strait of Hormuz owing to a lack of Arab consensus and growing Saudi Arabian anger with Tehran for helping the Houthis loosen Riyadh’s…

Sources say there are ‘significant differences’ in opinion as debate inflamed by crypto billionaires’ £72m donations to Reform UK politics live – latest updates The head of Britain’s trade union movement, Paul Nowak, has said the government must act to “stop the super-rich corrupting our politics”, as union leaders met on Monday to discuss possible support for a domestic cap on donations. Union l…

Kaja Kallas calls drone attack that narrowly missed Boris Johnson and David Petraeus ‘a message to the western world’ Europe live – latest updates Europe needs to show it will not be “scared off” in supporting Ukraine, the EU’s chief diplomat said, after a Russian drone hit a passenger train on the country’s border with Poland shortly after a convoy of high-level diplomats and former leaders had …

But their habitat is threatened by bottom trawling in the region and Trump’s plan to expand seafloor mining Scientists have discovered nine new deep-sea sponge species off Alaska, offering new insights into the region’s largely unexplored marine biodiversity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) announced the discovery on Thursday, saying the species were found in the Gulf o…

Strike on kingdom’s east-west pipeline could affect 4% of global oil supply. Plus, report reveals British monarchy’s role in financing slave trade Don’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up here Good morning. Oil prices have climbed above $108 a barrel after a series of drone attacks from Iraq’s territory forced Saudi Arabia to close its east-west crude pipeline. Saudi traders said the …

Warning follows series of safety incidents, with committee saying threats include public face-scanning and deepfakes UK politics live – latest updates British lawmakers are demanding more restrictions on the power of AI, warning the world is unprepared for the “potentially dire” consequences of the technology, in the latest sign of rising global concern. A new regulatory framework is needed for A…

The US Supreme Court is ​still weighing the administration’s ⁠request to ​overturn a separate ​order ​blocking the ​rule Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. A second ⁠federal ⁠judge has prevented ⁠Donald Trump’s administration from implementing ⁠a ​new ‌US ‌Postal Service ‌rule that would tighten mail-in vot…

Project will prepare volunteers across US to monitor polls, encourage early voting and respond to disinformation The Democrats intend to train tens of thousands of volunteers to monitor the polls and counter possible voter intimidation under a new plan to protect November’s US midterm elections from anticipated interference from Donald Trump and his allies. The nationwide initiative, dubbed the N…

STC’s 2027 program also features Celeste Barber in Amy Sedaris and David Sedaris play, Tim Minchin as Scrooge and the return of The Picture of Dorian Gray Six years after the Australian historian Jenny Hocking won her legal battle to release secret correspondence between Queen Elizabeth II, Malcolm Fraser and the governor general John Kerr, her fight to reveal the truth about Gough Whitlam’s dism…

The parliament isn’t set to meet until late September to elect a new speaker, and then prime minister Senior figures in the Social Democratic party are meeting this morning with party leader Magdalena Andersson to discuss next steps. The party topped the polls – that is certain – and is most likely to have a first go at forming the next government, but it will have to navigate the complex and oft…

Flooding in West Bengal has led to three deaths, while severe beach erosion has been witnessed in Orange county Flooding around the city of Malda in the Indian state of West Bengal since Thursday has had a devastating effect. So far, three deaths have been recorded and many areas are still flooded, with numerous villages affected, along with the region of Bhutni. Erosion from the flooding, report…

Labour MPs and unions are pressuring the government to legislate for a stricter cap on political party donations Richard Tice , Reform UK’s deputy leader, has declined to say when two crypto billionaires who gave a combined £72m to the party returned to the UK, Peter Walker reports. Good morning. This afternoon peers will debate the second reading of the representation of the people bill. If you …