The Guardian

The Arctic Metagaz burst into flames before sinking after what the Russian president described as a terrorist attack Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of carrying out a terrorist attack on one of Russia’s liquefied natural gas carriers which exploded into flames and sank in the Mediterranean Sea off Libya. The Arctic Metagaz had been sanctioned by the US and EU for being part of Moscow’s “shadow…

Prime minister’s initial refusal to help US could constrain Britain’s ability to protect its nationals in the Gulf and reassure allies Middle East crisis – live updates Britain knew that the US was considering attacking Iran from the moment Donald Trump told protesters that “help is coming” in the middle of January. It was obvious to the world that the White House was serious when the Abraham Lin…

Wave of strikes comes after Taliban forces attack Pakistani border troops following earlier action from Islamabad Pakistan has bombed major cities in Afghanistan including the capital, Kabul, with Islamabad’s defence minister declaring that the hostile neighbours were in a state of “open war” as a cycle of retaliatory attacks escalated further . Witnesses in Kabul and Kandahar, the southern Afgha…

Voters remain unsure about which policy decisions sit with Cardiff Bay and which with Westminster UK politics live – latest updates Almost 60% of Welsh voters are unaware of how the new system will work in May’s Senedd elections and there is confusion over devolution powers, a report has found. Polling research released on Wednesday by Cardiff University and YouGov suggested that 26 years since d…

From Texas to North Carolina, incumbents fall as Democrats gain in Arkansas, signaling 2026 turbulence US politics live – latest updates There was more at stake in Tuesday’s primary elections than just the high-profile nominations for US Senate seats in North Carolina and Texas . Further down the ballot were contests that offered hints of how the electorate was reacting to the Trump administratio…

Emotional scenes as people trapped by conflict land at Sydney. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Krishani Dhanji will pick up the slack. Weary Australians trapped by the war in the Middle East arrived back to an emotional welcome at Sydn…

At times like this you have to thank your lucky stars that the opposition leader is not in Downing Street On another day it might even have been quite funny. The mismatch between Kemi Badenoch’s self-belief and her performance. But Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions was far too serious for that, with Donald Trump’s Awfully Big Iranian Adventure threatening to escalate into all-out war in the …

Democratic voters in Texas displayed a survival instinct in picking James Talarico as their US Senate candidate James Talarico wins Democratic primary for US Senate in Texas Never write off the voter. It has been tempting to despair of an electorate that returned Donald Trump to power in 2024. But as the US midterm elections got under way on Tuesday, the big winner was pragmatism. Democrats in Te…

State party chair had urged candidates with no ‘viable path’ to victory to drop out to ensure Democratic win in November US politics live – latest updates Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox One day after California’s Democratic party urged candidates without a “viable path” in the state’s crucial race for governor to drop out, the crowded field showed no…

Deploying the world’s most powerful military seems to exert an almost erotic fascination for Donald Trump This was originally published in This Week in Trumpland; sign up to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday It was a claim uttered repeatedly on the 2024 campaign trail: “I’m the only president in 72 years that didn’t start a war,” Donald Trump said in Sioux City, Iowa . Fact checkers cried …

Exclusive: David Taylor, husband of Joani Reid, MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, named as one of those arrested A former Labour adviser who is married to a Labour MP is among three men who have been arrested on suspicion of spying for China. David Taylor, the husband of the Labour MP Joani Reid, was arrested by detectives from counter-terrorism police in London on suspicion of assisting a for…

The prime minister’s cautious stance about helping the US against the Tehran regime mirrors that of the electorate Middle East crisis: live updates It was perhaps the most attention-grabbing moment of prime minister’s questions. Responding to yet another Conservative salvo about his approach to Iran and how it might affect ties with America, Keir Starmer was direct. “American planes are operating…

Saharan dust will transform sunsets and might leave deposits on cars and windows A vast plume of Saharan dust is expected to light up the skies over much of the UK this week. The fine sand lifted from the deserts of North Africa will travel thousands of miles on warm southerly air currents and is expected to coat cars and other outdoor surfaces, forecasters said. Continue reading...

Household costs could reach £1,800 a year from July as UK market hits three-year high Middle East crisis – live updates Household energy bills could climb by £160 a year from this summer after the war in Iran pushed the UK’s gas market to a three-year high. A typical combined household gas and electricity bill could reach £1,800 a year in Great Britain under the government’s quarterly price cap f…

Defence secretary confirms strike on Iris Dena in first US attack on Iranian forces outside Middle East during conflict Middle East crisis – live updates The US has carried out a submarine torpedo strike that sank an Iranian warship off the south coast of Sri Lanka, according to the US secretary of defence. Pete Hegseth confirmed that the US was behind the deadly strike on an Iranian frigate that…