The Guardian

Zainab Sheriff unjustly sentenced to four years in prison for incitement and threatening language, say activists Lawyers, politicians and activists have called for the release of one of Sierra Leone’s best-known celebrities, who they said was unjustly imprisoned as part of a government crackdown on free speech and political dissent. Zainab Sheriff, a singer and reality-TV show contestant who beca…

Cornwall Insight predicts rise in price cap of nearly 13% in Great Britain as Iran war pushes up gas costs Business live – latest updates Households in Great Britain could see their energy bills increase by over £200 a year to almost £1,900 from this summer in “a kick in the teeth” for millions struggling with the cost of living crisis. A typical gas and electricity bill is now forecast to reach …

YouGov polling reveals support for prospective challenger, with members believing Starmer could not secure another victory Unemployment in the UK has unexpectedly risen to 5% while wage growth has slowed, according to official figures, in the first snapshot of how companies are reacting to the impact of the Iran war, Tom Knowles reports. Good morning. A week ago, at cabinet, Keir Starmer delivere…

Independent senator warns budget reform could drive tech investment offshore, as PM thanks startups for ‘very flattering’ images Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese has laughed off an AI-generated meme campaign against capital gains tax changes from startup founders, thanking them for “very flattering” doctored photos of him working in their businesses. B…

Meeting also comes amid recent brutal Russian attacks and Putin’s visit to China The UN security council is meeting to discuss the situation in Ukraine today in response to recent brutal Russian attacks on the country and joint nuclear weapons drills starting in Russia and Belarus. The meeting – called by Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia , Liberia, and UK – is expected to cover the latest on “peac…

The US president said he called off a planned attack on Iran on Tuesday so that peace talks could continue Full report: Trump claims planned attack on Iran postponed after Tehran makes new proposal to end war We are restarting our live coverage of the US-Israeli war on Iran and the other conflicts in the Middle East. Donald Trump says he has called off a planned attack on Iran on Tuesday at the r…

Rise in unemployment and weak pay growth underline how tough this year will be for UK households UK unemployment unexpectedly rises to 5% Business live – latest updates News that the UK unemployment rate jumped back to 5% in March appears to be the latest evidence that the Iran war has snuffed out the economic upturn Rachel Reeves had hoped to see in 2026. The Office for National Statistics repor…

DCMS says there must be ‘consequences for criminality’, after allegations by three women about onscreen partners Rape claims involving Channel 4’s Married at First Sight UK must be investigated, with consequences for criminality or wrongdoing, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has said. The BBC reported on Monday that two women said they had been raped during filming of the datin…

‘We cannot continue to blame migrants for the problems of our economy,’ backbencher Andrew McLachlan says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A Liberal senator has broken ranks to criticise Angus Taylor’s plan to bar non-citizens from accessing welfare, warning it will create “two types of members of the community” an…

HMAS Farncomb had been due to be retired this year, but is now expected to operate until about 2036 Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Taxpayers will fork out an extra $11bn to extend the lifespan of Australia’s ageing Collins-class submarines for another decade, bridging the capability gap before the scheduled arriv…

Pay growth eases to 3.4% as businesses face pressure from soaring energy costs Business live – latest updates Unemployment in the UK has unexpectedly risen to 5% while wage growth has slowed, according to official figures, in the first snapshot of how companies are reacting to the impact of the Iran war. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment was up in the three mo…

Rising volume of components imported from China prompts warning of cannibalisation of European industries Europe is facing a fresh China shock that threatens to cannibalise local factories, leading to job losses and de facto colonisation of industry by Beijing, trade analysts and representatives have said. They fear the plunging exchange rate and support for Chinese “zombie firms” has echoes of t…

Dr Sharmila Chandran suspended until 20 September as Royal Australasian College of Physicians agrees to work with regulator to meet its obligations Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The charities regulator has suspended the president-elect of one of Australia’s oldest medical colleges for allegedly contravening a di…

Prosecution is seen as landmark step towards justice over abuses of refugees trying to reach Europe from Africa A former militia commander accused of overseeing murder, rape, enslavement and torture in Libyan detention centres will appear at the international criminal court on Tuesday for a hearing that campaigners say is a landmark step towards “justice, truth, reparation and deterrence” of abus…

Port has upgraded offshore wind facilities and is to expand quays, ferry terminals and cruise ship services The operator of Belfast harbour plans to spend £1.3bn over the next 25 years to take advantage of strong economic growth in Northern Ireland, in what would be one of the largest non-governmental investments in the region’s history. The Belfast Harbour Commissioners said the money would be s…