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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:17:48 GMT |
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The men, sent to Africa after completing criminal sentences in the US, are from Cuba, Jamaica and Yemen Three men deported by the US to Eswatini – rather than their home countries – have filed a case against Eswatini’s government with the African Union’s human rights body, claiming their detention was an unlawful violation of their rights. Two of the claimants, from Cuba and Yemen, have been in prison in Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, for eight months. The third, Orville Etoria, was repatriated to his home country, Jamaica, in September. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:23:57 GMT |
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US president is ‘truly uninformed’ for spreading claims of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa tells New York Times South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has called Donald Trump’s policy of allowing white Afrikaners to apply for refugee status in the US “racist”, saying the US president was “truly uninformed” in a rare instance of direct criticism. Ramaphosa told the New York Times that last year’s Oval Office meeting with the US leader, when Trump turned down the lights and played a video that he falsely claimed showed there was a “white genocide” in South Africa, was a “spectacle” and an “ambush”. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:37:15 GMT |
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Lewis Hamilton has called for a movement to “take Africa back”, claiming the continent is being “controlled” by European powers. On the eve of the new Formula One season in Melbourne, the seven-time champion outlined his ambition to compete in a grand prix on African soil. But the 41-year-old, F1’s first black race driver, did not stop there. He suggested former colonial rulers still exerted undue power in the region and called for action to reverse that influence. “I’ve got roots from a few different places there, like Togo and Benin,” he said. “I’m really proud of that part of the world. Continue reading...
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Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:49:36 GMT |
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At least 169 killed in raid near Sudan border as clashes between government and opposition forces intensify South Sudan is reeling from an escalating conflict between the government-aligned army and opposition forces and allied groups that observers say risks returning the country to a full-blown civil war. Violent confrontations in the world’s youngest country between the military, which is loyal to President Salva Kiir, and insurgents believed to be allied to the suspended vice-president, Riek Machar, have increased in recent weeks. Continue reading...
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Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:11:17 GMT |
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China calls it unacceptable to ‘kill leader of sovereign state’, while South Africa questions ‘pre-emptive’ justification The US-Israeli war on Iran has been condemned as illegal across much of the global south, with China saying it was unacceptable to “blatantly kill the leader of a sovereign state”. Many countries objected that negotiations between the US and Iran over its nuclear programme and missile capability were not given a chance to succeed before Washington and Israel began bombing, and analysts often saw the war in terms of a colonial-style exercise of might. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:50:26 GMT |
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Critics sceptical Pentagon chief’s plan for increased military force – amid rising US intervention – will stop drug gangs Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, has urged Latin American countries to adopt a more aggressive approach against drug cartels, warning that the Trump administration may otherwise act unilaterally in the region. Hegseth’s remarks come in a context of escalating US intervention in the region, both militarily and in elections, which culminated in the capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro – the first US ground military attack on a South American country. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:01:39 GMT |
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The country’s network of footpaths is growing – with hopes they will develop local economies and better preserve the environment
Follow the yellow footprints along Brazil’s newest long-distance trail, and they will take you through lush green forests and sandy shrubland, past sweeping vistas and bizarre rock formations, into grottos and rural communities. Spanning 186km (115 miles) of paths once used by 19th-century merchants, the Caminhos da Ibiapaba is the first waymarked long-distance footpath in Brazil’s north-east region, adding to a growing network of hiking trails in the country. Continue reading...
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Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:42:57 GMT |
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Latest outage darkens island facing dwindling oil reserves and increasing pressure from Washington A blackout hit the western half of Cuba on Wednesday, leaving millions of people in Havana and beyond without power in the latest outage to affect an island struggling with dwindling oil reserves and a crumbling electricity grid. The government’s Electric Union confirmed the outage on social platform X, saying it affected people from the western city of Pinar del Rio to the central town of Camaguey. Continue reading...
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Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:01:11 GMT |
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Detainees accused of coming from the US with intent to sow chaos and attack military units on Communist-ruled island Cuban prosecutors have formally charged six people with crimes of terrorism after a US-flagged speedboat was involved in a deadly shootout with Cuba’s coast guard last week. The US-based Cuban defendants are accused of packing a boat with weapons and heading toward Cuba in hopes of destabilising the government in Havana. Continue reading...
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Wed, 04 Mar 2026 04:06:48 GMT |
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US Southern Command said joint mission with Ecuador involves ‘decisive action’ against illicit drug trafficking US and Ecuadorian forces have launched joint operations to combat drug trafficking, the US Southern Command said on Tuesday, but neither side gave more details. Southern Command, which encompasses 31 countries through South and Central America and the Caribbean, said in a statement on X that the “decisive action” was aimed at combating illicit drug trafficking. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:00:02 GMT |
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Pacific island says the US weakened its proposal to advance a key climate ruling but vows to hold major polluters accountable The Trump administration’s attempt to sink a UN resolution demanding countries act on the climate crisis has caused cuts to the proposal but hasn’t entirely killed it, according to the tiny Pacific island country spearheading the effort. The US has demanded that Vanuatu, an archipelago in the south Pacific, drop its UN draft resolution that calls on the world to implement a landmark international court of justice (ICJ) ruling from last year that countries could face paying reparations if they fail to stem the climate crisis. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:01:13 GMT |
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Reports of attack on US registered tanker in Gulf lifts crude by 3% to $84 a barrel as gas price also starts to climb Stock markets have rebounded in Asia after days of heavy losses driven by the war in the Middle East, but oil and gas prices have continued to climb amid disruption to supplies. South Korea’s KOSPI, which posted its biggest ever fall on Tuesday of 12%, rose by almost 10% on Thursday, while Japan’s Nikkei climbed by 1.9%. MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan jumped by 2.7%. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:05:00 GMT |
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Japanese baby macaque, who appeared to find comfort in the djungelskog toy after being rejected by his mother, seems to be mixing more with his peers Punch, a baby macaque that stole the hearts of animal lovers around the world, is outgrowing his Ikea djungelskog plushie that comforted him after he was initially rejected by his mother and other monkeys at a zoo in Japan. Images of the seven-month-old dragging around a toy bigger than him drew attention to the residents of Ichikawa city zoo near Tokyo. When other monkeys shooed the baby away, Punch rushed back to the toy orangutan, hugging it for comfort. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:47:08 GMT |
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‘High-quality growth’ target of 4.5-5% outlined at Two Sessions as Chinese premier talks of complex situations at home and abroad China has set its target for GDP growth to a record low of 4.5-5%, the first time since 1991 that the figure has dropped below 5%, reflecting an economic strategy that is shifting away from export-led growth to a model that leaders hope will be more resilient to external shocks. Li Qiang, China’s premier, announced the target for 2026 in the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s annual parliamentary gathering, which began on Thursday. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 01:56:19 GMT |
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Among the 3,000 delegates is former athlete who sits as an independent on the National People’s Congress Among the generally drab lineup of mostly middle-aged men in suits who make up the nearly 3,000 delegates to the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s parliament, a few stand out. There are delegates from China’s 55 official ethnic minority groups, who often arrive dressed in traditional outfits rather than western-style suits. There are military members, identifiable by their uniforms. And then there is Yao Ming, the 7ft and 6in tall retired basketball player who, towering over every other person in the Great Hall of the People, is hard to miss. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:52:59 GMT |
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Follow the latest updates live New Israeli ambassador to Australia says war with Iran will continue ‘as long as we need’ Israel’s new ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, said the conflict between the country and Iran will continue “as long as we need” to achieve multiple objectives, including removing the threat of Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The people of Iran must decide their future. We’re not deciding for them their future. It’s their choice. But we’re trying to remove the fear barrier. The people do want to change. They want to change their regime. They’re oppressed. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:30:46 GMT |
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In September party said Sean Bell was ‘currently in the process of moving to NSW’ but he claimed $6,600 in chauffeured cars in Brisbane in last quarter of 2025 One Nation’s newest senator for New South Wales, Sean Bell, continued to live and work in Queensland in his first four months in the role – while also billing taxpayers more than $6,000 for chauffeured cars in Brisbane. After Bell was selected to take the casual vacancy left by One Nation’s elected senator Warwick Stacey in September, the party said that the former adviser to Pauline Hanson was “currently in the process of moving to NSW”. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:03:42 GMT |
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Up to 240mm of rain expected to fall in six hours on Friday, BoM says, which could lead to dangerous flash flooding Far north Queensland residents are being told to seek higher ground with warnings of severe weather and heavy rain on the way. The region is bracing for a tropical low to cross the coast but many locals have been told to leave due to flooding. Police issued a flood emergency warning for the Daintree River at 9.30pm on Thursday, saying flash flooding was occurring and residents should move to safety. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:00:04 GMT |
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Exclusive: Member of working group behind questionnaire had no idea it would eventually be underpinned by ‘ridiculously simplistic’ algorithm One of the people involved in the development of the federal government’s controversial aged care assistance tool says she’s now too scared to use it, saying she never wanted needs to be determined by algorithm. As fellow advocates warned people’s care and funding needs were being underestimated, Lynda Henderson – who sat on the expert advisory group to develop the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) – said the assessment questions were aimed at assisting those making clinical judgments. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:00:04 GMT |
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Albanese government won’t confirm if Defence personnel involved, but more than 50 Australian sailors and officers serving across US attack submarine fleet The Australian government has refused to disclose whether Australian sailors or officers were onboard the US attack submarine that torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 87 people. More than 50 Australian sailors and officers are serving across the US attack submarine fleet, a training regimen that is part of preparations for Australia to command its own nuclear-powered submarines under the Aukus deal. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 20:00:01 GMT |
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F-35 pilot based in Cyprus becomes first to destroy a target in combat – and celebrates with a single beer In the clear skies above Jordan on Monday night, a British F-35 pilot made a small piece of history. Flying for four hours alongside two Typhoons, the radar picked up two Shahed drones. The squadron tactics instructor – whom the Guardian is not naming – hit the drones with two Asraam missiles. In doing so he became the first pilot of the Royal Air Force’s stealth fighter jet to destroy a target in combat. It was, he said, very high stakes. In those scenarios, it is easy to hit a friendly target by mistake. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:44:04 GMT |
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Lawmakers will outlaw use of 31 meat-related names as part of efforts to help livestock farmers in food supply markets EU lawmakers have agreed to ban meaty names such as steak and bacon for vegetarian and vegan foods, but “veggie burgers” and “meat-free sausages” will remain on the table. Negotiators from the European parliament and EU council of ministers found a recipe for compromise on rules for food names on Thursday, although critics said they were creating needless complexity. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:38:24 GMT |
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The court of justice said Portugal had committed serious infringements of EU environmental law Portugal has been fined €10m (£8.7m) by the EU’s court of justice for failing to comply with environmental laws that require it to protect biodiversity. It has also been ordered to pay €41,250 a day until it complies with a previous court order made in 2019. The court said it was imposing the maximum fine possible to “encourage” Portugal to bring the infringement to an end. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:56:07 GMT |
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Lower house votes in favour of polarising law after rapid increase in population and attack on grazing farm animals Wolf hunting will be allowed in Germany under legislation passed by the lower house of parliament in response to a rapidly growing population and a sharp rise in attacks on livestock. The return and growth of the wolf population in the last three decades has emerged as a wedge issue in Germany, the land of the Brothers Grimm who popularised the spectre of the Big Bad Wolf. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:11:23 GMT |
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Reports of carmaker’s warning come as lobby group says EU proposals could damage £70bn cross-channel trade The Japanese carmaker Nissan has reportedly said it could be forced to close its plant in Sunderland if the UK is not fully included in new “Made in Europe” manufacturing rules proposed by the EU. The UK car industry trade representative group also said it was “gravely concerned” about the proposals, which it said could damage the £70bn annual cross-channel trade. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:48:19 GMT |
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IDF says it is striking Dahiya neighborhood in southern suburbs of Beirut after earlier issuing evacuation order; Trump dismisses idea of Khamenei’s son succeeding his father as leader Iran says it has targeted Kurdish groups in Iraq and warned “separatist groups” against action in the widening war. Tehran said on Thursday it had hit Iraq-based Kurdish groups “opposed to the revolution”, as reports said the US was looking to arm Kurdish militias to infiltrate Iran. We will not tolerate them in any way. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:45:02 GMT |
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Residents fled Lebanese capital in panic before assaults on claimed Hezbollah targets while Tehran continues to launch retaliatory attacks Israel has launched massive strikes against the southern suburbs of Beirut just hours after its military ordered the entire population of the area – more than 500,000 people – to evacuate the area immediately. The Israel Defense Forces had told all residents of the area to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately”, prompting an exodus of the Lebanese capital’s population in scenes of panic, before its warplanes launched strikes against what it claimed were Hezbollah targets in the area. The area covered by the order included several hospitals and government ministries. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:35:45 GMT |
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FTSE 100 and France’s CAC down 1.5%; Germany’s DAX and Italy’s FTSE MIB down 1.6%; the Dow Jones was down 2% A market sell-off resumed on both sides of the Atlantic on Thursday as fears mounted that there would be no quick resolution to the conflict in the Middle East. Early gains in European markets, which had followed a rebound in Asia, were wiped out in later trading and Wall Street was also trading sharply lower by early afternoon in New York. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:08:02 GMT |
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Urgent request to dock is submitted by vessel after US submarine sank Iranian warship in same area on Tuesday Sri Lanka has evacuated 208 crew members from an Iranian navy vessel that made an emergency request to dock, a day after a US submarine strike sank another Iranian frigate, killing more than 80 people on board. Sri Lanka’s president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, on Thursday confirmed that the country’s navy would take over Iranian military support ship IRIS Bushehr and allow it to dock at the north-eastern port of Trincomalee. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:47:05 GMT |
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Lawmakers cite ‘consistent pattern’ in which Americans are being killed ‘without justice or accountability’ More than 30 US senators have signed a letter demanding that the Trump administration open an independent investigation into the February killing of a 19-year-old American in the occupied West Bank, the ninth US citizen killed by Israeli soldiers or settlers since 2022. The letter, led by Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and addressed to the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio; the US attorney general, Pam Bondi; and the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, asks for a US-led investigation and a full accounting of where all nine cases stand, and for the administration to brief Congress on the killing by 5 April. None of the cases have resulted in a criminal conviction. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:25:05 GMT |
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Early results may be released from Friday after first election since gen z protests forced Nepal’s then-PM to quit Nearly six months after a wave of unprecedented gen Z-led protests forced Nepal’s then prime minister to quit, people have voted in a general election that is shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown between the entrenched old guard and a powerful youth movement. “The voting process has been concluded peacefully and enthusiastically,” said the chief election commissioner, Ram Prasad Bhandari. It appeared the turnout was only about 60%, according to initial estimates, the lowest in more than two decades. Continue reading...
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Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:50:34 GMT |
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Frigate goes down off Sri Lanka as Washington and Israel step up their offensive and promise to hit ‘deeper’ targets in Iran A torpedo fired by a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off the south coast of Sri Lanka as the Trump administration followed through on its threats to destroy Tehran’s military and political leadership. At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed in the attack on the Iris Dena. The frigate was sailing in international waters as it returned from a naval exercise organised by India in the Bay of Bengal. The torpedo strike prompted questions from former US officials about whether Washington’s aim of eliminating all of Iran’s military breached international law. Continue reading...
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Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:48:36 GMT |
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With 46% of Nepal’s population under the age of 24, the election will be a test of whether their hopes and frustrations are being taken seriously In the unassuming, dusty lanes of the Nepali city of Damak, an unprecedented political showdown is unfolding. Pitting an old political heavyweight against a rapper-turned-politician with a penchant for dark sunglasses and sharp suits, the battle is one that could completely reshape the country’s politics. As Nepal heads into its most gripping election in years, at the forefront stands Balendra Shah, the 35-year-old known simply as Balen. He rose to fame as a popular rapper whose songs criticised the ruling elite, before pivoting to politics and winning a resounding victory to become the mayor of Kathmandu in May 2022. Continue reading...
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Mon, 02 Mar 2026 04:44:37 GMT |
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Sat, 28 Feb 2026 04:13:11 GMT |
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Taliban offer to resolve dispute via dialogue after Pakistan bombed cities in Afghanistan in latest escalation with its neighbour Washington endorsed Pakistan’s “right to defend itself” after it bombed major cities across Afghanistan amid heightened tensions between the two hostile neighbours. The Taliban government in Kabul stressed it was ready to negotiate on Friday as violence intensified between the two countries. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:13:22 GMT |
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Joani Reid steps back while internal inquiry takes place following freeing of husband David Taylor on bail until May The MP whose husband was arrested this week on suspicion of spying for China has resigned the Labour whip while an internal investigation is carried out. Joani Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, said on Thursday night she would temporarily stand down from the parliamentary party while the inquiry takes place. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:41:12 GMT |
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After the Greens’ byelection win, PM’s failure to make a progressive offer has angered Labour’s soft-left majority But for the Iran crisis, Labour’s first major policy announcement since the party’s calamitous defeat in the Gorton and Denton byelection would have been arguably the biggest political story of the week. Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, pressed ahead with what is intended to be the party’s full-throated answer to the competition it faces from Reform UK as she declared an end to permanent refugee status and the removal of state support from some asylum seekers. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:22:31 GMT |
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CMA says it wants to ensure market ‘working well for consumers’ as more Britons forced to seek private care The UK’s competition watchdog has launched a review into the £8bn private dentistry market after the price of a consultation increased by nearly 25% over a two-year period. One in five people in Great Britain sought private dental care in 2024 in part because they could not access NHS treatment. Announcing its investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it wanted to make sure the market was “working well for UK consumers”. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:58:09 GMT |
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John Healey lambasts opposition politicians for seeking to turn Donald Trump and the US against Keir Starmer The defence secretary, John Healey, has accused opposition politicians of deliberately undermining the UK’s relationship with Donald Trump, saying it was “unpatriotic” for MPs to seek to turn the US against Keir Starmer. Healey, speaking to the Guardian at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, which was hit by a drone strike over the weekend, said he had been shocked at the way politicians like Nigel Farage had sought to “undermine” the UK’s relationship with the US. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 17:00:22 GMT |
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PM also confirms that the first repatriation flight for Britons in the region has taken off She says “we will always offer protection to genuine refugees” and outlines how the UK has taken in Ukrainian and Hong Kong refugees. She says “restoring control at our borders is not a betrayal of Labour values”. She says we must attract high-skilled workers. And that “the privilege of living in this country forever must be earned”. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:53:38 GMT |
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Backlash grew against homeland security secretary after slew of controversies from Trump’s immigration crackdown Kristi Noem’s year-long tenure as homeland security secretary has been plagued by controversies as she led an aggressive immigration crackdown that hasprompted protests and lawsuits. There have been scandals, legally dubious deportations condemned by human rights groups, taxpayer-funded publicity campaigns, and false claims about US citizens. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:48:38 GMT |
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Many will regard the ex-secretary of homeland security, Trump’s first fired cabinet member, as the worst yet seen Kristi Noem once led a dog to a gravel pit and ended its life with the cold precision of a mafia hit. On Thursday, the homeland security secretary confronted the grim truth that she, too, was expendable. Noem became the first cabinet member fired in Donald Trump’s second term, a striking contrast to the revolving-door chaos of his first. Like other members of Team Trump, she had assumed that ostentatious displays of fealty to the president would insulate her. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 23:20:15 GMT |
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President picks ‘Maga warrior’ as nominee to replace Noem as Democrats hail decision after months of controversy Donald Trump said that he would endorse a candidate in the heated Texas GOP runoff “soon”. This comes as neither the four-term incumbent, senator John Cornyn, or the state attorney general, Ken Paxton, received 50% of the votes in Tuesday’s primary. Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:26:14 GMT |
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Meta CEO, grilled about children’s safety, says in taped deposition a user pool of billions will include bad actors Harms to children, such as sexual exploitation and detriments to mental health, are inevitable on Meta’s platforms, the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram leader Adam Mosseri said in taped depositions played at a trial in New Mexico on Tuesday and Wednesday. “I just think if you’re serving billions of people, the unfortunate reality is that some very small percent of them are going to be criminals, and we should work as hard as we can to stop that activity from happening,” said Zuckerberg. “I don’t think that the standard for our platforms would be that you should assume that it will ever be perfect.” Continue reading...
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Thu, 05 Mar 2026 22:11:22 GMT |
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Reports say talks have resumed between defense department and startup over military’s use of company’s AI, but Donald Trump boasted about severing ties between the US military and Anthropic on Thursday, the same day multiple reports said that negotiations between the Department of Defense and the AI startup had resumed. They’re among the latest developments in the twisting rift between the US government and the AI company. Continue reading...
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