46 h. ago DWP issues cost of living payment update for 2026 in new response

The Department for Work and Pensions as issued a new update as it urged people to check for unclaimed benefits and warns of scams

Economics

2 d. ago Trump says he’s been assured Tehran has stopped killing protesters as Iran reopens its airspace – live

US president says ‘important sources’ also told him executions not going ahead as Iranian airspace reopens to flights after near-five-hour closureFull report: Iran protest killings have halted, Trump claims, as Tehran says executions are ‘out of the question’Iran crisis explained: what we know so farAnalysis: why western diplomats are wary of predicting regime’s end daysPodcast: Massacres and executions: what are we hearing from inside Iran?Moving for a moment to Australia, protesters have staged a rally outside the Iranian embassy in Canberra to demand regime change in Iran.About 100 demonstrators chanted “democracy for Iran” and “King Reza Pahlavi”, a reference to the last Iranian shah’s exiled son – a key figure in the anti-government protests.I don’t want Iran to be indentured to any foreign nation the moment anybody interferes. But if it means saving one life for it, we want a measured response that we can have this bloodshed ended. Continue reading...

Events

2 d. ago Trump says he’s been assured Tehran has stopped killing protesters as Iran closes its airspace – live

US president says ‘important sources’ also told him executions not going ahead as Iran extends order closing its airspace to commercial flightsFull report: US and UK military to withdraw some personnel from Middle East amid Iranian threatsIran crisis explained: what we know so far Analysis: why western diplomats are wary of predicting regime’s end days Podcast: Massacres and executions: what are we hearing from inside Iran?India has become the latest country to urge its citizens to leave Iran.The Indian embassy in Tehran said in a post on X:Indian nationals who are currently in Iran (students, pilgrims, business persons and tourists) are advised to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights.Trump said Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi “seems very nice” but expressed uncertainty about whether Pahlavi would be able to muster support within Iran to eventually take over. “I don’t know how he’d play within his own country,” Trump told Reuters in the Ova...

Events

3 d. ago The Traitors 2026 live: Response to Matthew’s treacherous offer revealed

Last Friday’s episode ended on a huge cliffhanger as Matthew made the Traitors an intriguing offer

Politics

3 d. ago DWP issues update on Cold Weather Payments as more than a million households receive money

The £25 payments are issued to eligible households when temperatures drop

Economics

3 d. ago The Traitors 2026 live: Response to Matthew’s treacherous deal to be revealed in tonight’s episode

Last Friday’s episode ended on a huge cliffhanger as Matthew made the Traitors an intriguing offer

Economics

5 d. ago ‘The response is a beautiful thing’: how Glasgow is squaring up to Reform

In the face of Nigel Farage, flag-waving and a longstanding housing crisis, some Glaswegians are taking on anti-immigration rhetoricSelina Hales has a thing about pineapples. She is talking in a quiet office, set aside from the bustle of Refuweegee, the charity she founded 10 years ago, and the walls are festooned with tissue paper cutouts of the fruit, which is an international symbol of hospitality.Refuweegee – its name a combination of the words “refugee” and “Weegee”, local slang for Glaswegian – has expanded exponentially over the decade into an operation that supports hundreds of asylum seekers and refugees in the city every day. Back then, she had a simple idea about making welcome packs, each one including a handwritten letter from a Glasgow resident. “One of our very favourite early letters said: “Welcome to Glasgow. I like pineapples. What do you like?” Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Marco Rubio says he will meet Danish officials to discuss Greenland next week

Remarks by US secretary of state come after Greenland and Denmark request urgent meeting over Trump threatsEurope live – latest updatesThe US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, says he plans to meet Danish officials next week to discuss Greenland, amid an escalating crisis within Nato over Donald Trump’s threats to take over the Arctic territory.An urgent meeting had been requested by the foreign ministers of Greenland and Denmark, which has said that any invasion or seizure of the territory by its Nato ally would mark the end of the western military alliance and “post-second world war security”. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago France and allies discuss possible response to US invasion of Greenland

French, German and Polish foreign ministers to meet amid escalating threats to seize part of Danish kingdomEurope live – latest updatesFrance has said it is working with allies on how to react if the US were to invade Greenland, amid mounting tension over Donald Trump’s escalating threats to take over the Arctic territory.The French foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said the subject would be discussed at a meeting with the German and Polish foreign ministers on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago The Guardian view on Europe’s response to ‘America first’ imperialism: too weak, too timid | Editorial

Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders must defend the rule of international law, as a dangerous new world order emergesThe initial reaction of European leaders to Donald Trump’s illegal military intervention in Venezuela was not only weak, it also had the briefest of shelf lives. Refusing on Sunday to condemn the attack as a breach of international law, European Union member states called hopefully for “a negotiated, democratic, inclusive and peaceful solution to the crisis, led by Venezuelans”. The delusional nature of that response was laid bare as Mr Trump told reporters the same day: “We’re in charge.”So much for the restoration of democracy. The US president also repeated threats of further military action, should the repressive regime left behind when Nicolás Maduro was seized fail to do Washington’s bidding. As Mr Trump’s marginalising of the Nobel prize-winning opposition figurehead María Corina Machado illustrated early on, the will of Ven...

Politics

1 week ago Minister rejects claims government refusing to call Maduro extradition illegal to placate Trump – UK politics live

Mike Tapp says No 10 is talking to US and close allies about legal aspect after Starmer declines to criticise Venezuela operationIn his long interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg yesterday, Keir Starmer was asked repeatedly about why he was unwilling to condemn the extradition of Nicolás Maduro when it was evidently against international law.Starmer described himself as “a lifelong advocate of international law and the importance of compliance with international law”, but said that he wanted to get “all the material facts” and establish “the full picture” before he passed comment on the legality of what happened.The relationship between the US and the UK is one of the closest relationships in the world. It is vitally important for our defence, for our security, for our intelligence. It is my responsibility to make sure that relationship works, as the prime minister of this country, working with the president of the United States We do have differences of views on various things ...

Politics

1 week ago ‘The perfect storm’: Trump has left the US less prepared for natural disasters, experts say

Emergency managers say the US president has presided over a dangerous erosion in US capacity to prepare for and respond to natural disastersDonald Trump has presided over a dangerous erosion in US capacity to prepare for and respond to natural disasters, according to emergency management experts.The first year of his second term was marked by crackdowns on climate science that produced world-class weather forecasts and the gutting of frontline federal agencies - policies that have left the country, already struggling to keep pace with severe storms, even more at risk. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Leftwing militants claim responsibility for arson attack on Berlin power grid

Protest over climate crisis and AI has cut power to tens of thousands of homes which may take days to fully restoreGerman leftwing militants protesting over the climate crisis and AI have claimed responsibility for an arson attack that cut power to tens of thousands of households in Berlin.The fire that broke out on a bridge across the Teltow canal in the south-west of the capital early on Saturday could deprive up to 35,000 homes and 1,900 businesses of electricity – and in many cases heat – until 8 January, the grid company Stromnetz Berlin said. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago European leaders appear torn in face of new world order after Venezuela attack

Leaders try to focus on what comes next, as backing for ejection of Maduro mingles uncomfortably with voicing of support for international lawVenezuela crisis: latest updatesEuropean leaders emerged divided and torn as they tried to welcome the ejection of Venezuela’s authoritarian president, but still uphold the principles of international law that did not appear to allow Donald Trump to capture Nicolás Maduro, let alone declare that the US will run Venezuela and control its oil industry.Europe tried to focus on the principle of a democratic transition, pointing out that the continent had not recognised Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela since what were widely regarded as fraudulent elections in June 2024. Continue reading...

Politics