45 m. ago Tour de France 2025 live: Stage 11 route updates as Ben Healy takes up the yellow jersey in Toulouse

A 157km route starts and ends in Toulouse as the Tour de France returns after the first rest day

Society

1 hour ago Trump threatens to impose drug and chip tariffs as soon as 1 August

US president talks of low tariff to give pharmaceutical firms a year or so to build, and then making it ‘very high’Business live – latest updatesDonald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on pharmaceutical products and semiconductors as soon as 1 August, the latest deadline for the introduction of his “reciprocal” levies on individual countries.The US president told reporters late on Tuesday the taxes on drug imports could be announced “probably at the end of the month, and we’re going to start off with a low tariff and give the pharmaceutical companies a year or so to build, and then we’re going to make it a very high tariff”. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Trump backtracks from suggestion Ukraine should ‘target Moscow’ but again tells Putin to reach peace deal soon – Europe live

US president says first deliveries of Patriot missile systems via Germany are ‘already being shipped’A joint Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian police operation arrested a Ukrainian man who was allegedly sending bomb threats against “hundreds” of Czech and Slovak schools, the forces confirmed.The arrest took place in the Dnipro region of Ukraine as a result of the forces’ joint investigation into multiple emailed bomb threats that started in September last year. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago M62 LIVE updates as lanes closed and long queues after crash

A rush-hour warning has been issued

Events

4 h. ago UK inflation rises unexpectedly to 3.6% driven by food and fuel prices

Annual increase in June follows two months of negative growth and with speculation mounting over tax risesBusiness live – latest updatesUK inflation unexpectedly rose in June driven by fuel and food prices, according to official figures, underscoring the challenge facing the chancellor, Rachel Reeves.The Office for National Statistics said the consumer prices index rose by 3.6% last month, up from a reading of 3.4% in May. City economists had forecast an unchanged reading. Continue reading...

Economics

5 h. ago UK inflation rises unexpectedly to 3.6% as Labour faces economic scrutiny

Annual increase in June follows two months of negative growth and with speculation mounting over tax risesBusiness live – latest updatesUK inflation unexpectedly rose in June, according to official figures, adding to the pressure on the chancellor, Rachel Reeves.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the consumer prices index rose by 3.6% last month, up from a reading of 3.4% in May. City economists had forecast an unchanged reading. Continue reading...

Economics

5 h. ago ‘Inquisitive, relaxed’ humpback whale swimming in Sydney Harbour delays ferries and boats

Whale is having a ‘full harbour experience’, says an expert aboard a maritime boat shadowing the supersized mammalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn “inquisitive” humpback whale that wandered from its usual migratory route and into the centre of Sydney Harbour is causing “navigational challenges” for ferries and vessels as its tour of the world-famous harbour continues.The sub-adult whale was first spotted by commuters on a harbour ferry service near Fort Denison at about 8am. It swam to Circular Quay – Sydney’s central ferry terminal - before moving east towards the defence base of Garden Island then to Watsons Bay and north to Balmoral Bay.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Strong winds blamed for 427 drones falling into Yarra River during Women’s World Cup light show

Investigation finds wind conditions at 14 July 2023 event exceeded the drones’ capacity shortly after launch, triggering collisions and errorsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastStrong winds have been blamed for more than 400 drones falling from the sky into Melbourne’s Yarra River during a light show celebrating the Matildas before the Women’s World Cup.The light show, using 500 Damoda drones, was scheduled for the evening of 14 July 2023 over the river in Docklands, in Melbourne’s CBD.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

13 h. ago US House speaker Mike Johnson calls for release of Epstein files amid backlash

Trump has faced growing resentment over the decision of his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to withhold informationUS politics – live updatesAnalysis: How Epstein files uproar became a vehicle for QAnonMike Johnson, speaker of the House, called for the justice department to make public documents related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, breaking with Donald Trump over an issue that has roiled the president’s rightwing base.It was a rare moment of friction between Trump and the speaker, a top ally on Capitol Hill, and came as the president faces growing backlash from conservatives who had expected him to make public everything known about Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 while in federal custody as he faced sex-trafficking charges. Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago LIVE M60 traffic updates after crash leaves three lanes closed and severe delays

Severe delays are being reported on the motorway

Events

16 h. ago Epstein lawyer reveals 'truth' about client list as House Republicans block files release: Live updates

The MAGA world continues infighting over the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Society

19 h. ago Slovakia blocks EU move to impose new sanctions package on Russia – Europe live

EU foreign policy chief says ‘ball is in Slovakia’s court’ after leader Robert Fico blocked ‘imbecile’ proposal to ban Russian gas imports from 2028 French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot told reporters that he hoped the new language from the US and more sanctions from the EU will force Russian president Vladimir Putin “to face the facts: he has gone too far and he is now at an impasse.”He said he was hoping for more alignment between the US and the EU on sanctions, as he met with American senators last week in Rome to discuss their proposed bipartisan bill on Russia.“So we have some progress. We have some positive developments. It’s true that we have trucks that are able to enter, but we don’t know exactly how many. And what is clear is that the agreement is not fully implemented. Continue reading...

Politics

20 h. ago Teenage vaping has ‘turned a corner’ in Australia, says Mark Butler, as data shows falling rates

Report finds vaping rate among children aged 14-17 years has declined, with some describing embarrassment about being a ‘vaper’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government believes dangerous vaping rates among younger Australians may have turned a corner after years of rapid growth, with new research showing take-up could have peaked among teenagers and high school-age children.Data released by the health minister, Mark Butler, on Wednesday showed that vaping rates fell from 17.5% at the start of 2023 to 14.6% in April this year among children aged 14-17 years.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Politics

20 h. ago Kevin Spacey begs Trump to 'release the Epstein files' as Ghislaine Maxwell has appeal turned down: Live updates

The MAGA world continues infighting over the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Politics

20 h. ago Sycamore Gap felling due to ‘drunken stupidity’ says defence at sentencing – live updates

Adam Carruthers’ lawyer offers his explanation for ‘mindless act’ as he is due to be sentenced alongsideProsecutor Richard Wright said Graham had two previous convictions for battery in 2007 and 2016 and two public order offences in 2021 and 2022.He said the offences were “all relationship-based” and none resulted in a prison offence. Continue reading...

Politics

20 h. ago Republicans move to block Democratic effort to force release of Epstein files

White House has come under fire for not releasing documents related to late sex offender Jeffrey EpsteinUS politics live – latest updatesRepublican lawmakers have moved to block a Democratic effort to force the release of the so-called Epstein files, a near-mythological trove of undisclosed information about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein at the center of an internal political war among US conservatives.Democrats had been pressing for an amendment to cryptocurrency legislation that would have forced the release of information and exhibits itemized in a list of evidence held by the justice department from the 2019 child sex-trafficking case against disgraced financier Epstein. Continue reading...

Politics

21 h. ago Reeves unveils City strategy aimed at cutting red tape and fuelling UK growth

‘Leeds Reforms’ include streamlined accountability for senior bankers and a campaign to get more consumers investing in stock marketBusiness live – latest updatesRachel Reeves has unveiled a package of City changes meant to cut “unnecessary” red tape and encourage more financial risk-taking by companies and consumers in the hopes of spurring economic growth.In a financial services strategy dubbed the Leeds Reforms, the chancellor outlined initiatives designed to boost the financial services sector, including plans to cut “unnecessary costs” related to accountability rules for senior bankers, and to launch an advertising campaign to get consumers investing cash savings in stocks. Continue reading...

Politics

21 h. ago Fortnite down LIVE: Major update sees popular game go dark for hours

Initially the server downtime for the new 36.20 update was predicted to last just two or three hours, but the Fortnite outage is showing no sign of ending to the frustration of gamers

Politics

21 h. ago Ghislaine Maxwell begs Trump for help after having Epstein appeal denied: Live updates

The MAGA world continues infighting over the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

Politics

22 h. ago Sycamore Gap vandal admits tree felling was act of 'drunken stupidity' but pair insist they didn't mean to cut it down: Live updates

LIVE UPDATES: Follow the latest from Newcastle Crown Court where Daniel Graham, 39 and Adam Carruthers, 32, are being sentenced for the illegal felling of the Sycamore Gap tree.

Society