6 h. ago The Guardian view on the UK’s dangerous moment: as Labour falters, the far right mobilises | Editorial

Political leadership is missing just as Britain needs it most. The government must step up as others stir division and disillusionment growsPeter Mandelson’s exit from public office in disgrace over his links to the millionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein should have been a low point for the government. Instead, it exposed a leadership in trouble, with further to fall. Sir Keir Starmer defended his ambassador after No 10 had seen the emails that sank him. Whether or not the prime minister read them, the damage is becoming institutionalised. Labour looks adrift – consumed by infighting as darker forces gather beyond Westminster.At the weekend, more than 110,000 marched through London in Britain’s largest far-right rally in decades. Organised by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, and billed as a “festival of free speech”, it quickly descended into conspiracy theories, Islamophobia and anti-migrant bigotry. There was violence: 26 police officers were injured. St...

Politics

6 h. ago The Guardian view on the future of the EU: in search of a braver, bolder vision for a new era | Editorial

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, is right about the challenges Brussels faces. Far more ambition is required if they are to be metDelivering her state of the union address in Brussels last week, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, painted a grim but accurate picture of the challenges faced by Europe as the first quarter of the 21st century draws to a close. “A world of imperial ambitions and imperial wars,” she noted, is “a world in which dependencies are ruthlessly weaponised. And it is for all of these reasons that a new Europe must emerge.”Few would quibble with that analysis. As Ms von der Leyen spoke, the news that Nato aircraft had shot down Russian drones over Poland graphically underscored her point. In an era of great power rivalry in which the United States has become an unreliable ally, there is an emerging consensus that the European Union must be more robust in defending its own interests and cha...

Politics

38 h. ago Freebase cocaine 'cut with something dangerous' as man dies and others take unwell in Glasgow

Health chiefs have warned that crack cocaine - otherwise known as freebase cocaine - could be getting mixed with something dangerous.

Events

51 h. ago Yellowstone star's 'nasty' new thriller blending two of the 'best horror movies ever' now streaming

Hassie Harrison, who plays Laramie in the hit Paramount Network series, stars in a new horror film that's been described as a blend of two of the best horror movies of all time

Events

51 h. ago Yellowstone star's 'really nasty' horror movie that's 'Jaws meets Hannibal' is now streaming

The brutal new thriller is now available to stream at home - but be warned, it's not for the faint-hearted

Events

51 h. ago Yellowstone icon's 'terrifying' thriller that's 'Jaws meets Hannibal Lecter' is now streaming

Hassie Harrison, who plays Laramie in the hit Paramount Network series, stars in a new horror film that's been described as a blend of two of the best horror movies of all time

Events

53 h. ago The Guardian view on Bolsonaro’s coup conviction: a landmark for Brazilian democracy – but this fight isn’t over | Editorial

Though the far-right former president has been held accountable for overseeing the plot, supporters at home and abroad still rally to his causeA populist president refused to accept his defeat at the ballot box, insisting that the election had been stolen. A far-right mob stormed the country’s institutions in his support. Yet democracy prevailed. And then, on Thursday, Brazil’s supreme court sentenced the former president Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for leading a criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2022 elections and “annihilate” democracy through a coup. The sprawling plot was both modern and crudely old school – extending from an online disinformation campaign to undermine faith in the voting system, to aborted plans to assassinate the newly elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, and the supreme court justice investigating Bolsonaro. It culminated in the riots in Brasília in January 2023.Four of the five judges on the panel found Bolsonaro guilty...

Politics

3 d. ago The Guardian view on the killing of Charlie Kirk: a perilous moment that may lead to more | Editorial

The shooting of the Turning Point USA co-founder should not be used to foment further division in a polarised country“Democracy is the way that we have diverse societies that don’t kill each other, largely,” Lilliana Mason, a leading scholar of partisanship, observed recently. She added: “As soon as we stop believing in it, it disappears.” Dr Mason’s own research suggests that there is sharply rising tolerance of political violence. On Wednesday, it claimed one more victim.The shocking killing of the co-founder of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk, a hugely influential activist who rallied young people to Donald Trump’s cause and far-right ideology more broadly, has been widely and rightly condemned across the political spectrum. Leading Democrats and progressive activists made clear that such violence must not be tolerated.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in ...

Events

3 d. ago The Guardian view on Peter Mandelson in Washington: a parable of short

Any association with Jeffrey Epstein was obviously toxic and it reflects poorly on Keir Starmer’s judgment that he didn’t anticipate the riskAs UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson was obviously a risky appointment. There was never any doubt that the former cabinet minister, European commissioner and international business lobbyist would be a skilled operator. The danger came from another of his reliable traits – attracting attention for the wrong reasons.Sure enough, little over six months into the role, Lord Mandelson’s position became untenable. Sir Keir Starmer had stood by him when links to Jeffrey Epstein first resurfaced – extraordinary given the billionaire financier’s status as a convicted paedophile. The position changed with the publication of evidence showing that Lord Mandelson reaffirmed the friendship even after Epstein’s conviction, expressing solidarity and urging him to seek early release.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this ar...

Politics

3 d. ago Mounjaro 'golden dose' could be 'dangerous' and lead to overdose, pharmacist warns

Pharmaceutical companies are warning against tampering with pens and experts have outlined the major risks.

Events

3 d. ago Mega resort in danger of 'disfiguring' sacred Egyptian monument

A luxury tourism project at one of the world's most sacred religious sites is meeting fierce backlash from local communities and religious leaders and conservationists.

Politics

4 d. ago Households warned about 'dangerous mistake' when defrosting the freezer

A food hygiene expert says there is a 'dangerous mistakes' householders make when defrosting their freezers.

Events

4 d. ago The Guardian view on Israel’s attack in Doha: western passivity is allowing Netanyahu to cross every red line | Editorial

The attempt to assassinate Hamas negotiators in the capital of a US ally was the act of a rogue government uninterested in peace“Why does the PM insist on blowing up any deal that comes close?” despaired the mother of a hostage held in Gaza, following Israel’s airstrike in Qatar on Tuesday. For anyone who doubted Benjamin Netanyahu’s commitment to the forever war he unleashed after 7 October, the attempt to wipe out Hamas’s ceasefire negotiation team in Doha offered grim confirmation that peace – and the return of Israeli hostages – is low on Mr Netanyahu’s list of current priorities.Just how close Hamas’s leadership was to endorsing ceasefire proposals backed by Donald Trump – which were being discussed in the capital of an established US ally – is unclear. However, Mr Netanyahu’s strike has ensured that its negotiators will not agree to sit round a table again anytime soon. Israel swiftly stated that the attack was in response to the Hamas-claimed shooting in Jerusalem o...

Politics

4 d. ago UK households warned over 'dangerous mistakes' to avoid when defrosting the freezer

A team of food hygiene experts has shared important advice to keep your freezer running smoothly and save money in the process.

Events

4 d. ago Beware the QR code: How a new scam is costing consumers £10,000 per day

A new type of scam cost consumers more than £3.5m last year - make sure you know how to identify it

Economics

4 d. ago How Covid face masks are slowly poisoning you even years after the pandemic

A study from researchers at Coventry University in the UK revealed the damaging effects of face masks used during Covid pandemic that may have lasting consequences for decades.

Events

4 d. ago ‘Fairytale’ Chinese valley is the ‘most dangerous tourist destination in the world’

Almost one million tourists a year flock to the stunning - but deadly - tourist trap

Society

5 d. ago Raft of top players now in danger of leaving Welsh rugby within months

Welsh rugby is mired in uncertainty, with a number of players out of contract next summer

Sport

5 d. ago The Guardian view on public health: if Labour is serious about reducing illness, it must focus on causes | Editorial

A shift to prevention will only succeed if ministers take a bold approach to regulation and lift people out of povertyDramatic increases in life expectancy are one of the defining achievements of the modern era. From 56 years for men and 60 for women in the UK a century ago, this vital measure of the quantity of life rose to 79 and 83 respectively in 2022. The trend towards increased longevity is global, although not all countries have seen gains on the same scale, and the pandemic sent it into temporary reverse.We probably don’t talk about this enough. It is remarkable that most of us can expect to live for so long and that deaths from diseases such as tuberculosis, and of women in childbirth, have been so drastically reduced.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

Science

5 d. ago The Guardian view on political chaos in France: time for Emmanuel Macron to face reality and compromise with the left | Editorial

The French president has seen four prime ministers come and go in three years. The rancorous stasis of his second term is a gift to Marine Le PenIn the lead-up to the vote that ejected him from office this week after a mere nine months, the centre-right French prime minister, François Bayrou, appeared stoically reconciled to his fate. “There are worse disasters in life than the fall of a government,” Mr Bayrou observed on national radio, implicitly acknowledging his failure to win backing for a swingeing austerity strategy. On Monday, MPs duly used a debate called by the prime minister himself to oust him.And so another one bites the dust. The entrance to Matignon, France’s baroque prime ministerial residence, has become a revolving door during Emmanuel Macron’s benighted second term. Lacking a majority in a divided and deadlocked parliament, the president has gone through four premiers in a little over three years. Following the departure of the latest, he announced ...

Politics