The SNP may have won again but Scottish politics has been upended 09. May 2026 (08:50) Public frustration gave the SNP a muted victory, while Labour tied with Reform for second and the Greens claimed a ‘seismic’ resultLong before the final votes were counted in Scotland, veteran Labour politicians said it was a defeat made in Downing Street.When the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, strode into the Glasgow count arena on Friday afternoon flanked by sombre-faced activists, the scene was a mirror image to the same venue in 2024, when his resurgent party won 36 seats from the Scottish National party, playing a significant part in Keir Starmer’s landslide victory. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mysterious disappearance of man on popular WA hiking track sparks police search 09. May 2026 (08:06) Samuel Whitsed, 27, is believed to have travelled from Victoria to hike Bibbulmun Track near outskirts of PerthGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThree months after a hiker was last seen at a popular walking track, police have become increasingly concerned for the missing man’s welfare.Police have scoured dense bushland for a Victorian man after he disappeared from a popular hiking trail on the other side of the country. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘We are talking about energy security for Europe’: Norway doubles down on oil and gas production 09. May 2026 (08:00) Norway’s energy minister says country has a ‘responsibility’ to address shortfalls caused by wars in Ukraine and Middle EastIn case of any doubt about Norway’s commitment to maintain – and expand – its production of gas and oil offshore, the energy minister, Terje Aasland, has a pithy response: “We will develop, not dismantle, activity on our continental shelf.”This week, to the alarm of environmental campaigners, he announced that three gasfields off the country’s southern coast would reopen by the end of 2028 – nearly three decades after they closed – to meet a shortfall caused by the impact of the war in Ukraine and disruption to supplies from the Middle East. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘They have screwed each other pretty badly’: tensions emerge in Netanyahu-Trump alliance 09. May 2026 (08:00) Israeli PM says he has ‘full coordination’ with US president amid reports that Washington no longer consults himBenjamin Netanyahu interrupted an uncharacteristically long silence over the Iran conflict this week with a video commentary insisting he had “full coordination” with Donald Trump, with whom he spoke “almost daily”.The insistence that all was rosy in the US-Israeli relationship followed weeks of reports in the domestic press that Israel was no longer being consulted over the Iran conflict, and even less over Pakistani-brokered peace talks. Such is the scepticism over Netanyahu’s trustworthiness among the general public and independent press that the immediate reaction among observers to his video statement was speculation that the reality could be even worse than they had imagined. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Most Labour members think Starmer cannot revive party fortunes, poll finds 09. May 2026 (07:00) Exclusive: Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is preferred choice of new leader for 42% of those surveyedFull results from England, Scotland and WalesThe majority of Labour members say they do not believe Keir Starmer can turn around the party’s fortunes, while 45% say the prime minister should step down.The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, was the first preference for 42% of members, who were asked to rank their preferred successor. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Worried Britons ‘prepping’ for major disruption with stash of tins and cash, survey shows 09. May 2026 (07:00) Fears over a natural disaster or cyber attack are pushing households into contingency planning, Link survey showsMillions of Britons are “prepping” for a potential “major disruptive event” by keeping a stash of cash at home, stockpiling tinned goods or ensuring they have a battery-powered torch close to hand, new data suggests.With war raging in the Middle East and Ukraine, extreme weather becoming more frequent, and warnings that the UK’s critical infrastructure is at risk from cyber-attacks and power outages, many people feel the world has become a more dangerous and chaotic place. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
France has a record number of presidential hopefuls. Will any of them be able to hold back the far right? 09. May 2026 (07:00) About 30 people – nearly all men – have expressed an interest in taking on the far-right National Rally in next year’s ballotAt a Paris meeting hall this week, hundreds of leftwing voters braved a rainstorm to gather chanting: “Unity! Unity!”They were celebrating the 90th anniversary of France’s Popular Front, a leftwing alliance that was formed in the 1930s amid fears that the far right could take power. But their concerns were more immediate. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
David Pocock applauds $387m in extra funding for CSIRO after tens of thousands sign petition 09. May 2026 (04:31) Analysis commissioned by independent senator found national science agency’s funding is at its lowest since 1978Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government will boost funding to CSIRO by $387.4m in a bid to meet the long-term costs of the national science agency.It follows months of advocacy by scientists and staff after hundreds of job cuts and cost-cutting measures. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US military strike on vessel in eastern Pacific kills two people, leaving one survivor 09. May 2026 (04:08) More than 190 people have been killed in such strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean and PacificThe US military on Friday said it struck a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two people and leaving one survivor in the latest attack on boats suspected of transporting narcotics. This brings the death toll from strikes on such vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific to more than 190 people since September.A video posted by the US Southern Command shows the vessel traveling through the water being hit by what appears to be a missile. The screen momentarily goes black and then shows the boat engulfed in flames. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
John Swinney urges Starmer to show Scotland ‘greater respect’ after SNP victory 09. May 2026 (02:36) Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, concedes his party was comprehensively beaten in election as count puts his party on 17 seats, a tie with ReformElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesJohn Swinney, the Scottish National party leader, has challenged Keir Starmer to show “greater respect” to the Scottish government after winning the Holyrood elections by a comfortable margin.The Scottish National party secured a record fifth term in office on Friday after securing 58 of Holyrood’s 129 seats. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
