Head of Microsoft’s Israel branch to step down after inquiry into dealings with Israeli military pred 17 urami in 9 minutami The inquiry came after the Guardian revealed Israel used company technology to support mass surveillance of Palestinian phone callsThe head of Microsoft’s Israeli subsidiary will step down in the wake of an inquiry that has scrutinised its business dealings with the Israeli military.Microsoft ordered the inquiry last year in response to a Guardian investigation revealing the military had used the company’s technology to operate a powerful surveillance system that collected Palestinian civilian phone calls on a mass scale. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Michigan man sentenced to 30 years for killing his groomsman on wedding day pred 17 urami in 48 minutami James Shirah struck groomsman Terry Taylor Jr with SUV after they had an argument at wedding afterparty in 2024Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A man from Michigan has been ordered to spend at least 30 years imprisoned after killing his own groomsman on his wedding day.James Shirah, 24, from Flint, was sentenced on Monday in Genesee county court for the death of his best friend, Terry Taylor Jr, who he ran over with a sport-utility vehicle during an argument on 30 August 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth voted first minister of Wales pred 18 urami in 4 minutami Appointment confirmed by plenary vote in Senedd after party ended 100 years of Labour rule in last week’s electionRhun ap Iorwerth has been voted first minister of Wales after Plaid Cymru’s Senedd electoral victory ended 100 years of Labour hegemony and held off Reform UK.Ap Iorwerth was confirmed after a plenary vote on Tuesday with the support of the 43 members of his party in the Senedd and the two Greens, while Welsh Labour and the sole Liberal Democrat in the Siambr, the debating chamber, abstained. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
French film industry at risk from the far right, say actors and directors pred 18 urami in 16 minutami Juliette Binoche joins 600 leading figures to warn against a ‘fascist takeover of the collective imagination’More than 600 cinema figures have said the growing influence of the far right on French cinema production risks turning into a “fascist takeover of the collective imagination”.In an open letter published in the newspaper Libération to coincide with the opening of the Cannes film festival, they said the billionaire Vincent Bolloré’s dominant position in French film production and distribution threatened the independence of the industry. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
BBC staff fear meagre pay rise after bosses forgo own increase pred 18 urami in 21 minutami Workers told to be realistic about outcome of union talks as corporation aims to make savings with job cutsBBC staff have been told their bosses will forgo a pay rise this year but fear the freeze will lead to a meagre increase for the rank and file, who have been urged to be realistic about the outcome of union negotiations.Employees have been told that the corporation’s executive committee – its 12 highest-paid bosses including the director general, who were paid almost £5m in total last year – will have their pay frozen this year amid a £600m cost-cutting drive. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US Democrats urge Jen Kiggans to resign for agreeing with racist ‘cotton-picking’ remark pred 18 urami in 25 minutami The Republican congresswoman says she did not condone radio host’s languageUS politics live – latest updatesSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailJen Kiggans, a Republican congresswoman, has faced calls from Democrats to resign for agreeing with a radio host after he said top US House Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, should get his “cotton-picking hands off of Virginia”.Kiggans, who represents Virginia’s second US House district, has said she was agreeing with the host that Jeffries – who is the first Black American to lead a party in Congress – should stay out of Virginia politics. She also said she did not condone the host’s language, which multiple Democrats criticized as racist. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Broadcasters must react to threat from ‘creator journalism’, says ex-head of BBC News pred 18 urami in 28 minutami Deborah Turness, who resigned last year, says traditional news in danger of being replaced by personality-led contentBroadcasters must urgently adapt to an existential threat from “creator journalism” that is causing audiences to shun traditional television news, the former boss of BBC News has said.Deborah Turness, who resigned from the BBC alongside the then director general, Tim Davie, last year, said consumption was “collapsing” for traditional television news, which was facing “a profound moment of disruption”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Budget earmarks more than $600m for Bondi attack response, with half going to Australia’s Jewish community pred 18 urami in 33 minutami Funds flow to charities and other organisations, with Executive Council of Australian Jewry getting $124m for extra securityExplore all of our 2026 Australia federal budget coverageGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s Jewish community will receive an extra $300m for security and support from the federal budget as part of a $604m package in response to December’s Bondi beach terror attack.The government has also set aside federal cash for its proposed national gun buyback but would not say how much, as it struggles to bring state governments on board. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Rugby league, bird flu and drones: things you may have missed in the 2026 budget pred 18 urami in 33 minutami Buried in the Australian budget papers are a multitude of decisions that don’t make the headlines. Here are a few of this year’sExplore all of our 2026 Australia federal budget coverageFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal budget allocates billions of dollars towards fuel resilience, tax cuts, hospital funding and aged care, as well as major measures to reform negative gearing, capital gains tax and family trusts.It also makes room to fund electronic screens at sporting grounds, set new standards for ebikes, impose tax exemptions for the incoming Papua New Guinean team in the National Rugby League and abolish tariffs on air conditioners, margarine and bitumen. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
More than 100 Labour MPs sign statement against Starmer leadership challenge pred 18 urami in 34 minutami Supporters of PM say it shows he has majority backing after more than 80 MPs call on him to quitUK politics live – latest updatesWho are the main threats to Starmer’s leadership?More than 100 Labour MPs have signed a statement saying this is “no time for a leadership contest”, as Keir Starmer told his cabinet he would not stand down while a formal leadership contest had not been triggered.The letter, coordinated by backbenchers, has been signed by 103 MPs, including parliamentary private secretaries. Organisers say it did not come from No 10, though MPs said it had been circulated by government whips. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
