Marco Rubio: Trump ‘disappointment’ with Nato will be discussed at summit 22. May 2026 (18:29) Secretary of state suggests July meeting of alliance will be fraught as US demands help in strait of HormuzDonald Trump is disappointed that Nato allies refused to become more actively involved in attacking Iran, the US secretary of state has said, setting up what could become a fraught summit of the alliance in July.Marco Rubio, meeting with foreign ministers of the military alliance, emphasised that he expected the rift would be discussed at the July meeting in Ankara, making the summit “one of the more important” in Nato’s 77-year history. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Soft power sell-off: anger as British Council announces sale of historic Madrid building 22. May 2026 (18:25) Backlash grows among European staff against radical cuts to pay off Covid-era debt, with some accusing council of ‘colonial attitude’The historic Palacete building at 31 Paseo del General Martínez Campos in Madrid’s upmarket Chamberí district has been home to the British Council in Spain for about 70 years.About 5,000 students each year pass through its 35 classrooms, learning English, attending exams, and forging cultural ties with the UK. Over the years that is hundreds of thousands of Madrileños (people from Madrid), while it also serves as a centre for the expat community. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Wes Streeting insists he can win Labour leadership race despite ‘underdog’ status 22. May 2026 (18:06) In interview with Guardian, former health secretary sets out plans for government, including social care, tax and refugeesWes Streeting has insisted he can win over the Labour left, as he launches a shadow campaign for the party leadership, saying he has “beaten the odds” throughout his life and can do so again.The former health secretary, who called on Keir Starmer to resign as he quit the cabinet last week, warned Labour MPs that drifting on with Starmer in charge risked a Joe Biden situation that would usher in a Reform government. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pentagon releases second batch of UFO videos and first-hand testimony 22. May 2026 (17:49) Videos in this batch show unidentified aerial phenomena but offer few clues to existence of alien lifeSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email The Pentagon on Friday released a second tranche of videos and documents of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) – or UFOs – answering few questions about the existence of alien life but fueling what has quickly become a ratings winner for the White House.The first reveal earlier this month of 162 files of previously secret or rarely seen accounts of UAP sightings received more than a billion hits on the government website set up to house them, according to a press release from the war department, the Trump administration’s preferred term for the Department of Defense. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Suspected Ebola cases triple in a week as WHO warns of rapid spread in DRC 22. May 2026 (17:47) Situation described as ‘deeply worrisome’ by officials as aid cuts and community distrust impede respondersThe Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo poses a “very high” risk to the country, the World Health Organization said on Friday, revising its threat assessment upwards.The outbreak is spreading rapidly, WHO leaders said, with almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths, up from 246 cases and 65 deaths when it was first reported a week earlier. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Chinese fast-fashion company Shein to buy eco-friendly retailer Everlane 22. May 2026 (17:46) Everlane CEO confirms sale in letter to employees and says it will stay true to ‘sustainability’ commitmentsEverlane, the retailer that bucked the fast-fashion industry by promising affordable ethically sourced and sustainable clothing, is being acquired by the king of fast-fashion, China’s Shein.A letter to Everlane employees from CEO Alfred Chang confirming the deal was obtained by the Associated Press on Friday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Judith Chalmers, presenter of TV series Wish You Were Here, dies aged 90 22. May 2026 (17:38) Family says host of more than 500 episodes of travel show leaves behind ‘giant suitcase of the happiest memories’The TV presenter Judith Chalmers, who spent almost three decades persuading British people to go on holiday as the host of Wish You Were Here … ?, has died at the age of 90 after living with Alzheimer’s in her final years.Her family said she died peacefully at home on Thursday, surrounded by “the family she loved so much”, after becoming ill in recent weeks. They added that she would be greatly missed but left behind “a giant suitcase of the happiest memories”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gaza flotilla activists allege sexual assault and rape in Israeli detention 22. May 2026 (17:36) Israeli prison service denies claims of abuse, including beatings, during detention of 430 people trying to take aid to Palestinians• Ben-Gvir’s template of televised abuse was honed on PalestiniansActivists released from Israeli custody after being detained on a flotilla trying to take aid to Gaza were subjected to abuse, organisers have alleged, with several hospitalised with injuries and at least 15 reporting sexual assaults, including rape.Israel’s prison service denied the allegations, and Reuters was not able to verify them independently. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Minecraft-playing grandma swatted when livestreaming to raise funds for grandson’s cancer treatment 22. May 2026 (17:18) Sue Jacquot was taking part in fundraiser when police swarmed her home after someone falsely reported a crimeAn Arizona grandmother has said someone subjected her to a so-called police swatting call while she was taking part in a Minecraft fundraiser to raise financial support for her grandson’s cancer treatment medical bills.The bizarre turn of events is the latest high-profile instance in the US of an act of criminal harassment which involves prank-calling emergency operators to get a heavily armed police response sent to a target’s home. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australian government plans for ‘worst-case scenario’ retail fuel rationing, documents reveal 22. May 2026 (17:00) Exclusive: With warnings world oil supplies are expected to hit ‘red zone’ by August, the Albanese government has outlined its powers to enforce daily purchase limits for motoristsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government has outlined plans for retail fuel rationing, documents reveal, as the International Energy Agency warned on Friday that oil markets would enter the “red zone” by August.Contained in documents obtained by Guardian Australian under freedom of information, one option the government has outlined to arrest a local fuel supply shortage is to impose a “maximum transaction value per vehicle per day” – a rationing rule limiting how much fuel a single vehicle can buy at a service station over a 24-hour period. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
