Tens of thousands pay tribute to Jason Arday at Trafalgar Square vigil 17. August 2026 (22:32) MPs, friends and campaigners gathered to remember former Cambridge professor after his death on FridayTens of thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square in London to remember and pay tribute to Jason Arday, the former Cambridge professor who died on Friday.Stand Up to Racism, which organised the vigil, estimated that 30,000 mourners had gathered in the square to listen to emotional speeches from MPs, friends and campaigners on Arday’s life and legacy and join in a minute’s silence. Many were dressed in black and held flowers, which they were asked to leave beneath Nelson’s column. People also carried placards reading “rest in power”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Netanyahu party campaign billboard likens Mamdani to leaders of Iran and Hezbollah 17. August 2026 (21:54) Likud’s depiction of Zohran Mamdani is latest move in spat between Israel’s prime minister and New York City mayorBenjamin Netanyahu’s party has compared the New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, to the leaders of Iran and Hezbollah on a campaign billboard.The billboard in central Tel Aviv depicts Mamdani alongside the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and the chief of the militant group Hezbollah, Naim Qassem. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Huge number of children would fall into poverty under Reform’s benefits plans, say campaigners 17. August 2026 (21:11) Party wants to cut £50bn from UK welfare bill but charity says proposals would cause ‘horrific levels of destitution’ Hundreds of thousands of children would be tipped into poverty and destitution under plans unveiled by Reform UK to slash £50bn a year from the UK benefits bill, campaigners have warned.The warnings came after Reform published plans to drastically reduce disability payments, ban non-UK citizens from claiming benefits and introduce compulsory 20 hours a week unpaid workfare for thousands of long-term unemployed people. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US Navy destroyer adrift in South China Sea for four days after losing power 17. August 2026 (20:35) USS Benfold lost power after ‘engineering casualty’ leaving sailors without galley services, toilets and air conditioningA US guided-missile destroyer reportedly spent four days adrift and without power in the South China Sea in July, furthering concerns about strain being placed on deployed military members.The USS Benfold, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer which had been sailing with the George Washington carrier strike group, was reported to have been towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines, according to the US Naval Institute News, an independent military publication. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tupac Shakur murder: trial of ex-gang leader accused of ordering killing begins 17. August 2026 (20:17) Prosecutors allege Duane Davis was ‘on-site commander’ in murder of Shakur who died after drive-by shooting in 1996The trial of a former gang leader accused of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rap star Tupac Shakur began in a Las Vegas courtroom on Monday morning.Duane “Keffe D” Davis is on trial for murder for his alleged role in the shooting of Shakur, who died after a drive-by shooting. Prosecutors allege Davis was the “on-the-ground, on-site commander of the effort to kill Tupac”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Reform’s Tice accused of misinformation after urging people to enjoy heatwaves 17. August 2026 (20:06) Backlash from nurses, medical experts and green campaigners in response to deputy leader dismissing efforts to reach net zeroReform’s deputy leader has been accused of spreading misinformation after he dismissed efforts to tackle the climate crisis and urged British people to enjoy the warmth of the recent heatwaves.Richard Tice prompted a backlash from nurses, medical experts and green campaigners on Monday after he told a press conference he believed it was “arrogant” to try to stop the climate emergency, while encouraging people to focus on upsides such as better English wine.Additional reporting by Denis Campbell and Ajit Niranjan Continue reading...(The Guardian)
People with severe intellectual disabilities live 24 years less on average 17. August 2026 (20:00) Exclusive: Research also finds stark ethnic disparities, and 40% of deaths among group classed as avoidablePeople living with severe intellectual disabilities are dying 24 years younger on average than the wider population, a study has found, with 40% of such deaths being avoidable.The study also found that within this group, people from minority ethnic backgrounds were dying 14 years younger than their white counterparts. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ministers drop plan to relax affordable housing rules after negative response 17. August 2026 (19:45) Government concedes ‘significant opposition’ requires new approach on quotas for medium-sized development sitesMinisters have dropped plans to relax affordable housing rules for developers in England after a backlash from housing experts who warned it could drastically cut the number of cheaper homes available in rural areas.The government said on Monday it would not go ahead with proposals to end affordable housing quotas for private builders on sites containing between 10 and 49 houses after a consultation triggered an overwhelmingly negative response. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s move to gut South Korea alliance is ‘inane, haphazard decision’, lawmakers say 17. August 2026 (19:43) US president’s abrupt order to scale back joint exercises with Seoul is meant to ‘flatter’ North Korea’s dictator, top Democrat saysUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump’s move to gut Washington’s 73-year-old military alliance with Seoul has been called “inane” and “shortsighted” as lawmakers warned it risked strengthening Russia’s hand in Ukraine.The US president abruptly ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea just days after North Korea test-fired ballistic missiles, justifying the decision by citing his “very good relationship” with Kim Jong-Un, the nuclear-armed dictator such exercises exist to deter. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Amanda Abbington awarded five-figure sum by BBC over bullying allegations on Strictly 17. August 2026 (19:05) BBC apologises to actor after review upholds ‘some’ of her allegations against dance partner Giovanni PerniceThe actor Amanda Abbington has reached a five-figure settlement with the BBC over bullying allegations she made about her time on Strictly Come Dancing.The programme was the subject of a review in 2024 after she alleged her professional partner, Giovanni Pernice, had bullied and harassed her. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
