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The Guardian view on skin cancer: fear the heat of the sun | Editorial
With melanoma cases rising, the UK must learn from public health campaigns elsewhere New climate risks bring with them new health risks. An exceptionally warm and dry summer in Europe meant that outdoor workers, and those who choose to spend leisure time in the sun, were confronted more directly than usual by the need to protect their skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as well as avoid dehydration and overheating. In the UK, the annual total of new melanoma cases was reported to have risen above 20,000 for the first time earlier this year (the two most common forms of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, are less dangerous). As with other cancers, the increase in cases reflects an ageing and a growing population. A third of those diagnosed with cancer in the UK are over 75 . But with the NHS struggling to cope with the number of those seeking treatment, and melanoma the fifth most common cancer – after prostate, breast, lung and bowel (and excluding other skin cancers) – there are growing calls for behaviour change aligned to stronger public health measures. In May, a group of MPs proposed a ban on advertising sunbeds, which – along with sunburn and tanning – are linked with a raised risk of skin cancer. Last year, a group of experts advocated banning their commercial use altogether, as in Australia and Brazil. 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...
Mauricio Pochettino wants the US to become ‘one of the most powerful countries in soccer’
As he prepares for the upcoming international window, the US head coach spoke about Folarin Balogun, the LA Olympics and dual national players It’s been two months since the US men’s national team crashed out of the World Cup in disappointing fashion, and their head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, is back at work. The former Tottenham and PSG manager was largely viewed as a short-term hire when he joined the US in 2024, brought on to help the team capitalize on their first home World Cup in more than three decades. Along the way, Pochettino and US Soccer warmed to the idea of a contract extension, one they finalized in August . The US will play four friendlies in late September and early October against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada, but that stretch of games pales in comparison to the larger task at hand. Pochettino must guide the US to qualification for the 2030 World Cup, of course, but the Argentinian – and the federation – have more ambitious goals that involve reshaping the structure of soccer in the United States. Continue reading...
Alleged killers of Australian surfers and American friend go on trial in Mexico
Three men on trial for killing Jake and Callum Robinson and Jack Carter Rhoad in Baja California in 2024 The alleged killers of two Australian surfers and an American at a Mexican surfing hotspot in 2024 have gone on trial in the border resort where the three were murdered. The Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, respectively, and their 30-year-old American friend Jack Carter Rhoad were shot dead after being robbed in Mexico’s violence-hit Baja California . Continue reading...
A Reform UK without Nigel Farage used to be unthinkable. Not any more | Gaby Hinsliff
The scandals are building, his touch perhaps not quite what it was. And, most of all, his party rivals are beginning to sense an opportunity Nigel Farage didn’t know. He wasn’t told. Sure, he was right there at the table when the undercover reporter he believed to be a rich American’s son spelled out very clearly how he hoped to channel his father’s money to Reform, in ways that certainly don’t sound too lawful. Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Polanski faces Green rival in his pursuit of Keir Starmer’s old seat
Hamza Chowdhury says most of his fellow Green Camden councillors back him to contest 8 October byelection UK politics live – latest updates Zack Polanski is facing unexpected opposition from his own party in his attempt to fight the Holborn and St Pancras byelection for the Greens, with a local councillor saying he is also seeking the nomination, and that the seat does not need “a politician you’ll only see on a leaflet”. The intervention by Hamza Chowdhury, a Green representative on Camden council in north London, came as the date for the byelection was confirmed for 8 October, after Keir Starmer’s formal resignation as an MP. Continue reading...
Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons if completed, UN says
Chief of nuclear watchdog says secret Assad-era facility would have been able to produce fissile material A nearly complete nuclear reactor built secretly during the rule of the toppled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would have been able to produce fissile material for possible use in nuclear weapons, the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog has revealed. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month visited two sites, one in Deir ez-Zor and a second undisclosed location identified to them by Syrian authorities. Continue reading...
‘Thuggish’ far-right protesters descend on Dover and Portsmouth – The Latest
Far-right activists gathered in two disruptive demonstrations in Dover and Portsmouth over the weekend, attempting to obstruct asylum seekers arriving on small boats from France. Many wore all black and balaclavas. The action was seemingly organised by Daniel Thomas, an agitator better known as Danny Tommo, who has close ties with the far-right extremist Tommy Robinson. Thomas was recorded on the ground saying Portsmouth was now ‘ground zero’ for small boat crossings, and has threatened further action. Lucy Hough speaks to political correspondent Ben Quinn – watch on YouTube Continue reading...
Painful, unconvincing and boring: welcome to John Healey’s late show | John Crace
Chancellor has the look of a man born to announce the UK is under nuclear attack Meet the new chancellor. Same as the old chancellor. Though, on reflection, that might be a little hard on Rachel Reeves. At least Rachel had given the job some thought before she got it. She had had some experience working at the Bank of England and, whether you liked it or not, she had some kind of plan. John Healey? Not so much. No one can remember him ever having given the economy much thought until Andy Burnham offered the job. He was more the strong and silent type. As defence secretary, Healey had looked like a man of principle. A defender of the armed forces, a guardian of the realm. He had even resigned over Keir Starmer and Reeves’s refusal to guarantee increasing the defence budget to 3% of GDP by 2030. Continue reading...
Why does the hard right have such a high tolerance for domestic abusers in their midst?
The ‘stop the boats’ narrative is increasingly presented as if it stems from a concern for women’s safety. This is just the laundering of thuggery It was a busy weekend for the insurgent and hard right, as Reform party delegates redoubled their commitment to women’s safety by physically attacking a female protester and Patriot Platform, a new group established by Danny Tommo, real name Daniel Thomas, arrived in Dover on Saturday, then Portsmouth on Sunday, dressed in balaclavas. No arrests were made in Dover, and therefore the protest was deemed peaceful. “A message was sent!” Thomas exclaimed later on his socials. “Now imagine how powerful the next message will be.” The next powerful message of peace the following day spurred the issuance of a dispersal order from Hampshire police, alongside some smashed windscreens (of police cars) and advice for local people to avoid the area. The “stop the boats” narrative, along with a lot of Reform’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, has become increasingly bound up with a concern for the safety of women and children. It might be a slyly vague sentiment from Robert Jenrick , in which he doesn’t want his daughters sharing a neighbourhood with men “who broke into the country illegally, about whom we know next to nothing”, or it might be Zia Yusuf’s much more explicit complaint that the nation is prepared to “sacrifice British women and girls on the altar of diversity”. Protesters outside hotels housing asylum seekers get all their righteous wrath from the danger posed to women from foreign nationals, and Thomson stated his aims straightforwardly on Instagram – posting video of Saturday’s protest, he wrote: “Protect our country! And more importantly our women and children! This is our warning!” Continue reading...
Is the UK about to see the rise of the far right? – podcast
Alternative für Deutschland has claimed a historic win in Germany, continuing the pattern of populist far-right parties gaining power across Europe. In the UK, balaclava-clad far-right protesters have marched on Dover, and then Portsmouth, trying to intimidate asylum seekers. Meanwhile, Reform UK’s conference ended with a beleaguered Nigel Farage dealing with protesters and allegations following an undercover investigation into party donors. Will far-right sentiment in Europe and the UK be a boost for Farage or a burden? You can read an explainer on the Dover and Portsmouth protests here . You can read Pippa’s article on John Healey here . Please keep sending your comments and questions to Pippa and Kiran on politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com Continue reading...
‘Mistrust’ of Palantir may affect NHS research, says health minister
James Frith warns patients may be less willing to share data as new figures show a rise in opt-outs Concern is being raised about Palantir’s work with the NHS as new figures showed tens of thousands of patients have withdrawn their data from use in research projects. James Frith, the health innovation minister, said he was worried about “mistrust” of the US defence and health tech company and “the impact it could have on people’s willingness to share data with the NHS”. Continue reading...
Europe’s centre fears nationalist wave after far-right AfD wins state in Germany
‘Historic’ win in Saxony-Anhalt may show voters’ discontent with political centre, but sweeping conclusions cannot yet be drawn Europe live – latest updates The numbers speak for themselves: Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a party that dabbles in Nazi imagery, distinguishes between “biological” and “passport” Germans, and is too extreme even for France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen, nearly doubled its score in Sunday’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt to 43.8% of the vote. Meanwhile, the centre-right CDU of the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, collapsed to 17.2%, less than half its total in the same race five years ago, and the centre-left SPD – Germany’s other main party of government for the past 60-odd years – scraped 9.3%. The least that can be said is that the centre did not hold. Continue reading...
French winemakers forecast 30-year low harvest after severe drought and heat
Estimates suggest drop in production with vineyards also concerned ‘smoke taint’ from wildfires may affect quality French vineyards hit by severe drought and heatwaves are expected to report a 30-year low in wine production after the country’s hottest ever recorded summer, according to the agriculture ministry. Initial estimates suggest winemakers will produce just under 34m hectolitres from this year’s harvest: a drop of 6% on last year, and 17% less than the 2021-2025 average. Continue reading...
Stolen Generations survivors have more health challenges than other First Nations people
Indigenous Australians forcibly removed under government policies more likely to have severe or profound disability, report finds Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The tens of thousands of Indigenous Australians and their descendents who were forcibly removed under government assimilation policies have far greater physical and health challenges when compared to the wider Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations, according to a new report. The report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) was commissioned by peak advocacy body the Healing Foundation, which supports Stolen Generations survivors and their families, and builds on existing data released in 2023. Continue reading...
Record strength El Niño could mean bigger supermarket bills for Australians, experts warn
Predicted hot and dry weather in growing areas in eastern Australia identified as ‘one of the key issues’ that will affect food prices over next 12 months Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The most severe El Niño weather event on record threatens to push food prices higher this year, experts say, piling pressure on households already struggling with the post-pandemic spike in grocery bills and complicating the Reserve Bank’s efforts to bring inflation back under control. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast El Niño will peak in late spring or summer and “reach levels above the warmest observed since reliable records began in 1950”. Continue reading...
Grassroots Labor group urges Albanese government to chart course away from ‘American war machine’
Pressure follows revelations US military and weapons manufacturers control or have access to more than 100 bases across Australian continent Why can the US access so many Australian military bases? – podcast Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The US has “led Australia into wars of aggression” for 50 years, internal party campaign group Labor Against War has argued, urging the government to chart a foreign policy independent “from the American war machine”. The Australian government has defended the growing presence of the US military on the Australian continent, insisting the defence sites “are Australian bases under Australian control”, despite evidence the US military controls more than a dozen bases on Australian territory. Continue reading...
Architect of UK’s AI policy quits after Anthropic conflict of interest concerns
Matt Clifford forced to stand down amid disquiet from senior MPs over his new full-time job at AI company The chair of the UK government’s “moonshot” science and technology research unit has been forced to stand down after taking a job with the San Francisco AI firm Anthropic, after warnings from senior MPs that the move created a “clear conflict of interest”. Matt Clifford announced last week that he was taking a full-time job working for the company behind the Claude chatbot, “leading its engagement” with governments outside the US – including the UK. But he retained his leadership at the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), which funds frontier science and tech projects . Continue reading...
Netflix announces production of third Inbetweeners film
Creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris return as writers and directors, with the original cast reprising their roles Netflix has announced that production has begun on a new Inbetweeners film, with the original cast members reprising their roles. It will be a continuation of the popular Channel 4 sitcom, which aired on E4 from 2008 to 2010, followed by two films in 2011 and 2014. Continue reading...
US Open tennis 2026: Swiatek v Zheng, Osaka v Rybakina and more on day nine – live
Will influencers and weed smokers bring down US Open? Send your thoughts to Daniel via email Word up and welcome to the US Open 2026 – day nine! We begin on Armstrong with Mirra Andreeva, now a grand slam champion so spieling with house money … except not spieling with house money at all because she’s a killer with the potential to win multiple. She won’t, though, find things easy against Anastasia Potapova, who binned Coco Gauff in Paris and Amanda Anisimova in the last round here. If her high-risk, high-reward style is as grooved now as then, we’re in for a treat. Continue reading...
Plans for local government overhaul on hold after legal advice
Angela Rayner to announce review into local government shake-up as decisions on four areas withdrawn and 16 paused UK politics live – latest updates Plans for a major reorganisation of local government have been put on hold after the government received new legal advice that suggested they might not comply with the law. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the review is to ensure the process is robust and aligns with the new government’s aim to “rewire the state”, and follows “updated and privileged legal advice”. Continue reading...
Trump administration attacks UK plans to boost traditional media on social platforms
US embassy says Downing Street’s plan to give BBC, ITV and other established media more online visibility carries risk of ‘censorship’ The Trump administration has raised “serious concerns” over Downing Street’s plan to force YouTube and other digital platforms to hand more prominence to established broadcasters, warning the move risks “facilitating censorship”. In a pointed intervention, the US government said the proposals to boost traditional media outlets in social media algorithms could “establish a template that authoritarian regimes could invoke to justify more control over online content”. Continue reading...
Federal investigators search for cause of Amazon cargo jet crash that killed five
Theories begin to emerge that plane may have landed too fast and too far down the runway to be able to stop in time Federal investigators got plans under way on Monday for determining what caused an Amazon cargo jet to barrel off a runway at Miami international airport on Sunday afternoon and crash , killing five people and injuring five others. Video footage showed the jet wobbling a little and coming in fast and far along the runway, with storm clouds clearly visible in the sky behind, as expert theories began to emerge that the Boeing 767 may have landed too fast and too far down the runway to be able to stop in time. The Associated Press contributed reporting Continue reading...
Why is far-right AfD’s state victory significant and what might happen next in German politics?
Aftershocks of party’s win in Saxony-Anhalt will ripple across Germany, with two more state elections this month Europe live – latest updates Germany is reeling from the biggest far-right victory in a state election since the Nazi period after voters in Saxony-Anhalt in the former communist east gave the anti-immigration, pro-Kremlin Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party a thumping first-place finish of 44% , just short of an absolute majority. Continue reading...
Sightings of Meghan at star-studded retreat fuel Cotswolds rumours
Reports of Soho Farmhouse visit add to speculation Duke and Duchess of Sussex could be settling in the area When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed back in England earlier this summer, six years after they moved to California and quit as working royals, speculation was rife about where they would call home. Now, members of the luxury countryside retreat Soho Farmhouse have said they spotted Meghan arriving for an early morning coffee, sparking speculation that the couple were settling down in the exclusive countryside enclave of north Oxfordshire. Correspondent for the Royalist Tom Sykes said the duchess was seen arriving at the Comfy Farm lounge before 9am, where she was introduced to senior staff members by name. Continue reading...