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Tina McKenzie obituary

My mother, Tina McKenzie, who has died aged 99, was an artist whose role as a diplomat’s wife led to her living all over the world during profound political and social change. She arrived in India with her husband, Roderick, so that he could take up his posting in 1948, a year after partition. Next came South Africa, during the time of Harold Macmillan’s visit in 1960 and his “Wind of Change” speech signalling a shift in British policy towards apartheid. In Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in the mid-1960s, Tina witnessed violence between the Tamils and Sinhalese, but also the wonder of the annual Perahera procession. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianFinella McKenzie13 Sept

Why English devolution is fraught with difficulty | Letters

Readers respond to an editorial that argued for more accountability from local authorities in return for greater power Your editorial on Andy Burnham’s devolution plans rightly argues that greater local power must be accompanied by greater scrutiny ( The Guardian view on Burnham’s devolution plans: power must be accompanied by scrutiny, 6 September ). I work as a bid manager in the third sector, applying for publicly procured contracts to deliver employment and support services. From that perspective, the increasing devolution of funding has real potential: decisions can be made closer to communities and, importantly, local organisations should have greater opportunities to deliver services. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianGuardian Staff13 Sept

Who better to defend Reform’s latest millions than Honest Bob Jenrick? | John Crace

The man who once helped Richard ‘Dirty’ Desmond save a load of tax was wheeled out to face Laura Kuenssberg You wait years for one party donation of £36m and then two come along at once . Reform can hardly believe its luck. All hail the crypto billionaires. Tacky pale turquoise suits all round. And Nigel Farage won’t have to worry about spending any of his own money – if you can call the £5m freebie his own money – on his security. Nor do those champagne and oysters lunches to discuss loose change donations of £500K from people living overseas pay for themselves. From now on Reform won’t need to bother getting out of bed for anything less than eight figures. Fair to say that if it had been Labour or the Tories trousering £72m from Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo then Reform would be on full outrage rampage. How the political system was rigged against it and how the two main parties are hotwired cash machines. In bed with the super-rich. But since the money is heading towards its own bank account, everyone in the party is totally chilled. This is just the way life ought to be. Who wouldn’t want a country where two billionaires can attempt to buy the democratic process? Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianJohn Crace13 Sept

Pregnant woman among more than 10 killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza

Woman’s family says she died of injuries after being shot in the head while sitting inside a tent near Khan Younis A pregnant Palestinian woman died on Saturday from injuries sustained after being shot in the head by Israeli forces south of Khan Younis, according to her family and medical workers, as strikes across Gaza killed at least 10 people in 48 hours. The woman, named as Iman Shalouf, 27, who was nearly eight months pregnant, was sitting inside her family’s tent in the al-Mawasi area when Israeli gunfire struck her, according to paramedics and witnesses. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianLorenzo Tondo in Jerusalem and Seham Tantesh in Gaza13 Sept

Obama reportedly urges Democrats to prioritize safety plan for AI

Ex-president urged party at closed-door fundraiser to create sweeping framework, from safety ‘slow-down’ to job losses Barack Obama urged Democrats to prioritize a “public conversation” about AI management and safety in a closed-door Manhattan fundraiser last week. The comments by the former US president reportedly urged the party to create a sweeping framework for everything from a safety “slow-down” to domestic job losses and children’s wellbeing. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianJessica Glenza13 Sept

Police release images of six men sought after violent disorder in Portsmouth

Hampshire and Isle of Wight force says it wants to speak to men in connection with anti-migrant unrest that left seven officers injured Police have released images of six men they would like to speak to after violent disorder in Portsmouth last week that left seven officers injured. About 200 people gathered at Eastney Marina on Sunday night after a small boat carrying asylum seekers arrived on the south coast having crossed the Channel. The activists dispersed the following day in the early hours. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianNadia Khomami13 Sept

Sam Surridge in stoppage time denies Messi and Miami a win: MLS roundup

Sporting KC end a long winless run v LAFC Charlotte and Cincy play a six-goal thriller Griezmann on target in Orlando City win Sam Surridge scored an equalizer in the first minute of second-half stoppage time for visiting Nashville SC, ⁠who played Inter Miami to a 2-2 draw on Saturday evening. Surridge’s goal, his second of the evening and 15th ⁠of the season, ⁠came after Shak ​Mohammed’s shot was saved by Dayne St Clair. Surridge was in position to put home the rebound to help ⁠Eastern Conference-leading Nashville steal a point on the road against second-place Inter Miami. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianAgencies13 Sept

Kimi Antonelli holds off Max Verstappen during Madring debut to win F1 Spanish GP

McLaren’s Norris in third and Ferrari’s Leclerc fourth Track design questioned owing to lack of overtaking Kimi Antonelli won the Spanish Grand Prix for Mercedes becoming the first victor at Formula One’s newest circuit, the Madring in Madrid. In a decidedly prosaic affair for the track’s debut, he beat the Red Bull of Max Verstappen into second place and McLaren’s Lando Norris into third in a race where, after the opening lap, there were only four on-track passes and none of them at the sharp end. Charles Leclerc was fourth for Ferrari and George Russell fifth for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes were all but ended when he was forced to retire with a brake problem on lap six. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianGiles Richards at the Madring13 Sept

Mahler Academy Orchestra/Steinaecker review – trailblazing performance that pushes work to the limits

Royal Albert Hall, London Penultimate Prom showcases antique brass and woodwind and humongous tubular bells in a magical mystery tour through an alien musical landscape Other conductors and orchestras have taken a historically informed view of Mahler – Roger Norrington was among the first, and more recently Les Siècles – but the logical conclusion drawn by the Mahler Academy Orchestra at this penultimate Prom still had the power to shock an audience to its core. Their intention was to perform on – and push to the limits – the instruments the composer would have known, replicating period technique to explore what musicians of the day would have considered beautiful and what might have been thought vulgar (bearing in mind Mahler himself was frequently accused of questionable taste). It’s the brainchild of conductor Philipp von Steinaecker who scoured auction rooms and attics seeking out antique Viennese brass and woodwind, French harps, Turkish cymbals (smaller than you might think) and the humongous tubular bells Mahler demanded but rarely got. Gut strings and minimal vibrato were expected, but the extremes of portamento and rubato deployed in this radical performance of the Ninth Symphony stretched an ear-opening interpretation almost to breaking point. The result, even for seasoned original instrument fans, was a magical mystery tour through an alien musical landscape. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianClive Paget13 Sept

Four dead in Louisiana stabbing spree as police search for person of interest

Sheriff’s office identifies Kaegan Jude Solet, 47, as person of interest after series of stabbings in Houma leaves four dead Police are searching for a person of interest after a series of stabbings in Houma, Louisiana, left at least four people dead and another person in critical condition in hospital. The Terrebonne parish sheriff’s office identified Kaegan Jude Solet, 47, as a person of interest, after deputies were initially called to the Ashland Drive area of Houma and located a juvenile with apparent stab wounds. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianKeely Aouga13 Sept

Stephen Fleming inherits intriguing squad after England’s unsettling summer | Ali Martin

New Test head coach’s arrival and Root’s calming influence as captain add to promising signs in the post-Stokes era As Joe Root calmly ran the rule over the Test summer and reeled off the ways in which it had been “chaos”, “unusual” and “unsettling” for England, it felt telling that first among them was Ben Stokes calling time on his international career during a match and a series that were both still live at the time. Cricketers announcing their retirement mid-game is nothing new. Heather Knight went on to do the same during the women’s Test at Lord’s two weeks later. Root is also too loyal to Stokes to question openly whether that scene-stealing exit before New Zealand’s win at Trent Bridge was entirely keeping with his call for “selfless cricketers” four years earlier. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianAli Martin13 Sept

How could Reform UK spend its £72m of new billionaire donations?

Harborne and Delo’s cash could buy a massive head start in an election, but spending big has possible pitfalls Nigel Farage once said he could spend his £5m gift from Christopher Harborne on Ferraris if he wanted to, given its unconditional nature. With the new donations to his party from Harborne and his fellow crypto billionaire Ben Delo of £72m over the past weekend alone, Farage’s party now has nearly enough cash to buy a Reform UK branded Ferrari for a party organiser in each of Britain’s 632 constituencies (though that would certainly be a waste and a bit of a tax headache). Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianJessica Elgot Deputy political editor13 Sept

Lewis Dunk’s showstopper helps five-star Brighton to rout 10-man Coventry

The bare statistic is bleak: Coventry City are only the second team in Premier League history to lose their first four games of the season without scoring in any of them. “And yet …” will be the enduring message from Frank Lampard. And yet they have caused problems for opposition teams – even at points when down to 10 men here against Brighton. And yet they have already faced three of the top flight’s European contingent. And yet they are not playing that badly. But they simply cannot find the point, or even the goal, that would give their confidence a much-needed boost. And it does not take long for a promoted club’s relegation fears to turn realistic. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianBen Bloom at the Coventry Building Society Arena13 Sept

Trump reiterates $5,000 ‘dividend’ pledge if Republicans win midterms

Plan to give US adults $5,000 has been greeted with incredulity across the political spectrum as well as outrage Donald Trump on Sunday doubled down on his controversial pledge to give US adults a $5,000 “dividend” if his Republican ⁠party keeps control of Congress after November’s midterm elections. The plan has been greeted with expressions of incredulity across the US political spectrum as well as outraged accusations of seeing to bribe voters. The plan – which would cost more than a trillion dollars – also comes amid huge concern over the US national debt, which topped $40tn for the first time in August. Reuters contributed to this article Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianGuardian staff13 Sept

Sweden general election: close race as far right eyes role in government – Europe live

Country heads to the polls as latest polling shows 0.3-point gap between left and right wing blocs in Stockholm We kick off our coverage of the 2026 Swedish parliamentary election which could see the far right enter government for the first time if the country’s rightwing parties can form a majority – or a new centre-left government take control instead. “In 2022, the current prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, the leader of the centre-right Moderates, broke a longstanding taboo to make a deal with the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD), so that his minority coalition could form a government. That agreement gave the SD outsized influence over government policy, especially on crime and immigration, and Kristersson has now gone further, promising ministerial posts for the SD if he is returned to power.” Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianJakub Krupa in Stockholm13 Sept

As Japan’s yen peaks, is the era of budget-friendly trips coming to an end for Australian travellers?

The currency has now reached its highest level against the US and Australian dollars in six months Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast In the unpredictable world of global currency markets, there has been one safe bet: that the Japanese yen would continue its relentless decline. In recent weeks, that trade has started to unravel after Tokyo and Washington intervened to support the longsuffering Japanese currency. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianJonathan Barrett Business editor13 Sept

Crossbench MPs launch push to stop Australian military exports being used in human rights breaches

‘Red lines’ legislation would forbid defence equipment technology or services being used, includes parts for F-35 fighter jets Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Crossbench MPs including David Pocock and Sophie Scamps will put pressure on the Albanese government to ban Australian goods from being used by the Israeli military – including for F-35 fighter jets – by introducing a bill designed to force it to adhere to international obligations. The group’s “red lines” legislation, to be presented on Monday, would outlaw defence equipment, technology or services being used where they could breach Australia’s international human rights obligations. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianKrishani Dhanji13 Sept

Rabbits are the biggest threat to Australia’s native species. Why are their numbers booming again?

Scientists say good rainfall and growing resistance to viruses are to blame for increasing rabbit populations around the country Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Jojo the rabbit-detecting dog is working eight days on, two days off, running up to 20 kilometres a day chasing rabbits in the south-west of Bon Bon Reserve in South Australia’s arid centre. “She’s being kept very busy,” says Dr Pat Taggart, an ecologist with Bush Heritage Australia, a conservation body that owns the former sheep property. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianGraham Readfearn Climate and environment reporter13 Sept

The kindness of strangers: On a busy motorway, my child vomited in the car. I was overwhelmed – then a man came with a bucket of water

My son was inconsolable and the back seat was an absolute mess. After a few minutes of trying to clean up, a stranger emerged from a nearby house Read more in the kindness of strangers series Kids always get sick at the worst possible time. For instance: the middle of a busy motorway, one hour into a three-hour trip. My husband was away for work and I was driving our two small children to see him, when one vomited in the back seat. I pulled into a slipway just off the motorway to try to clean up as best I could. The kids were too young to be trusted to sit there safely right next to a busy road, so I had to leave them strapped into the car seats while I tried to mop up the vomit with wet wipes. My son was inconsolable and the car was an absolute mess. Continue reading...

The GuardianThe GuardianAnonymous, as told to Katie Cunningham13 Sept