War in Gaza, floods in Kenya and Brazil, the Olympic flame in Marseille and the Met Gala in New York: the last seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Warning: this gallery contains images that some readers may find distressing ..read more

Competing rallies are on the streets, Netherlands’ entrant is under investigation and others complain music is being overshadowed The official motto of the 68th edition of Eurovision is “united by music”, but as the continent’s beglittered and sequined masses descended on the Swedish city of Malmö for Saturday’s grand final, music’s ability to heal and bridge divides was looking in serious doubt. In the run-up to the song contest’s main event, the Netherlands’ performer Joost Klein missed his slot in two dress rehearsals after being put under investigation by the European Broadcasting Union (E ..read more

Assembly votes 143 to nine, with 25 abstentions, signalling Israel’s growing isolation on the world stage The UN general assembly has voted overwhelmingly to back the Palestinian bid for full UN membership, in a move that signalled Israel’s growing isolation on the world stage amid global alarm over the war in Gaza and the extent of the humanitarian crisis in the strip. The assembly voted by 143 to nine, with 25 abstentions, for a resolution called on the UN security council to bestow full membership to the state of Palestine, while enhancing its current mission with a range of new rights and ..read more

Resolution originally requested ‘favourable’ reconsideration of application but was watered down in last-minute negotiations Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Australia has supported a UN vote on Palestinian membership after the draft resolution was significantly watered down in last-minute negotiations. Australia was leaning towards abstaining on the original resolution, in which the UN general assembly would have requested the 15-member security council to “favourably” reconsider Palestine’s appl ..read more

Failing to stop an all-out attack on Rafah would make the US president look weak – an unthinkable prospect in election year Beware cornering a US president anxious about re-election. Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly ignored that advice in his dealings with Joe Biden, and this week his country learned the price. It came in the revelation that Biden had withheld the supply of about 3,500 bombs, refusing to let US munitions play a part in an Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have sought refuge. The president was at pains to say he was not ..read more

People who have already been repeatedly displaced by war describe their difficulties as they seek safety elsewhere in Gaza Middle East crisis – live updates Under a blazing summer sun, tens of thousands of Palestinians fled Israeli bombardment and clashes with Hamas militants in Rafah on Friday, choking roads with donkey carts, bicycles, pickup trucks and wheelchairs. More than 150,000 people have now left Gaza’s southernmost city since receiving warnings on Monday from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) of an imminent military operation, with most moving after airstrikes and fighting intensifi ..read more

Actions of Netanyahu’s government have sparked international anger and made a long-threatened ‘diplomatic tsunami’ real Middle East crisis – live updates Israel is facing a long-threatened “diplomatic tsunami” on multiple fronts over its handling of the war in Gaza and the unprecedented rise in settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank. Amid almost monthly sanctions announcements from the US and European capitals over settler violence, which have incrementally expanded their scope, the Guardian understands yet more potential targets are under consideration ..read more

Leading cultural figures including Margaret Atwood sign statement in support of rapper who criticised Iranian regime More than 100 figures from the worlds of music, culture and human rights activism – including Coldplay and Sting – have signed a statement calling for the release of the Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi who has been sentenced to death in Iran after protesting in support of women’s rights. The 33-year-old, who was a vocal supporter of the Women, Life, Freedom movement in Iran was sentenced to death by a court in the city of Isfahan on 24 April, according to his lawyer ..read more

Agency chief says compound has suffered a number of attacks with the lives of UN staff ‘at a serious risk’ The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has temporarily closed its East Jerusalem headquarters after “Israeli extremists” set fire to the perimeter following weeks of repeated attacks. “This evening, Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter of the Unrwa headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem,” the head of the agency, Philippe Lazzarini, said on X, lamenting that it was the second attack on the compound in a matter of days ..read more

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