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The GuardianAIUAE
Fixer, financier, spymaster: how the UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoon is setting his sights on AI dominance

Fixer, financier, spymaster: how the UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoon is setting his sights on AI dominance

The Emirati royal is increasingly influential on the world stage. Some see him as a visionary. Others compare him to a Bond villain. Who is he? On the night of 12 November 1993, a slim, young Brazilian named Royce Gracie stepped into an octagonal cage in Denver, Colorado, and found himself staring up into the eyes of a giant. Gerard Gordeau, a Dutch kickboxer, stood five inches taller, weighed almost three stone more than him, and had an extra decade of fighting experience under his belt. Now the pair were about to engage in bare-knuckle combat: no judges, no separation of opponents by size, no respite until someone either got knocked out cold or begged for mercy. The fight lasted barely 100 seconds. In that time, Gracie calmly tripped Gordeau up, jumped on his back, and clutched at his throat, forcing the big man to hammer the floor in submission.

6h ago
The GuardianHumanityBerlin
‘Hitler was a lazy criminal who slept in until noon’: why most of what we think we know about the rise of the Nazis is wrong

‘Hitler was a lazy criminal who slept in until noon’: why most of what we think we know about the rise of the Nazis is wrong

In a new book, German artist and writer Philipp Ruch argues that viewing the ascent of Hitler’s NSDAP through the prism of the Third Reich has distorted our understanding of fascism’s electoral breakthrough With your art collective Centre for Political Beauty you famously built a replica of the Holocaust memorial on a property next to the home of an AfD politician. Now you’ve written a history book about the Nazis’ rise to power. Don’t we already know everything there is to know about the 1932 elections, the Reichstag fire and the Enabling Act of 1933? About three years ago I became interested in how Hitler’s National Socialist German Workers’ party (NSDAP) rose to prominence when Germany was still a democracy, because I hoped it could tell us something about the success of rightwing extremist movements today. From looking at historical sources, I realised that the Reichstag elections of 14 September 1930 were in many ways more important than what happened in 1932 and 1933. And I expected it to be an open-and-shut case. But the more I looked into it, the more I realised that most of the theories we have to explain the rise of the Nazis don’t make sense – the data tells a completely different, far darker story.

4h ago
The GuardianEconomySwitzerland
Gianni Infantino ready to accept demands for larger payouts from $6bn reserves

Gianni Infantino ready to accept demands for larger payouts from $6bn reserves

Fifa president says: ‘The ambition is welcome’ Infantino mounts fresh defence of failed FFE scheme The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, is poised to bow to demands from Uefa and Concacaf to distribute more money from its $6bn cash reserves to member associations. In a letter sent on Monday to all six confederation presidents and copied to members of the Fifa council, Infantino indicated his willingness to “support the greatest level of additional funding”, without committing to the $10m-per-member that has been proposed.

2d ago
The GuardianHumanity
Gaza documentary NAZA beats Avengers Endgame: Encore to top Italian box office

Gaza documentary NAZA beats Avengers Endgame: Encore to top Italian box office

Award-winning, Guardian-produced film focused on Israel’s mass killing of civilians extends run after sold-out screenings NAZA, the award-winning documentary about Israel’s systemic mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, has opened at No 1 at the Italian box office, beating rival titles including Avengers Endgame: Encore, which came in at No 2. The 80-minute film was booked for a three-day run in Italy, but after sold-out auditoriums and positive audience reaction, its release window will be extended. On its opening day on Monday, the documentary took a total of €451,872, with a per site average of €1,153.

17h ago
The GuardianHumanityLondon
Trump administration diverts human rights funds to push far-right agenda abroad

Trump administration diverts human rights funds to push far-right agenda abroad

Support for white Afrikaners, anti-communism and others reveals how US redefining what qualifies as human rights With hours left before the funding expires, the Trump administration is pushing to direct more than $175m of the state department’s flagship human rights fund to a slate of awards that includes a huge $40m grant for an anti-communism fund, support for a group advancing white Afrikaner rights in South Africa, a campaign against Brazil’s supreme court, and programs that would reward ideological allies in Europe who protect “western civilizational norms”. On Wednesday, the state department obligated the funds to the grantees hours before the deadline despite congressional concerns and requests to not do so, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The Guardian has reached out to the state department for comment on whether it had “blown” holds from Congress on releasing the funds due to concerns about their use.

18h ago
The TelegraphHealth HabitsSouth East England
Olympian Sally Gunnell: I gained 2st in midlife. Here’s how I lost it

Olympian Sally Gunnell: I gained 2st in midlife. Here’s how I lost it

On the athletics track in the early 1990s, hurdler Sally Gunnell was a force to be reckoned with, the only woman in history to hold world, Olympic, European and Commonwealth gold medals at the same time. After retiring from competitive sport and having three sons, she stayed active, so when, out of nowhere, she found herself unable to stop the pounds piling on, she was stumped.

4h ago
The GuardianCrime & SafetyFinger Lakes
Investigation of alleged gang-rape at Cornell University fraternity house reopened

Investigation of alleged gang-rape at Cornell University fraternity house reopened

Outrage over treatment of alleged offenders, members of Chi Phi fraternity, has grown since lawsuit was made public Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Prosecutors in New York said on Monday that they have reopened an investigation into the alleged gang-rape of a student at Cornell University after an outcry over “leniency” shown to seven fraternity members named as the perpetrators. According to lawyers for the student, who filed a civil lawsuit against the university and her alleged attackers earlier in September, only two members of the Chi Phi fraternity were expelled after the October 2024 incident, in which she said she was drugged and repeatedly raped over the course of seven hours. Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

2d ago
The GuardianScandalSouth East England
It was the most welcoming town in Britain. Why has Crowborough become so divided?

It was the most welcoming town in Britain. Why has Crowborough become so divided?

In 2022, they opened their arms to Ukrainian refugees. But this year, the arrival of more than 300 asylum seekers has split the community. Can the rift be healed? It’s Sunday morning and in the East Sussex town of Crowborough a few dozen anti-migrant activists are waving union jacks outside a travel agent. Their sound system is blasting out a song about “lefty lemons”. A few yards away, a similar number of protesters are supporting the asylum seekers being housed at a nearby military camp. Their signs read “Humanity has no borders” and “Civilisation fails when hatred prevails”; they’re playing classics about love and peace by Bob Marley, the Beatles and Aretha Franklin.

6h ago
The GuardianCrime & SafetyAustin
Venezuelan man shot by ICE agent in Texas charged with assaulting an officer

Venezuelan man shot by ICE agent in Texas charged with assaulting an officer

Garcés Pérez, who was shot in his car by agents, is accused of striking officer with side mirror while trying to drive away Federal prosecutors on Tuesday announced an assault charge against a Venezuelan delivery driver who was shot in his car by a federal immigration agent in Texas, accusing the man of striking an officer with his side mirror while trying to drive away. Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, 28, was charged with one count of assaulting, resisting and impeding a federal officer, according to a criminal complaint. Garcés Pérez, whose attorney has said still has a bullet lodged in his back from the 20 September shooting, made an initial court appearance in an Austin federal court on Tuesday, according to the US attorney’s office in the western district of Texas.

1d ago
The GuardianImmigrationWestern Europe
UK-France ‘one in one out’ deal to expire on Thursday, say sources

UK-France ‘one in one out’ deal to expire on Thursday, say sources

Deal aimed at deterring small boat arrivals set to end as talks stall over French demand for EU-wide scheme UK politics live – latest updates The UK government’s “one in one out” deal with France, which was supposed to help deter small boat arrivals, is expected to expire on Thursday, government sources have said. It is understood that negotiations have stalled over French demands for a Europe-wide deal instead, and a reluctance to scale up the numbers of people exchanged between the two countries.

1d ago
The TelegraphImmigrationLondon
‘One in, one out’ migrant deal set to collapse

‘One in, one out’ migrant deal set to collapse

The UK’s “one in, one out” migrant deal with France is on the brink of collapse, with a senior French immigration official claiming: “It’s over.” The flights that take Channel migrants back to France will continue for another month, but the scheme is “set to end” by the end of October, the French official told The Telegraph. However, British diplomats and officials are making last-minute appeals for the deal to continue amid evidence, acknowledged by France, that it has had some deterrent effect on illegal crossings.

1d ago
The TelegraphScandalUnited Kingdom
Abuse victim flees to ‘other side of world’ as early release scheme begins

Abuse victim flees to ‘other side of world’ as early release scheme begins

A domestic abuse victim is to flee to “the other side of the world” to escape her ex-husband because she has lost faith in the state to protect her and her two children when he is released early from prison. Karen Haynes, 54, her daughter, 26, and her son, 17, will assume new identities to prevent her ex-husband, Christopher Haynes, 59, tracking them down after he is released from jail a third of the way through his 21-month sentence for coercive and controlling behaviour that spanned three decades.

13h ago
The GuardianEconomySouth West England
New UK gas and oil projects are a ‘no-brainer’, says EDF boss

New UK gas and oil projects are a ‘no-brainer’, says EDF boss

Developing North Sea fields does not contradict net zero goals, according to Simone Rossi New oil and gas projects are a “no-brainer” that pose “no contradiction” to the net zero agenda, according to the head of EDF Energy. Simone Rossi has joined a string of renewables leaders in making the case for more North Sea production as the government prepares to decide on two projects there.

18h ago
The GuardianFinanceNorth West England
Manchester City guilty over Premier League charges after £900m of ‘sham’ contracts

Manchester City guilty over Premier League charges after £900m of ‘sham’ contracts

Commission: club broke rules over nine-season period City will appeal against verdict before Friday deadline Manchester City breached Premier League financial rules by creating “sham” contracts to help inflate revenue and reduce costs by more than £900m over a nine-year period, an independent commission found. The league announced on Tuesday that City had been found guilty on all charges related to serious breaches of its financial rules between seasons 2009-10 and 2017-18. It said a sanction would be addressed in a further hearing with the commission.

1d ago
The GuardianDiplomacyWorld
War, power games and impunity. I watched the farce that is the UN general assembly: what a tragedy, what a mess | Nesrine Malik

War, power games and impunity. I watched the farce that is the UN general assembly: what a tragedy, what a mess | Nesrine Malik

Ukraine, Iran, Palestine and Sudan: it has so many problems to confront and fails to do so. Seen up close, it is a study in stasis and decline UN general assembly meetings are not usually riveting occasions. But this year’s encapsulated a world in flux and crisis, an international law and organisation structure that is falling apart, and a humanitarian order machine running hot. What unfolded was less a gathering for resolution and resolve than a display of showboating, frustration and fractiousness. It was a snapshot for the history books of four huge destabilising conflicts for which there seems to be no means of, or interest in, resolution – Ukraine, Iran, Palestine and Sudan. Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an account of five years of Russian aggression: the staggering loss of life – hundreds of thousands killed on both sides – the porousness of the sanctions on Russia, the “madness” of it all. Donald Trump once again threatened to “annihilate” Iran if it did not make a deal, a promise that has now been made so many times its restating only reveals its hollowness. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, responded in his own speech by saying that Iran has been the victim of US terrorism and aggression, and would defend itself with the “utmost strength”. The sole US delegation representative in the room walked out. Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist

3h ago
The GuardianFinanceNorth West England
Building of the Pep supremacy is an era that will be defined by sham-ball

Building of the Pep supremacy is an era that will be defined by sham-ball

What Guardiola knew at City relates to the true nature of the club and more basic things like spectacle and human nature “Do you know the question that you are asking me? Today, do you honestly think it is my job to make this kind of question happen …” Cut to the long, painful pause. Chuck in a deep, shaming stare, eyes that have suddenly become death rays of betrayal and disgust and Pep Guardiola himself transformed from a man cheerfully toasting his own FA Cup final victory to a grizzled chief detective addressing a room full of convicted perverts. Guardiola had the wind entirely at his back at this point, sitting in the Wembley press room an hour after Manchester City’s 6-0 defeat of Watford in May 2019. Success drowns out every other noise in football. To be good is also to be good, noble, virtuous. History is written by the domestic treble winners. Right up until the moment it isn’t.

14h ago
The GuardianWar & ConflictUSA
Pete Hegseth appoints Elon Musk to US taskforce on future of warfare

Pete Hegseth appoints Elon Musk to US taskforce on future of warfare

A year after his explosive tenure at Doge, the SpaceX CEO is back in the Trump administration’s good graces Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that Elon Musk will co-lead a government project to study the future of warfare, marking the SpaceX CEO’s first return to government since he ran the chaotic, so -called “department of government efficiency”, or Doge. Musk will be joined by Palmer Luckey, CEO of the defense tech company Anduril, and Newt Gingrich, the former Republican speaker of the House. A defense department press release on the effort, called Project Meridian, described its goal as “identifying the capabilities required to achieve absolute technological dominance on the next-generation battlefield”. The project will run for 120 days and culminate in an unclassified public report of its recommendations.

13h ago
The GuardianHumanity
‘A lot of lies’: Ireland manager hits out over coverage of Bazunu exit from Israel game

‘A lot of lies’: Ireland manager hits out over coverage of Bazunu exit from Israel game

Keeper pulled out of both Nations League games Hallgrimsson confident Sunday’s match will go ahead Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has claimed “a lot of lies” were told over keeper Gavin ⁠Bazunu’s decision to withdraw ⁠from the Nations League ​game against Israel last weekend, and he does not anticipate any problems with Sunday’s match going ahead. Ireland are one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s war in Gaza, ⁠and protests calling for the team to boycott the fixture prompted Bazunu to pull out of both games between the two countries.

19h ago