Semua Kabar

Fiona Havers says she does not have confidence data will be use to make ‘evidence-based vaccine policy decisions’

The scientist responsible for overseeing the CDC team that collects data on Covid and RSV hospitalizations resigned on Monday.

Dr Fiona Havers told colleagues in an email that she no longer had confidence the data would be used “objectively or evaluated with appropriate scientific rigor to make evidence-based vaccine policy decisions”, according toReuters.

She resigned before a planned meeting of a new vaccine panel put in place by Robert Kennedy Jr after he fired all 17 members of the CDC’s independent vaccine advisory panel. Kennedy also dropped a recommendation to get the Covid shot for healthy children and pregnant women.

Havers, leader of the Resp-Net hospitalization surveillance team, did not respond to requests for comment.

Her resignation follows moves by Kennedy, the health secretary, to abruptly fire all 17 members of the CDC’s independent vaccine advisory panel and drop a recommendation for administering Covid shots to healthy children and pregnant women.

Kennedy, who has long sown doubt about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, replaced the advisory board with eight members of his own choosing, some of whom have histories of objecting to Covid shots or vaccines in general.

Havers said in her email that the Covid and RSV data collected by her team had been used in more than 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 15 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports issued by the CDC.

The newly installed vaccine panel, known as the advisory committee on immunization practices, is expected to meet 25-27 June to vote on the use of Covid-19 boosters and other vaccines by the American public.

A Health and Human Services spokesperson told Reuters that the agency is committed to “gold standard science” and that the vaccine policy will be based on objective data, transparent analysis and evidence.

UK aerospace sector will face no tariffs from the US while auto industry lowered to 10% from 25%

Keir Starmer andDonald Trumphave signed off a UK-US trade deal at the G7 summit in Canada, with the US president saying Britain would have protection against future tariffs “because I like them”.

The two leaders presented the deal, which covers aerospace and the auto sector, at the G7 venue in Kananaskis, Alberta.

Asked about steel by reporters, Trump said: “We’re going to let you have that information in a little while.”

Under details released by the Department for Business and Trade, the UK aerospace sector will face no tariffs at all from the US, while the auto industry will have 10% tariffs, down from 25%.

The steel industry still faces 25% tariffs for now, although this is less than the US’s global rate of 50% on steel and aluminium. The UK business department said the two leaders had pledged to “make progress towards 0% tariffs on core steel products as agreed”.

However, the US executive order implementing the deal highlighted a possible hiccup over steel tariffs. The US still wants assurances about the Chinese owners of British Steel.

In a paragraph setting out a future move to “most-favoured-nation rates for steel and aluminum articles”, the order says the UK has “committed to working to meet American requirements on the security of the supply chains of steel and aluminum products intended for export to the United States and on the nature of ownership of relevant production facilities”.

This would seem to refer to US worries about Jingye Group, which owns British Steel even though the UKgovernment took control of the company in Aprilto stop Jingye closing its Scunthorpe plant. Trump’s administration wants assurances that Jingye does not use British Steel as a way to circumvent US tariffs.

A full version of the deal first outlined in May hadbeen seen as imminent, but Downing Street will be particularly happy to have it finalised at the summit, with full endorsement from a cheerful Trump – even if he did wrongly say the deal was with the EU.

“I just signed it, and it’s done. And so we have our trade agreement with the European Union, and it’s a fair deal for both, and it produces a lot of jobs, a lot of income,” Trump said.

“And we have many, many other ones coming. But you see, the level of enthusiasm is very good, but the relationship that we have is fantastic.”

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As has been his habit in recent meetings with Starmer, the mercurial president was warm in his praise for a fellow leader who is not a political soulmate. “We’re very longtime partners and allies and friends, and we’ve become friends in a short period of time. He’s slightly more liberal than I am,” Trump joked at one point.

Asked if the UK was now protected from future tariffs, Trump said: “The UK is very well protected. You know why? Because I like them – that’s their ultimate protection.”

He added: “The prime minister has done a great job. I want to just tell that to the people of the United Kingdom. He’s done a very, very good job. He’s done what other people, they’ve been talking about this deal for six years, and he’s done what they haven’t been able to do. So he’s done really a very good job.”

The comments came just before the pair met for talks at the G7 event, where Starmer was poised to push the US president for new sanctions against Russia and to help end the war between Iran and Israel.

In a separate announcement late on Monday, Downing Street said it expected further sanctions on Moscow to be set out at the summit, seeking to “ratchet up pressure until Russia is ready to commit to a full and unconditional ceasefire”. No 10 said there would be more details on Tuesday.

Global study shows 54% of Americans receive news from social media, while the UK has highest proportion of news avoiders at 46%

Social media has overtaken television as a source of news in the US for the first time, according to a comprehensive analysis of media consumption confirming the rapid rise of “news influencers”.

In a watershed moment for the US media, 54% of Americans said they received news from social media, according to the research carried out after President Trump’s second inauguration. Half said they sourced news from the once all-powerful TV networks.

The accelerating global shift towards social media and video platforms is laid bare in a major study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, which surveyed almost 100,000 news consumers worldwide.

It reveals a further diminishing of the influence of traditional news organisations, with more people heading to podcasters, YouTubers and TikTokers. The authors warned it is allowing populist politicians such as Trump and Argentina’s Javier Milei to bypass the scrutiny of the transitional media in favour of new, online networks.

The role of news influencers, who use their personal brand to win an online following, is growing, led by the extraordinary impact of thepodcaster Joe Rogan during last year’s US presidential election.

One-fifth (22%) of those contacted in the US said they came across news or commentary from Rogan in the week after the presidential inauguration, including a disproportionate number of young men, a group traditional media struggles to reach.

News influencers on YouTube, Instagram andTikTokare also finding large audiences in India, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand, which have younger populations that are heavy social media users.

Meanwhile,Elon Musk’s Xhas seen a major shift to the right among its users, according to the analysis. Musk’s takeover of the site has been followed by a 50% increase among right-leaning users, from 10% of the group in 2021 to 15% this year. There has been a corresponding fall in left-leaning users, from 17% to 14% over the same period, asliberals have abandoned the platform.

The findings confirm the huge changes taking place in news consumption worldwide. “The rise of social video and personality-driven news represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers that are struggling to adapt their content and tone to these very different environments,” said Nic Newman, a founding member of the BBC News website and the study’s lead author.

“Online video may be a good way to engage younger audiences, but there is very little commercial upside for publishers, with most news consumption taking place via platforms rather than owned and operated news websites. Publishers also face a loss of influence, with populist politicians increasingly looking to bypass scrutiny by working with sympathetic influencers instead.”

A decade ago, just two online networks were delivering news content to more than 10% of the report’s global sample. That has now grown to six.

Facebookreaches more than a third (36%), whileYouTubeis not far behind (30%). Instagram and WhatsApp are used by around a fifth for news content, while 16% turn to TikTok and 12% still receive news from X.

There are concerns that truth will suffer. Overall, 58% of the populations studied remain worried about their ability to tell what is true from what is false online. Concern is highest in Africa (73%) and the US (73%).

Thephenomenon of news avoidance continues to riseas users restrict the amount they consume, complaining about feeling overwhelmed by a gloomy news agenda. Four in 10 people in the study’s global sample said they sometimes or often avoid the news – up from 29% in 2017 – the joint highest figure ever recorded.

The UK has one of the highest proportions of news avoiders, where 46% say they sometimes or often avoid the news.

In another major change on the horizon, young people are already turning to artificial intelligence chatbots such as ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini for news. It poses a serious risk to news companies as users may receive all the information they need through a chatbot without ever visiting the original source of the story.

The numbers using chatbots for news are still relatively small overall, but are higher with under-35s at 12% of the group. Across all the countries involved in the study, people expect AI will make the news cheaper and more up-to-date but less transparent, less accurate and less trustworthy.

Sadiq Khan says regeneration plans for central London shopping street have received ‘overwhelming support’

Sadiq Khan has said he will pedestrianise Oxford Street “as quickly as possible”, after two in three respondents to a public consultation backed plans to ban traffic from London’s central shopping area.

The mayor’s office said there was “overwhelming public and business support” for theproposals to regenerate the street, whose lustre is slowly returning as department stores muscle back amongthe sweet and souvenir shopsof dubious repute.

More than 6,600 businesses, individuals and groups responded to the formal consultation on plans announced last year that included full pedestrianisation of a 0.7-mile strip west from Great Portland Street; improving the area; and allowing street cafes and outdoor events.

Khan said: “Oxford Street has suffered over many years, so urgent action is needed to give our nation’s high street a new lease of life.

“It’s clear that the vast majority of Londoners and major businesses back our exciting plans, so I’m pleased to confirm that we will now be moving ahead as quickly as possible.”

The Labour government has said it will approve a mayoral development corporation (MDC) to push through plans, after previous attempts to pedestrianise the street were knocked back by Westminster city council. An MDC could now be established in early 2026, including representation from the council, which even now under Labour control has opposed the scheme.

Cllr Adam Hug, the leader of the council, said: “While the mayor’s formal decision today was not the council’s preferred outcome, it is far from unexpected, and it is now important for Oxford Street’s future to move forward together.”

He added that since 2022 the street had “roared back to life after the pandemic” and said the council would work with Khan to see it “reimagined” in a way that worked for visitors, shoppers and residents.

Oxford Street is already largely restricted to general traffic but is a key route for London buses and taxis. Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the LTDA, which represents black-cab drivers, thought the plans would worsencongestion in the capital. “Putting this traffic down surrounding streets will cause chaos – we’re already Europe’s most congested city, maybe we’ll now get the world title,” he said.

Detailed traffic proposals to reroute buses and ban all traffic will be released and consulted on later this year.

Khan added: “We want to rejuvenate Oxford Street; establish it as a global leader for shopping, leisure and outdoor events with a world-class, accessible, pedestrianised avenue. This will help to attract more international visitors, and act as a magnet for new investment and job creation, driving growth and economic prosperity for decades to come.”

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Angela Rayner, he deputy prime minister, said: “We want to see Oxford Street become the thriving place to be for tourists and Londoners alike, and that’s why we welcome the mayor of London’s bold proposals to achieve that.”

The big retailers on the street, including Ikea, whichrecently opened its a store there, also backed the mayor. The chief executive of Ikea Uk and Ireland, Peter Jelkeby, said the pedestrianisation plan was a positive step that would “create a more welcoming and accessible space – bringing wide-ranging benefits to visitors, shoppers, businesses and the wider community”.

The executive director of Selfridges, Meave Wall, said the department store was “hugely energised by the renewed commitment to make this area more enticing and attractive for locals and visitors from around the world”.

The New West End Company, which represents 600 businesses around the area, said the consultation results were an important step forward.

High numbers of staff leaving because of high pressure, lack of support, verbal abuse, long shifts and low pay, union says

NHS call handlers are quitting amid burnout at dealing with 999 calls about suicides, stabbings and shootings and the long delays before ambulances reach patients.

The pressure is so intense that 27% of control room staff in ambulance services across Britain have left their jobs over the last three years, NHS figures show.

Many feel overwhelmed by the demands of their roles, unsupported by their employers and powerless to help patients who are facing life-or-death emergencies, according to a report by Unison, with some resigning within a year of starting the role.

Call handlers get so stressed that they took an average of 33 sick days a year each between 2021/22 and 2024/25, data obtained by the union also showed. That is far higher than the average four days taken off sick by workers in the UK overall.

A report by Unison found that call handlers’ jobs have become increasingly challenging in recent years as the demand for care, which rose during Covid, has remained consistently high since, while ambulance handover delays outside hospitals have worsened.

In March control room staff in England, Scotland and Wales answered more than 700,000 calls – more than 22,000 a day.

“These findings paint a bleak picture of the conditions faced by 999 control room staff. TV programmes about ambulance services don’t show things as they really are,” said Christina McAnea, the Unison general secretary.

Unison’s report said: “Relentless exposure to traumatic and increasingly complex incidents, verbal abuse, long shifts and low pay are contributing to stress, burnout and fatigue.

One call handler told Unison: “Some shifts are overwhelmingly traumatic, with 90% of the calls of a distressing nature. One shift, I handled three road traffic accidents and two cardiac arrests.”

“There’s a persistent pressure to remain on the phone, no matter how emotionally drained we are.”

Another had dealt with four different calls about suicide in the same shift.

A third said: “It’s relentless. You log in, take emotionally intense calls for 12 hours straight and then go home.

“Certain calls stay with you. I once spoke to a distressed mother whose daughter had suffered life-changing burns. The panic in her voice is something I’ll never forget.”

Several call handlers identified lack of support for dealing with the emotional and psychological impact of their jobs as a key reason why so many people leave.

Unison obtained data from 11 of the UK’s 13 NHS regional ambulance services. They also found that some call handlers end up being off sick for several months because of stress and trauma, 80% of the South East Coast ambulance service’s (Secamb) call handlers left during 2023/24, and that Secamb also had the highest average number of days off sick taken by its call handlers – 54 days each in 2023/24.

NHS England said call handlers played a vital role in the urgent and emergency care system and admitted that they needed to do more to support them. A spokesperson said: “We know there is more to do and the health service is committed to tackling burnout by continuing to offer more flexible working options.”

In the UK and Ireland,Samaritanscan be contacted on freephone 116 123, or emailjo@samaritans.orgorjo@samaritans.ie. Youth suicide charityPapyruscan be contacted on 0800 068 4141 or emailpat@papyrus-uk.org. In the US, you can call or text theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineon 988, chat on988lifeline.org, ortext HOMEto 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support serviceLifelineis 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found atbefrienders.org

Radiographers voice concerns about being filmed without consent and say trend could violate other patients’ privacy

NHSstaff have voiced concern about the growing numbers of patients who are filming themselves undergoing medical treatment and uploading it to TikTok and Instagram.

Radiographers, who take X-rays and scans, fear the trend could compromise the privacy of other patients being treated nearby and lead to staff having their work discussed online.

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) has gone public with its unease after a spate of incidents in which patients, or someone with them in the hospital, began filming their care.

On one occasion a radiology department assistant from the south coast was inserting a cannula into a patient who had cancer when their 19-year-old daughter began filming.

“She wanted to record the cannulation because she thought it would be entertaining on social media. But she didn’t ask permission,” the staff member said.

“I spent the weekend afterwards worrying: did I do my job properly? I know I did, but no one’s perfect all the time and this was recorded. I don’t think I slept for the whole weekend.”

They were also concerned that a patient in the next bay was giving consent for a colonoscopy – an invasive diagnostic test – at the same time as the daughter was filming her mother close by. “That could all have been recorded on the film, including names and dates of birth,” they said.

Ashley d’Aquino, a therapeutic radiographer in London, said a colleague had agreed to take photographs for a patient, “but when the patient handed over her phone the member of staff saw that the patient had also been covertly recording her, to publish on her cancer blog.

“AsNHSstaff we wear name badges, so our names will be visible in any video. It makes people feel very uncomfortable and anxious.”

Dean Rogers, the SoR’s director of industrial strategy and member relations, urged all NHS trusts and boards to ensure that patients know they need permission from staff before filming.

“As healthcare professionals we need to think: does that recording breach the confidentiality of other patients? Does it breach our ability to deliver care?”

Dr Katharine Halliday, the president of the Royal College of Radiologists, said: “In my experience, rules about filming and recording are there to protect the privacy and dignity of patients and staff and should be followed accordingly.

“In a clinical environment, you will be surrounded by patients in their most vulnerable moments, staff focusing on life-saving work and sensitive personal information. It’s important to be mindful of this and always seek permission for photography, filming or recording – even if it’s just for your own personal use.”

The Department ofHealthand Social Care was asked for comment.

Gujarati communities in the capital gather to commemorate more than 270 victims who died in Ahmedabad air crash

As the late afternoon sun streamed into a small square behind the Indian High Commission in London on Sunday, a crowd of 200 people gathered for a vigil – one of several held around the UK this weekend to remember those who died in theAir India disaster.

Candles were placed beneatha bust of Jawaharlal Nehruand attenders listened to inter-faith leaders and members from the Gujarati community who had come to reflect on a shocking week of loss.

Ridhi Sarmah-Kapoor and Olivia Gearson, two students whose fathers had travelled from Gujarat to London recently, laid flowers outsideIndiaHouse in Holborn.

“My dad frequently goes back and forth to India and he uses Air India,” said Sarmah-Kapoor. “It gives it a personal connection – it’s like these people are my family.”

Gearson added: “It needs to be honoured. There were parents coming back for their children’s graduation – we’re both students, it really hit hard.”

Gujarati communitiesin the capitaland other cities including Leicesterhave been gatheringsince the crash to commemorate the more than 270 people who died in the crash in Ahmedabad, one of the worst air accidents in Indian history.

There have been remarkable stories, such as the Bristol student whomissed the flight because she was held up in trafficand the miraculous taleof the sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. But the details of the lives lost –ambitions and hopesextinguished in an instant – all add to the sense of shock among British-Indians.

“We needed somewhere to mourn,” said Mayur Shikotra, who organised the vigil alongsidePranav Bhanot.

Bhanot said: “We’re only a small community, many people are only one or two degrees away from the tragedy,. There aren’t that many flights that come out of Gujarat directly, so it really could have been anyone. That makes it hit home.”

Much has been made of the close-knit nature of the Gujarati community in the UK, a fact that has made the traumapersonal for many.

Narendra Thakerar was among a group of old schoolfriends with Gujarati backgrounds who decided to come and remember those who lost their lives.

“I’ve flown three times in the last six months with Air India,” he said. “It’s a tragedy that no one prepares for, it’s humbling and just a reminder about how fragile we are.”

Bhanot said: “It’s really important that we find out what happened, we need the bodies repatriated and hopefully some compensation for loved ones – it’s never going to bring anyone back but it’d be a recognition of what happened and the loss of life.”

As well as grief, there was a desire forBoeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, to be held accountable if it was at fault.

“My first thought is the Boeing 787,” said Thakerar, who is glad the fleet is being inspected by the Indian governmentafter the disaster.

Another member of the group, Mahesh Patel, said: “The problem is when you’re dealing with old planes that have been sold and resold and used and used.”

There are more than 1,100 787s in service, with most major international airlines using them and its safety record in service has been good.

Tata Group bought Air India from the Indian government in 2022 and announced plans last year to revamp and upgrade its fleet.

“None of us want this to happen again so there needs to be a thorough investigation,” Thakerar said.

In today’s newsletter: ​With just one survivor emerging from the wreckage​, investigators work to uncover the cause

Good morning. An Air India plane bound for London Gatwick took off from Ahmedabad, India, at 1.38pm local time last Thursday. On board were 242 people. Within moments of takeoff, the airlinercrashed, sending up a fireball of exploding jet fuel.

Initial reports suggested all passengers and crew had perished. Then, miraculously, there was one survivor – a British man,Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who while badly injured was able to walk out of the wreckage by himself. Ramesh, who was returning to his family in London, told the Hindustan Times: “I don’t know how I survived. I saw people dying in front of my eyes – the air hostesses, and two people I saw near me … I walked out of the rubble.”

AirIndiasaid the passengers on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were made up of 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals. Footage shows the plane flying low over a residential area before disappearing behind buildings followed by an explosion. At least 24 people on the ground died as the flight crashed into a hostel housing medical students in a crowded residential area of Ahmedabad.

A black box was recovered from the crash site last Friday. The UK Foreign Office said officials were working with Indian authorities to establish the facts around the crash and provide support to those involved.

The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, said he was stunned and saddened while the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, called the crash “devastating”.

There is still much we don’t know in the days since the crash, most importantly about why it happened. To help put things into context, I spoke toGwyn Topham, the Guardian’s transport correspondent, about the Boeing airliner involved and why the crash is likely to renew scrutiny of the manufacturer. That’s after the headlines.

Middle East| Israel and Iranbroadened their strikesagainst each other in an escalating war that has killed and injured hundreds of people. Donald Trump called for an end to the conflict and warned Tehran against striking US targets in the region.

UK news| The government’s welfare plans have tobe pushed through, Keir Starmer has said, indicating that there will be no further concessions over cuts to disability benefits.

UK news| Thousands of university students in the UK have been caughtmisusing ChatGPTand other artificial intelligence tools in recent years, while traditional forms of plagiarism show a marked decline.

UK news| China and Russia are stepping upsabotage operationstargeting undersea cables and the UK is unprepared to meet the mounting threat, according to new analysis.

Greenland| Emmanuel Macron has criticised Donald Trump’s threats totake over Greenlandas he became the first foreign head of state to visit the vast, mineral-rich Arctic territory since the US president began making explicit threats to annex it.

The plane crash is the deadliest involving Britons in recent years, casting a shadow of mourning over large parts of the UK.

Gareth Thomas, MP for Harrow West and the chair of the APPG on British Gujarati, told First Edition: “Harrow is home to a large British-Gujarati community, many of whom have close family ties to Gujarat, and this devastating news will be felt particularly strongly here.”

Among those confirmed dead are businessman Akeel Nanabawa, his wife, Hannaa Vorajee, and their four-year-old daughter Sara (pictured above), according to the Gloucester Muslim community.

Also killed in the crash were Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who ran the Wellness Foundry in south London and Ramsgate. The business offered psychic readings, tarot, reiki, and yoga.

Adam Taju, 72, and his wife, Hasina, 70, were also on board, along with their son-in-law, Altafhusen Patel, 51, who lived in London with his wife.

Javed Ali Syed, a hotel manager at the Best Western Kensington Olympia Hotel, and his wife, Mariam, were also reportedlyamong the victims.

What do we know about the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner?

The Air India plane that was headed to London was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This model of plane has been in service since 2011. There are more than 1,100 787s in service worldwide, used by most major international airlines. This is the first time one has crashed.

“It was seen as revolutionary when it came in because it was so much lighter,” Gwyn Topham explains. “People called it the ‘plastic plane’ at the time because of the composite materials. That made it more fuel-efficient, quieter, and generally a nicer plane to be on. It doesn’t feel that novel now, but at the time it was a leap forward.”

Gwyn adds: “There have been issues over the years. About a decade ago a lithium-ion battery caught fire on a plane parked at Heathrow, which was obviously alarming. And in 2013 there were a couple of electrical fires in Japan that led to the aircraft being grounded briefly. But nothing since that time that would make most people worry about flying this plane.”

He notes that while awhistleblower last yearurged Boeing to ground all 787 Dreamliners worldwide during Washington hearings, Boeing rejected the claims.

Air India, which operates a fleet of Dreamliners, has been using the US-built long-haul plane since 2012. This is the airline’s first serious incident since 2020, when a smaller Boeing 737-800 operated by Air India Express skidded off the runway on landing during bad weather.

Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10m rupees (£86,000) to the families of those killed in the crash. The company also said it would cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the “building up” of the medical college hit by the plane.

This latest crash piles further pressure on Boeing, which has faced significant scrutiny over the past few years due to a series of production issues and safety concerns.

Most notable are the two major crashes that were due to faults on Boeing’s 737 Max planes, inIndonesiaandEthiopiain 2018 and 2019. That model was taken out of service for almost a year, before being relaunched and returned to widespread use.

Last month, Boeing agreed to pay $1.1bn (£812m)in a dealwith the US justice department to avoid prosecution over these two crashes, which together killed 346 people. The families of the crash victims described the deal as “morally repugnant”.

“That really shocked the industry and the public. At first, many didn’t want to believe it could be the plane and people thought it might be pilot error. But it turned out to be Boeing’s fault, and that severely damaged trust,” Gwyn says.

“Since then, every Boeing incident, from relatively minor ones to the door panel that blew off on an Alaska Airlines flight last year, ends up getting massive attention. Ryanair has even complained publicly about receiving planes with faults.

“Even if this crash turns out to have nothing to do with the aircraft itself, it still puts a fresh spotlight on Boeing.”

What impact will this have on the aviation industry?

Hours after the crash, flights were allowed to resume at the airport in Ahmedabad. Despite these high profile crashes, Gwyn doesn’t expect passengers to be deterred from flying.

“It’s important to remember that aviation is very safe. I think 2023 had no fatal passenger jet crashes at all. When crashes do happen, they’re usually the result of a combination of rare and unexpected factors,” he says.

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As for the impact on passenger confidence, he adds: “Passenger numbers have kept rising year after year. Even when Ryanair offered refunds to passengers booked on the 737 Max, no one took them up on it. So while something like this may shake confidence in the short term, it doesn’t usually translate into people flying less.”

While public confidence in air travel is likely to endure, the aviation industry will once again be forced to engage in serious soul-searching over safety, accountability and public trust.

What do Fast & Furious, a vegetarian cookbook, and Link from Zelda (above) all have in common? The Guardian writers have named them, and more, as their unexpectedPride iconsinthis series.Sundus Abdi, newsletters team

After nearly 20 years of regular gym sessions, freelance journalist Joel Snape hascalled it quits. He writes a compelling case on whyditching the gymmight actually make him fitter.Aamna

Few rappers have been more feted thanSlick Rick– Jay Z even compared him to Matisse – or worn more outrageous jewellery.Alexis Petridis gets a taste of both lyrics and blingin this delightful encounter.Alex Needham, acting head of newsletters

While politicians may be targeting theburqawith proposed bans, fashion inspired by Islam and other religions is projectedto go mainstreamworldwide.Aamna

At 53, playwrightFemi Elufowoju Jrmade a promise to visit all 54 nations in Africa to expand his limited knowledge of the continent. He shares how these travelssparked an ideafor an “ambitious” play.Sundus

Formula One| The British driverGeorge Russell won the Canadian Grand Prixfor Mercedes, beating the four-time world champion Max Verstappen. McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastrihad a collision.

Tennis| Tatjana Maria, 37, became both the oldest World Tennis Association 500 champion in history and thefirst women’s champion at Queen’s Club in 52 yearswhen she beat Amanda Anisimova.

US Open| American JJ Spaun, pictured above, finished two shots clear of Bob MacIntyre – claimingthe first major title of his careerwith a monster final putt on a wet and wild day at Oakmont.

“Israel and Iran broaden war as G7 leaders seek ceasefire” says theGuardian. “Israel and Iran step up retaliatory strikes” says theFinancial Timesacross a single deck right along the top. “World crisis” says theMirrorunder a strapline saying “Israel & Iran on the brink”. TheTimeshelps the US president make himself look relevant – “Trump says ‘full might’ of US ready for conflict” – as does theTelegraphwith “Trump vetoed plan to kill Iran leader”. Thei paperhas “RAF on standby to defend Israel as conflict with Iran escalates”. “You’ll pay a heavy price” – that’s Netanyahu’s warning to Iran, says theMetro, after Tehran retaliated. TheMailsplashes on “Starmer in full retreat over grooming gangs” and theExpress’sversion is “Say sorry for dealy in sex gangs probe”.

Arise, Sir David Beckham – podcast

Zoe Williams goes through the highs and lows of David Beckham’s career, and asks why ittook so long for him to receive a knighthood.

A bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all bad

Freddie Yauner spends the first few months of the year growing out his hair and beard to resemble 19th-century designer and activistWilliam Morris. The idea first came to him in 2020 and ever since then, Yauner has celebrated his idol’s birthday by dressing up for an “absurd performance”. This unique passion has taken all forms: fishing for salmon in the Thames, singing lessons for socialist chants and print-making using Morris’ letterpress.

Yauner says using his privileged background to dedicate himself to the arts and socialism, like Morris, has afforded him a sense of comfort and guidance: “I see him as a brilliant guide to the ridiculous times we live in: it’s a ridiculous thing to do. It helps me carry on.”

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And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.

Order similar to those issued in Gaza a further sign Israeli campaign is evolving towards war of attrition

Israeli forces issued an evacuation order to residents of a large part of Tehran on Monday, warning them of the imminent bombing of “military infrastructure” in the area in a social media post very similar to those regularly directed at Palestinians in Gaza over the past 20 months.

Thepost on Xwas from the account of the Israel Defense Forces’ Arabic spokesperson, Col Avichay Adraee, and is a further sign of the evolving nature of the Israeli campaign against Iran, which began with attacks on air defences, nuclear sites and the military chain of command, but appears to have drifted towards a war of attrition focused on Iran’s oil and gas industry and on the capital.

In another sign of the changing targets of the Israeli offensive, Iran’s state TV announced on Monday evening that it was under attack during a live transmission.

The sound of an explosion could be heard, and the news presenter hurried off camera as dust and debris appeared in the studio. Cries of “Allahu Akbar” or “God is greatest” could be heard off-screen and the broadcast abruptly switched to pre-recorded programming. Live programming resumed some time later.

Adraee’s online post included a map depicting a significant area of the third district in northern Tehran shaded in red in the same manner he has presented evacuation orders for Palestinians.

“Dear citizens, for your safety, please leave the described area in the 3rd district of Tehran immediately,” the message said in Farsi.

“In the coming hours, the Israeli army will attack the military infrastructure of the Iranian regime in this area, as it has done in recent days in Tehran. Your presence in this area endangers your life.”

Later on Monday, US president Donald Trump urged everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran, and reiterated that Iran should have signed a nuclear deal with the United States.

“IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” he said in a post on Truth Social.

Speaking to personnel at Tel Nof air force base, the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed the evacuation orders.

“The Israeli air force controls the skies over Tehran. This changes the entire campaign,” he said.

“When we control the skies over Tehran, we strike regime targets, as opposed to the criminal Iranian regime which targets our civilians and comes to kill women and children. We tell the people of Tehran to evacuate, and we act.”

Netanyahu later said killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, would “end the conflict” in what would be another ominous escalation.

After the surprise Israeli attack on Friday morning, Iran has carried out retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli cities, focusing on the most populated areas between Tel Aviv and the port of Haifa.

Both sides have targeted each other’s oil and gas facilities, increasing the threat of environmental disaster, and explosions were reported on Monday near oil refineries in southern Tehran.

Earlier on Monday, Iran threatened to leave the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as Israeli bombing raidsentered a fourth day, underlining the conflict’s potential to trigger a broader war and Tehran’s race to construct a nuclear weapon.

The human cost of the war continued to escalate with both sides broadening their range of targets, asG7leaders convened in the Canadian Rockies with no clear plan to end the conflict. There were reports on Monday that Trump was refusing to sign a joint statement calling for the conflict to be scaled down.

“They should talk, and they should talk immediately,” Trump said of Tehran during the summit. “I’d say Iran is not winning this war.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that Iran was sending a message to Israel and the US through Arab intermediaries that it was seeking a cessation of hostilities and a resumption of talks on its nuclear programme.

The same report, however, said its stance was that it would only go back to the table if Israel halted its offensive. There was no sign on Monday of Israel contemplating a pause.

Iran’s health ministry said 224 people in Iran had been killed by Israeli attacks, 90% of them civilian, and more than 1,400 had been injured. Israel’s defence minister, meanwhile, threatened further bombing strikes on Tehran, where an exodus of residents has been reported, clogging roads out of the capital.

The Iranian Red Crescent said that three of its rescuers were killed in an Israeli airstrike in northwest Tehran, adding: “This incident is not only a crime against international humanitarian law but also a blatant attack on humanity and morality.”

In Israel, at least 23 civilians have been killed in Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes since Israel’sinitial surprise attack on Friday morning, and nearly 600 have been injured, according to official sources.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, announced on Monday that Iran’s parliament, the Majlis, was preparing a bill that would withdraw the country fromthe 1968 NPT agreement, which obliges it to forego nuclear weapons and to undergo international inspections to verify compliance. Baghaei added that Tehran remained opposed to the development of weapons of mass destruction.

The country’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, also insisted that Iran did not intend to develop nuclear weapons but would pursue its right to nuclear energy and research. He pointed out that Ali Khamenei, had issued a religious edict against weapons of mass destruction.

Israel is the only Middle East state with nuclear weapons and did not sign the NPT, but has never formally acknowledged its arsenal.

It is seeking to maintain its monopoly with airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming that Tehran was close to building a bomb. Previous assessments by US intelligence and the UN nuclear watchdog found no evidence that Iran had begun work on assembling a nuclear weapon.

Israeli critics of the offensive say it cannot destroy Iran’s reserve of nuclear knowhow – though Israel has targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, claiming to have killed 14 – and could push the leadership into ordering the assembly of nuclear warheads.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC it was very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges at Iran’s biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz had been badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike.

But he said there had been very limited or no damage at the separate Fordow plant.

There were reports on Monday of Israeli strikes on the Tehran headquarters of the Revolutionary Guards al-Quds force, an expeditionary arm deployed in foreign wars.

Despite Israeli claims to have air superiority over much of Iran, Iranian forces have still been able to launch ballistic missiles from their territory and some continue to evade Israel’s multi-layered air defences. Israel Defense Forces officials estimate that it is has been able to intercept 80-90% of Iran’s missiles, with 5-10% hitting actual residential areas.

Eight more Israelis were killed overnight by Iranian missile strikes, including four in Petah Tikva where a missile hit an apartment block. Three people died from blasts in Haifa and an elderly man was killed when his home collapsed from the shockwave from an explosion in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed to have begun “more powerful and deadly” strikes and to have found a way of causing confusion in Israeli air defence systems. There was no immediate way of independently verifying the claim.

US forces have so far helped Israel intercept Iranian missiles, but have not taken part, at least overtly, in offensive bombing operations. On Monday, however, Reuters quoted two unnamed US officials as saying the movement of more than 30 military refuelling aircraft to Europe was intended to give Trump more options in the Middle East. Such tankers allow warplanes to refuel in mid-air and enable more sorties a day in wartime.

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday he had ordered the deployment of additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East, but did not disclose what military capabilities he sent to the region.

As Tehran residents evacuated the capital in increasing numbers, Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, threatened to make Tehranis “pay the price” for Ali Khamenei’s decision to keep firing missiles at Israel in retaliation for the Israeli attack.

The Iranian state-backed news agency Fars reported that the authorities had executed a man found guilty of spying for Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad. It was the third execution of an alleged spy in recent weeks.

Tim Kaine introduces measure to prohibit US forces from taking action against Iran without approval from Congress

As Iran andIsraelexchange missile attacks for a fourth day, Democrats in Washington are moving swiftly to reassert congressional authority over US military engagement in the region amid fears of American involvement in a broader conflict.

Tim Kaine, a Democratic senator of Virginia, on Monday introduced a war powers resolution that would prohibit US armed forces from taking direct action againstIranwithout explicit authorization from Congress or a declaration of war. The measure, like other attempts to claw back power from the executive branch, faces a steep climb in the GOP-controlled Congress, where Republicans have been mostly unwilling to challenge Donald Trump’s authority.

“I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict,” Kaine said in a statement. “The American people have no interest in sending service members to fight another forever war in the Middle East. This resolution will ensure that if we decide to place our nation’s men and women in uniform into harm’s way, we will have a debate and vote on it in Congress.”

Later on Monday, Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who votes with Democrats, introduced a separate piece of legislation that would bar the use of federal funds for any use of military force “in or against Iran” without congressional authorization. Several progressive Democrats, including senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland joined as sponsors.

“Another war in the Middle East could cost countless lives, waste trillions more dollars and lead to even more deaths, more conflict, and more displacement,” Sanders said in a statement. “I will do everything that I can as a Senator to defend the Constitution and prevent the US from being drawn into another war.”

Sanders has accused Israel of timing its attack on Iran to “sabotage” the latest round of talks between the US and Iran over the future of Iran’s nuclear program that had been scheduled for Sunday but were cancelled.

Trump on Monday said Iranian officials would “like to talk” about de-escalating hostilities with Israel, while Israel indicated its attacks on Iran were not yet finished. Trump – along with Democrats and Republicans – have issued stark warnings to Iran not to strike US targets as it launches retaliatory attacks.

“If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the US Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trumpwroteon Truth Social.

War powers resolutions are considered “privileged” under Senate rules, guaranteeing a floor debate and vote. Even if Kaine’s measure ultimately fails, it will compel lawmakers to confront pressing questions about the US role in the rapidly escalating Middle East conflict – and, more broadly, about presidential war powers and Congress’s constitutional authority over decisions of war and peace.

Kaine’s resolution would not prevent the US from defending itself against imminent threats but would require congressional approval for offensive action. Sanders’ bill contains an exception for self-defense.

On matters of foreign policy, Trump’s coalition includes Iran hawks like Senator Lindsey Graham, as well as “America First” subscribers who share the president’s longstanding opposition to US involvement in foreign conflicts.

Graham on Sunday said he preferred a diplomatic solution, but barring that, he urged the president to “go all in”.

“Make sure that, when this operation is over, there’s nothing left standing in Iran regarding their nuclear program,” he said in an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation. “If that means providing bombs, provide bombs.”

Kaine’s move is part of a long-running effort to rein in presidential war powers, which has in the past brought together unlikely partnerships between Democrats and a growing faction of far-right anti-interventionists.

During Trump’s first term, Kaine led a similar effort to limit Trump’s ability to strike Iran without congressional approval, following the president’s decision to order the killing of Iranian Gen Qasem Soleimani, which brought the US and Iran to the brink of war. Though both chambers of Congress approved the resolution, Trump vetoed it.

That veto followed an earlier one in 2019, when Trump blocked a separate bipartisan War Powers resolution aimed at ending US support for Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen’s civil war – an effort that drew support from Democrats and a small group of anti-interventionist Republicans.