World news | The Guardian

Rwandan-backed rebels seize Kanyabayonga, says official, already home to thousands driven from their homes by conflictRwandan-backed M23 rebels have seized a strategic town in the Democratic Republic of Congo's volatile east, a local official said.Kanyabayonga has been in the hands of the M23 since Friday evening," the administrative official said, under condition of anonymity. Continue reading...

Turnout estimated to be as low as 40%, a record low since the revolution and a rebuff for the regimeIran is heading to a runoff election in a week's time after the reformist lawmaker Masoud Pezeshkian secured a narrow lead over hardline former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili but failed to secure more than 50% of the votes.Turnout may end up low as 40%, a record low for an Iranian presidential election since the revolution in 1979. Continue reading...

Police warn of potentially contaminated batch' after adults taken to hospital in County DurhamSeven people have been taken to hospital after taking the sleeping medication zopiclone, prompting concerns over a potentially contaminated batch".Cleveland police said it had received reports on Friday of the adults being taken to North Tees General hospital in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham. Continue reading...

As Labour and Tories promise rail reform and court motorists, many experts think road pricing is inevitableBetter railways, safer roads, cleaner fuels: in another decade, they would be the kind of transport issues commanding a pragmatic consensus in British politics.But this election lands with transport wildly politicised, with clean air, speed limits and high-speed rail all dragged into the wider culture wars. Continue reading...

Experts warn health tourists' to do their research, saying savings can lead to higher costs for work to be redonePatients seeking medical treatments in Turkey and other countries should do their research and not be tempted by low prices, experts have warned.From Brazilian butt lifts to Hollywood smiles and even organ transplants, the range of procedures offered by overseas providers is staggering, with myriad companies now promoting packages covering flights, accommodation and post-operative hotel accommodation. Continue reading...

Students are exempt during their course but as soon as they finish their final year they are liable to payFinal-year university students have been urged to check that they do not owe council tax for the last few weeks of their rented accommodation.While students are exempt from the tax during the course, they are liable to pay as soon as they finish their final year. Continue reading...

President's decision to drop finance bill after deadly violence leaves protesters divided over how to achieve broader goalsKenya's youth-driven, leaderless protest movement finds itself at a crossroads this weekend, buoyed up by President William Ruto's surprise decision on Wednesday to abandon a finance bill containing planned tax rises even as it mourns those killed in deadly violence the day before.The movement that brought thousands of people out on to the streets in recent weeks, against the backdrop of a cost of a living crisis that has left many young people feeling hopeless, has little precedence in Kenya where protests are traditionally elite-led. Continue reading...

Juan Jose Zuniga Macias has been handed charges of terrorism and armed uprising, says prosecutor, as president again rejects claims of self-coup' to boost popularityA Bolivian former army chief accused of leading a failed coup attempt has been given six months preventive detention", a top prosecutor said on Friday, as the president again denied the attack was a self-coup" designed to boost his flagging popularity.General Juan Jose Zuniga Macias has been handed charges of terrorism and armed uprising, state prosecutor Cesar Siles said. Zuniga has said he was following an order from the president, Luis Arce, following Wednesday's fleeting insurrection in La Paz. In the moments before he was detained, the ex-army chief claimed: The president told me the situation was fucked and that he needed something to boost his popularity.". Continue reading...

Weather bureau says the cold front sweeping from SA to Tasmania will move up into alpine areas to bring much-needed snowfallsLarge parts of Australia will shiver through much of the coming week, with temperatures as much as 4C below average expected in some regions.The Bureau of Meteorology says ski fields could also expect some much-needed snowfalls in time for school holidays in some of the eastern states. Continue reading...

Mull, known for his droll and esoteric comedy, dies after valiant fight against a long illness', says daughterMartin Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including Roseanne and Arrested Development, has died, his daughter said Friday. He was 80 years old.Mull's daughter, TV writer and comic artist Maggie Mull, said her father died at home on Thursday after a valiant fight against a long illness". Continue reading...

The recall of Uncle Frog's Mushroom Gummies has sparked concerns that the product contains psychoactive cannabinoids

Britain to make legal arguments over jurisdiction in case of alleged war crimes by the Israeli PMAn intervention by the UK government at the international criminal court is expected to delay a decision over whether an arrest warrant can be issued against the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged war crimes in Gaza.Judges at the ICC ruled on Thursday they would allow the UK to make legal arguments in the case as they consider whether to approve requests made by the ICC's chief prosecutor for warrants against Netanyahu and his defence minister, Yoav Gallant. Continue reading...

First minister says voters being disfranchised because some ballots yet to arrive with school holidays due to beginJohn Swinney, the Scottish first minister, has raised concerns that voters are being disfranchised because of delays in receiving postal votes.Voters in some parts of the UK, particularly Scotland, have not received their postal ballots ahead of the election on 4 July. Postal vote requests are particularly high in Scotland because schools are on holiday next week. Continue reading...

Serbian performance artist tells Pyramid stage crowd to confront cyclical violence in thousands-strong collaboration'It's been home to some of the UK's loudest singalongs, most propulsive rap lyrics and most cacophonous guitar solos. But the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury experienced something almost unprecedented in its history on Friday: total silence.The Serbian artist Marina Abramovi, invited by festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis, led the audience in what she called a collaboration" called Seven Minutes of Collective Silence, to see how we can feel positive energy in the entire universe" and act as a bulwark against the horrors of war and violence. Continue reading...

Karima Manji, whose daughters accessed over C$150,000 in benefits for Inuit residents, pleaded guilty in FebruaryA Canadian woman who fraudulently claimed her daughters were Inuit has been sentenced to three years in jail, in what is believed to be the first ever custodial sentence for a Pretendian".Karima Manji, whose daughters accessed more than C$150,000 in benefits intended for Inuit, was sentenced on Thursday, after pleading guilty to fraud in February. Continue reading...

Leader tells BBC he was not proud' of every decision he took in government from 2010 to 2015 and had made sure his party listened to voters again

Advisers despair over disastrous display although Biden gives vigorous showing at North Carolina rally on Friday

Exclusive: Ofwat to investigate circumstances around payment of dividend to intermediate parent companyThe board of Thames Water agreed to pay a 150m dividend hours before its shareholders U-turned on plans to pump emergency funding into the struggling water supplier, the Guardian can reveal.The water industry regulator was examining the decision by the debt-laden company's board to sign off the payout at a meeting on 27 March, sources said. Continue reading...

Investigation that lasted decades ends with no convictions for 1982-85 rampage that took lives of 28 peopleIt is a murder mystery that gripped Belgium for decades and now, with the closure of the file on Friday, it may remain a cold case forever.A gang went on a murderous rampage between 1982 and 1985, killing 28 people including children in a series of supermarket robberies, becoming known as the Crazy Killers of Brabant". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Former Labour leader calls on party to ratchet up scrutiny of Reform in final week of campaign

Claimants, backed by composer's estate, lose claim of co-authorship, described as historical fiction'A French court has ruled that Bolero, one of the best-known works of classical music in the world, was written by Maurice Ravel alone, in a verdict on a case with big financial stakes that could have taken the work out of the public domain.Ravel first performed Bolero at the Paris Opera in 1928 and it was an immediate sensation. He died 10 years later and his heirs were paid millions of dollars until the copyright ran out in 2016. Continue reading...

KLP divests from US bulldozer company over alleged contribution to construction of illegal Israeli settlementsNorway's largest pension fund has cut ties with Caterpillar due to the US bulldozer company's alleged contribution to the construction of illegal settlements and other human rights violations by Israel's armed forces in the West Bank and Gaza.KLP took the decision to divest its $69m stake in the Texas-based industrial manufacturing group earlier this month after Caterpillar failed to provide satisfactory assurances that it was taking action to reduce the risk of its equipment being used by the Israeli military against Palestinians in violation of international law. Continue reading...

Claimants include family of 11-year-old girl who spent three weeks on dialysis after eating chicken salad sandwichTesco and Asda are being sued by customers, including the family of an 11-year-old girl, who were left seriously ill after eating own-brand sandwiches linked to an outbreak of E coli.The supermarkets face legal action after a child and adult were left in hospital. One person has been confirmed to have died and more than 120 others including a six-year-old have been hospitalised in the UK due to the bacteria. Continue reading...

South Korean 13-piece boyband take to Pyramid stage for Glasteen' in front of fanbase often overlooked by western festivalsWhen they bought their Glastonbury tickets last year, Leah Townsend and Taz Delarosa never expected their favourite K-pop band to end up in the lineup. I cried so much when we found out," said Delarosa, 26. I think this is going to be massive for them."I was over the moon," added Townsend, 26. It was completely unexpected - we didn't think it was going to happen." Continue reading...

University sought order after students slept in building for more than a month after report about LSE's Gaza-linked investmentsThe London School of Economics has been granted a court order indefinitely barring encampments in one of its buildings after students slept in its atrium for more than a month in support of Palestine.Several students set up the camp in the atrium of the ground floor of the Marshall Building in central London on 14 May, vowing to remain there until LSE met its demands. Continue reading...

Singer wore footwear on and off stage during 1950s before giving them to a friend when called up to US armyWell, it's one for the money ... a lot of money actually. The blue suede shoes worn by Elvis Presley during the early part of his career have sold for 120,000 at auction on Friday.The singer, known as the king of rock'n'roll, wore the footwear on and off stage during the 1950s, including for his appearance on the Steve Allen television show in the US, where he sang Hound Dog. Continue reading...

Gavin Plumb claims previous convictions for false imprisonment were attempt to escape a toxic relationshipA man accused of plotting to rape and murder the TV presenter Holly Willoughby has told a court he spent 99.9% of his time online as he struggled with mental health problems triggered by his life-threatening weight gain.Gavin Plumb, 37, who denies plotting to kidnap, rape and murder Willoughby, told the judge, Mr Justice Murray, he would be unable to stand as he started to give evidence in his defence at Chelmsford crown court on Friday. Continue reading...

Marine Le Pen's party has pledged to boost spending power, slash immigration and restore law and orderThe far-right National Rally (RN) has strengthened in final polls, including one suggesting it could be on course for a historic parliamentary majority, as candidates fought for votes on the last day of campaigning before the first-round ballot in France's most momentous election for decades.Two days before Sunday's ballot, two polls on Friday showed Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration, France-first party pulling steadily further ahead in a race it has led since President Emmanuel Macron called the shock ballot almost three weeks ago after the defeat of his centrists in the European parliamentary election. Continue reading...

Unrwa director says stench in Gaza is enough to make you kind of immediately nauseous'. This live blog is closedA ship's captain reported that five missiles had landed close to his vessel in the Red Sea, 150 nautical miles (172 miles) northwest of the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) monitor said on Friday.After posting earlier that it had received the report and that authorities were investigating (9.32am BST), the UKMTO said the ship had reported no damage and was heading northward. It gave no information on the ship or its cargo, reports Reuters. Continue reading...

Damon Tingay punched the body of one man twice and performed sex acts on two male bodies, court heardA Grimsby man who went on a rampage in a hospital mortuary, violently and sexually attacking bodies, was told by a judge there was a very, very dark side" tohim as he was sentenced to six years in prison.Damon Tingay, 30, broke into Diana, Princess of Wales hospital in Grimsby in the early hours of 17 March and was caught on CCTV opening a number of fridges and interfering with the bodies. Continue reading...

Demonstrators from popular destinations such as Granada and Seville to join protest amid anger at lack of housingThousands of people from across southern Spain are expected to take to the streets of Malaga on Saturday in the latest in a series of protests against mass tourism.Demonstrators from the popular Andalusian destinations of Granada, Seville and Cadiz will join others in the Mediterranean city following recent protests in the Canary and Balearic islands, with another scheduled for a week later in Barcelona. Continue reading...

Essex police say they are urgently assessing' racist and homophobic remarks made by party's volunteers

Headlines echoed Democrats' anxiety that Biden is too cognitively weak and physically frail for another termUS voters woke up to post-debate reviews of the first Biden-Trump debate with headlines that echoed Democrats' anxiety that the incumbent president is too cognitively weak and physically frail to sustain another five months of political campaigning or another term in office.Those anxieties, multiple outlets reported, were being reflected in pressure from Democratic donors and former Democratic officials who are now openly talking about replacing Biden with an alternative presidential candidate at the party's convention in Chicago in August. Continue reading...

Dominique Boutonnat to step down from French industry champion CNC, and will serve sentence at homeDominique Boutonnat, the head of France's powerful National Centre for Cinema and the Moving Image (CNC), was on Friday given a three-year prison sentence, including two years suspended, after being convicted of sexually assaulting his godson in 2020.In a statement released immediately after the ruling, Boutonnat announced he would step down as head of the CNC, a government agency whose role includes overseeing measures to curb sexual violence in the industry. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Boom Radio listeners share in election fatigue but demographic arguably has less to lose than younger votersSometimes only a song can sum up the national mood. When a soggy Rishi Sunak fired the starting gun on the general election in May, D:Ream's Things Can Only Get Better blared across Downing Street. Five long weeks later and voters are cueing up rather more mordant tracks to capture their political fatigue.Listeners to Boom Radio, asked to pick a classic song to sum up their feelings about the campaign, have selected Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb, Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody (Is this the real life?/Is this just fantasy? / Caught in a landslide / No escape from reality") and Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower (There must be some way out of here / Said the joker to the thief"). Continue reading...

Court filing details how the King of Pop was in financial straits as he was preparing to embark on his This Is It tourMichael Jackson had accumulated more than half a billion dollars of debt when he died in 2009, new court documents reveal.A 21 June court filing by the executors of his estate provided some of the most complete details yet about the strained finances with which the 13-time Grammy winner was grappling at the time of his death. Continue reading...

Owner of plants in south Wales wants to cease operations at blast furnaces in response to strike actionLabour politicians have been urged to step in to help avert a costly mistake" by Tata Steel, which has told staff it could close operations at its steel plant in Port Talbot just days after the general election.The Indian owner of the vast south Wales steelworks said on Thursday that it plans to cease operations at two blast furnaces on the site by 7 July - three days after the general election - in response to planned strike action by Unite members starting on 8 July. The company had planned to shut one furnace by the end of June and a second by September. Continue reading...

With the first round of France's snap election on Sunday, the president's allies are desperate to shore up supportStanding in a courtyard framed by the white walls of one of Marseille's Armenian churches, Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, France's secretary of state tasked with citizenship, took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully as she addressed a voter who had admitted she was considering switching allegiances to the far right.Agresti-Roubache, born to a family with Algerian roots, led with the heart, describing how concerns over the snap parliamentary election results had left her elderly mother in tears" daily. When the tactic proved futile, she changed tack. When you don't have power, you can say whatever people want to hear," said Agresti-Roubache. Continue reading...

Daily text messages and phone calls check on farm workers who work with cows that have tested positive for H5N1As questions swirl about the spread of bird flu among livestock and people, one US state - Michigan - has taken the lead on monitoring and studying the outbreak.Other states have seemed wary of tracking cases among animals and people, but Michigan has taken a proactive approach, with daily text messages and phone calls to check on farm workers who work with cows that have tested positive for H5N1. They also have offered free tests if symptoms develop. Continue reading...

Royal returns home after have suffered concussion and minor injuries believed to have been caused by a horsePrincess Anne has been discharged from hospital five days after being admitted with minor head injuries and concussion believed to have been caused by a horse.The Princess Royal, 73, left Southmead hospital in Bristol early on Friday morning. There is no indication yet when she will have recovered enough to resume public engagements. Continue reading...

Fifty left homeless in remote hamlet of mainly shepherds, as beatings and demolitions in occupied territory increaseIsraeli soldiers have destroyed 11 homes and other structures in an isolated community in the occupied West Bank, leaving 50 people homeless, amid a reported uptick in house demolitions and spiralling violence in the Palestinian territory.Contractors with bulldozers accompanied by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops arrived in Umm al-Kheir, a village mostly home to shepherds, on Wednesday morning and demolished six houses, tent residences, an electricity generator, solar cells and water tanks, according to residents and Israeli activists who documented the proceedings. Agricultural land and fences were also damaged and trees uprooted. Continue reading...

Party says it would allow threshold for stamp duty to fall back to 300,000 after it was raised temporarily in 2022

Royal told to attempt to retrieve messages, which judge says may be relevant to his legal battle with NGNThe Duke of Sussex has been ordered to explain why messages with his ghostwriter were destroyed after the publication of his memoir Spare when they could be relevant to his legal battle with the publishers of the Sun.Prince Harry was also told to attempt to retrieve the messages from the messaging service Signal, and his lawyers ordered to search through his other texts, WhatsApp messages and emails from 2005 to January 2023, when his bestselling autobiography was published, for relevant documents. Continue reading...

South Yorkshire police appeal for information after Laurence Ward, 57, arrested and charged over her deathPolice investigating a murder in Rotherham have named the victim as Joanne Ward and asked for anyone who knew her to contact them.South Yorkshire police said they were called to an address in the town at 5.53pm on Friday 21 June. Continue reading...

A 42-year-old man has been denied bail after being charged with the murder in Russell Lea

Between the state legalising VAD in November 2023 and February 2024, 517 patients made requests to access it, official report shows

Alexander Csergo will stand trial next year after pleading not guilty to one charge of reckless foreign interference

Exclusive: Saatchi Tell Sid'-style marketing blitz was planned before Rishi Sunak called general electionA Tell Sid"-style ad campaign featuring Sir Trevor McDonald was filmed to promote the government's now shelved plan to sell state-owned NatWest shares to the public, the Guardian can reveal.The nationwide campaign - which included TV ads featuring the veteran newsreader and presenter popping up around the UK asking the public Are you in?" - is understood to have been backed by a large-scale media budget in excess of 10m. Continue reading...

Video footage shows Lynn, who was found not guilty of murdering Russell Hill at trial, telling police the deaths were accidental

More than half of international medical graduates questioned say NHS induction inadequateMany doctors from overseas are left feeling lost, anxious and not ready to care for patients after joining the NHS because they are not properly looked after, research has found.Many international medical graduates (IMGs) feel the NHS does not help them prepare for life as a doctor in the UK and the practicalities of moving to a new country, according to a survey.38% said they had too little time to shadow other doctors to gain valuable insights.45% were not trained on cultural differences between the NHS and their country of origin and what is acceptable in the UK compared with in their home nation.48% said their induction did not involve being given enough knowledge or training before starting to work clinically.51% did not receive help or advice with practical issues after moving to the UK such as finding a place to live, opening a bank account, registering with a GP or paying council tax.41% said they were left feeling alone and isolated.38% questioned their decision to work in the NHS. Continue reading...