World news | The Guardian

Sydney lord mayor labels failure to include CBD to Zetland stations in Metro West project deeply disappointing'

Tanya Lee Glover's body was found last year behind apartment wall in Brisbane suburb of Alderley. Police believe she was killed in 2010

This blog is now closed.

Splitting bill means reforms to the gig economy, road transport industry and casual work will have to wait until 2024

Mia Mottley tells London audience that King Charles's comments about slavery's impact were welcomeKing Charles's comment that the time has come" to acknowledge the enduring impact of slavery has been welcomed by the prime minister of Barbados as she spoke in London on Tuesday about the need for reparations.Mia Mottley said Barbados was owed $4.9tn (3.9tn) by slave-owning nations, noting that conversations over how this debt should be repaid would be difficult and will take time". Continue reading...

Presenter approvingly quotes piece saying she wouldn't touch rightwing broadcaster with a barge pole'Carol Vorderman has disclosed she turned down an approach by the rightwing broadcaster GB News.The presenter, a fierce critic of the government, left her weekly show on BBC Radio Wales last month, saying she would not be silenced" by the corporation's new social media guidelines. Continue reading...

Ex-immigration minister and other rightwing rebels fear deportation policy will face more legal challenges

Ukraine's military intelligence spokesperson tells national TV that former politician is done'A former Ukrainian MP regarded by Kyiv as a traitor has been reportedly shot dead in a park in suburban Moscow by Ukraine's SBU security service.Illia Kyva was a pro-Russian member of Ukraine's parliament before Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but fled to Russia a month before the start of the war and frequently criticised Ukrainian authorities online and on Russian state TV talkshows. Continue reading...

Families who had travelled to see former PM say inquiry appearance showed him to be careless and chaotic'From the moment he slipped in at dawn, before most of the bereaved who planned to confront him had arrived, to his departure in a hail of boos, Boris Johnson's first appearance at the Covid-19 public inquiry proved by turns frustrating and enraging for many.Families who squeezed into a packed hearing room in west London to see him finally testify about the key decisions that preceded their loved ones' deaths observed what they described as a casual, careless and chaotic" former leader. Continue reading...

Tensions surrounding Israel-Hamas war has provoked rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in EuropeThe European Commission has promised a 30bn (26bn) fund to increase security at mosques and synagogues across the continent as it condemned a recent rise in levels of antisemitism and Islamophobia as un-European".Saying that tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war had provoked hostility reminiscent of the darkest days of Europe's history", the commission called on social media companies to do more to remove hateful content. Continue reading...

Hungary's PM, the union's most pro-Russian leader, wants the issue off the agenda of a summit next weekEuropean leaders are scrambling to rescue a plan to begin European Union accession negotiations for Ukraine, as Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban vows to block the decision at a summit of EU leaders next week.The French president, Emmanuel Macron, is due to host Orban for dinner in Paris on Thursday, while the European Council president, Charles Michel, was in Budapest last week looking for a way out of the impasse. Continue reading...

Four soldiers accused of kidnapping and torturing American from his home in Ukrainian village in 2022The US has charged four Russian soldiers with war crimes after they allegedly abducted and tortured an American citizen last year who was living in southern Ukraine, according to court documents unsealed on Wednesday.The US justice department said the accused Russians kidnapped the American in April 2022 from his home in the village of Mylove, in Kherson province, where he lived with his Ukrainian wife. Continue reading...

Russian president visits United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for talks; US reportedly charges four Russians with crimes against American citizen

Draft resolution to European parliament committee is first formal attempt to place reparations for slavery on EU agendaThe European Union should urgently address and reverse the lasting impacts of European colonialism, and support a reparations programme to rectify continuing injustices, according to a draft resolution to be presented to the European parliament's development committee on Thursday.Noting that the EU has made no concerted efforts to recognise, address and rectify the lasting impacts of European colonialism on social and international inequities", the draft resolution calls for the creation of a permanent EU forum on restorative justice. Continue reading...

Research says funding cuts and poor organisation stop Canadians from accessing healthcare - and 20% have no doctor at allFunding cuts, fewer generalists and inefficient organisation are preventing more and more Canadians from accessing public primary healthcare, according to a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) which compares Canadian healthcare unfavourably with public systems in nine Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.About 20% of Canadians have no family doctor at all, and many more have irregular access to clinicians - a reality likely to worsen if not properly addressed now, said Dr Tara Kiran, a family physician in Toronto and one of the authors of the study. Continue reading...

PMQs clash comes as Suella Braverman expected to heavily criticise government's immigration plans

Ministers reject families' call for legally enforceable duty of candour' but signs charter to commit to transparency after public tragediesMinisters have rejected the Hillsborough law" reforms that are central to a campaign by families of the 97 people killed in the 1989 disaster to prevent future police cover-ups.Instead, in its long-delayed response to the 2017 report commissioned by the government from James Jones, the former bishop of Liverpool, the government has signed a Hillsborough charter", that states a commitment by departments to openness and transparency after public tragedies. Continue reading...

Italy was the only G7 country to have joined the program, which focuses on trade and infrastructureItaly has informed China that it is pulling out of the Belt and Road Initiative, Reuters reported.Italy is the only G7 country to have joined the programme, which focuses on trade and infrastructure.Asked about the policy topics, citizens want the European Parliament to prioritise the fight against poverty and social exclusion (36%) and public health (34%) as the main topics, followed by action against climate change and support to the economy and creation of new jobs (both 29%).Most Europeans (53%) wish the European Parliament to play a more important role, a majority view in 21 Member States.The majority (57%) also expressed interest in the upcoming elections to the EP and 68% say they would be likely to vote if European elections were held in a week's time - nine points higher than 5 years earlier. Continue reading...

Careful monitoring' needed because of rapid pace of artificial intelligence and machine learning

Report concludes government failed to fix basic mistakes and civil servants asleep at the switch'More than 200,000 pensioners were left out of pocket by a total of 1.3bn last year and many will never be repaid because of lax record keeping, according to parliament's spending watchdog.Computer errors at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) meant 165,000 also missed out on 1.2bn in the previous year, the public accounts committee (PAC) found. Continue reading...

Setback for London Stock Exchange after travel company says it plans to put proposal to shareholders at AGM

Former Liberal staffer Nicky Hamer tells Bruce Lehrmann's defamation trial she resigned from Linda Reynolds' office over alleged behaviourFormer Liberal media adviser Nicky Hamer has told the federal court she was so angry about Bruce Lehrmann grabbing Brittany Higgins' phone in an attempt to stop her leaving the pub one night she resigned from senator Linda Reynolds' office hours later.Hamer said in early March 2019, three weeks before the night Higgins claims Lehrmann raped her, Lehrmann said he thought Higgins was good looking" and asked Hamer to invite her to the pub for a drink. Continue reading...

NSW premier Chris Minns hails once-in-a-generation opportunity' to maximise housing and add new stations along Metro route

Category three cyclone, which is moving through Coral Sea, predicted to hit Queensland coast next week

Damion Johnson told police he was overcome with grief' after death of John WainwrightA man who stored a friend's body in a freezer for two years after being overcome with grief" over his death has been jailed.Damion Johnson was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to preventing the lawful and decent burial of the body of John Wainwright, as well as three counts of fraud. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed.

Briefings of favourable stories to press have contained usual lies and bluster', bereaved families sayBoris Johnson has been accused of trying to rewrite history in advance of his appearance at the Covid inquiry on Wednesday, as unions and relatives of those who died said his team had been briefing favourable stories to newspapers.The TUC and Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, both core participants for this module of the inquiry, said the briefings had been about trying to salvage his legacy and contained the usual lies and bluster". Continue reading...

Former prime minister to give evidence as mystery deepens over retrieval of WhatsApp messagesBoris Johnson will face the first of two days of questioning over his handling of the pandemic when he appears before the UK's Covid inquiry on Wednesday.The former prime minister's appearance comes as the mystery of his Covid-era WhatsApp messages took another twist on Tuesday after it was reported that nearly six months of messages could not be retrieved. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: James Cleverly has signed a treaty aimed at fixing its deportation plan, but there are questions whether its safeguards will change the supreme court's mind Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. Whoever it was that bequeathed the Conservative government its current dog's dinner of a policy on immigration and asylum, be in no doubt: the people in charge now are going to do things differently! After setting out draconian new limits on legal migration on Monday, home secretary James Cleverly yesterday turned to irregular migration and the small boats crisis.In Kigali, he signed a new treaty with the Rwandan government that is supposed to help overcome the supreme court's recent decision that the existing Rwanda deportation plans are unlawful. Next, the government will proceed with the second part of its plan to fix the Rwanda scheme: legislation that could prevent new court challenges. As he finalises plans that could be published tomorrow, Rishi Sunak must decide whether he wants to infuriate his party's moderate MPs or those rallying around Suella Braverman on the right.Israel-Hamas war | The UN's top aid official has said the Israeli military campaign in southern Gaza has been just as devastating as in the north, creating apocalyptic" conditions and ending any possibility of meaningful humanitarian operations. Meanwhile, the UN heard accounts of sexual violence during the 7 October attacks by Hamas in a meeting where speakers accused women's rights activists and UN officials of not doing enough to address the crimes.Climate | Many of the gravest threats to humanity are drawing closer, as carbon pollution heats the planet to ever more dangerous levels, scientists have warned. Five important natural thresholds already risk being crossed, according to the Global Tipping Points report, and three more may be reached in the 2030s if the world heats 1.5C above pre-industrial temperatures.Nuclear leaks | Sellafield, Europe's most hazardous nuclear site, has a worsening leak from a huge silo of radioactive waste that could pose a risk to the public, the Guardian revealed. Concerns over safety at the crumbling building have caused diplomatic tensions with countries including the US, Norway and Ireland.Covid inquiry | The mystery of Boris Johnson's Covid-era WhatsApp messages has taken another twist before the former prime minister begins his evidence to the inquiry today, after it was reported that nearly six months of messages could not be retrieved. A spokesperson for Johnson blamed a technical issue".NHS | Thousands of junior doctors are to stage new strike action in England after failing to reach a deal with the government in talks over pay. They will walk out for 72 hours from 7am on 20 December, and again for six days from 3 January. Continue reading...

45-year-old Sudanese-born man who allegedly stole luggage at airport becomes latest former detainee charged following NZYQ decision

Study of 302 cases in England and Wales shows majority of those killed had been hiding in plain sight'A review of 302 domestic homicides recorded in a four-year period has found that the majority of those killed had been hiding in plain sight", having made contact with the police, health services and other public agencies before their death.Nicole Jacobs, the government's independent domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, said the findings highlighted an ongoing lack of political will" at national level to learn from what were often avoidable deaths. Continue reading...

Human Rights Watch warns bar on women means unqualified men now teach boys, fewer subjects are taught and beatings are routineThe Taliban is causing irreversible damage" to Afghanistan's education system through the reintroduction of corporal punishment, curriculum changes and the use of unqualified teachers to replace women, most of whom have been barred from schools, Human Rights Watch has warned.After taking power in 2021, the Taliban banned girls from secondary schools. A new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW), published on Wednesday, warns that boys' education has also suffered under the Taliban, although this has gone largely unreported. Continue reading...

Seventeen groups issue statement sounding alarm at migration laws agreed by most EU membersThe EU risks opening the door to increased discrimination and racial profiling in what is being described as a potentially irreversible attack" on the international system offering asylum and refugee protection, human rights organisations have said.Seventeen NGOs have together sounded the alarm before what is expected to be one of the final meetings on the text of a package of controversial new migration laws already agreed by most EU leaders. Continue reading...

Troy Maskell, 44, sentenced to maximum eight years in prison for killing John Burke, 73, of Strathmerton

After accusations of erratic decision-making during the pandemic, the former prime minister will finally face the inquiry. Aletha Adu reportsFor several weeks the Covid inquiry has been sifting through the testimony of scientists and politicians in an attempt to judge the UK's handling of the pandemic. Many have had their say on the leadership offered by the then prime minister, Boris Johnson.According to Dominic Cummings, Johnson was like a broken shopping trolley, weaving around. To some of the scientists, the prime minister seemed bamboozled by the scientific detail he needed to understand. There have been claims Johnson missed essential meetings and prioritised writing a book when he should have been preparing the country for the health crisis. Continue reading...

Order from president Nicolas Maduro comes after referendum on whether Venezuela should claim sovereignty over the regionVenezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has ordered the country's state-owned companies to immediately" begin to explore and exploit the oil, gas and mines in Guyana's Essequibo region, a territory larger than Greece and rich in oil and minerals that Venezuela claims as its own.The announcement came a day after Maduro declared victory in a weekend referendum on whether to claim sovereignty over the region. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president had been expected to join Zoom call but something came up at the last minute'

Speakers also attacked women's rights activists and UN officials for not doing more to investigate or condemn crimes

Grace Jabbari detailed the highs and lows in an allegedly toxic relationship over two years with the 34-year-old Creed III actorJonathan Majors's ex-girlfriend detailed a tumultuous and toxic relationship at his assault trial in New York on Tuesday, where she is expected to detail how he allegedly assaulted her.Prosecutors accused the Creed III and Marvel star of assaulting Grace Jabbari in March after she saw a text message from another woman on his phone. Majors faces three charges of misdemeanor assault, aggravated assault and harassment. He has pleaded not guilty. Continue reading...

Access to huge parks, restaurants and transport links plus a Ted Lasso-factor lead area to top Rightmove's happy at home' indexIt is home to London's largest royal park as well as big-hitting tourist attractions such as Kew Gardens and Hampton Court Palace, and has more recently become a place of pilgrimage for fans of the hit TV comedy Ted Lasso. Now, the borough of Richmond upon Thames in south-west London has been named the happiest place to live" in Great Britain.It received the accolade from property website Rightmove, which runs a happy at home" index - now in its 12th year - where it asks residents how they feel about their area based on 13 happiness factors". Continue reading...

Centrist Tories want PM to stick by UK's human rights obligations while those on the right want new bill to override themTory MPs are at loggerheads as competing factions engage in last-minute lobbying efforts to try to change Rishi Sunak's flagship Rwanda legislation before it is published in the coming days.The prime minister is due to announce a new bill as soon as this week, which Downing Street says will deal with concerns raised last month by the supreme court over the government's scheme to send asylum seekers to east Africa. It follows the signing of a new treaty with Rwanda on Tuesday by the home secretary, James Cleverly, in Kigali. Continue reading...

Some reportedly called on the Israeli prime minister to resign at meeting on Tuesday

Dual Haitian-American citizen attended meetings in south Florida and Haiti ahead of the assassination and faces life imprisonmentA former confidential informant for the US Drug Enforcement Administration has pleaded guilty to conspiring to assassinate President Jovenel Moise of Haiti, whose killing in 2021 caused unprecedented turmoil in the Caribbean nation.Joseph Vincent, a dual Haitian-American citizen who lived in the US and attended meetings in south Florida and Haiti ahead of the assassination, is the fourth of 11 defendants in Miami to plead guilty. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on charges including conspiracy to kill and kidnap a person outside the US and conspiracy to provide material support and resources. Continue reading...

UN warns of possible tragedy unless people are rescued from two boats on Andaman SeaAbout 400 Rohingya refugees have been adrift in two boats on the Andaman Sea for about two weeks, according to the United Nations, which called on regional governments to help rescue them.The number of Rohingya Muslims fleeing by boats in a seasonal exodus - usually from squalid, overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh - has been rising since last year due to cuts to food rations and an increase in gang violence. Continue reading...

Two-thirds of 115 bereaved families surveyed by Ipsos thought the fatal attack on their loved one had been very or fairly preventableWhen the police arrived at Kimberley Seeger's house to tell her that her sister, Gemma Marjoram, had died of stab wounds, she was so overcome with anger that she collapsed on the floor. I screamed, I cried and I blamed them. I said, this is your fault'."Marjoram had been murdered by her ex-partner, Michael Cowey, after a seven-year relationship with a man who exerted coercive control, including controlling her phone and finances and trapping her in the house. He had been arrested several times for his abusive behaviour towards her, and to other women previously, yet the police did not consider her to be at high risk. Continue reading...

BMA announces strikes on 20-23 December and 3-9 January after breakdown of talks with government

Increase in sponsor earnings from 18,600 to 38,700 will prevent up to 70% of workers in UK bringing in family, data showsJames Cleverly's plan to crack down on legal migration is causing confusion and distress for many international couples, lawyers have warned, with families facing being split up by stringent new visa rules.The home secretary announced a five-point plan to bring down immigration on Monday, in what Downing Street said was the biggest clampdown on legal migration ever". Continue reading...

28-year-old in custody after armed officers attend scene, victim in hospital with non-life-threatening injuriesA 28-year-old man has been arrested by armed police officers after a woman, who is believed to be pregnant, was stabbed in the street in the village of Aberfan in south Wales.The attack led to armed officers combing Aberfan and nearby villages in search of the suspect while local schools and a childcare centre were put into lockdown. Continue reading...

Intelligence and security committee says failure of PM and immediate predecessors to engage is unacceptable'

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our UK political coverage hereThe UK has suffered a sharp decline in its performance in the latest round of influential international academic tests, wiping out recent progress, as the widespread disruption caused by Covid continued to take its toll on education, the Guardian reports.Yesterday, when he was being interviewed at the Resolution Foundation conference, Keir Starmer was asked by Zanny Minton Beddoes, the editor of the Economist, if he could say in what way his policies were different from the Conservatives'. Starmer was able to provide a half-decent answer, but he did not entirely dispel her suggestion that in many areas the policy overlap is getting more and more pronounced.Today's announcement is an admission of years of Tory failure on both the immigration system and the economy, as net migration has trebled to a record high under the Tories since they promised to reduce it at the last election.Labour has said repeatedly that net migration should come down and called for action to scrap the unfair 20% wage discount, raise salary thresholds based on economic evidence, bring in new training requirements linked to the immigration system, as well as a proper workforce plan for social care. Immigration is important but the system needs to be controlled and managed. But whilst the Conservatives have finally been forced to abandon the unfair wage discount that they introduced, they are still completely failing to introduce more substantial reforms that link immigration to training and fair pay requirements in the UK, meaning many sectors will continue to see rising numbers of work visas because of skills shortages.What that means is, if you've got a shortage occupation, not just health and social care workers - that might be also engineers, might also include now bricklayers - employers will still be able to recruit at less than the threshold. And yet the government is still doing nothing to tackle those skills.We think the Migration Advisory Committee should look at this very swiftly before it is introduced, particularly at the impact this is going to have on British citizens who fall in love across borders. Continue reading...