World news | The Guardian

Operation on banks of reservoir 30 miles from where Madeleine went missing in 2007 had been due to end on WednesdayThe first major search for Madeleine McCann in a decade is expected to be extended into a third day as Portuguese and German police continued to dig into the wooded banks of a reservoir in the Algarve.The operation, 30 miles from where the then three-year-old went missing in 2007, had been due to end on Wednesday but sources close to the investigation indicated that a further day would be taken. Continue reading...

Scottish ministers pushing radical agenda to increase community ownership of large estatesCrown Estate Scotland, the body that manages land and seabed once owned outright by British monarchs, could help buy large Highland estates and then sell them back to local communities.Crown Estate Scotland has agreed to support a radical agenda being pushed through by Scottish ministers to increase community ownership of large estates, in an agreement struck with the Scottish Land Commission. Continue reading...

Footage puts more pressure on South Wales police who originally said there was no pursuitDramatic new footage has emerged appearing to show police following an e-bike moments before a crash in which two teenagers were killed, sparking a riot in Cardiff.The footage, which emerged on Wednesday, will heap more pressure on South Wales police and the force’s police and crime commissioner, Alun Michael, who originally said there had been no pursuit. Continue reading...

Three Britons, a Swede and a Croatian, released in 2022 in prisoner swap, will likely face trial in absentia on terrorism-linked claims

Campaigners say billions of fast-growing birds will be left to suffer as judge rejects claims animal welfare rules are being breachedAnimal welfare campaigners have said billions of chickens have been left to lead “utterly miserable lives” after the failure of a high court challenge to the legality of fast-growing breeds, which suffer a multitude of health problems.The Humane League UK (THL), represented by Advocates for Animals, argued that the environment secretary, Thérèse Coffey, had erred in law by permitting farmers in England to keep so-called “Frankenchickens”, which reach their slaughter weight of approximately 2.2kg in 34 to 36 days. Continue reading...

Spokesperson says Rishi Sunak not involved in decision to hand over evidence of Chequers gatherings to police

NGOs dismayed at reduction in Britain’s contribution as crisis-hit region faces challenges from drought, rising prices and conflictThe UK has been accused of taking the “insulting and shortsighted” decision to cut humanitarian aid to east Africa at a time of chronic drought, conflict and rising food prices.At a United Nations pledging conference in New York on Wednesday, which the UK is co-chairing, Andrew Mitchell, the UK’s international development minister, announced a humanitarian aid package to the region of £143m. Continue reading...

Reliable sizing, sweet-spot pricing and contemporary – but not faddish – styles are helping high street retailer stand outFashion matters at Marks & Spencer. Clothes are an emotional purchase, and when M&S is successfully delivering clothes that its customers desire, it’s a strong sign that the retailer is on the right wavelength. Food may be a much larger part of the business these days but fashion is the bellwether.The strong sales figures for the past year that M&S revealed on Wednesday have been driven not just by the below-the-radar basics of underwear and T-shirts but in the fashion-forward categories of denim and dresses. Continue reading...

Allies say former PM has ‘lost faith’ in system after he was reported to police over fresh Partygate allegations

Deal to end bitter dispute over pay and conditions shelved until union satisfied ‘attacks’ on members have endedA ballot of Royal Mail workers on a deal struck last month to end a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions has been suspended as the row between the postal firm and its union threatened to reignite.The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said it had become clear the environment in which it was attempting to achieve the agreement remained “toxic”. Continue reading...

Traders at five banks found to have discussed British government bond trading between 2009 and 2013The UK’s competition watchdog has provisionally found that five major banks broke competition law by unlawfully exchanging sensitive information about British government bond trading in online chatrooms.In an investigation, the Competition and Markets Authority has found that the banks – Citi, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Morgan Stanley and Royal Bank of Canada – shared competitively sensitive information on pricing and aspects of their trading strategies through multiple one-to-one online chats. Continue reading...

Items removed from sale and others moved to back of stores after ‘confrontational behavior’ towards employeesThe US retail giant Target is removing certain items from its stores and making other changes to LGBTQ+-themed merchandise ahead of Pride month, after an intense backlash from a minority of customers included some violent confrontations with shop workers.“Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work,” Target said in a statement on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Cabinet Office warned of potential criminal punishments over refusal to provide former PM’s unredacted notes and diaries

Artists who live and work in area only found out about redevelopment plans from flyer on lamp-postSince Ata moved to the UK five years ago he has found his home in London’s warehouses. The aspiring actor was drawn to the community of musicians and artists who live and work in them.But after moving to a warehouse in north London, Ata heard about plans to demolish and redevelop the area. “My immediate thought was ‘oh no, not again’,” he says. The two other warehouses he had lived in were also pulled down to make way for luxury flats. Continue reading...

Nurse told court intensive care room at Countess of Chester hospital was ‘not a safe working environment’Raw sewage may have been a “contributing factor” in the unexplained deaths of babies on a hospital neonatal unit, a nurse accused of their murder has said.Lucy Letby, 33, told her trial that an intensive care room for babies at the Countess of Chester hospital was “not a safe working environment”. Continue reading...

Russian PM holds talks with Xi Jinping and signs bilateral pacts to further investment, exports and sports cooperation

Benson Lossing’s A History of the United States was checked out in 1927 and returned this monthA history book about the US has been returned to a library in California, almost 100 years overdue. The copy of Benson Lossing’s A History of the United States, published in 1881, was returned to St Helena public library in Napa Valley earlier this month. It had been due back on 21 February 1927.At the time the book was borrowed, fines for overdue titles were a nickel (five cents) a day, meaning Jim Perry, who had the book, theoretically owed about $1,756 (£1,417). Luckily for him, the library scrapped late fines in 2019. Continue reading...

Alun Michael refuses to say he was initially wrong to claim no pursuit took place before fatal crash that sparked riotsThe South Wales police and crime commissioner has conceded that officers may have pursued two teenagers shortly before they were killed in a road accident, sparking a riot in Cardiff.But Alun Michael said on Wednesday that no police vehicles were on the road where the fatal crash happened and refused to say he was wrong to have initially claimed that no chase took place. Continue reading...

UK home secretary was accused of seeking special treatment after she was caught breaking speed limit

Judges clear academic and Islam scholar of all charges in case brought by Swiss womanThe prominent Swiss academic and Islam scholar Tariq Ramadan has been acquitted of charges of rape and sexual coercion against a woman in a Geneva hotel in 2008.The lawyer for the complainant immediately announced that she would appeal. The woman, a Swiss convert to Islam, had told the court she was raped on 28 October 2008. Continue reading...

The 15-year-old boy fired three shots, according to Western Australia police

Helen Holland, 81, died from injuries sustained in accident with police motorcycle in Earl’s Court, LondonThe Duchess of Edinburgh has said she is “deeply saddened” by the death of a woman who was hit by her police motorcycle escort.Helen Holland, 81, was struck on West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road in Earl’s Court, London, on the afternoon of 10 May. Continue reading...

Health minister says he fears referendum could follow path of 2017 marriage equality plebiscite which saw LGBTQ+ people become targets for vilification

Body of Melbourne lawyer Jake Herd found at high altitude in poor weather near Big Almaty Lake

Premier says levy is ‘tax deductible’ as ATO says 304,942 Victorians used negative gearing in 2019/20

Holly Brown was 6 metres off the ground when she made the decision to leap from her seat on 14 May

Bacari-Bronze O’Garro, 18, charged with failing to comply with a community protection noticeAn 18-year-old man is to appear in court after an investigation into TikTok “prank” videos showing people entering homes in London without permission.Bacari-Bronze O’Garro was charged on Tuesday evening with failing to comply with a community protection notice, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Surviving victims of ‘farm school’ abuse will only receive £2,000 each from Prince’s Trust, which took over liabilities of Fairbridge Society

The Fairbridge Society, which merged with the trust in 2012, was among operators promising poor children a ‘better life’ abroad – but many suffered terrifying abuse

Coming rainy season threatens 80,000 living in ‘heartbreaking’ conditions in vulnerable border region after fleeing war at homeTens of thousands of Sudanese refugees, many of them children, who have crossed the border into Chad risk a “major humanitarian disaster” when the rainy season begins within weeks, a Red Cross official has warned.About 80,000 people have sought refuge in the country to the west of Sudan as weeks of fighting between two warring generals forces hundreds of thousands from their homes. Continue reading...

The 15-year-old was allegedly chased down and attacked with a metal pole as he walked home from school with friends in PerthFour people accused of fatally bashing Indigenous Perth teenager Cassius Turvey have pleaded not guilty to his murder and been committed to stand trial.Cassius, a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, was allegedly chased down and attacked with a metal pole as he walked home from school with friends on 13 October 2022. Continue reading...

Revamped Wroxeter Roman City in Shropshire will display beauty items including a strikingly large number of tweezersAs Monty Python fans know, the Romans have done nothing for us apart from giving us sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system and public health.Roman experts may also suggest they have given us public relations, street food, town planning, currency, our calendar, underfloor heating and bureaucracy. Continue reading...

Problem drinking in England costs NHS £25bn a year, with deaths nearly doubling in two decades, Commons committee warnsThe government’s failure to tackle alcohol harm in England has led to a serious public health crisis affecting millions of people, MPs have warned.Problem drinking is fuelling violent crime and costing the NHS £25bn a year, with the number of deaths almost doubling in two decades, according to a damning report by the public accounts committee. Continue reading...

Fearing heavy election losses and Labour’s return to northern heartlands, Tory MPs are to exit parliament at above-average rateApproximately 10% of Conservative MPs have announced plans to retire at the next election, sparking suggestions that they are jumping ship in the expectation of losing the next election.Having resigned as justice secretary over bullying claims, Dominic Raab is the latest high-profile Tory politician to confirm they are serving their final term in parliament. Continue reading...

Campaigners call for rigorous testing of waterways to protect species after analysis reveals scale of problemChemical cocktails that are harmful to wildlife have been found in 81% of river and lake sites tested in England, a study has found.Wildlife organisations are calling on the government for more rigorous testing of waterways for chemical cocktails, and new legal protections against dangerous mixtures, including requiring assessments of potential hazardous chemical mixture impacts before any new chemical is allowed on the market. Continue reading...

Exclusive: clampdown flagged as part of wider leasehold overhaul for England and Wales being considered by partyProperty management companies would be banned from operating in England and Wales if they persistently ripped off leaseholders, under plans being considered by Labour.Lisa Nandy, the shadow housing secretary, is looking at proposals to clamp down on the sector, amid complaints from leaseholders about escalating fees and essential maintenance being left undone. Continue reading...

Hundreds of students and graduates vow not to work for ‘climate wreckers that insure those responsible for the climate crisis’Hundreds of students and recent graduates of top UK universities are pledging a “career boycott” of major insurers, saying they will not work for firms including Lloyd’s of London if they support controversial fossil fuel projects.More than 500 current and recent students from the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London, University of Edinburgh and others have warned they will keep a close eye on firms that fail to shift to climate-friendly policies. Continue reading...

‘We will not accept any elements that harm the friendly and warm ties between India and Australia by their actions or thoughts’, says Indian PM

Broadcaster says it received only 169 ‘good faith’ responses from viewers about coronation coverage, 59 of which have been referred to ombudsman

Councillors vote to acknowledge Indigenous Australians on 26 January through cultural events and activities

Detective also questioned over liking a social media post that said ‘Lerhmann is innocent until proven otherwise’ but denies it demonstrates bias

Dr Kay Patterson questions whether mental health team would be more appropriate while David Shoebridge says police tools are ‘wrong resource’

Federal police try to identify crime syndicate behind elaborate smuggling scheme into NSW, after drugs found at port inspection in Sydney

Artificial ‘culinary companion’ will suggest meals based on what you have in your refrigerator and has a chatbot featureAs media companies sort through the ways artificial intelligence will impact their operations, BuzzFeed on Tuesday launched Botatouille, a personalized recipe generator powered by generative AI.In addition to Botatouille, which BuzzFeed describes as, “the first AI-powered culinary companion” that suggests recipes based on factors like what you already have in your refrigerator, there’s also a chatbot feature that allows people to ask culinary questions while they cook, according to a press release from the company. Continue reading...

David Littleproud left parliament early in February to travel to the Gold Coast, three days after he and his spouse settled on a new apartment there

Members of militias, however, insist their operations in Belgorod are ongoing

Officials seize 164 watches from Pride collection, with watchmaker promising to ‘replenish the stock and display them on-shelf’Swiss watchmaker Swatch has said Malaysian authorities seized 164 rainbow-coloured watches worth a total of US$14,000 from its Pride collection.LGBT people are discriminated against in Malaysia where homosexuality is forbidden and sodomy can be punished with imprisonment and corporal punishment, although enforcement is rare. Continue reading...

Report raises concerns about near 23% rise in children in care over 10 years amid serious shortage of social workersRadical reforms to the care system in Wales are needed to address a “shocking” rise in the number of looked after children, a Welsh parliament committee has concluded.The committee said the number of children in care was up by almost 23% since 2013 while at the same time there were shortages of qualified social workers. Continue reading...

Thinktank warns against wholesale switch to working from home and raises fears over lost productivity in capitalOffice workers in central London are spending on average 2.3 days a week in the workplace, according to a report that warns against a wholesale switch to working from home.The thinktank Centre for Cities carried out polling of office workers in the capital and found they were spending 59% of the time in their workplace compared with pre-Covid levels. Continue reading...

Three detained after racist slurs directed at Real Madrid forward, with four more held over mannequin hanging from bridgeSpanish police have arrested three people in connection with the racist abuse suffered by Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior during a match with Valencia on Sunday, and detained a further four suspects over an effigy of the player that was hung from a bridge in Madrid four months ago.In a brief statement on Tuesday morning, the Policía Nacional said three young men had been arrested in Valencia over the “racist behaviour” that took place during the match at the city’s Mestalla stadium. Continue reading...