World news | The Guardian

Suleman Dawood, who joined voyage with his billionaire father Shahzada, had just finished his first year

Ankush Dutta was meant to check out after one night but reportedly stayed for nearly two yearsIndian police are investigating a suspected fraudster who spent nearly two years in a five-star hotel without paying, local media have said.Ankush Dutta booked a room at Roseate House hotel in Delhi on 30 May 2019 and was supposed to check out the next day. But he extended his stay for 603 nights until 22 January 2021, leaving behind unpaid bills of $70,000 (55,000). Continue reading...

Public choose name of Black Sabbath singer for the bull, which will be placed at Birmingham New Street stationThe mechanical bull that formed the centrepiece of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony is to be named after one of the city's most famous sons: Ozzy Osbourne.The name of the Black Sabbath singer was chosen by a public poll, winning 70% of the votes to beat Brummie, Bostin and Boulton. Ozzy, who was originally destined for the scrapyard, will now be placed at Birmingham New Street station. Continue reading...

Amid multiple bids, Fortress's bid was reportedly the most qualified' for Vice, which filed for bankruptcy last monthVice Media, whose assets include Vice News, Motherboard, Refinery29 and Vice TV, is slated to be acquired by a group of buyers from Fortress Investment Group, according to a report in the New York Times.Just last month, the organization filed for bankruptcy. Continue reading...

Dense woodland planted by volunteers two years ago given same status as country's vast forestsIt may lack the majesty of the lovely ancient woodlands that cling to the slopes of Wales' highest peaks or tumble into its deep river valleys.But a small chunk of land in a park in the south Wales seaside town of Barry planted densely with trees has been selected to become part of the country's national forest, a scheme to create a network of woodland running the length and breadth of the country. Continue reading...

Chonhar Bridge is one of a handful of infrastructures linking Crimea with the mainland

Comments come in foreword of book of portraits to celebrate 75th anniversary of Windrush crossingKing Charles has hailed the pioneers of the Windrush generation, saying it is crucially important to recognise the immeasurable" difference they made to Britain, as the UK marked the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush.The king joined the descendants of pioneers" at a service that celebrated the achievements of a generation who were urged to travel to Britain to help with labour shortages in the postwar years only for many of their number to face threats of deportation in their later years. Continue reading...

Northern Territory police statistics show a drop in domestic violence callouts, property offences and other antisocial behaviour

Exclusive: The CCC has advocated for an integrity model that would only investigate the most serious complaints against officers

Premier Chris Minns claims climate activists such as Blockade Australia are endangering lives by streaming protest actions

US ambassador says she is extremely disappointed' at decision not to release WSJ journalist Evan GershkovichA Moscow court has ruled that the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich must remain in pre-trial detention on espionage charges until at least late August, rejecting the American journalist's appeal to be released.Gershkovich appeared slightly pale and with longer hair after almost three months' detention in Lefortovo prison in Moscow, which is reserved for targets of FSB investigations. He was smiling in some photos. Continue reading...

Equipment including deep sea vehicles heading to site as theoretical limit of oxygen supply inside Titan submersible nears

Exclusive: Prosecutors developed evidence early on of classified documents at Trump's Bedminster golf clubFederal prosecutors investigating Donald Trump's retention of national security material were examining evidence within weeks of the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago last year that he might have handled classified documents at his Bedminster club in New Jersey, according to two people close to the matter.The indications of classified documents at Bedminster so alarmed prosecutors that they focused part of the investigation on whether Trump might have transported the materials or disclosed their contents there in addition to refusing to return them to the government, the people said. Continue reading...

Survey seven years on from referendum shows many believe politicians have let them down, thinktank says

Ethnic violence in north-eastern state has led to more than 100 deaths since breaking out in early MayIndia's home affairs minister, Amit Shah, has called opposition parties for talks on Saturday to discuss an outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur state in the north-east, in a sign that the government has acknowledged the situation has spun out of its control.More than 100 people have died and 50,000 have been displaced since clashes broke out in early May between members of the Kuki ethnic group, who mostly live in the hills, and the Meitei people, the dominant community in the lowlands. Churches, temples, shops and businesses have been destroyed. Continue reading...

Gold Coast auction house sold huge collection including photo album of concentration camps and signed pictures of Hitler ahead of federal ban on display and sale of Nazi symbols

Number of visitors up 367% at start of year with about half born after 1990, according to travel websitesIn the search for a job in a gloomy economy, many young people in China are hoping for divine intervention.According to data released by the Chinese travel platform Qunar, the number of visitors to temple scenic spots increased by 367% in the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period in 2022. Continue reading...

Greens urged to back government's fund as advocates say housing is needed now and politicians need to start taking action'

Engineer Ron Allum says missing tourist sub unlikely to have suffered a catastrophic implosion' but partial flooding could be preventing it from resurfacing

In today's newsletter: As the search intensifies, we look at the key developments - and controversy - around the lost submersible

Chris Hipkins, who is about to meet the Chinese president on a trip to Beijing for the first time, said China's system of government is a matter for them'New Zealand prime minister Chris Hipkins has disagreed with US President Joe Biden's remark that Xi Jinping is a dictator", as he prepares to meet the Chinese leader on an official trade trip to China.No, and the form of government that China has is a matter for the Chinese people," Hipkins told reporters when asked about Biden's description. Asked whether the Chinese people had a say in the form their government took, he said: if they wanted to change their system of government, then that would be a matter for them." Continue reading...

Between 1948 and 1996, about 16,500 people were operated on without their consent under a eugenics law, triggering long campaign for redressCampaigners in Japan have reacted angrily to a government report revealing that children as young as nine were among thousands of people who were forcibly sterilised under a eugenics law that was not repealed until the 1990s.The 1,400-page report, submitted to parliament this week, details how, between 1948 and 1996, about 16,500 people were operated on without their consent under the law, which aimed to prevent the birth of poor-quality descendants ... and to protect the life and health of the mother". Most of the victims were women. Continue reading...

Dancers will hold the curtain' at a Melbourne performance on Friday after negotiations to ensure appropriate pay rises failed

Social media users condemned use of AI -generated opening credits for Secret Invasion premiering this week on Disney+Marvel's Secret Invasion, a new television series which launched on Disney+ this week, has received backlash online after it was revealed that its opening credits were generated by artificial intelligence.In an interview with Polygon on Wednesday, director Ali Selim confirmed that AI operated by a company called Method Studios produced the opening sequence to the new series, which stars Samuel L Jackson as Marvel fixture Nick Fury. Continue reading...

EU members agree new sanctions against Russia; Russian president says warheads can soon be deployed for duty. This live blog is closed

Sydney to lead recovery with 6%-9% increase by next June while Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane will surpass or come close to record highs

Operator, which covers trains across north of England and southern Scotland, cancelled more than 90 trains in a day this month

Average height of boys and girls aged five has slipped due to poor diet and NHS cuts, experts sayBritish children who grew up during the years of austerity are shorter than their peers in Bulgaria, Montenegro and Lithuania, a study has found.In 1985, British boys and girls ranked 69 out of 200 countries for average height aged five. At the time they were on average 111.4cm and 111cm tall respectively. Continue reading...

Anger over handling of scandal threatens opposition party's presidential election chancesParents of toddlers in Taiwan have accused teachers at a preschool of drugging their children, in a scandal that threatens to dent the opposition party's chances at the upcoming presidential election.Teachers at Baoren kindergarten, a private preschool in New Taipei City, have been accused of sedating children with addictive cough syrups. Police launched an investigation this month after parents raised concerns about children showing unusual symptoms such as mood swings and cramps. Eight pupils reportedly tested positive for trace amounts of the psychoactive drugs phenobarbital and benzodiazepines. Continue reading...

Sarah Hanson-Young says the opposition's plan is a start but her party wants to ban all gambling advertising on TV

In today's newsletter: Rising inflation and interest rates mean real pain for homeowners - with few signs of relief on the way

Clearest progress in counteroffensive has come north of occupied Mariupol, but Kyiv's troops have paid a high price

Ancient sacred complex said to have been where Julius Caesar assassinated in 44BC can be viewed after development projectAn ancient temple complex in the centre of the Italian capital where, according to legend, the Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated, was opened to the public for the first time on Tuesday.The sacred area" at Largo Argentina square, which until now could only be viewed from street level, contains four temples dating back to the third century BC, as well as the remains of Pompey's theatre, where Caesar was believed to have been stabbed to death by disgruntled senators in 44 BC. Continue reading...

Men's remains recovered in open water on sixth day of search since boat carrying up to 750 people sankGreek authorities have retrieved a further three bodies in open waters near the spot where a fishing trawler packed with Europe-bound migrants sank last week.The bodies - all men - were recovered late on Monday, the sixth day of a search and rescue operation in the area, raising the official death toll to 81. Continue reading...

Comments come as data shows average two-year fixed rate rises to 6.07%, and five-year to 5.72%

Former prime minister censured in his absence, with 354 MPs voting to approve and just seven voting against

MPs today voted to approve the Commons privileges committee’s report into Boris Johnson and his statements to the house on Partygate. The report found that Johnson repeatedly misled parliament about lockdown parties at Downing Street, but many Tory MPs did not vote Continue reading...

MPs endorse privileges committee report censuring former PM by 354 votes to sevenConservative infighting over Boris Johnson misleading the House of Commons about Partygate reached bitter new heights on Monday night, with his supporters being told to hang their heads in shame.Johnson faces being blocked from obtaining special access to parliament after being rounded on by furious Tory MPs in an attempt to “restore faith” in democracy. Continue reading...

The party’s bill allowing adults to possess and grow small quantities of the drug at home will be introduced across Victoria, NSW and WA

Five first-time nominees are among the six authors competing for $60,000 award for novels that ‘present Australian life in any of its phases’

Sgt Laurence Knight met woman in Brighton last July and allegedly raped her in the sea, jury hearsA serving Metropolitan police officer raped a woman in the sea on Brighton beach on his stag night, a court has heard.Sgt Laurence Knight, 34, is said to have met the woman, a stranger, in the early hours of 17 July 2021 while in the city centre. Prosecutors say the pair walked to the beach together, undressed to their underwear and ended up in the sea. Continue reading...

Speech in Scotland shows willingness to face energy dilemma head-on, but green groups say fossil fuel end date must come soonScotland was a brave choice as the venue for the launch of Keir Starmer’s new energy and climate policy. Back in March, Rishi Sunak was planning to hold his “energy day” in Aberdeen, the UK’s oil and gas capital, but after criticism he switched to the much safer Oxfordshire.Starmer knows that Labour needs to win back lost seats in Scotland, so visiting the Scottish capital for an important speech was a canny move. More than that, though, taking the launch to Edinburgh showed a willingness to face head-on Labour’s energy dilemma: how to shift the UK economy to a low-carbon footing, as net zero demands, without destroying high-quality jobs in carbon-intensive industries. Continue reading...

UN says Russia blocking humanitarian aid deliveries following Kakhovka dam rupture; Death toll from flooding caused by collapse of the dam has risen to 16 Continue reading...

Ukraine deputy defence minister says Russia is continuing efforts to occupy the whole of the Donbas

Royal College of Nursing raises doubts over whether enough members will get postal votes in on timeThe rolling strikes by NHS nurses could “hit the end of the road” this week as the leader of the Royal College of Nursing raised doubts over whether sufficient numbers of members would get their postal votes in on time.The RCN union’s ballot on further industrial action in England will close on 23 June but its general secretary, Pat Cullen, has for the first time suggested an affirmative result is in doubt. Continue reading...

Sir Mark Rowley suggests force will investigate again after viewing video of party in December 2020

Olivia Burt, who studied natural sciences at Durham University, suffered an ‘unsurvivable’ head injuryA 20-year-old student died as she was waiting to get into a bar run by the UK’s largest pub company because an “unsuitable” heavy screen was being used to manage the queue.The screen fell and collapsed on Olivia Burt who suffered an “unsurvivable” head injury, a court heard on Monday. Continue reading...

Report comes shortly before an expected apology from King Willem-Alexander in a speech in AmsterdamInside the stables of Paleis Noordeinde in The Hague is a golden coach embellished with images of colonial offerings to Dutch rulers that many, including the current Dutch king, regard as a symbol of exploitation that according to a new study netted three Dutch rulers the equivalent of more than €545m (£465m).Historians have calculated the staggering value of colonial profit for Willem III (also king of England, Ireland and Scotland), Willem IV and Willem V in a report published at the request of the Dutch parliament last week before a widely expected apology over slavery from the Dutch king. Continue reading...

Ex-PM defends austerity programme that unions said meant the NHS ‘didn’t stand a fighting chance’David Cameron has admitted failures in his government’s preparations for a pandemic but defended the austerity drive that he and his chancellor, George Osborne, imposed, saying “your health system is only as strong as your economy”.The former prime minister repeatedly told the Covid inquiry it was a mistake that “more time and more questions” were not focused on tackling what turned out to be a “highly infectious, asymptomatic” pandemic. Continue reading...

Kremlin critic faces charges that could lead to a substantial extension of his jail time