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Digital publisher and owner of Vice News and Vice TV was once valued at $6bn but has agreed sale for $225mVice, the once high-flying media startup that reached a peak valuation of nearly $6bn (£5bn), has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US as the digital publisher engineers a cut-price sale to a group of lenders.The company, whose assets include Vice News, Motherboard, Refinery29 and Vice TV, has agreed a sale to a consortium that includes Fortress Investment Group, Soros Fund Management and Monroe Capital for $225m in the form of a credit bid for its assets as well as assuming Vice’s “significant liabilities”. Continue reading...

Surprise visit to UK by Ukrainian president for ‘substantive negotiations’ follows announcement of further military aid

His victim said she woke up to find Ryan John Zabaznow raping her after she passed out after drinking heavily, a court heard

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Agents earn extra commission by shuffling foreign students between providers in what Labor calls an unethical ‘shadow economy’

Critics claim the bill could see government further expand income management policies

Leader of liberal Move Forward says he is ‘next prime minister of Thailand’ and ready to form coalition governmentThailand’s opposition parties have secured by far the largest number of votes in national elections, delivering a damning verdict to the military-backed government that has ruled the country for nearly a decade.Speaking on Monday, the leader of the opposition Move Forward party said he had invited Pheu Thai, the party associated with the exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and four other opposition parties to form an alliance after securing the largest number of votes. Continue reading...

The Australian Institute of Criminology reviewed several tools designed to gauge the threat posed by radicalised offenders

Hong Kong resident John Shing Wan Leung was chair of Texas branch of Chinese ‘reunification’ associationA Chinese court has sentenced a 78-year-old US citizen to life in prison on espionage charges.John Shing Wan Leung, a Hong Kong permanent resident, was detained in April 2021 by Chinese security services. His sentence was announced on Monday by the Suzhou intermediate people’s court on its public WeChat account. No further information about his trial or charges were listed. Continue reading...

Rodney Lee, 73, shot two men with a shotgun at close range at Mordialloc apartment complex in January 2022

Smartphones and credit cards could be used to access public transport under $1.7bn contract

Teacher Simon Baccanello was surfing at Walkers Rock Beach on Eyre Peninsula on Saturday morning when he was attacked

About 1,000 people trapped by seawater rescued amid damage to homes, electricity infrastructure and mobile phone mastsRescuers have evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 3.6 metres (12ft) deep along western Myanmar’s coast after a powerful cyclone injured hundreds and cut off communications in one of Asia’s least developed countries.Strong winds injured more than 700 of about 20,000 people who were sheltering in sturdier buildings on the highlands of Sittwe township such as monasteries, pagodas and schools, according to a leader of the Rakhine Youths Philanthropic Association in Sittwe. Continue reading...

Plausible for UK to become global clean energy superpower if investment is ramped upThe UK could unlock £70bn every year by generating enough clean electricity to become a major exporter of energy to mainland Europe, according to a former government economist.A new report has found that by increasing Britain’s clean electricity generation 50% above its current projections for 2050 it could become a clean energy superpower capable of exporting £17bn of green electricity to Europe a year. Continue reading...

BMA says consultant pay has declined by 35% since 2008-9Senior doctors in England are to vote on whether to strike amid the continued row over pay in healthcare, as teachers’ unions also plan to hold a ballot for industrial action.The ballot will open on Monday until 27 June as the British Medical Association urges members to approve. Continue reading...

Capital’s mayor lauds achievement but warns skyrocketing rents pose threat to ‘the soul of our city’Sadiq Khan is to announce the surpassing of a landmark housebuilding target in London, but will warn that the capital’s skyrocketing rents pose a threat to “the soul of our city”.In a speech on Monday setting out his stall before the 2024 election for city hall, the mayor of London will say that nearly 120,000 affordable homes have been built in the capital since 2015, equivalent to the housing stock of Plymouth. Continue reading...

Alzheimer’s Society says fear and confusion delays discussion for 33% of those who think they or a loved one may have dementiaA third of Britons who have concerns about whether they, or a loved one, might have dementia wait more than a month to discuss their worries with others, a leading charity has found, despite early diagnosis being important for treatment, support and planning.According to the World Health Organization, more than 55 million people have dementia worldwide, with 60-70% of cases thought to be down to Alzheimer disease. Continue reading...

Suggestion that Linda Reynolds coached cross-examination was an ‘appalling mischaracterisation’, inquiry hears

Agent for bestselling Australian children’s author says she has ‘nothing to say’ about the ban and Duval county ‘is not important’

Researchers studying a submarine landslide uncover MV Blythe Star, which sank in 1973 while sailing from Hobart to King Island

Leader has not been seen publicly in nearly a week, as opposition news outlet says he was taken to an elite clinic on weekendBelarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, who has not been seen in public since 8 May, did not appear at a ceremony in the capital of Minsk on Sunday, triggering speculation the longtime leader is seriously ill.The prime minister, Roman Golovchenko, read a message from Lukashenko during an annual ceremony at which young people swear allegiance to the ex-Soviet state’s flag, the BelTA state news agency reported. Continue reading...

Business and trade secretary to meet Swiss counterpart on Monday to boost trade between two ‘services superpowers’Kemi Badenoch will fly to Switzerland on Monday for talks with her Swiss counterpart on a new post-Brexit trade deal, describing the two countries as “natural trading partners”.The business and trade secretary is meeting Guy Parmelin in Berne to discuss a “modern” UK-Switzerland free trade agreement (FTA) that would boost trade between two “services superpowers”, she said. Continue reading...

WA police minister discloses fresh details in the capture of Terence Kelly, while Cleo’s parents reveal the lingering effects on the family

Hostilities destroyed more than 50 homes and displaced about 950 people, says the UNRelative calm has returned to the blockaded Gaza Strip after a ceasefire that has ended five days of cross-frontier fire between Israel and militant groups in the coastal enclave that killed 33 Palestinians and two people in Israel.A truce mediated by Egyptian officials that went into effect at 10pm (8pm BST) on Saturday night appeared to hold, despite the firing of a rocket towards southern Israel on Sunday evening that Palestinian factions said had launched due to a “technical error”. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president will hold talks with French president over dinner following rip to Berlin

Footballer’s wife tells how she was ‘shamed’ and ‘blamed’ as she recalls the trauma of her early years for TV documentaryRebekah Vardy has said she was sexually abused while growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, an ordeal her former community failed to protect her from.Vardy, 41, opened up about her upbringing in a Channel 4 documentary titled Rebekah Vardy: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Me, which will air on 16 May. Continue reading...

The piece ran on 11 May and accused people who use fake tan of mocking those with naturally dark skinThe Irish Times has apologised for running an article about Irish women’s use of fake tan that was submitted by a hoaxer who used artificial intelligence.The editor, Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, said on Sunday that it had fallen victim to “a deliberate and coordinated deception” that showed a need for stronger controls. Continue reading...

Pedro Sánchez announces subsidy as his Socialist party lags behind conservative opposition in pollsSpain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has announced a new scheme that will allow over-65s to go to the cinema every Tuesday for just €2 (£1.76) two weeks before the country heads to the polls for crucial regional and municipal elections.The subsidy, announced during a campaign event in the central region of Castilla-La Mancha, comes a year after Sánchez’s minority coalition government introduced a youth culture voucher scheme that gives Spaniards turning 18 €400 to spend on books, records, digital subscriptions, festivals, concerts, plays, exhibitions and films. Continue reading...

Early counts appear to show firm rejection of government as Move Forward and Pheu Thai parties are neck and neckOpposition pro-democracy parties took the lead in an early vote count in Thailand’s national elections, which appeared to signal a firm rejection of the military-backed government that has ruled the country for almost a decade.According to a preliminary count of more than 80% of the country’s 95,000 polling stations, the progressive Move Forward party was projected to win 114 of 400 constituency seats in the House of Representatives, with Pheu Thai taking 112 constituency seats. Voters have two ballots, and so a further 100 party seats in the house ares allocated on a proportional representation basis. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Victim speaks of feeling violated by hospital doctor incident that expert says is evidence of ‘systemic’ flaw in England

During a five-minute peak in the UK, 11m people were watching, while the average viewing figure was 9.9mSaturday night’s Eurovision song contest in Liverpool was the most watched grand final in the competition’s history, the BBC has said.In the UK, there was a five-minute peak of 11 million people watching and an average viewing figure of 9.9 million, which equates to a 63% TV audience share. Continue reading...

Spokesperson says 12 incoming flights affected during almost hour-long suspension due to alertIncoming flights were suspended at Gatwick airport for almost an hour on Sunday after reports of a drone near the airfield.Gatwick said 12 incoming flights had to be diverted to other airports because of the alert. Continue reading...

Irish delegation set precedent by attending, but Matt Barrett posted irreverent comments from motorcade and Westminster AbbeyWhen Ireland’s leaders attended the coronation of King Charles III it was hailed as a milestone in relations between Dublin and London.President Michael D Higgins, the taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin’s deputy leader Michelle O’Neill set the precedent – their predecessors had shunned previous coronations – to show respect to their neighbour. Continue reading...

Minister points to arrivals from Ukraine and Hong Kong as government sources confirm record increase is likelyGrant Shapps has stressed the importance of post-Brexit controls on work visas after government sources confirmed that ministers are braced for a record increase in immigration figures this month.Reports have suggested that official data will show annual net immigration of between 650,000 and 997,000 fuelled by a rise in non-EU immigration from people entering the UK to work and study. Continue reading...

Chief Brexit negotiator had earlier suggested he would drop his peerage if he could secure a safe constituencyBoris Johnson’s chief Brexit negotiator, David Frost, has confirmed his bid to become an MP, with his name placed on the list of Conservative candidates for the next general election.Lord Frost had earlier suggested he was ready to drop his peerage in hope of securing a Commons seat, but only if he could secure a safe constituency. Continue reading...

Opposition says plan to include crossbenchers in committee is ‘part of a grubby back room political deal’

Peter Dutton has proposed betting advertising be restricted but prime minister says review into the issue is under way

Advocates say system is broken and government needs to work with local community to support young people

Construction firm Align told residents near Amersham the hole is six meters across and five deepThe firm constructing the HS2 high-speed rail line has has confirmed that it is investigating the emergence of a sinkhole close to a Buckinghamshire river on Saturday, which has been identified as “quite sizeable” in correspondence seen by the Guardian.The sinkhole is close to Shardeloes Lake near Amersham and according to an email from an official from HS2 Ltd’s contractor, Align, sent on Saturday evening to local residents: “It’s quite sizeable – around six meters in diameter and five meters deep. These are approximate measurements.” Continue reading...

Former PM claims after release from custody that army chief has ‘personal grudge’ and is behind crackdown on partyPakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has escalated his criticism of the country’s powerful military, accusing the head of the army of harbouring a “personal grudge” against him and ordering his arrest and a crackdown on his party.“It is personal. It’s got nothing to do with national interest,” Khan told the Guardian in an interview at his home in Lahore, after a dramatic week in which he was arrested at Islamabad’s high court by almost 100 paramilitary officers on Tuesday and held in police custody, in connection with a land corruption case. Continue reading...

A Momentum source said there’s a demand for ‘real ambition’ and more than ‘New Labour reruns’Keir Starmer has been urged to thaw relations with the new generation of Labour’s left to maximise the party’s vote share and avoid a hung parliament at the next election.Senior Labour MPs fear the party is at risk of alienating its core vote as it seeks to entice more of the anti-Tory vote and continue to bridge the Brexit gap. Continue reading...

Macquarie has option for all of National Grid gas transmission and metering despite tainted history of owning utilitiesMinisters have been urged to intervene if Australian banking powerhouse Macquarie pushes the button on a mooted £3bn deal to take full control of a vital part of the UK’s gas grid.A consortium comprised of Macquarie Asset Management and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation completed the acquisition of 60% of the equity in National Grid’s gas transmission and meter business in January, in a deal which valued the business at £7.5bn. Continue reading...

Anticipated vote would be chance to take on a shaken SNP and send message to voters UK-wideOn Rutherglen’s Main Street, the mood of Scottish Labour activists was as bright as the afternoon sunshine as they gathered for some teatime door-knocking. They were with Michael Shanks, their new candidate in the anticipated byelection for a seat currently held by the former SNP MP and Covid rule-breaker Margaret Ferrier.But the buoyancy had a hard edge: Labour’s leaders see this byelection as a crucial test of what polls suggest is a sea change in Scottish politics after Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation in February. It is likely to be the last byelection before the general election, and Labour sees it as a way to send a message to voters UK-wide about its electability. Continue reading...

Shadow minister says proposal to let migrants living in UK vote in general elections part of policy process, not final manifesto planLabour is considering plans to expand the UK’s voter franchise including votes for EU nationals and 16- and 17-year-olds.The proposals could permit migrants who live permanently in the UK and pay tax to vote in general elections for the first time. Continue reading...

Energy secretary says government ‘absolutely committed’ to promises, amid criticism of PM from senior ToriesMinisters may find it difficult to deliver on Rishi Sunak’s five “detailed pledges”, a cabinet member has indicated, after senior Conservatives publicly criticised the prime minister’s ability to lead.The energy secretary, Grant Shapps, said the Conservative government was “still absolutely committed” to delivering all five of Sunak’s promises within this parliament, but people must “wait until the end of that trajectory” to judge the prime minister’s progress. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Culture minister says he was puzzled about reasoning for not allowing president to address song contest

Lawyers and faith organisations lodge complaint about the home secretary, who is a qualified barristerLawyers and faith organisations have lodged a complaint with the Bar Standards Board claiming the home secretary, Suella Braverman, a qualified barrister, has breached the body’s code of conduct with “racist sentiments and discriminatory narratives”.Although Braverman has not practised as a barrister since becoming an MP in 2015 she is still subject to certain professional rules governing conduct by the Bar Standards Board which regulates barristers in England and Wales. Continue reading...

Three quarters say they feel undervalued and are thinking about quitting, charity warnsSchools will undergo a “crisis of support” without urgent action to improve pay and training for teaching assistants, a charity will warn in a report to be published this week.The NCFE, an educational charity that also provides qualifications for those in the teaching sector, carried out a snapshot survey of 150 teaching assistants (TAs) across the UK and found that three-quarters had thought about leaving in the past year. Only one in 10 felt it was a well respected and valued role. Continue reading...

National automotive body says poor data collection is limiting authorities’ ability to formulate an evidence-based response

The former leader of the Liberal Democrats does not believe party members have any appetite to repeat the experience of the Tory coalitionVince Cable, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, has cast serious doubt on whether his party would agree to a full-blown coalition with Labour if the next general election results in a hung parliament.Cable, who was business secretary in the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition formed after the 2010 election, told the Observer that the “bad experience” of working with the Tories for five years may have put many in his party off the idea of a formal arrangement, even with Labour. Continue reading...