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Pink Floyd co-founder's stance on Russia's war against Ukraine has sparked ‘indignation’ in KrakowPink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has cancelled concerts planned in Poland amid outrage over his stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, Polish media reported on Saturday.An official with the Tauron Arena in Krakow, where the musician was scheduled to perform two concerts in April 2023, said they would no longer take place. Continue reading...

With more than 400 people dying daily, many experts say his remarks were premature – but it is unclear what impact they may haveJoe Biden’s recent declaration that the Covid-19 pandemic was over was premature, according to several infectious disease experts, but there was not a consensus among them about whether the remarks will cause a significant change in Americans’ attitude towards the virus and lead to worse public health outcomes.That’s partly because Biden was simply catching up to most of the US population, who see how much lower the case and death counts are than earlier in the pandemic, and as such, have stopped wearing masks in public and now gather regularly indoors, the experts said. Continue reading...

Arrests made in 32 cities at rallies against mobilisation; border crossings from Russia to Finland have doubled and 10km queue reported at frontier with Georgia

Scrapping top rate of tax could save hundreds of thousands for some of the highest earners, analysis revealsThe abolition of the 45p top rate of tax will deliver millions of pounds in savings for Britain’s best-paid bosses, including those in charge of energy firms benefiting from high domestic gas and electricity prices, Observer analysis shows.Likely beneficiaries range from Britain’s best-paid woman, Bet365 chief executive Denise Coates, who could save £20m, to the boss of pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca. Continue reading...

Tories are nervous of the ‘song and dance’ about doing more for high earners and the shift away from levelling-upLiz Truss is being warned that she risks abandoning a winning coalition of voters in the “red wall” as she pursues “cavalier” tax cuts, amid revelations that her giveaway package disproportionately benefits more traditional Conservative heartlands.With huge nervousness among MPs over the £45bn tax-cutting package announced on Friday, including abolition of the top rate tax band and the end of the bankers’ bonus cap, several Conservatives said they feared the new prime minister has already shifted away from the levelling up agenda that helped secure red wall seats from Labour in the Midlands and north of England. Continue reading...

Demonstrations that began with death of Mahsa Amini while detained by morality police pose biggest threat to regime in 13 yearsIran’s president has vowed to “deal decisively” with protests that are gathering momentum across much of the country one week after the death of a woman in custody who had been detained by the morality police.Demonstrations have spread to most of Iran’s 31 provinces and almost all urban centres, pitting anti-government demonstrators against regime forces, including the military, and posing the most serious test to the hardline state’s authority in more than 13 years. Continue reading...

Relatives say delay in seeing bodycam footage of officers using stun gun on Oladeji Omishore at Chelsea Bridge was ‘cruel’The family of a man who died after plunging into the River Thames during a confrontation with police who repeatedly fired a Taser at him have condemned their “cruel” three-month wait to see bodycam footage.The police watchdog launched an investigation, which is still under way, into Oladeji Adeyemi Omishore’s death after officers were called to reports of a disturbance on Chelsea Bridge, London, on the morning of 4 June. Continue reading...

Black marble stone in St George’s Chapel, Windsor, bears names of late monarch, her husband and parentsThe first picture of the new ledger stone marking Queen Elizabeth II’s final resting place in Windsor has been released.The hand-carved Belgian black marble slab bears in brass lettering the names of the Queen, her husband, Prince Philip, and her parents, George VI and Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Continue reading...

Storm surges and heavy rainfall expected before weather event gradually weakens this weekend, say meteorologistsA powerful storm has hit eastern Canada with hurricane-force winds nearly a week after devastating parts of the Caribbean.The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said the centre of Fiona, which transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical cyclone late on Friday was crossing eastern Nova Scotia, bringing high winds and heavy rains. Continue reading...

Fresh wave of protests across Russia on Saturday after Putin’s ‘partial mobilisation’ of civilian men

Every cabinet minister to benefit from change that ends top rate of tax for people on more than £150,000 a yearAn estimated 41 MPs will benefit from the scrapping of the top rate of income tax – including every cabinet minister.Owing to MPs’ standard pay increasing to £84,144 from April this year, 2022-23 would have been the first year that senior government ministers would have to pay the 45p rate of tax. Continue reading...

Two of those injured in collision in Gonalston taken to Queen’s medical centre with potentially life-threatening injuriesTwo teenagers have been killed and three other people injured in a car crash in Nottinghamshire.A 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man were pronounced dead at the scene after the two-car collision in Gonalston at 10.45pm on Thursday. Continue reading...

Police watchdog has been called in to investigate death of John Winton McNab, 86, found near Invermoriston in HighlandsThe police watchdog has been called in to investigate the death of an elderly man whose body was found in a crashed car two days after he was reported missing.John Winton McNab, 86, was the driver of a grey Mercedes B discovered in the Highlands at about 1.20pm on Sunday 18 September. Continue reading...

Rafael Nadal, longtime rival and friend, was also weeping during an emotional retirement ceremony after final matchThroughout the final week of Roger Federer’s life as a professional tennis player, he handled his emotions far better than he had envisioned. But at the end of his final match alongside his rival Rafael Nadal, a tense 4-6, 7-6 11-9 loss representing Team Europe against Team World’s Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe at the Laver Cup in London’s O2 Arena, the 41-year-old finally succumbed.As the tears began to fall, alongside him Nadal wept, too. After 18 years of meeting each other on the court, contesting some of the fiercest battles in the biggest finals around the world, they spent the final moments of Federer’s career on the same side. Continue reading...

BBC presenter received death threats after false reports that she was to replace Sue Barker on A Question of SportAlex Scott said she has been left in fear of her life by trolling and racist abuse, which has taken the pundit and former footballer to some “dark places”.The 37-year-old, who played for Arsenal and England and had a key role on the BBC commentary team during the Lionesses’ winning run in the Women’s Euros, said she received death threats last summer after it was incorrectly reported that she was to replace Sue Barker as the presenter of A Question of Sport. Continue reading...

Revered spiritual jazz saxophonist was known for his unique playing style and collaborations with John ColtranePharoah Sanders, the revered American jazz saxophonist, has died aged 81. The news was confirmed by Sanders’ label, Luaka Bop, on Twitter.“We are devastated to share that Pharoah Sanders has passed away,” the label’s statement read. “He died peacefully surrounded by loving family and friends in Los Angeles earlier this morning. Always and forever the most beautiful human being, may he rest in peace.” Continue reading...

Bid to move pop star’s Colombian tour date to capital’s biggest venue has united supporters of clubs who play thereRival Colombian football fans, more used to hurling insults at each other on the terraces, have united against a common enemy: Harry Styles. At stake is what takes place at Bogotá’s football stadium on 27 November: either the Colombian football championship final, or the latest leg of the British pop star’s world tour.Styles had been scheduled to play in the car park of an amusement park in the capital city, but fans started a social media campaign for the concert to be moved after pop star Dua Lipa’s show there last weekend was plagued by logistical and technical problems. Continue reading...

At least 35 dead in eight nights of demonstrations after death of Mahsa Amini in custody, state media reportIran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, has said authorities must “deal decisively with those who oppose the country’s security and tranquility”, Iranian state media have reported.Demonstrators have taken to the streets of Tehran and other major cities for eight straight nights since the death of Mahsa Amini. Continue reading...

Home secretary directs police chiefs to focus on ‘common-sense’ policing over diversity and inclusion initiativesSuella Braverman has ordered police chiefs to spend less time on “symbolic gestures” and more time on policing.In an open letter to police leaders in England and Wales, in which she set out her policing agenda, the new home secretary said diversity and inclusion initiatives “should not take precedence” over tackling crime. Continue reading...

Up to £5m allocated to help young people escape drug gangs, with money also going to helplineUp to £5m has been allocated by the Home Office to support victims of county lines exploitation over the next three years.Hundreds of victims will be helped to escape drug gangs following the expansion of support services in London, the West Midlands, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. Continue reading...

Singer moved to tears as US president awards him National Humanities Medal after White House performanceElton John was moved to tears after being awarded the National Humanities Medal for his work to end Aids by the US president following a special performance at the White House.The singer performed on the White House lawn for the president and first lady and about 2,000 “everyday history makers” on Friday night. Continue reading...

Authorities say climate breakdown is driving surge in deadly monsoon season weather eventsHazardous weather has killed at least 36 people in northern India over the past 24 hours, including 12 who were struck by lightning, officials said.Across the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, at least 24 people died after their homes collapsed amid unrelenting rains, relief commissioner Shri Ranvir Prasad said. Continue reading...

Fema makes individual assistance available to only 55 of the 78 municipalities on the island, leaving some feeling ignoredSix days after Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico, Alexiz and Roberto Núñez still don’t know where their next meal is coming from.The couple, whose home in Arecibo flooded during the storm, is relying on a neighbor’s cooking and some canned goods delivered by the government to get by. Continue reading...

Fletcher, who won Academy Award for her role of Nurse Ratched in 1975 film, dies, aged 88Louise Fletcher, who won an Academy Award for her role in the 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, has died, aged 88.Fletcher died in her sleep surrounded by family at her home in Montdurausse, France, her agent, David Shaul, told the Associated Press. Continue reading...

Seven West Media says the issue was unique to certain web and mobile platforms for which it does not have broadcast rights

Attorney general Mark Dreyfus has been briefed by the privacy commissioner about hack and is seeking ‘urgent’ meeting with telco

Dozens of flood warnings across NSW after state lashed by heavy rainfall overnight. This blog is now closed

Latest Guardian University Guide shows leading trio are in league of their own for undergraduate courses

At least two people killed and 120,000 households without power as authorities urge caution for more landslides and floodingA typhoon lashed central Japan on Saturday with torrential rain and fierce winds, killing two and leaving tens of thousands of households without power, the Kyodo news agency reported.Shizuoka city, south-west of Tokyo, was hit especially hard, seeing a record 417mm (16.42 inches) of precipitation since the rain started on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. Continue reading...

People living in empty buildings at cheaper than the market rate are facing steep increases and possible lawsuitsFirms that house residents in buildings that would otherwise sit empty have been accused of raising costs during the cost of living crisis, with one company reportedly increasing some fees by more than 100%.It means property guardians – those who live in empty buildings such as ex-factories, offices, care homes and condemned housing – are facing steep increases. Some fear being made homeless. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Analysis shows government could use profits from public energy firm to cut bills and insulate homesBritish households will each miss out on up to £4,400 over the next two years because the UK does not have a nationalised energy generation company, the Trades Union Congress has said.The UK’s main trade union body is calling on the government to set up a “public energy champion” that could own low-carbon energy projects from wind and solar to tidal and nuclear power. Continue reading...

The deputy leader on Liz Truss’s ‘fanciful’ economics and why people are starting to listen to Labour againLabour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, is up for a fight with the Conservatives along the old rules of engagement as her party heads to its annual conference in Liverpool.Accusing Liz Truss of launching a “failed experiment” on the country with “fanciful” economic plans, Rayner batted away suggestions that Labour could struggle to get a grip on the new prime minister as stark ideological differences deepen between the two parties. Continue reading...

Comments from Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi come after meeting with US secretary of state Antony Blinken on sidelines of UN general assembly

At least 77 people drowned and many still missing after shipwreck off coast of SyriaAt least 77 people have drowned after the migrant boat they boarded in Lebanon sank off Syria’s coast, the deadliest such shipwreck from Lebanon in recent years, amid fears the death toll could be far higher.The country, which has been mired since 2019 in a financial crisis the World Bank has described as one of the worst in modern times, has become a launchpad for migration, with its own citizens joining Syrian and Palestinian refugees clamouring to leave the country. Continue reading...

Ruling brings back law blocked for nearly 50 years, and means clinics offering the procedure would face criminal chargesArizona can enforce a near-total ban on abortions that has been blocked for nearly 50 years, a judge ruled Friday, meaning that clinics statewide will have to stop providing the procedures to avoid criminal charges against doctors and other medical workers.The judge lifted a decades-old injunction that blocked enforcement of the law on the books since before Arizona became a state. The only exemption to the ban is if the woman’s life is in jeopardy. Continue reading...

UN says Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine; Finland bars Russian tourists amid long queues to cross border after Putin’s military mobilisation

Operator Camelot will not release details of winner unless they choose to go publicA UK ticket-holder has won more than £171m with the EuroMillions jackpot, operator Camelot has announced.Friday’s national lottery EuroMillions winning numbers were: 14, 15, 22, 35, 48. The lucky stars were: 03, 08. Continue reading...

Sexual health clinics will continue to prioritise offering first doses but some will offer second shotsPeople most at risk of contracting monkeypox will be offered second doses of the vaccine, the UK Health Security Agency has said.Sexual health clinics will continue to prioritise offering first doses to those at highest risk. The UKHSA said some clinics will offer eligible people a second dose, which should provide longer-term protection. Continue reading...

Another generation is at risk of developing fatal brain disease, says Dr Chris Nowinski. ‘Whether you’re hitting your child in the head or letting them get tackled, their brain can’t tell the difference’

Readings boss sends angry rebuke after more than 250 writers campaigned for better pay and conditions for booksellersFor many Melburnians, Readings is more than just a bookstore – it’s a bricks-and-mortar embodiment of progressive values, a business that doubles as a community space where ideas are shared and diversity is celebrated.But an ongoing pay dispute has divided staff and threatens to tarnish the independent retail stalwart’s image, with hundreds of authors – such as Michelle de Kretser, Jennifer Down, Clementine Ford and Omar Sakr – recently campaigning on behalf of booksellers, and protesting outside the company’s flagship Carlton store. Continue reading...

Legislation to end mandatory scheme delayed by death of Queen Elizabeth II but now expected to pass next week

Western officials say true target could be higher but significant hurdles remain to mobilise stated target of 300,000The British Ministry of Defence has giving its latest intelligence update on how it sees the situation on the ground in the war. It says that “the battle situation remains complex” but that “Ukraine is now putting pressure on territory that Russia considers essential to its war aims”, with fighting along the Oskil River, and a Ukrainian assault on the town of Lyman, Donetsk, which Russia captured in May.This is Martin Belam in London with the live blog now for the next few hours. You can reach me at martin.belam@theguardian.com Continue reading...

Exclusive: Walker is to be involved in the inquiry into whether Boris Johnson misled MPsThe veteran Tory MP Charles Walker is expected to be handed a spot on the committee investigating Boris Johnson over claims he misled MPs over Partygate.A well-respected, long-serving backbencher, who was vice-chair of the 1922 Committee for about a decade, Walker was quietly nominated by the Liz Truss government as the House of Commons went into conference recess. Continue reading...

Protests after Russia calls up reservists and repeats nuclear threats; ‘referendums’ announced for four occupied regions; and life after liberation

With an election two years away, any failure of her radical approach could shred the Tories’ credibilityWhen Liz Truss flew to the US this week on her first foreign trip as prime minister, she was unequivocal about how she would achieve her mission in office: “Lower taxes lead to economic growth, there is no doubt in my mind about that.”There was not a quiver of self-doubt in her voice as she gave a round of television interviews at the top of the Empire State Building expanding on her plans for the economy and saying she was “willing to be unpopular” to push them through. Continue reading...

Army signals it is prepared to crush dissent after unrest over death of Mahsa Amini in police custodyPro-government rallies have taken place in several cities across Iran in an attempt to counter a week of mounting unrest triggered by the death of a woman in police custody.Marchers called for anti-government protesters to be executed, while the army signalled that it was prepared to crush dissent by telling Iranians that it would confront “the enemies” behind the unrest. Continue reading...

Miles-long traffic jams form as Russia’s neighbours debate whether to welcome those trying to avoid military draft

Hastily arranged polls in Russia-controlled regions have seen little campaigning, but there are reports of door-to-door searches and repression

Relatives of Celia Marsh, who had fatal anaphylaxis after eating a Pret ‘vegan’ wrap, say legal funding should be available to familiesThe family of Celia Marsh, who suffered fatal anaphylaxis after eating a Pret a Manger “vegan” wrap contaminated with milk protein, have called for it to be made much easier for bereaved relatives to be legally represented at complex inquests.Marsh’s relatives believe that in cases like theirs, involving powerful companies, convoluted supply chains and challenging science, it would be impossible to get to the truth of what happened without full legal backing from an early stage. Continue reading...

Data shows Foreign Office spending was up by 45% on items ranging from dining, wallpaper and adult colouring booksThe Foreign Office, under Liz Truss’s leadership, is facing questions about its spending on credit cards including £1,841 at Norwich City football club online, and £10,000 at Fortnum and Mason.Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general, wrote to the Foreign Office questioning why spending was up by 45% on its government procurement cards between September 2021 to July 2022. Continue reading...