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Monarch says he wants to ‘renew special bond of friendship’ between countries, in speech delivered in English and GermanKing Charles said he wanted to “renew the special bond of friendship” between the UK and Germany, without mentioning the B-word that has caused the friendship to grow cold in recent years, as he addressed the Bundestag in Berlin on Thursday.The monarch’s speech in front of Germany’s federal parliament was the first by a non-elected head of state. It was pitched as a celebration of cultural commonalities and joint ventures past and present – from a shared love of music and comedy to energy and security cooperation – and an attempt to repair ties that have fractured since the Brexit vote seven years ago. Continue reading...

RCMP response condemned after gunman drove a fake police car around for more than 13 hours, evading capture and killing 22 peopleA cascade of failures within Canada’s federal police worsened the country’s deadliest mass shooting, a public inquiry has concluded, in a damning indictment that found the force has shown little interest in reforming in the years since.The Mass Casualty Commission, a joint provincial and federal inquiry, was investigating the 2020 shootings in Portapique Nova Scotia, in which a gunman driving a fake police car spent more than 13 hours evading capture and killing 22 people. Continue reading...

Ana Obregón dominated headlines in Spain and led to calls to regulate surrogacyA 68-year-old Spanish actor’s decision to have a child via a surrogate in the US has set off a political firestorm in Spain, prompting criticism from four government ministers as well as renewed calls to reconsider Spain’s longstanding ban on the practice.TV star Ana Obregón dominated headlines across Spain week after ¡Hola! Magazine published a photo of her holding a newborn baby outside a hospital in Miami. The magazine explained that her baby girl had been born using a surrogate, some three years after the actor lost her son and only child, Aless Lequio, to cancer. Continue reading...

Cashman shot girl dead after bursting into her house in 2022 while chasing another manThomas Cashman has been found guilty of murdering nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel at her home in Liverpool last year.The 34-year-old was convicted by a jury at Manchester crown court of shooting dead Olivia and injuring her mother, Cheryl Korbel, when he burst into her home with two guns on 22 August 2022. Continue reading...

‘It’s quite frightening,’ says a tenant who lost her rent subsidy. As debate stalls over the housing future fund, she’s not the only one who’s frustrated

The decision prompted urgent warning that the case exposed significant gaps in Australia’s public interest disclosure act

Ursula von der Leyen calls for ‘clear-eyed picture’ of risks as she prepares for Beijing tripThe European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has called on Europe to reassess its diplomatic and economic relations with China before a visit to Beijing next week with the French president, Emmanuel Macron.Europe needed to have “a clear-eyed picture on what the risks are”, she said in a wide-ranging speech in Brussels, noting that EU-China relations had become “more distant and more difficult” in recent years as Chinamoved into “a new era of security and control” and ramped up “policies of disinformation and economic and trade coercion”. Continue reading...

Evan Gershkovich could face up to 20 years in prison after allegedly ‘collecting classified information’Russian authorities have arrested a US journalist working in the country and accused him of espionage, a charge which could carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.Russia’s FSB security service said Evan Gershkovich, a well-respected reporter from the Wall Street Journal, “was collecting classified information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military industrial complex”. Continue reading...

CPS will consider potential murder charge over death of 24-year-old in Streatham, south LondonA Metropolitan police firearms officer has been referred to prosecutors to consider a potential murder charge for shooting dead Chris Kaba who was killed in September 2022 in south London.The Independent Office for Police Conduct announced a homicide investigation into the officer known only as NX121 shortly after the incident. Continue reading...

Painting created in 2010 for band who agreed to change their name bought for more than three times its estimateThe Banksy artwork Brace Yourself! has sold for $2,032,000 (£1,644,132), more than three times its original estimate, during an auction featuring a performance from the band that inspired the piece.The anonymous artist created the work in 2010 for the British band then known as Exit Through the Gift Shop, who shared the same name he wanted to use for his 2010 documentary film. Continue reading...

Sky News broadcaster and media outlet mutually agree to discontinue legal proceedings at federal court mediation on Thursday

Evidence yet to be handed over includes thousands of documents, but AFP says laws are preventing production of some material

Songwriter behind psychedelic 1960s masterpiece A Whiter Shade of Pale had been receiving cancer treatment for two yearsKeith Reid, the lyricist for Procol Harum whose poetic vision on Whiter Shade of Pale made it a defining song of the 1960s, has died aged 76.He died in a London hospital, after receiving cancer treatment for two years. The band paid tribute to him on social media, writing: “His lyrics were one of a kind and helped to shape the music created by the band. His imaginative, surreal and multi-layered words were a joy to Procol fans and their complexity by design was a powerful addition the Procol Harum catalogue. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.” Continue reading...

One member says she feels body shamed after receiving warning letter but official defends ‘family-friendly’ rules to protect children

Faith in bloc higher than that in UK parliament for first time in three decades of World Values SurveyPeople in Britain have more confidence in the EU than the UK parliament, reversing a state of affairs that has lasted for more than 30 years, research reveals.Since the UK voted for Brexit, the proportion of people declaring confidence in parliament has slumped by 10 percentage points to 22% while there has been a seven percentage point rise in confidence in the Brussels-based bloc, to 39%. Confidence in the UK government also fell from 2017 to 2021. Continue reading...

Despite MoD assurances, applicant and former British Council worker still being asked for Taliban-stamped papersAn Afghan who worked with the British Council and is applying to come to the UK has been told to retrieve documents from the Taliban or risk rejection, despite assurances earlier this month that such demands would end.The Ministry of Defence apologised on 18 March after an investigation found that applicants to the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (Arap) scheme were required to provide birth and marriage certificates in English and bearing stamps from Afghan government departments. Continue reading...

Kristian Kovaleff feigned mental illness until realising he could not fool forensic psychologists, judge says

Memorial given more than $600m in last two years of Morrison government, as the nation’s peak collecting museums languished

Guidance says strong population-level immunity due to infection and vaccination means boosters have less impactOnly high-risk groups should receive ongoing Covid-19 booster doses because strong population-level immunity means ongoing boosting of the general population offers little impact, the latest update from the World Health Organization (WHO) says.The vaccination guide, from WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation, says each country needs to take into account its own epidemiological situation, stressing that its recommendations are for short-to-medium term planning and subject to change. Continue reading...

Report finds up to 33% of looming price rises could be avoided if state and federal governments cracked down on return allowed for suppliers

Sanderson shown photos of himself on vacation after ski collision, and doctor suggested any concussion suffered was ‘very mild’Gwyneth Paltrow’s attorneys called ski crash accuser Terry Sanderson back to the stand late on Wednesday in a final effort to eviscerate claims that he suffered an extensive brain injury that led to loss of joie de vivre and brain function as a result of the actress allegedly skiing into him on a Utah mountain slope.Under an intense grilling, Sanderson was shown photographs, culled from Facebook, showing the retired eye doctor taking frequent holiday trips around the world after the ski collision, including floating down the Amazon, visiting the Netherlands three times, Morocco twice, Thailand and other destinations. Continue reading...

Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy was due to give the welcome to country for former US president in Melbourne

No major publishers represented among final six books in contention for $60,000 prize for female authors

Country gives just $1 in assistance for every $10 that goes to defence, humanitarian groups say

Actor and former Miss World announced move to US at pinnacle of her fame in India eight years agoThe Indian actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas has spoken of how Bollywood’s enduring obsession with fair skin was one of the reasons she left the industry to try her luck in Hollywood eight years ago.Chopra, 40, is a former Miss World and was at the pinnacle of her fame in India when she abruptly announced the move to the US. Continue reading...

UN experts lead calls for public and private bodies to take steps toward restorative justiceUN experts are leading calls for the British government and royal family to investigate their historical links to transatlantic slavery and take steps toward restorative justice.The Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian, apologised on Tuesday for the role the newspaper’s founders had in transatlantic slavery and announced a decade-long, multimillion-pound programme of restorative justice. Continue reading...

Figures indicate Reserve Bank may consider pausing interest rates at its next meeting on Tuesday

Government introduces bill transferring responsibility for ‘positive vetting’ to Australia’s spy agency to tackle foreign interference

India’s patent office turns down bedaquiline extension to Johnson & Johnson, clearing the way for generic versionsPeople with drug-resistant tuberculosis in India could soon have access to critical medication at a far lower cost after the authorities rejected US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson’s application to extend a patent.The firm wanted to extend its patent on bedaquiline, which expires in July, until 2027, which would have prevented cheaper generic versions reaching the market. Continue reading...

The ABC has called the seat for the independent MP, who has pleaded not guilty to sexual and indecent assault charges

Harry says he was conditioned to accept family’s view that they should not dare take on UK newspaper industryPrince Harry has claimed members of the royal family struck a secret deal with newspapers not to sue them over phone hacking because it would “open a can of worms”.Harry alleged his own family hid information from him about press intrusion and he had been conditioned to accept his family’s view that they should not dare to take on the British newspaper industry. Continue reading...

Police use teargas and water cannon against hooded protesters on the margins in some citiesProtesters and police clashed on the edges of street demonstrations in France on Tuesday as hundreds of thousands of people took part in marches against Emmanuel Macron’s use of constitutional executive powers to push through an unpopular rise in the pension age to 64.While demonstrations in Paris and Nantes were peaceful, with the majority of demonstrators chanting and calling for the pension changes to be scrapped, on the margins in some cities, men in masks or hoods clashed with police. Continue reading...

Ex-Labour leader says he has ‘no intention of stopping the fight’ as Keir Starmer faces fierce criticism from leftJeremy Corbyn has given his strongest hint yet that he will stand as an independent candidate, saying he has “no intention of stopping the fight” to represent his north London constituents.The former party leader was on Tuesday formally blocked from standing for Labour at the next election, prompting leftwingers to fiercely criticise Keir Starmer’s “authoritarian” and “divisive” move. Continue reading...

Yousaf becomes Scotland’s youngest first minister and first from minority ethnic background

Chris Heaton-Harris tells MPs MI5 has increased level from ‘substantial’, meaning an attack is highly likelyThe terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland has been increased from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely.In a written statement to MPs, the Northern Ireland secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, said MI5 had increased the threat to the country from Northern Ireland-related terrorism and the public should remain vigilant but not be alarmed. Continue reading...

Exclusive: The figure includes one in seven children, with western Sydney suffering the highest rates of child poverty

Ministers announce refugees in hotels will be offered move to a home on condition they accept first offer

Former chief operating officer to be one of fewer than 10 women leading FTSE 100 companiesThe world’s biggest spirits maker, Diageo, has appointed Debra Crew as chief executive, one of few women to lead a FTSE 100 company.The company, which makes well-known brands including Johnnie Walker scotch whisky, Guinness and Baileys, announced that Sir Ivan Menezes would step down on 30 June after 10 years as chief executive. It decided to promote Crew from chief operating officer to the top job, effective from 1 July. Continue reading...

President Guillermo Lasso confirms seven people have died, with 62 still missing after disaster on Sunday nightA huge landslide that swept over an Andean community in central Ecuador, burying dozens of homes, has killed at least seven people, authorities said as rescuers continued a frantic search for survivors.Earlier on Monday, officials had reported 16 deaths, but President Guillermo Lasso put the confirmed toll at seven as he arrived on Monday night at the scene of the disaster in Alausí, about 137 miles south of the capital, Quito. Officials also raised the number of people reported missing to 62. Continue reading...

Rise in emergency financing since 2016 correlates with drop in Chinese lending for infrastructure projectsChina spent $240bn (£195bn) bailing out countries struggling under their belt and road initiative debts between 2008 and 2021, new data shows.Research found that Chinese state-backed lenders released bailout funds to 22 countries, including Argentina, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Ukraine. Almost 80% of the emergency rescue lending was issued after 2016, reaching more than $40bn in 2021. Continue reading...

Family of Aubrey Donahue had requested body-worn camera vision of incident in Mareeba but police say none exists

Senate to investigate after resignation of commissioner Leo Hardiman, who cited his lack of powers to make changes to fix delays

Victoria’s opposition accuses premier of snubbing education leaders while union says absence of journalists on China trip is ‘disturbing’

Controversial neurosurgeon’s claim a patient’s husband was ‘hoodwinked’ into making a complaint against him showed ‘lack of empathy’, inquiry also told

Ma Ying-jeou’s ‘we are all Chinese’ message starkly at odds with vision of Tsai Ing-wen, who seeks support from WashingtonTaiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou stood in front of the Sun Yat-sen mausoleum in Nanjing on Tuesday and called for people on both sides of the Taiwan strait to work together for peace, because, he said: “We are all Chinese.”The 73-year-old is in China on a historic visit, the first by a current or former Taiwanese president since 1949. In the decades since, tensions have increased as Beijing vows to annex Taiwan under what it calls “reunification”. Taiwan’s government and people have become increasingly opposed to the prospect of Chinese rule, and few identify themselves as Chinese. Continue reading...

Matiullah Wesa, head of Pen Path, was beaten and arrested outside a mosque after prayersThe founder of a project that campaigned for girls’ education in Afghanistan has been detained by Taliban authorities in Kabul, his brother and the United Nations have said.The Taliban government last year barred girls from attending secondary school, making Afghanistan the only country in the world where there is a ban on education. Continue reading...

The Paddington Bear Experience, a family-friendly show based on Michael Bond’s character, will be at the ex-GLC building on the South BankThe world of Michael Bond’s irrepressible, marmalade-loving bear Paddington is to be re-created for an immersive theatre experience at London’s County Hall.Audiences will be invited to explore the environs of 32 Windsor Gardens, where Paddington settles with the Brown family after arriving from Peru, including an array of familiar settings from Bond’s books. Opening later this year, The Paddington Bear Experience will unfold across a space of 26,000 sq ft at the building, a former local government headquarters, on the Thames. The production is designed by Immersive Octopus, the creative collective behind Peaky Blinders: The Rise, which runs in London until May and brings to life the violent world of the gangster TV series. Continue reading...

More than 60 signatories write to PM before Tuesday’s debate, warning bill will ‘cost lives’More than 60 NGOs, MPs and academics have written to Rishi Sunak urging him to withdraw the UK’s illegal migration bill, warning that it will drive modern slavery underground and “cost lives”.Ahead of the controversial bill’s committee stage debate on Tuesday, signatories, including Anti-Slavery International, After Exploitation and Liberty say it would “rob” people fleeing danger of the right to claim asylum, simply for entering the UK irregularly. Continue reading...

Cyber-attack in which information of 14 million customers has been exposed dubbed Australia’s largest to date