World news | The Guardian

Years of under-investment and then the shock of the Covid pandemic has left many areas in the NHS struggling. This interactive shows how delays can affect four different patientsPatients are facing increased delays at almost every stage of their NHS treatment, as the health system struggles to find the resources to deal with demand.The latest data shows waiting lists across England have surpassed record highs every month for two years running, one of many major challenges currently facing the NHS. Continue reading...

Disney merchandise shows frowning bear looking at blank sheet of paper – a symbol of opposition to censorshipYears after he became character-non-grata in China, Winnie the Pooh is exacting quiet revenge against the country’s government in the form of Disney souvenirs.In what appears to be a case of incidental resistance, Disney stores in Japan are selling a line of merchandise featuring a frowning Pooh looking at a blank sheet of white paper – a symbol of ongoing protests in China against censorship and Covid-19 restrictions. Continue reading...

Waitrose shops in Bromley and West Ealing will be redeveloped, and vacant warehouse in ReadingThe John Lewis Partnership has struck a £500m deal with the investment firm Abrdn to build 1,000 residential rental homes, redeveloping three sites already owned by its Waitrose and eponymous retail store chains .The group intends to redevelop Waitrose shops in Bromley and West Ealing, and a vacant John Lewis warehouse in Reading, as the first part of a plan to build a total of 10,000 new homes over the next decade. Continue reading...

Enver Erdogan – Australia’s first parliamentarian of Kurdish descent – will join Natalie Suleyman on the frontbench for the first time

Sunak’s decision to reappoint home secretary raises concerns over how breaches of code are dealt with, say MPsRishi Sunak’s decision to reappoint Suella Braverman as UK home secretary sets a “dangerous precedent” for what should happen to ministers who are alleged to have broken the ministerial code, a Conservative-led committee of MPs has warned.The public administration and constitutional affairs committee released its latest report into government ethics on Friday, issuing a damning judgment on the government’s recent record in office. Continue reading...

Firefighters at 27 airports have decided not to strike next week. This blog is now closed

British oil giant had said it would ‘exit Russia’ but still owns nearly 20% of state-controlled fossil fuel firm RosneftThe chief economic adviser to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has called on BP to exit Russia entirely after the fossil fuel firm was offered a £580m dividend by the oil giant Rosneft.Oleg Ustenko has written to BP’s chief executive, Bernard Looney, to demand the British company cuts ties with the state-controlled Russian firm nine months after announcing its intention to leave the country. Continue reading...

Increasing numbers of children cannot afford lunch and are coming to school without adequate clothesMore than half of school leaders in England are seeing more pupils who cannot afford a meal at lunchtime yet are not eligible for free school meals, according to a survey.Research by the Sutton Trust, an educational charity, found clear signs that the cost of living crisis was increasingly affecting young people’s education, with a growing number of pupils arriving at school tired, cold and hungry. Continue reading...

Prakash will remain in custody in Darwin before Australian federal police escort him to Melbourne to be charged with a range of offences

Hockeyroos, Kookaburras and wider community to benefit from world-class pitches at Perth centre after state government investment

If this week was an indication of the level of the debate, then Australia is in for a torrid time when the referendum process begins in earnest

Public Health Wales say severe symptoms extremely rare and it is unlikely other pupils will be affectedA primary school pupil has died after contracting invasive Strep A, Public Health Wales has confirmed.The authority said the child attended Victoria primary school in Penarth, four miles south of Cardiff, in the Vale of Glamorgan. Continue reading...

Labour expected to hold seat with new candidate after resignation of Chris MathesonPolls have closed in the City of Chester byelection as Rishi Sunak faces his first electoral test as prime minister.Labour is expected to hold the seat. It had a majority of 6,164 at the last election and polls had indicated a double-digit lead over the Conservatives in the expected share of the vote this time. A result is expected at about 3am. Continue reading...

Former health secretary’s diaries say MoJ wanted to release inmates to slow spread of coronavirus in prisonsA plan to release “thousands” of prisoners was considered during the Covid-19 lockdown, according to Matt Hancock’s diaries.The details, first reported by the Daily Mail, which is serialising the former health secretary’s journals, come as Hancock returns to Westminster after his stint on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Continue reading...

Former hospital electrician assaulted the bodies of more than 100 dead women between 2008 and 2020Relatives of the victims of a man who sexually assaulted the bodies of more than 100 dead women are to receive compensation under a new government scheme.Close family members of those abused by David Fuller, 68, will be eligible to claim up to £32,500, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced on Thursday. Continue reading...

Two of the women killed around the same time as Rebecca Contois are also Indigenous, and the third is believed to beA Canadian man previously charged with murdering an Indigenous woman has been accused of killing three other women – two also confirmed to be Indigenous and one believed to be.Jeremy Skibicki was charged 18 May and kept in custody after the partial remains of Rebecca Contois, 24, were found in a garbage bin near an apartment building. Contois lived in Winnipeg but was a member of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, also known as Crane River. Continue reading...

Plan would see nurses, ambulance workers and hospital staff join industrial action in England and WalesThe NHS will grind to a halt on 20 December under plans being discussed for a coordinated Christmas strike in England and Wales by nurses, ambulance workers and hospital staff.The unprecedented day of industrial action would leave NHS bosses struggling to keep even the most basic services running to standards that patients would expect, with many reduced to “Christmas Day” levels of staffing. Continue reading...

Statement gave only limited details and made no mention of any Ukrainian forces having crossed the Dnipro

Opposition parties say retention of whip in face of PPE claims reveals PM’s ‘empty promise’ of integrityRishi Sunak is facing calls from the main opposition parties to withdraw the Tory whip from Michelle Mone in the House of Lords after the Guardian revealed she appeared to have gained millions from the profits of a PPE company.Labour and the Liberal Democrats have criticised the prime minister’s “staggering” refusal to do so, claiming his pledge to lead a government that acts with “integrity and professionalism” has become an “empty promise”. Continue reading...

Complainant says she had ‘no choice’ but to submit to volunteer constable Paul Hoile, who appeared drunkA woman allegedly raped at the roadside by an off-duty special constable has said she felt she had no choice but to stop and submit to his questioning because he produced his warrant card.The woman told Wolverhampton crown court she was left “numb and disgusted” and had not consented to sexual activity with Paul Hoile, a Metropolitan police officer, who she said had appeared to be drunk. Continue reading...

Decision, seen as a blow to Nicola Sturgeon, comes after he faced plotting from within party ranks

With president Cyril Ramaphosa under pressure, we look at what could it mean for the countryCyril Ramaphosa took power as South Africa’s president in 2018 and led the ruling African National Congress party to a general election victory a year later. He campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, attracting much support after the turbulent nine-year rule of his populist predecessor Jacob Zuma, who was forced out by a series major scandals. Ramaphosa, 70, has since struggled to push through much needed reforms and has faced fierce resistance from Zuma loyalists. Continue reading...

Dozens of former Manston detainees responded to surprise early interview letters only to be turned away at receptionDozens of asylum seekers who were recently moved out of Manston were left stranded outside Home Office centres after being invited to “phantom” appointments they were turned away from, the Guardian has learned.The latest development follows an earlier crisis exactly a month ago when 11 asylum seekers were left in the street close to London’s Victoria station after being moved out of Manston, the controversial reception centre for small-boat arrivals in Ramsgate, Kent. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Findings come amid rising evictions, ‘price gouging’ claims and fears of homelessness emergencySoaring rents have in effect made life unaffordable for private tenants across swathes of the UK, according to research undertaken for the Guardian.The analysis shows asking rents on new listings are up by almost a third since 2019 – and some people are facing increases of up to 60%. Prices in 48 council areas are now classed by the Office for National Statistics as unaffordable when compared with average wages. Continue reading...

Nurse allegedly injected milk and air into girl at hospital in Chester after helping mark her 100th day of lifeLucy Letby tried to murder a baby hours after she had helped make a banner to celebrate the girl becoming 100 days old, a court has heard.The infant reached the milestone after she was born 15 weeks premature at Arrowe Park hospital, Wirral, in May 2015, a jury at Manchester crown court was told. Continue reading...

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Officials ‘scratching our heads’ over deaths of 40 bovines since October that lack telltale signs of wolf attacksInvestigators in Colorado have been left baffled after dozens of cattle inexplicably dropped dead in a remote corner of the state.The mystery has triggered a wave of US press coverage, with the New York Post running a headline claiming: “Cattle slaughtered by mystery creature that left no tracks”. Continue reading...

David Harewood and Doreen Lawrence among those expressing alarm at impact on shows aimed at BAME audiencesProminent black and Asian Britons have warned that the BBC’s local radio cuts could result in the loss of airtime for shows aimed at BAME audiences.David Harewood, Adrian Lester, Diane Abbott, and Doreen Lawrence are among those who have signed the open letter in the Voice. They warned the BBC’s current plans to axe weekend and evening shows on English local radio would “disproportionately impact Black media professionals and journalism across the UK”. Continue reading...

Police accused of gender-based rights violations against women and LGBTQ+ people as they cracked down on protests in 2021Colombian police used sexual harassment, torture and forced nudity to target women and LGBTIQ+ people as they cracked down on a nationwide wave of protests in 2021, a report by Amnesty International has found.National and anti-riot police units committed hundreds of acts of gender-based human rights violations in its response to protests, the Amnesty investigation revealed. Continue reading...

Ngozi Fulani says Buckingham Palace yet to reach out to her since incident with royal aide at receptionA black British charity leader has said she felt she was being forced to denounce her citizenship when she was “interrogated” by the late queen’s lady-in-waiting about where she “really came from”.Ngozi Fulani, who founded the domestic abuse charity Sistah Space, was questioned repeatedly about her background by the royal aide Susan Hussey at a Buckingham Palace reception. Continue reading...

Incendiary devices sent to PM’s residence, defence ministry, arms firm, airbase and US embassy over past seven days, with one exploding at Ukraine embassy

Children’s author who spent 48 days in hospital with virus calls NHS ‘a brilliant and wonderful invention’Michael Rosen doesn’t remember much of his 48 days in an intensive care ward when he was struck down with Covid-19 two years ago. But thanks to a patient diary diligently kept by his nurses, the poet and former children’s laureate knows how faithfully and compassionately he was cared for.“They were wonderful. In the diary they tell me how they held my hand, talked to me, sang to me, kept me awake when they were worried that my blood pressure was dipping dangerously low, shaving me, turning me over,” he said. Continue reading...

Initial DfE figures show just under 29,000 graduates have signed up this year, a 20% fall on last year

France is first major western country to publicly support proposal for special court to try for crime of aggression

Gordon Jackson KC, representing three police officers, alleged to have started watching match as evidence was givenOne of Scotland’s most senior lawyers has been accused of showing contempt for an inquiry into the death of a man in police custody after he allegedly began watching a World Cup football match during the proceedings.Gordon Jackson KC who is representing three of the six police officers involved in the arrest of Sheku Bayoh at an inquiry into his death, is alleged to have started watching the game on his phone during an evidence session on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Gasps from public gallery as jury convicts Mark Brown of killing both Leah Ware and Alexandra MorganA builder who described himself as a “psychopath with a conscience” has been found guilty of murdering two women, one of whom he kept semi-captive in a shipping container.Mark Brown, 41, killed Leah Ware, 33, and Alexandra Morgan, 34, six months apart last year at a remote farm near St Leonards in East Sussex, a jury at Hove crown court found. Continue reading...

Teaser shows images of Meghan apparently in tears and Harry talking of protecting his familyAn emotionally charged trailer of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s forthcoming Netflix documentary series has been released, as Buckingham Palace reels from a racism incident and during a key visit to the US by the Prince and Princess of Wales.In the 1 min 12 sec “teaser”, Harry and Meghan share previously unseen intimate photographs, some showing the duchess apparently crying, with one scene showing Harry’s head tilted back as his wife appears to wipe away tears with both hands. Continue reading...

Gautam Adani’s takeover of NDTV is ‘serious threat to democracy’ in India, says news anchorOne of India’s few remaining news channels known for independent reporting is about to be taken over by a billionaire ally of the prime minister, Narendra Modi.In recent years, NDTV (New Delhi Television) has earned a reputation as one of the last bastions of independent journalism in India’s mainstream media, which has increasingly been suppressed and pressured to tow the government line under the Modi administration, which came to power in 2014. Continue reading...

Sun Chunlan says Omicron less pathogenic as Beijing appears to respond to zero-Covid protests by relaxing some measures

South Africa’s political crisis deepens after panel says president should face scrutiny over ability to stay in officeThe government of Cyril Ramaphosa has plunged further into crisis, a day after an an independent panel appointed by parliament said there was evidence suggesting the South African president committed “serious misconduct” after millions of dollars in cash were reportedly stolen from his private game ranch almost three years ago.Ramaphosa was expected to answer questions in South Africa’s parliament on Thursday but postponed his appearance, saying he needed time to consider the panel’s timing. The deputy president, David Mabuza, cancelled a keynote address at a World Aids Day commemoration event, while key spokespeople failed to hold regular briefings. Continue reading...

Former rugby league player, who has motor neurone disease, will use eye-controlled computerThe former rugby league player Rob Burrow will become the first non-verbal person to read a bedtime story on the BBC this weekend.Burrow, who used to play for Leeds Rhinos, will use an eye-controlled computer to read a story on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Continue reading...

Officials from 53 cities convene in Greece to seek ‘creative solutions’ to counter rise in anti-Jewish hateMayors from around world have flown into Athens to focus minds – and efforts – on combatting antisemitism amid a worrying resurgence of near daily hate crimes against Jews.Local officials from 53 cities in 23 countries will convene in the Greek capital from Thursday with the aim of not only debating shared challenges and experiences but also finding “creative solutions” to counter the alarming rise in incidents of bigotry and hate globally. Continue reading...

Trio were arrested in Bridgend at the weekend on suspicion of concealing the birth of a childThree people have been bailed in connection with the discovery of the bodies of two babies found dead in a house in Bridgend.Two men, aged 37 and 47, and a 29-year-old woman were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of concealing the birth of a child after the discovery in Wildmill, a 55-year-old Radburn estate on the outskirts of the Welsh town. Continue reading...

A bipartisan push in the upper house means the ACT and Northern Territory are free to legislate on euthanasia after a 25-year ban

Magpies implement 14 recommendations of Do Better review with four in progress as president Jeff Browne says new systems will build inclusive club

Disparity between rural and urban areas uncovered by Lib Dem FoI requests to 10 ambulance trustsPatients in some rural areas wait almost three times longer for emergency ambulances than those in towns and cities, while people with potential heart attacks or strokes now face a one hour 40-minute average wait in one area, statistics have shown.The disparities were uncovered by freedom of information requests by the Liberal Democrats to England’s 10 ambulance trusts, which in turn covered waiting times for 227 areas across the country. Continue reading...

The former Coalition minister denies he influenced government contracts, declaring in parliament he had ‘zero involvement’

Staff cuts at Chicago’s Howard Brown Health could squeeze care as attacks on LGBTQ+ and trans healthcare have escalatedHoward Brown Health, a nonprofit community health center in Chicago that is the largest provider of health and wellness care for the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV in the US midwest, has announced it wants to lay off at least 100 employees, or about 15% of staff.The layoffs were proposed as voluntary in the first instance, but the company says “a reduction in workforce is required”, suggesting that if 100 volunteers are not found then layoffs will be compulsory. Continue reading...

Hong Kong’s immigration department withheld Timothy Owen KC’s application for an extension of his work visa on ThursdayHong Kong has temporarily blocked a top British human rights lawyer from representing jailed pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, in a trial stymied by delays and calls for an intervention from Beijing.British King’s Counsel Timothy Owen was set to represent Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily, who has been in jail on protest-related offences since his high-profile arrest in 2020. Continue reading...

Report finds women from black and ethnic minority backgrounds in England and Wales disproportionately dismissedDomestic abuse victims are reporting abuse to the police several times before appropriate action is taken, with those from black and ethnic minority backgrounds disproportionately dismissed and sidelined, according to new research.The research has been carried out by the charity Victim Support – the country’s biggest provider of domestic abuse services. More than 1,000 women (1,004) who have experienced domestic abuse were polled, at least 150 of them women of colour.More than half of all respondents – 53% – reported an instance of domestic abuse at least twice before they felt appropriate action was taken by the police.Nearly a quarter – 24% – reported an instance of domestic abuse to the police three times or more before appropriate action was taken.More than one in 10 – 12% – said that they do not feel appropriate action was ever taken.When reporting domestic abuse, almost half – 48% – of black and ethnic minority respondents felt that the police treated them differently from other people because of their ethnic background or heritage. Continue reading...