World news | The Guardian

Agency’s economic report card suggests scope to reassess stage-three tax cuts, but treasurer says the government’s approach cuts ‘hasn’t changed’

Territory expects 96% of owners to pay same or less under new model, 4% paying more to be owners of more-polluting vehicles

Move comes amid concerns about Beijing’s military ambitions in Indo-Pacific region after it struck a security pact with Solomons last yearThe United States has opened an embassy in Solomon Islands after a 30-year absence as it seeks to boost diplomatic relations in the Pacific as a counter to China.The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, announced the news late on Wednesday, saying that “more than any other part of the world, the Indo-Pacific region – including the Pacific Islands – will shape the world’s trajectory in the 21st century”. Continue reading...

Experts call for public access to vaccine for all young people after free school program reduces infection rate by 92%

Government backs Reserve Bank decision to replace Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait with design ‘honouring culture and history of First Australians’

Israeli army confirms ‘striking in the Gaza Strip’ early on Thursday, hours after it said it intercepted a rocket fired from the Palestinian territoryIsrael conducted airstrikes on the central Gaza Strip early on Thursday, according to journalists and witnesses, hours after the military said it intercepted a rocket fired from the Palestinian territory.New rounds of rockets were fired from Gaza after these strikes, and fresh explosions could be heard from Gaza City at about 3.15am local time, Agence France-Presse journalists reported. Continue reading...

Report says $1m project threshold saw opposition-held electorates excluded from 2020 funding round

Oleksii Reznikov said that as many as 500,000 troops may have been mobilised by Russia as he calls for more weapons to be sent to UkraineRussia is planning a major offensive to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine on 24 February, according to the country’s defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov.Speaking to French media, Reznikov warned that Russia would call on a large contingent of mobilised troops. Referring to Russia’s general mobilisation of 300,000 conscripted soldiers in September last year, he claimed that numbers at the border suggest the true size could be closer to 500,000. Continue reading...

Authorities claim animals in the zoo in city of Chilpancingo were sold, traded or eaten under orders of former directorThe former director of a zoo in southern Mexico killed four of the zoo’s pygmy goats and served them up at a Christmas-season party, authorities have alleged.“These four animals [were] slaughtered and cooked on the zoo’s premises, and were served as food at the year-end party,” said Fernando Ruiz Gutierrez, the state environment department’s director of wildlife, blaming the zoo’s director at the time, José Rubén Nava. “This put the health of the people who ate them at risk, because these animals were not fit for human consumption.” Continue reading...

Regime chief says military will always be country’s ‘guardian’ regardless of who is in power, as streets empty on anniversary of army takeoverMyanmar’s military regime has announced an extension to its state of emergency, effectively delaying elections the junta had pledged to hold by August, as it battles anti-coup fighters across the country.The junta chief, Min Aung Hlaing, acknowledged that more than a third of townships were not under full military control, in comments reported by state media on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Nine people arrested as police seize record haul and allege gang operated as an ‘underground bank’

Race equality task force also proposes mandatory ethnicity pay gap reportingBlack-led businesses could be given more support to procure lucrative government contracts by a future Labour government as the party refines its offer to ethnic minority voters ahead of the next election.Labour’s race equality task force, led by Baroness Doreen Lawrence, hopes to ensure that black-led groups get the chance to access a fair share of the billions of pounds paid out each year through government contracts, according to The Voice newspaper. Continue reading...

Joseph Hamilton reassures Catholics the protests are a mere ‘ripple’ as survivors of clergy abuse tie ribbons to fence around St Mary’s Cathedral

Ben Wallace says UK has not made a ‘solid decision’ not to send fighter jets but Downing Street appeared to rule it out as not ‘practical’. This live blog is closed

Inter-American Court of Human Rights concludes state allowed eradication of 6,000 Patriotic Union party members in 1980sColombia has pledged to pay reparations to victims after the inter-American court of human rights (IACHR) concluded the state allowed the systematic extermination of the leftwing Patriotic Union (UP) party in the 1980s and 90s.The UP was a political party created out of a peace process with the Revolutionary Armed Forces (Farc) guerrillas in 1985 but 6,000 of its members were wiped out by rightwing paramilitaries, narcos and the Colombian military. Continue reading...

Death of Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit led to review of service that found it to be ‘institutionally racist’The head of the London fire brigade has personally apologised to the mother of a black firefighter whose suicide triggered a review of the service and found it to be “institutionally misogynist and racist”.The review by Nazir Afzal, involving testimonies from 2,000 members of staff, found “dangerous levels of ingrained prejudice against women” and that people of colour were “frequently the target of racist abuse”, and it made 23 recommendations to the service.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Continue reading...

UK officials in flurry of diplomacy seeking agreement with EU over protocol, but play down talk that deal is closeRishi Sunak is considering a trip to visit Joe Biden in the US as talks between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland protocol intensify.The prime minister’s officials are drawing up plans for him to travel to Washington in the coming weeks to discuss a range of topics, including Ukraine, economic security and technology. Continue reading...

Unions say move would be ‘betrayal’ amid talks with UK government over potential £300m in financial supportBritish Steel is considering cutting up to 1,200 jobs at its steelworks in Scunthorpe in a move that unions said would be a “betrayal” of workers amid talks with the UK government over a potential £300m in financial support.Executives at the Chinese-owned company told union leaders they were considering closing coke ovens at the plant and making hundreds more cuts across its operations at a meeting on Wednesday afternoon. The Unite union said up to 1,200 jobs were at risk. Continue reading...

UK public warned of ‘significant disruption’ from strikes involving teachers, civil servants, Border Force staff and train driversKevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, speaking from a teachers’ picket line in Warwick, said:I think Gillian Keegan [the education secretary] is hoping our strike is ineffective and people won’t do it again. Continue reading...

‘Glaring lack of regulations’ means Australia is a ‘wild, wild west’, Consumer Action Law Centre policy officer says

Germany says supplying fighter jets to Ukraine is a step too far for west

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NT chief minister Natasha Fyles says ballots in communities on alcohol bans an option, as regional controller hands down report on crisis

ACT government confirms retired Queensland judge Walter Sofronoff will lead independent inquiry

Revelation likely to add to transparency stakeholders calls’ for caps on political donations

Lawyer for Julian Bennett files recusal application against three-person panel after it refused to dismiss caseA senior Metropolitan police commander who is facing misconduct proceedings over his alleged drug use has called for the members of the hearing panel to remove themselves from the case due to alleged bias.Julian Bennett – who has previously chaired misconduct hearings, wrote a drug testing strategy for the Met and oversaw the dismissal of two officers for drug misuse – is facing three allegations of discreditable conduct. Continue reading...

Alexander Frolov, Igor Shuvalov and Vladimir Potanin own properties via BVI, Cyprus and RussiaThree Russian oligarchs under sanctions are among those to declare they own more than £35m of UK property through the British Virgin Islands, Cyprus and Russia, the Guardian has found.Alexander Frolov, a billionaire and associate of Roman Abramovich, is revealed as the owner of a mansion in Weybridge in Surrey bought for £9.8m in 2008 and a flat in Knightsbridge bought for £15.4m via the BVI. Continue reading...

Gareth Arnold, on trial with former MP, says Labour did not expect O’Mara to win Sheffield Hallam seatA former MP accused of expenses fraud was only chosen by Labour to contest a parliamentary seat because the party was thought he was bound to lose, a court has heard.Jared O’Mara, 41, is standing trial at Leeds crown court accused of submitting fake invoices to fraudulently claim about £30,000 of taxpayer’s money to help fund a “substantial” cocaine habit. Continue reading...

Over 1.27 million workers across transport, school and energy sectors rally against government plan to raise retirement age to 64More than 1.27 million people have taken part in street demonstrations across France in a second round of coordinated strike action against Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular plan to raise the retirement age to 64.Transport, schools and the energy sector were hit by strike action on Tuesday. Local buses, trains and trams in cities from Paris to Nice, as well as regional and high-speed trains across the country, were “very significantly disrupted”, according to rail operators. Continue reading...

Five parents give their views on the strikes that begin on Wednesday and discuss how they will be affectedMembers of the National Education Union (NEU) will strike in schools across England and Wales on Wednesday in the first of seven days of industrial action that is expected to impact tens of thousands of schools.A poll of teachers by the surveying app Teacher Tapp suggests that up to three in every five schools in England could be closed or partly closed on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Regulator defends suppliers who have forced people on to metersOfgem is considering closing the gap between the cost of energy bills for customers on prepayment meters and those on direct debits – but has defended suppliers who have forced people on to the meters.Jonathan Brearley, the chief executive of Ofgem, told MPs the energy regulator was examining whether a subsidy could be introduced to create a level playing field. Continue reading...

First of seven days of industrial action by members of the National Education Union begins on WednesdayTeachers in England and Wales are to strike on Wednesday in the first of seven days of industrial action by members of the National Education Union (NEU), which is the largest education union in the UK. Continue reading...

Stationery retailer collapses into administration after rising costs and disappointing salesTesco has bought the brand and intellectual property of Paperchase, after the struggling stationery retailer collapsed into administration.

The move, ahead of national cabinet, will give a fresh push to Labor’s referendum plans, with the Liberals and Greens yet to agree their positions

Geoffrey Robertson says wealthy Russians have exploited legal system and suppressed free speechRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has helped “open eyes” to the idea of reforming England’s increasingly draconian libel and privacy laws, according to one of the country’s leading media advocates.Geoffrey Robertson KC, author of a new book on efforts by the rich and powerful to suppress free speech, Lawfare, said the war revealed the cynical way wealthy Russians – and others – have exploited the English legal system. Continue reading...

HMRC and the Indian IT services firm disagree over corporation tax bill of about £20mInfosys, the company founded by Rishi Sunak’s father-in-law NR Narayana Murthy, is in a multimillion-pound dispute with the UK tax authorities.HMRC and the Indian IT services firm, in which the prime minister’s wife, Akshata Murty, holds a stake of close to 1%, disagree over a corporation tax bill of about £20m, according to the company’s annual report. The dispute, first revealed by the Times, is one of a clutch of tax issues the company has in a range of jurisdictions, including Australia. Continue reading...

Transparency International warns of UK’s ‘woeful inadequacies’ as Qatar, Russia and Brazil slide down listThe UK has fallen sharply down the global corruption league table after a report warned of “woeful inadequacies” in upholding political integrity.Britain fell seven places to 18th on Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index, representing the biggest fall among the G7 countries. Continue reading...

Tribunal finds former Surrey vicar Rev Stephen Sizer’s conduct was ‘unbecoming to the office’A vicar who shared an article suggesting Israel was responsible for the 9/11 terror attacks has been barred from the ministry for 12 years for antisemitism.The Board of Deputies of British Jews made 11 allegations against the Rev Dr Stephen Sizer, which claimed his conduct in incidents between 2005-18 amounted to antisemitic activity. Continue reading...

Removal of exemption from discrimination laws would not allow them to effectively operate and teach to their ethos, schools say

Other major items sold by liquidators include a Canturi necklace for $130,000, artworks, and designer and luxury goods

Lawyers will argue the then trade secretary ignored Saudi air force’s bombing of civilians in YemenAnti-arms trade campaigners will seek to overturn a decision made by Liz Truss to resume UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia, arguing she ignored a pattern of bombing civilians by the country’s air force in Yemen.A judicial review brought by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) starts in the high court on Tuesday, the latest step in a long-running battle over the legality of a lucrative trade worth more than £23bn since the war in Yemen began. Continue reading...

In federal court application seeking to keep her job, Sally Rugg claims commonwealth engaged in ‘hostile conduct’

Ukraine official reports ‘positive signals’ from Warsaw – but Poland stresses it will only act in consultation with Nato alliesVolodymyr Zelenskiy’s most senior adviser has suggested Poland is willing to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters as Ukraine’s lobbying for the combat jets steps up only a few days after Germany and the US agreed to send over their tanks.Andriy Yermak said Ukraine had had “positive signals” from Warsaw in a Telegram posting, although Poland’s prime minister was careful to stress his own country would only act in consultation with Nato allies. Continue reading...

Doctors at several hospitals cited a conscience clause to avoid treating the teenager who has a mental disabilityPoland’s health minister has weighed in on a high-profile rape case, saying it was “unacceptable” that a mentally disabled 14-year-old girl struggled to get a legal abortion.The case, in which doctors at several hospitals used a conscience clause to avoid carrying out the procedure, has sparked renewed calls to ease the Catholic country’s abortion laws, which are among Europe’s most stringent. Continue reading...

National Union of Journalists ballots members in response to BBC plan for programme sharing and loss of 48 staff postsBBC Local staff are likely to strike next month over changes to radio schedules as a journalists’ union announced industrial action would be put to members in a formal ballot.Last year the corporation announced plans to introduce greater programme sharing on local radio at times of the day when it says listening is typically lower. Continue reading...

Firefighter say government and employers have ten days to avert strike as teaching union says talks produced no breakthroughQ: There are 1.5m people with learning disabilities, but only 17,000 learning disability nurses. What can you do improve that?Sunak says the government is going to legislate to change the way people with learning disabilities and autism are treated. He says the prevalence has gone up. He says he wants to ensure young people get the help they need. That will come out later this year, he says.A lot of pharmacists have said to us, whether it’s for UTIs or minor ailments, will it be possible for pharmacies to do more – and that’s why we’re actively looking at things like regulation, and antibiotics.And also if we have more pharmacies doing blood pressure checks, for example, that will get people the treatment they need earlier and stop ambulance callouts. Continue reading...

Social workers did not carry out adequate checks on woman later found dead after three years, coroner hearsSocial workers’ failure to carry out adequate checks weeks before a vulnerable woman with a severe mental illness died alone in her home was a sign of “systemic” deficiencies, a coroner’s court has heard.The body of Laura Winham, who is believed to have died in November 2017 at 38, lay undisturbed in her flat in Woking, Surrey, for three and a half years before the discovery of her “skeletal and mummified” remains by police and family members. Winham’s family has argued she was “abandoned” by local agencies. Continue reading...

Officers are reviewing a dossier accusing Sayed Ataollah Mohajerani, who lives in London, of encouraging terrorismThe Metropolitan police is being urged to crack down on Iranian terrorism in the UK by prosecuting a former senior Iranian government official accused of advocating the fatwa against Sir Salman Rushdie.The Metropolitan police has been studying a legal dossier accusing Sayed Ataollah Mohajerani, who lives in Britain, of encouraging terrorism contrary to the 2006 Terror Act. He denies the claims. Continue reading...

Twenty years ago, Alice was raped by the Met police officer. In an exclusive interview she relives the attack, the aftermath, and why giving evidence has helped her ‘move forward’For 20 years, Alice has been haunted by flashbacks of the night the Metropolitan police officer David Carrick imprisoned her in his flat and raped her at gunpoint.She can picture his receding hairline; his hairy chest; his hands gripping her throat. She can feel the cold metal of a gun barrel at her cheek. She can hear him saying: “If you behave yourself, I’ll let you go.” She can remember going to the hospital after the nine-hour attack and a nurse telling her that she wasn’t the first woman to say she’d been raped by a police officer. Continue reading...

Charlie Millers, 17, was found dead in his room at Prestwich mental health hospital in December 2020Police are investigating claims that hospital records may have been altered at an NHS trust where three mental health patients died within nine months.The investigation was launched after a coroner raised concerns that safeguarding logs “may have been edited” after the death of a 17-year-old boy at Prestwich hospital in Greater Manchester. Continue reading...