World news | The Guardian

Figures show deaths per capita are above European average, at 2,689 per million peopleMore than 200,000 Covid deaths have been recorded across the UK, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.There have been a total of 200,247 Covid deaths, including 294 in the last week. The figures cover deaths due to Covid-19 as well as those involving the virus. Continue reading...

‘Tena products’ being deployed as Covid is used as excuse to ‘decimate’ conditions, select committee toldUnion bosses have accused the government and rail firms of exploiting the pandemic to force through changes to conditions, with one claiming that drivers were so short of breaks they had to rely on incontinence products.In evidence to MPs on Wednesday, they also accused the government of meddling in negotiations over pay, despite ministers’ insistence that they were not involved. Continue reading...

Committee says lack of resources affecting other areas of agency’s work and calls situation ‘untenable’MI5 should be given increased funding to help tackle the rising threat of extreme-right terrorism, which now accounts for approaching a fifth of the spy agency’s investigations, a parliamentary watchdog has said.MPs and peers on the intelligence and security committee said the agency had been forced to progress other work – almost certainly relating to Islamist terrorism – more slowly and had been unable to expand other activities as it had hoped. Continue reading...

RMT members at train operators and Network Rail to stage industrial action in dispute over pay and conditionsRail staff will again strike on 27 July in an ongoing dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union has announced.Members of the RMT at train companies and Network Rail will walk out for 24 hours on 27 July. Continue reading...

Unexpected move does not directly criticise Boris Johnson and comes after Labour version rejected

Johnson says leaves with ‘head held high’ as Labour leader questions tax affairs and capabilities of those vying to be next PM

Warning in place from Sunday to Tuesday with hot spell expected to peak on Monday or TuesdayThe Met Office has extended its danger-to-life warning for a heatwave set to hit much of England and Wales at the weekend.The warning for extreme heat is in place from Sunday until the end of Tuesday, with the hot spell expected to peak on Monday or Tuesday. Continue reading...

Former Radio 1 star faces new claims of sexual abuse and misconduct from multiple women; he has previously denied wrongdoingThe DJ Tim Westwood is facing allegations from a woman who says he first had sex with her when she was 14 and he was in his 30s.The woman claims Westwood had sex with her on several occasions in the early 1990s, when the age of consent in England and Wales was, as it is now, 16. “I sit here today and face what I’ve been running from for a long time,” she said. Continue reading...

Watchdog says it suspects possible breaches of competition law around purchase of freelance servicesThe competition watchdog is investigating possible cartel-like behaviour by sport broadcasters including BT Group, ITV, Sky and IMG Media, which includes Premier League Productions, around the purchase of freelance services.The Competition and Markets Authority said it believes there are “reasonable grounds to suspect one or more breaches of competition law”. Continue reading...

Heavy shelling thought to be reprisal for Ukraine attack or preamble to renewed offensive on Donetsk cities

David Davis describes flagship legislation as ‘biggest accidental curtailment in modern history’

Processing of unwanted items has become increasing problem for retailers since Covid online boomThe fast fashion website Boohoo has become the latest online retailer to start charging shoppers to return items.Boohoo customers will now have to pay £1.99 when they send unwanted goods back, and the cost will be deducted from the amount they are refunded. Continue reading...

Officer gives evidence of colleagues describing rapes in intimate relationships as ‘surprise sex’, and saying they ‘deserved to be raped’

Seaside town left covered in ‘snow’ after warm trough collides with frigid air mass

Manasseh Sogavare says relationship with Australia is ‘strong’ despite his recent security pact with Beijing

Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum in Winton first discovered 12 sauropod teeth in 2019, with a further five uncovered

Lawyer says settlement will provide compensation for women who suffered pain and complications from pelvic mesh

Omicron variant BA.2.75 has been detected in India, UK, US, Australia, Germany and CanadaVirologists have voiced concerns about the emergence of another fast-spreading Omicron variant, which is rapidly gaining ground in India and has already arrived in the UK.The warning came as MPs called for redoubled efforts to persuade the nearly 3 million adults in England who have not yet received a single dose of Covid vaccine, to take up the offer of vaccination. Continue reading...

Sharma will remain in post until November to cement progress made at Cop26Alok Sharma, the UK cabinet minister who led the Cop26 climate summit last year, will remain in his post to lead international climate negotiations for the next few crucial months, despite the turmoil among his Downing Street neighbours.Sharma, who operates from 9 Downing St, told the Guardian he was focused on continuing the work needed to cement the progress made at the UN Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow last November. Continue reading...

The region’s worst drought in 70 years is expected to hit crop yields significantly, driving up prices by as much as 50%Supplies of olive oil, risotto rice and passata are under threat as northern Italy suffers its worst drought in 70 years, stirring up the cost of living crisis further.Specialist importers are preparing for price rises of as much as 50% or more for rice and tomatoes and are considering looking for new sources of supply, after growers in the Po valley, the home of arborio rice used in risotto, warned of a “significant reduction” in crop yields this year. Continue reading...

Consumer watchdog says most locations relayed 20c cut to motorists, while treasurer confirms concession still likely to end on 28 September

Residents say they have nowhere to go nor the means to leave as frontline encroaches on civilians

Analysis: Israel has transformed itself from regional pariah to ally to many Arab statesJoe Biden has made clear that the Middle East is not a priority for his administration: Ukraine, China and the US midterm elections are all more pressing issues. Still, when Air Force One touches down in Tel Aviv for his first visit to the region as president on Wednesday afternoon, Biden will be faced with a rapidly changing – and still unstable – part of the world.Biden’s main goal is to convince Saudi Arabia of the need to increase global oil supplies to ease the energy crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But the fact that he flies directly to Jeddah after two days in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories speaks to a significant shift: Israel’s transformation from regional pariah to ally for many Arab states. Continue reading...

Twenty-four infected people disembarked in Brisbane before cruise ship travelled on to Eden on NSW south coast

Fijian police escort the men from media space where US vice-president Kamala Harris was making virtual addressTwo Chinese defence attaches have been kicked out by Fijian police from a Pacific Islands Forum meeting at which the US vice-president, Kamala Harris, was giving a virtual address.The men were sitting in on a session of the forum’s fisheries agency at which Harris announced the step-up of US engagement in the region, believed to be in response to China’s growing influence. Continue reading...

Hospital bosses issue warning as government moves to end technical qualifications for healthcare studentsThe NHS will miss out on recruiting thousands of nurses every year as a direct result of the government scrapping BTec courses in health and social care, hospital bosses have warned.NHS Employers wrote in a letter to the education secretary, James Cleverly, that it had “serious concerns” about the plan, which it fears will exacerbate the health service’s acute staffing problems. Continue reading...

Show will feature immersive re-creation of set from Oscar-winning film Parasite as well as props from Squid GameAn immersive re-creation of the Oscar-winning film Parasite’s bathroom set, as well as costumes and props from the hit Netflix series Squid Game are to go on display as part of the first major exhibition on Korean culture in the UK.Hallyu! The Korean Wave will open at London’s V&A in September to celebrate the colourful and dynamic popular culture of South Korea, from its early origins to its place on the global stage today. Continue reading...

Passengers must record a rapid antigen test before disembarking but crew remain onboard

Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat and Nadhim Zahawi garner enough support

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will bind a future Labour government to strict borrowing limitsLabour has committed to “ironclad discipline” with the public finances and cutting Britain’s debt burden if it gets into power, in an attempt to draw a clear dividing line with Tory leadership hopefuls promising billions of pounds in tax cuts.Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, will use a speech on Wednesday to bind a future Labour government to strict borrowing limits designed to protect the public finances while allowing it to lay the foundations for a growing economy. Continue reading...

The reductions are being trialled in eight communities but will be rolled out nationally in 2023The speed limit in built-up areas will be reduced from 30mph to 20mph in Wales from next year in a UK first that the Labour-led Welsh government says will improve both safety and the quality of life for its citizens.Some opposition politicians and motorists have opposed the move to lower the default national speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets. Continue reading...

The eight candidates who got through to the first round come from across the party, with Rishi Sunak the early favourite

Met Office predicts heatwave will continue into next Monday with temperatures in mid to high 30sThe Met Office has extended an extreme heat warning for Sunday and Monday, with temperatures forecast to build to over 35C (95F) in south-east England, as an under-pressure hospital declared a major incident.The amber warning comes as extremely high temperatures in Spain and France are expected to push north into the UK this week. Temperatures reached 43C in central Spain on Monday and are forecast to rise further. Continue reading...

Home Office does U-turn and grants baby visa 24 hours after Guardian revealed family’s plightA British resident stranded in Jamaica with her baby, who was told by the Home Office the boy could not come to the UK because he had an “established life” on the Caribbean island, has now been told by the Home Office that she can bring him, after the Guardian exposed the family’s plight.Just 24 hours after the Guardian’s article was published, the Home Office granted the baby’s visa and informed his mother, Tiffany Ellis – who has indefinite leave to remain in the UK, where she has lived since the age of eight – that it was ready for immediate collection. Continue reading...

Show’s creator wants to ‘give something back’ to New Mexico city and hopes statues will attract ‘busloads of tourists’Officials at the New Mexico city of Albuquerque are planning to unveil bronze statues honoring the two main characters of Breaking Bad, the popular TV show about a chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with cancer and starts to distribute crystal meth with a former student to secure his family’s financial future.The statues, portraying protagonist Walter White and his sidekick Jesse Pinkman, were commissioned in 2019 by the show’s creator, Vince Gilligan, as a way to “give something back” to Albuquerque, according to a news release from the city’s government. Continue reading...

Some 6,500 health staff are off work in Queensland, NSW and Victoria as Covid and flu place pressure on hospitals

Amid sluggish wage growth, chief executive pay among the top 100 listed companies rises to about 100 times average adult earnings

Absence of Kiribati from the meeting is ‘really devastating’ to the body’s long-term strategy, security expert says

Charity workers hope Sir Mo Farah’s decision to reveal he was trafficked would encourage more victims to come forwardAfter it took Sir Mo Farah decades to summon the courage to speak about his childhood experiences, trafficking experts warned that the fear of being criminalised prevents many other child victims from coming forward to seek help.Charity workers commended the Olympic champion’s decision to reveal he was trafficked to the UK using another child’s name, then exploited and forced into domestic servitude, expressing hope that high-profile revelations would highlight the widespread nature of such abuse and encourage more victims to speak out. Continue reading...

HBO’s hit drama is out in front with The White Lotus, Ted Lasso, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building running close behindSuccession is leading the way in this year’s Emmys race after today’s announcement that the acclaimed HBO drama picked up 25 nominations.The hit show, which has previously won nine Emmys, was nominated for best drama series, with stars including Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook and Kieran Culkin all receiving noms. Continue reading...

Labour criticises ‘unprecedented’ refusal to allow debate time for motion of no confidence in Boris Johnson

Most of toymaker’s staff in Moscow to lose jobs and partnership with retailer to be wound up due to invasion of UkraineLego is to end all operations in Russia “indefinitely” after pausing deliveries to its 81 stores in the country in March.The world’s largest toymaker said it was ending the employment of most of its staff in Moscow and terminating a partnership with Inventive Retail Group, the company that runs stores on its behalf in the country. Continue reading...

Unions say figures showing teacher and pupil attendance dropping are reminder virus has not gone awaySchool attendance in England has fallen to the lowest level since January, according to the latest government data.Nearly one in five secondary pupils was off last week, while teacher absences are also on the rise, figures show. Continue reading...

Several people reportedly killed in strike – possibly from Himars system – on ammunition store in Nova Kakhovka

From Rishi Sunak’s use of a Max Bygraves catchphrase to the weirdly robotic Penny Mordaunt and the fantastically self-satisfied Liz Truss, the first crop of Conservative leadership campaign videos are very odd indeedSajid Javid★☆☆☆☆ Continue reading...

Prof Jonathan Tonge, who accurately predicted confidence vote result, says it’s a ‘51/49 call’The “Mystic Meg” professor who accurately predicted the number of Tory MPs who would back Boris Johnson in last month’s confidence vote has tentatively cast his runes for the final outcome of the Conservative leadership election.“Without any confidence at all, I’d say Rishi Sunak will become the next prime minister,” said Jonathan Tonge, who teaches British politics at the University of Liverpool. “But I think it’s a 51/49 call because Liz Truss plays pretty well with the Tory party members too. Continue reading...

Lawyers advise supreme court that Sturgeon not entitled to a ruling on legality of holding a vote without Westminster’s consentNicola Sturgeon’s request for a supreme court ruling on the legality of holding a second Scottish independence referendum without Westminster’s permission should be thrown out as “premature”, the UK government has suggested.Scotland’s lord advocate, Dorothy Bain QC, wrote to the supreme court at the first minister’s request two weeks ago seeking clarity on whether the Holyrood parliament can legislate to stage a second referendum without clearance from Westminster under a section 30 order, which Boris Johnson has repeatedly refused to grant. Continue reading...

Blow for industry as government backs WHO data and vows to cut additives in ham and cured sausagesFrench health authorities say they have confirmed a link between nitrates added to processed meat and colon cancer, dealing a blow to the country’s prized ham and cured sausage industry.The national food safety body Anses said its study of data published on the subject supported similar conclusions in 2015 from the World Health Organization (WHO). Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor’s well-worn navy worker’s jacket acquired by People’s History MuseumThe jacket Andy Burnham wore for a defiant al fresco speech telling the government that Greater Manchester would not accept any more Covid restrictions is to go on display this week.The mayor’s navy worker’s jacket, described by one politics professor in a broadsheet think piece as “a political statement of his working-class credentials”, will be shown at the People’s History Museum in Manchester from Wednesday. Continue reading...