World news | The Guardian

View forming within Medibank that details were then sold on a Russian-language cybercrime forum

MP Christopher Chope says there will be continuing rebellions unless Sunak holds general election if he becomes PM

Companies including Suncorp, Nissan and Origin Energy say they will continue to support the code

Google-owned company accused of misleading consumers about their rights under Australian law

Decline comes as RBA documents indicate values may sink as much as 20% nationally from their February peak by end of 2024

Nathaniel Drummond, 19, was competing in a race at South Australia’s Seacliff Beach when the large shark attacked his vessel

Prosecutors to decide whether to pursue third trial after jurors acquitted Mosman swim instructor of 10 charges but could not reach decision on others

New laws to strip citizenship from dual citizens suspected of terrorism are likely to pass parliament after Coalition indicated support

Roslyn hit land as category 3 hurricane before weakening as it headed inlandTwo people died on Sunday from destruction caused by tropical storm Roslyn after it made landfall along Mexico’s Pacific coast as a powerful hurricane before weakening farther inland, authorities said.A 74-year-old man was killed in the town of Mexcaltitan de Santiago Ixcuintla when a beam fell on his head, Nayarit state’s ministry of security and citizen protection said. A 39-year-old woman died when a fence collapsed in the state’s Rosamorada district. Continue reading...

Boris Johnson dropped out of the race, and Rishi Sunak has secured at least 165 supportersFormer prime minister Boris Johnson has ended his bid to return to power within months of being ousted, claiming that although he had the numbers, he would not run to replace Liz Truss, who resigned as Conservative party leader on Thursday after just 45 days in office. Johnson claimed to have won the support of 102 colleagues – two clear of the threshold needed – but only about 60 had publicly stated their support for him.Johnson said he reached the decision reluctantly after recognising he would not lead “a united party in parliament”. He said, “In the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do,” and, “You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.” Read his full statement here.Former chancellor Rishi Sunak appears set to become party leader and prime minister. He ended Sunday with more than 165 supporters ahead of Monday’s nomination deadline. Sunak came second in the race against Truss over the summer.The chances of a general election have risen, according to some estimations. Johnson supporter Nadine Dorries has said an election was now “impossible to avoid”. Labour, which has opened up huge poll leads, is demanding an election. Angela Rayner, the deputy leader, said: “The Tories are about to hand the keys of the country to Rishi Sunak without him saying a single word about how he would govern. No one voted for this. Perhaps it’s not surprising he’s avoiding scrutiny: after all, he was so bad that just a few weeks ago, he was trounced by Liz Truss.”Contender Penny Mordaunt, who missed out on the last contest’s run-off by just eight votes, will now come under pressure to concede rather than force the contest to a vote of members. However a source on the Mordaunt campaign insisted her campaign was continuing and that she wanted to get on the ballot so party members could decide the result.Johnson and Sunak held talks late into Saturday night, according to reports. The ex-leader also reportedly spoke on Sunday to Mordaunt, who was said to have rebuffed his calls to back him, noting her supporters were likely to split more for Sunak.Mordaunt could yet win over any former Johnson supporters who want to stop Sunak. Each needs to submit nominations by 2pm on Monday. If both get more than 100 nominations, 150,000 Tory members will be asked to decide the result.Sunak launched his official campaign with a declaration that “fixing the economy” was his priority, but he gave no media interviews or formal manifesto. If Sunak succeeds on Monday he will become Britain’s first non-white PM, and as a Hindu, his victory will be sealed on Diwali.Mordaunt spoke to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday, telling her she would be a “halfway house” between Sunak and Johnson but refused to be drawn on any economic policies or decisions on tax and spending.A survey by Conservative pollster James Johnson still found all three Tory candidates had negative favourability. The survey found that Johnson was on -24, Mordaunt -15 and Sunak -2. Continue reading...

More than 165 MPs declare for ex-chancellor after Johnson said he would not run despite claiming he had 102 supporters

However much the ex-PM blew his own trumpet he knew he did not have enough MPs on side to get back to No 10

Former PM says he is withdrawing from Tory leadership contest for sake of party unity despite ‘very good chance’ of succeeding

Woman missing in flood waters near Mudgee as severe storms forecast to cause more damage to towns in Victoria’s north

Russia’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, makes calls with UK, US, French and Turkish counterparts on Sunday

Move means Rishi Sunak looks almost certain to be PM

Parents of Scott-Swaley Daniel Stevens pay tribute to ‘well-loved boy’ after garage wall fell on himThe parents of 12-year-old boy who died after a garage wall collapsed have paid tribute to their son.They said Scott-Swaley Daniel Stevens was a “well-loved boy” with lots of friends, that he “will be missed by so many” and that “as a family, we cannot explain the hurt we feel and we are broken”. Continue reading...

UK supply chains likely to be hit after talks over pay with Peel Ports fail, and Unite’s Sharon Graham criticises actions by boardHundreds of dock workers at one of the UK’s largest container ports are beginning a fresh two-week strike in a dispute over pay, which could further disrupt the country’s supply chains.Nearly 600 members of the Unite union at the Port of Liverpool, which is owned by Peel Ports, will strike again from Monday, after the union said talks designed to resolve the dispute ended “in chaos”. Continue reading...

If chosen as PM, Sunak would face a dire inheritance and a narrow window to turn things around

David Lidington implores former colleagues to think of the country and ‘worried sick’ households when voting for Liz Truss’s replacement

Woman calls RSPCA after finding 3ft snake trying to get into her home in BasildonA woman called the RSPCA after a 3ft (90cm) snake tried to get into her bedroom window in Basildon, Essex, this month.Enola Evans, who was sent to remove the creature, having started work with the animal rescue charity only a month earlier, said: “It’s not every day you get woken up by a snake trying to get into your bedroom through a window. The woman was terribly shocked. Continue reading...

Divina de Campo starred in revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Leeds PlayhouseA star of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has picked up a leading theatre award for her performance as an East German “slip of a girly boy” who lives bitterly in Kansas after botched gender reassignment surgery.Divina de Campo won the best performance in a musical award at the UK Theatre awards on Sunday, one of three prizes for the biggest winner of the day: Leeds Playhouse. Continue reading...

Evacuation of city ordered amid fears Russian forces may blow up hydroelectric dam at Nova Kakhovka

Government body denies ‘business-over-science’ approach but failed to inform federal minister of change in focus

Previously accused of ‘egregious’ security failures, MTC will be paid $47.3m to oversee detention of 111 refugees and asylum seekers for two months

Incoming leader Lubna Shuja says some criminal work is unsustainable, amid calls for a 15% pay riseThe new president of the Law Society has said the association has a duty to tell solicitors in England and Wales to refuse criminal work if they are not paid properly for it, as they demand a 15% increase in legal aid fees to give them parity with barristers.Lubna Shuja has taken on the role amid anger that criminal solicitors have been offered a 9% rise, despite having gone 25 years without a pay increase and a 15% minimum rise having been recommended by the independent review of criminal legal aid. Continue reading...

Member for Kennedy claimed $35,468.14 in Comcar bills in the April-June quarterFederal MP Bob Katter has defended claiming more taxpayer-funded car services than any other minister or backbench MP in the last quarter, describing himself as an “everywhere man” who needed to travel widely to advocate for his electorate.Katter, the member for Kennedy, has one of Australia’s largest electorates. But his office wouldn’t clarify how he claimed $35,000 in Comcar expenses in just one quarter, including $1,700 in one day – which would equate to 14 continuous hours of car usage at the standard rate of $2 per minute. Continue reading...

Fabian Society also says Labour needs to be radical and introduce better provision for the lowest paid

Incident is second such fatal crash in Russian residential area in six days involving a Sukhoi jet

Mike Ashley’s increased holding comes after online retailer reported slowing sales and full-year lossThe billionaire retailer Mike Ashley has built up a stake of more than 5% in the online fashion retailer Asos.His fashion and sportswear retailer Frasers Group informed Asos on Friday that it had become one of the company’s most signifiant shareholders. Continue reading...

Country’s first female prime minister leads the most rightwing government since the second world warPope Francis offered prayers for “unity and peace in Italy” as Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s first female prime minister, took the helm of the country’s most rightwing government since the second world war.Meloni, the leader of Brothers of Italy, a party with neofascist origins, met the outgoing prime minister, Mario Draghi, for a formal handover ceremony on Sunday. “I did not expect this welcome,” Meloni, 45, said as she was greeted by Draghi, referring to the ceremonial guard. “It’s an emotionally impacting thing.” Continue reading...

Viengsay Valdés, 44, has the tough task of renewing the Cuban National Ballet’s reputation as country finds itself in crisisCuba’s favourite ballerina, Viengsay Valdés, will run on to the stage of the island’s National Theatre on 2 November, fairly certain it won’t collapse beneath her.Reprising the role of Giselle she first performed 25 years ago, she can’t use Havana’s more glamorous auditorium, the rococo Gran Teatro de la Habana Alicia Alonso, because that is being devoured by woodworm. Continue reading...

Full extent of injuries from ‘brutal attack’ on Satanic Verses author in New York state in August revealedSalman Rushdie has lost his sight in one eye and the use of one hand after the attack he suffered while preparing to deliver a lecture in New York state two months ago, his agent has confirmed.The 75-year-old author, whose received death threats from Iran in the 1980s after his novel The Satanic Verses was published, was stabbed in the neck and torso as he came on stage to give a talk on artistic freedom at the Chautauqua Institution on 12 August. Continue reading...

China’s president doubles down on ruling for life, excluding potential future leaders or factional rivalsXi Jinping has stacked the senior Chinese Communist party ranks with loyalists, showing China’s ever more powerful leader favours loyalty over merit – and wants rule insulated from criticism or questioning.The appointments, which were revealed on Sunday, have raised concerns that Xi has surrounded himself with “yes men” as he leads China through what he called the “choppy waters” of the future, some of which are of his own making. The country is facing domestic economic troubles and worsening global tensions as Xi doubles down on threats to annex Taiwan. Continue reading...

Pte Addy Carter, 21, presented with coveted maroon beret after completing test of enduranceA British private has become the first female soldier to pass a notoriously gruelling army course to prove that personnel have the resilience to serve in the airborne forces.Pte Addy Carter, 21, successfully completed the three-and-a-half-week parachute regiment entry test – known as P Company, which includes loaded marches, log and stretcher races and an aerial confidence course. Continue reading...

In Predappio, supporters celebrate victory of their first female prime minister Giorgia Meloni, leader of a party with neo-fascist originsDressed in a black sweater, with “Propaganda” written in bold white letters across the back, Marco, 32, and his two friends had travelled to Predappio from their home in the Marche region to pay their respects at the grave of Benito Mussolini before the impending 100th anniversary of the fascist dictator’s march on Rome.The ornate Mussolini family crypt, located in the tiny San Cassiano cemetery of the Emilia Romagna town, has attracted thousands of admirers since it reopened on an all-year-round basis in March, with the daily flow increasingly more consistent since the late September general election victory for a coalition led by Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, a party with neofascist origins, which was sworn into government on Saturday. Continue reading...

Shane MacGowan has no studio and draws on ‘sick bags’ with his wife’s lipstick, but Kate Moss has bought his artShane MacGowan is bemused and amazed by the positive response to his first London show. “I was just blown away by the whole thing,” he told the Observer.His name is a byword for hard living, but this month the renowned former frontman of the Pogues has revealed a hidden talent for drawing. Now the 64-year-old has learned that his Knightsbridge gallery has sold almost all of the work on display and extended the show. Continue reading...

Chancellor’s fiscal plan by Halloween would be too rushed and ‘irresponsible’, say officialsSenior Whitehall officials are concerned that Jeremy Hunt now risks going too far in cutting public spending and should delay the Halloween statement outlining his austerity plans, the Observer has been told.Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, is understood to have been made aware of concerns that the chancellor risks going too far in cutting back spending if he decides to go ahead with a sweeping programme of reductions. Continue reading...

New South Wales and Queensland have blocked access to some facilities with NSW corrections minister saying people can’t just ‘wander through at their leisure’

Funding of more than $3bn will support agricultural methane reduction, clean tech initiatives and the commercialisation of seaweed feed supplement

Speed of government collapse prompts a scramble to solve logistical problems and select candidatesLabour has gained 20,000 new members since the end of the party conference season as it gears up for a general election following the Tory party’s implosion and Liz Truss’s disastrous premiership.On Thursday alone – the day of Truss’s resignation after just 45 days in Downing Street – Labour gained 2,000 more members, with lapsed members rejoining and others signing up for the first time. One fundraising email on the same day generated almost £100,000 in donations. Continue reading...

Controversial Tory bill set to inflict further damage on businesses, with no clues yet about incoming legislationTory plans to scrap most EU laws by the end of 2023, to show that Brexit is being delivered, risk causing untold legal chaos and yet more damage to British businesses, according to the former head of the government’s legal service.With the country still reeling from the effects of Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s disastrous mini-budget, ministers are facing mounting opposition from business groups, environmentalists, legal experts, unions and opposition parties to what is being described as another dangerous, ideologically driven experiment by pro-Brexit Tory rightwingers. Continue reading...

President would normally step down now after 10 years as leader, but he has abolished term limits and promoted his alliesXi Jinping has eliminated key rivals from China’s leadership and consolidated his grip on the country on the final day of a Communist party meeting at which former president Hu Jintao was led away unexpectedly from the main stage. Hu’s departure was a rare moment of unscripted drama in what is usually carefully choreographed political theatre.The closing session of the 20th congress of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) ended a weekend of triumph for Xi that makes him China’s most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong. He has swept away the last norms of a political order built since Mao’s death to prevent a return to the worst excesses of rule by a single autocrat. Continue reading...

NHS Federation chief says slashing budget will plunge crumbling service into deeper crisisRaiding the NHS budget or scrapping plans to rebuild crumbling hospitals would plunge the health service into its deepest crisis in decades. This was the stark warning this weekend from Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, who said the government is “living in a fantasy land” if it believes it can cut funds to the NHS without endangering patients.Jeremy Hunt promised spending cuts of “eye-watering difficulty” last week after becoming chancellor of the exchequer. Yet he also did not reverse his predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng’s decision to scrap the £7bn health and social levy that had been earmarked for the NHS. Continue reading...

The former PM has voted in parliament once since announcing his resignation in July. But he has put in plenty of time at fancy resortsBoris Johnson could never be accused of wanting to be seen as politically engaged since announcing his resignation as prime minister in early July. Yet his apparent eagerness to abandon any pretence of parliamentary involvement would make grim reading for even his most ardent fan.For about a quarter of the considerable time that has elapsed, Johnson appears to have been abroad, enjoying a series of luxury holidays as the UK lurches through economic tumult and a deepening cost of living crisis. Continue reading...

The departure of Britain’s shortest serving prime minister and a possible comeback by her predecessor has created further divisions and infighting in the chaotic Conservative partyThe plunging pound had not done it. The wholesale dumping of a budget did not do it. A complete collapse in party discipline that led to MPs cursing colleagues and others sobbing did not do it. Even the resignation of Liz Truss, making her Britain’s shortest serving prime minister by some distance, was not enough.Yet as allies of Boris Johnson immediately let it be known that he was planning to stand for party leader again, just minutes after Truss had retreated into Downing Street at the end of her humiliating resignation speech, a Tory MP with long-lasting doubts about the party’s direction said they were now finally contemplating their future within it. Continue reading...

Wife of man from Inverness found dead in London flat is ‘traumatised’ after Home Office decides she can’t settle in UKThe widow of a British man whose “suspicious” death in London remains unexplained, according to his family, is facing deportation to Myanmar and fears being targeted by its brutal military.Pan Ei Phyu has been told by the Home Office that she cannot settle in the UK. When the “traumatised” 32-year-old’s visa expires in two weeks, she faces being sent to a country that last month jailed the UK’s former ambassador to Myanmar. Continue reading...

Xinhua news agency says former Chinese president was led from political gathering to ‘rest’ amid mystery around his departureFormer Chinese president Hu Jintao was “not feeling well” when he was escorted out of the closing ceremony of a congress of the ruling Communist party on Saturday, according to state media.China’s official news agency Xinhua said in a tweet late on Saturday: “Xinhuanet reporter Liu Jiawen has learned that Hu Jintao insisted on attending the closing session of the party’s 20th national congress, despite the fact that he has been taking time to recuperate recently.” Continue reading...