World news | The Guardian

Labour leader hits back at criticism saying his party has been ‘leading’ on the issueKeir Starmer has teased Labour’s package to tackle the cost of living crisis, saying his party would end energy prepayment premiums which he claims would offer 4m households relief on bills.The announcement, which came in what is reportedly his first tweet this month, follows criticism of Labour’s inaction on the cost of living crisis.Every organisation has its culture, but it’s not fixed, it can be changed.

Tower-obsessed Charlie Barratt recorded the welcome speech visitors hear as they ascend the liftSome little boys are obsessed with Lego. Others can’t get enough of dinosaurs. But it is Blackpool Tower that has captured one six-year-old’s imagination.Now Charlie Barratt has achieved his dream by becoming the voice of the attraction’s lift after news of his superfandom spread. Continue reading...

Court watches footage of ex-footballer telling officer he hit then girlfriend Kate Greville on lip after ‘a tangle’The jury at the trial of Ryan Giggs has been shown police video of the moment he was arrested for allegedly assaulting his then girlfriend after admitting he had hit her on the lip in what he described as a “tangle” over a puppy and mobile phone.On the fifth day of the trial at Manchester crown court, the former footballer could be heard in the video saying Kate Greville had kicked him first in the head in a “struggle” in the couple’s home in Worsley on 1 November 2020. Continue reading...

Yellow warnings begin in Scotland and Northern Ireland, spreading to England and Wales on MondayYellow weather warnings of intense thunderstorms and the possibility of flooding have been issued by the UK Met Office for once the extreme heat subsides.The UK remains in the grip of extreme heat, with amber warnings in place until Sunday for much of England and Wales. Continue reading...

Four radio station employees among dead as alleged gang members rampaged through Ciudad JuárezA prison confrontation between members of two rival cartels spilled on to the streets of the border city Ciudad Juárez, where alleged gang members have killed nine more people, including four employees of a radio station.The violence began on Thursday, when Los Chapos, members of the infamous Sinaloa cartel formerly led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, clashed with the local group Los Mexicles, in a Juárez prison, the deputy security minister, Ricardo Mejía, said. Continue reading...

Deal reported to be biggest in show’s history, as brand’s sustainability claims called into questionThe Love Island winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has signed a deal to work with the fashion brand Oh Polly. The deal is said to be worth about £1m – thought to be the biggest in the show’s history.The Sun reported that Cülcüloğlu had chosen to work with Oh Polly because it “aligned to her own values of sustainability”, unlike fast fashion brands. However, when Good on You, the website that rates brands based on their ethical and sustainable values, rated Oh Polly in June 2021, it gives the brand a “we avoid” rating, the same as the previous Love Island sponsor, the fast fashion brand Pretty Little Thing. Continue reading...

The removal of Slingshot Rat has sparked debate over the legality of taking cultural artefacts from occupied landA lost Banksy piece originally spray painted to protest against Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank has resurfaced in a Tel Aviv gallery, sparking debate over the role of public art and the legality of removing cultural artefacts from occupied land.Slingshot Rat, a stencil painting, appeared on a concrete block at an abandoned Israeli army position in Bethlehem next to a section of the wall in 2007, one of several works in the Palestinian town created in secret. Some time later, the painting was obscured and graffitied with the words, “RIP Banksy Rat”, and eventually cut out and removed by unknown persons. Continue reading...

Largest mass action over pay and conditions on Britain’s railways will bring some lines to a halt on SaturdayA 24-hour strike by train drivers across nine operating companies will leave large parts of Britain without services on Saturday, in the latest mass action over pay and working conditions on the railways.The Aslef union warned that striking drivers were “here for the long-haul”, on the eve of action that will stop most intercity trains on routes between London and the Midlands, northern England and Scotland, and affect trains in many other parts of Britain. Continue reading...

Analysis: Truss has shown a Johnson-like tendency to rush into new policies and be vague or inaccurate with factsIt is perhaps fair to say Tory MPs have mixed feelings about ousting Boris Johnson. The parliamentary party moved decisively against him, only to then spend weeks lamenting the departure of a man who won them an 80-seat majority. Now some fear they are about to replace him with Johnson Mark 2 – but one who shares only his negative characteristics.While Liz Truss has improved as a campaigner since the leadership race began, not even her diehard fans would put her on a par with Johnson, whose unlikely fusion of baffled bonhomie, deflection through humour and big-state populism helped bring victory in 2019. Continue reading...

888 and Flutter, which owns Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair, say they have taken hit from safer gambling initiativesThe owners of gambling companies including Paddy Power, Betfair and William Hill have reported a plunge in revenues after implementing safer gambling initiatives – but said that the cost of living crisis is not slowing down punters’ betting habits.London-listed Flutter, which owns Paddy Power, Sky Bet and Betfair, said that its UK revenues fell by 4% year on year in the first six months. Continue reading...

Drug can help prevent infection in people who are immunocompromised but government says data is lackingThe UK will not buy the drug Evusheld, which can help prevent Covid infections in people with weakened immune systems, the government has said.The decision, revealed on Friday in an official statement to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, has been met with criticism from a host of charities who say it means many people who are immunocompromised will be left with no option but to avoid contact with loved ones for fear of catching Covid. Continue reading...

Government plans would lower costs for 300 businesses in steel, cement, paper, ceramics and glass industriesThe UK government is considering plans to subsidise bills for energy-intensive industries such as steel and cement as companies face sharply rising electricity prices.The government proposals, released on Friday, would also mean lower costs for firms in the paper, ceramics and glass sectors. Continue reading...

PM’s response comes after would-be successor says ‘perhaps not surprisingly’ Johnson has not replied to him

E-bikes will cost £3.30 for 30 mins – double new rate for an ordinary Santander cycle hireTransport for London is to relaunch its cycle-hire scheme with the addition of e-bikes next month – but will increase charges for some users to meet rising costs.The long-established initiative, which was used a record 1.3m times last month, will be boosted by 500 electric bicycles from 12 September. Continue reading...

Channel 4 show returns this weekend, 20 years after it was axed, and its hosts say it has modernised for today’s audienceIt was chaotic, cheeky and in your face, making household names of presenters such as Chris Evans, Gaby Roslin, Johnny Vaughan and Denise Van Outen. Now, two decades after it was axed, the show on which Paula Yates wrapped her legs around INXS’s Michael Hutchence, Sara Cox snogged Will Smith and Posh Spice revealed that David Beckham liked to secretly wear her knickers is back.Famed for brightening up the anaemic landscape of 90s breakfast television, The Big Breakfast returns to Channel 4 on Saturday fronted by the comedian Mo Gilligan and the presenter AJ Odudu. But while it retains some of its original, irreverent spirit, the show that once failed to have a single Black or Asian main presenter has been modernised for a 21st-century audience by being more inclusive and far less slapstick, its new hosts say.The Big Breakfast is on Channel 4 on Saturday, 10am-12.30pm. Continue reading...

Sempé co-created much-loved French children’s books that have sold more than 15m copies worldwideJean-Jacques Sempé, the celebrated French cartoonist who illustrated the children’s book series Le Petit Nicolas and produced more covers for the New Yorker magazine than any other artist, has died aged 89.Sempé’s acclaimed cartoons often showed small figures set in vast urban landscapes or contemplating the enormity of nature amid trees or gardens. Drawn in delicate, soft lines, they were sometimes accompanied by a one-line gag – a deliberately gentle form of social commentary from an artist who had escaped a violent and difficult childhood near Bordeaux, but who described himself as an eternal optimist. Continue reading...

Actor says rise of sex-scene advisers is ‘fantastic’ in wake of Sean Bean’s criticism that it reduces acting to ‘technical exercise’Emma Thompson has joined the actors pushing back against Sean Bean’s criticism of intimacy coordinators, describing the profession as a “fantastic introduction” that has made actors feel comfortable and safe.Bean, best known for his work on Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, said earlier this week that coordinators reduce “the natural way lovers behave” into a “technical exercise”. Continue reading...

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves says party would ensure nobody ‘pays over the odds’ for same gas and electricityLabour has said it would eliminate the “premium” that means people with energy prepayment meters, who are often on low incomes, are charged more than those on direct debits.About 4 million domestic customers use prepayment meters, and their price cap is about 2% higher than for direct debit customers, according to figures from Ofgem. Continue reading...

Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield all in running to host eventBirmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield have been named as potential hosts of the Eurovision song contest when it is held in the UK next year for the first time in 25 years.The seven candidate cities were announced by Scott Mills live on Zoë Ball’s Radio 2 breakfast show. Continue reading...

Former chancellor outlines support package for up to 16 million vulnerable peopleRishi Sunak has said he would find up to £10bn to help people facing rising energy bills, as a minister backing his Conservative leadership rival indicated that direct support for the hard-pressed would be announced “in a considered way”.Acknowledging he would have to increase government borrowing to tackle the crisis, the former chancellor sketched out what he envisaged would be a support package for up to 16 million vulnerable people. Continue reading...

While Seoul experienced torrential downpours, rainfall levels are down in China’s Yangtse River basinExtreme flooding in South Korea this week submerged streets, cars and buildings, as torrential downpours brought more than a month’s worth of rainfall in the space of a few days. Between Monday and Wednesday a cumulative total of 525mm – a little over 20 inches – was recorded in Seoul.At least nine people are confirmed to have died from the floods and many more are reported injured or missing. High rainfall rates and flooding during the monsoon season in South Korea is common, with average rainfall of up to 10mm a day and 250mm in the month of August. However, this week rainfall accumulations far exceeded these typical conditions. Continue reading...

Proposed plan will tackle workload, pay structures and attracting and retaining teachers, but does not address increased school funding

Advocates call for immediate action following incidents including suicide attempts among incarcerated juveniles

Fast-food giant denied staff their rest break entitlements, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association alleges

If hold music is playing, it’s almost certain no one is tuning in. But if there’s silence on the line, watch what you sayCustomers going to the toilet, eating, smoking a bong and, of course, cursing the company – these are among the notable sounds call centre workers say they’ve heard when callers thought no one could hear.After a breakfast TV host aired claims that staff at Air New Zealand’s call centre could hear customers who were on hold, the Guardian asked call centre expert Justin Tippett if that was indeed possible. Continue reading...

One in five respondents say they have been sexually harassed, with more than half of the incidents perpetrated by an MP

Rajapaksa allowed in on diplomatic passport for ‘temporary’ stay, say Thai authoritiesThe former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled overseas to escape protests against his government, arrived in Thailand on Thursday night on a flight from Singapore, where he had been staying since mid-July.Thai television stations showed Rajapaksa and a woman believed to be his wife outside the VIP hall at Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport being led to a limousine, which drove off to an undisclosed destination. Continue reading...

Sean Turnell was arrested and charged with violating the official secrets act five days after Aung San Suu Kyi’s government was ousted in 2021An Australian academic who is being tried with ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on charges of violating the country’s official secrets law testified in court for the first time on Thursday, a legal official has said.Sean Turnell, an economist at Sydney’s Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi, who was arrested when her elected government was ousted by the army on 1 February 2021. Continue reading...

At a meeting of European defence ministers, Ben Wallace says Russia ‘unlikely to ever succeed in occupying Ukraine’. This live blog is now closedHeavy fighting raged around the eastern Ukrainian town of Pisky on Thursday as Russia pressed its campaign to seize all of the industrialised Donbas region.An official with the Russia-backed Donetsk People’s Republic said Pisky, on the frontlines just 10km (6 miles) northwest of provincial capital Donetsk, was under control of Russian and separatist forces. Continue reading...

Man, 30, arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of an accidentTwo people have died and a child has been seriously injured after a man crashed into pedestrians in Kent.Police said a man in his 80s and a woman in her 30s, who were members of the same family, died soon after the collision in Ramsgate on Wednesday night. A girl of primary school age was taken to a London hospital with serious injuries. Continue reading...

Manchester University launches inquiry into ethical standards after paper details masturbation sessionsA leading university has launched an inquiry after it emerged one of its PhD students had written a research paper about sexual attraction to young boys.Karl Andersson spent three months recording his thoughts and feelings while masturbating over images of young boys in Japanese comic books. Continue reading...

Chancellor denies influencing decision to waive tax bill for Warburg, Germany’s largest private bank, while mayor of HamburgOlaf Scholz faces fresh scrutiny over allegations that he was responsible for waiving a multimillion-euro tax bill for a private bank involved in a tax fraud scheme, as the German chancellor struggles to shake off links to alleged local government sleaze from his stint as mayor of Hamburg.On Tuesday it emerged that prosecutors investigating illegal so-called “cum-ex” trades have spent the last few months raking over Scholz’s emails from when he governed the prosperous northern city-state between 2011 and 2018. Continue reading...

Multiple aircraft at Saky base in Crimea blown up, with the new evidence suggesting possibility of targeted attack

PM attends round table with power firms but no new measures agreed to ease pressure on households

Disney+, Hulu and ESPN sees total of 221m customers at the end of the June quarter compared with Netflix’s 220.7m

Man accused of being fourth member of cell known as ‘the Beatles’ appears in London court after being deported from TurkeyA man accused of being the fourth member of an Islamic State terror cell known as “the Beatles” has been remanded in custody after appearing at court accused of terror offences.Aine Leslie Davis, 38, from Hammersmith, west London, spoke briefly to confirm his name and date of birth when he appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Thursday. Continue reading...

‘Deviant’ works by artists including Picasso and Warhol return to display at exhibition in Iranian capitalSome of the world’s most prized works of contemporary western art have been unveiled for the first time in decades – in Tehran.The Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric, rails against the influence of the west. Authorities have condemned “deviant” artists for “attacking Iran’s revolutionary culture”. And the Islamic Republic has plunged further into confrontation with the US and Europe as it rapidly accelerates its nuclear programme and diplomatic efforts stall. Continue reading...

The annual Perseids meteor shower will peak on 13 August. Find out the best time to view

Sahara Salman died a month before her fifth birthday when house collapsed following blast in CroydonThe mother of a young girl who was killed in a gas explosion in London has told how her world has been “torn apart” as she accused a gas distribution company of failing to carry out repair work.Sahara Salman died on Monday, a month before her fifth birthday, while three people were seriously injured as a result of the collapse of a house after the blast in Croydon. Her mother, Sana Ahmad, said on Tuesday that she had contacted the supplier, Southern Gas Networks (SGN), about a suspected leak on 30 July. Continue reading...

Police are appealing for information from anyone who saw Owami Davies, who was last seen in West Croydon at 12.30pm on 7 JulyNew CCTV footage showing the last known images of a student nurse who went missing last month has been released by police.Owami Davies was last seen about 12.30pm on Derby Road in West Croydon, south London, on 7 July. Continue reading...

The claim by Ukraine’s general staff of the armed forces comes after widely reported explosions at Russia’s Saki air base. This live blog is now closed

Be it a loft insulation drive or a lower price cap, there are many ways to help – but action must be swift and extensiveThe UK government has been urged to take further action to alleviate the impact of soaring energy prices, and there are a number of measures it could take.Any rescue package would need to be swift and extensive to prevent households being plunged into poverty this winter as home energy prices surge. Ministers will also need to dig deep to prevent more businesses hit by rising energy costs from defaulting on loans and declaring themselves bankrupt. Continue reading...

Nearly a quarter of doctors surveyed said they recently changed billing model, as peak body calls for higher rebates

Zelenskiy vows to ‘liberate’ Crimea as Kyiv denies responsibility for deadly attack on Russian airbase in the annexed peninsula

Kate Greville says former Manchester United footballer was regularly aggressive and exerted control over her social lifeThe ex-girlfriend of former Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs has told a court she became “a slave to his every need” and that he was “regularly aggressive”.Giving evidence on the third day of Giggs’s assault trial, Kate Greville said he exerted control over her social life and the end of their six-year relationship was “pretty much relentlessly awful”. Continue reading...

Campaigners say Italian city’s remaining residents feel ‘suffocated’ by effects of tourismThe remaining inhabitants of Venice’s historic centre said they fear becoming like “relics in an open museum” now that the population is expected to drop below 50,000 for the first time.Once the heart of a powerful maritime republic, Venice’s main island has lost more than 120,000 residents since the early 1950s, driven away by myriad issues but mainly a focus on mass tourism that has caused the population to be dwarfed by the thousands of visitors who crowd its squares, bridges and narrow walkways each day. Continue reading...

Food delivery company also announces that Next boss Simon Wolfson has quit its boardLosses at Deliveroo soared by more than half to £147m in the first six months of the year, with the embattled company facing a dramatic slowdown in revenue growth as the cost of living crisis affects the demand for takeaways.The London-listed company also announced that Simon Wolfson, the chief executive of the clothing retailer Next, is to step down from the board with immediate effect. Continue reading...

Company has to sell power at prices below market rates as ministers try to tackle cost of living crisis and support householdsThe French nuclear company EDF is suing its own government for €8.3bn (£7bn) after it was forced to sell energy to consumers at a loss.The company, which is being nationalised by the French state, has filed a compensation claim over the extension of the country’s price cap in January. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak campaign attacks rival’s approach to cost of living as ‘laughable were it not so serious’