Inquiry preceded controversial migration deal linked to claims of abuse in increasingly authoritarian countryThe European Commission is refusing to publish the findings of a human rights inquiry into Tunisia it conducted shortly before announcing a controversial migration deal with the increasingly authoritarian north African country.An investigation by the EU ombudsman found that the commission quietly carried out a risk management exercise" into human rights concerns in Tunisia but will not disclose its results. Continue reading...
Health spending watchdog says donanemab does not currently demonstrate value for the NHS'A new Alzheimer's drug has been rejected for widespread use by the NHS in England after the health spending watchdog said that it does not currently demonstrate value for the NHS".The news comes as the UK's medicines regulator said donanemab could be licensed for use in the UK. Continue reading...
Lyla Elichaoff and Esme Bertelsen tell Tatler they have never watched What Not to Wear, with Elichaoff saying: you can't really speak to people like that now'Trinny and Susannah, the presenters of the noughties fashion TV hit What Not to Wear, would be cancelled if the show was made today, their daughters have said.Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine starred in the BBC fashion makeover series, in which they dispensed brutally honest style tips, between 2001 and 2007. Continue reading...
Peter Dutton's proposed 10-year freeze to national building codes would be a shame, one industry leader says, given the serious impacts of our changing climate'
Shadow Indigenous Australians spokesperson says she cannot agree' with later term abortions, sparking rebuke from Sussan Ley, Jane Hume and Bridget McKenzie
by Damian Carrington Environment editor on (#6RP0K)
Exclusive: Those with interest in keeping world hooked on fossil fuels' should not oversee climate talks, say report authorsAzerbaijan, the host of the Cop29 global climate summit, will see a large expansion of fossil gas production in the next decade, a new report has revealed. The authors said that the crucial negotiations should not be overseen by those with a vested interest in keeping the world hooked on fossil fuels".Azerbaijan's state-owned oil and gas company, Socar, and its partners are set to raise the country's annual gas production from 37bn cubic metres (bcm) today to 49bcm by 2033. Socar also recently agreed to increase gas exports to the European Union by 17% by 2026. Continue reading...
Campaign targets wordplay and memes that are often used by people to get around censorship controlsChina's internet regulators have launched a campaign cracking down on puns and homophones, one of the last remaining ways for citizens to safely discuss sensitive subjects without recriminations or censorship.The clear and bright" campaign is targeting irregular and uncivilised" language online, particularly jokes, memes, and wordplay, the Cyberspace Administration of China and the ministry of education announced this month. Continue reading...
Police say it is unclear if 17 missing passengers are still alive or wounded, and may be hiding in bushes or sheltering with neighbouring clansAt least seven people were killed and more than a dozen remain missing after gunmen ambushed a public bus and shot passengers in Papua New Guinea's Enga province.The shooting took place in Enga's Lagaip district on Tuesday afternoon. More than 20 passengers were on the bus when men armed with high-powered weapons set up an ambush and fired shots indiscriminately" into the vehicle, highland western end assistant police commissioner Joseph Tondop said in a statement on Wednesday. Continue reading...
National Audit Office questions value for money as predicted bill for decommissioning increases by 21bnThe cost of cleaning up Sellafield is expected to spiral to 136bn and Europe's biggest nuclear waste dump cannot show how it offers taxpayers value for money, the public spending watchdog has said.Projects to fix buildings containing hazardous and radioactive material at the state-owned site on the Cumbrian coast are running years late and over budget. Sellafield's spending is so vast - with costs of more than 2.7bn a year - that it is causing tension with the Treasury, the report from the National Audit Office (NAO) suggests. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey, Jessica Elgot and Pippa Crerar on (#6RNXZ)
Exclusive: England mayors fear bus, tube and tram plans could be scrapped if Treasury reneges on agreed budgetsHundreds of millions of pounds of local transport funding in England could be cut in next week's spending review despite having been agreed with regional mayors, putting bus, tube and tram improvements at risk.The mayors, most of whom are Labour, are engaged in a last-minute lobbying campaign to stop the Treasury raiding their transport budgets as Rachel Reeves looks for immediate savings. Continue reading...
Dominique Pelicot invited dozens of men to rape his then wife over a nine-year periodGisele Pelicot, the French grandmother who has become a feminist hero for insisting that the rape trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men should be held in public, will take the stand on Wednesday to comment on the evidence so far.The 72-year-old former logistics manager was unknowingly sedated and raped by her then husband, Dominique Pelicot, 71, who crushed sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication into her food and drinks, and invited men to rape her over a nine-year period from 2011 to 2020 in the village of Mazan in Provence. Continue reading...
Dominique Pelicot has admitted drugging and raping his wife. Fifty other men may face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty in case that has shocked the worldWarning: this article contains descriptions of alleged rape and sexual assaultA total of 51 men are on trial over their alleged attacks on Gisele Pelicot, recruited by her then-husband Dominique Pelicot, who has admitted drugging and raping her. Continue reading...
There is a contradiction between the Liberal National party leader's steadfast defence of the right to a conscience vote a year ago, and his continued refusal to make a clear statement about it these past few weeksPollsters say one word - abortion" - has entered the minds of Queensland voters as Saturday's state election draws near.It is coming up unprompted in our surveys, people are bringing it up as an issue" one political strategist Guardian Australia last week. Continue reading...
by Philip Wen (now); Léonie Chao-Fong, Joanna Walter on (#6RN26)
This blog has now closed. You can read our latest report on the conflict in the Middle East here and all our coverage from the region here.As Israel continues its war in Gaza and assault on Lebanon, a growing number of international airlines are suspending flights to the region or to avoid affected airspace.Reuters has helpfully compiled a list of some of them:Aegean Airlines: The Greek airline cancelled flights to and from Beirut until 6 November and to and from Tel Aviv until 5 November.AirBaltic: Latvia's airBaltic cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until 30 November.Air Algerie: The Algerian airline suspended flights to and from Lebanon until further notice.Air France-KLM: Air France extended its suspension of Paris-Tel Aviv flights until 29 October and Paris-Beirut flights until 30 November. KLM extended the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until the end of this year at least.Air India: The Indian flag carrier suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice.Bulgaria Air: The Bulgarian carrier cancelled flights to and from Israel until 31 October.
Lehrmann has sought to appeal against his defamation loss to Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson but his lawyer said he was unable to afford his legal costsThe federal court has ruled Bruce Lehrmann will be allowed to continue his appeal against the dismissal of his defamation suit against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.On Wednesday Justice Wendy Abraham paused a costs order of $2m made by Justice Michael Lee against Lehrmann after the trial until the appeal in the proceeding". Continue reading...
Leading animal rescue charity describes situation as a deepening crisis', as cost of caring for pets risesThe number of cats and kittens being abandoned in the UK has soared by more than 30% this year, according to a leading animal rescue charity, which described the situation as a deepening crisis".Last year Cats Protection helped a total of 184,000 cats, which equates to about 500 a day. However, the charity has launched an urgent appeal for donations as staff struggle with a 34% increase in abandonment cases in the first seven months of 2024. Continue reading...
Moral threshold coming down,' warns Mo Ibrahim, as his index of governance reveals widespread decline in 10 yearsThe global rise of populism and strongmen" has led to an increase in authoritarianism in Africa that is holding back progress in governance, the businessman and philanthropist Mo Ibrahim has said.According to the latest edition of the Ibrahim index of African governance, 78% of Africa's citizens live in a country where security and democracy deteriorated between 2014 and 2023. Continue reading...
Russian president willing to gamble on food security' by stepping up strikes on grain ships, says UK prime ministerKeir Starmer has accused Vladimir Putin of disrupting food supplies to Gaza after British intelligence suggested Russia had stepped up its attacks on Ukrainian ports.Starmer said it was clear the Russian president was willing to gamble on global food security" after several grain ships en route to developing countries were damaged by Russian strikes. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#6RNKB)
Exclusive: Campaigners say calls to redraw rules are cynical attempt to secure effective immunity' for officersPolice chiefs have formally asked the government to make it harder to investigate and prosecute officers after the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba led to a Scotland Yard sergeant being acquitted of murder, the Guardian has learned.Campaigners have criticised the move, saying calls to redraw the rules were a cynical attempt by police leaders to secure effective immunity" for their officers.Making it harder for the Crown Prosecution Service to charge officers, with police chiefs proposing prosecutors would have to prove training or approved professional practice was not being followed before taking action.Changing the standard of proof required for a verdict of unlawful killing before the inquest into Kaba expected as early as next year. Currently the ruling is made on a balance of probabilities, the civil standard. Police chiefs want it to be the criminal standard, which is beyond reasonable doubt.Making it harder to disprove a claim of self-defence in misconduct inquiries, by changing the standard to the higher criminal test, rather than the current civil test. Continue reading...
Watchdog issues warning over misinformation after trouble that flared following killing of three girls on MerseysideSocial media algorithms must be adjusted to prevent misinformation from spreading, the chief executive of Ofcom has warned, responding to the rioting that broke out after the killing of three girls in Southport this summer.Misinformation about the Southport killings proliferated despite tech firms and social media platforms' uneven" attempts to stop it, wrote the Ofcom chief executive, Melanie Dawes, in a letter to the secretary of state for science, innovation and technology, Peter Kyle. Continue reading...
While Martyn Blake was acquitted of murder, questions have been raised about why he didn't face alternative chargeIn the fallout from the acquittal of Martyn Blake, the police firearms officer who stood trial for the murder of Chris Kaba, many questions have arisen. One of them is why the he was not charged with manslaughter.The theory goes that it was always going to be difficult to get a jury to convict a police officer of the most serious form of homicide, whereas manslaughter may have been an easier to prove and more palatable option. Continue reading...
Edith Duncan, who was 91 and had dementia, held full licence at time of Edinburgh crash that killed three-year-oldA Scottish judge has called for compulsory testing of all motorists over 80 years of age as a matter of priority" after an elderly driver with dementia killed a toddler in Edinburgh.The sheriff principal Nigel Ross said Edith Duncan, who was 91 at the time, should not have been allowed to drive because she had undiagnosed but significant cognitive impairment from dementia, yet legally held a full driving licence. Continue reading...
Rahima Mahmut, in exile in the UK, disappointed' at failure to describe Beijing's crackdown on minority as genocideA leading Uyghur activist has accused the Labour government of falling behind" its allies in failing to stand up to China, after ministers backtracked on plans to push for formal recognition of the country's treatment of the minority group as genocide.Speaking after David Lammy's first visit to China as UK foreign secretary, the human rights activist Rahima Mahmut, who has lived in exile in the UK since 2000, said she had hoped there would be a shift in UK policy once the party came into power, including following the US in declaring a continuing genocide in Xinjiang. Continue reading...
Model and daughter of Paul Gascoigne says former Harrods owner attacked her when she was 16 and working at storeBianca Gascoigne has told how Mohamed Al Fayed subjected her to an alleged horrific" sexual assault after she started working at Harrods as a 16-year-old.The 37-year-old daughter of the England footballer Paul Gascoigne said she had not spoken out before because of embarrassment and shame". Continue reading...
Exclusive: Queensland LNP leader faced questions at leaders' debate after saying in 2023 he would allow MPs a conscience vote on changes to legislation
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#6RN5T)
Judge rules details of Kaba's criminal past can be reported after police officer who shot him was cleared of murderChris Kaba, the unarmed man killed by a police firearms officer, was pictured on CCTV shooting a man on a nightclub dancefloor and was alleged to be a core member of a London gang, it can be revealed.A judge ruled on Tuesday that details of Kaba's criminal past could be released, a day after a Metropolitan police officer, Martyn Blake, was cleared of murdering him. Continue reading...
by Tom Burgis and Amy Hawkins in London on (#6RN33)
Exclusive: Lee Hsien Yang says Singapore is no paradise' after fleeing authoritarian regime that his older brother inherited and still holds sway over through their revered father's legacyA senior member of the family that has dominated Singapore since independence has been granted asylum in the UK after fleeing what he says was a campaign of persecution.In an exclusive interview, Lee Hsien Yang told the Guardian the authoritarian regime founded by his father turned on him as he endorsed the opposition following a family rift. Continue reading...
Poetry in protest event on 30 October will showcase how political change can be brought about through verseThe British Academy is to pay tribute to the late poet Benjamin Zephaniah next week as part of a night of discussion and performance.The award-winning poet Jackie Kay is among guest speakers at the first Poetry in protest event on 30 October, which explores how political change can be brought about through verse. Continue reading...
HMRC and FCA asked to look into property deals with Saifuzzaman Chowdhury now under investigation for corruption in DhakaBritish regulators have been urged by MPs to examine the relationship between London estate agents, lawyers and lenders and a former Bangladeshi government minister under investigation for alleged corruption.Saifuzzaman Chowdhury was the land minister in Bangladesh until earlier this year, when the government of Sheikh Hasina was spectacularly toppled, after her regime's violent suppression of student protests. Continue reading...
Survey shows many consumers unaware that previously standalone businesses now owned by big corporationsSmall breweries in the UK are ditching the term craft beer" in favour of indie beer", warning that global corporations have bamboozled many drinkers into believing that formerly independent brands are still artisanal hidden gems.In a survey by YouGov that marks a new phase of the bitter war over what constitutes craft beer", consumers were asked to say whether 10 beer brands were made by independent craft breweries". Continue reading...
Gardeners' World presenter is bucking the trend to make the event more inclusiveSome gardeners at the Chelsea Flower Show may balk at the idea of a dog scrabbling around near their prize roses.But Monty Don is designing his first Chelsea garden for next year's event - and making it dog-friendly. Continue reading...
4.3m hoard acquired for the nation by South West Heritage Trust will be displayed at British Museum next monthIt began with a speculative trip to a soggy field in south-west England by a seven-strong band of metal detectorists more intent on figuring out how to use some new kit rather than unearthing anything of great historical importance.But the friends came upon an astonishing hoard of coins - 2,584 silver pennies - from the time of the Norman conquest, which has been valued at 4.3m, making it the highest-value treasure find ever in England. Continue reading...
Government issues official document to Peruvian-born character, listing him as Bear' under its observationsHe has been one of the UK's favourite and most prominent refugees for two-thirds of a century. Now Paddington Bear - official name Paddington Brown - has been granted a British passport.The co-producer of the latest Paddington film said the Home Office had issued the document to the fictional Peruvian-born character - listing for completeness the official observation that he is, in fact, a bear. Continue reading...
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