World news | The Guardian

Greens and LNP call for royal commission in light of new report into government culture and accountability

Biden due to meet Japanese PM Kishida and South Korean leader Yoon for talks amid escalating missile tests by PyongyangNorth Korea has accused the US and its allies of launching a “sinister” attempt to form an “Asian Nato” to contain the regime, hours before Joe Biden and his Japanese and South Korean counterparts meet for security talks.“The US is hellbent on the military cooperation with its stooges in disregard of the primary security demand and concern by Asia-Pacific countries,” North Korea’s state news agency, KCNA said, on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Lead investigator says they were cautious with the reliability of witnesses who had appeared on or listened to podcast about Lynette Dawson’s disappearance

Queen’s representative says decision was made ‘on the spur of a happy moment’ and his words were not intended to be used in advertising

The ‘kill’ order, which seeks to revoke the company’s certificates of incorporation, was made in the final days of Rodrigo Duterte’s ruleThe Philippine government is affirming a previous order to shut down the news website Rappler, according to its co-founder, the Nobel peace prize winner Maria Ressa.Rappler, which has been praised for exposing abuses of power and growing authoritarianism under the outgoing Philippine president, Rodrigo Duterte, has faced a series of legal charges over recent years. Continue reading...

President Zelenskiy has urged G7 leaders to urgently send more heavy weapons to Ukraine to bring the war to an end before winter. But, as Dan Sabbagh reports, there is no clear resolution in sightWorld leaders are gathering in Madrid today for the Nato conference, and one issue will loom above all else: the war in Ukraine. The conflict has been described as the biggest security challenge to the west since 9/11 and, alongside practical considerations of military aid, leaders are desperate to project an image of unity.The Guardian’s Dan Sabbagh, who is in Madrid for the conference, has just returned from eastern Ukraine, where he witnessed the relentless shelling of Ukrainian troops. He talks to Michael Safi about a frontline that has come to resemble the battlefields of the first world war. Continue reading...

Truth commission’s report, touted as a chance to heal after half a century of bloodshed, called for a ‘substantial change in drug policy’The punitive, prohibitionist war on drugs helped prolong Colombia’s disastrous civil war, the country’s truth commission has found, in a landmark report published on Tuesday as part of an effort to heal the raw wounds left by conflict.The report, titled “There is a future if there is truth” was the first instalment of a study put together by the commission that was formed as part of a historic 2016 peace deal with the leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc). Continue reading...

Internet downtime for the city averages 70 hours a year, with 11m Britons losing almost two days a yearAlmost 11 million consumers have suffered a broadband blackout lasting more than three hours over the last year, with Nottingham named Britain’s “outage capital”.The average UK household lost a total of almost two days of internet time as a result of loss of service, power cuts and maintenance, figures show. Continue reading...

Demand continues to outstrip supply, report shows, as Albanese government seeks to increase public housing stock nationally

The presenter of the BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C ‘saved many lives’ and raised millions of pounds for cancer researchDame Deborah James has been hailed as an “inspiration” and an “extraordinary campaigner” of “unbelievable tenacity” as tributes poured in for the podcaster and cancer campaigner, who has died at the age of 40.The mother-of-two had been receiving end-of-life care since May at her parents’ home in Woking, Surrey, after stopping active treatment for the disease. In her final weeks, the presenter of the BBC podcast You, Me And The Big C raised millions of pounds for research and was made a dame for her “tireless” work improving awareness. Continue reading...

Creasy shared a photo on Twitter showing multiple cracks on the front door of her office in Walthamstow, north-east LondonStella Creasy has appealed for witnesses after her constituency office in north-east London was targeted by vandals.The Labour MP for Walthamstow posted a photo on social media showing multiple cracks on the front door of her office. The incident is believed to have taken place between 5.30pm and 8pm on Tuesday on Orford Road. The Metropolitan police said officers are investigating. No arrests have been made yet. Continue reading...

The tournament is understood to have made a rare exception to its dress code, with some players wearing ribbons in solidarityWimbledon is abandoning its strict all-white rule for players who want to show solidarity with Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, it is understood.Poland’s Iga Świątek, the women’s world No 1, wore a blue and yellow ribbon on her cap today in a sign of unity with Ukraine. The Ukrainian players Lesia Tsurenko and Anhelina Kalinina are also expected to wear ribbons when they come up against each other on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Ankara had previously blocked the Nordic countries from joining the alliance over concerns about arms exports and terrorismA last minute agreement has been reached between Turkey, Finland and Sweden to allow the two Nordic countries to become Nato members on the eve of the military alliance’s summit in Madrid.Nato said a trilateral deal had been reached at a meeting between Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, president Sauli Niinistö of Finland and Swedish prime minister Magdalena Andersson in the Spanish capital. Continue reading...

Mother of Essex tennis player who sailed through to second round on debut describes him as a ‘determined fighter’He endured cancer at the age of one, spending eight months in hospital while undergoing surgery and two gruelling rounds of chemotherapy. But Wimbledon wildcard Ryan Peniston, 26, continued to defy the odds after sailing through to the second round of the championships on his debut.His mother, Penny, called him a “determined fighter”, saying he had “worked so hard” to achieve his dreams. Continue reading...

Sir Bob Neill attempts to force Boris Johnson to require parliamentary approval before bringing provisions into forceA leading Conservative rebel has launched an attempt to force Boris Johnson to seek permission from parliament before using powers in the Northern Ireland protocol bill.Sir Bob Neill, the chair of the justice committee, tabled an amendment on Tuesday that would require “parliamentary approval for bringing into force any provisions” of the legislation, which would unilaterally rip up Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland at the risk of a trade war with the EU. Continue reading...

First minister tells MSPs she wants to hold second independence referendum on 19 October 2023

Two suspects arrested at the Kleine-Brogel base in northeast Belgium over the production of ecstasyBelgian police have raided an illegal lab producing the rave drug ecstasy on an airbase that reportedly houses part of the US nuclear arsenal in Europe.Two suspects – not military personnel – were arrested during the raid, according to a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office in the Belgian province of Limburg. Continue reading...

Holyrood aims to open up opaque mechanism after Guardian revealed secret influence on draft legislationScottish ministers have been told to open up the opaque mechanism in which the Queen gives her approval to draft bills that affect her personal property and public powers.Parliamentary authorities at Holyrood have instituted changes after a Guardian investigation revealed that proposed laws have almost certainly been secretly altered to secure the monarch’s approval. Continue reading...

New South Wales government’s growing voucher programs are ‘very strange’ alongside rising inflation, economists say

Only when Moscow confirmed missile strike did most Russian media begin coverageThe horror that unfolded when a Russian missile struck a shopping mall in the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk was shown around the world. But if you were watching Russian television that day, you would probably have seen nothing about it.The Russian media blackout on the attack, which left at least 18 people dead according to the Ukrainian government, is part of a playbook on how similar attacks have been handled as the Kremlin tries to present itself as a liberating force that does not harm civilians. Continue reading...

Steve Bray has sound system seized outside parliament on day new measures came into forceThe activist known as “Stop Brexit Man” has had equipment seized by police officers attempting to shut down his regular protest near parliament, as a new protest law came into force.Steve Bray, a former coin dealer and failed Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, posted videos on Twitter showing police officers approaching him near Parliament Square on Tuesday. His sound system was seized. Continue reading...

Prisons agency boss says fire broke out after inmates lit mattresses during protest at jail in TuluáForty-nine inmates have died during a riot in a prison in the Colombian city of Tuluá in one of the worst recent incidents of its kind in the country, according to the head of the national prisons agency.The director of the agency said a fire started during a protest by prisoners overnight. Continue reading...

Manufacturers hit by energy cost rises of up to 50% as well as Covid lockdowns and chip shortagesThe British car industry has called for help from the government with spiralling energy costs, with the prospect of further Brexit-related bills to hit the sector.The rising price of energy, persistent shortages of computer chips, delays in parts caused by Covid lockdowns in vital supply markets such as China and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have combined to affect manufacturers. Continue reading...

Mayor of town near Bologna says thousands of litres of water wasted due to double-shampooing of customers’ hairThe mayor of an Italian town has banned hairdressers and barbers from shampooing their customers’ hair twice in an attempt to conserve water during one of the most severe droughts in decades.Carlo Gubellini, the mayor of Castenaso, near Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region, said thousands of litres of water was squandered each day through double-shampooing, which many hairdressers believe is beneficial, and hence double-rinsing. Continue reading...

Saifuddin Abdullah points to risk of regional arms race but pledges increased trade and cooperation on cybersecurity with Australia

Union claims postal workers are facing a massive pay cut because of soaring inflationRoyal Mail workers have begun voting on whether to walk out in a dispute over salary rises that could become the biggest strike this summer, while tram drivers have begun a 48-hour strike in south London in a separate row over pay.About 115,000 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) have received ballot papers and will vote in the coming weeks on whether to stage a campaign of industrial action. The result of the vote is expected on 19 July. Continue reading...

G7 leaders say missile strike on mall in Kremenchuk was a war crime, as rescue efforts continue

Defence secretary’s leaked letter to PM warns of shortfalls in military personnel and long-range rocket artilleryBen Wallace has reportedly written to the prime minister to call for the defence budget to be lifted to 2.5% of GDP by 2028, as newly released figures from Nato show the proportion spent by the UK has fallen for a second year running.The defence secretary also called for increases in personnel numbers, despite recent cuts to the army, and warned of future shortfalls in naval and air force crews, as well as in long-range rocket artillery. Continue reading...

New MPs will hear from clerks, whips, former MPs, the outgoing speaker, the federal police and Asio on the inner workings of Parliament House

Customers ‘tightening their belts’ amid economic uncertainty, says outgoing operatorCamelot, the outgoing UK national lottery operator, has warned that players have “tightened their belts” in the face of soaring living costs, as it reported lower sales of tickets and instant win games.The company, which has launched legal action against the Gambling Commission after losing the lottery’s next licence to the Czech-owned newcomer Allwyn, posted a 3% drop in sales to £8.1bn in the year to 31 March. It said most of that fall was caused by a 7% decline in sales of National Lottery Instants to £3.4bn. Continue reading...

Contenders for the £10,000 video art prize offer up a range of work, from explorations of the UK prison system to surreal skin cream advertsFrom Agatha Christie novels to montages of gay porn, the source material for the 2022 Film London Jarman award nominees list is as varied as the work itself.This year’s contenders for the £10,000 prize include British-Kenyan filmmaker Grace Ndiritu, whose 2021 film Black Beauty sets an advert for factor 5,000 skin cream against a hallucinatory television interview with the writer Jorge Luis Borges. And Onyeka Igwe, a London-based artist whose 2022 film The Miracle on George Green tells the story of the children who tried to save an ancient sweet chestnut tree in Wanstead, east London by writing letters addressed to the treehouse inside it. Continue reading...

Government increasingly annoyed by broadcaster’s tactics in ‘phoney war’ before potential saleChannel 4 is preparing to sign a deal to keep its news programme on air for the next five years, meaning any new private sector owner could be locked into producing a show that has repeatedly angered Conservative ministers.It comes as the broadcaster’s management team engage in an uneasy dance over its future, with the government increasingly annoyed that they are openly fighting attempts at privatisation. Continue reading...

Six forcibly recruited men speak out about brutal illegal pushbacks involving threats, beating and lootingIn a militarised border zone, in the dead of night, asylum seekers say they have been coerced into violent, illegal pushback operations run by Greek police.Kept locked up between operations, the asylum seekers claim they were forcibly recruited or lured there by a Syrian man living in a container in the yard of a Greek police station, and then used as boatmen to ferry other migrants back to Turkey. Continue reading...

Dominic Perrottet insists he had nothing to do with hiring process and ‘no recollection’ of being asked for approval

Galleries will showcase designers who are often overlooked, in an effort to acknowledge colonial histories within the museumThe Victoria and Albert Museum will open its first African fashion exhibition this week, more than 170 years after it was founded.Featuring designers who have worked with names including Beyoncé and architect David Adjaye, Africa Fashion aims to look across the fashion of the continent, exhibiting designs, photographs and films from 25 of the 54 countries. Continue reading...

Privately run homes have more police callouts and staff complaints than council ones, data showsSerious incidents involving the police and whistleblowing complaints are more common in private children’s homes run to make a profit than in homes run by charities and councils, data suggests.Analysis of Ofsted data by the Guardian and BBC signals that children’s homes operated by profit-making firms had a disproportionately higher number of police callouts compared with those of not-for-profit providers. There was also a disproportionately higher number of complaints from often concerned staff members. Continue reading...

Putin’s advance on Ukraine’s second city was halted in March, but its defenders sense another offensive is looming

Analysis: Duterte’s popularity remains undented among people in poorer areas despite attacks on human rights, rule of law and mediaSix years ago, the tough-talking mayor of Davao City, known as “the Punisher” because of his merciless approach to crime, was on the brink of taking national power in the Philippines. He promised to move power away from Manila elites, tackle poverty, corruption, and drugs. “When I become president,” Rodrigo Duterte told one rally, “I will order the police to find those people [involved in drugs] and kill them. The funeral parlours will be packed.”The latter prediction was, at least, correct. When Duterte steps down on 30 June, having reached the end of his term limit, he will leave behind a country in which human rights, the media and rule of law have been weakened, say analysts. Continue reading...

Protesters say they’re seeking to make it clear that disruption is going to come from climate collapse

This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war hereUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy is set to address world leaders at the G7 meeting virtually today. He has just posted to Telegram pictures of damage from missile strikes in Kyiv, with the message:No Russian missiles, no strikes can break the morale of Ukrainians. And each of their missiles is an argument in our negotiations with partners.Our armed forces continue to destroy the occupiers on the line of contact. In the Kharkiv direction, the invaders attacked in the direction of Dementiivka and Pitomnyk, suffered losses and retreated. In the area of Izium, the enemy does not stop trying to advance. Our defenders are resisting, destroying the occupiers’ manpower and armoured vehicles. Continue reading...

Nazlioglu died in hospital early on Tuesday after being found with gunshot wounds in a residential Rhodes carpark about 6.30pm on Monday

Southwest Chief train crash left at least 40 injured in remote rural area, according to unconfirmed reportsThree people were killed and several others were injured when a passenger train traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago struck a dump truck and derailed in a remote, rural area of Missouri on Monday, officials said.Two of the people who died were on the train and one was in the truck, Missouri state highway patrol spokesman Corporal Justin Dunn said. It was not immediately clear exactly how many people were hurt, the patrol said, but hospitals reported receiving more than 40 patients from the crash and were expecting more. Continue reading...

Rise of £2.4bn in costs could be ‘disastrous’ and essential services may need to be cut, says LGA chairCouncil leaders in England have said a multibillion-pound financial crisis caused by rising inflation could make local services unviable and even lead to local authorities going bankrupt, unless the government offers emergency funding.The cross-party Local Government Association (LGA) said local services that were seemingly secure just three months ago were now at risk of closure or cuts as councils scramble to manage an unforeseen £2.4bn rise in energy and pay costs. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Union organisation says ministers in talks with 13 countries with poor track recordMinisters have been accused of pushing for post-Brexit trade deals with more than a dozen countries around the world that do not guarantee workers’ rights or systematically violate employee protections.The Trades Union Congress said ministers were in active talks with 13 nations with a worrying track record on employment rights, including Brazil, Burundi, Saudi Arabia and Qatar in order to secure trade deals after leaving the EU. Continue reading...

President Guillermo Lasso announces cut to gas prices in effort to quell protests demanding lower fuel and food pricesEcuadorian Indigenous organizations have said they will meet with the government to discuss demands for lower fuel and food prices which have sparked two weeks of protests, hitting the country’s weakened economy and threatening its oil production.President Guillermo Lasso late on Sunday announced a 10-cent per gallon cut to gasoline and diesel prices, the latest concession to try to quell the sometimes-violent demonstrations, which began on 13 June. Continue reading...

Foreign secretary in the Commons to introduce second reading of the Northern Ireland protocol billIt’s just over six years since years the UK voted to leave the EU. Now, I’m not quite sure back then how you thought the country might look in 2022 but I’d put money on you not imagining a prime minister capable of interpreting two disastrous byelections as a mandate to carry on for two further terms. If only The Convict had lost a few more byelections, then he could have nominated himself as president for life.But say you did make the right calls on Boris Johnson’s “World King” ambitions, surely no one would have dreamed that the UK would be busy trying to break the Brexit treaty it had signed just over two years previously. That was a level of incompetence and stupidity that was surely beyond even the derelicts who were left to make up The Rwanda Panda’s cabinet? Satire not just dead, but completely incinerated. Continue reading...

Hundreds who paid for travel through Motawif system say they missed flights after their bookings ‘failed’Hundreds of British Muslims who booked travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj pilgrimage have described their anger and frustration at being stranded in the UK despite paying thousands of pounds for flights and hotels through a flawed Saudi government-backed system.Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia’s ministry of hajj and umrah announced that pilgrims from Europe, the US and Australia could no longer book hajj packages through travel agencies and would instead have to apply through a lottery system called Motawif. Continue reading...

Mobile and broadband firms make number of commitments amid cost of living crisisThe UK’s biggest mobile and broadband companies have agreed a plan to help customers struggling to pay bills amid the cost of living crisis, including moves to allow switching to cheaper deals without paying a penalty.The package was agreed at a summit at Downing Street, co-chaired by the culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, and the cost of living business tsar, David Buttress, and attended by the top executives of the country’s biggest telecoms firms, including BT, Virgin Media O2, Vodafone, Three, Sky and TalkTalk. Continue reading...

Immediate solutions needed for deteriorating staff crisis in sector struggling to maintain basic standards, report finds