Phyo Zeya Thaw met then prime minister Julia Gillard when he was brought to Australia by AusAid

Critics of Kais Saied fear he will rip up democracy that emerged from 2011 revolutionTunisians have begun voting in a referendum on a new constitution that critics of the president fear will dismantle the democracy that emerged from a 2011 revolution by handing him nearly total power.The vote is being held on the first anniversary of Kais Saied’s ousting of an elected parliament, when he established emergency rule and began governing by fiat. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war hereWithout port blockades, Ukraine would be able to export 60m tonnes of grain in eight to nine months, according to Ukraine’s economic adviser, Oleh Ustenko.Ustenko said Russia’s strike on the port of Odesa showed it would definitely not be that easy, according to Reuters reports of his appearance on television. Continue reading...

Human rights leaders report receiving emails from account purporting to be from Pavlou in recent days after campaigner’s arrest in London

Firefighters continue to tackle ‘significant’ weather-related blazes, with several fire engines sent to large blaze on Hankley CommonFire services have declared a major incident in Surrey and urged Londoners to cancel barbecues in the capital as firefighters continue to tackle “significant” weather-related blazes.Several fire engines were sent to Hankley Common, a beauty spot in Surrey, on Sunday after a large fire estimated to affect at least eight hectares of land broke out, according to Surrey fire and rescue. Continue reading...

EXCLUSIVE: State government’s trade commissioner forced to work from a room in his San Fransisco home

Club lobby said refusal to delete YouTube video would make ‘matters worse’ for former employee Troy Stolz

Cash and gems worth £25m were stolen from her Kensington mansion in 2019Tamara Ecclestone, the daughter of ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, has offered a reward of up to £6m for information that may lead to the recovery of some of her “most precious” belongings stolen in 2019.The 38-year-old was on holiday in Lapland with her husband, their daughter and their dog, when the £25m jewel heist occurred in their 57-room Kensington mansion, on 13 December 2019. Continue reading...

Aran Chada, 51, believed to have had seizure after leaping from boat into waterA British man is feared to have drowned in Lake Garda in Italy after diving in to save his teenage son.Aran Chada, a 51-year-old sales director from Leicestershire, is believed to have had a seizure when he leapt from a boat into the water, the Times reports. Continue reading...

Amnesty International leads criticism of immigration plans announced by Tory leadership candidatesRishi Sunak and Liz Truss have been accused of “cruelty and immorality” for promising more Rwanda-style deals to remove asylum seekers from the UK, as charities claimed the pair were pandering to party members’ hardline views.Amnesty International led criticism of immigration plans announced over the weekend by the Tory leadership candidates, saying the “dreadful” pledges would come at “great human and financial cost”. Continue reading...

Russian foreign minister starts trip in Egypt, one day after Russian strike on Odesa put question mark over deal to restart exports

Terrence Higgins Trust says action must be stepped up to prevent disease becoming endemicHealth authorities are underestimating the scale of the response required to stop monkeypox becoming endemic in the UK, sexual health campaigners have warned, as a new vaccination drive is launched.The Terrence Higgins Trust urged the NHS and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to urgently pump cash into the system to pay more healthcare workers to administer vaccines. It also wants the number of doses ordered to be doubled to protect against a virus that has infected at least 2,208 people in the UK, according to the latest official figures. Continue reading...

Hungary’s far-right prime minister says countries where races mingle are ‘no longer nations’Hungary’s far-right prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has lashed out against the “mixing” of European and non-European races, in a speech that immediately drew outrage from opposition parties and European politicians.“We [Hungarians] are not a mixed race … and we do not want to become a mixed race,” said Orbán on Saturday. He added that countries where European and non-Europeans mingle are “no longer nations”. Continue reading...

OneWeb, touted by Boris Johnson as a potential rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink, provides communications servicesA satellite company part-owned by the British government is due to be taken over by an EU rival this week, dashing hopes of fostering a UK firm to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink following its taxpayer bailout at the height of the pandemic.OneWeb, which provides services including broadband from its low-orbit satellites, will be taken over by one of its shareholders – the Paris-listed Eutelsat- in a deal that could be announced as early as Monday. Continue reading...

Analysis: Leadership contenders compete on hardline approach to Rwanda immigration policy in appeal to the right of the partyIt’s not just barbecues that red meat is being tossed on to in the sweltering summer temperatures.As the Tory leadership contest hots up, a platter of hardline policies is being offered to party members by Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, in a bid to whet appetites and boost support in the race to become Britain’s prime minister. Continue reading...

Brothers of Italy leads far-right alliance in pole position for snap summer electionWhen the far right took power in Ladispoli, a beach town near Rome, in 2017, ending 20 years of leftwing administration, among its priorities was naming a square after Giorgio Almirante, a minister in Benito Mussolini’s dictatorship and founder of the neofascist Italian Social Movement (MSI).Protests from anti-fascist groups failed to thwart the plan, and in 2019 the nameplate was unveiled during a ceremony that included a blessing from the priest of the church on the same square. Almirante was described by mayor Alessandro Grando, who won a second term in June, as “the father of Italian rightwing socialism and point of reference for many Italians”. Continue reading...

Despite Brexit the super-rich pile in, buying up homes including one on Belgrave Square for £90mThe collapse in the value of the pound has led the global super-rich to buy up 61 luxury London properties each worth more than £10m in the first six months of 2022 – the highest number in a decade.The total value of £10m-plus homes changing hands so far this year has topped £1bn as international buyers continue to be attracted to London despite Brexit. Continue reading...

Dog who stood by master’s Edinburgh grave for 14 years was no Skye terrier but a dandie dinmont popular in the 17th century, say authorsGreyfriars Bobby is likely to have been a different breed of terrier than previously thought, a new book suggests.The faithful pet, famous for sitting at his master’s graveside in Edinburgh for 14 years after his death in 1858, was thought to have been a Skye terrier. Continue reading...

Mural of deceased star’s character appears in Wakanda Forever trailer, as cast and director hail actor’s ‘genius’The cast of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman’s “passion and genius” as the trailer for the sequel was revealed at Comic-Con.The film’s director, Ryan Coogler, said the production team had “put our love for Chadwick into this film”. Continue reading...

Palestinian authorities confirm death of two men and say six more were wounded during clash in NablusIsraeli forces have killed two Palestinian fighters in a pre-dawn clash in the occupied West Bank and attacked a fishing boat off the Gaza Strip coast that was accused of smuggling in Hamas supplies from Egypt.The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade militant group claimed the two Palestinians killed on Sunday at a house in Nablus as its members. The Palestinian health ministry said six others were wounded. Continue reading...

Hollywood actor will play Donna Freedman one more time as Australian soap comes to an endThe Oscar-nominated actor Margot Robbie will join a handful of international stars returning to Ramsay Street for the final episode of the long-running Australian soap Neighbours.The 32-year-old, who starred in The Suicide Squad and is playing Barbie in Greta Gerwig’s forthcoming film, will return to her role as Donna Freedman in the Australian soap. Continue reading...

Cabinet Office minister says rail project ‘waiting to breach waves and rip arm off’ Liz Truss or Rishi SunakThe Cabinet Office minister Kit Malthouse has described the HS2 rail project as a “killer whale” that could “rip the arm” off the next prime minister.In an intervention that will alarm supporters of the multibillion-pound rail upgrade, Malthouse said it could “derail” the premiership of Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss. Continue reading...

Holidaymakers hoping to cross Channel on Sunday told to expect delays of at least two hoursHolidaymakers hoping to travel to France have been told to expect a third day of disruption as the Eurotunnel was hit by long queues of traffic trying to reach Dover.Passengers hoping to cross the Channel on Sunday were told to expect delays of at least two hours due to miles of tailbacks to get to the ferry terminals. Continue reading...

London force takes unusual step of writing to schools urging families to look out for signs of extremismThe Metropolitan police force has taken the unprecedented step of writing to parents of school-age children, urging them to look out for signs of radicalisation because it fears the six-week summer holiday could lead to a rise in extremism.Det Supt Jane Corrigan, of the Met’s counter-terrorism command and lead officer in the anti-terrorist Prevent programme, sent a letter to primary and secondary schools in London – the first time such a step has been taken – to distribute to parents last week. In it she expresses concern that children would be spending more time online during the summer holidays, and that this would create the risk they could come into contact with those attempting to radicalise young people. Continue reading...

Family of Alaa Abd El Fattah say it feels as if foreign secretary has ‘abandoned’ him since she started leadership campaignThe family of the British activist Alaa Abd El Fattah have accused the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, of ignoring his case in favour of her bid to lead the Conservative party, as he reached his 114th day of a hunger strike inside Egypt’s Wadi El Natrun desert prison.Abd El Fattah, a figurehead of Egypt’s 2011 uprisings, has spent most of the last decade behind bars and last December was sentenced to a further five years in prison on charges of terrorism and “spreading false news” after sharing a social media post. He gained British citizenship while incarcerated last year, but British officials have since been stonewalled by the Egyptian side when attempting to visit him in prison. Continue reading...

Many eateries turned their ovens off last week to save their chefs from the heatRestaurants and gastro pubs are planning to offer more “heatwave menus” in the future amid concerns that soaring temperatures will make it impractical and potentially unsafe for chefs to cook hot food in summer.Last week, commercial ovens and grills across the UK were switched off and menus offering hot pies, burgers and steaks were ditched in favour of summer salads, open sandwiches and cold soup. “We swapped hot cooked fish for chilled octopus mussels and olives, and cold poached skate salad,” said Nick Gibson, owner of the Drapers Arms in Islington, north London, which tore up its usual bill of fare to offer an entirely cold menu during the heatwave. Continue reading...

The woman’s case is among thousands that have been affected by a record-breaking backlog of hearings likely to increase amid barrister strikesA rape victim who will have been waiting five years by the time her case comes to court has said navigating the justice process has had a worse impact on her mental health than the crime itself, leaving her feeling “suicidal”.The woman, known as Debbie, recently had her case listed but it was pulled the day before she was due to appear in court. She now faces a further eight-month wait. Continue reading...

Daughter of Labour cabinet minister who faked his own death in Miami in 1974 fears spying charges will feature in ITV showWhen John Stonehouse, a stylish cabinet minister in Harold Wilson’s Labour government, piled up his clothes on a beach in Miami in 1974 and disappeared, he left many unsolved questions behind him.Even today, almost 50 years after he was discovered to have faked his own death to try to start a new life in Australia, the facts of his story remain in question. Was he mentally ill? Was he a traitor? Did he act alone? Continue reading...

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Workplace relations minister opens door to considering industrial relations changes as he announces gutting of building watchdog

Custodians fighting to stop construction of a WA fertiliser plant say environment department gave just three days to respond to a 180-page document

Supermarket ‘meal deals’ aimed at low-income families fall below schools food standards, says expertStruggling families are being encouraged by the government to feed their children on discounted supermarket cafe menus comprising ultra-processed junk food over the summer holidays, experts have claimed.The government’s Help for Households campaign last week urged families hit by the cost of the living crisis to take advantage of new or existing supermarket meal deals, including a “kids eat for £1” offer in Asda and “kids eat free” with an adult paying customer in Morrisons. Continue reading...

Amid staffing crisis and warnings that system is ‘deeply flawed’ companies caring for elderly and disabled enjoyed financial successThe UK’s biggest care home chains saw their profit margins jump by 18% on average during the pandemic, new research shows, while the highest paid director’s salary surged to £2.3m.Amid a social care staffing crisis, and warnings from medical leaders that the system is “deeply flawed” and in need of urgent reform, analysis seen by the Observer lays bare the financial successes of major providers caring for elderly and disabled people. Continue reading...

Five other people, including two firefighters, taken to hospital from blaze in south-western suburb of Hinchinbrook

Ukrainian president says attack shows Moscow can’t be trusted to implement deal to unblock exports agreed less than a day beforeUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accused Russia of “barbarism” after missiles hit the southern port of Odesa, threatening a deal signed just a day earlier to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war.Barely 12 hours after Moscow signed a deal with Kyiv to allow monitored grain exports from Ukraine’s southern ports, Russia targeted Odesa – through which shipments would take place – with cruise missile strikes. Continue reading...

Providers call for urgent support as 3,400 staff infected in 1,013 facilities and fears two-thirds of homes could soon have outbreaks

Rare disclosure comes as China struggles to increase elderly immunisation rates amid online rumours of side-effects

Pavlou says the emailed threat was intended to frame him after he staged a peaceful protest carrying a Uyghur flag outside the embassy

Russian missiles hit Odesa hours after deal to allow resumption of grain exports; US accuses Russia of deepening global food crisis

Institute for Public Policy Research study also shows proportion of working-class Labour MPs has halved since 1980sOnly about 1% of the current crop of Tory MPs entered parliament from a working-class job, according to new research that suggests a growing “representation gap” in parliament.Just 7% of all MPs can be considered “working class”, compared with 34% of all UK working-age adults. While 13% of Labour MPs joined parliament from a working-class occupation, the proportion has halved since the 1980s. Continue reading...

Lord Speaker raises concerns about public loss of confidence in parliament due to huge quantity of new and planned peersBoris Johnson’s plans for a major list of peerages has come under criticism, with the Lord Speaker saying it could erode “public confidence in our parliamentary system”.The House of Lords Appointment Commission (Holac), the body responsible for vetting peerages, is holding up the outgoing prime minister’s plans, Whitehall sources told the Sunday Times, who also reported that such moves could be restricted in future. Continue reading...

Tory leadership candidate’s pledge follows favourite Liz Truss’s claim she would extend Rwanda schemeRishi Sunak, who is battling with Liz Truss to win the backing of the Conservative grassroots in his attempt to replace Boris Johnson, has announced plans for an annual cap on the number of refugees the UK accepts.The former chancellor, who trails Truss by 24%, according to a YouGov poll of Conservative members earlier this week, will on Sunday promise to tackle illegal migration and regain control of the UK’s borders if he becomes the next Conservative leader and prime minister. Continue reading...

Health leaders call for streamlining of complex registration process as overseas-trained doctors look elsewhere for work

Department’s incoming brief to Penny Wong warns of consular and passport issues as well as citizens detained in Syria

Australian Unemployed Workers Union survey reveals challenges for those seeking work, from lack of information to unreasonable demands

Champion prize at the British Podcast Awards given to series co-hosted by bowel cancer campaigner who died in JuneDame Deborah James’ podcast You, Me and the Big C, has been honoured at the British Podcast Awards winning the champion prize.James, who hosted the podcast alongside Rachael Bland and Lauren Mahon, died last month aged 40 after receiving end of life care for bowel cancer at home. Bland died in September 2018 aged 40, nearly two years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Continue reading...

French transport minister hits back at Liz Truss’s suggestion that France needed to fix the ‘avoidable and unacceptable’ situationAuthorities in Kent have declared a “major incident” due to traffic jams in and around Dover, with officials saying the disruption could be worse than on Friday.

Anger over lack of cash for Dover upgrade as Tory candidates vie to blame France for delaysLong summer queues at the border risk becoming the “new normal” after Brexit, holidaymakers have been warned, as a fierce diplomatic row erupted with France over the lengthy tailbacks affecting Dover.Both Tory leadership candidates rushed to blame a shortage of French border staff for delays that saw some travellers waiting for hours. Former chancellor Rishi Sunak said the French “need to stop blaming Brexit and start getting the staff required to match demand”. Foreign secretary Liz Truss said she was in touch with her French counterparts, blaming a “lack of resources at the border”. Continue reading...

Sarah Becker’s judicial review win relating to financial help for grandchildren she raises will affect other councilsA woman who is a kinship carer for her two grandchildren has won a judicial review against Plymouth council, after a judge quashed the model used by the council to calculate the money it pays to bring them up on the grounds that it was irrational.Plymouth council will now have to recalculate and back pay the allowances not only to Sarah Becker, 56, but to all special guardians in the local authority area who took in young relatives when they were already responsible for their own dependent children. Continue reading...

Airstrikes raise doubts about viability of agreement as Russia also launches series of attacks across Ukraine