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Analysis: vaccine programme could sever link between infections and deaths but there are reasons to be seriously doubtful

Killings took place near Ethiopia’s Abuna Yemata church on 8 May, according to multiple testimoniesEritrean soldiers killed 19 civilians in a village at the foot of an internationally celebrated rock-hewn church in Tigray three weeks ago, witnesses, relatives and local residents have claimed, the latest alleged atrocity in the war-torn Ethiopian region.Most of the victims in the alleged attack were women and young children. Continue reading...

Newlywed, 33, may be youngest spouse but her political nous should serve her well in keeping the plus-ones happyNewly wed and with her new married name, Carrie Johnson takes on her first challenge as Britain’s first lady when she hosts the partners of world leaders at next week’s G7 summit.At 33, the conservationist and erstwhile political PR will be the youngest spouse as she stands by the side of Boris Johnson, 56, at their first key event since their secret marriage on Saturday. Continue reading...

With uncertainty around the lifting of restrictions at the end of June, we would like to hear your plans for the warm weatherPeople across the country have been enjoying the hot weather over the bank holiday with the heatwave to last throughout the week.This comes as the government’s former chief scientific adviser, Prof Sir Mark Walport, said it was “not impossible” that the country was in the foothills of a new wave as the government said it would be guided by data when it comes to deciding whether to lift restrictions in England on 21 June. Continue reading...

The Covid vaccination program has lacked urgency at every stage, with the government a few beats behind and its story not quite right

Labor MP Julian Hill lashes out at Greg Hunt for ‘lack of a national public health campaign to combat misinformation’ after his vaccine photo on Facebook receives ‘batshit crazy’ responses• Follow the Australia coronavirus live blog

Beijing says the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand made ‘irresponsible’ comments after Queenstown talksBeijing has accused the prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand of making “irresponsible” comments, after the pair condemned “destabilising activities” in the South China Sea and raised grave concerns about human rights in Xinjiang.China’s foreign ministry says it “firmly opposes” the joint statement issued by Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern after talks in Queenstown, arguing the trans-Tasman allies had “grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs” but would not shake Beijing’s resolve. Continue reading...

Statues of historical figures are lazy, ugly and distort history. From Cecil Rhodes to Rosa Parks, let’s get rid of them all

As Covid-19 has swept the world there has been an explosion of violence against women, and a full-blown assault on their rights. It’s time to fight back against a system that allows women to be sacrificed, erased and violated

First Nations groups say giving children a proper burial will help families find closure following discovery of 215 bodies at Kamloops schoolIndigenous groups in Canada are calling for a nationwide search for mass graves at residential school sites after the discovery of the remains of more than 200 children at one former school last week shocked the country.Prime minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday that searching for more mass graves was “an important part of discovering the truth” but did not make specific commitments. Continue reading...

International Atomic Energy Agency says it can provide only an estimate of Iran’s stockpile

Dozens of grassroots people’s defence forces have emerged to take on brutal militaryMyanmar is on the verge of a new civil war, a spokesperson for the country’s parallel government has warned, as communities increasingly take up arms to protect themselves from a relentless campaign of military violence.Conflict has raged for decades in Myanmar’s borderlands, where myriad ethnic armed groups are fighting with the military for greater autonomy. Since February’s coup, however, dozens of new, grassroots people’s defence forces have emerged to oppose the junta, with battles occurring in areas of the country that were previously peaceful. Continue reading...

WHO unveils new names for variants of concern to replace ones linked to where they were discovered

UK travellers to France face tighter curbs from Monday; Japan may require Games fans to test negative or show vaccine proof; India reports lowest case numbers since 11 April

The actor’s turn as a complex, fallible detective has been a privilege to witness, in a murder mystery that kept us guessing right to the profoundly moving endIn interviews, Kate Winslet always said it wasn’t a thriller. And she was right. Yes, Mare of Easttown (Sky Atlantic) began with a murder in a small, bleak Pennsylvania town and Winslet’s police detective Mare Sheehan being called upon to investigate. But it was almost immediately clear that the seven-part drama was setting up to be so much more – and even clearer soon after that it was likely to succeed in all its endeavours.It was a character study, of how a woman ground down by life after the loss of a son to drugs and suicide, the consequent divorce from her husband and raising of her grandson in the face of a custody battle with his mother (her son’s former girlfriend, rehabbed but fragile) endures. Continue reading...

Exclusive: group urges prime minister to tackle ‘desperate shortage’ in developing nations

Emergency services are seeking a teenager who was seen getting into difficulty in the waterEmergency services were searching the Thames on Monday for a teenage boy who was seen getting into difficulty in the water, hours after the body of a woman was recovered from the river two miles away.Thames Valley police said on Twitter that officers were at the river between Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, and Cookham, Berkshire on Monday, following a report of a fear-for-welfare incident. Continue reading...

China is the major buyer of wood from Pacific nations like PNG and Solomon Islands, which are implicated in illegal or unsustainable logging

The timber industry in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands has brought money and jobs – but also pollution, environmental devastation and food insecurity

Government urged to delay decision on ending lockdown restrictions amid fears of third wave

Study suggests people who are most sure of their ability to discern fact from fiction are less likely to do soAre you a purveyor of fake news? People who are most confident about their ability to discern between fact and fiction are also the most likely to fall victim to misinformation, a US study suggests.Although Americans believe the confusion caused by false news is all-pervasive, relatively few indicate having seen or shared it, something the researchers suggested shows that many may not only have a hard time identifying false news but are not aware of their own deficiencies at doing so. Continue reading...

Attempts to discredit the international criminal court and obstruct its work cannot be tolerated if we are serious about upholding justice globally, write more than 50 former prime ministers, foreign ministers and senior international officialsWe welcome the support that European leaders have expressed for the international criminal court and its unique mandate of advancing justice following war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Consistent support for the ICC and promotion of its universal reach highlight Europe’s serious commitment to deter such violations and to promote a rules-based international order, peace and security.It is clear that Europe has long benefited from multilateralism rooted in international law and the institutions that uphold it. Now, in a time of increasing challenges to the multilateral order and an independent judiciary in many corners of the world and within Europe itself, preserving the ICC’s legitimacy and mandate becomes an imperative. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Open letter signed by dozens of European ex-officials calls for end to ‘unwarranted public criticism’ of inquiry into alleged war crimes

Tens of thousands have yet to apply for post-Brexit residence in countries with 30 June cut-off date

When do the objects we love become a health hazard? In this recording of Guardian Australia’s monthly book club, author Emily Maguire discusses her latest novel, Love Objects, with features editor Lucy ClarkYou can find past Guardian Australia Book club episodes and features here and read more about Emily Maguire’s Love Objects here.

Fall of 3.8% for EU member states in 2019 brought emissions to 24% below 1990 levelsThe EU’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by nearly 4% in 2019, data from Europe’s environmental watchdog has shown, as countries met online for the first time for UN climate negotiations.The fall of 3.8% for EU member states in 2019 brought EU emissions to 24% below 1990 levels – or 26% if carbon sinks are taken into account – according to the European Environment Agency. Continue reading...

Man, 18, arrested in connection with incident at Swanwick Lakes near Fareham on SundayA two-year-old boy is in a critical condition in hospital after being pulled from a lake in Hampshire.Police are appealing for witnesses after the boy was found unresponsive in water at Swanwick Lakes, a nature reserve near Fareham, on Sunday. Continue reading...

China has announced that couples will be permitted to have up to three children. What do couples think of the policy change?Jia Shicong is a 31-year-old education project manager. She is married to Hu Xuancheng, also 31, an engineer. They have a baby girl who is one year and seven months old. They live in Xi’an, in central China Continue reading...

Media reports claim US National Security Agency used Danish cables to spy on senior officialsReports that Denmark’s military intelligence agency helped the US to spy on leading European politicians, including the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, have sparked concern – and demands for an explanation – in EU capitals.Danish public broadcaster Danmarks Radio said the US National Security Agency (NSA), whose alleged tapping of Merkel’s phone was disclosed by Edward Snowden in 2013, also used the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (FE) to spy on officials in Sweden, Norway and France. Continue reading...

Several centres are alleged to have claimed payment for more tests than they carried out

An IT drone’s daily grind meshes with his druggie high-school past in a Canadian brain-teaser that is somewhere between schlock and geniusIf Slaughterhouse-Five and Donnie Darko had a baby, and that baby grew up in the 2000s, became a teenager and then developed a bit of a substance abuse problem, went partying with Denis Villeneuve’s Enemy and that Ashton Kutcher movie The Butterfly Effect, developed memory loss and depression, then it might look something like this interesting but rather muddled Canadian science fiction film.Dylan O’Brien, an actor in his late 20s who is fortuitously baby-faced enough to be cast as a high-school senior, stars as Fred, a guy who seems to have come a bit unstuck in time. At first, things seem normal as he goes about his life as an IT office drone, working under tough boss Evelyn (Amanda Brugel, looking more glam here than she usually does in The Handmaid’s Tale) and living with his nice but somewhat dull partner Karen (Hannah Gross). But the increasing dementia of his mother (Liisa Repo-Martell) and memories triggered by old photographs gets Fred thinking about his wild teenage years. Continue reading...

Yair Lapid says Naftali Bennett would serve first in proposed post-Netanyahu power-sharing dealThe far-right Israeli politician Naftali Bennett will be the country’s next prime minister under a proposed power-sharing deal intended to oust Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of the opposition has confirmed.Yair Lapid said in a speech on Monday that his efforts to forge a coalition of ideologically opposed parties could lead to a new government within days, and with it, Netanyahu’s removal from office after 12 years in power. Continue reading...

It has to be an omnipresent, year-round stinker. So which is it?

Celebrate the first signs of summer with these ice-cold concoctions – from watermelon margaritas to froséThis has not been a landmark spring. We’ve been milling around with our coats zipped up to our necks, weathering wave after wave of wind and rain and hail, for what seems like eight or nine months now. But, at last, things are beginning to warm up. And what better way to celebrate turning your central heating off than by getting out the blender and getting trashed on frozen cocktails? Below you’ll find 10 of the best recipes around. But be quick, because knowing this year we’re only about a fortnight away from a snowstorm. Continue reading...

Yvonne Hall, who with husband Barry Gracey sold $50 bricks to build a memorial garden in France, given 16-month intensive corrections orderA woman who claimed to be selling commemorative bricks honouring the Anzacs but instead used the money for her own personal living expenses has been sentenced to a 16-month intensive corrections order.Yvonne Hall, who founded the Pozières Remembrance Association with her husband, Barry Gracey, in 2010 was sentenced in the Coffs Harbour local court on Monday. Continue reading...

Detention of of veteran pro-democracy activist clear sign of authorities’ zero tolerance to protestPolice in Hong Kong have arrested a 65-year-old democracy activist as she staged a lone demonstration over China’s deadly Tiananmen crackdown, in a vivid illustration of the zero tolerance wielded by authorities towards protest in the financial hub.Alexandra Wong was detained on Sunday on suspicion of taking part in an unlawful assembly as she walked towards Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong. Continue reading...

Government will step up scheme saving interpreters and others from reprisals as international troops leaveMoves to relocate to the UK hundreds of Afghans who worked for the British military and government will reportedly be accelerated as foreign forces leave the country.The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy was launched this year, allowing the Afghans, who mostly worked as interpreters, to settle in Britain. More than 1,400 Afghans and their families have already relocated to the UK, and hundreds more received funding for education and training. Continue reading...

Australian and New Zealand prime ministers talk up closeness of ties as Ardern is forced to defend ‘soft’ stance on BeijingThe Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, has warned that “there are those far from here that would seek to divide us”, during a press conference with his New Zealand counterpart, Jacinda Ardern, that focused on how the two countries handle China.The leaders emphasised unity in the face of Beijing’s increasing regional influence and Morrison said any forces trying to scupper the partnership would not succeed. Continue reading...

Lack of permanent photography hub means precious work is being lost forever, says groupSpain’s best-known photographers have thrown their weight behind a new campaign to establish a national centre to catalogue, share, protect and promote the country’s rich and diverse photographic history.The Platform for a Centre of Photography and the Image – whose members include Ramón Masats, Isabel Muñoz, Alberto García-Alix, Juan Manuel Castro Prieto and Cristina García Rodero – points out that Spain is one of only a handful of EU countries that does not have a centre exclusively dedicated to photography. Continue reading...

Public can sign up for the chance to line the red carpet and meet their favourite actorsTV stars and fans will follow in the virtual footsteps of Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston by appearing in hologram form at the Bafta television awards, it has been announced.Nominees for this year’s British Academy Television Awards who cannot attend the 6 June ceremony because of Covid restrictions can be beamed on to the red carpet. The technology will be offered to TV stars who may be restricted to production filming bubbles as well as fans who had hoped to line the red carpet. Continue reading...

Monday: Concern after Victorian healthcare worker in aged care tests positive. Plus: the Guardian investigates the projects taking a toll on Pacific island nationsGood morning – it’s already the last day of May! Melbourne’s Covid cluster is now at 40, there are calls for Australia to rethink skilled immigration, and one country is dominating the exploitation of Pacific resources. This is Imogen Dewey with today’s main stories and some tips for safe gardening.Victoria yesterday confirmed five new locally acquired Covid infections – including one “extremely concerning” mystery case in aged care – on day three of its fourth lockdown. The acting premier, James Merlino, said every state business owner should be angry that the federal government had rejected calls to provide additional financial support during the state’s fourth lockdown, as the cost to the economy was estimated to hit $700m. Merlino spoke for Australia, writes Katherine Murphy, when he expressed incredulity over the deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, continuing to tell people the vaccine rollout was “not a race” (more on that below). Continue reading...

Theory that coronavirus leaked out of a Wuhan lab was ‘not off the table’, Dale Fisher says

Rolls-Royce and British American Tobacco among firms that may take action in wake of Ryanair ‘hijacking’

Who’s in the photograph? And just what is in those journals? As the Kate Winslet thriller comes to a close, here are the mysteries we’re desperate to see solvedWarning: this article contains spoilers for episodes one to six of Mare of Easttown.Mare of Easttown has become a bona fide phenomenon. A thriller revolving around an aloof, small-town detective tracking down the perps of the sexual abuse and murder of girls is pretty much the least original idea there is, but its combination of phenomenal performances (Kate Winslet is one of the best actors working today), surprising comic chops (Jean Smart is hilarious) and breadth of suspects has proved gripping. The show even has Stephen King hooked. Who knew a bunch of bearded men in flannel shirts could be this interesting? Continue reading...

Nearly 40% mislabelled clitoris regardless of their gender in study conducted out of concern for female patients

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr programme, the vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, urges people to wait another two weeks to find out whether the roadmap date for the lifting of all coronavirus restrictions can be adhered to, also prompting calls for the government to provide ‘advance notice’ of any ‘lingering’ measures to struggling businesses.

Prehistoric sites, dramatic scenery and sandy beaches earn the island the top spot for visitors, with Shetland coming secondThe ancient standing stones and neolithic settlements of Orkney have earned it the title of best Scottish island, according to a survey from Which?Readers were asked to rate 14 of the biggest of the hundreds of islands in Scotland’s waters, with 10 of them receiving an impressive visitor score of 80% or more. Continue reading...

Campaigners concerned by controversial plans for tribunals where firms can seek compensation for effect of government policiesA free trade deal between the UK and Australia is on course to include a controversial system of secret courts that will allow businesses to seek compensation if their profits are hit by government policies.In a move that has alarmed trade unions and anti-poverty campaigners, trade minister Greg Hands said UK negotiators were in talks with Australian officials over proposals to include a scheme that will arbitrate on disputes behind closed doors. Continue reading...

Members had planned vote of no confidence in chairman Tim ParkerThe National Trust has dismissed claims that its chairman quit in response to a campaign by some members against “wokeness”.Tim Parker, who was appointed to the unpaid post in 2014, will step down in the autumn, it was announced last week. Because of the pandemic, he had agreed to stay on after completing two three-year terms. Continue reading...