World news | The Guardian

Melbourne-based cluster grows to 40 cases as Morrison government maintains vaccine rollout is ‘not a race’

Prime ministers meet in Queenstown, with Ardern’s government confirming it will join Australian trade dispute with China as third partyThe New Zealand and Australian prime ministers, Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison, have met in Queenstown on Sunday, their first talks in person since Covid-19 closed borders in 2020.Over the past year the relationship between the two countries has been strained by conflict over Australia’s “501” deportation policy, and differing approaches to China. Formal talks between the two prime ministers will begin on Monday. Continue reading...

The global renaissance of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of mental health gains further legitimacy in Australia as psychologists sign up for clinical trialsWhen growing up in Yea, in rural Victoria, Campbell Townsend took a dim view of drugs.“My parents were born in the shadow of Nixon’s war on drugs, and I was a very simple country boy,” the psychologist says, sitting in his cottage outside Castlemaine. “I grew up with stories from my parents about friends of theirs at university going crazy just from one choof of a bong.”

Jacinda Ardern’s office confirms refugee offer has not changed, but does not say if deal is on bilateral talks agendaNew Zealand’s offer to resettle refugees from Australia’s offshore immigration detention system remains on the table, and the imminent end of Australia’s long-running US refugee swap could bring it under more urgent consideration from Australia.The office of Jacinda Ardern confirmed to the Guardian that her country’s position had not changed – the longstanding offer to accept 150 refugees from Australia’s offshore islands each year still stood – but declined to confirm whether it was on the agenda for the New Zealand prime minister’s meeting with her Australian counterpart on Sunday. “We don’t discuss the content of bilaterals before they take place.” Continue reading...

Kath Stewart, the Red Cross’s first female armed forces delegate, is sometimes mistaken for a secretaryIn her dealings with armed forces and militant groups trying to persuade them to respect the laws of war, Kath Stewart has had her fair share of awkward experiences.The Australian, who became the first woman to serve as a military and armed groups delegate with the International Committee of the Red Cross, says sometimes people mistake her for a secretary or a support person. Continue reading...

White House says the US, the EU and other allies will target key members of President Lukashenko’s governmentThe Biden administration has said it is drawing up a list of targeted sanctions against key members of the Belarusian government which forced the landing of a passenger jet and had a journalist on board arrested.The White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Friday the United States was also suspending a 2019 agreement between Washington and Minsk that allowed carriers from each country to use the other’s airspace, and taking other actions against the government of President Alexander Lukashenko. Continue reading...

Family car washed away at high tide near St Agnes after driver became stuck on a steep slipway while doing a three-point turnBemused residents and tourism officials in Cornwall have urged visitors to “engage their brains” after a family car got washed into the sea near St Agnes.In the second such incident at Trevaunance Cove in the past eight months, the vehicle was swept away at high tide after the driver got stuck on a steep slipway while doing a three-point turn. Continue reading...

Tories have closed ranks against the PM’s aide. But privately, many know the party is living in fear of further bombshells

Protests in over 200 cities and towns in Brazil sparked by president’s handling of the Covid pandemic

Honest examination of French colonial record in Africa and responsibilty in Rwanda key to new strategy, though critics say little has changedWith the golden winter sun slanting across the palm trees and yellow sandstone, the scene was perfect. Emmanuel Macron and his host, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, walked down the red carpet of the Union buildings in Pretoria as the Marseillaise resonated through the clean, crisp air.The historic setting was apt. Since taking power in 2017, the French president has sought a broad reset of national strategy, relations and intervention in Africa. He has chosen a very contemporary way to do this: by re-examining the past. Continue reading...

The Hideous Kinky author on her childhood dyslexia, the frenzy around being a perfect mother, and why there are so few great female artistsEsther Freud is the author of nine novels, including Hideous Kinky, her semi-autobiographical debut, which tells of her unconventional childhood in Morocco. The daughter of Lucien Freud and Bernardine Coverley, she trained as an actor before becoming a novelist. Freud has three children with the actor David Morrissey, from whom she recently separated. I Couldn’t Love You More is the story of three generations of Irish women: Rosaleen, a heroic, headstrong teenager in the early 1960s who begins an affair with an older man; Aoife, her mother, who recounts her life to her dying husband and wonders what became of her flighty daughter; and Kate, in London, married to the useless Matt, trying to make it as an artist while looking after their daughter, Freya. The three lives intertwine and overlap over the course of the novel.You say in the acknowledgments that I Couldn’t Love You More was inspired by your own mother, bringing up children unmarried and without the support of her family.

Anti-poverty demonstrators battle with police across the country as protests enter second month

On 12 August 2020 at 7.48am the first of a series of Home Office flights carrying asylum seekers left Stansted. This is the harrowing story of the hours before it took off and the anguish of those on boardAt 7.15am, half an hour before charter flight Esparto 11 took off from Stansted airport, a detainee with a documented history of self-harm asked to use the plane’s bathroom. He was taken to the toilet by an escort working for the Home Office who held the door ajar with his foot and, after several minutes, peered inside to discover the detainee had slashed his wrist with a blade.Pinning the man with his body weight to gain “control”, another officer squeezed into the bathroom and placed a handcuff on the wrist. According to an account written by officers, the handcuff was used to “[give] him pain”, a reference to a restraint technique which involves deliberately inflicting suffering to gain submission. In this case, most likely by twisting the cuff or pushing it into the wrist. Continue reading...

A sombre week as BBC presenters pondered war reporting ethics, George Floyd’s death, and a decade of conflict in SyriaSunday Feature: Regarding the Pain of Others (BBC Radio 3) | BBC Sounds

Officials say vehicle carrying university staff targeted in Kapisa, with bomb set off remotelyA roadside bomb has struck a minivan full of university staff in Afghanistan’s northern Kapisa province, killing three teachers and wounding 15 others, police said on Saturday.The country’s interior ministry spokesman, Tariq Arian, said on Saturday that the minivan was targeted while travelling from Al-Beroni University. Provincial police spokesman Shayeq Shoresh said the bomb was set off by remote control. Continue reading...

CEO calls on Scottish ministers to replace 2-metre rule with 1 metre to secure future of world’s largest arts festival

Roberto Saviano says that a court has shown that the crime clans – whose threats forced him to live with a bodyguard – are not invincibleThe internationally renowned anti-mafia writer Roberto Saviano has declared that “journalism has been vindicated; words are vindicated – and so am I”, after a landmark judgment in Rome over threats to his life.Judges ruled on Monday that a courtroom manoeuvre 13 years ago by a Camorra mafia boss and his lawyer constituted a threat to Saviano’s life, and that of a colleague – Rosaria Capacchione, then of the Naples daily Il Mattino – condemning the journalists to live ever since in the shadows, under bodyguard. Continue reading...

Police arrest and charge 70-year-old over alleged incidents in 2006 and 2011A councillor has been arrested and charged over alleged child sexual abuse offences.Michael Green, a Scottish Conservative councillor for the Glenrothes North, Leslie and Markinch ward on Fife council, has been charged with two offences: one in 2006 and another in 2011. Continue reading...

Janice was a drug dealer who now works with ex-prisoners, Christian used to be a neo-Nazi and now helps former extremists… Five people who have radically changed their lives reveal what made them switchMy life as a criminal wasn’t glamorous. People think of the money, but not what happens after midnight: the police you have to hide from; the family members who won’t talk to you; the thieves, robbers and informants on your back. This is what I now remind people who find themselves sucked into the underworld. Living that life taught me how it feels to be on the wrong side of the law, and equipped me with tools to help people escape it, because that’s precisely what I did. Continue reading...

How does Australia’s coronavirus vaccine rollout compare with other countries and when will you be eligible to get vaccinated? We bring together the latest numbers on daily new Covid-19 cases, as well as stats and live data on total vaccination figures in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and other states.

When Arifa Akbar’s artist sister died suddenly, she was left wondering why their relationship had been so fractious. Could a trove of sketchbooks reveal the truth?

Forecasters expect ‘very high’ UV levels in southern England, and warn people not to be caught outForecasters are warning of a bank holiday sunburn risk as UV rays are expected to reach very high levels during the sunshine this weekend, after weeks of cooler weather.The Met Office is anticipating UV levels of 8 in the south of England on Monday, which is considered “very high” for the UK and requires extra sun protection. Continue reading...

When it comes to wealth, there’s little between Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich and Manchester City’s Sheikh MansourWelcome to the battle of the billionaires. On the pitch the Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester City in Porto on Saturday will be the biggest match of most of the players’ careers. On the touchline it is also the culmination of a 13-year struggle between two of the world’s richest people – and their wallets – for world football supremacy.Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch who bought Chelsea in 2003, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family who purchased Manchester City in 2008, have collectively spent more than £3.7bn on buying players since they bought the clubs. Continue reading...

The jazz-funkers beloved of Beyoncé are back with a new album inspired by grief, lockdown and a big white station wagon

After a life marked by abuse, fame, scandal and struggle, the Irish singer-songwriter says she never lost faith

Experts argue that a repeat of past failings could lead to an increase in transmissions over bank holiday

Films based on British writer’s stories have loyal following in Germany and are now even listed as a key draw for G7 diplomatsStrolling along Padstow harbour, Grace Kent and Dr Robert Hayford are tumbling into each other’s eyes over fish and chips, paisley scarves blowing in the Cornish breeze. Yet in spite of the quintessentially English setting, they whisper their sweet nothings in German.This is a scene from Wie verhext, which translates as Bewitched, a German TV production that premiered in national broadcaster ZDF’s Sunday prime-time slot at the start of this month. Inspired by the short story Tea With a Witch by the British novelist Rosamunde Pilcher, it is the latest instalment in one of the most enduring cross-cultural links between the two European nations, entering its third decade in spite of Brexit, Covid-19 and the author’s death in 2019. Continue reading...

Likened to Erykah Badu and Amy Winehouse, the south Londoner’s nu-soul sound looks set to reign supreme this summer – whether she likes it or notA polluted intersection on the A1 does not seem like Greentea Peng’s natural habitat. Its ear-splitting soundtrack – of screaming horns and the odd exploding crisp packet – could not be further from the 26-year-old’s preferred sonic mode: blissed-out, dub-inflected psychedelic soul that speaks of renouncing ego, embracing love and bringing down Babylon. But it is her chosen location: the south London-born musician, otherwise known as Aria Wells, discovered this Turkish roadside cafe on her current visit to the capital and has returned repeatedly. “This place does amazing baklava,” she enthuses, before asking a slightly confused waitress to dollop some chilli sauce into her soup.Related: The Guide: Staying In – sign up for our home entertainment tips Continue reading...

From face masks to working from home, we examine what the government may risk ditching

New Victorian Covid-19 restrictions have been announced in response to a growing number of cases in a Melbourne suburbs coronavirus outbreak. Can you leave home? Is mask-wearing compulsory? Are schools closed? Is travelling permitted? What is the 5km radius for? Here are the new rules

Litoria mira has been declared a new species, despite looking very similar to the Australian green tree frogAn Australian scientist has discovered a new species of frog, the “chocolate frog”, in rainforest swamps of New Guinea.Steve Richards, a frog specialist at the South Australian Museum, first found the spotted the cocoa-coloured creature in 2016 in incredibly challenging habitat. Continue reading...

Officials confirm deaths during Friday protests marking a month of demonstrationsFour people have died in Colombia as tens of thousands of protesters marked a month of demonstrations across the country, while talks between the government and the national strike committee were stalled.Related: Colombia politician tells protesters hurt by police to ‘stop crying over one eye’ Continue reading...

Psychiatrist tells court Samantha Azzopardi has ‘rare but dramatic’ disorder which involves ‘extreme lying’A disturbed woman who created bizarre and false identities as a nanny, a talent scout and a pregnant and abused teen is a pathological liar at high risk of reoffending, a Melbourne court has found.Samantha Azzopardi, who created false backstories for herself around the world, was sentenced on Friday to two years in prison in Victoria over her latest inventions. Continue reading...

Common travel area with Britain will not be restored due to concerns over India variant

Liberal William Amos stepping down from some duties and ‘seeking assistance’ after urinating in cup during online sessionA Canadian MP is temporarily stepping down from some duties and is “seeking assistance” after being caught on camera urinating during parliamentary proceedings, a month after being caught on camera naked during another virtual appearance.“Last night, while attending House of Commons proceedings virtually, in a non-public setting, I urinated without realizing I was on camera,” said William Amos, a member of Justin Trudeau’s ruling Liberal party, in an apology posted to Twitter late on Thursday. Continue reading...

Newsreader confuses Bill Shakespeare, 81, ‘the first man to get the coronavirus vaccine’ with ‘one of the most important writers in the English language’In what can only be described as a comedy of errors, an Argentinian TV news channel delivered a stunning, if slightly flawed, scoop on Thursday night when it reported that William Shakespeare, “one of the most important writers in the English language” had died five months after receiving the Covid vaccine.The gaffe of, well, Shakespearean proportions happened after Noelia Novillo, a newsreader on Canal 26, mixed up the Bard with William “Bill” Shakespeare, an 81-year-old Warwickshire man who became the second person in the world to get the Pfizer vaccine. Continue reading...

British PM criticised for hosting rightwing Hungarian leader seen as ally of Vladimir PutinBoris Johnson raised “significant concerns” about media freedoms and human rights with Viktor Orbán, No 10 has said, after sustained criticism of the prime minister’s decision to meet the Hungarian leader.Prior to the meeting in Downing Street, Orbán had insisted he was right to describe Muslim refugees as “invaders”. Continue reading...

Adviser on ministers’ interests says prime minister was initially unaware Tory peer was paying for works

Former US president and England footballer discuss activism and inspiring others to create change

Old languages are far from dead – and knowledge of their subtleties advances by the dayA new two-volume ancient Greek-English lexicon has just been published by Cambridge University. The work of over 20 years, it defines 37,000 words. One might wonder why such a thing might be needed. After all, Liddell and Scott’s Greek dictionary, with its early-20th-century revisions, has served scholars well since 1843. And isn’t ancient Greek a dead language anyway?By no means. Scholars constantly broaden knowledge of the language. The later 19th century saw a profusion of Greek texts excavated in Egypt, where the dry sands preserved millions of papyrus fragments – not just literature but bills, letters and even magical spells, full of new usages that are still being studied (not all of this is reflected in the new lexicon). In recent decades, the canon has broadened towards the abundant Greek writing produced under the Roman empire – though, since the new dictionary advances only to the second century AD, it, alas, omits much of this material. Continue reading...

Project marks culmination of president’s dream of dismantling Atatürk’s secular legacy

Decision by the government – in anticipation of European regulatory approval – prompts vigorous debate

Looters have plundered Italy’s cultural sites for years, but a crackdown by art police means recent trade has not been as fruitfulBy day, the tombaroli, or tomb raiders, marked out the spot. They used long, pointed tools to pierce the earth , beneath which there was a passage that would take them to Roman homes replete with treasure in Civita Giuliana, a suburb of ancient Pompeii, about 700 metres north-west of the main archaeological park.By night, they dug a network of tunnels. Each was about 40 metres long, starting from their home or abandoned buildings in the countryside area close to the site, and connected to the passage, from where they hammered through ancient walls as they made their way into the homes to seize their loot. Continue reading...

Observers are undecided whether the TV channel is setting the agenda or reflecting a reactionary shiftCNews, the Paris-based news channel whose heated talkshows on crime and immigration has led critics to call it a “French Fox News”, this month hit record viewing figures, leading to concerns on the left that its focus on law and order and national identity could boost the far-right Marine Le Pen at next year’s presidential election.The free-to-air news channel, which is part of the Canal+ group owned by the French industrialist Vincent Bolloré, has more than doubled its viewers over the past two years with its unique brand of raucous current-affairs debate shows, where well-known right-wing commentators thrash out their views with political figures from across the spectrum, and news bulletins that are often led by stories on crime and immigration. Continue reading...

Tudor-style square necks back in fashion as new drama on life of Henry VIII’s second wife comes to TV

Finance minister calls measures the ‘biggest cultural subsidy programme’ since end of the second world war

Private lenders hampering responses to pandemic in poorest countries, say activists outside HSBC in LondonActivists at a demonstration outside the annual general meeting of HSBC in London have demanded the bank and other financial giants provide debt relief to African countries hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.In an attempt to highlight the role of private creditors in the debt crises of the world’s poorest countries, campaigners with “drop the debt” banners gathered outside HSBC’s AGM at the Southbank Centre. Continue reading...