Michela Wrong uses the murder of Patrick Karegeya to focus her case against Rwanda’s leader Paul Kagame in this fascinating investigationWhen Rwanda’s former intelligence chief was found strangled in a plush Johannesburg hotel room, there was only ever one real suspect. Patrick Karegeya spent years dodging assassination attempts evidently set in motion by his childhood schoolmate, Rwanda’s eternal ruler, Paul Kagame.Karegeya even had tapes of former intelligence colleagues plotting his death. For all that, the ex-spy master allowed himself to be tricked into attending his own murder on the last day of 2013. Far too many of Kagame’s former allies turned opponents have met untimely ends for the man who has dominated Rwanda since the genocide in 1994 not to be the prime suspect. But, as Michela Wrong’s engrossing and revelatory investigation reveals, Karegeya’s killing was of a different order. Continue reading...

The arrest of Watch Docs festival director Hatsura-Yavorskaya is a reminder of how much culture matters in authoritarian statesThe arrest in Belarus of the director of Minsk’s Watch Docs festival of nonfiction cinema is a reminder of how much culture workers matter in authoritarian states and at times of information deficit.On 5 April Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorskaya’s home was searched by security forces, phones and computers were confiscated, and she was arrested. The ostensible reason was that she had co-organised (with Natalia Trenina and Yulya Semenchenko, who were also arrested but since released) an exhibition called The Machine Is Breathing, I Am Not about Belarus health professionals at the time of Covid-19. Continue reading...

Government could suffer high-profile defeat over five-year deadline proposed in overseas operations billPeers behind a cross-party amendment to halt plans to restrict prosecutions of torture and war crimes by British soldiers serving abroad are hopeful of inflicting a high-profile defeat on the government in the Lords on Tuesday.Related: The UK government is attempting to bend the rules on torture | Nicholas Mercer Continue reading...

Between accidents, disease and bad weather, farm animals are prey to so many disasters that dedicated professionals are called out to dispose of the casualties. It’s a grim task, and one that’s only getting more difficultOne bright morning in the middle of May, Ian Carswell’s tipper lorry came sliding to a halt in a Tenbury car park. It was a smallish thing with raw grey sides and nothing distinctive about it, the sort of truck that carries topsoil or aggregate all over the country.“Jump in,” said Carswell, leaning over and prodding open the passenger door. The cab smelled of lemon air-freshener and self-consciousness. He wouldn’t normally allow a passenger, and almost certainly wouldn’t be taking one now if the boss hadn’t told him to. Continue reading...

Faced with climate change, farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are switching from maize to essential oilsIt’s late June and the field is glowing with fragrant purple as the women in their flowing shalwar kameez arrive with scythes to harvest the lavender. In the 30-odd villages on the hilly slopes of Jammu’s Doda district, more than 200 farmers have shifted from maize to lavender production, starting a “purple revolution” in the region.The village of Lehrote had a moment of agricultural fame this year when a 43-year-old farmer, Bharat Bhushan, won a prestigious award for innovative farming from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, one of several institutions across the country looking to find ways of coping with the climate crisis and its devastating impact on farming. Lavender, a drought-resistant crop, can be grown on poor soil and likes lots of sun but needs little water. Continue reading...

Fall in usage and lack of step-free access on the classic front-engined doubledeckers cited as reasons for permanent withdrawalTransport for London has retired its iconic fleet of “hop on, hop off” Routemaster buses on the number 15 route, the capital’s last running heritage service.Citing reasons including falling ridership across the central London network and the lack of step-free access on the classic front-engined doubledeckers, TfL confirmed the service had been permanently withdrawn. Continue reading...

Muslims are adapting with smaller prayer groups, sanitation stations and fasts broken separately

Like Kardashian West’s filing, the rap and fashion mogul also agreed neither of them need spousal supportKanye West has agreed with Kim Kardashian West that they should have joint custody of their four children and neither of them need spousal support, according to new divorce documents.West’s attorneys filed his response Friday in Los Angeles superior court to Kardashian West’s divorce filing seven weeks earlier, which began the process of ending their six-and-a-half-year marriage. Continue reading...

French-owned Retirement Villages Group aims to spend £2bn across 40 locations over the next decadeA property developer owned by a French investment management group has announced an ambitious £2bn plan to build 5,000 retirement homes across 40 urban sites in the UK over the next decade.As town and city centres are being reshaped as a result of the changes to UK high streets accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, Retirement Villages Group (RVG) said it had won planning permission for a £110m retirement community of 196 one and two-bed apartments to rent or buy in central West Byfleet in Surrey, on the site of a 1960s office block with shops and a car park, which will be knocked down. Continue reading...

Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince condemns government inaction and says violence by ‘armed gangs’ is now ‘unprecedented’The Catholic church has warned that Haiti is facing a “descent into hell” and condemned government inaction after 10 people, including seven members of the clergy, were abducted by kidnappers demanding $1m ransom.“For some time now, we have been witnessing the descent into hell of Haitian society,” the archdiocese of the capital Port-au-Prince said in a statement, adding that “violence by armed gangs” was taking on “unprecedented” proportions. Continue reading...

Essential poll finds Scott Morrison’s approval at lowest level in a year and approval of Coalition management of pandemic down eight points in a monthVoter approval of the Morrison government’s handling of the pandemic has dropped eight points in a month, and more than half of voters in the Guardian Essential poll sample think the Coalition needs to step up and take more responsibility for ensuring Australians are vaccinated against Covid-19 as quickly as possible.The latest survey of 1,368 voters suggests the government is in a vulnerable political position as it attempts to recalibrate the vaccination program, with just over half of respondents believing they are being vaccinated more slowly than they would like, and nearly a third (27%) of the sample feeling vaccinations are progressing a lot more slowly than they would like. Continue reading...

Labor urges Morrison government to extend the stay of temporary visa holders and expand sanctions against military figuresThe Morrison government faces fresh calls to allow more than 3,000 Myanmarese citizens to stay in Australia once their visas expire, amid fears about the dangers they face if forced to return home.With more than 600 civilians now estimated to have been killed in violent crackdowns by security forces since the 1 February military coup, Labor has written to Australian ministers to demand help for temporary visa holders and the expansion of sanctions against junta figures. Continue reading...

With coronavirus surging in Japan and internationally, this summer’s Games are a risky prospect

US intelligence sources believe Israel was behind Saturday’s cyber-attack on heavily guarded facilityThe cyber-attack on the heavily guarded Natanz plant in Iran will set back Tehran’s nuclear programme by nine months, US intelligence sources have claimed.Iran’s foreign ministry has blamed Israel for sabotaging Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility, and although Israel has not formally confirmed responsibility its officials have done little to dispel the notion. Continue reading...

Nesrine Malik’s columns | Ex-leaders compared | Love for Guardian letters | A mother’s placeYour columnist Nesrine Malik writes (11 April) that the pandemic has made her reflect wistfully on the bargain she made when she left Sudan to find success far from home. Nesrine’s columns, expressing subtle thoughts with admirable lucidity, have been something I’ve looked forward to reading all during lockdown. Perhaps we in her adopted country are not the audience she most longs for, but her eloquence has surely touched many readers.

Woman, 21, and man, 36, arrested in connection with baby boy’s death after child found in supermarket car park

World Health Organization says ‘confusion and complacency’ prolonging global situation

Voters in presidential race reject leftist movement, while Peru vote heads for second roundA conservative businessman has unexpectedly won Ecuador’s presidential election as voters rejected the leftist movement started by the former president Rafael Correa more than a decade ago.Preliminary results showed that Guillermo Lasso took 52% of the vote in the runoff following a campaign that pitted free-market economics against the social welfare plans of Andrés Arauz, an economist. Continue reading...

Analysis: Prince of Wales will be increasingly at Queen’s side as he takes role at a time of internal divisionsAn indisputable truth of hereditary monarchy is that promotion to the “top job” is accompanied by deep personal sorrow. So it will be for the Prince of Wales, who will eventually take the throne as he mourns his mother.But the loss of his father will have had no less profound an effect on Prince Charles. And, though on any official level it does not alter his royal status, it does change the family dynamic. Continue reading...

China sends 25 military jets a day after US secretary of state’s comments about Beijing’s aggressionA record number of 25 Chinese military jets have breached Taiwan’s defence zone, the island’s government said, after a senior US official warned of an “increasingly aggressive” Beijing.The defence ministry scrambled aircraft to broadcast warnings to leave after China’s jets, including 18 fighters, entered the island’s southwest air defence identification zone, for a 10th straight day. Continue reading...

Analysis: there are several reasons Russia would want to raise tensions, but an attack appears unlikelyRussia’s fortnight-long military buildup to the east and south of Ukraine has helped it mass an estimated 80,000 troops in the border region in an attention-grabbing exercise that is increasingly occupying western thinking.Tanks and other artillery units have also been arriving at Voronezh, east of Ukraine, according to Janes, a military intelligence firm, and a staging ground for about 3,000 troops been established to the south of the city. Continue reading...

The Grammy award-winning rock band have received commercial success yet critics haven’t been quite as receptive – can their new album change that?Talk to Josh Kiszka, lead singer of the band Greta Van Fleet, about his time growing up in a small town in the American midwest and you’d think he was describing the life of Huckleberry Finn. “We were outside most of the time, building rafts and taking them down the river,” the 24-year-old told the Guardian. “There wasn’t a lot of television in the house. And when all the other kids wanted cellphones, I fought that. I preferred to take a hike.”Kiszka’s parents strongly encouraged him and his two brothers in that pursuit. “My mother even took the clocks off the wall at one point,” he said. “They were the opposite of helicopter parents. They taught us to do things independently.” Continue reading...

Analysis: Apparent attack by Israel is a reminder of the weaknesses of industrial control systemsThe apparent attack by Israel on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility appears to be the latest episode in an increasing tit-for-tat cyberwar. Both sides have already targeted so-called industrial control systems [ICS], which have emerged as a key weakness for countries across the globe.While Iran described the latest attack as “sabotage”, Israeli media called it a cyber-attack. Continue reading...

Jury at inquest into 2019 deaths of Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones hears how killer taped knives to his handsThe mother of a victim of the London Bridge terrorist attack has described how her son was a “force for good in the world”, as an inquest heard how his killer taped knives to his hands in a toilet cubicle before killing two people and injuring three.The jury for the inquest into the deaths of Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, were shown photographs of knives, together with tape and scissors that Usman Khan left in a cubicle before beginning his attack at 1.56pm on 29 November 2019 at a prisoner rehabilitation conference at Fishmongers’ Hall. Continue reading...

Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry pay tribute to ‘extraordinary’ grandfather in separate statementsThe Duke of Edinburgh would want family members “to get on with the job”, Prince William said, as he and his brother paid tribute to a “grandpa” and “an extraordinary man”.Prince Harry, who has flown from California to attend Saturday’s ceremonial royal funeral, described Philip as “master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ‘til the end”. Continue reading...

Efforts are focused on removing ‘rolling deadlines’ from border control implementations, sources say

Independent investigation launched into former PM’s lobbying for now-collapsed firm

Colourised images from Tuol Sleng prison during 1970s genocide were manipulated, media group saysCambodia has condemned images published by Vice media group that featured victims of the Khmer Rouge genocide, colourised and with some apparently edited to add smiles to their faces.The artist Matt Loughrey modified images taken at the notorious Tuol Sleng prison, where thousands of people were tortured and interrogated before they were sent on to the killing fields of Choeung Ek. Continue reading...

Media billionaire receives ‘full confidence’ of Morrison government following calls for him to quit for backing former soldierThe Morrison government is backing Kerry Stokes to continue overseeing the Australian War Memorial amid new reports about the media baron’s support for former soldier Ben Roberts-Smith, who is seeking to clear his name over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.The minister for veterans’ affairs and defence personnel, Darren Chester, told Guardian Australia he had “full confidence in the council of the Australian War Memorial”, despite the Greens arguing that Stokes’ position as chair was untenable. Continue reading...

Carey Mulligan’s character in this Oscar-nominated drama utilises the ‘good girl’ look to get revenge. Costume designer Nancy Steiner explains why the wardrobe packs such a punchAt one point in Emerald Fennell’s debut film, Promising Young Woman, Cassie Thomas (Carey Mulligan) goes to lunch with a former college classmate, Madison McPhee (Alison Brie). Madison, who is a stay-at-home mother, gets – as she calls it – “afternoon drunk” and proceeds to give her thoughts on gender politics. “All guys want the same thing,” she slurs. “A good girl.”This desire – and Cassie’s subversion of it – is spelled out in what she wears. Cassie’s clothes are the epitome of the “good girl” type – pink, floral and fluffy. There is a baseball shirt with a unicorn on the front. A sweater with daisies. A midi dress, softly flowing in sky blue. Her clothes are sweet – as sweet as the cupcakes on display in the coffee shop where she works. Continue reading...

Sir Philip Rycroft says PM’s ‘muscular brand of unionism’ has deepened divisions between four nationsThe pandemic has seeded the idea of a prime minister “who speaks for England alone” as relations between the four nations of the UK deteriorate amid “deep-rooted complacency”, a senior former civil servant has warned.There is widespread ignorance towards the union, meaning ministers can be kept in the dark about major reforms with little consideration for the four nations, Sir Philip Rycroft, the permanent secretary to the Brexit department until 2019, says in a report. Continue reading...

Continuing our series of writers defending loathed films is an argument to rewatch Jared Hess’s inventive post-Napoleon Dynamite comedyAny heat generated by Jared Hess’s oddball debut Napoleon Dynamite had cooled by the time his third film, Gentlemen Broncos, was dumped on to a handful of screens by its neglectful distributor, Fox Searchlight, in 2009. It made just over $118,000 (a fraction of that from a three-day UK run in 2010). Time Out magazine labelled it “unsavoury”, the New York Times a “misfire”. Others were less kind.Related: Hear me out: why A View to a Kill isn't a bad movie Continue reading...

Inquest will ask if deaths of Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones at hands of convicted terrorist Usman Khan could have been prevented

Charity warns of 22,000 additional deaths in poorest countries if Wish reproductive health programme endsThe director of a leading sexual and reproductive health charity has accused the government of “abandoning” women and girls it promised to help, as aid cuts derail a leading Tory programme to reduce maternal deaths and prevent unsafe abortions in poor countries.The threat to the women’s integrated sexual health (Wish) programme could mean 7.5m additional unintended pregnancies, 2.7m unsafe abortions and 22,000 maternal deaths over the next year, said Dr Alvaro Bermejo, director general of International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). Continue reading...

Continue reading...

He declared his intention to go away for a while after pointed criticism of his second memoir. But now the musician is back with a new album - and a visceral documentary

Overfishing and smuggling of this crucial animal are affecting biodiversity and the livelihood of local fishers in Sri LankaIt’s after sunset in Jaffna when Anthony Vigrado dives into the waters of Palk Bay, scanning the seafloor to collect what seems to be prized treasure. What he comes back with are sea cucumbers – long, leathery-skinned creatures that are increasingly valuable and the source of his income for the past 12 years.But after a 10-hour search, his harvest is only a fraction of what it used to be, as the shores of northern Sri Lanka and southern India have become a prime spot for exploitation. Continue reading...

High-powered weapons, as well as a hand grenade, were used in fighting near Kainantu Town in Eastern Highlands provincePolice are warning a “all-out war” could erupt in Eastern Highlands province in Papua New Guinea, after 19 people were killed in tribal violence late last week.High-powered weapons, as well as a hand grenade, were used in fighting on Thursday and Friday near Kainantu Town in the east of the country, causing 19 deaths, with many more people unaccounted for, and properties destroyed. Continue reading...

Prime minister’s comments come after border worker diagnosed last week said to have missed two vaccine appointments

Public encouraged to report internet users who cast doubt on party’s version of history ahead of its 100th anniversaryChina’s cyber regulator has launched a hotline to report online criticism of the ruling Communist party and its history, vowing to crack down on “historical nihilists” ahead of the party’s 100th anniversary in July.The tip line allows people to report fellow internet users who “distort” the party’s history, attack its leadership and policies, defame national heroes and “deny the excellence of advanced socialist culture” online, said a notice posted by an arm of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Friday. Continue reading...

UK has now given 32.1 million people a first dose of the vaccine and 7.5 million a second dose; Iran reports 258 further Covid-19 deaths

West Midlands Police had asked for help finding mother after baby’s body was discovered in supermarket car park

Caribbean island blanketed in ash following biggest eruption since 1979, which has forced thousands to flee

The death of George Floyd after being restrained by Minneapolis police last year sparked a wave of outrage that swept across the US and the world. Now the police officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes is on trial for his murder. Oliver Laughland has been following the proceedings inside the courtroom, and explains the key evidence and arguments so far. Plus Amudalat Ajasa tells Anushka Asthana that for black people across the US, it is difficult to watchYou can also read: Continue reading...

Ministers missing out on valuable advice amid tense relationship with Beijing, policy paper warnsThe Australian government is missing out on valuable sources of advice on the increasingly complex relationship with China because Chinese-Australians are under-represented in the public service, a new policy paper says.For decades governments have recognised that “Australia’s Asia literacy is meagre”, according to the Lowy Institute paper. But the paper argues that where China literacy does exist in the Australian public service, “it is often underutilised or undervalued”. Continue reading...

Scottish first minister tells Guardian fresh poll impossible to resist should her party land majority next month

Transportation to one’s own funeral is becoming more personalised, as more seek ‘something different’The send-off for Prince Philip will be a royal funeral like no other, not least because his coffin will be carried in a bespoke Land Rover hearse he helped to design himself.It’s a break from royal tradition – but his choice is not uncommon. Alternative hearses have become increasingly popular in recent years as people opt for more personalised funerals. Continue reading...

Duke of Edinburgh’s family say his death was ‘peaceful and gentle’ as they prepare for funeral on SaturdayThe Queen has described the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as leaving “a huge void” in her life, Prince Andrew has revealed, saying it had brought home to him the loss suffered by so many during the coronavirus pandemic.The Duke of York said the Queen had “described his passing as a miracle”, thought to refer to the fact Prince Philip died peacefully at home with her and not alone in hospital amid Covid regulations. Continue reading...

Union flags will fly at half-mast, public services will continue but some sports fixtures will be rescheduledThe UK is in a period of national mourning following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh. It officially began on Friday, when Philip died, and will last up to and including his funeral on Saturday 17 April. Continue reading...

In the stillness of lockdown, I now see that the costs of globalisation have come to outweigh its benefitsFor as long as I have been able to remember, I have known that I would not always live where I was born. I knew that at some point, I would have to leave my country of Sudan if I wanted to secure work that would provide a meaningful living.At the time, it wasn’t a sad realisation but more an exciting prospect, one that promised a shot at a “modern” life. To me, that modernity meant social mobility, the loosening of oppressive family ties and economic prosperity. Continue reading...