Controversial relaxation of gun laws is fuelling fears among experts that moves will add to already shocking levels of violenceFirearms exports from Austria to Brazil have surged by more than 377% in the first half of this year as gun ownership increases under the South American country’s rightwing president, Jair Bolsonaro.Official data from Brazil’s trade ministry seen by the Guardian shows the renowned Austrian weapons manufacturer Glock exported more than $14.8m of guns from Austria to Brazil in the first six months of 2020, compared with about $3.1m in the same period last year. Glock is Austria’s sole gun exporter. Continue reading...

Latest updates: how has Covid-19 progressed where you live? Check the week-on-week changes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern IrelandThe map shows local authorities where the number of cases has increased week-on-week and where it has fallen. Some of this is due to natural fluctuations, especially in areas where there are very few cases, and so a rise from 1 to 2 is a doubling. Increased testing also means that more cases may be being detected than previously, although the impact of this between one week and the next is likely to be slight. Continue reading...

There were eight more deaths in Victoria while 21 new coronavirus cases were recorded in New South WalesMultiple doctors in Victoria – some of them early in their careers – are currently in intensive care after contracting Covid-19 at work.An emergency department doctor at Northern Hospital in Melbourne’s outer north is in the hospital’s intensive care unit, in a stable condition, on a day when Victoria recorded 627 new cases of Covid-19 and eight new deaths. Continue reading...

All you need to know about the updated coronavirus measures affecting more than 4m people

In fiery Senate hearing Kathryn Campbell strenuously denies there have been deaths over welfare debt recovery schemeThe public servant who headed the department responsible for the robodebt program has said she does not accept there were any people who took their own lives as a result of the scheme.In the final minutes of a fiery Senate inquiry hearing on Friday, Labor senator Deb O’Neill told parliament “people have died over robodebt”, prompting a strenuous denial from Kathryn Campbell, now the secretary of the Department of Social Services. Continue reading...

Emmanuel Macron has set a historian to investigate colonial brutality – but yet more evidence is no substitute for actionClarifying the past is a notoriously difficult task at the best of times, but exceptionally so in relation to the intensely bloody history of Algeria.France, its former coloniser, has a long record of covering up the atrocities it committed, so the facts are frequently disputed. This has prolonged anger and resentment among the victims of an imperial adventure that continues to divide the two nations. Continue reading...

Scott Morrison and Daniel Andrews have discussed next steps as eight deaths reported overnight and Covid-19 infections continue to rise. Follow all the latest news and updates, live

Patients on island camps face long wait for specialist help and mental health services, while in Athens others are left destituteIn a fresh blow to refugees and migrants experiencing dire conditions in Greece, frontline medical charity Médecins San Frontières (MSF) on Thursday announced it has been forced to closed its Covid-19 isolation centre on Lesbos after authorities imposed fines and potential charges.From the island of Lesbos to the Greek capital of Athens, asylum seekers and recognised refugees, some with serious medical conditions, are unable to access healthcare or see a doctor as treatments are disrupted by new regulations. Continue reading...

Xinjiang records 112 local transmissions; UN says millions could be forced into poverty in south-east Asia; Indonesia extends restrictions

Reporters for independent outlets, many in rural areas, say pressure won’t deter them from covering embarrassing stories

31 July 1968: The Kray twins, Ronald and Reginald, were referred to by the word “broads, and “red” meant Charles Kray. The word “colony” meant “bank.”Two copies of a code used in the disposal of stolen securities were said to have been found by police searching the New York flat of one of 11 men, including the three Kray brothers, who appeared at Bow Street, London, yesterday.Related: The selling of the Krays: how two mediocre criminals created their own legend | Duncan Campbell Continue reading...

As China comes under attack abroad, nationalist sentiment at home is being stoked – at the expense of other voicesFor days, the US consulate in the Chinese city of Chengdu was not just a site for curious onlookers but for residents eager to express pride in their country. Some waved the Chinese flag while others set off fireworks. In one video, a woman said she was “extremely happy” to see the consulate close. “We have kicked out one more hub for spies!” she said, smiling as she pointed at the building.In another video, widely circulated on Chinese social media, a CNN reporter attempting to broadcast is drowned out by a group belting out a patriotic Chinese song. The crowd sings cheerfully, if discordantly: “Praising our beloved motherland as it goes towards prosperity and power.” Continue reading...

Exclusive: British-Australian academic will meet diplomat for first time since sudden move to a new notorious prisonThe imprisoned British-Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert is set to be granted a meeting with Australia’s ambassador to Iran as soon as Sunday.Following reports in the Guardian that Dr Moore-Gilbert was seriously unwell in Qarchak prison and had been removed from quarantine because she was attempting to write to the ambassador for help, the state-run Mizan news agency reported she was in “perfect health”. Continue reading...

More needs to be done to limit Beijing’s political interference and any short-term damage will be worth it in the long runThis week New Zealand announced it was suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong as a result of Hong Kong’s new national security law. At the same time, NZ changed its policy on military and dual-use goods and technology exports to Hong Kong, subjecting the city to the same as the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The New Zealand government also issued a travel warning to New Zealanders on the risks of travelling to Hong Kong.In a statement, Wellington said it “can no longer trust that Hong Kong’s criminal justice system is sufficiently independent from China.” No explanation was given for the suspension of sensitive technology exports. Continue reading...

Decision to bar pro-democracy candidates is a sign that even moderate dissent will not be toleratedHong Kong’s decision to bar 12 pro-democracy candidates from standing for office sets a sweeping precedent and may signal the end of meaningful political opposition in the city.The group disqualified from contesting upcoming elections to the city’s legislative council include the prominent student activist Joshua Wong but also moderates and four incumbents, such as Alvin Yeung, who represents Hong Kong’s accountants. Continue reading...

In a transcript of his remarks at the congressman’s funeral, the former president calls on Americans to follow Lewis’s lead at a time of crisisRepresentative John Lewis, a legendary civil rights leader and member of Congress, died of cancer on 17 July. In a eulogy at his memorial on Thursday, Barack Obama spoke about Lewis’s legacy, especially the importance of continuing his fight to protect voting rights. This is an abridged version of his remarks.James wrote to the believers: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” Continue reading...

Friday: US president’s tweet suggesting November’s election be delayed rejected by experts and loyalist Republicans. Plus, Full Story on PortlandGood morning, this is Richard Parkin bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Friday 31 July. Continue reading...

Secretary of state receives bipartisan grilling, and makes false claim to have fought along East German border as soldier in 1980sThe Trump administration’s decision to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany has come under bipartisan attack in the Senate, amid warnings it would disrupt US alliances.Related: Barack Obama praises John Lewis as 'a man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance' – live Continue reading...

Move, amid rise in cases in country, follows Labour call on regional ‘travel corridors’

Campaigners blame evictions in Calais for second daily record number of crossings to Britain in a monthFive children have been rescued from the Channel as a record number of migrants reached UK shores.At least 202 migrants managed to cross to Britain on Thursday in a surge of 20 boats, the Home Office confirmed. It is the second time in a month that a new high mark has been set for individuals arriving from Europe via the dangerous Channel route. Continue reading...

Ex-minister faces kidnapping charges for preventing docking of migrant rescue shipsThe Italian senate has voted to lift Matteo Salvini’s immunity from prosecution, clearing the way for possible charges against the far-right former interior minister for refusing to allow 164 migrants to get off a ship in Sicily.The case, from last August, is the third involving a rescue ship standoff in which Italian prosecutors have sought kidnapping charges against Salvini. Continue reading...

There are signs that Beijing recognises Australia’s positions on Hong Kong, Taiwan and Xinjiang are based on its own interests

Wary locals are aware of Victoria’s deadly second wave of coronavirus and fear NSW could be heading down the same pathAt the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, down by the water, next to the trophies that say “World sailing youth match racing world championship” and “Sydney-Hobart yacht race record breaker”, there is a sign. It is roughly laminated, and attached with black gaffer tape, and has been up since Tuesday.Joggers scoot past, looking for the entrance to the park, and dog-walkers drag their pets along. “Earlier today, the CYCA was advised an active member of the club and his partner had tested positive for Covid-19,” it says. The line for testing starts a few doors down. Continue reading...

Spain tops 1,000 cases for second day in row; US Republican Herman Cain dies of disease; Brazil’s first lady tests positive

Musician Andy Anokye held four women against their will and repeatedly raped them

Data comparing 29 European countries shows England had longest continuous period of excess mortality; second wave ‘rolling across Europe’, says Hancock

Disqualifications and growing number of activist arrests under law imposed by China signal curtailment of city’s civic freedomsTwelve pro-democracy candidates have been disqualified from Hong Kong’s upcoming legislative elections, in the most sweeping curtailment of the city’s electoral freedoms to date.The government said the candidates were not fit to run for office on the grounds that they had advocated the city’s independence, solicited intervention by foreign governments or opposed the national security law. Continue reading...

British film-makers are back at work – and going to extraordinary lengths to protect cast and crew from Covid-19. Is it possible to make great movies behind face masks and Plexiglass?

Defendant alongside Nelson Mandela at the Rivonia trial which brought apartheid to the attention of the worldAndrew Mlangeni, who has died aged 95, was the last surviving defendant of the Rivonia trial at the end of which he, Nelson Mandela and seven others were sentenced in 1964 to life in prison for conspiring to overthrow the apartheid regime in South Africa by force. On trial for their lives, the 10 defendants, six black, three white and one Indian, decided to turn the trial into a political one, putting apartheid in the dock of world opinion.Their decisions not to deny their role in the campaign of sabotage organised by the ANC’s armed wing, uMkhonto we Sizwe (“MK”), Spear of the Nation, and not to expose Mandela to cross-examination in the witness box – so that his speech from the dock would be a platform for an uninterrupted condemnation of apartheid – made death sentences, which their lawyers advised were likely, even more probable. Continue reading...

Nation’s first popularly elected president oversaw transition from martial law to democracyLee Teng-hui, known as Taiwan’s “father of democracy” and its first popularly elected president, has died, according to a statement from his family.Lee, who oversaw Taiwan’s transition from martial law to one of the most vibrant democracies in Asia, died of septic shock and multiple organ failure at Taipei Veterans general hospital on Thursday evening. He had been in hospital for more than five months after choking while drinking milk and later contracting pneumonia. He was 97 years old. Continue reading...

Ambassador’s warning comes in response to UK’s special visa offer to Hong Kong citizensChina will not recognise the British national (overseas) passport as a legal travel document, raising the prospect that the 3 million Hong Kong citizens eligible for the passport will be banned from leaving Hong Kong by the Chinese government.The warning was made at a press conference by the Chinese ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, in which he also warned it was hard to imagine a global Britain that bypassed or excluded China. Decoupling from China would mean decoupling from growth and the future, he suggested. Continue reading...

Cattle ranching and drought have turned the Paraná River grasslands to tinder, threatening disaster for the area’s wildlife

Lawyers argue human rights of ‘extremely vulnerable’ woman were breached by Home Office access to personal and confidential detailsA British victim of trafficking is bringing a case against the home secretary, Priti Patel, arguing that her department unlawfully accessed personal information including details of her intimate thoughts.If the case succeeds it could have implications for tens of thousands of others who may also have had their personal information accessed by officials. Five other survivors of trafficking have threatened the minister and her office with legal proceedings on this issue. Continue reading...

The French government risks paying huge fines if it bows to pressure from hunting lobbyists over controversial methodFrance is to outlaw trapping birds using sticks covered in glue after the European commission threatened legal action and fines.The move was welcomed by campaigners who have described the practice as “barbaric” and who urged the French government not to bow to pressure from the powerful hunting lobby. Continue reading...

Halle Berry’s directorial debut also on programme but whether physical screenings will take place remains up in the airThe Toronto film festival has announced its main line-up for this year, although it still uncertain whether physical screenings will take place.As with the Venice and Cannes film festivals, the selection appears to have been significantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused production shutdowns and release delays across the industry. Arguably the most high-profile inclusion is the Mark Wahlberg drama Good Joe Bell, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men), based on the real-life story of a father whose son killed himself after being bullied. Continue reading...

Nicola Sturgeon also reveals plans for schools, which will reopen from 11 August

Three men also allegedly implicated in arms deal with Saudi Arabia’s national guardThe Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is prosecuting a UK subsidiary of Europe’s largest aerospace multinational, Airbus, along with three men over alleged corruption in an arms deal with Saudi Arabia.The SFO announced on Thursday it had brought charges against GPT Special Project Management. Continue reading...

Elphicke was Conservative MP for Kent constituency of Dover and Deal from 2010 until last year

The GAA, long a symbol of Catholic Ireland, is embodying change as it hosts Muslim celebration at its HQ

President Lukashenko accuses Russia of interference in country’s imminent electionsBelarus has accused 33 Russian mercenaries detained near Minsk of preparing a terrorist attack to destabilise the country ahead of its presidential elections in a sharp escalation of tensions with Moscow.Belarus has claimed the men are mercenaries employed by the Russian private military company Wagner, which has been tied to an ally of Vladimir Putin and has fought in armed conflict in Ukraine, Syria and countries in Africa. Several of the men, who were arrested at a sanatorium outside Minsk on Wednesday, fought against the government in east Ukraine, Russian media have reported. Continue reading...

Labor again calls on the Morrison government to apologise ‘for failing to stop the one boat that mattered’

Prices of most goods have nearly tripled and the value of the national currency is plummetingFrom her wedding dress shop in the impoverished northern Lebanese town of Akkar, Suzanne Hammoud has been selling bridal gowns for more than 15 years. She has revelled in her customers’ excitement as their weddings approached, and often stayed in touch as their lives progressed, sometimes making outfits for their children.But this year, Hammoud has become more of a buyer than a seller of dresses. Sales racks are full of gowns she has bought back from families who have no other means of income left, except for selling their memories. Continue reading...

Salo Muller secured €50m from Dutch railway for transporting people to Nazi campsA Holocaust survivor who successfully campaigned for the Dutch railway to pay compensation for transporting people to the Nazi concentration camps has tabled a legal claim against the German state over the wartime role of the Deutsche Reichsbahn.Salo Muller, 84, whose parents were taken by rail from Amsterdam to the Dutch transit camp Westerbork, and on to their deaths at Auschwitz, is demanding an apology and financial recompense for about 500 Dutch survivors and about 5,500 next of kin. Continue reading...

Others who have breached restrictions have not been identified and doing so creates ‘potential for harm’, human rights commissioner saysThe Queensland Human Rights Commission has been contacted by members of Brisbane’s African migrant communities who say they have experienced a backlash to media stories naming and shaming young women accused of breaching coronavirus restrictions.Multiple media outlets – including the ABC, Courier Mail, Herald Sun, Sydney Morning Herald, the Age, Brisbane Times, Daily Mail and commercial television outlets – named two of the women and published photographs taken from their social media accounts. Continue reading...

Exclusive: from schools to policing, 50 people share their experiences of growing up in the UK

From cities to towns, at the heart of the recent anti-racism protests in Britain there has been a new generation declaring in their thousands that black lives – their lives – matter. As part of our Young, British and Black series, the Guardian has interviewed Eleanor Woolstencroft, 14, Mara Ival-Duncan, 19, Nyasha Katsande, 20, on their experiences of racism before and after the demonstrations sparked by the US police killing of George Floyd in May

Target of just 15% reduction in incarceration for Indigenous adults comes days after Council of Attorneys-General decided not to raise age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14