World news | The Guardian

Government revises plans to tackle prison overcrowding amid pressure from MPs and victims but domestic abusers and killers could still be released earlyPupils in Scotland's schools received their exam results this morning, with exam pass rates at all levels having risen this year, including a record number of National 5 passes.Almost 270,000 receiving a passing grade at National 5, up from about 262,000 last year. Pass rates for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher also increased across the board, to 79.2%, 76.7% and 77.6% respectively.This is testament to the breadth and strength of Scotland's education system, the professionalism of our teachers and school staff, and the hard work of our young people.It is particularly pleasing to see another narrowing in the attainment gap between the most and least deprived areas.Lowe's offer to work together came after Restore finished fourth in the Greater Manchester mayoral election, ahead of the Liberal Democrats and Tories - a relatively impressive feat for an electoral startup only months old.The party also finished third in the Makerfield byelection, the strongest Westminster electoral performance since at least 2010 by a party that has not only endorsed explicitly far-right positions but welcomed far-right activists into its ranks. Continue reading...

PM Peter Magyar says country nearly forced into decision as extreme heat and low water levels in Danube pose challenges in regionBack to discussions on Ceuta, now under way in Brussels (10:08), a senior Moroccan official claimed that Morocco had warned Spain that a recent Spanish court ruling that migrants arriving by sea would not face immediate removal was going to create a problem," AFP reported.Spain's Supreme Court ruled on 8 July that migrants arriving by sea should not be returned as quickly as others and Madrid has blamed criminal gangs for spreading misinformation about the ruling. Continue reading...

Levy could raise 19bn to help pay for Andy Burnham's support for those struggling with bills, say campaigners

A Guardian investigation finds irrigation canals polluted with microplastics in Turkey, a major destination for UK waste Nobody cares': Turkish farmers bear the burden of UK's plastic waste problemHigh levels of microplastics and other plastic contamination have been discovered in a waterway close to a major recycling hub in Turkey supplied with plastic waste by British companies.The polluted waterway, which floods into agricultural fields after heavy rain, feeds into a larger canal used for irrigating crops on the Cukurova plain, in the city of Adana, in the south of the country. It is one of the largest and most fertile agricultural basins in Turkey. Continue reading...

US president hits out at ExxonMobil and Chevron, saying they should give some of that back to the public'

Justice secretary says ministers would have liked to block more but doing so would cause prison system to break'

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NSW shadow attorney general, Damien Tudehope, tells inquiry Jean-Claude Perrottet had a talent for recruitingThe leader of the opposition in the New South Wales upper house has admitted to leaking a confidential draft report from a 2023 parliamentary inquiry to a member of a group of young conservative Liberal powerbrokers now under investigation by the corruption watchdog, an inquiry has heard.On Tuesday, Damien Tudehope, the NSW shadow attorney general and Liberal leader in the upper house, gave evidence as part of the Independent Commission Against Corruption's (Icac) Operation Rosny. Continue reading...

National Foreign Trade Council disappointed' at move to expand News Bargaining Incentive but Australian experts say government is not going far enough

Journalist's son says his mother was examining leak from Electrogas, part owned by Yorgen Fenech who is on trialDaphne Caruana Galizia was investigating suspected corruption by the businessman Yorgen Fenech and members of Malta's government when she was killed, a jury has heard.The heir to one of Malta's biggest fortunes, Fenech is on trial for murder, accused of commissioning and paying for Caruana Galizia's killing in a car bombing in October 2017. Continue reading...

Energy company's $5.73bn quarterly profits come after Shell posted second highest quarterly earnings on record

Rapists, child abusers and groomers will not leave prison early but some of those serving sexual or violent offences will now leave after half their sentenceRapists, child sexual abusers and groomers will be excluded from early release plans to ease critical prison overcrowding in a major intervention by Andy Burnham.The prime minister said on Tuesday that he would delay the planned early release of thousands of prisoners across England and Wales by a month until October. Continue reading...

Lender was told money was being taken without authorisation, with cash used to buy credits for Claude chatbotA Metro Bank customer has told of his fight to get more than 14,000 back after its systems failed to stopa fraud involving the AI chatbot Claude.Zoli Rutter, a businessman from Sussex, had a total of 14,244 taken from his bank account. The scam involved fraudsters buying credits to use Claude. Continue reading...

Most of the zoo's 16 lions have struggled to cope with high humidity this summerThree lions from a Tokyo zoo have died from suspected heatstroke and others are undergoing treatment, a spokesperson said on Tuesday, as the big cats struggle in Japan's high levels of humidity.Japan sweltered through its hottest summer on record last year and parts of the country have hit 40C in recent weeks, qualifying for the new cruelly hot day" designation. Continue reading...

Large tabby cat that wiped out dozens of rare pteke, or brown teal, has been killed after eluding trappers with its very erratic' behaviourA notorious feral cat given the name Nine Lives" because it eluded trappers for three years has been caught and killed in New Zealand, ending its devastating rampage against one of the country's rare duck populations.The cat, a large grey tabby, is estimated to have killed dozens of New Zealand's rarest mainland duck - or 1% of its population - plus a host of kiwi chicks, native geckos and other native wildlife during the three years it was known to be roaming the Purerua peninsula, near the top of the North Island. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: A small chorus of right-leaning critics are trying to convince politicians that climate action is deeply unpopular, downplaying its seriousness in the processGood morning. Half of England and all of Wales are officially in drought, wildfires have burned through parts of the Cairngorms, Suffolk and the Isle of Wight, and reservoirs are running low. Farmers have warned that there could soon be food shortages, and the Royal Horticultural Society is considering moving its hydrangeas to cope with the heat. Many people are now asking a question rarely associated with British summertime: when will it rain?The Guardian has been covering how the climate crisis is supercharging wildfires in Europe, the impossible choices firefighters face about which places to save, the number of people who have died in England due to heat, and the air conditioning haves and have-nots. Had you been reading another newspaper, you may have come away with a very different impression of this extreme weather.UK news | Rapists, child sexual abusers and groomers will be excluded from early release plans to ease critical prison overcrowding in a major intervention by Andy Burnham.UK politics | Nigel Farage has made his clearest admission that he was in talks to return to lead Reform UK months before the 2024 general election, casting fresh doubt on previous claims that he was not involved in politics when he received a 5m gift.Spain | A growing chorus of voices has accused Morocco of helping to fuel the crisis in Ceuta, with the leader of the Spanish enclave describing last week's border crossings as an attack on Spain's territorial integrity that was seen as being if not orchestrated, at least encouraged or permitted by Morocco".Middle East | New talks between Washington and Tehran are the last chance" for Iran to forge a deal and avoid an escalation of US strikes on the country, Donald Trump said on Monday.Environment | A plastic manufacturer in the north of England is facing potential legal action over emissions of benzene, a carcinogenic chemical with no safe level, the Guardian can reveal. Continue reading...

Farmers warn impact of high temperatures, drought and wildfires on range of foodstuffs means costs will increaseFarmers across Europe are warning of a slump in food production and rising prices as crops from maize to salads suffer as a result of extreme heat, drought and wildfires.Olive groves have also been hit as the climate crisis drives temperatures across the continent to fresh record highs, meaning the cost of olive oil - already at elevated levels - is expected to start rising again. Continue reading...

Betting firms respond to claims made by anti-gambling campaigners Tim Costello and Luke Bateman at parliamentary inquiry

Prime minister Sanae Takaichi visited Kumamoto prefecture almost a week after a magnitude 7.1 quake hit, killing 38 peopleJapan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has visited the south-western prefecture of Kumamoto, where recovery efforts are being hampered by heat and a lack of water supplies, almost a week after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake killed dozens and caused widespread damage.Thirty-eight people died during the quake, including one person who died of apparent heatstroke while taking shelter in a car in hot weather, officials said on Monday. Continue reading...

Survey reveals medics were called monkeys' and dirty foreigners', and patients refused to be seen by black or Asian staffNHS radiographers are experiencing racist abuse by patients, who have called them monkeys" and refused to be seen by black and Asian staff, according to a report.A survey of 381 members of the Society of Radiographers revealed a noticeable" rise in instances of overt racism experienced and witnessed by radiographers across the health service over the past 18 months. Continue reading...

US president claims talks are not very complex' as he speaks at White House as Iran's foreign ministry says there are no talks taking place with US

Inquiries have focused on Elisabeth-Jane Ross's last few hours alive and police believe they hold the key to why 38-year-old was targetedGreek authorities are investigating what may have motivated a 26-year-old Afghan man to kill a Scottish charity worker found dead in a suitcase in an abandoned building in Athens last month.Inquiries have focused increasingly on Elisabeth-Jane Ross's last few hours alive and police believe they hold the key to revealing why the 38-year-old was targeted. Continue reading...

US president expects negotiations to begin in next day or two but Iran says it is not reviving talks with Washington

Disturbing' footage shared by California detainee surfaces amid wider complaints about conditions in ICE detentionAttorneys for a man detained in a California immigration detention center have released footage showing him holding up a bottle of water from inside the facility that appeared to be contaminated with worm-like creatures.The footage came from a video call with Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a Los Angeles man who has been detained for months at the Adelanto Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, north-east of LA. Continue reading...

Police credited Jordan Salinas with limiting number of victims in attack on restaurant in Twin Falls, IdahoA healthcare worker returning fire on a 24-year-old gunman who killed three people and wounded several others an In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, has said his impulse to confront the attacker was automatic" and mechanical".That description from 35-year-old Jordan Salinas came in an interview with the Idaho Statesman that was published on Sunday, providing a detailed account of actions that police credited with limiting the number of victims in the attack a day earlier. Continue reading...

US sees first fatalities due to intestinal illness, though both had significant underlying health conditionsTwo people have died from cyclosporiasis in Michigan, the state's health department said on Monday, marking the first fatalities in the largest US outbreak of the intestinal illness.According to medical records, both individuals had significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration," a spokesperson for the Michigan health and human service department told the Guardian in a statement. Continue reading...

Ruling quashes Home Office policy to refuse asylum seekers' right to have trafficking claims reconsidered after initial rejectionA high court judge has ordered the Home Office to bring an alleged victim of trafficking forcibly removed to France under the one in one out" scheme back to the UK.It is the first ruling of its kind and could lead to more people affected by the one in one out" policy being brought back to the UK. Continue reading...

European Commission president says work needed in five areas of migration control including returning more peopleThe president of the European Commission has called for action to strengthen Europe's borders after tens of thousands of people arrived and quickly left the Spanish territory of Ceuta, triggering a furious row between Madrid and other European countries.In a letter to Spain's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, on Monday, Ursula von der Leyen said: From this incident, it is clear that we must do more to further strengthen our borders at critical points, including vigilant monitoring and the use of physical barriers where needed." Continue reading...

The Home Office has made a fresh request for back door' access to encrypted iCloud data belonging to British usersApple has launched a new legal challenge against a UK government demand to access its customers' highly encrypted data, a year after the Home Office agreed to abandon its previous request.The US tech company launched the legal complaint last month at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), an independent court that has the power to investigate claims that the UK intelligence services have acted unlawfully. Continue reading...

Author says elements of missing section included questions on Biden's decision to run for re-election, the Times reportsThe author of an infamous internal Democrat party report on the 2024 presidential election loss has claimed that an entire section that included a discussion of generational wealth established by high-ranking elected officials was cut from the draft version leaked and later released earlier this summer.Paul Rivera, the author of the autopsy, told the New York Times that a section titled What Happened in 2024" was missing from the published version but had been included in the version he personally handed to embattled party chairman Ken Martin in January. Continue reading...

Nigel Farage admits he discussed returning as Reform leader months before election, appearing to undermine previous claims

$400bn tie-up with Bristol Myers Squibb would create world's fourth largest drugmaker but analysts question rationale for dealMore than 17bn was wiped off the value of Britain's biggest drugmaker, AstraZeneca, on Monday after a report that it was in discussions to take over its US rival Bristol Myers Squibb in a deal that would create a near $400bn (300bn) pharmaceutical group.AstraZeneca, run by Pascal Soriot, its longtime chief executive, had been worth nearly 196bn before the news broke. BMS, headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, and known for its cancer treatments, was worth $133bn (98bn). Continue reading...

Rupert Lowe says no talks have taken place after the Reform UK leader said he was open to conversation' on some sort of electoral dealZia Yusuf said under the plan Reform will create an integrated surveillance command", which he claims will unify" military and intelligence surveillance, making ours the most surveilled maritime border in the world".Any vessel attempting to cross illegally will be intercepted by our armed forces who will return them back to France," he said, adding that emergency legislation would be given to the armed forces to equip them with the necessary powers". Continue reading...

Nathan Owen drove his electric Jaguar at up to 86mph and lied to police it was malfunctioning and out of his controlA man who drove his electric Jaguar at up to 86mph on motorways falsely telling police the car was malfunctioning and out of his control has been jailed for four years and three months.Nathan Owen fabricated not being able to brake in a frighteningly stupid" ploy to avoid paying car finance, Liverpool crown court heard. Continue reading...

Representative who did not seek re-election in 2024 died of Alzheimer's disease, her son saidKay Granger, who served in the US House for almost three decades as the first elected Republican woman from Texas, died on Sunday, her family said. She was 83.The cause of death, according to her son JD Granger, was Alzheimer's disease. Continue reading...

Dozens of people died attempting to reach the Spanish enclave of Ceuta after an estimated 50,000 crossed from Morocco last week. The incident has led to a political crisis in Spain and criticism from EU countries.Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian's European community affairs correspondent, Ashifa Kassam - watch on YouTube Continue reading...

Hungary and Romania face energy crisis as record-low river levels force atomic power plants to reduce output

Explosives used to move a large rock and let more water flow to cool nuclear power plantMore must be done to strengthen the European Union's borders at critical points, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen told Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez in a letter.In the carefully-calibrated letter, first reported by Reuters and a number of Spanish media, von der Leyen was quoted as congratulating Spain for swiftly handling the incident and successfully preventing" the onward migration to mainland Spain and the EU. Continue reading...

Juan Jesus Vivas says influx seen as at least encouraged or permitted' by Rabat, as Spain demands EU solidarity

State supreme court rules in case of two bishops who were silent about three children abused by Mormon parentsClergy members in Arizona who learn of child abuse in the context of religious confession are not required to report it, the state's supreme court has said in a ruling that protects what church leaders call the seal of the confessional".The panel's ruling ends a long-running case in which three children who were sexually abused by their parents sued the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), also known as the Mormon church, and two bishops who became aware of the crimes but remained silent.In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline on 800-422-4453 or visit their website for more resources and to report child abuse or DM for help. For adult survivors of child abuse, help is available at ascasupport.org. In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children on 0800 1111, and adults concerned about a child on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. In Australia, children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, or Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, and adult survivors can contact Blue Knot Foundation on 1300 657 380. Other sources of help can be found at Child Helplines International Continue reading...

Christopher Phillips, who had been his mother Sylvia's primary carer since 2008, given two years and four months in prisonA man has been jailed for keeping his dead mother's body in a freezer at their shared home for almost three years, during which time he received more than 70,000 of her benefits and other funds.Christopher Phillips, 60, stored the body of Sylvia Phillips, a retired company secretary, in the chest freezer in the living room of their house in the south Wales seaside town of Porthcawl. Continue reading...

Party's deputy leader says on social media the case is related to a complaint by an anti-Israel lobby groupUK politics live - latest updatesReform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, is under investigation by parliament's standards watchdog over a possible failure to declare an interest.The watchdog did not provide details of the allegation aside from saying the case was opened on 28 July and would be conducted by the parliamentary commissioner for standards, Daniel Greenberg. Continue reading...

Staff at 5 Live told he will not return following claims about his previous career at Sullivan's Sport newspapersThe BBC radio presenter Tony Livesey has left the broadcaster after allegations were raised about his previous career as the editor-in-chief of David Sullivan's Sport newspapers.Staff at 5 Live, where Livesey had most recently presented the 10pm to 1am show four days a week, were told he would not be returning to the station, having stepped away from the role after the allegations first emerged. Continue reading...

Brent crude drops by 5% after US president claimed talks on Middle East peace deal would resume

Meeting follows years of questions over wellbeing of detained former leader, who was ousted by coup in 2021Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has met a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the aid organisation has confirmed.The meeting on Monday followed years of questions over the wellbeing of the 81-year-old, whose whereabouts and health condition have been largely unknown since the elected civilian government she led was ousted by a military coup in February 2021. Continue reading...

Factories in upbeat mood despite fears over economic impact of US war on Iran, poll finds

Foreign ministry accuses Kyiv of carrying out attack reports say may have been aimed at air force chief

Pop and rock legend tells Sunday Times of drinking problem and ill health after final Genesis tour in 2021Phil Collins has said that he suffered life-threatening alcoholism in recent years.Speaking to the Sunday Times, the pop and rock legend, 75, said that his drinking began after he stopped taking Antabuse, a drug that causes illness if alcohol is consumed, which he had been using since an earlier period of alcoholism. Continue reading...

Retired commander says policy lacks substance as party accused of trying to distract from Nigel Farage's scandals