World news | The Guardian

John and Gabriel Shipton say they’re frustrated at Australian PM for lack of progress in WikiLeaks founder’s case since Labor was elected

UN to conduct fact-finding mission into deaths of Ukrainian PoWs; US Senate ratifies Sweden and Finland’s accession to Nato Continue reading...

Next challenge is to get Russia and Ukraine to agree on terms of reference to investigate atrocity, says UN secretary generalThe UN is setting up a fact-finding mission to investigate the killing of dozens of prisoners of war at a prison in a Russian-occupied region of eastern Ukraine that Moscow and Kyiv accuse each other of carrying out.António Guterres, the UN secretary general, told reporters he did not have authority to conduct criminal investigations but could conduct fact-finding missions, and terms of reference were being prepared for the governments of Ukraine and Russia to approve. The mission was set up in response to requests from Russia and Ukraine. Continue reading...

Which? says people are cutting food and clothes spending to pay for mobile, broadband and landlineAlmost 6 million UK households are struggling to pay their mobile, landline and broadband bills, with the cost of living squeeze forcing many to cut back on essentials such as food and clothes, cancel or change a service, or miss payments to stay connected.A report from the consumer group Which? estimates that 5.7 million households have experienced at least one “affordability issue” in April, as cash-strapped homes struggle to cope with soaring bills and other costs. Continue reading...

Parents of 12-year-old say they should be allowed to choose where their son takes ‘his last moments’The parents of 12-year-old Archie Battersbee have pledged to “fight” to get him moved to a hospice, insisting they should be allowed to choose where he takes “his last moments”.After the rejection by the European court of human rights of their last-ditch bid to postpone the withdrawal of Archie’s life support, the family now intends to file an application to the high court in London to transfer him out of the Royal London hospital. Continue reading...

Darren Osment, 40, will appear in Bristol magistrates over disappearance of 32-year-oldA man has been charged with the murder of a woman who disappeared a decade ago, police said.Darren Osment, 40, will appear before Bristol magistrates court on Thursday accused of murdering 32-year-old Claire Holland. Continue reading...

Conservative MP says Truss is best placed to ‘reunite the party’ and new approach on economy is neededSajid Javid has endorsed Liz Truss in a damaging blow for Rishi Sunak’s campaign, warning that Sunak’s economic prescription would mean “sleepwalking into a high-tax, low-growth” economy.In a difficult day for Sunak, the leadership hopeful doubled down on his warnings over inflation and mounted a fresh attack on Truss’s plans for immediate tax cuts, saying any prime minister who fuelled inflation would be handing the next election to Labour. Continue reading...

Abandoned policy ‘misinterpreted … by the media’, Tory leadership frontrunner tells party members at hustings in CardiffLiz Truss has said an £8.8bn black hole in her savings budget caused by her abandoning a policy to cut public sector wages was not part of her “central costings” for funding a range of spending pledges, as she suggested the policy had been a “mistake”.She also defended her stance on Brexit as a former remain supporter, claiming that the disruption she was concerned about prior to the referendum did not happen, despite the long queues recently seen at Channel crossings at the start of the school holidays. Continue reading...

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have released a statement to express shock and sadness over the decision for their already shot film to be killedDirecting duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have responded to the cancellation of their Batgirl film, writing that they are “saddened and shocked” by the news.The Belgian film-makers, best known for 2020’s Bad Boys for Life and episodes of Ms Marvel, shared a statement on Instagram after Tuesday’s news that Warner Bros Discovery would not be releasing the DC Comics adventure that was nearing the end of post-production. Continue reading...

Imperial College Union motion says students should have been consulted on work, due to ‘obvious’ erect penis interpretationUniversity students at Imperial College London are battling to prevent the installation of new sculpture by Antony Gormley over concerns that the work is “phallic”.Alert, a six-metre-high stack of cantilevered steel blocks meant to resemble a squatting human figure, is scheduled to be installed in the university’s newly built Dangoor Plaza in South Kensington this summer. Continue reading...

German chancellor says no reason to hold up return of turbine behind energy standoff; UN says number of border crossings from Ukraine passes 10m markMykola Tochytskyi, deputy minister of foreign affairs, has repeated Ukraine’s request for the skies over nuclear installations to be closed to prevent a potential accident and their misuse. He posted to Twitter saying:The Russian leadership openly threatens the world with its ability to use nuclear weapons, backed by the clear calls to do so by the Russian state media.For the first time in history, civil nuclear facilities have been turned into military targets and springboards for the Russian army in breach of the non-proliferation provisions on peaceful use of nuclear energy. Continue reading...

Family and police appeal for witnesses to come forward with information on student nurse’s disappearance on 7 JulyThe mother of a student nurse who has been missing for almost a month has made an emotional appeal for information to assist the police investigation.

Greens MP says there is ‘desperate need’ for reform as tenants feel the pain of low vacancies and rising interest rates

Exclusive: Bill set to be introduced Thursday will also target image-based sexual abuse

US House speaker leaves island as China orders live-fire drills off coastThe US House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has said Beijing cannot prevent world leaders from travelling to Taiwan, as she departed from the island on Wednesday to continue her tour of Asia.In a newly released statement that summarised her trip, Pelosi expressed her admiration for Taiwan’s democracy and criticised China’s ruling Communist party for obstructing Taiwan on the world stage. Continue reading...

European champions call on Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to commit to bringing change if they enter No 10England’s Lionesses have written to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss asking them to commit to allowing all girls to play football in schools after the Department for Education (DfE) refused to say it would change the guidance.The open letter to the two Tory leadership candidates has been signed by the squad who won the historic victory in the Women’s Euro 2022 on Sunday. Continue reading...

Officials cite satellite data and phone intercepts and say Wagner Group mercenaries carried out atrocity

Mayor’s decision to give police access to more data described as ‘gargantuan increase of surveillance in London’The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, is facing a legal challenge over his decision to allow the Metropolitan police access to more data from a larger number of traffic cameras across the city.The Green party London assembly member Siân Berry said it was “terrifying” that the force will have full access to a “huge database” of Automated Number-Plate Recognition (ANPR) data from the expanded ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) in the capital. Continue reading...

Ex-commissioner Cressida Dick ‘may have breached standards’ in case, but no action to be taken, says IOPCEvery officer involved in the Daniel Morgan scandal will escape punishment, the police watchdog has announced, despite an independent inquiry finding corruption in the Metropolitan police shielded the private detective’s killers with the force ignoring information.Those escaping any action include the former Met commissioner Cressida Dick, who the inquiry accused of hampering its work. Continue reading...

Belgian pigeon fanciers say birds ‘didn’t have a chance’ after contest went wrong in NarbonneBelgian pigeon fanciers are in uproar after thousands of their birds went missing when they were released into stormy weather in a competition that went wrong.The birds were let out in Narbonne in southern France at the start of a race back to their lofts in northern Europe, but they soon hit a summer storm. The Belgian pigeon federation described the outcome as a catastrophe and blamed organisers for allowing the birds to become airborne despite forecasts of bad weather. Continue reading...

Platforms such as Discord being used to build ‘far-right ecosystem’ to radicalise young people, say experts

Age profile of far-right referrals and arrests is getting younger, experts warn, though numbers remain small

Emergency services called to Pencester Gardens on morning before fair was due to open to publicA teenage boy has died at a fair on the Kent coast.Emergency services were called to Pencester Gardens in Dover on Wednesday morning. Continue reading...

Redhills assembly hall, built in 1915, joins group application for same status as pyramids and Taj MahalA grand hall created for miners in 1915 and recognised as one of the finest trade union buildings in Europe is bidding for Unesco world heritage status.Redhills in Durham has been selected as one of eight workers’ assembly halls across the world that are jointly applying for the accolade. Continue reading...

Francisco scoops fashion designer award for elegant womenswear collection, while bark skirts and statement streetwear also celebrated at Darwin event

Company expects lowest power production in three decades as ability to cool plants is restrictedThe French energy supplier EDF has signalled it is likely to reduce output at its nuclear power stations on the Rhône and Garonne rivers as heatwaves push up river temperatures, restricting its ability to use the river water to cool the plants.The state-owned company, Europe’s biggest producer of nuclear energy, said its power stations on the two rivers were likely to produce less electricity in the coming days, but would maintain a minimum level of output to keep the grid steady, Bloomberg News reported. Continue reading...

Data follows rising trend over past decade, with cocaine-related deaths increasing sevenfold since 2011Drug-related deaths have reached a record level across England and Wales, with a growing number of people dying after using opiates and cocaine, ONS figures show.In 2021, 4,859 people were recorded as having died from drug poisoning, the equivalent of 84.4 deaths per million people. This is 6.2% higher than figures for 2020, the ninth consecutive annual rise, and is the highest number since records began in 1993. Continue reading...

Elaina Cohen wins two claims against Khalid Mahmood but loses claim that dismissal was related to her race, religion or beliefA parliamentary aide and former partner of a Labour MP has won a claim against him for unfair dismissal with a tribunal also agreeing she was “isolated and marginalised” for a year before being sacked.Elaina Cohen won two claims that she made against her former boss Khalid Mahmood, the MP for Birmingham Perry Barr. But she lost other claims including that her dismissal was related to race, religion or belief. Continue reading...

Family submit application to Strasbourg-based court in attempt to postpone withdrawal of life supportThe parents of Archie Battersbee have submitted an application to the European court of human rights (ECHR) in an attempt to postpone the withdrawal of his life support.Lawyers acting for Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee, from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, had been given a deadline of 9am on Wednesday to submit the application. Continue reading...

Former Lib Dem leader to divide time between UK capital and California as Meta’s head of global affairsNick Clegg, the president of global affairs at Facebook’s parent company, is partly relocating to London as he joins senior colleagues in moving to the UK capital.The former Liberal Democrat leader will divide his time between California, where he lives currently, and London. Clegg’s new executive role at Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta will require more travelling and it is understood that Clegg sees London as a suitable base for visiting Europe and Asia. Continue reading...

More than half a million households could miss out on discount, according to Citizens AdviceCharities are warning that renters whose utility bills are included in their rent are at the mercy of their landlords and could miss out on the UK government’s £400 energy discount.An estimated 585,000 households – equivalent to 13% of all those renting in the private market – have energy bills included in their rent, according to Citizens Advice. It said renters could miss out on the energy rebate and other support like the warm home discount, if they are not the bill payer, because they are paid to the landlord. Continue reading...

South Korea calls for dialogue and Japan conveys concerns over drills, while North Korea praises ChinaThe historic visit to Taiwan of the US House of Representatives speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has provoked a furious response from China, and heightened fears of a crisis in the Taiwan strait. In Asia and beyond, the visit has put governments on edge. Continue reading...

Conservationists find native magnolia for first time since 1925 after original habitat destroyed by deforestationA conservation team has rediscovered a native magnolia tree in a forest in Haiti for the first time since it was lost to science in 1925.Boasting pure white flowers and uniquely shaped leaves, the northern Haiti magnolia (Magnolia emarginata) was found originally in the forest of Morne Colombo, which has since been destroyed by deforestation. It was considered endangered and featured on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species, and its discovery has sparked new hope for the potential rewilding of Haiti’s forests. Continue reading...

Inquiry also hears Amy Brown reveal Stuart Ayres’ praise for John Barilaro before New York appointment

Musician, 24, from Coventry, blames ‘failed background check’ after conviction relating to mass brawlThe British rapper Pa Salieu has said he has been blocked from performing at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony because of a “failed background check”.The 24-year-old musician from Coventry was acquitted in March of engaging in violent disorder during a mass brawl, in which his friend Fidel Glasgow was knifed to death. Continue reading...

Action urged over Brexit-related delays of up to 48 hours caused by queues on the UK side of ChannelThe Scottish salmon industry has called on ministers to urgently intervene to stop Brexit-related delays to the transportation of fresh fish to France.It comes after the Brexit opportunities minister, Jacob Rees-Mogg, admitted he was wrong to say there would be no delays at the port of Dover caused by the UK leaving the EU. Continue reading...

Vardy says she is receiving 100 abusive messages a day after losing case as she again denies leaking stories about Colleen RooneyRebekah Vardy has said she feels “let down by the legal system”, and has again denied leaking stories about Coleen Rooney to tabloids, following her loss of a libel battle at the high court.Vardy said she believed she was suffering from PTSD after losing the case and she now had a full-time security chief at her home in Leicestershire after she said she was receiving 100 abusive messages a day. Continue reading...

His handling of this crisis, which led to the resignation of his deputy Stuart Ayres, has colleagues questioning whether he has the right stuff under pressure

‘Completely around the wrong way’ to allow pensioners to work more without losing pay while jobseeker remains unchanged, advocates say

Analysis: Liberals were always sceptical of Matthew Guy’s plan to use a marketing maestro to improve the party’s chances in Victoria

Guardian Australia brings together all the latest on daily new Covid-19 cases, as well as stats, charts and live state by state data from NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA, WA, Tasmania, ACT and NT. We bring together the latest numbers on the vaccine rollout and fourth dose booster vaccination rates.

Health minister Mark Butler says government has accepted Atagi’s advice and approved the jab for children with serious health conditions aged six months to five years old

Falsehoods and disinformation could cause breakdown in relations with local communities, says World VisionUkrainian refugees are likely to become victims of rising tensions and disinformation campaigns in their host countries, a report has warned.False reports exaggerating how much aid refugees receive compared with local people, as well as linking refugees with violent crime and political extremism, could cause a breakdown in relations with local communities, the charity World Vision said. Continue reading...

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Australians would get ‘real talk’ from his government about the country’s positioning

All stories are to be approved by the government before broadcast on the SIBC, prompting grave concerns about press freedomThe Solomon Islands’ government has prompted outrage by ordering the censorship of the national broadcaster, forbidding it from publishing material critical of the government, which will vet all stories before broadcast.On Monday the government announced that the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC), a public service broadcaster established in 1976 by an act of parliament, would be brought under government control. Continue reading...

Hyperbolic tenor of debate shows lack of knowledge of country’s unique political situation, Taiwanese Americans sayNancy Pelosi’s arrival in Taiwan has inflamed US-China relations anew, with China’s military announcing it will conduct live-fire exercises around the island and state media condemning the visit as “stupid, reckless and dangerous”. Meanwhile, US commentators across the ideological spectrum, from Thomas Friedman to Tucker Carlson to Code Pink, have called Pelosi’s trip a reckless provocation to war.But to Taiwanese Americans who have spent a lifetime grappling with the island’s strange geopolitical status, the hyperbolic tenor of the debate over Pelosi’s visit is indicative of how little most Americans know or care about the people of Taiwan. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Health department says it will miss July target of treating all patients in England waiting at least two yearsMinisters have admitted a key NHS pledge to ensure that everyone who has been waiting at least two years for hospital care would be treated by last month has not been met.The then health secretary Sajid Javid made the promise in February when launching the NHS’s “elective recovery plan”. It was intended to tackle what is now a record 6.6 million-patient backlog in England for those awaiting a procedure such as a joint replacement or cataract removal and included a series of treatment milestones the health service had to hit. Continue reading...

UCL pledges to investigate allegations which include older staff being pressured to retire early from construction schoolAcademics at one of the UK’s most prestigious universities claim bullying and harassment has destroyed careers and left staff living in a “culture of fear”.In a leaked letter seen by the Guardian, nine academics from University College London’s (UCL) Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction said they needed to break their “silence”, alleging that complaints of bullying are “simply ignored”. Continue reading...