World news | The Guardian

Council suspends 80-year link with Russian city and says it is exploring options for twinning with Mariupol

Richard Walker says some UK households cannot afford the energy to boil root vegetablesSome food bank users are declining to accept products such as potatoes as they cannot afford the energy to boil them, the boss of the supermarket Iceland has said, as the soaring cost of living pushes vulnerable groups to the financial brink.Richard Walker, who says the 1,000-stores in the budget chain are in the “poorest communities in the UK”, also called on the government to help businesses that are being forced to increase prices significantly as their own costs dramatically increase. Continue reading...

Former president rejects PM’s conference remarks, saying ‘zero’ citizens died over vote to leave EU

New route offers children of those born on islands right to be British overseas territory citizens or British citizensDescendants of people born in the Chagos Islands will have a new route to British nationality, the government has announced.Direct descendants of Chagossians who were born on the islands that now form part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, and who are not already Britishoverseas territory citizens (BOTCs) or British citizens, will be able to apply for both forms of British nationality, the Home Office said. Continue reading...

Inquest hears Clarke confided to boss about ‘domestic violence’ and feared estranged husband

Maharashtra government criticised over prop for health workers to demonstrate how to put on a condomA rubber penis that health workers are using as part of a family planning kit to demonstrate how to put on a condom has sparked anger in rural India, where sex remains a taboo subject.Some members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) have demanded that the kits be withdrawn and an apology offered to the health workers. One BJP state legislator, Chitra Kishor Wagh, said the Maharashtra government, which introduced the kit, “has lost its mind”. His colleague, Akash Bhundkar, wanted the government to apologise to the health workers for the “embarrassment” it had caused them. Continue reading...

Volodymyr Zelenskiy voices concerns for seized humanitarian convoy and decries ‘constant bombing’ of besieged Mariupol

National survey finds one in six students have been sexually harassed, with gender diverse students affected worst

Europe and North Atlantic alliance could never return to the world it knew before the Ukraine invasion, says Jonatan VseviovEstonia is calling for Nato to abandon its current “tripwire” posture in eastern Europe and build up a permanent force in the region capable of stopping a Russian offensive.Ahead of Thursday’s Nato summit, Jonatan Vseviov, the permanent secretary of the Estonian foreign ministry, said the Europe and the North Atlantic alliance could never return to the world it knew before the 24 February Russian invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

Sydney’s Hornsby Shire Council says political stickers could ‘cause confusion’ and prevent waste pickup

Amanda Melling’s visit follows fears UK tax havens may offer loophole for those trying to avoid clampdownA Foreign Office minister has flown to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) to hold urgent discussions on how sanctions against Russian oligarchs with cash stored in the secretive islands can be implemented, amid fears. UK tax havens may provide a loophole for those trying to escape the international clampdown.Amanda Milling’s visit follows news that a succession of oligarchs appeared to have hidden their assets in trusts based in the BVI in a bid to put them beyond reach of UK sanctions. British sanctions laws apply in the overseas territories, and enforcement officers are supposed to have full access to registers of beneficial ownerships. Continue reading...

MPs and charity criticise ‘appalling’ treatment of teenagers following closure of privately run centreThree girls have been held in an all-boys prison for at least eight months owing to “appalling” and systemic failures in the prison system, MPs and campaigners have said.The girls, aged 15 to 18, were transferred to the UK’s biggest prison for boys following the enforced closure of a privately run centre for safety reasons last year, the Guardian has learned. Continue reading...

Former players, including Evonne Goolagong Cawley, join fans from Australia and around the globe in paying tribute to world No 1 after decision to leave game

Staffer for Australian political party alleges misuse of donations, nepotism, and ‘big problem with women’ in widely-shared resignation email

Ukraine president says conditions are ‘inhumane’ in devastated southern city, and accuses Russian forces of seizing convoy on humanitarian corridor

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Motion thanking community should not be ‘political’ and reference to climate change was ‘piss poor’, councillor says

Full-time income of a single parent worker not enough for essential expenses, Australian Aged Care Collaboration report reveals

Resignation comes after internal investigations found Houston engaged in inappropriate conduct ‘of serious concern’Hillsong’s founding pastor, Brian Houston, has resigned from the megachurch he founded in Sydney two decades ago after internal investigations found he had engaged in inappropriate conduct of “serious concern” with two women.Houston stood down last Friday, but following another emergency staff meeting on Wednesday the Sydney-based church issued a brief statement announcing his resignation. Continue reading...

Woman who had affair with former SAS soldier tells defamation trial she was ‘simultaneously in love and afraid of him’

The book named a Jewish notary as a main suspect in exposing the family’s hideout to the Nazis, prompting widespread backlashThe Dutch publisher of a discredited cold case investigation into the betrayal of teenage Jewish diarist Anne Frank said it was recalling the book following a critical report on its findings.The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation by Canadian bestselling author Rosemary Sullivan has been widely criticised by experts since its release in January. Continue reading...

BuzzFeed News staffers on investigations, inequality, politics and science teams to be offered buyouts as top editors also departBuzzFeed is shrinking and shifting the focus of its Pulitzer prize-winning news division as the digital media company, best known for its lighthearted lists and quizzes, strives to increase its profitability.The New York-based company is offering voluntary buyouts in its high-profile, 100-person newsroom and some top editors are leaving. They include Mark Schoofs, the editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News, and deputy editor-in-chief Tom Namako, who announced a move to NBC News Digital on Tuesday. Ariel Kaminer, the executive editor for investigations, is also leaving. Continue reading...

Liberal MP for Goldstein Tim Wilson had complained the signs were put up prematurely ahead of a ban by the local council

Debate over Florida legislation has forced Disney into a balancing act between expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from a politicized marketplaceEven though only a small percentage of Walt Disney Co workers participated in a walkout Tuesday, organizers felt they had won a moral victory with the company issuing a statement denouncing the anti-LGBTQ legislation that sparked employee outrage.Throughout the day, pockets of employees staged demonstrations at various sites across the country, including near Orlando’s Walt Disney World and Walt Disney Studios. According to a Disney official, there had been no interruptions in any operations as of midday Tuesday. Continue reading...

William and Kate arrive in Jamaica to be met by protests calling for reparations from British monarchyThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been accused of benefiting from the “blood, tears and sweat” of slaves as they arrived in Jamaica to be met by a protest calling for reparations from the British monarchy.William and Kate will celebrate the culture and history of the island, where there have been calls from politicians in recent years to drop the Queen as head of state and become a republic, and for a formal acknowledgment of slavery. Continue reading...

Chancellor expected to announce fuel duty cut in package of measures to tackle cost of living crisisRishi Sunak will promise “security” to cash-strapped families as he announces a fresh package of measures to tackle the cost of living crisis on Wednesday, but will continue to underline the importance of fixing the public finances.The chancellor has been under intense pressure to take action to help households with the rocketing cost of fuel and other essentials. The financial expert Martin Lewis told MPs on Tuesday that many households are facing a “fiscal punch in the face” when the energy price cap rises next month. Continue reading...

Maks Levin’s disappearance from Vishgorod on 13 March causes concern after previous abduction of journalists

Culture secretary Nadine Dorries is expected to decide who will oversee UK media regulator this weekMichael Grade has emerged as the favourite to become the next Ofcom chair, with the culture secretary expected to make a final decision this week on who will oversee the UK’s media regulator.Appointing the veteran media executive and Tory politician as boss of the organisation would end a chaotic and embarrassing appointment process. The search has taken almost two years as a result of a series of botched attempts to hand the role to former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre. Continue reading...

Briton held captive in Iran for six years should not face online trolling, says Boris Johnson’s officeDowning Street has condemned critics of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who accused her of being “ungrateful” after she expressed frustration with the UK government for taking six years to secure her release from an Iranian jail.Days after touching down in Britain, Zaghari-Ratcliffe faced abuse on social media for saying it should not have taken so long for ministers to ensure she returned home safely. Continue reading...

Impostors posing as Ukrainian PM post new YouTube clip with Ben Wallace’s response to claim that arms have failed

Former EDL leader was due to be questioned about his finances after losing libel caseTommy Robinson is potentially facing jail over possible contempt of court after failing to show up for a high court hearing where he was to be questioned about his finances after losing a libel case.The former English Defence League leader had claimed he was bankrupt after losing a libel case brought against him by Jamal Hijazi, who had been filmed being attacked at school in 2018. Continue reading...

Russian gas supplier losing contracts over Ukraine invasion would get UK government lifeline if it collapsesThe government has drawn up plans to take over the funding of the UK operation of the Russian energy giant Gazprom, should the state-backed supplier collapse as customers cut supply contracts due to the invasion of Ukraine.Officials have drawn up contingency plans to implement a financial lifeline for the business energy supplier, which has contracts in place with about two-thirds of the UK’s heaviest gas users, in the event that Gazprom Energy enters administration in the next few weeks. Continue reading...

Statement comes as it emerges that series of messages lost from Boris Johnson’s phone in April 2021Communication within government during the pandemic was often by instant messaging, such as by WhatsApp, a senior Cabinet Office official has accepted, as it emerged that a series of messages have been lost from Boris Johnson’s phone.The messages were lost in April 2021 amid security precautions when it was found that the prime minister’s phone number was listed on the internet, according to a statement by Sarah Harrison, chief operating officer at the Cabinet Office. Continue reading...

Ukrainian commanders say fuel, food and ammunition in short supply after breakdown in Russian supply chains

Official watchdog says force’s ability to tackle corruption is ‘fundamentally flawed’Measures taken by the Metropolitan police to tackle corruption are “fundamentally flawed” and “dire”, with continued failings down to arrogance, secrecy and lethargy, a devastating independent report has said.The report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services was ordered after an independent panel criticised the Met for failings over the Daniel Morgan murder, where corruption hampered the hunt for the killers of the private detective.Failed to properly supervise more than 100 recruits with criminal convictions or criminal connections, to lessen the risk they may pose. Those convictions include handling stolen goods, possession of drugs, assault and theft.The Met does not know if staff in highly sensitive posts, such as child protection, major crime investigation, and informant handling, are vetted to the right level.More than 2,000 warrant cards issued to former officers who are now not entitled to hold them are unaccounted for.Monitoring of IT systems, which helps identify potentially corrupt staff, remains weaker than it should be.Hundreds of items such as drugs, cash and exhibits are missing, with the arrangements and policies for keeping them safe branded as “dire”. The security code for a store was written on its door at one police station. Continue reading...

Call and response was part of a President’s Day lesson at a southern California Christian schoolA southern California parochial school apologized to parents after a teacher shared a video last month of her leading preschool students in a chant denouncing Joe Biden.The video obtained by ABC 7 News in Los Angeles shows the unnamed teacher at Turning Point Christian school in Norco asking the four- and five-year-olds: “Who’s our president?” Continue reading...

Police initially believed they had intercepted a drunk driver as they chased car traveling at 93mph on the wrong side of the roadWhen police in Canada responded to reports of a car travelling at 150km per hour on the wrong side of the road, they initially believed they had intercepted a drunk driver.So officers were surprised to discover that the driver was in fact an 11-year-old boy. Continue reading...

Chinese and American scientists say western and central Africa may be hit in futureWildfires will pose a greater socioeconomic risk in years to come, scientists have predicted, as they increasingly burn agricultural areas and harm populations.A study uses machine learning to model where wildfires are likely to strike in coming years, and their impact on humanity. Continue reading...

An 18-year-old student allegedly killed two teachers, both women in their 50s, at a secondary school in MalmöPolice in Sweden are attempting to determine why an 18-year-old student allegedly killed two teachers at a school in Malmö, as fresh details of the attack emerged.The two victims, both women in their 50s, were teachers at Malmö Latin, a creative arts secondary school with more than 1,000 students in Sweden’s third-biggest city, police said at a press conference on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Ali Harbi Ali allegedly gained appointment after asking to discuss healthcare and dwindling church congregationsAn alleged Islamic terrorist feigned an interest in churches and Christianity before killing the MP David Amess, a court has heard.Ali Harbi Ali, 26, denies the murder of the Southend West MP during a constituency surgery in a Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on 15 October last year. Continue reading...

Analysis: Some say the country’s losses could rival those of its wars in Chechnya or Afghanistan

Newtown parents allegedly failed to meet dietary and health needs of Kaylea Titford, 16, in first lockdownThe parents of a teenage girl from Mid Wales have appeared in court charged with causing their daughter’s death by allowing her to become morbidly obese and not getting medical help for her.Kaylea Titford, 16, was found dead at her home in Newtown, Powys, in October 2020. Continue reading...

Axioma held after Dmitry Pumpyansky was added to UK and EU sanctions list in March

Ex-Arsenal shareholder claims millions of pounds of his assets are in irrevocable trustAlisher Usmanov, the Russian oligarch once said to be the UK’s richest person, claims to have placed hundreds of millions of pounds of his assets into an irrevocable trust, potentially leaving them outside the sanctions regime established by western governments.The tycoon – a former 30% shareholder in Arsenal football club who has also ploughed millions into sponsoring Everton and is subject to sanctions – can today be revealed as connected to at least six luxury UK properties and one central London office building, collectively worth more than £170m and held via a complex web of offshore companies and family members.Close relatives who are named as the owners of luxury properties in countries including Italy, Germany and Latvia.The use of a $350m private jet and a helicopter deregistered from the Isle of Man on the day Usmanov was sanctioned by the UK, plus another now deregistered from Luxembourg, the LX-VIP.A 512ft, $600m private yacht called Dilbar, along with a concession to moor the vessel until 2036 in Barcelona port, which is thought to be worth about $20m. Continue reading...

Yvan Colonna’s death following assault on mainland raises fears of fresh violence on the islandThe French government has appealed for calm following the death of the jailed Corsican nationalist Yvan Colonna after he was attacked by a fellow prisoner almost three weeks ago.Colonna, 61, had been in hospital in a coma since the assault on 2 March in a prison where he was serving a life sentence for the murder of Claude Érignac, the French prefect – the government’s senior representative in Corsica – in 1998. Continue reading...

Neighbours in Blackbrook tell of shock after 17-month-old ‘beautiful little girl’ mauled by dog at her homeA 17-month-old girl who died after a dog attack at her home in Blackbrook, St Helens, on Monday has been named by Merseyside police as Bella-Rae Birch.Neighbours have spoken of their shock after the toddler, described as a “beautiful little girl”, died after being mauled by a newly acquired dog. Continue reading...

Volodymyr Zelenskiy urges direct talks with Russian president amid US fears Moscow could order chemical weapons attacks

Demand for energy-saving kit and the shift to working from home are driving sales, says Kingfisher bossThe owner of B&Q and Screwfix is handing workers a pay rise as the company’s boss forecast that demand for energy-saving kit and the shift to working from home would keep fuelling the DIY boom.Pay for B&Q workers will increase by 6.5% to £9.80 an hour while Screwfix is increasing minimum staff pay by 5.4% to £9.70 an hour from 1 April, putting both chains just ahead of the new legal minimum of £9.50 which starts next month. Continue reading...