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Exclusive: union, health and aid groups plead with the Morrison government to support a WTO proposal to suspend vaccine patents during the pandemicInternational aid groups, health organisations and unions are pleading with the Morrison government to support a World Trade Organization proposal designed to allow developing countries to make and sell cheap copies of patented vaccines, to achieve a quicker end to the global pandemic.The WTO proposal would suspend Covid vaccine patents for successful jab formulas invented by pharmaceutical giants for the duration of the pandemic so poorer countries could acquire more affordable doses faster. Continue reading...

From alkaline waters to beauty elixirs, added oxygen and probiotics, many brands claim they have ‘enhanced’ water – but what do the experts think?Today, when I woke up, I made myself a cup of warm lemon water. After lunch I dropped a Berocca into a glass to power me through the afternoon haze. Running errands I considered treating myself to a Coke but opted instead for an expensive, vegetable-tasting water.H2O classic may be a prerequisite to all known forms of life, but countless brands insist they have found ways to “improve” water. From a business standpoint, it’s working. Industry researchers IbisWorld estimate Australia’s “functional beverage” industry is worth $445.6m; and as people become more health conscious, the growth of the sector is outpacing the economy overall. Continue reading...

Research has revealed the Top 10 most popular songs for mothers-to-be – and no, Salt-N-Pepa is not on thereName: Songs to give birth to.Age: Women have been giving birth since for ever, and presumably some have always chosen to do so to music. But this is about some recent research into the songs and artists most commonly listened to during labour. Continue reading...

HBO’s Covid Diaries NYC stitches together five documentary shorts by film-makers between 16-22, covering the dizzying, surreal first days of the pandemicThe middle of March 2021 will bring, for most Americans, a strange, surreal anniversary: the year mark of the horrifying realization – be it through a tweet, a cancellation, a diagnosis of a loved one or a celebrity, a lost job or gig – that the coronavirus was a very real threat that would implode the world as we knew it. For Aracelie Colón, then a 16-year-old high school junior in Manhattan, it was the email announcing a two-week closure from school. For fellow high school junior Shane Fleming, it was the positive diagnosis of a classmate and the closure of the Film Forum, where the movie buff caught a final feature showing on 14 March. For Arlet Guallpa, then 22, it was an ambulance outside her building in Washington Heights, fetching the first of many residents who would succumb to the virus.Related: 'They refused to act': inside a chilling documentary on Trump's bungled Covid-19 response Continue reading...

Thailand’s prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, finished his weekly news conference by spraying alcohol disinfectant on the front row of journalists. He walked away from lectern after evading a question about a possible cabinet reshuffle Continue reading...

Dunn’s mother says Anne Sacoolas must return to the UK to face justice over teenager’s deathA lawyer acting for Anne Sacoolas, the suspect in the death of 19-year-old motorcyclist Harry Dunn, has said her client is willing to undertake community service, make a financial contribution in Dunn’s memory and to meet the parents to help give them some peace.However, the lawyer said in a BBC interview that Sacoolas was not willing to return to the UK, where she is facing charges of death by dangerous driving, an offence that can lead to a jail sentence. Continue reading...

Moldova's recent presidential election ended up being a referendum on one of Europe's most pressing questions. With birth rates in steep decline and much of its remaining population leaving the country, the incumbent president, Igor Dodon, was desperately trying to reinstate faith in the traditional family structure and religious values. His opponent, Maia Sandu, was a 48-year-old unmarried woman with no children. But was the country ready for her? In this episode of Europe's baby bust, Leah Green and Ekaterina Ochagavia joined the campaign trail to find out

With How to Change Everything, the activist has written her first book for young people. She explains how she has been inspired by a new, very young generation of protesters

Chile closed land borders last year due to Covid but authorities report surge in crossings, mostly Venezuelan migrantsActivists are warning of a looming humanitarian crisis on the border between Chile and Bolivia as growing numbers of migrants brave the harsh terrain of the Chilean altiplano to cross the frontier on foot.Chile closed its land borders last year as a preventive measure during the Covid-19 pandemic, but authorities have reported a surge in irregular crossings, mostly caused by Venezuelan migrants fleeing economic instability and political turmoil in their home country. Continue reading...

Chris Murphy, key opponent of Saudi war in Yemen, says UK and US should not be interested in ‘perpetuating war crimes’A leading voice in the US Congress against the Saudi war in Yemen has called on the UK to follow in the Biden administration’s footsteps and end offensive weapons sales to the kingdom, saying Britain ought not to have any greater interest in “perpetuating war crimes” than the US does.Senator Chris Murphy, an influential Democrat on the foreign relations committee, told the Guardian that he believed the Biden administration was poised to continue using arms sales as a lever in its relationship with the Saudi government, in addition to the ban on offensive weapons sales for use in Yemen it has already announced. Continue reading...

The first inquiry of its kind in Australia has been compared to South Africa’s truth and reconciliation commissionThe Victorian government in Australia is holding an inquiry into the ongoing effects of the violent dispossession and genocide of Aboriginal people during colonisation by the British empire and racist policies by Australian governments.The Yoo-rrook justice commission, named for the Wemba Wemba/Wamba Wamba word for ‘truth’, was announced on Tuesday as part of a long-running treaty process. It will be given a remit to investigate both historical and ongoing injustices against Aboriginal Australians and has been compared to South Africa’s truth and reconciliation commission. Continue reading...

Media reports say onboard incident left steward with broken hand and captain a chipped toothChina’s aviation regulator is investigating a reported fistfight between the captain and chief steward onboard a domestic passenger flight last month.The Civil Aviation Administration of China said it took the reported incident extremely seriously and was collecting further information. Any incident endangering flight safety would be “dealt with strictly under the law”, said a statement issued late on Monday. Continue reading...

Government blamed for not ensuring safety as broadcaster’s female staff told to stay home after attacks by IsisA radio and television broadcaster in eastern Afghanistan that has had four of its female employees murdered since December has said it will not hire any more women until security in the country improves.The broadcaster, Enikass Radio and Television, has also told all female employees to work from home. Islamic State (Isis) has claimed responsibility for killing all four women, but Enikass also blames the Afghan government for not providing adequate security. Continue reading...

Victorian premier says he damaged his vertebrae in a fall; former prime minister Kevin Rudd addresses National Press Club. This blog is now closed

US attorney suggests bullying inquiry is ‘calculated decision’ with prince mired in Epstein controversyA US lawyer for some of the women who say they were victims of Jeffrey Epstein has suggested that Buckingham Palace’s plans to examine bullying allegations against the Duchess of Sussex are a “calculated decision” to take the focus off Prince Andrew.“Allegations about him are far worse than the allegations about Meghan Markle. Prince Andrew was a working royal when he became a friend of Jeffrey Epstein, who was a sexual predator,” said Gloria Allred. Continue reading...

The actors and old friends talk about how theatre beats TV, the terror of standup – and the joys of making Yoko Ono crack up

The seven temporary sites were built during first wave of Covid-19 but treated few patientsThe NHS has announced the emergency Nightingale hospitals built in the first Covid-19 wave to cope with anticipated pressures on the health service are to close from next month.Seven of the temporary hospitals were hastily constructed in England, starting last April with a 4,000-bed facility at London’s ExCeL centre. Continue reading...

Girl, 13, admits lying about being told to leave classroom while teacher showed images of ProphetLike many a school truant, the 13-year-old girl was keen to prevent her father from discovering she had been suspended because of repeatedly failing to turn up for lessons.So she made up a story. The teenager said her history teacher, Samuel Paty, had instructed Muslim students to leave the classroom so he could show the rest “a photograph of the Prophet naked”. Continue reading...

Queen, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate to pay tribute to the world’s healthcare workers in TV broadcastIn an apparent attempt to grab attention before the airing of Prince Harry and Meghan’s tell-all interview, senior members of the royal family are to show a united front on Sunday and praise the efforts of doctors and nurses.Just hours before the interview with Oprah goes out, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Camilla, William and Kate will appear in a programme celebrating the Commonwealth and paying tribute to the world’s frontline healthcare workers. Continue reading...

Rita Ora is among the performers at the 43rd annual parade, held at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Everard, 33, went missing on evening of 3 March while walking from Clapham Junction area of London to BrixtonPolice have said they are “increasingly concerned” over the disappearance of a woman who has not been heard from since Wednesday night and have released a CCTV image of her.Sarah Everard, 33, went missing as she walked home to Brixton, south London, from the Clapham Junction area on 3 March after meeting a friend. Continue reading...

Police try to hold back hundreds gathering and letting off fireworks on morning of St Mirren match

Pope Francis urges Iraq’s Muslim and Christian religious leaders to put aside animosities and work together for peace during an interfaith meeting on Saturday in the traditional birthplace of the Prophet Abraham, the patriarch of both faiths. The pope met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, 90, spiritual leader of most of the world’s Shia Muslims, and travelled to the ruins of Ur in southern Iraq

Firefighters rescued a woman and two children from top floor of building in Greenwich on SaturdayA child has died after a fire at a block of flats in south-east London.Firefighters rescued a woman and two children from the top floor of the building, London fire brigade said. Continue reading...

Who green-lit The Masked Singer, or dreamed up a dating show about Prince Harry? Insiders reveal how madcap ideas go from page to small-screen sensation

Tibetan spiritual leader, 85, receives jab at hospital in north Indian city of Dharamshala

Archbishop of Canterbury says Henry Ndukuba’s comments that homosexuality should be ‘expunged’ are unacceptableThe archbishop of Canterbury has issued a rare public condemnation of a fellow Anglican primate who described homosexuality as a “deadly virus” which should be “radically expunged and excised”.Justin Welby, who is the leader of the global Anglican church, said the comments made by Henry Ndukuba, the archbishop of Nigeria, were unacceptable and dehumanising. Continue reading...

Reliable rhubarb spans the ‘hungry gap’ with a tangy rhubarb and lime jam squashed into a cheese toastie, and a refreshing cold dessert soup topped with mint sugar and creamWhatever else is happening in the weather or the world, forced rhubarb is reliably, happily hot pink. Grown in warm barns, rather than facing the elements as field rhubarb does, forced rhubarb is tricked into an early harvest, which is why we get its pink fluorescence in the first three months of the year. The season ends around the end of March, when it hands over to its outdoor-grown cousin, so make the most of its sweetness and slender, bright pink stalks while you can. Continue reading...

In the months before Mason died, child safety officers saw him only once for about five minutesChild safety officers suffered “manifestly inadequate” consequences over the death of toddler Mason Jet Lee, Queensland’s public service watchdog says.
Mason died after his mother’s boyfriend struck him so hard in the abdomen it ruptured the 22-month-old’s small intestine, leading to an infection. Continue reading...

Two men arrested in connection with tragedy in Ynyswen, Rhondda Cynon TafA 16-year-old girl has died after emergency services were called to reports of a stabbing in a small Welsh village.Two men have been arrested in connection with the tragedy in Ynyswen in Rhondda Cynon Taf and were themselves taken to hospital and receiving treatment for serious injuries. Continue reading...

The hedge fund manager earns Britain’s biggest salary. He also avoids meat, likes yoga and supports Extinction RebellionHedge fund manager Sir Chris Hohn once made a point of telling a high court judge that he was an “unbelievable moneymaker”. This week Hohn proved his point – definitively – when it was revealed that he paid himself just shy of £1m-a-day last year.Hohn collected $479m (£343m) in annual dividend payments from his The Children’s Investment (TCI) fund in the biggest ever personal payday in the UK after doubling profits at his Mayfair hedge fund, run from an office a couple of doors down from Louis Vuitton’s flagship store. Continue reading...

Nuclear weapons | Tottenham cake | Perseverance | Golf costs | Downing Street refurbishmentDespite the UK’s current budgetary crisis (Spend now, pay later: Sunak flags major tax rises as Covid bill tops £400bn, 3 March), major parties think it makes sense to spend at least £205bn on a new generation of nuclear weapons. They will be so non-independent that we have to borrow, from the US, the missiles on which to put the warheads. Bonkers is a bit rude, but nothing else comes to mind.

Myanmar’s security forces opened fire on peaceful anti-coup protesters in several towns and cities, in the worst week of violence since the military coup last month.

Campaigners believe Holyrood crisis may prevent women from coming forward to report harassment

The Duchess of Sussex has said it is 'liberating' to be able to have the 'right and privilege' to be able to say yes to an interview with the broadcaster Oprah Winfrey. Her comments are aired in the latest teaser clip for Oprah with Meghan and Harry, which is being broadcast on CBS on Sunday night

The Guardian’s picture editors select photo highlights from around the world, including Myanmar protesters and a violin-playing doctor Continue reading...

Duke leaves St Bartholomew’s NHS hospital after ‘successful procedure’ for heart conditionThe Duke of Edinburgh has left the NHS hospital where he had heart surgery and been moved back to the private King Edward VII’s hospital for continuing treatment, Buckingham Palace has said.Philip, 99, had a successful procedure for an existing heart condition at St Bartholomew’s hospital in the City of London on Wednesday, three months before his 100th birthday. Continue reading...

Royal experts predict the duchess and Prince Harry will not target members of the royal familyAs the world awaits Sunday’s interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex against a toxic canvas of bullying and smear claims, the key question must be: what should Buckingham Palace fear most?Anticipating what will fall from the couple’s lips under Oprah Winfrey’s “no off-limits” questioning is clearly taxing those at the heart of the British monarchy. Continue reading...

Social media influencers of African origin have banded together, using ‘fun activism’ to make their voice heardWhen Aida Diouf Mbengue made her debut on TikTok in 2019, it was partly to show solidarity with a Moroccan classmate who was being mocked for her dance clips on the social media app, but also to challenge prejudices.The 15-second sketch features Mbengue, who was born in Senegal and has lived in Bergamo, northern Italy, since the age of three, wearing her hijab on a street and looking at her phone. Her sister, who filmed the video, asks: “Aida, show me a photo of your ex.” Mbengue, 19, quips: “There’s no need … here’s my ex”, before jauntily turning around and pointing to a huge pile of rubbish. The two girls burst into giggles. Continue reading...

Protests planned as unease grows over government’s resistance to ordering inquiry into alleged incident in 1988With the Australian government already scrambling to deal with the fallout over its handling of an allegation of sexual assault against a minister’s staffer – alleged to have occurred just metres from the prime minister’s office in 2019 – a rape allegation levelled against the attorney general has sent it sprawling.Christian Porter has emphatically denied all allegations he raped a fellow competitor when the then teenaged pair attended a debating competition in Sydney in 1988. The alleged victim died in 2020. Continue reading...

Italian government said the 250,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine must be kept in EU

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says he supports patent waiver to help countries make and sell cheap vaccine copiesOpinion: A ‘me first’ approach to vaccination won’t defeat Covid

Trevor Donald, 65, told he has spent too long out of country after being wrongfully denied re-entryA man who was prevented from returning home to the UK for nine years by the Windrush scandal has been refused British citizenship because of his protracted absence from the country – despite an acknowledgment from the home secretary that the government was to blame.The case highlights the Home Office’s failure to provide justice to some of those affected, almost three years since ministers first promised to right the wrongs caused by the immigration scandal. Continue reading...

Dozens of pro-democracy politicians and activists have been rounded up, charged and denied bail in fresh crackdown on opposition to ChinaThe phones rang on Friday, one month earlier than expected. More than 50 pro-democracy politicians and activists across Hong Kong received a call from the authorities: they were to report to police on Sunday.Expecting to be charged and held for lengthy jail terms, many spent the weekend making last-minute preparations. They picked out books to take into custody, arranged for pets to be taken care of, said goodbye to their loved ones. Tiffany Yuen, 27, spent the day at home, where she was photographed cuddling a Buzz Lightyear toy, before visiting constituents in Tin Wan. Continue reading...

Wai Yan Phyo Mo is one of the leaders of the protest movement in Myanmar who have taken to the streets to oppose the military coup which removed the ruling NLD party from power. The coup has exploded simmering resentments across the country about low standards of living and discrimination against ethnic groups. Against a backdrop of military forces threatening protesters with worsening violence, Wai Yan pledges that civil disobedience will mean the end of the regime, and we follow him on the streets and in his safe house Continue reading...

(On the Corner)

The summits and rival statements since the Sussexes stood back as senior royalsPrince Harry and Meghan married in May 2018 and within months the tensions between them and the rest of royal family began to emerge: Continue reading...

The men behind the highest-grossing films of all time on how superheroes can instruct world leaders, and changing direction to make a bleak experimental opioid drama – starring Spider-ManWhere do you go after you have just directed the highest grossing movie in history and your past three movies brought in a combined haul of $6bn? Only two people have had to grapple with this question. Joe and Anthony Russo have spent nearly a decade immersed in the Marvel universe, weaving together a tangle of plot strands, marshalling an enormous cast, staging ever more spectacular action scenes, and bringing the whole saga in to land against gale-force headwinds of expectation.As well as the concluding Avengers Endgame and Infinity War, the Russos directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016), the latter of which introduced Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther and Tom Holland’s Spider-Man. On the one hand, you could say they have won Hollywood, but now they face the challenge of life after Marvel, which could be even tougher. Continue reading...

As Easter approaches, some London shops are still displaying Christmas decorations after closing at short notice on 20 December Continue reading...

Turkey’s president blew the gaff on how the dissident Saudi author was killed, providing plentiful material for this gripping documentaryIt’s not shown in this documentary, but there is a gruesome TV news clip of Vladimir Putin high-fiving Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G20 summit in November 2018. This was two months after the Saudi author and dissident Jamal Khashoggi had been murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, into whose diplomatically protected precincts he had been lured to get documentation for his planned wedding to the Turkish journalist Hatice Cengiz. Some of the arms-trading western nations duly raised their plaintive and transient objections. Putin himself had no such scruples. The high-five sent a gleeful signal.