World news | The Guardian

Antony Blinken holds two-hour meeting with Netanyahu while Hamas considers ceasefire proposalIsrael's leaders were under renewed pressure to allow more aid into Gaza on Wednesday after the US secretary of state Antony Blinken told Benjamin Netanyahu to accelerate and sustain improvements" during recent days in the amount of humanitarian assistance reaching the territory.Humanitarian agencies say that though the number of lorries entering Gaza after being vetted by Israel has increased significantly, these deliver only a fraction of what is needed. Continue reading...

Dozens of detentions have taken place across UK, say sources, as move prompts demonstrations around countryUK ministers have acknowledged for the first time that they are detaining asylum seekers to be removed to Rwanda, prompting demonstrations outside Home Office buildings.Nationwide operations began this week to detain adult men and women, with more activity due to be carried out over the next 11 weeks leading up to a one-way flight to east Africa. Continue reading...

Martine Croxall, Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera and Annita McVeigh tell tribunal hearing broadcaster discriminated against themFour senior female news presenters have accused the BBC of grinding down" women on pay and failing to tackle persistent pay discrimination at a tribunal court hearing in London.The presenter Martine Croxall - alongside Karin Giannone, Kasia Madera and Annita McVeigh - accused the broadcaster of conducting a sham recruitment exercise" after they lost their jobs when the BBC merged its domestic and global news channels last year. Continue reading...

14-year-old killed in attack was a student at Bancroft's school in Woodford Green; police say two men in their 30s were injured and suspect is in custodyThe head of Bancroft's School, Simon Marshall, has sent a statement to parents, in which Daniel Anjorin, the 14-year-old boy killed in the Hainault attack yesterday, was described as a much-loved" member of the school.The statement, seen by the BBC, reads:I had been intending to write to you once the news has become public, but I understand that many within our community may already be aware of events yesterday.It is therefore with great sadness and shock that I am writing to inform you of the tragic death of Daniel Anjorin, one of our pupils. Continue reading...

Teenager detained on suspicion of attempted murder after incident at Birley academy, say policeA 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly assaulting one adult with broken glass and injuring two others at a secondary school in Sheffield.South Yorkshire police said they had been called to Birley academy at 8.50am and had arrested the boy within minutes, while the school went into lockdown. Continue reading...

Scottish government wins vote by 70 votes to 58, with no abstentions after debate where Humza Yousaf defended government's recordLabour has accused Kemi Badenoch, the business secretary, of championing single-sex spaces as part of a culture war".Speaking about the initiative announced by Badenoch this morning (see 10.10am), Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secreary, told Times Radio this morning:[Badenoch] does love nothing more than a culture war. And it is so transparent what she is doing. She is pitching to Conservative members for the leadership contest to come in the Conservative party. And frankly, our country deserves a lot better than it always being about the Conservative party.I do take issue with you calling this culture wars.Four years ago, when I was alerting people to the danger of puberty blockers, and a lot of the issues that we had in clinics, people like you were accusing me of fighting culture wars. Continue reading...

EU leads calls for halt to escalating violence after police use water cannon, teargas and stun grenades against demonstratorsWestern politicians and diplomats have called for a halt to spiralling violence in Georgia after security forces used water cannon, teargas, stun grenades and rubber bullets to break up a peaceful rally against a foreign influence" bill overnight.The EU, which has granted Georgia candidate status, strongly condemned" the violence and called on the government to respect the right of peaceful assembly. Use of force to suppress it is unacceptable," foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on X. Continue reading...

Two convoys on the way to Gaza attacked by some Israeli settlers, reports Jordan's state news agency

Thousands of students have rallied for Palestine, after hundreds of thousands of Democrats declined to vote for Biden in the primaryThe policies of Joe Biden and Democrats towards Israel, which have prompted thousands of students across the country to protest, could affect the youth vote for Biden and hurt his re-election chances, experts have warned, in what is already expected to be a tight election.Thousands of students at universities across the US have joined with pro-Palestine rallies and, most recently, encampments, as Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 people. Continue reading...

Moscow says attack, which has yet to be independently verified, was carried out using missiles and artilleryThe Russian military has attacked the command headquarters of the Ukrainian army's southern grouping, using missiles and artillery, Russia's defence ministry said. The claims are yet to be independently verified.Ukraine's special services claimed responsibility for a drone attack that hit a Russian oil refinery in Ryazan, south of Moscow, early on Wednesday morning. It said the attack took place about 2:00am (2300 GMT). The governors of the Kursk and Voronezh regions in southwest Russia that border Ukraine also reported drone attacks on their territories, saying there was no damage or injuries.Russia attacked the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine with guided bombs on Wednesday, killing at least two people and injured two others, the regional governor said. The two people were killed when a car was struck in the village of Zolochiv, where a private home was also struck, governor Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram.Ukrainian forces defending the strategic eastern stronghold of Chasiv Yar say they are still waiting for fresh ammunition after the US approved a major military aid package. Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of Ukraine's 225th Separate Assault Battalion that is fighting near the town, said more artillery shells would help his unit hold their positions. I hope we receive artillery shells soon," he said. Chasiv Yar is emerging as a key battleground because of its position on elevated ground that could serve as a gateway to the cities of Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.The US Senate has unanimously approved legislation to ban imports of Russian uranium, after the House of Representatives passed the bill in December. The US president, Joe Biden, is expected now to sign the uranium imports bill into law.We reported earlier (see post at 09.23) how Ukrainian forces defending the strategic eastern stronghold of Chasiv Yar say they are still waiting for fresh ammunition as they try to repel intensifying attacks. Continue reading...

Luxury British brand expects challenging trading conditions in UK and China to continueMulberry, the luxury British brand best known for its leather handbags that can cost more than 1,600 each, has reported a 4% decline in annual sales, becoming the latest high-end company to warn of a slowdown in spending among the richest shoppers.In a trading update, Thierry Andretta, the chief executive, said: While we achieved positive revenue growth in the first half, Mulberry has not been immune to the broader downturn in luxury spending experienced in recent months, particularly in the UK and Asia. This decline was partially offset by positive trading in the US, where we have benefited from increased brand awareness. Continue reading...

Interim role will include overseeing compensation payments as result of Horizon IT scandal

Harry Potter star reveals in interview that he has had no contact with Rowling since the author's gender-critical statements on trans womenHarry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe has described his rupture with JK Rowling over trans rights as really sad", and that despite her role in his life as the creator of Potter [it] doesn't mean that you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life".Radcliffe's comments came in an interview in the Atlantic, and marks the first published remarks by one of the principal cast in the Potter series since the publication of the Cass review of gender identity services, and Rowling's subsequent suggestion on social media that he and co-star Emma Watson were celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors". Continue reading...

Susan Hall became member a day after an expose about its contents - much of which is directed at Sadiq Khan

Accused were arrested in Lesbos and accused of facilitating illegal entry of migrants into the countryA Greek court's decision to drop criminal charges against dozens of international aid workers accused of espionage and facilitating the illegal entry of migrants into the country has been met with jubilation.A three-member judicial council convening on the north Aegean isle of Lesbos ruled there was insufficient proof to pursue the case against 35 mostly German nationals. Continue reading...

Asio director general Mike Burgess had referred to expulsion of foreign operatives in 2021 speech but did not name country behind threat

Steven Miles' government claims to have legal advice from Crown Law and solicitor general that amendments will not violate Human Rights Act or international law

Awareness campaign ahead of law change features tagline It's not love, it's coercive control. Know the signs of abuse'

Writer of Make Good: the Post Office Scandal says postal workers' interviews helped describe the power of the state coming down on you'The creators of a new musical about the Post Office Horizon scandal are appealing to postal workers to form part of the choir for the production, which they say can help heal communities affected by the issue.Make Good: the Post Office Scandal is based on interviews with two post office operators from Shropshire whose lives were ruined when Fujitsu's flawed computer software Horizon made it appear there were shortfalls in their accounting. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: It is the most fractious time in British-Irish relations since Brexit, as Ireland claims the Rwanda policy is pushing migrants to its borders - and increasing political pressure about immigration Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Dealing with the problems that have emerged from the government's Rwanda scheme has turned into a game of whack-a-mole for the prime minister. Parliamentary deadlock for months on end, internal rebellions, growing condemnation from lawyers and human rights organisations of a scheme that has been described as performative cruelty". And now it threatens the harmony between the UK and its nearest neighbour.UK news | A 36-year-old man has been arrested following what police described as a horrific" sword attack in east London that left a 14-year-old boy dead. Four others were injured in the incident, including two police officers who were seriously wounded.Donald Trump | The former US president was fined $9,000 for violating a gag order designed to protect participants in his current criminal trial from his abuse. A New York judge imposed the maximum financial penalty allowed under state law.Local government | A 760m equal pay liability bill at Birmingham city council, which led it to effectively declare bankruptcy, could be hugely overstated, critics have said. There is growing unease that large budget cuts, asset sales and a 10% council tax increase have been made before the council has fully got to grips with the state of its finances.US news | Hundreds of New York City police officers in riot gear entered Columbia University on Tuesday evening to clear an academic building taken over by pro-Palestinian students the day before, as tensions surrounding the students' campus encampment for Gaza have roiled the New York school for two weeks.Israel-Gaza war | Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has vowed to proceed with an offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, even if renewed efforts at internationally brokered talks with Hamas result in the release of hostages and a ceasefire. Continue reading...

Premier Steven Miles' erasure of the human rights principle of detention as a last resort' for children defies logic

Leaving violence payment' of $5,000 will help women escape abusive relationships with money for services, risk assessments and safety planning

Health minister Mary-Anne Thomas says 10 people who were not unwell were inside Colac area health's urgent care clinic during her 2023 visit

Exclusive: London mayor says poverty, alienation and ill health must be tackled to prevent crimes, after London sword attackToo many people with mental health issues who have committed violent crimes missed out on treatment as a result of cuts to support services, Sadiq Khan has warned.In an interview with the Guardian ahead of this week's local elections, he said such crimes were preventable and said years of austerity has left NHS mental health provision on its knees. Continue reading...

In the run-up to the local elections this week, the Guardian columnist John Harris is in Thurrock where the council has amassed more than 1.5bn in debt since 2022. He speaks to people facing swingeing cuts and asks whether the vote on Thursday will make any difference to their livesFind out more about the Thurrock Play Network here Continue reading...

Euphoria is the latest in the hip-hop heavyweights' fight via songs, which has now drawn in some of the biggest names in rapKendrick Lamar has released a new diss track against Drake titled Euphoria - the latest in a long-running feud between the two hip-hop heavyweights which was reignited earlier this year and has since ballooned into a civil war" among rap's upper echelons.The song, which shares a name with the HBO series on which Drake serves as executive producer, was released on Lamar's YouTube channel on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Manahel al-Otaibi, who frequently promoted female empowerment on social media, was arrested under anti-terror lawsA young women's rights activist in Saudi Arabia was secretly sentenced to 11 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court after being arrested for her choice of clothing and support for women's rights".Saudi officials confirmed in a statement to the United National high commissioner for Human Rights that Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced on 9 January for what the Saudi government called terrorist offences". Continue reading...

Fortitude Valley institution and sister venue Stranded will soon shut as owner cites cost-of-living pressures and young people drinking lessThe Brisbane music venue the Zoo will call last drinks in July, with the owner listing a perfect storm" of forces leading to its closure, including cost-of-living pressures and declining alcohol consumption among young people.The 500-capacity room, which first opened its doors on Ann Street in 1992 in the formerly down-at-heel but now heavily gentrified inner suburb of Fortitude Valley, is one of Australia's oldest music venues. Continue reading...

Shareholder payouts grew 14 times faster than wages over past three years, says Oxfam reportShareholders have proved to be more successful at securing bumper payouts than workers have at winning higher pay, according to two studies that show dividends outstripping wages by a considerable margin in recent years.Oxfam said analysis of global data showed that dividend payments to shareholders over the last three years grew an average of 14 times faster than worker pay across 31 major economies. Continue reading...

Conservative Pierre Poilievre refuses to withdraw wacko' remark, prompting censure from speaker and removal from CommonsThe leader of Canada's main opposition party has been ejected from the House of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a wacko", in the latest clash between two men set to fight an election next year.The incident started when Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservatives, criticised Trudeau for supporting moves in British Columbia to decriminalize some hard drugs in an attempt to reduce the number of overdose-related deaths. Continue reading...

Sudanese man being held in Croydon after arriving for routine sign-in believed to be first potential deportation under new lawAn asylum seeker who turned up for a routine Home Office appointment on Monday was detained and told that he was being sent to Rwanda, an NGO has said.In what is believed to be the first potential deportation case under the Rwanda scheme since Rishi Sunak's bill received royal assent, the Sudanese man was held in Croydon, south London, the organisation Soas Detainee Support (SDS) told the Guardian. Continue reading...

Francois Bozize is wanted by special criminal court over alleged crimes including murder and tortureA UN-backed court has issued an arrest warrant for the Central African Republic's former president Francois Bozize over possible crimes against humanity committed by the nation's military between 2009 and 2013.The alleged crimes include murder, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and other inhumane acts, according to the special criminal court (CPS), a hybrid jurisdiction located in the capital Bangui with Central African and foreign magistrates. Continue reading...

Figures for England obtained by Lib Dems show that 500,000 people in very urgent' need travelled to hospital without ambulance in 2023Growing numbers of seriously ill people are making their own way to A&E in what has been called an Uber ambulance crisis", because 999 response times are too slow.A&E doctors said that while they understood that people are acting out of desperation", they are taking a serious risk with their health, especially if they are driving themselves. Continue reading...

Vehicle driving wrong way on highway was being pursued by police after alleged liquor store robbery, causing six-vehicle collisionTwo grandparents and their infant grandchild have been killed on a highway east of Toronto after a van being chased by police crashed while going the wrong way, causing a six-vehicle collision.The chase late on Monday was triggered by an alleged liquor store robbery, and the crash also left the suspect in the chased van dead, police in Canada said on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries says far-right Georgia congresswoman's motion to oust Mike Johnson will not succeed'Democratic leaders in the US House of Representatives vowed that the Georgia extremist Marjorie Taylor Greene will not succeed" if she triggers an attempt to remove the Republican speaker, Mike Johnson, from his role.In response, Greene promised to press on in her quest to show Johnson the door. Continue reading...

Louisiana state police recently served sweeping and unprecedented search warrantThe Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans is the target of an active child sex-trafficking investigation, according to a sweeping and unprecedented search warrant Louisiana state police recently served on an organization that for decades has been submerged in the global church's clergy molestation scandal.The clerk at the state criminal courthouse where the warrant was signed released the 11-page document on Tuesday. It makes clear that troopers involved in a pending rape prosecution against one priest came to suspect that that case was part of a broader pattern of widespread sexual abuse of minors dating back decades" that was covered up and not reported to law enforcement". Continue reading...

Hainault attack may be latest incident linked to mental ill-health, at a time when NHS services are strugglingWhile the full picture of the Hainault attack is yet to emerge, the early briefings from the Metropolitan police were clear: a key line of inquiry, in terms of possible motive, was whether the suspect has a history of mental ill-health.If the police hunches are correct, the tragedy may turn out to be the latest in a series of high-profile killings that have focused public attention on the adequacy of mental health treatment and care. Continue reading...

Woman detained in Netherlands for alleged role in non-fatal shooting of Alejo Vidal-Quadras in Madrid last yearA Dutch woman has been arrested in the Netherlands in relation to the shooting of a Spanish former politician in Madrid last year.Alejo Vidal-Quadras, a founder of Spain's far-right Vox party, was shot in the face near his home in the wealthy Salamanca neighbourhood on 9 November by a motorcycle passenger. Continue reading...

Officers say 36-year-old suspect is in hospital and they can find no evidence of prior involvement with police

Climate groups and Greens co-leader say climate policies risk being sidelined or buried by SNP

Greens co-leader says SNP will have to do deals with anti-independence Tories unless it keeps his party on side

The London mayor, running for his third term in office, had been warning of a two-horse race'When Hilary Cass published her review of gender identity services for children, saying medical evidence did not generally justify giving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children, she said the toxity of the debate" around trans children was exceptional, and she said she would like to see the issue discussed in a less polarised way.But that has not stopped her report becoming a political football. The UK government responded to it with a ministerial statement treating it as a landmark victory in a culture war. In Scotland the Cass report arguably contributed to the downfall of Humza Yousaf, because it was the Rainbow Greens who launched the process to end the SNP/Scottish Greens pact, and they were partly motivated by the SNP government's stance on puberty blockers.The landmark Cass review is hugely significant for Wales. Regretfully, despite the weight of the findings, we are still yet to see a Labour minister come to the Senedd and give a statement in response.In the Senedd tomorrow, I look forward to bringing forward a Welsh Conservative debate on the Cass review, and will call on the Labour government to adopt the recommendations of the Cass review.The Cass review aims to ensure children and young people who are questioning their gender identity or experiencing gender dysphoria, and require support from the NHS, receive a high standard of care that meets their needs and is safe, holistic and effective.We are committed to improving the gender identity development pathway and the support available for young people in Wales, in line with the commitments in our LGBTQ+ plan.I'm the first chairman of the 22 who has had to operate it while we've been in government ... And so my view is that that was a mistake to introduce that rule.I think it's fine to have the party members voting on the leader when you're in opposition. But in a parliamentary system where essentially you could only remain prime minister if you enjoyed the confidence of your party in parliament, it seems to me crazy that we now have different mechanisms ... The Conservative members of parliament can get rid of the leader by voting no confidence, but then the leader is supplied by the party members. Continue reading...

Nicaragua brought plea to court, arguing sales of weapons make Berlin complicit in alleged war crimesThe International court of justice has rejected a request by Nicaragua to issue Germany emergency orders to desist selling arms to Israel, by 15 votes to one.The decision, according to the judgment read in court in The Hague, is largely based on a significant decrease in recent German arms sales to Israel, the largely defensive nature of arms recently sold, and the extensive internal German government processes to consider if arms would be used to prosecute war crimes or genocide. Continue reading...

Richard Holden says Hester apologised for remarks about Diana Abbott and we should accept that'

Trump associate Steven Witkoff allegedly planned to host a $250,000-a-head soiree at an upcoming Formula One raceOfficials with the Miami Grand Prix recently halted a Donald Trump presidential campaign fundraiser being planned for the upcoming Formula One race, sending a cease-and-desist letter to its organizer.A Miami Grand Prix representative notified Steven Witkoff, a close friend of Trump, that Witkoff would not be allowed to use a suite at the race to fundraise for the former president, the Washington Post first reported. Continue reading...

In letter ahead of vote, signatories including Mark Knopfler say relations with female colleagues have been damagedThe musicians Sting and Mark Knopfler have co-signed a letter with leading theatre producers and actors, warning that they will be obliged to resign their memberships of the men-only Garrick Club if members refuse to approve a decision to admit women in a vote next Tuesday.The letter, seen by the Guardian, was also signed by the actor Stephen Fry, the West End and Broadway theatre producer Karl Sydow, and Matthew Byam Shaw, an executive producer on The Crown television series and co-founder of Playful West End theatre production company. Continue reading...

British government doing everything it can to prevent assault on Rafah while civilians shelter there, says deputy foreign secretary Andrew MitchellAl Jazeera is carrying a quote from Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan. It quotes him saying:It's clear from the Israeli paper that they are still insisting on two major issue: they don't want a complete ceasefire and they are not talking - in a serious way - about the withdrawal from Gaza. In fact, they are still talking about their presence, which means they will continue to occupy Gaza. We have serious questions for the mediators. If there are positive answers, I think we can move forward. Continue reading...

Man arrested after attack near Hainault tube station which left four others, including two police officers, injured

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will set a target of 30 days to clear cases as he seeks money for build-to-rent and energy transition

Nine people rescued from boat sailing perilous Atlantic route that reportedly left Senegal with 60 people onboard nine days agoAt least 50 people are feared to have drowned after a boat sailing the perilous Atlantic route from west Africa to Europe began to sink 60 miles south of the Canary island of El Hierro.Nine people were rescued from the craft early on Monday after a passing bulk carrier alerted Spain's Salvamento Maritimo rescue service, which dispatched a fast boat and a helicopter from its base in Tenerife. Continue reading...