World news | The Guardian

Civil servants raised objections to health department giving contract to company run by close associate of Nick MarkhamA health minister has been accused of cronyism after a close associate became a 1,500-a-day adviser on the 40 new hospitals" programme, despite officials raising a series of detailed objections including perceived conflicts of interest.Nick Markham helped to ensure that the Department of Health and Social Care handed a 137,460 contract to iDevelop, a management consultancy run by Nigel Crainey. In doing so, he overrode concerns from civil servants who had warned that the contract was not needed and did not represent value for money and also that the two men's relationship meant that it posed reputational risk" for the department and the NHS. Continue reading...

Driverless trains will be very, very quick' and carry up to 40,000 commuters an hour. Trips from north Sydney to the CBD will take just minutes, premier says

Kean, who has been one of the Coalition's most outspoken voices on the climate crisis, last week announced he would quit state parliament

Boys aged 15 and 16 accused of assault and robbery at Westfield Marion in South Australia expected to face court on Monday

Channel 4's Dispatches film shows harrowing' scenes in emergency department of Royal Shrewsbury hospitalAlmost 19,000 NHS patients were left waiting in A&E for three days over a 12-month period, an investigation has revealed.Between April 2023 and March 2024, nearly 400,000 people were left waiting more than 24 hours across A&E departments, a 5% rise on the previous year. Channel 4's Dispatches programme also found that 54,000 people had to wait more than two days, a freedom of information request to NHS England found. Continue reading...

Study finds critical period between ages of 11 and 14 is when things seem to start going wrong' compared with wealthier groupA critical three-year period between the ages of 11 and 14 has been identified as the point at which talented children from low-income backgrounds fall behind their wealthier peers at school, according to new research.The study tracked high-ability children from the age of five, from the lowest and highest income groups, and found that they progressed at similar rates until the first years of secondary school. Continue reading...

Only urgent' tests to go ahead in short term after hospitals in south-east London hit by Russian gang's seizure of dataPatients denied a blood test because of a Russian cyber-attack on the NHS may have to wait up to six months to have their sample taken, the Guardian has learned.The delays are so long that some patients have decided to pay to have their blood taken and analysed by a private clinic rather than remain on the NHS waiting list. Continue reading...

Shadow foreign secretary repeats belief in rules-based order' and also says UK would not seek EU membershipDavid Lammy has reiterated that Labour would seek to implement an arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu if one was issued by the international criminal court.Speaking to CNN, the shadow foreign secretary said a Labour government would comply if an order was issued for the arrest of the Israeli prime minister, adding that he expected the response to be the same all over Europe. Continue reading...

Return to profit will enable significant investment', including Waitrose refurbs and more convenience storesThe outgoing chair of John Lewis has insisted that the retail group is back on track" and more fit for the future" with an improving financial position enabling it to spend money refurbishing Waitrose supermarkets and opening convenience stores.Sharon White, who will retire as chair of the John Lewis Partnership in September, said the upmarket Waitrose brand was underrepresented in convenience" as it sought new avenues of growth. Continue reading...

German chancellor holds unusually short meeting in Berlin with the controversial populist leaderThe German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has welcomed Argentina's populist president, Javier Milei, for a controversial and unusually short meeting in Berlin after the divisive leader accepted an award from a German foundation with links to the far right.Protesters, some holding placards reading No trade with despots", jeered from beyond the gates of Scholz's chancellery as the self-described anarcho-capitalist emerged from his limousine on his first visit to Germany as president. Continue reading...

Woman ended up in safari zone' while staying at lodge within Thoiry zoo about 25 miles west of ParisThree wolves in a zoo outside Paris attacked a 37-year-old woman leaving her fighting for her life, a source familiar with the case and local prosecutors said.The woman was bitten on the neck, the calf and the back" at the Thoiry zoo about 25 miles (40km) west of the French capital, the source told Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...

Military says conduct seen in video from occupied West Bank city of Jenin does not conform' to its valuesThe Israel Defense Forces have said they are investigating an incident in which soldiers strapped a wounded Palestinian man to the bonnet of a military vehicle during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday.A video circulating on social media showed a man, variously identified as Mujahid Azmi or Fayyad, from the Jabriyat neighbourhood between the towns of Burqin and Jenin, tied to the front of an off-road vehicle that is seen passing two ambulances. Continue reading...

Outage causes major delays as officials advise people due to travel from terminals one and two not to come to airportAll flights out of terminals one and two at Manchester airport have been cancelled after a significant power cut" in the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving hundreds of holidaymakers stranded.The airport told all passengers due to travel from its two biggest terminals on Sunday not to come to the airport, and warned passengers on the few flights that were able to leave that they may not have their luggage with them. Continue reading...

Over 200 signatories urge government to reverse decision enabling action against writer under anti-terrorism lawMore than 200 Indian academics, activists and journalists have published an open letter urging the Indian government to withdraw last week's decision sanctioning the prosecution of the Booker prize-winning author Arundhati Roy under the country's stringent anti-terrorism law.We ... deplore this action and appeal to the government and the democratic forces in the country to ensure that no infringement of the fundamental right to freely and fearlessly express views on any subject takes place in our nation," the group said in the letter. Continue reading...

David Pressman describes personal experience in speech condemning Viktor Orban's legal and rhetorical attacksThe US ambassador in Budapest has accused the government of Hungary's far-right prime minister, Viktor Orban, of using a machinery of fear" to launch legal and rhetorical attacks on the LGBTQ community.Fear is something those who seek to undermine democracy trade on, and their currency is too often you and your families," David Pressman said at a family Pride event at the ambassador's residence. Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister told his Cabinet that there had been a dramatic drop' in US weapons deliveriesThe United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday that it had received a report of a distress call from a vessel 96 nautical miles southeast of Nishtun, Yemen, adding that authorities were investigating it.A drone damaged a merchant ship 65 nautical miles (120km) west of Hodeidah, Yemen, on Saturday. The ship made its way to its next port of call and all crew members are reported safe", the UKMTO said in a statement. Continue reading...

Former Liverpool and Scotland footballer and broadcaster, 69, has been seriously ill but is now home, his family sayAlan Hansen, the broadcaster and former Liverpool and Scotland footballer, has been discharged from hospital and is recovering at home, his family have said.Liverpool football club said two weeks ago that Hansen, 69, who was a key central defender in the club's most successful period in the late 1970s and 1980s, was seriously ill" in hospital. Continue reading...

Fireworks allegedly launched from superyacht led to blaze that destroyed large swath of island's only pine forestThirteen people were brought before a Greek public prosecutor on Sunday after being arrested in connection with a forest fire ignited on the island of Hydra by fireworks allegedly launched from the pleasure boat they were sailing on.Local media showed the 13 crew members and passengers arriving at the criminal court in Piraeus to answer charges of causing the blaze on Friday night. Continue reading...

Ella Janneh brought civil case against Michael Lousada after her case was not prosecuted and two appeals to CPS were dismissedWhen Ella Janneh was awarded 217,000 in damages in the high court after a civil case against a TV sex therapist she accused of raping her, it was the culmination of an eight-year fight that she said at times almost broke her.I don't think anybody chooses to make the most humiliating experience of their life something to be publicly known for," she said in an interview with the Guardian, explaining why she continued to pursue justice despite the odds. Continue reading...

Emergency crews astonished as 15-year-old walks away from 18-metre plunge at Old Harry Rocks in StudlandA teenager who fell 18 metres (60ft) from a Dorset clifftop after posing for pictures on its edge left emergency crews astonished after they found him with just a few cuts and grazes".The incident at Old Harry Rocks in Studland triggered a major response from the coastguard and emergency services. The 15-year-old boy was on a geography school trip from London, according to local news reports. Continue reading...

Prejudice has meant authors from the north of England struggle to find publishers and their stories go unheardNorthern writers still face a struggle to make it in the London-centric literary world, the organisers of a regional literary prize have said.Claire Malcolm, founder and chief executive of New Writing North, which runs the Northern Writers' Awards, said: It still doesn't feel like a level playing field for the north. That is the continual thing we are trying to make the case for: talent here is still struggling to make connections, it needs investment." The Northern Writers' Awards, which will announce their 25th annual winners on Tuesday, was established in the late 1990s to discover and support new writing talent in the north of England, tackling disadvantages faced by writers who felt shut out by the publishing industry. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Conservatives including Hunt and Truss used Bluetree for websites and claimed costs as expenses

James Sunderland, an aide to James Cleverly who is seeking re-election as MP, made comments at event in April

Militants in Lebanon can fire 3,000 missiles a day, US officials warn as fears grow that the conflict will escalate

Minors could also miss crucial support under a potential ban, online safety regulator's office tells inquiry

Cases are predicted to nearly double by 2040 as charity warns of 400,000 people with undiagnosed heart failureThe health service faces a ticking time bomb" over people suffering from heart failure, with diagnosed cases predicted to nearly double by 2040, medical experts have warned.The British Society for Heart Failure (BSH) warns there are an estimated 400,000 people with undiagnosed heart failure in the UK. It warns there is an urgent need for a national initiative to detect these cases or NHS services face being overwhelmed in future years. Continue reading...

The failings of the first past the post system are exposed amid an unprecedented fracturing of political support that signals dangers for the winning partyLabour's advance and the Tories' collapse look set to break records on 4 July, but so does the silent surge for someone else". The combined Labour and Conservative share of the vote looks set to be the lowest ever in a universal franchise election. And this unprecedented fracturing of the vote leaves the fate of all parties, big and small, more dependent than ever on electoral geography and a fickle first past the post electoral system.The Liberal Democrats understand the vagaries of this system better than most. No party has won so many votes, so often, with so little to show for it. The cruel fate of the Lib Dems was to be everyone's silver medallist in a system where second gets nothing. Over 40 years between the Liberal breakthrough of 1974 and the Lib Dem collapse of 2015, the third party averaged 17% of the vote but just 5% of the seats. Continue reading...

The future of US military project costing $230m in question after weather and poor security prevent aid distributionA floating pier built by the US military for seaborne humanitarian deliveries to Gaza has proved itself to be fragile in the face of rougher seas than expected, and the future of the whole $230m project is now in question.The pier has been usable for just 12 days since it began operations on 17 May. On most of those days the assistance arriving by sea has had to be left on the beach as there have been no trucks to distribute it to warehouses in Gaza, because of lack of security. Continue reading...

Former Labor prime minister claims opposition leader Peter Dutton will do everything he can to de-legitimise renewables'

Party's deputy leader says Fair Work Agency will have the power to inspect workplaces and levy finesLabour will create a watchdog with real teeth" that has the power to prosecute and fine companies that breach the rights of their employees as part of its plans to strengthen workers' rights.Angela Rayner, the party's deputy leader, told the Observer that she would create a new body, the Fair Work Agency, to oversee her proposals. She said that millions of workers could be losing out on basic rights as a result ofunderenforcement. Continue reading...

The Peter Dutton-led opposition is seeking a mandate to pursue nuclear energy, but details are in short supply

Candidates in key central belt hope to scoop up voters who have become disillusioned with their election rivalsNot for the first time, Blair McDougall, Labour's candidate in East Renfrewshire on the outskirts of Glasgow, is telling a wavering voter that the election here is so, so close".If predictions of a knife-edge outcome weren't enough to motivate him, many people - including some in Barrhead, which he is visiting today - have just received their postal ballots. Their votes will be cast in the next few days. Continue reading...

Boxer says ex-fighters suffer poor health and that he hopes to help them as part of his sports legacyAnthony Joshua has said he is considering opening a care home for retired boxers with health problems.Speaking to Lauren Laverne on Sunday's episode of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, the former world heavyweight champion said he had discussed issues faced by ex-fighters with his former boxing coach, John Oliver. Continue reading...

Latest Opinium survey shows gap with Labour widening after another week of Conservative gaffes, while Reform rises two points to 16%The Tories' disastrous election campaign has propelled Labour to a near-record poll lead with just 11 days to go until election day.The latest Opinium poll for the Observer puts Labour on 40% (unchanged compared with a week ago), with the Tories languishing on just 20% (down three on the week). Continue reading...

Treasury analysis shows mums and dads' will be among the biggest beneficiaries when 1 July cuts kick in, Jim Chalmers says

It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us,' the levelling up, housing and communities secretary suggestsThe election betting row is as damaging to the Conservatives as the Partygate scandal, Michael Gove has said.The levelling up, housing and communities secretary was speaking after revelations in the Guardian about a wagers allegedly placed on the date of the general election just before it was announced by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak. Continue reading...

It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us,' the levelling up, housing and communities secretary suggestsThe election betting row is as damaging to the Conservatives as the Partygate scandal, Michael Gove has said.The levelling up, housing and communities secretary was speaking after revelations in the Guardian about a wagers allegedly placed on the date of the general election just before it was announced by the prime minister, Rishi Sunak. Continue reading...

President Zelenskiy calls for bold decisions from our partners' following aerial assault on Ukraine's second cityAt least three people were killed in a Russian bombing attack on Ukraine's second city, Kharkiv, on Saturday afternoon, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.Another 52 people were wounded in the attack, Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Four aerial bombs were launched against the city, damaging residential buildings, shops and public transport stops, said Kharkiv's regional governor Oleh Syniehubov. He said four of the wounded were in serious condition. Continue reading...

Hydra's mayor outraged by incident as country faces wildfires fanned by high winds and hot weatherGreek authorities arrested 13 people on Saturday after fireworks launched from a yacht set off a forest fire on an island near Athens as the country confronts a new season of deadly summer fires.The mayor of the island of Hydra expressed outrage" after the fire was started late on Friday and vowed legal action against those responsible. Continue reading...

Singer addresses crowd at first concert since being arrested and charged with driving while intoxicatedJustin Timberlake acknowledged having a tough week" and thanked fans for their support at a concert Friday in what was the first time the pop star spoke publicly since police in the Hamptons arrested him on allegations of driving while intoxicated days earlier.We've been together through ups and downs, lefts and rights," Timberlake told a crowd at the United Center in Chicago three days after his 18 June arrest. It's been a tough week, but you're here and I'm here, and nothing can change this moment right now." Continue reading...

Victim of random street assault has become symbol of the legal system's handling of gender-based violenceThe case of a soldier who brutalised a woman in a random street attack and walked free from court has prompted protests across Ireland.Thousands of people marched in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick on Saturday to show solidarity with Natasha O'Brien, 24, who has become a symbol of the legal system's handling of gender-based violence. Continue reading...

Mercury could hit 30C with potential for significant impacts' on the health and social care sector, UKHSA warnsA yellow heat health alert has been issued for most of England, as temperatures look likely to soar to 30C in parts of the country.The alert has been issued for all but one region, with some areas being warned of the potential for significant impacts" on the health and social care sector. Continue reading...

PM orders 16 companies to be stripped of licences amid hundreds of deaths, many attributed to extreme heatThe Egyptian prime minister, Mostafa Madbouly, has ordered 16 tourism companies to be stripped of their licences and referred their managers to the public prosecutor's office for illegally facilitating pilgrims' travel to Mecca, the cabinet has said.The order came after various countries reported more than 1,100 deaths, many attributed to high heat, during this year's hajj. Continue reading...

Labour leader rules out rejoining EU, single market or customs union

US agricultural department employees were attacked and detained earlier this week in Michoacan stateUS government inspections of avocados and mangoes in the Mexican state of Michoacan will gradually resume, the US ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, announced on Friday, a week after they were suspended over an assault on inspectors.The US agriculture department inspectors will gradually begin to return to the packing plants following recent aggression against them", Salazar said in a statement. However, it is still necessary to advance in guaranteeing their security before reaching full operations. Continue reading...

Israeli forces said strikes on densely populated locations were aimed at killing senior Hamas commander

Tributes paid to man credited with spearheading city's 21st-century renaissance, including rebuild after IRA bombTributes have been paid to Sir Howard Bernstein, widely credited with regenerating Manchester, who has died at the age of 71.Bernstein began his career at Manchester town hall in 1971, eventually serving as chief executive of Manchester city council for 20 years, from 1998 until his retirement in March 2017. Continue reading...

Author accused party of abandoning women who took issue with its transgender rights policyKeir Starmer has said he is proud of Labour's history on women's rights after JK Rowling said she would struggle to support the party because of its stance on transgender rights.Starmer told reporters on Saturday that he was very proud of the progress" of past Labour governments, which made a material difference" to women's lives. Continue reading...

For this year's fringe, performers will be rapidly updating their shows to reflect the outcome at the ballot boxLet's just say, I didn't make a bet on the election date, and if I had, I would be massively out of pocket," says Emma Sidi, who'll be performing in character as chief Partygate investigator Sue Gray in her new show at this year's Edinburgh festival fringe. It's a surreal take on political comedy, with character comedian Sidi reimagining Gray as a real hun, that kind of girl next door, someone who says it how it is", but there are also topical jokes, with Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer appearing as key characters.Sidi, like most of the country, expected the election would be called in autumn, so when the announcement came that it would be done and dusted less than a month before the fringe opens, comedians who dared to tackle politics in this volatile year were suddenly faced with serious rewrites. Continue reading...

William celebrated his birthday at singer's gig at Wembley on Friday with children George and CharlotteThe Prince of Wales has thanked Taylor Swift for a great evening" after he celebrated his birthday at her Wembley gig on Friday night.Kensington Palace posted a picture on social media of Swift taking a selfie with William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage before the concert. Continue reading...