World news | The Guardian

Soaring rents have driven people to live in vehicles - which has caused friction with residents and prompted the council to tow away caravansCallum peers nervously out of the gloom of his cramped, graffiti-sprayed caravan, which he shares with a tiny tabby kitten. It's not much, but the alternative is the streets.Two weeks ago, he almost lost the caravan he calls home when Bristol city council started removing live-in vans from a tree-lined lane through historic parkland in the north of the city. Continue reading...

Wormwood Scrubs prisoner Graham Gomm spent two days on run after escaping from Hammersmith hospitalA prisoner who escaped from a London hospital after falling ill at Wormwood Scrubs prison has been found and arrested.Graham Gomm, 63, escaped from custody at Hammersmith hospital early on Thursday morning. Gomm had been on remand for burglary offences at the category B men's prison in the west of the capital. Continue reading...

Actor and presenter tells Virgin Radio he feels very emotional' after completing writing of sitcom with Ruth JonesJames Corden has revealed that he and Ruth Jones have finished writing the script for Gavin and Stacey's final episode.The former talk show host, 45, announced in early May along with the show's co-creator Jones, 57, that the beloved comedy series would make a comeback. Continue reading...

Police hold 19-year-old on suspicion of arson after two children were rescued from burning vehicleA woman has been arrested after a car was deliberately set alight" while two children were still inside.The incident happened at 10.52pm on Thursday in Leeds. Continue reading...

Reuben Looks Twice Jr started growing his hair because hair clippers scared him. Now, it's an act of tributeA Native American teen who was recently crowned as the teenaged boy with the world's longest hair says he is proud that he can now represent his tribe and family to a global audience.Culturally, Lakota people have long hair," Reuben Looks Twice Jr said on Friday in an interview published by the website of Guinness World Records, which sanctioned his mark on 7 June after his hair measure 161cm (5ft 3.3in). Invoking the Lakota word for spirit", the 17-year-old added: It's part of our Nagi. It's who I am. Continue reading...

Relatively few people disappear while overseas - but when it happens there are often particular challengesA relative going missing is already one of the most difficult situations any family can go through. But when a loved one vanishes abroad, language barriers, cultural differences and significant financial challenges can make it even harder.The high-profile investigation into the disappearance of Jay Slater, 19, from Lancashire, who went missing after attending a music festival in Tenerife, concluded on Tuesday after four weeks. His mother, Debbie Duncan, who had flown out to the island soon after he was reported missing, said our hearts are broken" after a body found by rescue teams was confirmed to be his. Continue reading...

Damian Green and Steve Baker endorse shadow security minister as they seek to transcend old divisions'Two senior Tories have thrown their weight behind Tom Tugendhat to be the new Conservative party leader.Damian Green and Steve Baker lost their seats in the election earlier this month but are influential figures in the party. They have endorsed Tugendhat, who is the shadow security minister, in a joint article for the Telegraph. Continue reading...

President Xi Jinping calls for all-out efforts' to find more than 30 people after incident in Shaanxi provinceTorrential rain has caused a bridge to collapse in northern China, killing 11 people and leaving more than 30 missing, state media has said.The bridge over a river in Shangluo, Shaanxi province, buckled at about 8.40pm on Friday due to a sudden downpour and flash floods", the Xinhua agency said, citing the provincial public relations department. Continue reading...

Optimists say administration would be open to persuasion while sceptics say it is beyond time to Trump-proof EuropeTo be a foreign diplomat serving in the US, charged with interpreting the country's politics so it appears predictable and explicable to your political masters in Europe, is currently no easy job.In a week where Donald Trump purported to address the nation as a self-aware, reflective and thoughtful Christian, before reverting to type with a slew of diatribes, and where he announced a vice-presidential pick who has openly stated he does not care about the future of Ukraine one way or the other, events have moved at a pace that even the most tapped-in of ambassadors and their staff would struggle to keep up with. Continue reading...

Home affairs minister says small businesses should be cautious of emails from people posing as CrowdStrike or Microsoft

Analysis of imagery from conflict zones shows evidence of burned-out and flattened buildings, with long-term impacts on educationAirstrikes, arson, shelling and ground fighting between the military and armed rebel groups have damaged at least 174 schools and universities in Myanmar since a military coup in 2021, according to a new report.Open source investigator, the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), said analysis of imagery from conflict zones showed burned and collapsed buildings. Continue reading...

More than 80 firefighters attended an early morning blaze at the Orica factory, a short distance from the scene of last week's fire at a chemical factory

Secretive trial of Rico Krieger, 30, may be linked to Belarusian volunteer unit fighting alongside Ukraine against RussiaA German national has been sentenced to death in Belarus, the German foreign ministry has said, hours after a Belarusian human rights group said a German combat medic had been sentenced to death by firing squad.The German ministry did not name its national but the Viasna Human Rights Centre said earlier on Friday that Rico Krieger, 30, had been convicted under six articles of Belarus's criminal code in a trial held at the end of June. It said he had been in custody since November. Continue reading...

Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopter came down in Pecatu village on the southern side of Bali after it was entangled in a kite stringTwo Australians and three Indonesians have survived a tourist helicopter crash in Bali after it became entangled in a kite string, officials say.The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopter, owned by PT Whitesky Aviation, came down in Pecatu village in the coastal area on the southern side of Bali, a statement from Indonesia's transportation ministry said. Continue reading...

Companies are selling compounded MHT as more natural' - but there are links with endometrial cancer, the Australian Menopause Society warns

IT support staff need to implement the fix in person, one computer at a time, experts have said

Ex-Crown Paints building in Coolock had been the scene of a large protestA disused factory in Dublin earmarked to house asylum seekers has been set on fire following a protest at the site.More than 1,000 people were protesting at the former Crown Paints building in Coolock on Friday night, in the north of the Irish capital, and gardai were on the scene. Continue reading...

Iryna Farion, 60, a former MP known for her opposition to officials speaking in Russian, was attacked on the streetA nationalist former member of Ukraine's parliament known for her vociferous campaigns to defend the Ukrainian language has died after being shot in Lviv.Police launched a wide search for the gunman alleged to have shot Iryna Farion, 60, on a street in the western city. Continue reading...

NHS figures show under-diagnosis of Lewy body and frontotemporal dementiasUp to 100,000 people in England may be living with undiagnosed forms of dementia that present with symptoms such as depression and hallucinations, according to government figures.Dementia is an umbrella term for many different conditions, affecting more than 55 million people worldwide. In England, about 7,000 people are diagnosed every month. While the health service has made progress in headline diagnosis rates, latest figures show that under-diagnosis of specific dementias remain a problem. Continue reading...

Boat carrying more than 80 people was headed to Turks and Caicos as gang violence pushes Haitians to leave countryAt least 40 people have been killed at sea after a boat carrying Haitian migrants caught fire, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Port-au-Prince said on Friday.The boat, which was carrying more than 80 people, departed from Fort Saint-Michel in Haiti's north and was headed for the Turks and Caicos Islands, the IOM said in a statement, citing the Caribbean nation's migration authority. Continue reading...

Army to be deployed to keep order after demonstrators free hundreds of prisoners and country is hit by serious unrestThe Bangladeshi government has declared a national curfew and announced plans to deploy the army to tackle the country's worst unrest in a decade, after student protesters stormed a prison and freed hundreds of inmates.The government has decided to impose a curfew and deploy the military in aid of the civilian authorities," a government spokesperson said late on Friday. Continue reading...

Weinstein, 72, appears in court in New York after 2020 conviction was overturned earlier this yearA judge on Friday tentatively scheduled Harvey Weinstein's planned retrial on rape and sexual assault charges to begin on 12 November.Weinstein wore an American flag pin on his jacket during a brief court appearance in Manhattan that was delayed by more than 90 minutes due to a disruption that affected computers around the world, according to the judge, Curtis Farber. Continue reading...

UK government adviser's report says claims not supported by data and could prompt under-18s to take own lifeA government-ordered review has dismissed claims that suicide rates in young people with gender dysphoria have risen sharply since the NHS restricted access to puberty-blocking drugs.A report by the government's adviser on suicide prevention also found that the claims - made by the campaign group the Good Law Project - were not supported by data and could prompt children under the age of 18 to take their own life. Continue reading...

The Boss, who sold his musical catalogue to Sony in 2021 for a reported $500m, has an estimated net worth of $1.1bnThe Boss is now a billionaire - at least according to Forbes.Bruce Springsteen, the New Jersey-bred musician who became rock 'n' roll's voice of the working class, now has an estimated net worth of $1.1bn, according to a conservative" estimate by the magazine. Continue reading...

Police say Serbian man detained near Paris after 74-year-old Ian Cameron was stabbed to death at home in GermanyThe alleged killer of a British former Rolls-Royce designer who was stabbed to death at his home in Bavaria last week has been arrested outside Paris after a Europe-wide search, German police said. A motive was not immediately established.Ian Cameron, 74, was attacked with a knife on 12 July and fatally wounded. A Serbian citizen, 22, was identified as the prime suspect based on tips from the public, the Furstenfeldbruck police department said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Demand by victim of wrongful conviction comes after role Karen Kneller played in handling his case revealedAndrew Malkinson has called for the chief executive of the Criminal Cases Review Commission to resign as the key role she held during the organisation's most problematic handling of his case was revealed.Karen Kneller was director of casework when the miscarriages of justice body did very poor" work on Malkinson's first application to overturn his conviction for a 2003 stranger rape he did not commit. Continue reading...

Former Royal Mail boss Moya Greene says Vennells and top team grossly understated' Horizon scandal

Previous UK government had built up backlog of 90,000 people whose claims it deemed inadmissible'Thousands of asylum seekers left in limbo for more than two years as they awaited a decision on the Rwanda scheme will now have their cases decided in the UK.The decision, revealed during a high court challenge on Friday, is a sharp shift in position from the previous government, which had passed various laws declaring that the claims of those who arrived after January 2022 were inadmissible" - and so could not be processed in the UK. Continue reading...

More than 3,000 flights cancelled worldwide after problem affecting Microsoft Windows

Judy Deacon will lead a Sydney rally to press her case that police no longer be sent as first responders in mental health emergencies

Jason Struhs, his wife Kerrie, and 12 other members of Toowoomba religious sect the Saints' are on trial over the eight-year-old girl's death

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereGerman foreign minister Annalena Baerbock has again called for a humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza.In a statement, Baerbock said: This war in Gaza must come to an end at long last. There are no safe places in Gaza for civilians." Continue reading...

International court of justice says exploitation of natural resources in Palestinian territories also break lawThe top United Nations court has ruled that Israel's settlement policies and use of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories violate international law.The international court of justice said the transfer by Israel of settlers to the West Bank and Jerusalem as well as Israel's maintenance of their presence, is contrary to article 49 of the fourth geneva convention". Continue reading...

Lengthy prison sentences seen by many as heavy-handed and prompt comparisons with other offencesThe lengthy jail terms handed to five supporters of the Just Stop Oil (JSO) climate campaign on Thursday - believed to be the longest ever meted out in the UK for non-violent protest - have sent shock waves through the protest community an d beyond.The five-year sentence for Roger Hallam and four-year terms imposed on Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin are being seen by many as the latest heavy-handed response to protesters, particularly those urging action on the climate crisis. Continue reading...

PM's promise to draw line under years of factious relations greeted with plaudits and relief by European mediaKeir Starmer's promised reset" of the UK's ties with the rest of Europe has drawn a positive response in European media, with one longtime journalist rejoicing that she will never again have to cover Britain as a basket case".The prime minister told leaders at a meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Thursday that he wanted to draw a line under years of fractious relations with the rest of Europe. The relaunch was greeted with a sense of relief that after years of chaotic leadership in London a new age of cooperation was beginning. Continue reading...

Consultation launched as surveys show people have little chance to meet partners and worry about high cost of livingThe Japanese government has begun to consult young people about their interest in marriage - or lack thereof - as Japan continues to struggle with a demographic crisis that is expected to result in a sharp population decline over the next decades.The Children and Families Agency, launched in April 2023, held its first working group meeting on Friday to support young people in their efforts to find partners through dating, matchmaking and other means. Attenders included those considering marriage in the future and experts versed in the challenges facing younger people. Continue reading...

Tourists and residents swelter in heat as temperatures rise to 44C in Spain, with forest fires in Greece and CroatiaA fierce heatwave is continuing to roll across southern and central Europe, bringing temperatures of up to 44C (111.2F) to parts of Spain, sparking forest fires in Greece and Croatia, and prompting governments to urge people to take special care as the mercury rises.In Spain, the state meteorological agency, Aemet, said temperatures on Friday could hit 40C across large parts of the country - and even 44C in areas of Andalucia - as the first heatwave of the summer hit. Aemet said the high temperatures, caused by a mass of very hot, dry and dusty air" from North Africa, were expected to last until Saturday. Continue reading...

CEO and CFO given total of 616,000 for a year in which some residents struggled to go about daily livesTwo bosses of Yorkshire Water have been handed a combined 616,000 in bonuses for a year in which thousands of its customers struggled to go about their daily lives" for weeks due to a burst water pipe.The payouts, part of a bonus system that could be banned in future under proposals outlined by the new Labour government in this week's king's speech, were detailed in the company's annual report. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. Follow the latest developments on the global Microsoft outage live blogShorten says last CFMEU Labor donation was over two years agoEarlier on the Today Show, the NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, was asked about the CFMEU and said that the last donation received by the Labor party from them was more than two years ago.We've said that we're suspending all donations from the CFMEU. In fact, we've suspended the CFMEU from the Labor party ... The last donations were over two years ago. We've taken the action to stop any financial relations with the CFMEU.I want to make clear there is zero tolerance for anyone who tried to subvert the demerit and penalty system. This taskforce will help ensure the penalties apply to all road users. Continue reading...

CMA finds deal will not lead to lessening of competition in mortgage and credit card marketNationwide's takeover of Virgin Money will not reduce competition for mortgages and credit cards, the competition watchdog has ruled, as it gave the 2.9bn deal the green light.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday that the merger, which will be the biggest banking deal since the financial crisis, would not lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the home loans market. Continue reading...

Mobile internet access blocked and news broadcasts shut down as students demand end to discriminatory job quotasA communications blackout has been imposed in Bangladesh, with mobile internet access blocked and news broadcasts shut down, as the country continues to be rocked by protests that have killed 39 people this week.On Thursday night the government said its was shutting down mobile internet for security reasons amid growing protests led by tens of thousands of students, and access to social media was blocked. On Friday morning, television news channels remained off air after the state broadcasting headquarters in Dhaka was stormed and set alight by protesters. Continue reading...

Israeli military steps up air patrols after explosion in central Tel Aviv, killing a man in his 50s

Drop of 1.2% in June comes as households rein in spending during cost of living crisis

Painting, concealed inside one of his well-known works, emerged during work for exhibition celebrating northern artAn unseen self-portrait of one of the most popular northern English artists of his generation has been discovered hidden on the back of another painting.The discovery of a new work by Norman Cornish - arguably the most famous artist to emerge from the north-east of England in the 20th century - was made during preparations for a big show of works by him and another titan of northern art, LS Lowry. Continue reading...

Parents or carers in full-time work said to be dreading' expense, and sum may be even higher in Wales and south-east EnglandParents can expect to spend more than 1,000 per child for care over the school summer holidays, , according to research.A survey by the children's charity Coram found that British families will be paying, on average, 1,049 for summer childcare for children aged from four to 14 - 635 more than they would pay for six weeks of after-school childcare during term time. Continue reading...

HMRC says several commercial schemes are exploiting tax exemption aimed at employers who provide nursery placesWorking parents could be hit with unexpected tax bills because of a clampdown on the misuse of a childcare benefit" offered by some employers that lets people enjoy savings of up to 10,000 a year.HM Revenue and Customs has turned its sights on some workplace nursery benefit schemes which allow employees to pay the fees out of their pre-tax salary, resulting in them making big savings on income tax and national insurance. Continue reading...

Former president recounts assassination attempt before shifting tones in speech accepting Republican nomination

Players at non-league side said it was obvious club had no intention of supporting and developing the women's sideFormer players and a coach at Wakefield AFC women's side have spoken out after the club cut training facilities for the team and then disbanded it without prior notice.Despite the growing popularity of women's football, especially after England's Lionesses won the Euros in 2022, many women's teams still struggle to survive due to a lack of investment and institutional support compared with the men. Continue reading...

Some Muslim and LGBTQ+ constituents say they would feel uneasy approaching their new MPs including Nigel FarageIt was a few days before the general election when Arjun* was targeted in the seaside resort of Clacton-on-Sea. I was with my friends ... we were laughed and giggled at. They said: What are you doing here?' So I ignored it," he said. They picked on us because we looked different to everybody else."Arjun moved to the Essex town more than six years ago after growing up in the East Midlands. He described feeling happy" living and working in the area but is now fearful, speaking to the Guardian anonymously due to concerns he could be harassed again. Continue reading...

Friends of the Earth says older people and young children are most at risk in heat-vulnerable neighbourhoodsInadequate climate protections mean at least 6 million lives are at risk from extreme heat in England, an analysis has found.A report by the campaign group Friends of the Earth found older people and young children were the most high-risk groups for heatwaves, with 1.7 million under-5s and 4.3 million people over 65 living in the most heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods in England. Continue reading...