World news | The Guardian

Evans says he was first to alert authorities after receiving messages in what is suspected to be part of wider attempt to target MPsA Conservative MP has revealed that he was targeted in the Westminster sexting scandal and was the MP that first alerted the authorities.Luke Evans said he was messaged in what is suspected to be part of a wider attempt to target MPs. Continue reading...

The city's famously hardboiled residents reported a wide range of feelings to a phenomenon more often associated with California

Relatives of Kelly Faiers say police failed to properly inform them that a body had been foundThe family of a woman found dead at a sex offender's home have criticised the police's bodged" investigation after his body is believed to have been found this week in a caravan close to where he vanished six months ago.Relatives of Kelly Faiers said they were upset at how the news about the possible discovery of Richard Scatchard's body was broken, claiming they did not have time to alert others close to Faiers before the police went public. Continue reading...

Company's interim CEO says economic pressures have greatly hindered the company's ability to operate'The discount chain 99 Cents Only announced on Friday that it will close all 371 of its stores in the US as part of an orderly wind-down" of the business.In a statement, the company's interim CEO, Mike Simoncic, said 99 Cents Only had been under economic pressures that had greatly hindered the company's ability to operate". Continue reading...

New York hush-money trial still on course for 15 April start but ruling in classified documents case has prosecutors concernedDonald Trump faced mounting trouble this week in his legal universe, with judges overseeing two of Trump's legal cases refusing to accept his attempts to delay and toss the prosecution - and the former president doubling down on efforts to discredit his opponents.The judge overseeing Trump's criminal trial in New York expanded a gag order on Monday, which had originally banned Donald Trump from making public statements about court staff, trial witnesses or the families of any counsel or staff member on the case. The narrower gag order did not prohibit Trump from making statements about family members of the judge, and after Judge Juan Merchan issued it, the former president took to social media to attack the judge's daughter. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester police say they are working to identify victim after body part found in Kersal WetlandsPolice have launched a murder investigation after human remains were found at a nature reserve in Greater Manchester.A body part believed to be a torso was found by passersby in Kersal Wetlands in the Salford area on Thursday evening. Greater Manchester police (GMP) confirmed on Friday afternoon the body was in a state that meant it was not possible for the victim to have survived". Continue reading...

Boys and young men need guidance - not punishment - to avoid manosphere', teacher tells NEUTeachers should promote positive masculinity in schools in England and Wales in order to support boys who might otherwise feel demonised and end up turning to the manosphere" for hope, a union conference has been told.Charlotte Keogh, a secondary school English teacher from Worcestershire, said boys and young men needed support and guidance as they grappled with ideas about masculinity, rather than being punished and silenced. Continue reading...

Company appeals for cut in rent as part of rescue deal as report shows total debts at ethical beauty retailerThe Body Shop's UK arm owed more than 276m to creditors including landlords, suppliers, tax authorities and its international divisions when the ethical beauty retailer collapse in February, it has emerged as it appealed to landlords to cut rent as part of a rescue deal.Avon, the cosmetics group owned by The Body Shop's former parent company Natura, is the biggest trade creditor - owed just over 13m for products it manufactured, according to a report by the administrators FRP who were appointed to the UK arm of the ethical beauty retailer in February. Continue reading...

Labour's shadow chancellor says she is William Wragg incident and says it is right there is proper investigation

Ukraine led attack on to military airfield near town of Morozovsk in Rostov region in RussiaThe Kremlin has called French President Emmanuel Macron's assertions that Russia plans to disrupt the Olympics absolutely unfounded."Macron said on Thursday that he had no doubt" that Russia would target the Paris Olympics this summer. Continue reading...

Healthcare assistant observing Cariss Stone at psychiatric unit said she had loads' of patients to watchA healthcare assistant tasked with carrying out five-minute observations" on a vulnerable teenager in a psychiatric intensive care unit has told a jury at the young woman's inquest she had loads" of patients to watch and had not received training on how to monitor them.The teenager, Cariss Stone, who had been diagnosed as having emotionally unstable personality disorder and was considered at risk of self-harm, was found unresponsive in the bathroom of her room at the unit in Taunton, Somerset, and died two days later. A postmortem concluded the cause of death was hypoxic brain injury, cardiac arrest and asphyxia. Continue reading...

WCK says IDF deployed deadly force without regard to protocols in drone strikes in Gaza that killed seven aid workers

Exclusive: Yossi Sariel unmasked as head of Unit 8200 and architect of AI strategy after book written under pen name reveals his Google account

European Commission defends appointing adviser Markus Pieper after selection process is questionedUrsula von der Leyen's bid for a second term as president of the European Commission has been dented after accusations of favouritism in the selection of a fellow party member to a lucrative new job.Some of the highest-ranking people in Brussels, including the EU's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, and the French commissioner Thierry Breton, have written to her to complain that the appointment of the German MEP Markus Pieper as a special adviser has triggered questions about the transparency and impartiality of the nomination process". Continue reading...

Prof Julia Waters gives emotional speech at NEU conference and shares video of her late sister addressing pupilsThe sister of Ruth Perry, the headteacher who killed herself after an Ofsted inspection, has appealed to any teachers or school leaders considering suicide to think again, describing it as a terrible, wrong-headed option".In an emotional address to delegates attending the annual conference of the National Education Union in Bournemouth on Friday, Prof Julia Waters appealed directly to teachers and headteachers who may be struggling, urging them to seek help.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Missed interim payment raises prospect of collapse or restructure of troubled companyThe parent company of troubled Thames Water has told its creditors it has defaulted on its debt, raising the prospect that the company could collapse or face a significant restructure.Kemble Water has missed an interest payment that was due on Tuesday and said it was requesting its lenders and bondholders to take no creditor action so as to provide a stable platform while all options are explored" with its stakeholders. Continue reading...

Misidentification and lack of coordination cited among reasons for targeting of aid workers in drone strikes

Acceptance of deal will bring an end to year-long disputeNHS consultants have accepted a pay offer, ending a year-long dispute with the government, the British Medical Association has announced.More details soon ...

Alicia Kearns also expresses frustration that Joe Biden only now calling for immediate ceasefire and says UK must suspend arms sales

Sydney expected to be badly affected as further downpours and strong winds forecast to lash New South Wales coastSouth-eastern Australia has been experiencing heavy rain since Thursday night, which will continue until Saturday morning local time. New South Wales will be particularly badly affected, with cumulative rainfall totals of 150-200m along coastal stretches.Hourly totals are expected to reach 10-20mm at times, with the worst-affected areas potentially receiving 50mm within three hours. Strong winds are expected to accompany the heaviest downpours, with gusts of about 45mph (72km/h) at times. Continue reading...

Police describe killing in Moss Side area of city as senseless loss of life' as they appeal for informationPolice have launched a murder investigation after a teenage boy was fatally stabbed in the Moss Side area of Manchester.Greater Manchester police (GMP) described the killing as a senseless loss of life" and promised a visible presence in the area in the coming days. Continue reading...

Levelling up secretary says he should have been upfront with David Cameron about his role in leave campaignThe levelling up secretary, Michael Gove, has admitted moral cowardice" during the Brexit campaign by not being upfront with David Cameron about his role in the leave campaign.In an interview for the Political Currency podcast with George Osborne and Ed Balls, Gove said he was initially reluctant to take a prominent role in the campaign, but had been persuaded to by the Vote Leave campaign coordinator, Dominic Cummings. Continue reading...

Community facility on UK's first council estate reopens after outcry at local authority's attempt to hike rentsWashing machines are once again whirring and dryers tumbling at a community launderette in east London that the local council had abruptly closed just weeks before, in a victory for local residents.People living in and around the Boundary estate, the UK's first council estate, between Shoreditch and Bethnal Green, had launched a campaign to get the facility reopened after bailiffs changed the locks in February. Now Tower Hamlets council has made a U-turn and handed the keys of the launderette to residents. Continue reading...

Drop in March leaves average price of home at 288,430, says Halifax

Polls show Ivan Korok and Peter Pellegrini, an ally of prime minister Robert Fico, neck-and-neck before Saturday's runoffA pro-western diplomat and a politician accused of promoting Russia-friendly talking points will face off in a nailbiting presidential runoff in Slovakia on Saturday, amid fears that the country is sliding away from the west.Ivan Korok, a former foreign minister, and Peter Pellegrini, the speaker of parliament who is backed by Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fico, are neck-to-neck in the polls. Continue reading...

Dozens of flights cancelled at Sydney airport and drivers told to avoid non-essential travel as inland low and coastal trough combine. This blog is now closed

Integrity commission cites exceptional circumstances' to make announcement, which involves no adverse findings of any kind'

Writer was one of the first female news reporters on British TV, interviewing stars including Charlie Chaplin and Audrey HepburnThe author Lynne Reid Banks has died at the age of 94.The novelist, known for writing books including the children's story The Indian in the Cupboard, died of cancer peacefully with her family around her" on Thursday afternoon, her agent, James Wills, said. Continue reading...

Drivers have been urged to reconsiders their travel plans ahead of a forecast deluge

Williams, who directed the play, leaving company to prepare for its potential Broadway season following acclaimed West End run starring Sarah SnookThe Sydney Theatre Company artistic director, Kip Williams, who steered the theatre to new heights with the global success of his one-woman production the Picture of Dorian Gray, has announced he is stepping down after 13 years with the company.Williams was the youngest artistic director of the STC when he was appointed at the age of 30 in 2016. He will finish his tenure at the end of 2024 after eight years, in anticipation that The Picture of Dorian Gray will head to Broadway next year. In its recent run in London's West End, Succession star Sarah Snook played all 26 roles to huge acclaim. The role was first performed by Eryn Jean Norvill in multiple sell-out runs across Australia. Continue reading...

Semi-autonomous state of Puntland refuses to recognise changes to the fragile country's constitution and has withdrawn from the federal systemAn overhaul of Somalia's constitution, scrapping its power-sharing system and handing the president increased control, is threatening to destabilise the fragile country, as its wealthiest and most stable state refuses to recognise the changes.The amendments risk worsening violence, the information minister from the semi-autonomous state of Puntland has warned. Mohamud Aidid Dirir told the Guardian that almost a totally new constitution" had been introduced without input from the state's leaders. He accused the Somali president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, of using parliament to gather authority into his hands". Continue reading...

Todd McKenzie's death prompts calls from deputy coroner for summit into police responses to mental health incidents

Chansey Paech says the Uluru statement is not finished' despite the result of the voice referendum

Daniel Kebede accuses government of failing to tackle issue of sexism and its spread online among childrenThe leader of the UK's largest education union has called for an independent inquiry into the rise of sexism and misogyny among boys and young men, saying it should not be left to parents and schools to police.Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said it was a huge issue" in schools and expressed particular concern about the ease with which pupils are accessing aggressive hardcore pornography on their phones. Continue reading...

Avanti West Coast services among those affected by Aslef industrial action, which continues on Saturday and MondayRail passengers across England will face significant disruption on Friday as train drivers at five operating companies carry out industrial action.The 24-hour strike will be the first of three days of rolling strike action being taken by the train drivers' union Aslef, with services on Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway all affected. Continue reading...

Each time Madrid and Dublin speak out on the war in Gaza others are emboldened to join them, sources say

Storm claims a life in Queensland after body of man found by his ute near Logan, while rivers in south of state subject to flood warnings

Steps approved in Israel to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza include temporary reopening of crossing in the north

Victoria police say two men attempted to assault officers and rammed vehicles at Kings Way in South Melbourne

William Wragg says he was pressed for colleagues' details after sharing compromising photos of himselfA senior Conservative MP has reportedly admitted to giving out the personal phone numbers of colleagues to a person he met on a dating app.William Wragg told the Times that he gave the information after he had sent intimate pictures of himself, saying he was scared" and mortified". Continue reading...

Audrey Mondjehi, 43, found guilty of terrorism-related charges relating to 2018 attack that killed fiveA former security guard who helped procure the gun used to kill five people and injure 11 others in a terrorist attack on Strasbourg's Christmas market in 2018 has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.Audrey Mondjehi, 43, was found guilty of a series of terrorism-related charges, including abetting murder in relation to a terrorist plot and associating with terrorist elements, after he helped to find a weapon for Cherif Chekatt, who later opened fire with a 19th-century revolver at the market in the city's historic centre. Continue reading...

US president also said Israel must implement a series of specific steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers

French president marks 30th anniversary with video, airing Sunday, saying international community lacked will to stop the slaughterThe French president, Emmanuel Macron, has said France and its western and African allies could have stopped" Rwanda's 1994 genocide but did not have the will to halt the slaughter of an estimated 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis.In a video message to be published on Sunday to mark the 30th anniversary of the genocide, Macron will emphasise that when the phase of total extermination against the Tutsis began, the international community had the means to know and act", the presidency said on Thursday. Continue reading...

Services Australia's failure to act inexcusable' and urgent action needed to help people struggling to get by, senators say

British billionaire who heads family that owns Tottenham Hotspur fined $5m and given three-year probation by New York judgeThe British billionaire Joe Lewis was spared jail time for his part in a brazen" insider trading conspiracy on Thursday, and was instead fined $5m and given a three-year probation by a New York judge.The 87-year-old, who heads the family that owns Tottenham Hotspur, had faced as much as 45 years in prison if convicted at trial. But in a court filing on Monday, prosecutors said Lewis deserved leniency given his age, health issues and the fact that he had voluntarily come to the US to face punishment. Continue reading...

Maryam Eslamdoust claims GMB is using in-house agreement to block staff recruitmentOne of Labour's biggest union backers has been accused of employing bullyboy tactics" in an alleged attempt to take over a smaller rail union and seize control of its assets.Maryam Eslamdoust, the left-leaning general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), claims that the GMB union is using an in-house agreement to block staff recruitment and take control of the white-collar union to access its buildings. Continue reading...

Former MP has said Conservative minister Tom Tugendhat and peer Eric Pickles should be sacked

Education secretary Gillian Keegan will also squeeze funding for programmes to widen access to higher educationMinisters will cut funding for performing and creative arts courses at English universities next year, which sector leaders say will further damage the country's cultural industries.The cuts, outlined by the education secretary, Gillian Keegan, in guidance to the universities regulator, will also reduce funding for Uni-Connect, which runs programmes aimed at widening access to higher education for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to 20m, a third of its 2020-21 budget. Continue reading...

Post-Brexit charges of up to 145 may lead to a reduced range of goods available for consumersBritish small businesses have hit out at newly announced post-Brexit import fees coming in later this month, warning they could wipe out profits and make importing some products unfeasible.Trade bodies, retailers and small firms said that the new charges of up to 145 for each consignment could force them to limit the range of items they can offer, while others may have to push up their prices. Continue reading...

French president in favour of singer opening the Games amid racist backlash from far-right politiciansEmmanuel Macron has said the French pop superstar Aya Nakamura would be in her rightful place performing at an opening ceremony for the Olympic Games this summer, after suggestions that she could sing an Edith Piaf song sparked a racist backlash against the singer.Asked about Nakamura, who is the most listened to French-speaking artist in the world, Macron said it would be a good thing" if she performed at an opening or closing ceremony. Continue reading...