World news | The Guardian

KKR expected to acquire stake worth 4bn as UK's biggest water supplier tries to stave off nationalisationThames Water has picked the US investment firm KKR to take a stake in the business, as the embattled water company fights to stave off nationalisation.The UK's biggest water supplier, which is struggling under a debt pile of close to 20bn, said it had selected KKR as a preferred partner" as it seeks to secure fresh equity funding for its operations by the end of June. The New York-based private equity firm is expected to acquire a stake in Thames worth 4bn. Continue reading...

Counsel for Billboard Chris', AKA Chris Elston, says takedown notice from eSafety commissioner was regulatory overreach

Detail not yet clear about new nature watchdog plan, which comes after previous attempt drew backlash from Western Australia

Brief moment of relief as rescue workers carry a woman from the rubble of a hotel in Mandalay after a five-hour operation

Dennis Richardson argues biggest hindrance to $368bn deal is budgetary capacity and political will'

Sixth-formers discuss the hit show and what it is really like to be a young male in Britain today

Leading figures including Tom Dixon and Sebastian Conran add voices to criticism of government's AI opt-out proposalA proposed overhaul of copyright law risks running roughshod" over a British design industry that has created such memorable products as the red phone box, the London underground map and the iPhone, according to a group of leading UK designers.In a letter to the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, 35 UK-based designers have urged the government to change cours on its plans to let artificial intelligence (AI) companies train their models on copyrighted work without permission. The proposal has already prompted fierce criticism from the worlds of publishing, music, film, TV and the performing arts, with leading creative figures including Sir Paul McCartney, Richard Osman and Kate Bush voicing their opposition. Continue reading...

Prime minister to urge world leaders to work together to stop criminal gangs as small boat crossings continue to risePeople-smugglers should be treated like terrorists, Keir Starmer will say on Monday, as he hosts an international summit on organised migration crime in London.Starmer will urge representatives from more than 40 countries to cooperate across national borders to stop smugglers just as they did to stop terrorists when he was director of public prosecutions more than a decade ago. Continue reading...

Opposition leader confirms he would move into Kirribilli House if elected PM - a statement Anthony Albanese says shows a fair bit of hubris'

Federal court hears Nick McKenzie allegedly told a witness that Roberts-Smith's ex-wife and her friend were actively briefing us on his legal strategy'

Newly sworn in Jens-Frederik Nielsen says Trump says that the United States is getting Greenland. Let me be clear: the United States won't get that'The US will not get Greenland, its new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, has said in response to Donald Trump's latest statements that he wants to take control of the vast Arctic country.President Trump says that the United States is getting Greenland. Let me be clear: the United States won't get that. We do not belong to anyone else. We determine our own future," Nielsen said. Continue reading...

Two girls, boy in stable condition and 46-year-old woman under guard in hospital after alleged attack in Baulkham Hills

More than 300,000 without power as storm, expected to continue overnight, pummels Ottawa, Quebec and OntarioMore than 300,000 Canadians faced power outages in parts of Ontario on Sunday as an ice storm pummeled the region over the weekend, according to electricity provider Hydro One.Environment Canada issued winter storm warnings for freezing rain in Ottawa, parts of Quebec and Ontario, with the risk of snow mixed with or transitioning to ice pellets expected to continue until Monday morning in some regions. Continue reading...

Alexander Sloley was a 16-year-old college student when he went missing from IslingtonPolice seeking information about a 33-year-old man who disappeared 17 years ago have offered a 10,000 reward.Alexander Sloley was 16 and studying accountancy at college when he disappeared from Islington, north London, in August 2008. His family and friends have not heard from him since, despite issuing an efit of what he might look like in his late 20s when the police investigation was reopened in 2019. Continue reading...

Red Cross says devastation is of a level not seen in Asia for over a century as more than 1,700 people killedRescue volunteers, many of them poorly equipped local people, raced to find survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings across central Myanmar, two days after a huge earthquake killed more than 1,700 people in the country and at least 18 in neighbouring Thailand.Red Cross officials said Myanmar was facing a level of devastation that hasn't been seen over a century in Asia", after a 7.7-magnitude quake struck near the centre of the country on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. Continue reading...

Police say man, 54, will not be charged after four-year-old girl, young man and woman killed by blaze in RushtonA man arrested on suspicion of murder after a fire at a historic former stationmaster's house has been released and will face no further action, police have said.The fire at a property in Beswick Close in Rushton, near Kettering, killed three people, including a four-year-old girl, on Friday evening. Continue reading...

Deficits of 5.2bn have been put aside for seven years in accounting fix that ends on 31 March 2026

Exclusive: Councils say multibillion-pound debts caused by years of overspends on special educational needs support

Group claims as many as 200 people have expressed interest in joining its action as arrests drive awarenessThe activist group targeted in an unprecedented police raid on a Quaker meeting house said it had resulted in large numbers of people signing up to take part in a series of new protests starting this week.Six women attending a gathering of the protest group Youth Demand were arrested after more than 20 uniformed police, some equipped with Tasers, forced their way into the Westminster meeting house on Thursday. The raid was condemned by the Quakers as an aggressive violation". Continue reading...

The actor died on Saturday night in Waimnalo, Hawaii of complications after a stroke, his publicist says

Prime minister says military pressure is working, as he rejects claims that Israel is not serious about negotiationsRejecting claims from Hamas and Israeli protesters that his government is not engaged in serious negotiations aimed at securing the release of those held captive in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he was committed to reaching an agreement to free the hostages and military pressure had been effective.We are willing," Israel's prime minister told a cabinet meeting. We are negotiating under fire" and can see cracks beginning to appear" in what Hamas has demanded in its negotiations, he said. Continue reading...

Sophie Chandauka claims there is significant correlation' with drop in funders and prince's move to the USDonors abandoned the charity Prince Harry founded in memory of his late mother when he left the UK, the chair of Sentebale has said amid a bitter media row in which she accused the prince of trying to eject" her through bullying" and harassment".Sophie Chandauka told Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme that there was a significant correlation" between a drop in funders and the Duke of Sussex's departure to the US after the controversy caused by his rift with the royal family. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Most only take a week's leave, and paternity pay for back-office staff in Met is nearly three times higherPolice officers have described being ostracised for taking paternity leave, as it is revealed that back-office staff in the Metropolitan police are entitled to proportionately nearly three times as much paternity pay as frontline fathers.A freedom of information request has revealed that most serving police officers in England and Wales only take one week of paternity leave, with some describing being on blue lights" duty and carrying Tasers a week after the birth of their babies. Continue reading...

At least 1,700 people killed as Red Cross officials warn Myanmar faces humanitarian crisis; death toll in Bangkok increases to 18Red Cross officials have warned that Myanmar faces a humanitarian crisis after the deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake.What we're seeing here in Myanmar is a level of devastation that hasn't been seen over a century in Asia," the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) wrote in a post on X. Continue reading...

In 1988, 17-year-old Mark Haines was found dead on the railway tracks outside Tamworth. Decades on, a reopened investigation may offer answers - and Don Craigie is determined to bear witness

Landmark report makes 34 recommendations to overhaul the superannuation sector, citing delays, poor customer service and ineffective procedures

Ministry of Justice drafts instruction for judges in England and Wales to ignore guidelines on age, sex and ethnicityMinisters are planning to introduce a last-minute rule change this week to overturn sentencing guidelines that could have led to criminals getting different sentences depending on their age, sex and ethnicity.Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, is planning to bring a bill to the Commons this week to overrule the guidelines, which are due to come into force in England and Wales on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Joakim Medin, who works for the Dagens ETC newspaper, was arrested on Thursday when his plane landedA Swedish journalist who was detained on his arrival in Turkey to cover protests over the jailing of Istanbul's mayor has been arrested on terror-related charges and for insulting the president", the Turkish presidency has said.Joakim Medin, who works for the Dagens ETC newspaper, has been arrested on charges of membership in an armed terrorist organisation' and insulting the president'", the presidency said on Sunday. Continue reading...

Watchdog accepted Taiwo Owatemi's claim for landlord's surcharge to let her keep dog in London flatMinisters will ask the Commons authorities to consider changing rules which allowed a Labour whip to claim 900 in expenses to rent a pet-friendly flat in London.The government will lobby the independent expenses regulator to look at allowance rules after Taiwo Owatemi claimed for a pet surcharge demanded by her landlord to allow her to keep her dog in the property. Continue reading...

Sex Education actor criticises IOPC for refusing to consider race in investigation of officers who pepper-sprayed himThe Hairspray and Sex Education actor Reece Richards has condemned the police watchdog for refusing to consider race in its investigation of Met officers who arrested and pepper-sprayed him.The 34-year-old was walking home in west London last September after performing in Hairspray when a car crashed into a lamp-post nearby. Two white men fled the scene. When Metropolitan police officers arrived seconds later, Richards pointed out the suspects' directions. He said that, instead of pursuing them, an officer began shouting at him to get the ground and pointed a pepper spray at him. Continue reading...

Far-right leader could be barred from standing for presidency if she is convicted over alleged fake jobs scamThe future of the far-right leader Marine Le Pen - and France's political landscape - will be decided on Monday when a court hands down its verdict on charges she and party officials embezzled money from the European parliament.If convicted, the three-time presidential candidate of the National Rally (RN) could be barred from standing against Emmanuel Macron in the 2027 presidential election. Continue reading...

Government looks at use of human rights law to argue for people being allowed to stay, which PM called a loophole'Ministers are reviewing how international human rights law is being applied to allow people to stay in the UK after entering by irregular means, Yvette Cooper has said.The home secretary said on Sunday she was looking into the implementation of article eight of the Human Rights Act, which guarantees people the right to a family life and has been used by people to argue for their right to stay in the UK. Continue reading...

After a $220m five-year renovation, the New York museum is set to showcase a trove of European masterpiecesCan masterpieces of European art help smooth over the fissures between the old world and the new? It's a hope, say officials at the Frick Collection in New York, which reopens next month after a five-year, $220m (170m) renovation.Axel Ruger, the director of the museum, which began with a trove of European masterpieces including Rembrandt and Vermeer, hopes that its art could be a reminder of US-European ties in these turbulent political times. Continue reading...

Once a tranquil haven in the Cotswolds, Bibury now grapples with overtourism as hordes of selfie-snapping visitors pour into its narrow lanesStanding on the stone bridge that crosses the River Coln in the heart of Bibury on a clear spring day, it is not hard to see why the 19th-century designer William Morris described it as the most beautiful village in England".Chances are, however, the picturesque Cotswold view will not be enjoyed alone.I don't believe they contribute to the village in terms of supporting pubs, restaurants, because they're not here long enough. They're only here for 20 minutes Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor says number of young people not in education, employment or training has reached unacceptable levelsThe number of young people not in education, employment or training has risen to unacceptable levels because Whitehall is failing to listen and respond to their needs, Andy Burnham will say this week.The mayor of Greater Manchester will warn in a key speech that the number of neets", which now stands at almost 1 million - the highest figure in 11 years - will continue to rise unless the Department for Education (DfE) adopts a new schools policy more geared to their requirements. Continue reading...

Opposition leader floats - then walks back - polls on Indigenous recognition, four-year parliamentary terms and stripping citizenship of dual nationals

Opposition leader promises to release secret modelling within days as former ACCC chair urges Coalition to explain how they would lower prices

Fewer than five criminal cases were brought against those who aid tax dodgers in 2023-24, down from 16 in 2018-19Prosecutions of the enablers of tax evasion have plummeted by at least 75% in the past five years, with fewer than five criminal cases in 2023-2024.The targeting of enablers - anyone who knowingly helps a client evade tax - is a central part of HM Revenue and Customs's (HMRC) strategy to claw back cash owed to the Treasury. Continue reading...

Britain's economic watchdog may not publish forecast of employment prospects until the end of OctoberMPs are set to vote on Labour's disability benefit cuts without any idea of how many of those affected will be able to find work, after it emerged that Britain's economic watchdog may not publish its forecast of the employment impact of the plans until the end of October.The Department for Work and Pensions' own impact assessment last week predicted that the cuts announced in the disability benefits green paper would drive at least 300,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children. Continue reading...

Top justice expert criticises use of MoJ study to back up claims by Alex Davies-Jones that there is no impact on conviction rates when video evidence is usedThe victims' minister has been accused of using factual inaccuracies" about the effectiveness of video evidence in criminal trials by one of the UK's leading justice experts.Vulnerable witnesses, such as children and rape victims, have been allowed to record video evidence rather than be cross-examined in person during crown court trials since a pilot in 2013, and across England and Wales since 2022. Continue reading...

Dmitry Krymov, who fled Moscow after the Ukraine invasion, plans Dickens hybrid with UK and Russian actorsThe acclaimed Russian stage director Dmitry Krymov the winner of many of Moscow's top theatre prizes before his exile due to public criticism of the invasion of Ukraine, has spoken angrily of the impact of the war ahead of his first work with British actors. The Moscow-born director, 70, plans to use Dickens's two stories Great Expectations and Hard Times to create a new performance.Arriving in London this weekend for a short stay, Krymov, who is regarded by many western theatre pundits as among the best directors in the world, told the Observer he wants to link British and Russian performers and audiences, despite the divisions caused by President Vladimir Putin. Continue reading...

Prime minister says his government, if re-elected, will establish taskforce to introduce price-gouging regime that will be enforced by ACCC

Police go door-to-door arresting Afghans as government pledges to send millions back home to Taliban ruleMore than 50 prominent female Afghan women's rights activists sheltering in Pakistan are facing deportation home, where they fear they will be imprisoned or killed under Taliban rule.Under a draconian policy, the Pakistan government has pledged to deport millions of Afghan nationals, after relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan severely deteriorated and attacks by militants in the border areas surged. Continue reading...

Popular student demonstrator Berkay Gezgin, 21, snatched off street by police outside office of detained Istanbul mayorWhen 21-year-old Berkay Gezgin left the interior of Istanbul city hall, a squad of police was waiting for him outside. Protests that flooded the streets outside the headquarters of his political hero, detained mayor Ekrem mamolu, had begun trickling away by midnight, but hundreds of riot police remained clustered around the municipality building.Gezgin became the face of youth support for mamolu when he met him on the campaign trail during his first run for mayor in 2019, coining the slogan Everything will be fine", which the Istanbul mayor later used in his campaign. Continue reading...

British artist, 87, who was visited by the king in his London home, said he did not know him well enough to paint himRenowned artist David Hockney has said he did not offer to paint King Charles when the monarch visited his London home on Monday because he doesn't know him well enough.This is not the first time that Hockney has shied away from painting royalty. The 87-year-old also refused a number of offers to paint the late Queen Elizabeth II because he only paints people he knows. Continue reading...

Congressionally created and funded thinktank taken over by Doge' seeks to prevent and resolve global conflictsMost employees at the US Institute of Peace, a congressionally created and funded thinktank now taken over by Elon Musk's unofficial department of government efficiency", received email notices of their mass firing late Friday, the latest step in the Trump administration's government downsizing.The emails, sent to personal accounts because most staff members had lost access to the organization's system, began going out about 9pm, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisal. Continue reading...

Sophie Chandauka says duke unleashed Sussex machine' but source close to ex-trustees claims accusation baselessThe chair of a charity set up by Prince Harry has accused him of harassment and bullying at scale" after he and several others quit the organisation earlier this week.The Duke of Sussex was said to have initiated the campaign by the unleashing of the Sussex machine". Continue reading...

Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine say six officers came to their house after primary objected to WhatsApp commentsThe parents of a nine-year-old girl have said they were held at a police station for 11 hours because they complained about their daughter's primary school.Maxie Allen and his partner, Rosalind Levine, said they were arrested and detained on suspicion of harassment, malicious communications and causing a nuisance on school property. Continue reading...

Myanmar's military rulers have called for any country, any organisation' to help as concerns grow over how rescuers will reach affected areas. This blog is now closed.

Departures of Cemal Kafadar and Rosie Bsheer are seen by critics as shameful attempt' by school to appease TrumpThe leaders of Harvard University's Center for Middle Eastern Studies are leaving their positions after the center faced accusations of anti-Israel bias.The departures come as the Trump administration scrutinizes institutions that have had pro-Palestinian protests over the last year. Earlier this week, Columbia's president announced she would step down after Trump targeted the university for protests on campus last year. Continue reading...