World news | The Guardian

Fernando Simon Marman and Louis Har's family say they did not know about rescue before being told to go to hospital to see them

County won't say if personal information was stolen but that elections computers are up and Trump case is unaffectedAs a Fulton county, Georgia, board of registration and elections meeting began in earnest Thursday afternoon, the elections director, Nadine Williams, unfurled a prepared statement about a recent hack of county government computers.There is no indication that this event is related to the election process," Williams said. In an abundance of caution, Fulton county and the secretary of state's respective technology systems were isolated from one another as part of the response efforts. We are working with our team to securely reconnect these systems as preparations for upcoming elections continue." Continue reading...

Based on the book by Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, the film features Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis and Rufus Sewell as AndrewNetflix has released the first trailer for Scoop, its drama about the machinations behind Prince Andrew's disastrous interview with Emily Maitlis on the BBC's Newsnight in 2019.Featuring Gillian Anderson as Maitlis and Rufus Sewell as Andrew, the film is based on a book by former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, and is directed by Philip Martin. McAlister is played in the film by Billie Piper, while Keeley Hawes is Prince Andrew's private secretary Amanda Thirsk. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Force accused of systematic failings, with allegations including rape and beatingsPolice officers accused of subjecting seven women to abuse including rapes, beatings, and psychological torment were allegedly protected by their force, with two appointed to roles protecting women from assault and harm.The force, which stands accused of systematic failings, is Devon and Cornwall, the Guardian has learned. Continue reading...

Ukrainian air force says 14 out of 17 drones and one Kh-59 cruise missile destroyed after Russia launched themGerman chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday said defence companies could count on his government ramping up military spending and that it would meet its commitment to spend 2% of GDP on Nato defence.Scholz was speaking after former US president Donald Trump sparked outrage among US allies by suggesting the United States might not protect fellow Nato members who are not spending enough on defence against a potential Russian invasion.Ukraine's air defence systems destroyed 14 out of 17 drones that Russia launched overnight and one Kh-59 cruise missile, Ukraine's Air Force said. The air force said on the Telegram messaging app that Russia also launched missiles from S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile systems, but it did not say how many or whether they hit any targets, Reuters reported.Oleh Synehubov, governor of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine's northeast, said late on Sunday that Russia attacked his region with missiles launched from the S-300 systems in Russia's Belgorod region that borders Ukraine. He said that according to preliminary information, there were no casualties, but the facades of some non-residential buildings were damaged.Serhiy Lisak, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said late on Sunday that Russia attacked the region's city of Pavlohrad with drones. There were no casualties, but some parts of the city lost electricity. Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports.Russian forces in occupied Ukraine are using Starlink terminals produced by Elon Musk's SpaceX for satellite internet in what is beginning to look like a systemic" problem, Kyiv's main military intelligence agency has claimed. Starlink terminals were rushed in to help Ukraine after Russia's February 2022 invasion and have been vital to Kyiv's battlefield communications. Starlink says it does not do business of any kind with Russia's government or military.Russian forces are obtaining Starlink terminals illicitly from third countries and they are increasing their use on the front line, the Ukrainian military spy agency's spokesperson told Reuters on Monday, without explaining how he knew. Andriy Yusov, the military official, also said that work was underway to counter Russia's use of the terminals in occupied parts of Ukraine as the full-scale war with Russia nears the two-year mark.The Kremlin has said that Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system was neither certified for use in, nor officially supplied to, Russia, and therefore could not be used. Ukraine, which has used Starlink for military communications throughout its conflict with Russia, said on Sunday that Russian troops were using Starlink in parts of Ukraine they control, Reuters reported.Russia on Monday imposed sanctions on 18 British citizens for what Moscow said was demonising Russia and escalating the war in Ukraine. Russia imposed what it called personal sanctions against deputy defence minister James Cartlidge, and a number of other officials and academics including historians Orlando Figes and Norman Davies and Russia specialist James Sherr.The US Senate on Monday will attempt to steer a $95.34 billion package containing aid for Ukraine and Israel to passage this week following months of delays, even as it lacked any guarantee that the House of Representatives will support the measure. On Sunday, the bill got a boost when the Senate voted 67-27 to move it past an important procedural hurdle. Also over the weekend, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set a course for passage by Wednesday.Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Monday that France and Poland are on the same page as regards the geopolitical situation and support for Ukraine, Reuters reported. We want us to send a common signal that we are ready for solidarity in all the most difficult situations ... we are rebuilding the Weimar Triangle," Tusk said during a joined press conference in Paris with president Emmanuel Macron. Continue reading...

New Australian guidelines balance the risk of getting too much sun exposure with the benefits of vitamin D uptake

As the police investigation enters its second week, wild speculation and conspiracy theories spread on social media

Voters approve of Labor's rejigged income tax cuts but any broader reform would fail to win over majority, latest survey finds

Israeli army says hostages, named as Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, freed during raid in Rafah

Mahomes leads winning touchdown drive in overtime in 25-22 NFL win. Plus: mummified monkeys

Expert says treatment plans set out while patients are well should be included in Mental Health Act reforms in England and WalesFewer people with mental illnesses would endure the trauma of being sectioned if advanced choice documents - setting out a treatment plan while they are well - were included in Mental Health Act reforms, a leading psychiatrist has said.Advanced choice documents are the only proven way to reduce the number of people detained under the Mental Health Act in England and Wales, which is one of the reforms' core objectives, said Dr Lade Smith, the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Continue reading...

PM flags amendments to privacy laws and strengthening of hate speech laws after publication of details of a WhatsApp group of Jewish Australians

Support for Azhar Ali in looming byelection is a failure to tackle antisemitism, says leading campaigner

Witnesses claim victims shot execution style' during house raids after clashes between government forces and Fano rebelsEthiopian government troops went door-to-door killing dozens of civilians last month in a town in the country's Amhara region, according to residents, who said the bloodshed took place after clashes with local militia.The killings in Merawi appear to be one of the deadliest episodes in Amhara since a rebellion by Fano, an armed Amhara group, erupted last year over a disputed plan to disarm regional forces. Continue reading...

Takeaway delivery riders say employment status has left many struggling to earn national living wageDelivery drivers for food-ordering platforms including Deliveroo and Uber Eats are staging a Valentine's Day strike to demand better pay and conditions.The stoppage on Wednesday is being organised by a grassroots group, Delivery Job UK, many of whose members are Brazilian. It claims to have more than 3,000 supporters in London and several other cities. Continue reading...

Court in former SAS soldier's defamation appeal hears arguments supporting reports old man found in tunnel was unlawfully killed

Pressure mounts on Nationals to demote MP amid claims response has revealed double standard

Five capitals swelter through 30C-plus temperatures as dramatic cool change forecast to sweep Melbourne and regional Victoria on Tuesday

Western Australian senator and former defence minister says political parties must be renewed' as she hints at new career outside parliament

Airservices Australia were grilled in Senate estimates after nationwide flight disruptions due to the missing staff. Follow the day's news live

Airservices Australia faces questions in estimates about Monday's delays and cancellations as agency's CEO defends his almost $1m salary

Home affairs department also reveals 24 former detainees have been charged with visa rule breaches or state offences since their release

Abstract painter hopes to inspire young people with fine art after government cuts made it the preserve of the elite'Sir Frank Bowling, one of Britain's most celebrated abstract painters, is selling prints of his work to help fund art supplies for 100 primary schools in England as part of a project that he hopes will be a gamechanger" in art education by making state school students realise art isn't off limits.Proceeds from the sale of 100 hand-signed prints will fund art packages", including canvas, paint and a six-lesson curriculum that could give about 30,000 primary schoolchildren an alternative" introduction to art. Continue reading...

Failure to ensure special care for more than 1 million civilians in the area would cause serious harm to Israel's own interests', foreign minister, Penny Wong, says

Employers are reining in hiring plans despite improved business confidence driven by services sectorWorkers in the UK can expect less generous salary settlements this year, as employers rein in hiring plans, according to a report from the professional body for human resources.In its regular labour market outlook, which gauges employers' expectations for the year ahead, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said employers were pencilling in the most meagre pay rises since the pandemic. Continue reading...

Lawyers see Basir's case as test of European policies that fail to provide safe routes to sub-Saharan asylum seekersFor 25-year-old Basir, it was a ray of hope after fleeing Sudan more than a decade ago. For his lawyers, the asylum request he made from Morocco was the ultimate test of whether Spain - and more broadly the EU - was willing to provide safe migration routes to some of the world's most vulnerable people.Thirteen months later, the answer is a resounding no. Little has changed for Basir, a Christian, who was left for dead at 15 in an attack that killed his father and brother. He continues to live rough on the streets of Morocco, scrambling to land odd jobs so he can buy food. He asked that his real name not be used for safety reasons. Continue reading...

Damning report by MPs warns policy places UK's reputation for rule of law and human rights in jeopardy'The UK government's controversial Rwanda legislation that deems the African country as a safe place to deport people to is fundamentally incompatible with Britain's human rights obligations and places it in breach of international law, according to a damning parliamentary report.MPs and peers from the cross-party joint committee on human rights have delivered a critical analysis of the safety of Rwanda bill, which is progressing at speed through parliament. Continue reading...

Figure of 20.4% is highest since records began in 2009, prompting warnings over growing relianceOne in five NHS staff in England are non-UK nationals, according to figures that show the pivotal role foreign workers play in keeping the health service afloat.Healthcare workers from 214 countries - from India, Portugal and Ghana to tiny nations such as Tonga, Liechtenstein and Solomon Islands - are employed in the NHS. And the proportion of roles filled by non-UK nationals has risen to a record high, according to analysis of NHS Digital figures. Continue reading...

Lib Dems say last month an average of 5,735 people a day faced waits of 12 hours or more to be seenMore than 1.5 million patients in England had to wait 12 hours or longer in A&E in the past year, according to figures that MPs say lay bare the impact of the government's neglect of the NHS.Last month 177,805 patients faced waits of 12 hours or more to be seen in emergency departments, an average of 5,735 a day. It means one in 10 patients (12.4%) arriving at A&E waited 12 hours before being admitted, transferred or discharged. Continue reading...

Britain's cancer survival rates are improving but the UK still lags behind comparable countries. The Guardian's health editor, Andrew Gregory, reportsThe announcement last week that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer has been met with sympathy and support for the 75-year-old. But alongside the focus on what it means for his future role as monarch, it has also led to a closer examination of what cancer care looks like in the UK in 2024.For many, such as 37-year-old Nathaniel Dye, it has meant a diagnosis that has come too late. He has stage 4 bowel cancer, which has spread to other parts of his body. Dye has been told that in similar cases only 10% of people survive five years. Continue reading...

Starlink says it does not do business of any kind with Russia's government or military

Interior minister Gerald Darmanin plans to change constitution to remove birthplace right to citizenship on island that is part of FranceFrench authorities have announced a controversial plan to amend the constitution to revoke birthplace citizenship on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, claiming it would help stem an immigration crisis.The reform was announced by interior minister Gerald Darmanin on Sunday after he arrived on the island, the country's poorest department (administrative region), following three weeks of protests there. Continue reading...

Police fire teargas on supporters of Imran Khan amid turmoil as several parties claim they would be forming governmentPolice fired teargas to disperse supporters of Imran Khan as protests broke out across Pakistan amid allegations of widespread vote-rigging targeting the former prime minister's political party and other nationalist groups in the general election.The results of the election, which took place on Thursday, gave a surprise first place to Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which won the most seats despite facing a stringent crackdown by the country's powerful military establishment. Continue reading...

Presenter also seeking correspondence between ABC managing director David Anderson and outgoing chair Ita Buttrose

Resolution Foundation calls for auto-enrolment into saving schemes, as millions have no rainy day' fundMore than 11 million working-age people in Britain don't have basic rainy day" savings of at least 1,000, according to a report that warns that the poorest households are struggling to build up financial resilience amid the cost of living crisis.The Resolution Foundation said people across Britain faced a triple savings challenge" of insufficient savings, an inability to cope financially with major life events such as family breakdown, and inadequate retirement incomes. Continue reading...

British Land and AustraliaSuper want to create cultural venue that will include offices and shopsPrintworks London, the 6,000-capacity post-industrial superclub, could reopen by 2026 after property developers that own the site filed their plans to Southwark council.British Land and its partner AustralianSuper, one of the country's largest pension funds, submitted a detailed proposal to the council on Monday to redevelop the site in Rotherhithe into a permanent cultural venue just over a year after the cavernous club shut its doors. Continue reading...

Senior executives got 26m in extra payments over the past four years despite public outrage at extent and frequency of overflowsThe government is to ban bonuses for water company bosses in England and Wales who fail to prevent illegal sewage spills that pollute rivers, lakes and seas.The policy, which many campaigners - including Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have been lobbying the government to implement, follows public outrage over the impact and scale of recent illegal raw sewage discharges. Continue reading...

Centre-right Alexander Stubb declares victory and is congratulated by Pekka HaavistoFinland's centre-right former prime minister Alexander Stubb will become the next president after winning an election runoff with rival Pekka Haavisto in the country's most high-stakes presidential election in a generation.Stubb, of the National Coalition party, declared victory on Sunday night and Haavisto, a former foreign minister and a member of the Green party running as an independent, congratulated him. Continue reading...

Home affairs minister Clare O'Neil says scathing report shows offshore processing used as a slush fund by suspected criminals'

Australia's largest oil and gas producer stands accused of distracting from credible action to cut emissions by greenwashing its fossil fuel plans

Defence secretary rejects idea of lowering security clearances for overseas recruits to boost inclusivity as woke nonsense'A review of diversity and inclusion policies at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been ordered to ensure that Britain's ability to defend its borders isn't impaired by what a cabinet minister described as political correctness".The movefollows reports that the army wants to relax security checks for overseas recruits to increase black, Asian and minority ethnic representation. Continue reading...

More than a thousand people attend memorial in Warrington to mark first anniversary of teenager's murderA vigil has been held in Warrington to mark the anniversary of the death of the amazing, unique and joyful teenager" Brianna Ghey.More than a thousand people came together to remember everything from her lethal" way with a makeup sponge to her famous eye roll." Continue reading...

Mohammed Hamada says he is devastated by death of Palestinian girl and relatives, whose bodies have now been recoveredThe cousin of a six-year-old Palestinian girl who died in Gaza after her family's car appeared to come under fire from Israeli tanks has told how he spoke to her as she waited to be rescued and said he was haunted by her last words.Hind Rajab's body was recovered on Saturday, alongside those of six of her relatives, and two Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) paramedics, Yusuf Al-Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun, sent to find her in Gaza City. Continue reading...

Neither body belonged to 35-year-old suspected of Clapham chemical attack on woman and children, say policeTwo male bodies have been recovered from the River Thames as police search for a suspect who severely injured a vulnerable" woman and her two young daughters in a chemical assault.Neither body was identified as that of Abdul Ezedi, who has been on the run since the attack on 31 January in Clapham, south London. He was last seen walking with purpose" to Chelsea Bridge in west London and was captured on CCTV leaning over the railings of the bridge on the night of the attack. Continue reading...

The prime minister, whose party faces electoral wipeout, may feel he has no choice but to give the Tories' star campaigner another chanceAt the start of a week when the Conservatives face the prospect of two byelection defeats - possible tasters of the general election wipeout to come - voices on the party's right calling for Boris Johnson to return in some form are growing louder.On Sunday they came not just through renewed pressure from the Tory-leaning press but from former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng that Rishi Sunak should swallow some pride" and bring his rival back into the fold. Continue reading...

Tens of thousands of students lost their visas after a TV expose of cheating a decade ago. Many say they were wrongly accusedIn 2014, a BBC Panorama documentary revealed widespread, well-organised cheating in the English language tests that international students were required to take in the UK if they wanted to change their course or renew their visa. As a result of these allegations the Home Office revoked the visas of about 35,000 students. Most were thrown off their courses; 2,500 students were deported and 7,200 left the country after being warned that they faced arrest and detention if they stayed. Thousands of students have spent years protesting their innocence. Continue reading...

Media mogul met government representatives 12 times in 2022-23 when he was chair of News CorpThe media mogul Rupert Murdoch met Rishi Sunak five times over a 12-month period before he stepped down as the chair of News Corp in September last year, according to government records.Official records of government meetings, analysed by the campaign group Hacked Off, show that the former head of News Corp - which owns the Times and the Sun newspapers in the UK - personally met government representatives 12 times between October 2022 and September 2023, including five meetings with the prime minister. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Push follows new evidence that raises questions over Home Office's cheating accusations against 35,000 international students

Israeli prime minister says country will do our best to get all those who are alive back,' ahead of expected ground invasion of Rafah

Two officers died and two others injured when their patrol craft was rammed by speedboat off the coast of BarbateEight people have been arrested after two Spanish Guardia Civil officers were killed and two more injured when their small patrol boat was rammed by a speedboat driven by suspected drug smugglers off the southern port of Barbate.Video of the incident, which took place on Friday night, showed a large speedboat hitting the police inflatable launch at high speed. Stretches of Spain's southern coast have seen a series of violent clashes in recent years between police and smugglers bringing in drugs from north Africa. Continue reading...