World news | The Guardian

Disclosures show PwC alone made $369,973 in direct political donations last financial year

Improved genetic management is producing a hardier, more productive merino, without having to sacrifice wool quality

Hundreds killed and injured in central Gaza Strip while Palestinians crowd into camps and the city of Rafah

Demonstration first in UK since UN's international court of justice ordered Israel to ensure acts of genocide not committed in Gaza

Chancellor says protests are strong sign in favour of democracy' as demonstrators gather in Berlin, Dresden, Hanover and other citiesAbout 200,000 people have taken to the streets of Germany in further protests against the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).Protests on Saturday also took place in Dresden, Mainz and Hanover in a sign of growing alarm at strong public support for AfD. Continue reading...

Decision rebuffs request by conservative group to alter admissions process for US military academyWest Point, the US's academy for army officers, can still consider race in its admission process for now after the federal supreme court refused to immediately force a change to the school's policies.The supreme court's decision Friday rebuffed a request by a conservative group to alter West Point's admissions process, which takes race - as well as a host of other factors - when selecting students who aspire to be future army officers. Continue reading...

Renell Charles, 16, killed in brutal attack' by 17-year-old who jumped out of taxi while victim was at bus stopA teenager who got out of a taxi and chased and stabbed a schoolboy has been convicted of murder, the Metropolitan police has said.The 17-year-old, who was 16 at the time of the attack on 5 May, was found guilty by a jury at Snaresbrook crown court in London on Friday of murdering Renell Charles. Continue reading...

Scarlett Jenkinson's relatives thank Esther Ghey for incredible selflessness and empathy towards our family'The family of Scarlett Jenkinson, who was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years for the murder of Brianna Ghey, have said they are truly sorry" for the teenage killer's brutal" actions and paid tribute to Brianna's mother.Jenkinson, described by the judge as the driving force" behind the murder, was sentenced on Friday for what the Crown Prosecution Service said was one of the most disturbing cases" its lawyers had ever dealt with. Her accomplice, Eddie Ratcliffe, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Continue reading...

Fiona McArthur's vegan sweets began as an experiment - and now they're food for the Hollywood starsIt's a long way from the windswept waterfront of Campbeltown to Hollywood: but for next month's Oscar nominees a taste of this remote corner of Scotland awaits, after the owner of the town's chocolate shop was chosen to produce the sweet treats for the famed $125,000 award ceremony goodie bags.Fiona McArthur, who started creating her chocolates in her mother's kitchen four-and-a-half years ago, says she's still pinching herself at the coup. It's blowing my mind that my chocolates are going to be eaten by people like Bradley Cooper and Margot Robbie," she says. Continue reading...

Andrzej Duda sparked row after saying he was unsure if Kyiv could regain control of Russian-occupied CrimeaPoland's president has declared he has always been unwavering in his support for Ukraine after being criticised for saying he was unsure whether Kyiv would be able to regain control of Crimea.Warsaw has been one of Kyiv's staunchest supporters since Russia invaded the country in 2022 and has said Ukraine must regain control over all of its territory in order to deter Moscow from further aggression. Continue reading...

The TV personality, who also hosted the BBC show Escape to the Country, said in 2022 his lung cancer had spread to his brainThe TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has died aged 50, his agent has confirmed.Irwin, who presented Channel 4's A Place in the Sun and the BBC's Escape to the Country, revealed in November 2022 that his lung cancer had spread to his brain and it was terminal. Continue reading...

Pakistani former PM says case was created to humiliate' him and Bushra Bibi, who were sentenced to seven years eachA local court in Pakistan has sentenced Imran Khan, the country's former prime minister, and his wife to seven years each in a case related to their marriage, which it declared un-Islamic".Khan and Bushra Bibi were both last week separately handed 14-year sentences in a corruption case, known as Toshakhana, for illegally selling state gifts. Continue reading...

Shameful' backlogs in cases are causing severe mental health problems, says victims commissionerVictims of crime are dying waiting for justice as they face delays of up to six years for their cases to be dealt with in court, the victims' commissioner for England and Wales has said.As a new law to enshrine victims' rights is scrutinised in the House of Lords, Baroness Helen Newlove warned that the wider justice system was on its knees", with shameful" backlogs leaving victims suffering acute mental health problems. Continue reading...

Discrimination and misogyny in classical music are denying women opportunities at festivals, venues and in recordings, research findsA discordant chord over sexism in the classical music world has sounded again. The head of one of the most prestigious competitions is calling for the industry to confront an apparent bias that is holding back female pianists from pursuing concert careers, however brilliant their talent.Fiona Sinclair, chief executive of the Leeds International Piano Competition, told the Observer that female pianists are failing to reach the top of their profession despite an equal number of men and women now training at conservatoires. Continue reading...

Auction lots include illuminated front sign and Burgundy wine expected to sell for up to 12,000It was famous for serving diners the most expensive meal in the world. Now, rare wine, artworks, silverware and porcelain from the Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant Le Gavroche are to be sold at auction.The contents of the exclusive eatery - which include 12,000 bottles of red wine and the illuminated Le Gavroche" sign - will be sold by Christie's in April, after Michel Roux Jr's decision to close the restaurant. Continue reading...

Attacks on Friday also described as a strategic mistake' by Iran, which insisted no Revolutionary Guards were present in areas hit

Assembly members gather at Stormont to restore power sharing under Sinn Fein first ministerNorthern Ireland's devolved government has reconvened after a two-year boycott, with Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill due to make history by becoming the first nationalist first minister.The former Democratic Unionist party leader, Edwin Poots, has been elected as Speaker by members. Continue reading...

After a two-year DUP boycott, the Northern Ireland assembly is to reconvene with a Sinn Fein first ministerPower sharing will return to Northern Ireland on Saturday after two years, with Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill making history as she becomes the first nationalist first minister. Here are answers to some of the key questions surrounding the historic event. Continue reading...

Reality TV star reveals social media stunt and says she is proud of what death news has been able to achieve'An Indian model who faked her own death in a publicity stunt to raise awareness about cervical cancer has defended her actions, saying in a social media post that she was proud of what her death news has been able to achieve".Poonam Pandey, a 32-year-old reality TV star and former Bollywood actor who shot to fame in 2011 when she promised she would strip for the India cricket team if they won the Cricket World Cup, was said to have died on Friday. Continue reading...

Historian at English Heritage uncovered entry about Thurstan in a service book from Pontefract Priory, which was laid waste during the ReformationThurstan was one of medieval England's most influential figures - archbishop of York, founder of monasteries and defender against invading Scots.Now English Heritage has uncovered evidence that Thurstan, who was archbishop from 1114 to 1140, is one of England's lost saints, in a long-overlooked entry in a 15th-century manuscript. Continue reading...

This live blog has now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage herePoland's president Duda sought to defuse the row over his statement on Ukraine, saying in a post on X that his actions and position on Russia's brutal aggression against Ukraine have been and are clear from day one".He added:Russia's attack on Ukraine and occupation of internationally recognised territories of Ukraine, including Crimea, is a crime... We all stand shoulder to shoulder for a free, sovereign and independent Ukraine against aggression and brutal imperialism! Continue reading...

Police arrest man who was reportedly tackled by passengers after leaving three victims with non-life-threatening injuriesA man has been arrested after three people were stabbed at a busy railway station in Paris.Reports suggested the alleged attacker was first tackled by passengers and a security agent at the Gare de Lyon just before 8am on Saturday, before officers arrived at the scene. Police said early indications suggested the attack was not terrorism-related. Continue reading...

Inspector tells Observer investigation that top officials are aware that computer system crashes can wipe out dataOfsted inspectors have been forced to make up" evidence because the computer system they use to record inspections sometimes crashes, wiping all the data, an Observer investigation has found.Since 2018, inspectors have made live notes on laptops or tablets as they interview staff and observe lessons, after Ofsted invested in a new electronic evidence gathering (EEG) digital platform. However, our investigation has discovered the technology has had serious issues from the beginning, sometimes crashing unexpectedly and losing all notes from interviews, or even whole days of evidence, so that inspectors have to replace those notes from memory without telling the school. Continue reading...

She's pledged to be first minister for all' and her ability to navigate political tensions will shape her Stormont tenureWhen Michelle O'Neill is sworn in as Northern Ireland's first minister, it will be a moment of personal triumph steeped in irony.As a teenage mother, she was treated as if she had the plague", and wept, yet went on to ascend the ranks of Sinn Fein and is now poised to make history as the first nationalist to lead Northern Ireland - a state that, in theory, she wishes to eradicate. Continue reading...

MP for Bromley and Chislehurst wants to spend more time with his wife who had a stroke in 2019The senior Conservative MP Sir Bob Neill will stand down at the next general election to spend more time with his wife, who has had a stroke.Neill, 71, who was first elected as Bromley and Chislehurst MP in a byelection in 2006, was a junior minister in the coalition government under David Cameron until September 2012 and chairs the Commons justice committee. Continue reading...

The bodies of a woman, 76, and man, 55, found with significant injuries inside property at Rosewater

The man who reportedly once organised sex parties for the wealthy is alleged to be involved in a plot to replace Rishi SunakAdvisers advise, ministers decide," goes Margaret Thatcher's aphorism. But if Nadine Dorries is right, one Conservative adviser has the power to elevate and overthrow prime ministers and has been exercising it for two decades.Some might accuse Dorries of hyperbole. But even to more reserved figures in the Conservative party, the Tory fixer Dougie Smith is a mysterious and unnerving character. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Local voluntary groups forced to cut services or close as council funding pulled

In Mansfield, the council could not afford the funding needed by a service that is vital to one of the UK's most deprived areasIn the end it was just 27,000. That was as much as the local district council said it could scrape together, but it was still a 50% cut in core grant funding and ultimately not enough to prevent Mansfield Citizens Advice service from becoming a casualty of the financial crisis raging through England's local authorities.Just over a week ago, when it became clear there was no more room for manoeuvre, the charity's board of trustees took the decision to close for good, after 41 years serving the Nottinghamshire ex-mining town, one of the UK's most deprived areas. It's devastating," said its chair, Carmel Reilly. There's no other place for clients to go." Continue reading...

Third man rescued from capsized boat, under which his fellow fisher became trapped off Barwon Heads

President says If you harm an American, we will respond' as US forces strike in what is expected to be first of multiple attacks

Aslef train drivers' set of strikes and work to rule is latest action in long-running pay disputeRail passengers face another weekend of cancelled and disrupted trains as services across the Midlands and intercity trains from London are halted by drivers' strikes.The latest in a week of rolling 24-hour strikes called by the Aslef union will stop all trains throughout Saturday on Avanti West Coast, East Midlands, West Midlands Railway and its sister service, London Northwestern. LNER services running on the east coast mainline have resumed after a one-day strike on Friday. Continue reading...

Heatwave warnings as ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily continues to dump heavy rain across parts of outback Queensland

Boy was bitten at campsite of western side of K'gari, also known as Fraser Island, and taken to Hervey Bay hospital

PM says he experienced racism as a child and that his parents sent him for extra drama lessons so that he could speak properly'Rishi Sunak has spoken about the racism he experienced as a child and how his parents were so determined he should fit in and speak without an accent that he was sent for extra drama lessons.You are conscious of being different," he told the deputy political editor of ITV News, Anushka Asthana. It's hard not to be, right, and obviously I experienced racism as a kid." Continue reading...

Far-right president's measures aimed at tackling the country's severe economic problems passed easily despite public protestsArgentina's lower chamber of deputies has given overall approval to libertarian president Javier Milei's sweeping omnibus" reform bill in a vote on Friday after days of debate, paving the way for a decisive vote in the Senate.The controversial reform package was approved on a vote of 144 votes in favour and 109 against. Continue reading...

Guitarist helped to give Detroit band their powerful, politically charged sound and continued their legacy into the 21st centuryWayne Kramer, the guitarist who co-created MC5 - one of the rawest, most influential and politically engaged bands in US history - has died aged 75. His Instagram page announced the news: Wayne S Kramer. Peace be with you. April 30 1948 - February 2 2024."Born and raised in Detroit, Kramer teamed with teenage friend and fellow guitarist Fred Sonic" Smith, each of them influenced as much by free jazz as they were by R&B and rock'n'roll. Along with the frontman Rob Tyner, they made MC5 into an incendiary force in their city's music scene, alongside peers such as the Stooges. Continue reading...

Campaigner for no vote in voice referendum received $5.2m last financial year, 47% of it dark money' from sources not revealed publicly

Singer should be able to see boyfriend Travis Kelce in person despite 17-hour time change and 12-hour flight, embassy saysJapan's embassy in Washington has assured an angsty public that Taylor Swift should make it to the Super Bowl in time to see her boyfriend Travis Kelce play in the big game - as long as her post-concert flight from Tokyo leaves on time.The embassy's Friday statement answered a question weighing on the minds of the pop star's multitude of fans, who wondered if it was even logistically possible for her to be in position to cheer on Kelce in person as he seeks a third NFL championship with the Kansas City Chiefs. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Canberra insider hits back at Amir Maimon who accused Australia of forgetting Hamas culpability' for 7 October attacks

The actor was known for playing Apollo Creed in four Rocky films and was recently in The MandalorianCarl Weathers, the actor whose credits include Rocky and Predator, has died at 76.His family released a statement through his agent to announce that he died peacefully in his sleep" on 1 February. Continue reading...

Family were given permission for L-shaped building in 2021, but instead built a large, C-shaped structureThe spa pool at the home of Captain Sir Tom Moore's daughter has been lifted out by crane as the unauthorised complex was demolished. The tub was hoisted up through the open top of the block, whose roof had been removed by workers earlier in the week.Hannah Ingram-Moore, 53, and her husband, Colin, 66, lost an appeal against an order to remove the Captain Tom Foundation building in the grounds of their property after a hearing in October. Continue reading...

Move comes after accusations of lowering entry standards to foreign applicants who pay far higher tuition feesVice-chancellors are to review international student admissions by British universities, including how to identify bad practice" among agents employed to attract people from overseas, after controversy over recruitment.Universities UK, which represents university leaders, announced a series of reviews into the use of recruitment agents and international foundation programmes, as well as the code of practice governing admissions. Continue reading...

Vittorio Sgarbi, who denies allegations over painting, cites separate antitrust investigation in resignationAn Italian art critic who was recently placed under investigation over allegations that a 17th-century painting in his possession was stolen from a castle more than a decade ago has resigned as a junior culture minister.I am resigning with immediate effect as undersecretary of the government and will inform [the prime minister, Giorgia] Meloni in the next few hours," Vittorio Sgarbi said on the sidelines of a conference in Milan. Continue reading...

Scarlett Jenkinson said killing was exciting' while Eddie Ratcliffe wanted help to woo a girl he fancied, court hearsOne question hung over the trial of the two teenagers convicted of killing Brianna Ghey: why? At the sentencing on Friday, Brianna's family finally received some answers.The hearing began with some startling new information: though she had pleaded not guilty at trial, Scarlett Jenkinson had now admitted to stabbing Brianna repeatedly - more times than she could remember. It was a lot", she said. Continue reading...

Grant Shapps announces 15-year tech contract for UK arm of defence specialist ThalesThe defence secretary has awarded a near-2bn contract to use artificial intelligence and virtual reality to keep British warships and submarines at sea for longer.Grant Shapps has announced a 1.85bn deal with the UK arm of defence and aerospace specialist Thales to provide technology services to the Royal Navy. Continue reading...

The former RSC director, now visiting professor of contemporary theatre at Oxford University, will stage The Two Gentlemen of VeronaWhen Gregory Doran stepped down as artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company last year, he had - over the course of an illustrious career - directed 35 of the 36 plays in Shakespeare's First Folio. Those productions were often led by theatrical megastars but he will now mount a student production of the remaining play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona.Doran is a visiting professor of contemporary theatre at Oxford University, whose students were invited to audition by self-taping a monologue last year, with no previous experience of Shakespeare deemed necessary. There will be six performances of the comedy, which is one of Shakespeare's earliest and least revived plays, from 15-18 May at Oxford Playhouse. Continue reading...

Mammal made contact with equipment', disrupting a subway line and shutting off water in latest escapade of city's trash pandas'A lone Toronto raccoon was able to cut power to nearly 7,000 people in the city's downtown core on Thursday night, highlighting the fraught coexistence between residents of Canada's largest urban centre and the divisive trash pandas".Hydro One, Ontario's power utility, said a raccoon made contact with equipment" at a downtown station on Thursday night, plunging swaths of the city in darkness. The loss of power also temporarily disrupted service on a key subway line and shut off water. Toronto's fire service said the power outage also left residents trapped inside elevators. Continue reading...

Labour deputy leader says green spending would depend on state of public finances during visit to ScotlandSuella Braverman, the former home secretary, says reports that the government is giving up on plans for a returns agreement with Turkey are very concerning".This decision by the Home Office is very concerning.

Prime minister says blockades by protesting farmers at Dutch-Belgian border have been stopped'Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo arrived in Place du Luxembourg just as a bronze statue that was felled in the protests yesterday was being taken away.The statue, which weighed 200kg, was taken into a van by half a dozen men, as the clean-up in the square continues.I think, by now, all governments have basically seen them, the Flemish government, the federal government - yesterday also the president of the [European] Commission.We've shown that we're able to come up with steps in the right direction. For some measures, we need more time to elaborate. And there's a real willingness to go forward. Continue reading...