World news | The Guardian

Claim part of inquiry into conduct of secretive undercover Met unit that spied on political groups over decadesAn undercover police officer has accused a colleague of fathering a child with a campaigner who was part of a leftwing group, a public inquiry has heard.Malcolm Shearing, an undercover officer who infiltrated revolutionary communist groups, has blown the whistle on his colleague, saying he is certain" that he is telling the truth. Continue reading...

New justice secretary is preparing to announce further emergency measures to ease overcrowding crisis in jails

After UK justice minister praised the system in the Netherlands, experts there say the reality is more complexEarlier this year, before he became the UK justice minister, James Timpson described how Britain should follow the Dutch example of mild sentencing to help solve the prisons crisis.They have shut half their prisons not because people are less naughty in Holland," he told Channel 4. It's because they have a different way of sentencing, which is community sentencing so people can stay at home, keep their jobs, keep their homes, keep reading their children bedtime stories, and it means they are far less likely to commit crime again. A custodial sentence is not always the right thing." Continue reading...

Network Rail route directors will also attend next week as UK government aims to reform railways quicklyLabour has summoned the bosses of some of the worst-performing train operators, including Avanti West Coast and TransPennine, for meetings next week as it seeks to rapidly reform the railways and reset industrial relations.The transport secretary, Louise Haigh, will bring in Network Rail route directors to attend all talks with the train companies, signalling the move towards an integrated railway. Continue reading...

International Committee of the Red Cross takes between 500 and 2,500 calls a week, mostly from family members

Deaths are first to happen since election of Keir Starmer who has pledged to stop the criminal gangs' Europe live - latest updatesFour people have died overnight trying to cross the Channel, according to reports in French media.A rescue operation took place off Boulogne-sur-Mer on France's northern coast after reports of people in the sea trying to cross to Britain. Four of those pulled from the sea had already drowned. Continue reading...

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Peak medical groups say the decision aligns with current evidence. The device is the longest-acting hormonal contraceptive available in Australia

Brendan Luke Stevens tells Queensland supreme court we have chosen to walk with God' and have no intention of fighting case by using law

Australian National University cites change in community sentiment around deriving revenue from weapons manufacturers

Vessels have been rammed, punctured with knives, damaged by water cannon and targeted by military-grade lasers. Now the Philippines' US ambassador has warned the aggression must be reduced to avoid conflictReports of aggressive and dangerous conduct by Chinese vessels in the fiercely contested South China Sea have surged over the past 17 months, as tensions mount in one of Asia's biggest flashpoints.Since February 2023, the Philippines has accused China of unsafe behaviour on at least 12 occasions, often within the water of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), according to Philippine government data compiled by the thinktank the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), which tracks incidents as part of its regional Asia-Pacific Regional Security Assessment. Continue reading...

Ipswich West's LNP representative informed of his microvascular ischemic disease the day he was sworn in

High winds and heavy rainfall have moved inland towards Houston and other cities, with at least eight reported deadAt the start of this week, Hurricane Beryl crashed on to the shore of the Texas coastline. Sweeping across the coast, Beryl brought sustained winds of 80mph to coastal settlements in Texas, creating a deadly storm surge reaching 4-7ft (1.2m to 2.1m) in places and wreaking havoc in local areas, before moving inland towards Houston and other big cities.Heavy rainfall was also recorded across some of the upper Texas coast and eastern Texas, with locally close to 15 inches (380mm) recorded in places. At least eight people have died in Texas and Louisiana, which followed at least 10 deaths across the Caribbean. Continue reading...

Analysis by Dutch researchers shows coordinated activity in France, Germany and Italy in run-up to ballotCoordinated networks of accounts spreading disinformation flooded" social media in France, Germany and Italy before the elections to the European parliament, Dutch researchers have found.After an in-depth analysis of disinformation on the platform X in four EU countries, the researchers concluded that many of the accounts had been set up after Russia's invasion of Ukraine but were cranked up in the weeks and days before the vote, with growth in their numbers of followers rocketing. Continue reading...

Marine Tondelier, whose party forms part of the election-winning New Popular Front, says politics must change to regain voters' trustThe French Green leader, Marine Tondelier, has said the risk of the far right rising to power in France has not disappeared after the snap election, and politics must urgently change to regain voters' trust.It was a warning," Tondelier said of this month's election, where a spectacular rush of tactical voting in the final round held back Marine Le Pen's far-right, anti-immigration National Rally. The RN's first-round surge had brought it the closest it had ever been to a parliament majority and entering government. Continue reading...

Report from former chief vet alleges Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission failed to enforce industry rules and was obfuscating the facts'

Exclusive: Figures show housing associations started just 33,000 social homes last year, a fall of 30%Labour will miss its target of delivering 1.5m new homes this parliament without an emergency cash injection into the affordable housing sector, providers have warned.Housing associations and councils have written to deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, saying her promise to deliver the biggest boost to affordable housing in a generation" will be impossible unless there are urgent interventions to fix the financial pressures providers face. Continue reading...

Crown prince criticised bad laws' for Mohammed al-Ghamdi's death sentence months before second convictionFresh questions have been raised about the suppression of free speech in Saudi Arabia after the brother of a man facing the death penalty for tweeting to 10 followers was handed a 20-year sentence for largely innocuous tweets.The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, had said Mohammed al-Ghamdi was a victim of bad laws" after being sentenced to death, yet the crown prince permitted the same laws to be used to sentence Ghamdi's younger brother, Asaad al-Ghamdi. Continue reading...

IPPR thinktank finds that only 52% of the British adult population cast their ballots on 4 JulyJust over half of the British adults voted at the 2024 general election, making it the lowest turnout by share of population since universal suffrage, according to a report.The Institute for Public Policy Research thinktank found that just 52% of UK adults cast their ballots on 4 July, which is the lowest since the vote was extended to all adults over 21 in 1928. Continue reading...

Chris Minns says there will be two days of forums in regional NSW in October and two days in Sydney in December

Sydney man David Fisk, his Philippine-born partner Lucita Cortez and her relative discovered with hands and feet tied at Lake Hotel in TagaytayThe family of two Australians found dead at a luxury hotel in the Philippines alongside a Filipina relative say they are praying for answers and the truth in this horrific matter".The bodies were discovered with their hands and feet tied in a room at the Lake Hotel in Tagaytay, a resort city south of the nation's capital. Continue reading...

Neighbour worried about 85-year-old asked NSW police to check on him at 5.45pm but officers didn't enter Bankstown home until midday next day

A 40-year-old woman on long-term leave from the Australian defence force and her 62-year-old husband were charged with preparing for an espionage offence, federal police said

US president says Ladies and gentleman, President Putin', before realising mistake and correcting himself

Cal Fire head Joe Tyler urges residents to be extra cautious' and reveals fires have scorched nearly 220,000 acresCalifornia's wildfire season is off to a ferocious start, with the state's top wildfire official saying that fires have already burned through five times the average amount of land for this time of year.Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Joe Tyler, the director of the California department of forestry and fire protection (Cal Fire), said the state has responded to more than 3,500 wildfires so far this year. Together, those fires have scorched nearly 220,000 acres - more than five times above what is typical for mid-July, which is considered fairly early in the state's wildfire season. Continue reading...

Actor on trial in New Mexico for involuntary manslaughter after shot from gun he was holding killed cinematographerIn a tense cross-examination in Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter trial, the actor's defense attorney suggested that New Mexico authorities were focused on pinning blame on the star rather than properly investigating what had led to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.Alex Spiro, one of Baldwin's defense attorneys, grilled the crime scene technician Marissa Poppell about a search police conducted on the prop house that provided the Colt .45 used in the shooting. He highlighted the fact that police had not collected surveillance footage from the site, pressed Poppell on precisely how thoroughly the facility was searched and alleged that law enforcement had withheld evidence from the defense. Continue reading...

Warning comes as justice secretary prepares to set out emergency measures to free up space in prisonsJails becoming too full to accept new inmates would spark a breakdown in law and order on UK streets within days, senior police sources have said.Police cells would be filled with arrested suspects and convicted prisoners, the source claimed, a situation that could be exploited by looters and criminals. Continue reading...

Reports come as Biden mistakenly refers to Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy as President Putin' at Nato summitJoe Biden's position appeared shaky on Thursday, amid reports that his aides and advisers were discussing how to persuade him to leave the presidential race while his own campaign was secretly testing Kamala Harris's popularity, suggesting it was preparing for that very scenario.Then just before the US president was scheduled to face journalists at a potentially pivotal news conference marking the end of Nato's 75th anniversary summit, he spoke to reporters there and mistakenly referred to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as President Putin". Continue reading...

Parole Board apologises to families of child killer's victims after unspecified unforeseeable developments'The parole hearing for Colin Pitchfork, who was convicted of raping and murdering two teenagers, will no longer be held in public due to unforeseeable developments including fresh allegations".The Parole Board said on Thursday the allegations were in respect of relatively recent conduct" and apologised for the increased stress" on the families of the victims. It is unclear what the allegations refer to. Continue reading...

Five arrested in investigation of claims Abin monitored and harassed top public figures and politiciansBrazil's intelligence agency was illegally weaponised during Jair Bolsonaro's far-right administration to monitor and harass some of the country's most important politicians, journalists, judges and environmental officials, federal police have alleged.Five people were arrested on Thursday as part of a long-running investigation into suspicions that during Bolsonaro's 2019-22 government the Agencia Brasileira de Inteligencia (Abin) was used to spy on the president's political foes. Continue reading...

Ben Crump demands killing not be swept under rug' after D'Vontaye Mitchell was held down outside Milwaukee hotelAfter the killing of a Wisconsin man who was held down outside a hotel by multiple security officers during a mental health emergency, leading civil rights attorney Ben Crump joined the family of the slain man in calling on authorities to deliver justice.D'vontaye Mitchell, 43, was killed on 30 June during an encounter with security personnel at the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Milwaukee, NBC News reported. Continue reading...

Family of Taylor Casey, missing since 19 June, say Bahamian officials left them with more questions than answers'The family of Taylor Casey, a 42-year-old transgender woman who went missing in the Bahamas, said they initially shielded the media from her gender identity because they feared it would undermine efforts to find her.Casey, who lives in Chicago, went missing on 19 June while on a month-long yoga retreat on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Exclusive: Programme to include devolution, housebuilding, crime, transport, AI and green energyThe government is preparing a packed king's speech containing at least 30 bills, including sweeping plans on housebuilding, green energy, crime and voter registration, the Guardian has learned.Labour ministers have drawn up plans for a busy legislative programme focused on delivering the priorities set up in the party's manifesto. Continue reading...

Politicians and campaigners condemn charging proposals, as regulator also puts Thames Water into special measures

Kyle Clifford remains in hospital and is unable to be spoken to by detectives investigating attack in Bushey on TuesdayThe man suspected of murdering three women during a horrific" ordeal lasting several hours was found in a north London cemetery by police with serious injuries he had inflicted on himself.Police say their investigation has recovered a crossbow and that their sole suspect, Kyle Clifford, remains in hospital, unable to be spoken to by detectives. Continue reading...

The photographer was known for defining images of Muhammad Ali, the Berlin Wall and the fall of the Twin Towers in 2001Thomas Hoepker, the renowned German photographer has died at the age of 88.He was known for his pictures of Muhammad Ali, the Berlin Wall, and a controversial image of onlookers in Brooklyn seemingly unbothered by the smoke of the Twin Towers on 9/11 in the distance. His death was confirmed by Magnum Photos, the international photography collective that began publishing his photos in 1964 and which he joined in 1989. No cause of death was given. Continue reading...

Plan to assassinate Rheinmetall's Armin Papperger believed to have been at a relatively advanced stageUS intelligence services have foiled a Russian plot to assassinate the chief executive of Germany's leading arms manufacturer, which was an apparent attempt at retaliation over the company's role in providing a large amount of armaments for Ukraine, according to reports on Thursday.The plot to murder Armin Papperger, the CEO of Rheinmetall, was one of several Russian government plans to kill defence industry executives in several countries in Europe who have been supporting Ukraine's war effort, unidentified US and western officials told CNN. Continue reading...

Suitcases found by officers called to reports of man acting suspiciously on Clifton Suspension Bridge, police sayPolice hunting for a man who is believed to have dumped two suitcases containing human remains at the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol have released an image of the suspect.Avon and Somerset police said they received reports at 11.57pm on Wednesday of a man with a suitcase behaving suspiciously on the bridge. Continue reading...

Partnership could produce up to 90 icebreaker ships to counter Russian and Chinese inroads into region

Environment secretary Steve Reed says Labour must stabilise the economy after 14 years of Conservative chaos'On water bills, consumer council for Water chief executive Mike Keil has said:Millions of people will feel upset and anxious at the prospect of these water bill rises and question the fairness of them given some water companies' track record of failure and poor service.Over the summer we'll be carrying out research with customers of every water company to gauge whether they feel the regulator's proposals are affordable and deliver what people want. We expect Ofwat to listen and act on what customers tell us.We look forward to working with the government. The Environment Agency has criminal power to take action against companies. We think there's a strong case for extending that to company senior leadership. We look forward to working with the government as they work through their special measures package.We will never look the other way while water companies pump sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. This unacceptable destruction of our waterways should never have been allowed, but change has now begun so it can never happen again.Today I have announced significant steps to clean up the water industry to cut sewage pollution, protect customers and attract investment to upgrade its crumbling infrastructure. That change will take time. Over the coming weeks and months, this Government will outline further steps to reform the water sector and restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health. Continue reading...

Miranda Tuckett, an anthropologist, held in cell for 11 hours after returning from clinic where Sharon Johnston diedAn anthropologist who travelled with a British woman who took her life at Dignitas is suing the police after she was arrested upon her return on suspicion of encouraging suicide.Miranda Tuckett, who is researching a doctoral thesis on Britons going to Switzerland to take their own lives, is bringing a high court claim for damages against Dyfed-Powys police for false imprisonment, breach of her academic freedoms and assault and battery. Continue reading...

Carl Alesbrook, now 19, caused Elijah Shemwell to suffer brain damage, fractures and whiplash-type injuriesA teenager has been found guilty of murdering a four-month-old baby after shaking the child to death when he was 16 years old.Carl Alesbrook, now 19, was unanimously convicted of murdering Elijah Shemwell, his partner's son, in January 2022 when he was left alone with the infant. Continue reading...

Usama Al-Qassab cited tournament's very thorough vetting process' after pro-Palestine and climate protestsA top Wimbledon official has staunchly defended the tournament's sponsorship deal with Barclays, accusing pro-Palestine and climate protesters of seeking to boost their campaigns' profile.Tournament organisers have come under pressure to drop the bank as a sponsor from climate groups and anti-war activists, who accuse Barclays of using the event to cover up its role" in funding the climate crisis and to hide from accountability for its role in enabling Israel's war crimes". Continue reading...

Group says that mediators have not provided any updates over negotiations about a deal to end the war

PM says he want to mark the occasion' if England win final on Sunday but stops short of confirming extra day offKeir Starmer has said he wants to mark the occasion" if England win the Euros football tournament after the team beat the Netherlands to secure a place in Sunday's final.However, the prime minister stopped short of confirming there would be a bank holiday if Gareth Southgate's team emerged victorious from their match against Spain, saying that he did not want to jinx" the outcome. Continue reading...

Frank Bennett tells public inquiry of disgust after discovering undercover officer stole Michael Hartley's nameA family has described their unbearable" distress and pain after discovering that an undercover police officer stole the identity of their brother who had died at the age of 18.The undercover officer used the identity of the dead brother as the basis of his fake persona while he spent three years spying on leftwing campaigners. Continue reading...

Faced with little time to find new platforms, sellers say ban also furthers idea that sexual pleasure is taboo'Etsy has always been a home for sellers of bespoke, artisanal and alternative items - including erotic jewellery and sex toys.But as of next month, some of these companies will be kicked off the platform, which they see as a betrayal of Etsy's sizeable sex-positive community. Continue reading...

Local media reports say 17-year-old is suspected of stunt, which was posted on InstagramA teenager has been reported to police after allegedly sneaking around Florence's Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore overnight and climbing up to its Cupola del Brunelleschi to take a selfie.Wearing a black hoodie, jeans and trainers, a person filmed himself walking up an inside stairwell of the world heritage site before reaching the dome level, stepping on to a small platform outside and taking a picture of himself. Continue reading...

Roger Hallam, Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin face long sentences after verdictFive environmental activists are facing long sentences after they were found guilty of conspiring to block traffic on the M25, after a trial in which the defendants were arrested various times for defying the court.Roger Hallam, Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin were charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance for organising direct action protests that caused gridlock on London's orbital motorway in November 2022. Continue reading...

Mayor of French city says all public resources are mobilised' after fire breaks out in spireHere are some images from Rouen today.All public resources are mobilised," wrote the mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, sharing a photo of the fire at the cathedral. Continue reading...