World news | The Guardian

Exclusive: Judge accused Robert Courts of mischaracterising evidence' against Trudi WarnerThe government's most senior law officer is to appeal against a decision not to allow a contempt of court action against climate campaigner Trudi Warner for holding a placard on the rights of jurors outside a British court, the Guardian can reveal.Mr Justice Saini ruled at the high court last month there was no basis to take action against Warner, 69, for holding up the sign informing jurors of their right to acquit a defendant based on their conscience. He said the government's claim that her behaviour fell into the category of criminal contempt was fanciful". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Russian customs records suggest firm owned by major Tory donor kept supplying machines after voluntary pause'The British digger maker JCB, owned by the billionaire Bamford family, continued to build and supply equipment for the Russian market months after saying it had stopped exports because of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the Guardian can reveal.Russian customs records show that JCB, whose owners are major donors to the Conservative party, continued to make new products available for Russian dealers well after 2 March 2022, when the company publicly stated that it had voluntarily paused exports" to Russia. Continue reading...

Trump is under investigation by House Democrats for hosting dinner where he reportedly asked oil and gas company executives for $1bn campaign contribution in exchange for scrapping environmental regulations. Plus: Antony Blinken picks up a guitarGood morning.House Democrats and the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) have launched investigations into Donald Trump and the dinner he hosted at his Mar-a-Lago home and club last month with more than 20 oil and gas company executives. The Washington Post has previously reported that Trump promised at the meeting to undo Joe Biden's restrictions on natural gas export permits, oil drilling and car pollution, if the executives gave him $1bn for his White House re-election campaign.Could these investigations lead to further fallout for the gas and oil industry? Sheldon Whitehouse, the senator from Rhode Island who chairs the Senate budget committee, which has subpoena powers, is also considering an investigation. Trump's offer of a blatant quid pro quo to oil executives is practically an invitation to ask questions about Big Oil's political corruption and manipulation," he said in an emailed statement.Has the fossil fuel industry already donated to the Trump campaign? Yes, firms and lobby groups have given $7.3m this election cycle so far to Trump's campaign and to groups backing his candidacy.How have executives responded to the investigations? One spokesperson for American Petroleum Institute (API), the fossil fuel industry's top lobbying arm in the US, said the organization meets with policymakers and candidates from across the political spectrum on topics important to our industry".What is the situation now in Rafah? Following Israeli warnings to evacuate eastern and central neighborhoods, it is believed that between 360,000 and 500,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah in the past week.Is there anywhere for the refugees to shelter? Hundreds of tent city shelters have been set up near Khan Younis. But here, there is no water, no food, no health care, not even a toilet", according to one refugee. Continue reading...

Owner of Dal Presidente and his wife among five arrested on suspicion of business being linked to Camorra's Contini clanA pizzeria in the heart of Naples that was founded by a man who made a pizza for Bill Clinton has been seized by police in a mafia-related investigation.The owner of Dal Presidente and his wife are among five people arrested on suspicion of the business being linked to the Camorra's Contini clan. Continue reading...

Violent messages left by Justin Stein after he is accused of shooting nine-year-old dead played to murder trial

Exclusive: Elderly woman was allowed to run up debts in disturbing' case, the latest to emerge in Guardian investigationGovernment ministers have formally apologised and repaid 7,000 to a 93-year-old woman whom they held responsible for running up benefits overpayment debts even though they were told she had dementia and was unable to manage her affairs.The case, which the minister for disability, Mims Davies, admitted was disturbing", was brought to light by the Guardian as part of its investigation into carer's allowance overpayments. Continue reading...

Philippines coast guard and navy watch as wooden boats head to Scarborough shoal to place buoys and hand food packs to local fishersA flotilla of about 100 mostly small fishing boats led by Filipino activists has set sail for a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, where Beijing's coast guard and suspected militia ships have used powerful water cannon to ward off what they regard as intruders.The Philippine coast guard and navy deployed one patrol ship each to keep watch from a distance on the activists and fishers, who set off on wooden boats with bamboo outriggers on Wednesday to assert Manila's sovereignty over the Scarborough shoal. Dozens of journalists joined the three-day voyage. Continue reading...

Deakin University has similarly requested that student protesters remove camps

Controversial monument of a Tasmanian premier who beheaded the body of an Indigenous man damaged and graffitied

Family law has not kept up with social shifts, with marital rape, child marriage and lack of property and custody rights persistent problems, research findsDiscriminatory laws and customs across Africa are stalling progress on women's rights in the region, according to new research.The human rights organisation Equality Now studied family law and practices in 20 African countries and found that despite some progress in recent decades, inequalities persisted in marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance and property laws. Continue reading...

Albanese government's spending hailed by student safety advocates as a huge step' in holding sector accountable for student welfare

Witnesses are giving evidence in trial of airline pilot who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Hill and Carol Clay

Jim Chalmers' budget didn't answer all the questions about what projects will be funded but there is a lot more clarity now

Georgia PM GeorIrakli Kobakhidze pushes back against sanctions threat; Heroes Square blocked by demonstrators after controversial foreign agents' bill passes. This blog is now closed.

Package in congressional review process after Biden delayed shipment of bombs over fears they would be used to attack RafahThe US state department has moved a $1bn package of weapons aid for Israel into the congressional review process, two US officials said on Tuesday.The latest weapons package includes tank rounds, mortars and armored tactical vehicles, one of the officials told Reuters. Continue reading...

Australia's financials have generally improved compared with forecasts made a year ago but there are threats to the country's outlook lurking

Review of serious safeguarding failures finds young people from abusive environments less visible' to agenciesChildren who grow up in neglectful or abusive environments are safer attending school than being educated at home, according to a review of serious safeguarding failures in England in which six children died and 35 were harmed in one year.The report, by the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, emphasised that while home education was not a safeguarding risk, it found that vulnerable children were less visible" to safeguarding agencies than those regularly in school. Continue reading...

Commander says authorities scrambling to keep up with supply trends as knife crimes riseYoung people are using sites such as Telegram and TikTok to buy large knives for use in attacks and intimidation, with some linked to Britain's drug wars, police said.Stephen Clayman, national lead for knife crime for the National Police Chiefs' Council, made it clear on Tuesday that police want tougher action after a 7% year-on-year rise in knife offences, with a 20% rise in knife-point robberies. Continue reading...

Chris Philp says police should not tiptoe around using these powers in an aim to appease' despite concerns over racial biasPolice officers must carry out more stop and searches to address knife crime as the tactic is not used nearly often enough", according to the policing minister.Chris Philp said that police forces cannot afford to tiptoe around using these powers in an aim to appease". Continue reading...

Residents of suburbs in Fort McMurray ordered to leave as officials monitor a fire nearby that has grown to cover 9,600 hectaresResidents of four suburbs in the Canadian city of Fort McMurray have been ordered to evacuate as a wildfire approaches the city, stirring grim reminders of the country's costliest natural disaster.Officials in the western province of Alberta issued evacuation orders for the neighbourhoods of Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace on Tuesday, telling all residents to leave by 4pm MT. Continue reading...

450m Manchester venue opens doors with Elbow concert two weeks after debris falling from ceiling forced shutdownIt has been billed by its American owners as the greatest music venue ever built: a state-of-the art arena to put Manchester back on the musical map.But after a series of humiliating setbacks, the 450m Co-op Live - now referred to be some as Co-flop Live - opened its doors with a stagger rather than a swagger with a long-delayed concert by the local band Elbow on Tuesday night. Continue reading...

Cargo ship experienced electrical outage 10 hours before departing then lost power again before collision, preliminary report saysInvestigators examining the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore said in a preliminary report on Tuesday the cargo ship Dali experienced an electrical blackout about 10 hours before leaving the port of Baltimore while undergoing maintenance.The power outage was caused by a crew member mistakenly closing an exhaust damper, causing the ship's engine to stall, the report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board said. The ship lost power again and crashed into one of the bridge's supporting columns shortly after leaving the port on 26 March, which brought the bridge down in seconds. Continue reading...

Livestream artwork with 2.4m-wide screen allowed people in both cities to see but not hear each other, leading to offensive conductAuthorities in Dublin are to temporarily shut down the live video portal with New York because of unruly behaviour.The city council said in a statement on Tuesday it would switch off the interactive webcam at 10pm Irish time while technicians try to tweak - or censor - a project that has brought delight and notoriety. Continue reading...

Official suggests US funding could be pulled as new Kremlin-inspired' law provokes mass protests

President's son, 54, charged with three offenses related to questions about drug use when buying firearm in 2018Hunter Biden's federal gun case is set to go to trial next month, a judge said on Tuesday, formally denying a bid by Biden's lawyers to delay prosecution on three gun firearms charges.The US district judge Maryellen Noreika, who threw out a plea-deal agreement between Biden and the US government in August, rejected Biden's request to push the trial until September. Continue reading...

Deputy foreign secretary urges Cayman and British Virgin Islands to implement UK law requiring public registers of fundsNearly 40% of the dirty money in the world is going through the City of London and other crown dependencies, the UK's deputy foreign secretary has said.Andrew Mitchell added the crown dependencies and overseas territories will face fresh demands from the Foreign Office to comply with UK laws setting up public registers of beneficial share ownership. Continue reading...

The party has agreed a joint statement expressing full commitment' to the new deal for working people as agreed in July' after a meeting with unions this afternoon. This live blog is closed

Sections of the 2022 legislation found to be incompatible' with the European convention on human rightsA high court judge has found parts of the government's policing legislation to be in breach of human rights law, with its powers capable of causing a significant intrusion" on the lives of Gypsies and Travellers.In a judgment published on Tuesday, sections of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act were found to be incompatible" with the European convention on human rights, specifically article 14 when read with article 8 - the right to respect for private and family life. Continue reading...

Health minister makes announcement following revelations that a man who killed his children legally changed his nameCanada's westernmost province has says it will stop people who committed serious crimes from changing their names, following revelations that a child-killer tried to keep his new identity secret.British Columbia's health minister said on Monday his government would introduce legislation to amend the province's name act. Continue reading...

While this year's Cannes film festival jury president declared her role a dream come true', storms over sexual abuse and workers' rights are expectedThe reviews were gushing on the first day of the 77th Cannes film festival, as Barbie director Greta Gerwig took up her duties as this year's jury president. Festival bosses variously hailed the American film-maker as a cultural phenomenon", a heroine for modern times" and a woman who embodies the future of cinema". The fanfare was such that it almost drowned out the discord as the world's premier movie showcase opened against a backdrop of threatened labour disputes and a rumoured report of alleged sexual abuse within the industry.This is beyond a dream come true," said Gerwig, who presides over a nine-member jury that includes Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda and actors Lily Gladstone and Eva Green. One of the favourite things that I do is to watch cinema and discuss it - and now I'm getting to do it with the most wonderful minds for 10 whole days. I'm still in shock that I'm here." Continue reading...

At least two French prison guards shot dead and three seriously injured after heavily armed men ambush prison van in IncarvilleFootage of the incident circulating on social media appears to show heavily armed men on a road, with a car crashed into a police van.They will pay," the French prime minister, Gabriel Attal, said in response to the attack. Continue reading...

Louise Wateridge, in a post on X, said it was hard to believe there were over a million people sheltering here just a week ago'. This live blog is closedOne of ActionAid's partners in Rafah has paused humanitarian operations there, with the charity warning that aid operations could grind to a complete halt" as aid workers face an unprecedented" level of danger making their jobs become impossible".The charity says that aid workers in Rafah are experiencing the same inhumane living conditions as the rest of the population" and that virtually no aid" has entered Gaza in recent days despite the deepening humanitarian crisis across the enclave.Due to fuel shortages and severe security constraints, our aid delivery services in Rafah are temporarily paused. Our partners have received multiple evacuation orders in the past few days, and the ongoing bombardment on Rafah is making it impossible for them to distribute aid safely within Rafah.The obligation of conflicting parties is not only to ensure that aid gets through the borders but also to reach people inside Gaza. Continue reading...

Exclusive: government hopes proposed law will encourage people to come forward to police without fear of legal action

Pinchas Goldschmidt warns situation in the streets' since 7 October Hamas attack is destabilising societiesA leading rabbi has warned that threats and harassment are leading some Europeans to hide their Jewish identities, cautioning that the rise in antisemitism could destabilise European societies.Jewish communities across Europe have been grappling with an increase in hate speech, vandalism, harassment and threats since Hamas's 7 October attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. Continue reading...

PM confirms three others wounded in attack on vehicle transporting prisoner from courthouse in Rouen

Thanks to laws that protect medical providers, thousands of people got pills through telehealth in the last five months of 2023Over the last five months of 2023, medical providers shipped abortion pills to about 48,000 people living in states that forbid abortions, via new shield laws" that protect providers who mail pills to people living under abortion restrictions.Researchers from #WeCount, a project by the Society of Family Planning that studies the impact of abortion restrictions following the toppling of Roe v Wade, first started tracking abortions performed through shield laws in July 2023. In its Tuesday report, the researchers measured the impact of shield laws passed in five blue states - Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Washington state - that protect medical providers from legal repercussions if they ship abortion pills to people in defiance of state bans. Continue reading...

Migration Advisory Committee says the risks are low, despite Tory claims the route is being exploited

Mission to Kyiv by US secretary of state comes after Congress approved long-delayed $60bn aid package; Russia claims to have captured Buhruvatka. This live blog is closed

$300 energy rebate to every Australian household as $3.5bn centrepiece of pre-election cost-of-living budget. Follow live updates

Kazakhstan to toughen penalties for domestic violence as killing of Saltanat Nukenova prompts national outcry and shines spotlight on high femicide ratesA former Kazakh government minister has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for the torture and murder of his wife in one of the most high-profile cases of domestic violence in Kazakhstan's history.Kuandyk Bishimbayev, 44, was shown in surveillance footage repeatedly beating Saltanat Nukenova, 31, after they quarrelled in a restaurant he owned in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, in November 2023. A forensic examination later found evidence of strangulation. Continue reading...

Tribunal heard Ramya Nagesh, who was appearing remotely on behalf of nurse witness, fell asleep after eating baked potatoA barrister who wrote a book on sleepwalking is facing a disciplinary tribunal after allegedly falling asleep during a coroner's inquest.Ramya Nagesh, a member of commercial chambers in Gray's Inn Square in London, has been accused by the Bar standards board (BSB) of professional misconduct after falling asleep during a virtual hearing, missing her client giving evidence, the Daily Telegraph first reported. Continue reading...

Guardian investigation identifies Jonathan Keeperman, a former lecturer at the University of California, Irvine, as Lomez'A Guardian investigation has identified former University of California, Irvine (UCI) lecturer Jonathan Keeperman as the man behind the prominent new right" publishing house Passage Press and the influential Twitter persona Lomez.The identification is based on company and property records, source interviews and open-source online materials. Continue reading...

New mental health service and Medicare urgent care clinics funded alongside ways to keep pensioners and older Australians out of hospital

Government says reforms to the national disability insurance scheme that supports more than 600,000 Australians will ensure it is on a more financially sustainable footing

Not every measure makes the headlines, here we look at some of them - from a French re-connection to milk mix-ups in this year's budget

Treasurer will be able to boast back-to-back surpluses when he speaks at 7.30pm tonight. Follow live updates today

Local campaigners call for testing of nearby waterways but mine owner says potentially affected groundwater unlikely to represent a risk'

Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC says judge was correct to convict Dawson who had a possessive' relationship with a teenager

Schoolgirl once asked her grandfather if her alleged killer Justin Stein would make a good dad, NSW supreme court hears

Musician who played sax solo on Young Americans and released a series of Grammy-winning albums dies from prostate cancerDavid Sanborn, the Grammy-winning saxophonist whose expressive versatility across jazz and pop also made him a sought-after session player for tracks such as David Bowie's Young Americans, has died aged 78.A message on social media stated he died from an extended battle with prostate cancer with complications. Mr Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018, but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently. Indeed he already had concerts scheduled into 2025." Continue reading...