World news | The Guardian

Austrian man jailed for raping and imprisoning his daughter for 24 years to remain in psychiatric unitA Vienna court has overturned a decision to transfer Josef Fritzl from a special psychiatric unit to a regular jail, ordering the case back to the lower court.Fritzl, 88, repeatedly raped his daughter and locked in a cellar for more than 24 years, fathering seven children with her. Continue reading...

Catherine apologises for any confusion over Mother's Day photograph, saying she occasionally experiments with editing

Sanjay Shah accused of scam that enabled companies he controlled to fraudulently claim tax refundsA British hedge fund trader accused of defrauding Danish tax authorities in a billion-pound scam has gone on trial in Copenhagen, with the government hoping to recover the money in the blockbuster case.Sanjay Shah, who was arrested in June 2022 in Dubai where he was living, is accused of running a 9bn krone (1.03bn) scam that enabled companies he controlled to fraudulently claim Danish tax refunds between 2012 and 2015. Continue reading...

Ex-staff at Frank Hester's company TPP say rules were unusual but perks include paid bar tabs and sailing holidays

The EU says the ship is just one of three routes to getting life-saving supplies to the population of Gaza

Senior Nato official says we are now in a production war' that is key to the outcome of the war in UkraineKyiv said an Oscar awarded to 20 Days in Mariupol was an important success that showed the truth about Russia's crimes" to the world.The film, directed by Ukrainian film-maker Mstyslav Chernov, won the Best Documentary Oscar at a ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday night. Continue reading...

Eyewitness documentary shot by war reporter Mstyslav Chernov during the Russian siege of the Ukrainian city takes Academy Award - the country's first

Man identified by German court as Troy B attacked two American women near tourist attraction in JuneA German court has sentenced an American man to life in prison for the rape and murder of a tourist and the attempted murder of her friend in an attack near a famous tourist destination.The incident in June attracted worldwide attention because of the presence of so many visitors at Neuschwanstein Castle, some of whom photographed and streamed the scene as the women were taken by helicopter to hospital. Continue reading...

Harris had longstanding relationship with ABTSS, later alleged by British prosecutors to have handled or received illegal paymentsOne of the largest military contractors in the US paid commissions to a Saudi company later alleged to have been a conduit for bribes for the kingdom's royal family.A document disclosed in a UK criminal trial revealed that Harris Corporation, now L3Harris, paid commissions to the Saudi company for over two decades for services in the kingdom. Continue reading...

Former Conservative MP and ex-deputy chair claimed Islamists had got control' of London mayor

Bidder says multiple attempts to engage with high street group's board were rejectedThe US investment group Elliott has ended its bid to buy Currys after previous offers were rejected by the electrical goods retailer.Elliott, which owns Waterstones, told the markets on Monday that it had made multiple attempts to engage with the Currys board but all had been rebuffed. Continue reading...

Cinema Nova spokesperson says group of four men and one woman were vocalising hate speech to create a scene inside the auditorium'

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Donald Day Jr, linked to fatal shooting of two Queensland police officers, claims his right to guns for self-defence has been violatedA US man linked to the fatal shooting of two Queensland police officers has claimed that his right to own guns for self-defence has been violated by charges of alleged firearms possession while a convicted felon.Donald Day Jr, 58, was arrested in December 2023 by the FBI in Arizona on two counts of interstate threats" 12 months after the fatal shootings at rural Wieambilla, west of Brisbane. Continue reading...

Andrew Cayley, previously Britain's chief military prosecutor, to run operation of the complex caseA senior British lawyer has been appointed to oversee the international criminal court's investigation into alleged war crimes in the Palestinian territories, the Guardian understands.Andrew Cayley, a barrister and former military prosecutor, has recently joined the ICC after he was chosen by the court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, to lead the high-profile investigation. Continue reading...

Keith Piper says engaging with offensive and traumatic imagery can be important in keeping a clear sense of historyAn artist commissioned to respond to a mural in Tate Britain that has been sealed off from the public since 2020 because of its depictions of black and Chinese people, says viewing traumatic and racist images is crucial for us to truly grapple with our history.Keith Piper was commissioned by Tate Britain in 2022 to create a work that reacted to the Rex Whistler mural, titled The Expedition in Pursuit of Rare Meats, which had been closed after Tate's ethics committee decided it was offensive". Continue reading...

Sixth member of cross-country tour group still missing, authorities in Zermatt sayFive cross-country skiers who went missing during a ski tour in Switzerland were found dead, while a search was still on for the sixth skier, according to police.Police in Switzerland's Valais canton on Sunday started searching for six people who went missing during a ski tour that departed from the alpine town of Zermatt. Continue reading...

Hussein Al Mansoory, who lives with autism and Down syndrome, went missing from his Auburn home on Saturday morning

Temperatures expected to drop in Victoria and SA on Tuesday as extreme weather forecast to be less likely through rest of autumn

Lovell died after being stabbed while her husband was treated in hospital for a knife wound, court told

Tributes flow for lovely person and caring mother' after she was found dead in a bin on the side of a road in Buckley, Victoria

Israeli prime minister hits back after US president says war is hurting Israel more than helping itThe Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected Joe Biden's comment that his approach to the war in Gaza was hurting Israel more than helping Israel", escalating a dispute between the leaders.Over the weekend, the US president said Netanyahu must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken" in Gaza and that his stance was detrimental to Israel's interests. Continue reading...

Oscars host makes comment onstage after ex-president writes scathing review of Kimmel on his Truth Social platform

Christopher Nolan's blockbuster picked up seven awards while Poor Things star won over Lily Gladstone for best actress

Annual sequence devoted to recently deceased figures in the film industry also recognised Tom Wilkinson and William Friedkin

One of two young men accused of robbing and stabbing a rideshare driver pleads guilty to murder and other charges

Democratic Alliance leader Luis Montenegro says it will not rely on Chega party to governThe leader of Portugal's centre-right Democratic Alliance, Luis Montenegro, has claimed victory after a closely contested parliamentary election that saw the far-right surge.With almost 99% of Sunday's votes counted, the Democratic Alliance - an electoral platform made up of the large Social Democratic party (PSD) and two smaller conservative parties - and the Socialist party (PS) were each on 28.67%. Continue reading...

This blog is closedA first exit poll, carried out for SIC and Expresso, shows the following:Centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD): 27.6 to 31.8% (with 77 to 89 deputies)I honestly don't know what I'm more afraid of - a xenophobic and racist far-right party exerting pressure on a democratic right-wing party, or if a government agreement with the Liberals who pose a threat to a worsening of the public services that are available to a big portion of the country only because they are free - health and education.

Barbie star Margot Robbie reportedly among those trying to get through protest but sources say flow into theater was secure

Gough, who is resuming her Olivier award-winning role in People, Places and Things, calls on those in positions of power to become allies for colleaguesThe stage and screen star Denise Gough has called upon prominent actors to be vigilant for fellow cast and crew members in an industry where misconduct remains rife.Gough is set to reprise her role as an actor who has a breakdown in the play People, Places and Things which won her an Olivier award in 2016. It transferred from the National Theatre to the West End and New York, was one of the last decade's most acclaimed stage performances and led to Gough's high-profile roles on television. As a leading actor, the Irish star said she has a particular duty to look out for her colleagues. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Shadow City minister Tulip Siddiq to reveal plan for target to end financial exclusion of womenLabour plans to set targets for funding female-led businesses through the state-owned British Business Bank and to launch a review of the financial exclusion of women, if it wins the next general election.The initiatives, which will be announced on Monday by the shadow City minister Tulip Siddiq, form part of the party's financial inclusion agenda, following a review by 10 City grandees earlier this year of Labour's financial services strategy. Continue reading...

Esther Ghey discussed challenges of bringing up children and dangers of mobile phones with Scarlett Jenkinson's motherThe mothers of Brianna Ghey and one of the teenagers convicted of her murder have met to discuss the dangers of mobile phones for children and the challenges of parenting".Esther Ghey had a positive and respectful meeting" last week with Emma Sutton, whose 16-year-old daughter, Scarlett Jenkinson, was described by a judge as the driving force" behind Brianna's exceptionally brutal" stabbing. Continue reading...

Francis's failure to condemn Moscow as aggressor decried as shameful' and incomprehensible'The Ukrainian government has responded angrily and vowed never to surrender after Pope Francis said the country should have the courage to raise the white flag" and negotiate an end to the war with Russia.Our flag is a yellow and blue one. This is the flag by which we live, die, and prevail. We shall never raise any other flags," Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said on social media on Sunday. Continue reading...

Four picture agencies issue kill notice' after editing error of the image of Catherine with her children comes to lightThe first official photograph of the Princess of Wales to be released after her abdominal surgery two months ago has been recalled by four of the world's biggest picture agencies over claims it had been manipulated.The image, released to mark Mother's Day in the UK, shows Catherine sitting on a chair surrounded by her three children. It is the first authorised picture of her since Christmas. Continue reading...

NSW government's interim report on Sydney's toll road network would use a declining distance-based rate' of tolling

Vessel carrying 200 tonnes of provisions to alleviate looming famine now not sailing from Larnaca on Sunday as plannedAn aid ship carrying 200 tonnes of food to alleviate looming famine in the Gaza Strip remained docked in Cyprus on Sunday night, despite the push for maritime aid in the face of stalling ceasefire talks and the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.The Cyprus government spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, told the island's official news agency that the exact timing of the vessel's departure would not be made public for security reasons". It was later reported that due to technical difficulties", it might not depart until Monday morning. Continue reading...

Funding, which stood at 6.1m at the time of the general election, will fall to about 2m from April 2025Budgets for the Home Office's Prevent counter-extremism programme in London are set to be cut by half in two years, contradicting Rishi Sunak's personal call for a crackdown on radicalisation outside Downing Street less than two weeks ago.The proposed changes will cut the number of boroughs that receive funding from 22 to seven by April 2025, even though the prime minister promised to redouble our support for the Prevent programme to stop young minds being poisoned by extremism". Continue reading...

The 23-year-old man died after being airlifted to hospital from the Pitch Music and Arts festival in western Victoria

Aaron Bushnell, who died last month, sacrificed everything' for Palestinians, says mayor of JerichoThe Palestinian town of Jericho has named a street after Aaron Bushnell, the US air force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington to protest against the war in Gaza.The 25-year-old, who died on 25 February, sacrificed everything" for Palestinians, said the mayor of Jericho, Abdul Karim Sidr, as the street sign was unveiled on Sunday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Intervention by Priti Patel, Sajid Javid and Amber Rudd just before Michael Gove unveils official definition of extremism

Arrests come after concerns raised about storage and management processes relating to care of the deceased'A man and woman have been arrested on suspicion of prevention of lawful and decent burial after police removed 34 bodies from a funeral parlour in Hull.The 46-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman were also arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and fraud by abuse of position, Humberside police said. Continue reading...

Police in Valais canton say emergency response is being hampered by very bad' weather conditionsPolice are searching for six people who have gone missing during a ski tour that departed from the Alpine town of Zermatt in Switzerland's Valais canton.The cross-country skiers, five of them members of the same family, went missing around Tete Blanche mountain on Saturday on the Zermatt-Arolla path, near the Matterhorn mountain that straddles the border between Switzerland and Italy, police said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Members of working group raise concerns over Michael Gove not restarting body that last met in 2020The government's anti-Muslimhatred working group (AMHWG) has been on pause" for more than four years, despite repeated promises from officials and a sharp rise in hate crime.The Guardian understands members of the AMHWG last officially met in January 2020, before all working groups were adjourned because of the Covid pandemic. Continue reading...

Metropolitan police say man has been released on bail and they are not treating incident as terror-relatedA man has been arrested after crashing a car into the gates of Buckingham Palace in the early hours of Saturday morning.Armed police detained the man on suspicion of criminal damage and he was taken to hospital, the Metropolitan police said. After being assessed, the man was sectioned under the Mental Health Act. He has since been released on bail. Continue reading...

Two mass abductions were the latest in a series of group kidnappings by gunmenNigerian security forces continued to search forests and set up roadblocks in the north-west of the country on Sunday, in an attempt to find hundreds of kidnapped schoolchildren, but observers said combing the woodland expanses could take weeks.More than 280 children aged between seven and 18 were taken from a school in Kuriga on Thursday in one of the biggest mass-abductions in recent months in Nigeria's turbulent north west. A further 15 children were taken in another raid on a school in Sokoto on Saturday. Continue reading...

Cairo in touch with both sides and other mediators in effort to restart negotiations for truce in Gaza during Ramadan, say security sourcesThe UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has said that hunger is everywhere" in Gaza and described the situation in the north of the enclave as tragic".The agency is calling for humanitarian access across the Gaza Strip and an immediate ceasefire. Continue reading...

Shelling in eastern Ukraine kills three, 12 wounded in strike on Myrnograd, says Ukraine while Russia says one killed in Ukrainian shellingMore reaction to the courage of the white flag" comments by Pope Francis.The Associated Press reports: Continue reading...

Helen Mountfield, principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, hopes to raise 100m to help improve outcomesOxbridge colleges need to actively help their state school-educated pupils succeed, rather than hope a magical sorting hat" will uncover their talent, according to the head of an Oxford college who is looking to raise 100m to do just that.Helen Mountfield, the principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, said her college was able to recruit 93% of its undergraduates from UK state schools and see them flourish because of the extra effort it put in. Continue reading...

Up to 27 Gaelic development officers based on Hebridean islands and in rural counties and cities to be laid offGaelic-language campaigners and MSPs have protested furiously about plans to axe a network of Gaelic community workers, raising fresh fears about the survival of the language.Up to 27 Gaelic development workers based in Hebridean islands, rural counties and Scotland's major cities are being laid off after the Scottish government cut funding to Bord na Gaidhlig (BnG), the body charged with protecting and reviving Gaelic. Continue reading...

Election triggered by resignation of PM Antonio Costa could see scandal-hit Socialist party ousted by rightwing coalitionThe Portuguese left and right are braced for a tight race as the country votes in its second snap general election in three years, a closely fought contest that is also expected to result in huge gains and a possible kingmaker role for the far-right Chega party.Sunday's election was triggered by the collapse of the socialist government of Antonio Costa, who resigned as prime minister in November amid an investigation of alleged illegalities in his administration's handling of large green investment projects. Continue reading...