World news | The Guardian

Rishi Sunak claims ministers were on track to clear backlog by end of year - currently close to 75,000The Home Office needs to process an asylum claim every four minutes between now and the end of the year if the prime minister's pledge to clear the backlog is to be honoured, according to new data.Earlier this month the prime minister reiterated that the government would meet this target, although critics are sceptical this target will be achieved. Continue reading...

Audit committee publishes witness statement claiming arrangement was designed by lobbying firm Synergy 360 to facilitate flow of funds to Robert, which he denies

Lawyers for mother, who can't be named, say she maintains she has nothing to do with William's disappearance' in 2014William Tyrrell's foster mother has called on New South Wales police to confirm whether they have advised prosecutors to charge her over the toddler's disappearance in 2014.The commentary by her legal team follows media reports that detectives had sent a brief of evidence to the director of public prosecutions alleging William's foster mother covered up the accidental death of three-year-old Tyrrell who is missing and presumed dead. Continue reading...

Shaun Drummond had distanced himself from suggestions people who provide journalists with inappropriate' information should be penalised

Daniel Andrews pledges formal apology to victim-survivors who attended Beaumaris primary school in 1960s and 1970s

Police say a female passenger in the car died at the scene after a car collided with a truck on the Hume Highway

Anonymous letter demands more transparency and accountability from PwC in Australia

Northern Territory court upholds coroner's ruling that witnesses could be forced to answer questions at inquest into fatal police shooting

Nato chief says alliance will defend members after Wagner relocates to Belarus; two Russian warships spotted off Taiwan

Jens Stoltenberg says alliance has strengthened eastern flank and will protect every inch of Nato territory' after Prigozhin move

Neither party is showing much appetite for the hard policy decisions that are necessary to cut CO emissions - and time is running outThe Conservatives are lagging far behind on the climate crisis, that much we know. But the Labour party is not showing the leadership that the country needs on reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions, the chairman of the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has warned.Lord Deben, a former Conservative environment secretary, has long been a critic of the government, and recently praised Labour's stance on opposing new oil and gas licences in the North Sea. Continue reading...

Plan gives broadcasters time to find alternatives while preventing another generation from experiencing escalating gambling harm', Labor MP says

The Pearl actor and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Emmy-winner will play Superman and Lois Lane in director James Gunn's new rebootDavid Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan are set to take on the roles of Superman and Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman: Legacy.Corenswet is best known for his roles in the Ryan Murphy shows Hollywood and The Politician and starring in 2022 horror prequel Pearl. Brosnahan has won an Emmy for her performance in Amazon's period comedy The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and has also appeared in House of Cards and I'm Your Woman. Continue reading...

Sajak, 76, will step down next year, while Vanna White, the long-serving letter-turner, has another year left on her contractThe producer of Wheel of Fortune, one of the US's longest-running and most-watched television gameshows, is taking a spin on Ryan Seacrest as its new host.Seacrest will succeed the veteran presenter Pat Sajak, 76, at the end of the current season - or, in the UK, series. Sajak announced earlier this month that the show's 41st season, which begins in September, will be his last. Continue reading...

Universities of Melbourne, New South Wales and Sydney score high, as Australia ranks 11th worldwide on sustainability programs and research

Announcement will add to recent speculation that owner Walgreens is preparing to put firm up for sale againBoots is to close 300 shops in the year ahead despite a 13.4% rise in quarterly turnover fuelled by high sales of sunscreen during the UK's hot spell.The high street chemist, which is owned by the US group Walgreens Boots Alliance, said it was evolving the store estate" by shutting branches that were close to each other in order to directstaff to where they were needed and focus investment more acutely in individual stores". Continue reading...

While some unions have accepted government offers, ministers are still failing to address real-terms erosion in payJust when NHS strikes in England seemed to be ending, another group of staff has announced its own stoppages - and, as ever, pay is the issue.In early May, eight of the 12 unions that represent NHS personnel in England, apart from doctors and dentists, accepted the government's pay offer, albeit after months of industrial action. Then on Tuesday the Royal College of Nursing - the biggest of the four unions who had rejected it - announced it would not be holding any more walkouts. In a ballot, too few of its members voted to endorse up to another six months of strikes. Continue reading...

The father died after being restrained by six police officers after they responded to reports of a man in an agitated stateThe sister of a man who died after being restrained by six police officers said their family is angry with lawyers representing those who arrested him for suggesting he was the author of his own misfortune.During a public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh in police custody, those representing the officers said criticism of them was wholly unwarranted" with a lawyer suggesting Bayoh was to a great extent the author of his own misfortune". Continue reading...

Benjamin Myers KC says evidence cannot safely be used to support allegations that nurse murdered seven babiesThe prosecution case that Lucy Letby murdered a number of babies is founded on guesswork and is tenuous in the extreme", her barrister has told a court.Benjamin Myers KC said the evidence against the nurse was so poor it could not be safely used to support the allegations of murder and attempted murder. Continue reading...

The auction in London for the Austrian artist's final painting achieved the highest price ever in Europe for a work of artGustav Klimt's painting Dame mit Facher (Lady with a Fan) has sold for 85.3m at Sotheby's, becoming the most valuable work of art ever sold at auction in Europe.In its first market appearance in 29 years, the late Austrian painter's final masterpiece exceeded pre-sale expectations of 65m when it went under the hammer in London on Tuesday, and also set a new record for the artist. Continue reading...

Experts say science-backed messaging and popularity with celebrities including Kim Kardashian behind successA 500 skincare product that lasts only a month's use has attracted a waiting list of 30,000 people, with the company's founder admitting to being bowled over by the reaction".Industry experts say the success of the product is due to it leading with science-backed messaging, which is increasingly popular among consumers, as well as backing from celebrities. Continue reading...

Hope Street scheme in Southampton aims to keep women in criminal justice system out of jail and with their childrenIt all started when Edwina Grosvenor spent an hour with two heroin addicts at a drug rehabilitation centre in Liverpool, almost 30 years ago.Her parents - Natalia and Gerald Grosvenor, who was one the richest men in the UK and the sixth Duke of Westminster - decided to take her to the centre at the age of 12 or 13 to show her that there was a world beyond her privileged bubble. At that moment I learned about empathy," Lady Grosvenor said. Continue reading...

The lack of response to TV producer Daisy Goodwin's allegation about a mayoral candidate casts doubt on complaints processesTwo years after the Pestminster scandal about sexual harassment by politicians swept through parliament in 2017, a downbeat speech in the House of Commons summed up how many female MPs and aides felt about its consequences.The verdict was delivered by Jess Phillips, the Labour MP and women's rights campaigner. Nothing has changed since we started the whole Pestminster thing or even the broader #MeToo movement; it feels as if a moment of blood-letting led to no significant material change in the actual working lives of the people we are here to try to protect." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Sunak regularly pictured using Pilot V fountain pens during time as chancellor and prime ministerRishi Sunak routinely uses pens with erasable ink to make hand-written notes on official documents and in government meetings, prompting concerns over Downing Street secrecy, the Guardian has learned.The prime minister has regularly been pictured using the disposable Pilot V fountain pens during his time as chancellor and prime minister, most recently while taking notes during the Cabinet meeting two weeks ago. Continue reading...

Mirror Group Newspapers says it has sympathy' for royal but he has no hard evidence', court toldPrince Harry should receive only 500 in damages at the end of his phone-hacking trial, Mirror Group Newspapers has argued at the high court.The Duke of Sussex wants a judge to award him more than 200,000 over allegations that he was the victim of illegal activity by journalists working for the Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and the People. Continue reading...

University says about 20% of final year students will be unable to graduate if industrial action continuesMore than 1,000 final year students at Durham University could be left without a degree this summer because of the marking boycott disrupting universities across the UK.Durham, one of 145 universities affected by the industrial action over pay and working conditions called by the University and College Union (UCU), said about 20% of its 5,300 final year students would be unable to graduate. Continue reading...

Moscow claims paramilitaries have agreed to hand over weapons after failed Rostov uprising

Yes the government had made huge errors, but somehow the health secretary at the time hadn'tHere was the tragedy. Matt Hancock's tragedy. He wants to be loved. He craves our gratitude. Our attention. A man who has successfully searched for the hero inside himself. But the outside world is an unforgiving place. Most of us don't even remember him for being the barely competent politician who happened to be health secretary during the pandemic. Though we still want a reckoning.Our minds are indelibly seared with the image of him groping his lover on CCTV. So much for social distancing. Or as the needy contestant who was relentlessly bullied by the public on I'm a Celebrity. Or just as that bloke who used to be someone. He's barely even an MP these days. He's hardly ever in parliament. Too busy eyeing up his career options. Continue reading...

BMA members back industrial action for consultants after talks with ministers about restoring pay levels break down

The highest-profile missing person case for years raises many questions about online behaviour and police decision makingEven now, amateur trolls, sleuths and psychics are posting wild and sensational conspiracy theories on social media about the death of Nicola Bulley.Yet, as a coroner concluded on Tuesday, her death while tragic was the very opposite of wild and sensational. Continue reading...

Comments were made that LGB Alliance had transphobic staff' and neo-Nazi, homophobic and Islamophobic' supportersA gender-critical woman has won a harassment claim against Arts Council England, after hostile comments were made about her beliefs at an internal meeting and on a petition circulated within the organisation.Denise Fahmy's claim at Leeds employment tribunal related to the fallout over the London Community Fund's (LCF) decision to award a grant drawn from an Arts Council England (ACE) fund to the gender-critical LGB Alliance. The grant was later suspended. Continue reading...

Ernest Moret had devices seized after arrest by counter-terrorism police on arrival in London in AprilThe Metropolitan police have admitted downloading the sim card from the phone of a radical French publisher who was arrested by counter-terrorism police at St Pancras station in April, his lawyer has claimed.Officers returned the iPhone and laptop it had seized from Ernest Moret, 28, to his London lawyer on Tuesday after the Met announced late on Friday that no further action would be taken against him. He had been arrested on his way to the London book fair and held for almost 24 hours under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Continue reading...

Former health secretary says he is profoundly sorry' for every death and says he knows an apology from him will be hard to take'. This live blog is now closed

Ancient painting includes fruit that looks like a pineapple - although it's almost certainly something elseA striking still-life fresco resembling a pizza has been found among the ruins of ancient Pompeii, although the dish seems to lack two essential ingredients - tomato and mozzarella - and includes one item that looks suspiciously like a pineapple.The fresco, which dates back 2,000 years, emerged during excavations in the Regio IX area of Pompeii's archaeological park, which is close to Naples, the birthplace of pizza. The painting was on a wall in what is believed to have been the hallway of a home that had a bakery in its annex. Continue reading...

Nature Restoration Law vote tied at 44 in favour and 44 against amid claims of lies and fake newsThe future of the EU's flagship environment laws are again hanging by a thread with a cliffhanger vote, flared tempers and accusations of lies, fake news and manipulation of voting in the European parliament.Emotions were running high after voting on the European parliament committee steering through the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) ended in a dead heat on Tuesday, with 44 votes in favour and 44 against. It can now progress to a vote of the full parliament in a plenary session in July. Continue reading...

Advocates say caps or freezes may help reduce pressure on renters but experts warn they are not a simple fix

Ibrahima Bah accused of manslaughter of four and agreeing to steer inflatable for people smugglersPeople smugglers put dozens of people on an overloaded and unseaworthy dinghy that fell apart during a Channel crossing in which at least four died, a jury has heard, as the man accused of piloting the vessel faces trial for manslaughter.Ibrahima Bah is accused of agreeing to steer the vessel to England in return for free passage from the criminal gang smuggling his fellow travellers from France. Continue reading...

Report details widespread and systematic torture with summary executions of more than 70 people

Russian president makes address at Kremlin and says that Wagner was entirely financed by state - despite years of denials

Lancashire coroner records verdict of accidental death and finds mortgage broker died shortly after falling in riverNicola Bulley's death was accidental and took place after she fell in a river and drowned, a coroner has concluded.The senior coroner for Lancashire, James Adeley, on Tuesday recorded a verdict of accidental death after a two-day hearing into one of the most high profile missing person cases in living memory. Continue reading...

Party facing questions about vetting and selection process after allegations by Daisy Goodwin

Deaths and alleged abuse of Kenyan women in Saudi Arabia fuels demands for Nairobi to act on human rightsRights groups have expressed concern that not enough has been done to address the alleged mistreatment of domestic workers in Gulf states, such as Saudi Arabia, after the Kenyan government moved to secure work opportunities abroad for its citizens.This is a matter of grave public interest," said John Mwariri, a lawyer at Kituo cha Sheria, a legal aid organisation. Many of our Kenyan citizens have been abused and are dying there. There is an urgent need for protections." Continue reading...

Swiss organisation calls for assisted dying to be legalised in UK and made available alongside palliative careThe assisted dying organisation Dignitas has told parliament it's about time" to legalise the practice in the UK and make it available alongside palliative care, describing the current rules as inadequate and incoherent".Silvan Luley, a team member at the Swiss organisation, told a House of Commons assisted dying investigation his organisation had helped 540 British people kill themselves - more than one in seven of all deaths it had enabled. The process costs about 10,000. Continue reading...

Governors awards will honour the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actor and the multi-award-winning comedy star behind The ProducersAngela Bassett and Mel Brooks are among those who will receive honorary Oscars at this year's Governors awards.Joining Bassett, 64 and Brooks, 96, will be Carol Littleton, 81, the editor of films including Body Heat, ET the Extra-Terrestrial and The Big Chill. The Sundance Institute's Michelle Satter will also receive the Jean Hersholt humanitarian award. Continue reading...

Archbishop under investigation on suspicion of falsely testifying about when he became aware of clergy sexual abuseGerman police have raided properties belonging to the Catholic church in response to allegations that the archbishop of Cologne committed perjury over his knowledge of sexual abuse in the local diocese.Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, one of the most senior leaders in the German Catholic church, is under investigation on suspicion of having falsely testified to court about when he became aware of reports of clergy sexual abuse. Continue reading...

Former health secretary tells inquiry he did not properly challenge assurances that plans were sufficient

Amid rising global tensions, Chinese leader tells PM, Chris Hipkins, his visit to Beijing is meaningfulXi Jinping has praised the great importance" of China's relationship with its friend and partner" New Zealand, as Chris Hipkins visits Beijing to promote trade amid growing geopolitical tensions.Speaking after the two leaders met in the Chinese capital on Tuesday evening, Xi told reporters through an interpreter: I myself [am] attaching great importance to our relations with New Zealand," and China always views New Zealand as a friend and a partner". Continue reading...

Ennosuke Ichikawa detained after both parents found unconscious at his Tokyo home last monthOne of Japan's best-known kabuki actors has been arrested on suspicion of assisting in his mother's suicide after both parents were found unconscious at his home last month.Police said Ennosuke Ichikawa, a 47-year-old star of the classical theatre form, allegedly made a 75-year-old woman take sleep-inducing pills at his home and die of psychoactive drug addiction, thereby assisting in her suicide".In the UK, the youth suicide charity Papyrus can be contacted on 0800 068 4141 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org, and in the UK and Ireland Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is at 988 and you can text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis text line counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Tory peer Eric Pickles asks for sanctions for breaches of ministerial code and end to out-of-date good chaps' system

Less than 50% of RCN members voted in ballot, falling short of proportion required for result to stand