World news | The Guardian

Innovative Bites Ltd wins case brought by UK tax authority after its mega' product deemed to be an ingredient'A food company has won a sweet-tasting victory against the UK tax authorities after a court decided that it did not have to pay VAT on its marshmallows because they were not confectionary.HMRC has unsuccessfully appealed against a 2022 decision by the first tier tribunal (FTT) that Innovative Bites Ltd did not have to pay a 472,928 demand for sales tax on its Mega Marshmallows" because they were sold and purchased as a product specifically for roasting". Continue reading...

Far-right supporters among those believed to be attending march on Whitehall, where group violently' forced way through cordonClashes have taken place in central London between police and participants in a St George's Day event attended by crowds that included some far-right supporters.Groups of men wielding flags pushed through lines of police attempting to hold them back in an area near Whitehall before the event, resulting in police on horseback being sent in. Continue reading...

Ukraine needs western munitions badly but it remains unclear how much more artillery the UK is prepared to produce

Prime minister announces increase to UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 in speech about security

Paula Vennells and senior execs accused of Orwellian' use of language over computer system's failingsPaula Vennells, former chief executive of Post Office, and other senior executives searched for non-emotive" words to describe computer bugs found in the Post Office's Horizon IT system in an absolutely Orwellian" use of language, a public inquiry has heard.The inquiry is investigating why the Post Office hounded and prosecuted post office operators for more than a decade because of shortfalls in their branch accounts. It has since emerged that these discrepancies were due to IT problems in the Post Office's Horizon computer system. Continue reading...

Baltimore has sued operator and owner of the Dali container ship, saying it had an incompetent crew' and ignored warningsThe city of Baltimore has sued the owner and operator of the Dali container ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, saying it had an incompetent crew" and set sail despite receiving warnings.According to a court document filed on Monday, city officials say the ship's parent company, Grace Ocean Private Ltd, and its operator, Synergy Marine Group, were potentially criminally negligent" after causing the bridge to collapse on 26 March. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Human rights commission calls for immediate intervention in the division and says sexism and bullying are rife

Michael McDaid charged with murder after Rachel McDaid found dead at her home in EastwoodThe family of a woman found dead in a house in Nottinghamshire say they are truly devastated" by the loss of their beloved mother, daughter, sister, auntie and cousin".Rachel McDaid, 53, was found dead at her home in Nottingham Road, Eastwood, last Friday morning. Her husband, Michael McDaid, 60, appeared in Nottingham magistrates court on Monday charged with her murder. Continue reading...

Samantha Mickleburgh, 54, was loved by many' and an incredible mother', her family saidThe family of a businesswoman found dead in a luxury Surrey hotel have paid tribute to an incredible mother" who was loved by many".Samantha Mickleburgh, 54, was found dead by a housekeeper in a room at Pennyhill Park in Bagshot, Surrey on 14 April. James Cartwright, 60, was charged with murder and controlling and coercive behaviour in relation to the case on Sunday. He is from Axminster, Devon. Continue reading...

Emergency services say 310 bodies have been found in past week as UN rights chief says he is horrified' by reports. This live blog is closedA source close to Hezbollah said an Israeli strike deep into Lebanon killed a fighter of the Iran-backed militant group on Tuesday as he was travelling in a vehicle, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.The strike hit the Abu al-Aswad area near the coastal city of Tyre, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the border, an AFP journalist reported. Continue reading...

Hopes of a UK interest rate cut and easing geopolitical tensions are not the only reasons for the intraday peak reached this morningThe UK stock market has hit an intraday record high, lifted by hopes of interest rate cuts and easing geopolitical tensions, after setting a new closing high on Monday. The FTSE 100 index touched 8,076 points at the opening bell on Tuesday, surpassing a previous high of 8,047 reached in February 2023. We explain what is behind the rising London market. Continue reading...

Union threatens ministers with legal action amid fears staff could be obliged to breach civil service code and international law

Independent Russian media outlet claims strongman was diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis in 2019Chechnya's strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has published a workout video in an apparent move to scotch rumours of illness after a media report claimed that his health was rapidly deteriorating.Novaya Gazeta Europe, an independent Russian outlet, published a report on Monday that said Kadyrov was diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis in 2019, a severe condition characterised by the death of pancreatic tissue. Continue reading...

Three men, woman and child reported dead from vessel said to have been carrying more than 110 peopleFive people including a child have died in an attempt to cross the Channel near the town of Wimereux, south of Calais, French authorities have said.The prefect's office in Pas-de-Calais said that around 5am on Tuesday morning, a small boat carrying more than 110 people" had departed near the Plage des Allemands beach at Wimereux. Continue reading...

In an interview promoting his Pop-Tarts movie Unfrosted, comedian says confusion and disorientation have taken film's placeJerry Seinfeld has said the film business is over" and that movies are no longer the pinnacle in the social, cultural hierarchy" they once were.In an interview with GQ magazine, Seinfeld talked about his experience on his feature film directing debut Unfrosted, saying that he admired the dedication of his collaborators on the movie, but that the industry itself was in crisis. I thought I had done some cool stuff, but it was nothing like the way these people work. They're so dead serious! They don't have any idea that the movie business is over. They have no idea." Continue reading...

Ex-Democrat, reported contender for Trump running mate, sued Clinton for Russia remark but dropped caseTulsi Gabbard, the former Democratic congresswoman, has repeated a discredited claim about Hillary Clinton that previously saw Gabbard lodge then drop a $50m defamation suit in a new book published as she seeks to be named Donald Trump's running mate for US president.Accusing Democrats of making up a conspiracy theory that [Trump] was colluding' with the Russians to win the election" in 2016, Gabbard claims: Hillary Clinton used a similar tactic against me when I ran for president in 2020, accusing me of being groomed by the Russians'." Continue reading...

Man worked as assistant to Maximilian Krah, top candidate in European parliament elections, say prosecutorsAn aide to a German far-right politician standing in the European elections in June has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, German prosecutors have said.The man, named only as Jian G, was accused of sharing information about negotiations at the European parliament with a Chinese intelligence service and of spying on Chinese opposition figures in Germany, federal prosecutors said. Continue reading...

Commissioner expresses grave concern after Rishi Sunak's asylum policy passes parliamentary stagesThe Council of Europe's human rights watchdog has condemned Rishi Sunak's Rwanda scheme, saying it raises major issues about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law".The body's human rights commissioner, Michael O'Flaherty, said the bill, expected to be signed into law on Tuesday after passing its parliamentary stages on Monday night, was a grave concern and should not be used to remove asylum seekers or infringe on judges' independence. Continue reading...

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Anthony Albanese responds to X owner who criticised Australian authorities demanding videos of a Sydney church stabbing be removedAustralia's prime minister has labelled X's owner, Elon Musk, an arrogant billionaire who thinks he is above the law" as the rift deepens between Australia and the tech platform over the removal of videos of a violent stabbing in a Sydney church.On Monday evening in an urgent last-minute federal court hearing, the court ordered a two-day injunction against X to hide posts globally containing the footage of the alleged stabbing of Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on 15 April. The eSafety commissioner had previously directed X to remove the posts, but X had only blocked them from access in Australia pending a legal challenge. Continue reading...

Despite eventual visa backflip by authorities, ABC's south-Asia correspondent Avani Dias left after being made to feel so uncomfortable'

Videos on social media show helicopters flying in formation when one clipped another and both crashedTwo Malaysian navy helicopters have collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for a parade, killing all 10 crew members on board, the navy has said.The incident occurred at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak at 9.32am on Tuesday (0132 GMT), the navy said in a statement. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: After months of wrangling, Parliament passed the government's controversial plan to tackle small boats Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First Edition Continue reading...

In move seen by the opposition as an attempt to de-sinocise Taiwan, the ruling party is pushing ahead with plans to rid the island of monuments to the dictatorTaiwan's government has pledged to remove almost 800 statues of Chiang Kai-shek, the Chinese military dictator who ruled the island for decades under martial law, but whose legacy remains a point of contentious debate.In 2018 the government established a transitional justice committee to investigate the rule of the former generalissimo, who was president of the Republic of China (ROC) - in China and then in Taiwan - until his death in 1975. Among its recommendations was to remove the thousands of statues from public spaces. Continue reading...

International Energy Agency says 17m vehicles will be sold this year, up more than 20% compared with 2023Electric and plug-in hybrid car sales will jump to a new global record in 2024 despite slowing growth in some markets, according to forecasts from the influential International Energy Agency (IEA).The Paris-based forecaster said that 17m battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will be sold in 2024, up more than 20% compared with 2023. Continue reading...

Government claims no appropriate location could be found for long-mooted second facility

Plan to expand Ruaha national park has been beset by allegations of abuse, leading bank to withhold final $50m of $150m budgetThe World Bank has suspended financing intended to develop tourism in southern Tanzania after allegations of killings, rape and forced evictions.The bank began investigating last year after being accused of enabling abuses around Ruaha national park, which was due to double in size as part of a World Bank-supported programme. Continue reading...

The 36-year-old Cairns man was shot dead by police while stopped on the Bruce Highway near Colosseum on Monday morning

Climate groups criticise nine-year agreement with Tamboran Resources, while chief minister says it will provide competitively priced gas' for the territory

Drag star celebrated with massive support at home after taking top prize in the long-running US reality showA drag queen has sparked national celebration as the pride of Taiwan" and won praise and congratulations from the island's president after winning RuPaul's Drag Race at the weekend.On Saturday, the long-running, Emmy award-winning US reality show, in which drag queens compete in challenges including lip-sync performances, revealed the winner of its 16th season as Nymphia Wind, the drag personality creation of Leo Tsao, a 28-year-old Taiwanese designer. Continue reading...

While conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have captured global attention, the civil war in Sudan has been largely ignored. That can't be allowed to continue, says the Guardian's Nesrine MalikWith so much of the world's attention on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, one of the worst humanitarian crises of recent times is playing out almost unnoticed. Sudan's civil war erupted in April 2023 and has led to tens of thousands of civilian deaths and a mass displacement of up to half of the country's population.As Nesrine Malik tells Helen Pidd, the battle between the Sudanese Army and rebel militia the Rapid Support Forces is finely balanced, with the effect that neither side has enough strength to win the conflict decisively and so no end is in sight. Continue reading...

In court submissions, Ten's lawyers argue Lehrmann should indemnify the network for its legal costs, estimated at $8m

Comments come as US state department report finds that Gaza war has had negative impact on human rights in IsraelThe US secretary of state has rejected the idea that Washington might have a double standard" when applying US law to allegations of abuses by the Israeli military in Gaza, while suggesting that examinations of such charges are ongoing.In general, as we're looking at human rights and the condition of human rights around the world, we apply the same standard to everyone. That doesn't change whether the country is an adversary, a competitor, a friend or an ally," Antony Blinken told a news conference as he announced the department's annual human rights country reports. Continue reading...

Celebrity fashion designer, who recruited couriers to transport bags from her native Colombia to US on commercial flights, receives 18-month sentenceA leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the Sex and the City TV series has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.Nancy Gonzalez was arrested in 2022 in Cali, Colombia, and later extradited to the US for running a sprawling multiyear conspiracy that involved recruiting couriers to transport her handbags on commercial flights to high-end showrooms and New York fashion events - all in violation of US wildlife laws. Continue reading...

Lawyers prepare for legal battles on behalf of individual asylum seekers challenging removal to east Africa

Bill could become law this week as end of parliamentary ping-pong in sightQ: Do you think you will be able to implement this without leaving the European convention of human rights?Sunak says he thinks he can implement this without leaving the ECHR.If it ever comes to a choice between our national security, securing our borders, and membership of a foreign court, I'm, of course, always going to prioritise our national security. Continue reading...

Inquest into death of Todd McKenzie in Taree siege finds benefits of mandating the devices far outweigh any difficulties'

A separate police force will report on failures relating to sixth murder suspect, Matthew White, who was never prosecutedAn independent police force will review the Metropolitan police's handling of new evidence relating to the murder of Stephen Lawrence 30 years after his death, the mayor of London has said.It comes after the Met commissioner, Mark Rowley, apologised to Stephen's mother, Doreen Lawrence, for not fulfilling a promise to answer questions stemming from a BBC investigation into the murder of the 18-year-old in 1993. Continue reading...

PM pledges equipment including 400 vehicles, 1,600 weapons and 4m rounds of ammunition, plus 500m in funding

Exclusive: analysis shows increase of a third in two years, prompting claim of deprioritising women's health'The government has been accused of deprioritising women's health" as analysis shows that almost 600,000 women in England are waiting for gynaecological treatment, an increase of a third over two years.There are 33,000 women waiting more than a year for such treatment, an increase of 43%, according to Labour analysis of data from the House of Commons library. Continue reading...

As final parliamentary debates get under way, PM acknowledges dropping spring start to policy despite earlier promises

Teenager charged with attempted murder of two fellow pupils and staff member at Devon boarding schoolA teenager who attacked two fellow pupils with a hammer while they were asleep at a private school boarding house had researched serial killers and what happened to children found guilty of murders, a jury has been told.The boy, who was 16 at the time, sent one of his alleged victims an image of a character from the horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre holding a hammer, Exeter crown court heard on Monday. Continue reading...

Stephen Dymond was found dead at his flat in Portsmouth in 2019, seven days after filming for ITV programmeA man who died after appearing on the Jeremy Kyle Show felt that life was not worth living" and had considered jumping out of the taxi on his way home, an inquest has heard.Steve Dymond was found dead at his flat in Portsmouth, Hampshire, seven days after filming for the ITV programme in May 2019.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, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Rivals had feared P&O could challenge legislation closing loopholes that allowed low wagesP&O Ferries seafarers have been told they will benefit from new French legislation that could double their pay, in what appears to be a significant U-turn by the controversial ferry operator.The move comes more than two years after P&O enraged the UK and French governments by sacking 786 workers and then taking advantage of a legal loophole to hire replacements on pay rates of below the minimum wage. Continue reading...

Bruges court heard how defendant had condition called auto-brewery syndrome sometimes brought on by intestinal problemsA Belgian man has been acquitted of drunk-driving because he has auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), an extremely rare condition whereby the body produces alcohol, his lawyer has said.Anse Ghesquiere said on Monday that in another unfortunate coincidence" her client worked at a brewery, but three doctors who independently examined him had confirmed he had ABS. Continue reading...

Trio include Donald Mackenzie, who is planning to sell shares worth up to 150m in private equity firm's listingThree co-founders of CVC Capital Partners, the private equity firm that bought up and then sold Formula One, have built up a combined 2.6bn (2.2bn) fortune, according to the company's prospectus published in the run-up to its stock market float.Donald Mackenzie, 66, holds 7% of CVC's shares that would be worth just over 1bn if the company achieves its 15-per-share price target when it lists its shares on the Amsterdam stock market on Friday. He is planning to sell shares worth up to 150m in the initial public offering (IPO), the company said in the prospectus. Continue reading...

Member states warned at meeting not to be complacent but ministers stop short of pledging Patriot missilesEU ministers have been warned against relaxing" support for Ukraine but stopped short of new pledges to supply air defence systems Kyiv is urgently seeking to defend itself against relentless Russian bombardment.The Ukrainian government has said it is running out of US-made Patriot air defence missiles as Russia intensifies attacks on infrastructure and cities. Continue reading...

Christopher Berry, 32, and Christopher Cash, 29, accused of providing prejudicial information to a foreign stateA parliamentary researcher who was arrested last year on suspicion of spying for China has been charged along with another man with espionage offences.Christopher Cash, 29, who had access to parliament through his work for an organisation set up by Conservative MPs, is to appear in court on Friday after he and Christopher Berry, 32, were charged under the Official Secrets Act. Continue reading...

Clive Myrie and Reeta Chakrabarti appear to lead the field, having frequently stood in for Edwards since his suspension last yearHuw Edwards' resignation will allow the BBC to formally start the process of appointing a replacement lead presenter for the coveted News at Ten slot.Since Edwards' suspension in July 2023, various presenters have filled in. Continue reading...

Foreign and defence heads stopped short of concrete offers over system that Kyiv values mostA new US package of military aid to Ukraine will not change the situation on the frontlines, where Russia has the upper hand, the Kremlin said.The Russian armed forces are improving their positions at the front ... The money allocated and the weapons that will be supplied will not change this dynamic," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Continue reading...