World news | The Guardian

Government says plan for MV Bahijah to sail around Africa to avoid Houthi attacks in Red Sea mean it's not safe for the animals

Government to say binding measures for overseeing artificial intelligence are needed, but not immediatelyMinisters have been warned against waiting for a Post Office-style scandal involving artificial intelligence before stepping in to regulate the technology, after the government said it would not rush to legislate.The government will acknowledge on Tuesday that binding measures for overseeing cutting-edge AI development are needed at some point - but not immediately. Instead, ministers will set out initial thinking for future binding requirements" for advanced systems and discuss them with technical, legal and civil society experts. Continue reading...

Sales growth slowed last month amid cost of living crisis, poor weather and rail strikesThe traditional January sales on the high street failed to inspire a revival in consumer spending last month, as households continued to cut back amid the cost of living crisis.Britain's largest retailers said sales growth slowed last month as higher living costs weighed heavily on consumers, while weather conditions and strikes on the transport network also hit spending. Continue reading...

The SES rescued three people from flood waters as the tropical low moved south over the Queensland border, with more wet weather forecast

King Charles wholly positive about treatment' but will postpone public-facing dutiesScottish first minister Humza Yousaf said he wished the king a speedy recovery" following his cancer diagnosis.He said: My thoughts and prayers are with His Majesty The King and I hope for a speedy recovery and return to public life. Continue reading...

Notting Hill restaurant is sixth in the capital to get the ultimate accolade, while two Indian eateries get two stars for the first timeThe London restaurant the Ledbury has been awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland.The Notting Hill restaurant is the sixth in the capital to hold the guide's most prestigious accolade, while Gymkhana is one of the first two Indian restaurants in the UK to receive two stars, alongside Birmingham's Opheem. Continue reading...

Monarch has started schedule of treatments after diagnosis made recently when he was treated for benign enlarged prostate

There are nearly 400,000 cancer cases diagnosed in the UK each year, but survival rates are improving and have doubled in the last half-centurySomeone is told they have cancer every two minutes in the UK, and Buckingham Palace have disclosed that King Charles is among the thousands who have begun 2024 with a diagnosis.The discovery came during Charles's recent treatment for a benign prostate enlargement, when a separate issue of concern" was noted. Although Buckingham Palace has not revealed what form of cancer the king has been diagnosed with, it is understood not to be prostate cancer. Continue reading...

Officers hunting Abdul Ezedi say he was last seen near Southwark Bridge on Wednesday nightDetectives hunting the Clapham attack suspect Abdul Ezedi believe he is either being harboured from capture or is dead, with no trace of him for more than 100 hours despite a massive manhunt.Police say there has been no sighting of him since last Wednesday evening, after he allegedly threw a corrosive substance at a woman - who is still sedated and may lose the sight in her right eye - and two young children aged three and eight. Continue reading...

University of Bristol academic who was sacked after being accused of antisemitic comments wins landmark' decisionA sociology professor sacked by the University of Bristol after being accused of antisemitic comments has won a landmark" decision that he was discriminated against because of his anti-Zionist beliefs.An employment tribunal ruled that Prof David Miller was unfairly dismissed, and that his anti-Zionist beliefs qualified as a philosophical belief and as a protected characteristic pursuant to section 10 Equality Act 2010". Continue reading...

Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iranian-backed militia, claims attack after at least six fighters killedAt least six US-backed Kurdish fighters have been killed in a drone strike on a US base in eastern Syria claimed by Iranian-backed militia that on Friday was the target of US airstrikes.The deaths are the latest indicator of how conflict is seeping across the Middle East since the beginning of the war in Gaza, with ever less predictable consequences for regional stability. Continue reading...

California-based social media company will focus on in-person collaboration' after eliminating jobs multiple times in recent yearsThe owner of Snapchat is laying off approximately 10% of its worldwide workforce, or about 530 employees, the latest tech company to announce layoffs.We are reorganizing our team to reduce hierarchy and promote in-person collaboration. We are focused on supporting our departing team members," a Snap Inc statement to CNBC read. Continue reading...

SNP condemns Sunak's 1,000 Rwanda bet as grotesque, callous and downright cruel'When the Democratic Unionist party held the first minister post it smirked at Sinn Fein references to Michelle O'Neill, then the deputy first minister, being joint first minister".The posts are indeed joint, with equal authority, but the DUP brandished first minister" as a talisman and reminder that it was the bigger party. Secure in supremacy, it rejected an offer to rename the posts joint first minister. Continue reading...

Whitney Wright, who is known for her criticism of Israel, posed at defunct American embassy in Tehran observing Islamic dress codeAn American pornography actor has faced accusations of promoting propaganda for Iran's government after boasting on social media about a trip to the Islamic republic.Iranian authorities have denied being behind the visit by Whitney Wright, saying she was issued a visa like any other foreign citizen and they had not been aware of her obscene" profession. Continue reading...

Minnesota congressman says president in a terrible position', citing his poor polling performance on a number of topicsDemocratic presidential challenger Dean Phillips defended continuing his longshot campaign despite a disappointing third-place finish in Saturday's South Carolina primary, saying it was a mission of principle".Phillips also argued that Joe Biden remains in a terrible position" in his pursuit of a second term in the White House despite his dominance in the Democratic presidential primary, citing his poor polling performance with the general public on a number of topics. Continue reading...

Artillery fire reported to have hit Kherson at noon; under martial law Ukrainian men between 18 and 60 not allowed to leave countryUkraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has submitted a proposal to the Ukrainian parliament to extend martial law and general mobilisation for another 90 days.The Kyiv Independent reports:The president first declared martial law and general mobilisation on 24 February 2022, when Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The measure has been repeatedly extended since then.Ukraine's parliament previously extended martial law and mobilisation from November 2023 until Feb. 14, 2024. Continue reading...

Relatives describe 22-year-old, who died on 26 January, as a very strong young woman'The family of a woman who was stabbed to death in the street more than a week ago have paid tribute to their warm-hearted" daughter.Claudia Kambanza, 22, was stabbed on Hinderwell Street in Hull on 26 January at about 3am. She died a short time after being taken to hospital. Continue reading...

Six members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have reportedly been killed at a base which also houses US forces

Labor to create legal pathway for council de-mergers after forced amalgamations by former Coalition government

Insurance prices are up 16.2% over 12 months, as experts warn of fundamental change' in market

Magistrate says orders would have robbed' the nine-month-old girl, who has complex needs, of being raised by her family

With no government count, Guardian Australia decided to investigate as many fatalities as it could identify. Here's what we learned

Education secretary only rated the administration good' when LBC asked her to grade it in style of OfstedRishi Sunak's government does not merit a top performance rating, in the view of a senior Cabinet minister.Asked during an LBC phone-in to rate her own administration's performance in the style of a schools inspection report, education secretary Gillian Keegan rated the government as good". Continue reading...

Andrew Mitchell warns of humanitarian catastrophe' triggered by El Nino-driven drought and conflictThe risk of a humanitarian catastrophe in northern Ethiopia is growing, Andrew Mitchell the UK's Africa minister, said on his return from a two-day trip to the region.

More than half a million people made treacherous, weeklong trek in 2023, facing horrors including mass rapes by armed banditsA sevenfold increase in sexual attacks against people crossing the Darien Gap is compounding the misery for people trekking one of the world's most dangerous and underreported border crossings, said Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).Complete impunity for armed gangs in the lawless stretch of jungle that links South and Central America meant one person became a victim of sexual violence every three and a half hours in December, the overstretched medical organisation said. Continue reading...

Business lobby group says Danker was not responsible for historic allegations unrelated to his personal conductOne of the UK's most prominent business lobby groups, the Confederation of British Industry, has settled a legal dispute with its former leader, Tony Danker.Danker was dismissed by the CBI last year, after allegations related to his conduct while director general. In March 2023, the Guardian revealed that formal and informal complaints had been made against him by junior staff at the lobby group.

Comments come as speculation continues president is preparing to fire commander of armed forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi

Target was one of prime minister's key commitments but more than 7.6 million still due for treatment in EnglandRishi Sunak has acknowledged that he has failed to keep his promise to cut healthcare waiting lists.The prime minister made doing so one of the key commitments on which his own competence would be judged when taking office. But, with the situation in England actually worsening by many measures, the grand pledge was downgraded late last year, before Sunak then acknowledged failure on Monday. Continue reading...

Academy for Medical Sciences report highlights rising infant mortality, obesity and tooth decayChildren are being betrayed" as the UK fails to give them a healthy start to life, academics have said.Experts said there had been an appalling decline" in the health of children under the age of five in the UK - with soaring rates of obesity and tooth decay.More than a fifth of children aged five are overweight or obese.Nearly a quarter of five-year-olds in England are affected by tooth decay.Between 2014 and 2017 there was a rise in infant mortality in England - disproportionately affecting the poorest parts of the country. The UK ranks 30th out of 49 OECD countries for infant mortality.A decrease in the proportion of children having vaccinations.A rise in demand for children's mental health services. Continue reading...

EY partners grilled at inquiry over failure to disclose Santos contract while working on government's future of gas statement'

Under questioning from David Shoebridge, AFP deputy commissioner says police didn't intend to further radicalise boy known as Thomas Carrick

Joshua Kerr, 32, was visibly unresponsive' for 17 minutes before getting medical treatment, counsel assisting the coroner said

Penny Wong says Australia will not relent in their advocacy for justice' for Yang. This blog is now closed

The three men reportedly left their campsite at Little Bay 500km north of Perth in the middle of the night to go for a drive

Residents and activists say local settlers drafted into the IDF are enforcing a harsher regime in West Bank's economic hubShaadi Muqtasen worries most about his children, who are going crazy with boredom after nearly four months stuck at home without school; and his dogs, which are going wild with frustration after more than 100 days caged in a tiny yard.His family live in the centre of old Hebron, one of the most heavily contested, heavily militarised places in the West Bank. For Palestinian residents there, life all but stopped when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October. Continue reading...

Health campaigners will welcome new unit rate of 65p, which will push bottle of whisky to at least 18.20The minimum price of alcoholic drinks in Scotland is poised to rise by 30% under measures to control alcohol-related deaths and hospitalisations.Ministers in Edinburgh are expected to confirm that the minimum unit price for alcohol will increase from 50p to 65p from early May, six years after Scotland became the first part of the UK to introduce the policy. Continue reading...

Police allege motive behind fatal stabbing of 70-year-old Vyleen White in shopping centre car park was to steal a Hyundai Getz'

Former Wallaby has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting woman at Beach Road Hotel in December 2022

Swift makes history with record-breaking win, while Jay-Z calls out Grammys for never giving Beyonce album of the yearWomen ruled the Grammys this year with Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, SZA and Miley Cyrus taking home the night's major awards.Swift made history as the first person to win album of the year for the fourth time, taking home the award for Midnights. She went up on stage with fellow nominee Lana Del Rey. I would love to tell you this is the happiest moment of my life but I feel this happy when I've finished a song," she said. All I want to do is keep doing this." Continue reading...

Research on life expectancy and birthrates shows that ill health makes status quo unsustainable

The Australian star described it as the start of the next era' and thanked the LGBTQ+ community as she took out award for best pop dance recordingKylie Minogue has won the inaugural Grammy for best pop dance recording for her global hit Padam Padam, from her 2023 album Tension.A pounding Eurodance track named for the sound of a heartbeat, Padam Padam delivered the 55-year-old pop star's second ever Grammy award - and her first in two decades. She previously won best dance recording in 2004 for Come Into My World. Continue reading...

The 57-year-old allegedly threw a silkie bantam chook known as Betty White into alligator pen, shocking onlookers at Oakvale Farm and Fauna WorldA man accused of throwing a chicken known as Betty White into an alligator pen in front of shocked families at a popular NSW wildlife park has indicated he'll plead not guilty to animal cruelty.The case against Peter William Smith, 57, of Singleton, was briefly mentioned in Raymond Terrace local court on Monday. Continue reading...

Group of up to 50 protesters allegedly tried to stop police contingent from joining annual pride march in Melbourne

Former president has called for his home town, Mindanao, to split from the Philippines as his alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr crumblesThe Philippine government is ready to use authority and forces" against attempts to divide the nation, a security official has said, after former president Rodrigo Duterte threatened to separate some southern islands from the rest of the archipelago.Duterte has called for the independence of his home town, Mindanao, from the Philippines as his alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr disintegrated this week over disagreements around efforts to amend the constitution. Continue reading...

Move comes in protest at racist and vexatious' misconduct investigation into a leading officerThe National Black Police Association (NBPA) has called for ethnic minorities to boycott joining the Metropolitan police in protest at a racist and vexatious" misconduct investigation into a leading officer.In the first call for a boycott in 20 years, the association claims Charles Ehikioya, chair of the Met Black Police Association (Met BPA), has been targeted because he voiced concerns about the poor behaviour of senior officers - and the racism he and his colleagues are suffering. Continue reading...

The 66th annual Grammy awards saw pre-telecast wins from SZA, Victoria Monet, Chris Stapleton and Killer Mike6lack - Since I Have a Lover

More than 500 people forced to leave site, with some unsure of where to spend the nightThere were chaotic scenes on Sunday night as the Home Office carried out a mass evacuation of one of the largest hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers after a failure of the power and water supply.The hotel near Heathrow airport accommodates more than 500 asylum seekers - a mix of single adults, families, children and babies. The Guardian was sent video footage of adults and children walking around the darkened reception area asking what was happening. Continue reading...

Many participants struggled to afford basics, cutting back on food or rationing medication, survey suggests

People told to evacuate homes as quickly possible and curfews declared in most heavily affected citiesFirefighters are wrestling with huge forest fires that broke out in central Chile on Friday. Officials have extended curfews in cities most heavily affected by the blazes and said at least 99 people were killed.The fires have been burning with the highest intensity around the city of Vina del Mar, where a botanical garden founded in 1931 was destroyed by the flames. At least 1,600 people have been left without homes. Continue reading...