World news | The Guardian

In today's newsletter: The British home secretary called the UN's 1951 refugee convention outdated' and criticised multiculturalism (again). Why has she made this speech now? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Suella Braverman has spent the last few days on the other side of the Atlantic discussing global migration and international refugee law. During her trip, the home secretary made a speech to a rightwing thinktank - the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) in Washington DC - that was littered with incendiary comments and dubious statistics.UK news | A 15-year-old girl has died after she was stabbed during rush hour in south London. A 17-year-old boy, believed to have known the victim, is in custody, the Metropolitan police said.France | The UN has weighed in on France's debate about secularism and women's clothing, saying women should not be forced to abide by dress codes, after the French government said athletes representing France would be barred from wearing headscarves during the Paris 2024 Olympics.US news | The American soldier Travis King, who fled across the border from South Korea to North Korea in July, is back in US custody. North Korea decided to expel King, who, according to the state news agency KCNA, had confessed to illegally entering the country.Conservatives | One of the Conservative party's biggest and most influential donors, Anthony Bamford, is under investigation over his tax affairs, the Guardian can disclose. The broad-ranging inquiry by HMRC may cast a shadow over the more than 10m he and his family have given to the party over the past 20 years.GB News | GB News has suspended the presenters Dan Wootton and Laurence Fox as the channel struggles to contain the fallout after misogynistic comments made on Wootton's show. Continue reading...

Owners of tourist attraction say they deeply regret' incident and their thoughts are with those involved

Mardudhunera woman Raelene Cooper successfully argues traditional owners were not properly consulted about $16.5bn development

Leader of the opposition quizzed by BBC's Nick Robinson on what he intends to do if he becomes prime ministerA future Labour government would have to make it work" if Donald Trump succeeds in winning the next US general election, Keir Starmer has said.The disgraced former president is bidding to return to the White House next year despite the long list of criminal and civil lawsuits against him, and could thus be in power at the same time as Starmer, who would become the first Labour prime minister since 2010 if his party wins the next general election. Continue reading...

Letter to incoming commissioners says city's culture must be preserved and prioritisedBirmingham's financial reconstruction must not come at the cost of its priceless heritage, three of the country's biggest cultural organisations have said.After Birmingham city council declared itself in effect bankrupt this month, there has been growing speculation about what assets could be sold to help balance its books, with concern for the Library of Birmingham and the city's main museum and art gallery. Continue reading...

Kosovo says group behind deadly clash with local police was armed by Serbia and sought to provoke partitionKosovo has accused Serbia of being behind a paramilitary group which ambushed a police patrol and clashed with Kosovan forces on Sunday.The authorities in Pritina displayed an array of modern weaponry they said the group was using, including two Serbian-made armoured cars and a grenade launcher, alongside a document allegedly showing the grenade launcher, made by the Zastava arms company, had been supplied by the Serbian army. Continue reading...

Moves by broadcaster NHK, McDonald's, Nissan and Suntory follow allegations against late Johnny & Associates founderSome of Japan's best-known companies have cut ties with a powerful talent agency whose founder was accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of teenage boys, in a scandal that has rocked the country's entertainment industry.The public broadcaster NHK said this week it would not sign new contracts with stars from Johnny & Associates until it was convinced the firm had properly addressed the scandal. Continue reading...

The government and Nowland's family will enter private negotiations over civil case alleging the state was liable for her death

Suspension comes a month after developer resumed trading and follows its chair reportedly being put under police surveillanceEmbattled Chinese property giant Evergrande has suspended share trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange only a month after it resumed trading after a 17-month suspension.Trading in its two other units - the property services and electric vehicle groups - also stopped at 9am on Thursday, according to notices posted by the stock exchange. Continue reading...

Comedian announced as executive producer on Honey Ant Dreamers, about the evolution of the Papunya Western Desert art movement, to be filmed across the Northern Territory

At a Ballarat forum to discuss the referendum, the sentiment is clear: we can feel what the Aboriginal people are feeling'

Exclusive: Queensland police say inquiries will be made' in response to questions about whether post complies with force's social media guidelines

Britons are raiding savings or cutting pension contributions, KPMG study findsMortgage holders are making big changes to their finances - from cutting pension contributions to downsizing - to cope with dramatically higher monthly payments, a new survey shows.Faced with either the immediate reality of higher mortgage costs or the prospect of a sharp rise in payments once an existing deal has expired, more than 1,000 mortgage holders were asked this month by KPMG whether they had either already taken, or were considering taking, action to deal with this. Continue reading...

Higher gas storage levels in Europe help leave Great Britain in stronger position, says operator

Party says policy of charging fee-paying schools VAT remains, and doesn't require' removing statusPrivate schools would retain some of their tax breaks under a Labour government, after the party backed down on its pledge to strip them of charitable status.The party said it no longer needs to end the charitable status of private schools to achieve its policy of charging 20% VAT on fees and ending business rates relief in England, as first reported by the i. Continue reading...

Cities across Scotland considering similar addiction schemes as plans approved for Hunter Street facilityCities across Scotland are considering setting up their own safe injecting facilities after authorities in Glasgow gave the official go-ahead to the UK's first drug consumption room.All eyes are on Glasgow," said Allan Casey, Glasgow city council's addictions convener, after the plans were approved on Wednesday morning by a joint committee of NHS and council officials. Continue reading...

Former minister had voted with the opposition in a motion of no-confidence against Green co-leader Lorna SlaterThe veteran MSP Fergus Ewing has been suspended from the Scottish National party for a week.The Inverness and Nairn MSP - the son of the late SNP trailblazer Winnie Ewing - has been an outspoken critic of the party's leadership in the past year. Continue reading...

Watchdog says there is insufficient evidence Lord Chadlington breached rules over 50m in contractsA Conservative peer has been cleared of breaking lobbying rules for a second time by the House of Lords watchdog over introducing a company that was awarded government PPE contracts worth 50m.The watchdog had been asked to reopen his investigation into Lord Chadlington after it emerged that there was an exchange with the government that had not been fully provided to his first inquiry. Continue reading...

Police say teenage boy has been arrested in connection with the rush-hour stabbingA 15-year-old girl has been stabbed to death on a busy street in south London during the morning rush hour.The girl was pronounced dead at the scene in Wellesley Road at about 9.20am on Wednesday in front of horrified onlookers. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage hereGermany has welcomed a decision by Switzerland to open the way to sell back some of its German-made Leopard II tanks to help rebuild stocks depleted by aid to Ukraine.Germany had asked Switzerland in February to sell back some of the 96 Leopard II tanks it has in storage to manufacturer Rheinmetall, Reuters reports. Continue reading...

South Oxfordshire council gives green light to former PM's swimming plans, as long as he mitigates risk to protected speciesHe's been ousted from the job he had spent a lifetime yearning for and left parliament under a cloud in June, yet Boris Johnson can finally savour some good news.In a move paving the way for a post-Downing Street life befitting a former prime minister, Johnson has been given permission to construct a swimming pool at his Oxfordshire home. Continue reading...

Report urges changes in the law to make it easier to take down abusive content and prosecute its makersAs much as 90% of pornographic content online features verbal, physical and sexual violence towards women, and a significant amount of violence shown is punishable under existing laws in France, a report by the government-nominated equality watchdog has found.France's high council for equality between women and men on Wednesday handed the government a damning report on illegal porn-industry practices, urging changes to the law to prosecute makers of pornography and to take down content in order to protect those who have been filmed. Continue reading...

World's most beautiful avenue' in French capital will undergo urgent cosmetic changes after years of declineOn paper and in urban legend, the Champs-Elysees is the most beautiful avenue in the world. For the last 30 years, however, Parisians have lamented the slow decline of the capital's famous street.The pavements flanking what is now an eight-lane highway used by an average 3,000 vehicles an hour have become an obstacle course of uneven paving stones and electricity cables and a hotchpotch of restaurant, bar, cafe and brasserie terraces of all shapes, sizes and colours. Continue reading...

The German conductor will take over from Daniel Barenboim who announced his resignation in JanuaryThe German conductor Christian Thielemann is to pick up the baton from the world renowned maestro and pianist Daniel Barenboim as general music director of Berlin's State Opera.In a move that shocked the classical music world, Barenboim, 80, resigned from the job in January after 30 years at the helm, citing a long-term neurological illness. On Wednesday, as the identity of his successor was revealed, he heaped praise on Thielemann, calling him an extraordinary musical talent". Continue reading...

Fox says Wootton knew exactly what he was going to say on air, while standing by misogynistic comments about Ava Evans

Rightwing channel has ridden out dozens of controversies and built a fiercely loyal followingGB News' decision to suspend presenters Laurence Fox and Dan Wootton is a rare example of a channel that calls itself the home of free speech" backing down in the face of a backlash from critics and its own employees.The news channel, which continues to grow its audience by promoting rightwing culture war talking points, has ridden out dozens of controversies during its two years on air, including anti-vaccine broadcasts, allusions to antisemitic conspiracy theories, and challenges to its policy of employing serving Tory MPs as presenters. Continue reading...

Broadcaster says it is conducting full investigation after also suspending Fox

Giving the green light to the UK's biggest untapped oilfield flies in the face of repeated warnings

Speaking of Ukraine war, Clinton said too bad Vladimir, you brought it on yourself', to which Kremlin pointed out 2009 mistakeHillary Clinton needled Vladimir Putin over Nato enlargement as she returned to the state department for the unveiling of her official portrait on Tuesday night.By early Wednesday morning, the Kremlin had fired back, reminding Clinton of an old gaffe about US-Russian relations. Continue reading...

Founder of Citadel hedge fund Ken Griffin linked to group of investors including Sir Paul MarshallThe American billionaire Ken Griffin, the founder of the Citadel hedge fund, is in discussions to join a group of investors led by Sir Paul Marshall, the co-owner of GB News, that is preparing a bid to buy the Telegraph.Marshall, the founder of the London-based hedge fund Marshall Wace, is planning a bid through his UnHerd Ventures media group before an auction of the Telegraph and Spectator titles that is expected to begin in the coming weeks. Continue reading...

Singer says his eight offspring don't need $500m to live well' in interview that addresses how Rolling Stones brand will continueYou can't always get what you want, according to the Rolling Stones song, and it seems frontman Mick Jagger has taken the lyrics to heart after hinting the band's back catalogue might go to charity instead of leaving it to his children who don't need it".Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Jagger said he had no plans to sell the band's post-1971 catalogue, suggesting it may go to charity instead. He said: The children don't need $500m to live well. Come on." Continue reading...

Chief's exit in November will come about a year after acquisition by US private equity firm CD&R

Exclusive: Business leaders and politicians in north of England say scrapping high-speed rail link would threaten businesses and jobs

This blog is now closed

Lord Harris, who donated 5,000 to Labour's Rachel Reeves, criticises Tories over lack of clear vision'

NSW premier burying his head in the sand' about the risks to party-goers who can't access pill testing, say testing advocates

Regional leaders express dismay at prospect of ditching high-speed rail project's northern legFive Labour mayors have urged Rishi Sunak not to scrap, delay or scale back HS2 as it would leave swathes of the north with Victorian transport infrastructure that is unfit for purpose".Sadiq Khan, Andy Burnham, Tracy Brabin, Oliver Coppard and Steve Rotheram say they have been inundated" with concerns from constituents about the potential economic damage that will result from any decision not to proceed with HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) in full". Continue reading...

Covid then the invasion meant Kharkiv could offer little in-person education. Now a scheme brings it deep underground

Another missed bond payment raises doubts over future of world's most indebted property developerThe chair of China's Evergrande Group has reportedly been put under police surveillance as another missed bond payment casts further doubt over the future of the world's most indebted property developer.Hui Ka Yan, who founded Evergrande in 1996, was taken away earlier this month and is being monitored at a designated location, according to Bloomberg. Continue reading...

Videos on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram show prisoners interviewing peers, cooking and doing stuntsPrisoners are using secretly held phones to broadcast their lives on social media, with some interviewing cellmates like jailhouse Paxmans and others performing Jackass-style stunts. Some show off their rapping skills and a few give Jamie Oliver a run for his money by showcasing just what can be cooked in a prison kettle.There are thousands of prison videos on TikTok - often with the hashtag #prisontok - as well as on YouTube and Instagram, with what appears to be complete disregard for the victims of inmates' crimes. Continue reading...

Qatar Airways executives earlier told the inquiry they were surprised and shocked' by the government unfairly' rejecting its request to expand in Australia

Labor MPs appoint Daniel Andrews' deputy to replace him, making her the state's first female premier in three decades

Former BBC journalist who has a gift for persuasion has reportedly always been 100% opposed to rail projectIf I could sum up my philosophy in a sentence," Andrew Gilligan told a journalist after his stint as Boris Johnson's cycling adviser, it's do something properly or not at all."Gilligan, who is now back in No 10 advising Rishi Sunak and widely thought to be instrumental in convincing the prime minister that he should cut HS2, was often the focal point for controversy over the delivery of London's first European-style cycle lanes. Continue reading...

Advinia has failed to return more than 7,000 in unused fees despite repeated demands and promises to do soA grieving family have hired lawyers after one of the UK's largest care home operators withheld thousands of pounds in unused fees after their loved one died.Clara Willetts, 95, died on 19 June in the 186-a-day Netherton Green care home in Dudley run by Advinia. The firm failed to return more than 7,000 after her death despite repeated demands and promises to do so. The money is needed to pay for her funeral. Continue reading...

Imperial War Museum exhibition will tell story of Noor Inayat Khan as it recounts tales of courage, ingenuity and deceptionBrought up as a Sufi, a follower of a mystical form of Islam that has non-violence at its centre, Noor Inayat Khan did not hesitate when she signed up to fight the Nazis as a British agent in the second world war.She was the first female radio operator the Special Operations Executive (SOE) sent into Nazi-occupied France, with the code name Madeleine. Within months she had been betrayed, arrested, imprisoned, tortured and shot dead. Continue reading...

Increased frequency of Chinese drills has raised the risk of events getting out of hand', the island's defence minister saidChina's government has said that recent drills near Taiwan were aimed at combating the arrogance" of separatist forces, after Taipei reported a rise in military activity in recent weeks, including exercises on land facing the island.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory - a claim Taipei rejects - has said this month that it had observed dozens of fighters, drones, bombers and other aircraft, as well as warships and the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong, operating nearby. Continue reading...

Dr Antony Sara says it is unacceptable' that sexual harassment remains distressingly prevalent' for doctors at work

Murdoch papers declare the premier's electoral popularity was a cult' and his legacy nothing but a state deep in debt'

Right-leaning channel apologises after Fox made a series of derogatory comments about the journalist on Dan Wootton's showGB News has issued an apology and launched an investigation after it aired totally inappropriate" comments by actor and Reclaim Party founder Laurence Fox about journalist Ava Evans.Fox made a series of derogatory comments about Evans, a political correspondent for online news site Joe, during an interview with presenter Dan Wootton on Tuesday night. Continue reading...

Internal review led by former Telstra boss Ziggy Switkowski finds whatever it takes' culture at accounting firm contributed to serious ethical failure