World news | The Guardian

Number falls well short of target to respond to one of world’s biggest humanitarian disastersThe United Nations has raised about $1.2bn (£996m) from crisis-strained donors towards its $4.3bn aid plan for Yemen, one of the world’s biggest humanitarian disasters despite a no-war, no-peace stalemate that has largely stopped fighting.Underfunding has seen agencies scale back Yemen aid projects, including food rations, in the past couple of years. Last year donors gave $2.2bn of the $4.27bn sought, UN data shows. Continue reading...

Windsor framework makes it harder for the DUP to oppose the deal without losing the chance of effective veto on new single market rulesThe most interesting part of the press conference between the UK prime minister and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, was probably what Rishi Sunak said about the deal including a “Stormont brake”, which will allow the Northern Ireland assembly to stop new EU single market rules from applying in the region.He said the agreement “safeguards sovereignty” for Northern Ireland as a result. It had been reported that the – known as the Windsor framework – would give the Northern Ireland a right to be consulted on new single market rules; but this goes further, because the assembly would be able to block new rules applying in Northern Ireland.The only EU law that applies in Northern Ireland under the framework is the minimum necessary to avoid a hard border with Ireland and allow Northern Ireland business to continue accessing the EU market.But I know many people in Northern Ireland are worried about being subject to changes in EU goods law. Continue reading...

Advent of Israel’s most right-wing government, and spiralling violence, expose dangers of light-touch diplomacyWith an in-tray bulging with the war in Ukraine, the Chinese threat to Taiwan and the potential collapse of the Iran nuclear deal, the US State Department has tried to avert its gaze from the clouds gathering over Israel and Palestine, but has now found it impossible to do so.Since John Kerry, as secretary of state, expended diplomatic muscle trying to revive the Middle East peace process in the final year of the Obama administration, US Democrats have gently welcomed the rapprochement symbolised by the Abraham accords, but not done much else. However, the advent of the most right-wing government in Israel’s history, and violence spiralling out of control, have shown the dangers of light-touch diplomacy. Continue reading...

Police appeal for information about Ford Fiesta used by gunmen to attack DCI John Caldwell in OmaghPolice have released CCTV footage of the car used by the men who shot a senior detective, John Caldwell, at a sports complex in Omagh last week.DCI Caldwell remains in a critical condition in hospital after he was shot in front of his young son in County Tyrone on Wednesday. Continue reading...

People share sightings of aurora borealis, with reports from as far south as Cornwall, and spectacle expected to repeat on Monday nightShimmering greens, purples and pinks of the northern lights appeared in the night sky across Britain and Ireland on Sunday night in a display that reached as far south as Hertfordshire and Cornwall.The light spectacle, also known as an aurora, is usually most visible near the Earth’s magnetic north and south poles when high-speed electrically charged particles from space collide with gas molecules in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Continue reading...

Two killed as Ukraine claims to have shot down 11 of 14 drones in overnight attack; partisans claim to have destroyed Russian plane at Belarusian airstrip

Upgrade to City underground transport hub includes new entrance and ticket hall at Cannon StreetThe £700m upgrade of Bank station has been completed after seven years of construction, transforming London Underground’s major hub in the City into a “like-new, world-class” station.The opening of a spacious, accessible entrance and ticket hall marks the end of an overhaul that has increased the station capacity by 40% and unpicked a notoriously labyrinthine and busy interchange. Continue reading...

Andrés Manuel López Obrador said the photo appeared to show an alux, a creature from Yucatán folkloreMexico’s president posted a photo on his social media accounts on Saturday showing what he said appeared to be a mythological woodland spirit similar to an elf.Andrés Manuel López Obrador did not seem to be joking when he posted the photo of an alux, a mischievous woodland spirit in Maya folklore. Continue reading...

One man killed and four wounded in apparent worst outburst of settler violence in northern West Bank in decadesScores of Israeli settlers have gone on a violent rampage in the northern West Bank, setting alight dozens of cars and homes after two settlers were killed by a Palestinian gunman.Palestinian medics said one man was killed and four other people were badly wounded in what appeared to be the worst outburst of settler violence in the area in decades. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak accused of ‘dragging the king into a hugely controversial political issue’

Project to revive 1,000-year-old village of Fraguas ended as activists face fines of up to €110,000An abandoned village in Spain has been condemned to its third and final death after the rural activists who occupied it 10 years ago gave up the struggle to bring it back to life.Fraguas’s first death came in the late 1960s, when it was expropriated by the Franco regime to make way for a huge reforestation programme; its second when it was used as an army training ground. Continue reading...

Jeffrey Donaldson risks internal revolt if he accepts deal but rejecting it will threaten future of power sharing

Downpours lash Mozambique and Zimbabwe – meanwhile, unseasonably high and low temperatures hit east and west USThe remnants of Tropical Cyclone Freddy continue to wreak havoc in parts of south-east Africa. Originally forming as a disturbance embedded within a monsoon trough on 5 February, the system continues to bring torrential rain. However, it is no longer classed as a tropical cyclone, with sustained wind speeds now well below 74mph.Having spent three weeks moving westwards across the entire Indian Ocean before affecting Mauritius, Réunion and Madagascar, Freddy made landfall in Mozambique on 24 February, bringing sustained winds of 50mph. Continue reading...

Remains taken for forensic testing to determine if they belong to influencer Abby ChoiThe ex-husband and two former in-laws of a woman in Hong Kong have been charged with her murder, after police revealed they had found more body parts during a weekend search.Abby Choi’s ex-husband, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, his father and his brother were formally charged with murder on Sunday. Kwong’s mother was charged with perverting the course of justice. Continue reading...

The school’s code of conduct instructs students to ‘abstain from biblically immoral practices’, including ‘sexual sins’

US burger giant hints at hundreds of stores in country, which is home to ice-cream chain named Wendy’s Milk Bar

Psychologist who treated one of Leifer’s alleged victims told court her client ‘couldn’t mouth the words’ to describe alleged abuse

The multiverse adventure picked up four major categories, while The White Lotus and Abbott Elementary won big for televisionEverything Everywhere All at Once reigned supreme at this year’s Screen Actors Guild awards, winning four major awards and breaking the record for most wins for a single film.The multiverse fantasy film picked up the night’s biggest award for ensemble in a motion picture, female actor for Michelle Yeoh and both supporting actor awards, for Jamie Lee Curtis and Ke Huy Quan. Continue reading...

Final report of parliamentary probe says the appointment of Stephen Cartwright ‘lacked integrity’

Gang who captured Prof Bryce Barker and his research team wanted compensation after two members shot at logging siteThe decision to take the Australian-based New Zealand archaeologist Prof Bryce Barker and his research team hostage near remote Mount Bosavi in Papua New Guinea was a “spur of the moment” decision by their captors, two of whom had been shot in an earlier encounter with security guards at a logging site.The governor of Hela province, Philip Undialu, said his team had only been able to begin negotiations with the captors – a criminal gang of about 20 “runners” moving guns and drugs across New Guinea – once they had moved the hostages into an area with mobile phone coverage. Continue reading...

Tech dealmaker reported to be unreachable 10 days ago in latest case of a top executive going missing during Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption driveThe Chinese billionaire tech banker Bao Fan, who was reported missing 10 days ago, is cooperating with Chinese authorities conducting an investigation, a China-based boutique bank has said.It is the first time China Renaissance Holdings has given a reason for the disappearance of its founder and chairman, though no details about the investigation were shared. Continue reading...

Most polluting commercial vehicles will pay up to £50 daily under new schemeSheffield has become the latest city to implement a clean air zone, which it hopes will tackle an estimated 500 deaths a year ascribed to pollution.From Monday, the most polluting commercial vehicles will have to pay a daily charge of £10 for older taxis and vans, or £50 for older buses, coaches and HGVs, to enter a zone covering the city centre and inner ring road. Private cars will be exempt from the charge. Continue reading...

Annual rise of £425bn smaller than in previous two years, says Savills as it predicts fall in house prices in 2023The total value of all homes across the UK has reached a record high of £8.7tn but rising mortgage costs are likely to lead to a dip in 2023.The country’s 30m homes were valued by the estate agent Savills at a combined £8.68tn at the end of 2022, a rise of just over 5% or £425bn on a year earlier. Continue reading...

Robert Burns Ellisland Trust proposes to turn Ellisland Farm in Dumfries and Galloway into visitor attractionA charity has revealed its plans to save a barn built by the Scottish poet Robert Burns where he wrote some of his most famous works, including Auld Lang Syne.Ellisland Farm, on the banks of the River Nith in Dumfries and Galloway, was built by Burns in 1788 for his wife, Jean Armour, and their family, and it was where wrote pieces such as Auld Lang Syne and Tam O’Shanter. Continue reading...

Now illegal for 16- and 17-year-olds to marry or enter a civil partnership, even with parental consentCampaigners have hailed a new law raising the legal age of marriage in England and Wales as a significant milestone in child protection.The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act comes into force on Monday following a five-year campaign and will prevent 16- and 17-year-olds from marrying or entering a civil partnership, even if they have parental consent. Continue reading...

Melbourne law firm will launch multi-million dollar case against AFL after ‘numerous’ male and female players suffered head injuries

Final tally not expected until middle of next week as polling system hit by significant technical problemsNigeria is in the midst of a tense wait as election authorities count tens of millions of votes that will determine who will become president in Africa’s most populous country and control its national assembly.Voting on Saturday was marred by widespread delays and some scattered violence but fears of widespread chaos proved unfounded. Continue reading...

Putin makes claim in TV address; mercenary boss and Ukraine make conflicting claims over control of Yahidne village

Police confirm that bodies of man and dog found on mountain are missing Yorkshireman and his dog, BaneThe body of missing hillwalker Kyle Sambrook and his dog have been found in Glencoe, police have confirmed.The 33-year-old was last seen with his beagle, Bane, in the Lost Valley area last weekend after he travelled from his home in West Yorkshire to go hillwalking. Continue reading...

UK nationals outnumber Germans for first time, as post-pandemic rebound helps Greek economy to grow by 5.6% in 2022UK travellers are leading an extraordinary rebound in tourism to Greece with arrivals up by 181% last year, according to the country’s central bank.Almost 4.5 million Britons were registered at Greek entry points, a record number and nearly 3 million more than in 2021. Continue reading...

Home Builders Federation warns planning policy changes will result in government meeting less than half its annual targetHousebuilding in England is due to fall to its lowest level since the second world war, according to an analysis by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), owing to a range of government policies that threaten to dramatically slow development.The study says the supply of new housing is likely to fall below 120,000 homes annually over the coming years, less than half of the government’s target, as a result of changes to planning policy and what developers say is over-strict enforcement of environmental regulations. Continue reading...

PM’s toughest political test comes amid plummeting interest in Brexit and elaborate parliamentary intrigueFor a Brexit-minded MP, the parallels may seem striking: an electorally embattled prime minister trying to push through a controversial Northern Ireland deal in the face of Tory and Democratic Unionist party (DUP) scepticism. But one thing has changed: this is 2023, not 2019.Theresa May’s struggles with Brexit, and her tumbling popularity with voters, led to her being forced out as prime minister by Conservative backbenchers. While no one would dispute that Rishi Sunak faces perhaps his toughest-ever political test, the stakes for him are, if not necessarily lower, then perhaps different. Continue reading...

New rules also cover transgender women ‘with their male genitalia intact’, says Dominic RaabRules barring some transgender women from female prisons in England and Wales are to come into force on Monday, the justice secretary has announced.Dominic Raab had already announced in October that trans women with male genitalia or who had committed sexual offences would not be allowed in women’s prisons. Continue reading...

Russian leader’s comments on state TV channel follow first anniversary of invasion of Ukraine

Vladimir Putin accuses west of wanting to liquidate Russia; US president Biden says China negotiating peace deal ‘not rational’

Dance company project enables parents to find a community of likeminded people in the areaIt’s Friday afternoon and there’s a casting for a new show at Leeds Playhouse. Dancers are asked to do the usual light choreography and improvisation tasks, but unlike most auditions there are regular breaks for nappy changes and breastfeeding.Contemporary dance company balletLORENT has encouraged parents and their children – aged between three weeks and four years old – to try out for its new multi-generational production of Rapunzel, to take place across two dates in April. The programme is looking to recruit three paid professional dancers to perform alongside their tots. Continue reading...

‘The world is ready,’ says campaign after 56 out of 61 firms in trial extend policyThe organisers of the world’s largest trial of the four-day working week have launched a drive to persuade more companies to try the idea, after receiving global coverage.The 4 Day Week Campaign said it aimed to persuade hundreds more companies to adopt the four-day week – crucially with no loss of pay for workers – after the six-month trial concluded this month. Autonomy, a thinktank supporting the campaign, said it would help companies in the transition during a national rollout programme. Continue reading...

Exclusive: research shows universal credit allowance far below cost of food, energy and essentials

Charities say figure of £120 a week – at least £35 more than universal credit allowance – is at stringent end of spectrumHow much is just enough to get by? According to new research, it is £120 a week. After housing costs, that is the bare minimum required for an unemployed single adult in the UK to eat regularly, heat their home, have the odd shower, take the odd bus trip, use a mobile phone, and, well, not do too much else.If you are one of Monty Python’s four Yorkshiremen or a certain kind of backbench Conservative MP, £120 a week will seem an absurd luxury. If you are a poverty researcher, on the other hand, it’s a relatively modest sum that offers a big upgrade on current benefit levels while only scratching the surface of the UK’s “deep poverty” problem. Continue reading...

Ben says he is ‘fairly privileged’, as for many it is no longer a question of heating or eating because they cannot afford either

Fast-tracking development in the Macarthur region will give Sydney a massive new infrastructure challenge

Practice of taking over people’s homes should be included in an overhaul of the Modern Slavery Act, say MPs“Cuckooing” in the homes of vulnerable people by drug gangs should become a criminal offence, according to a call from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) thinktank which has gathered cross-party backing.Labour MP Jess Phillips and the former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith are leading calls for the practice – which was spotlighted in the BBC series Happy Valley – to be criminalised as part of an overhaul of the 2015 Modern Slavery Act. Continue reading...

Italian restaurants are forced to replace classic dishes with ‘white’ versions as cost of their staple ingredient soarsGet ready for tomato-less pasta sauce and white pizza. Italian restaurants across Britain are having to ration tomatoes, increase prices and in some cases remove the pomodoro from their menus entirely as costs soar.The price of tomatoes has increased as much as fourfold in the past year, from £5 a case to £20 a case, according to the Federazione Italian Cuochi UK (FIC UK), a chefs’ association. Continue reading...

John McDonnell among former shadow cabinet members contradicting pacifist message

March follows Kais Saied’s allegation that undocumented sub-Saharan migrants were part of plot to change country’s cultureHundreds of people in Tunisia’s capital took to the streets on Saturday to protest over the president’s anti-migrant clampdown.On Tuesday, amid wider moves against his critics, President Kais Saied accused undocumented sub-Saharan migrants of being part of a plot to change the country’s character, bringing longstanding racial tensions to the surface. Continue reading...

Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation says services barred on Google amid rise in wagering adverts and Sportsbet’s partnership with TikTok

Key strategists say military needs to focus on maritime and long-range strike capabilities to defend Australia’s interests across a wider region

Meta says it removed ads for failing to state they were sponsored by an initiative of British American Tobacco Australia

Former US marine’s segregated, maximum security imprisonment is unjustified and causing severe psychological distress, wife says