World news | The Guardian

Retailer to remain employee-owned, vows chair after row about reported plans to sell stake in partnership to investorsThe boss of John Lewis pledged the group will always remain employee-owned, “no ifs, no buts”, after staff backed her to continue as chair but expressed their dismay at the retailer’s poor performance.Dame Sharon White had faced controversy after reports she was considering selling a stake in the John Lewis Partnership, which also owns Waitrose, to an outside investor in an attempt to raise £2bn. On Wednesday, her leadership was tested in a confidence vote at a twice-yearly meeting of the retailer’s 60-strong council, which is elected by employees to represent them. Continue reading...

Lawyer leading refugees’ case says British designation would also weaken Russian mercenary force straight away

Met left dozens of documents in locked cabinet instead of passing to inquiry into its own corruptionDozens of documents that Scotland Yard should have handed over to an official inquiry into its corruption were instead left in a locked cabinet located on the same floor as its commissioner, the Guardian has learned.The revelation relates to 95 pages of documents the force now accepts it should have given to the Daniel Morgan inquiry, investigating the unsolved murder of the private detective and the role corruption played in shielding his killers. Continue reading...

Officials say number of guards detained in March had been granted indefinite leave to remain by mistakeThe Home Office has admitted it made errors in the handling of the cases of some Nepali guards who risked their lives to protect British embassy staff in Afghanistan and were airlifted to safety in the UK after the Taliban took control of Kabul.Ten of the guards who were living and working in the UK were arrested on 27 March in an immigration enforcement operation, handcuffed and placed in immigration detention centres. Some were given removal directions. Officials have released six of the guards, and the remaining four are likely to be released imminently. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Calls for stricter checks after Guardian investigation into availability of controversial drugsOnline pharmacies operating in the UK are approving and dispatching prescriptions of controversial slimming jabs for people of a healthy weight, a Guardian investigation has found.Some pharmacies appear to be issuing prescriptions of such medications to people who lie about their body mass index (BMI) on an online form. In one case a reporter was issued a prescription after accurately saying their BMI was about 20. A healthy BMI lies between 18.5 and 24.9. Continue reading...

‘Challenging trading backdrop' for online fashion retailer, with sales dropping more than expectedAsos has dived £291m into the red after sales slumped in what the online fashion retailer called a “challenging trading backdrop”, with shoppers returning to physical high street stores and cutting spending on non-essentials.Sales fell by 8%, including a 10% drop in the UK, in the six months to 28 February – far worse than the 3% forecast by the City. The company said it had deliberately shifted away from unprofitable sales and suffered from weak consumer demand and the December postal strikes. Continue reading...

Philippe Hategekimana, 66, who started new life in France under false identity, is charged with crimes against humanityA former Rwandan military police officer who fled to France after the 1994 genocide and started a new life under a false identity is going on trial in Paris charged with crimes against humanity.Philippe Hategekimana, 66, fled to France five years after the genocide, obtaining refugee status under a fake name. He became a university security guard in the city of Rennes and gained French citizenship in 2005. Continue reading...

First British ministerial visit to Hong Kong since Chinese crackdown focused on attracting investmentThe first British ministerial visit to Hong Kong since the introduction of draconian Chinese security laws five years ago was a chance to demand that China unlock more than £2bn in pensions belonging to British overseas passport holders who fled for the UK, a raft of former cabinet ministers have told the Foreign Office.A letter signed by more than 90 MPs, including 10 former ministers, urges the trade minister Dominic Johnson to do more to release frozen savings belonging to thousands of Hongkongers. Continue reading...

Party faces uphill task in southern state but is hoping PM’s popularity can galvanise votes with general election loomingA shower of marigold petals were flung over the crowds and cries of “Modi, Modi” filled the ai. It could mean only one thing: election season has begun in India.Voting opened on Wednesday in India’s southern state of Karnataka to decide who will form the next state government, and the significance of these polls is likely to stretch far beyond state borders. On Saturday, thousands filled the streets of the state capital, Bengaluru, as the prime minister, Narendra Modi, drove 20 miles through the city waving from a car in an attempt to galvanise votes for his ruling Bharatiya Janata party, one of more than 9,000 rallies and roadshows held by the BJP across the state. Continue reading...

Tymofii Muzychuk, of Kalush Orchestra, urges world ‘not to keep silent’ about invasion as Liverpool hosts Eurovision on behalf of UkraineUkraine will “definitely” host Eurovision after “victory in this war” against Russia, a member of 2022 Eurovision winner, Kalush Orchestra, has said ahead of their performance in Liverpool this weekend.Tymofii Muzychuk, a musician who forms part of the Ukrainian rap and folk group, said the band were grateful the UK had taken over Eurovision hosting duties while the country remained under attack from Russia. Continue reading...

Chair of home affairs select committee says decision to be made whether to hold inquiry into use of Public Order Act

New laws to permit vehicles up to 18.55 metres long, but campaigners say they will increase fatal accidents

Legislative changes give inquiry power to compel commissioner to appear at hearings which will set foundations for treaty talks

Rockstar, Parton’s first foray into rock’n’roll, features nine originals and 21 covers of songs including Let It Be and Purple RainDolly Parton has announced a genre switch to rock music, and has tapped what will surely be the starriest supporting cast for any album this year.Her new album Rockstar – a 30-track epic with nine originals and 21 cover versions, which will be released on 17 November – features 42 guest artists straddling multiple genres and generations. Her cover of Let It Be features both surviving Beatles alongside Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood, while You’re No Good features one of Parton’s most creatively fruitful collaborators, Emmylou Harris, alongside Sheryl Crow.Rockstar (ft Richie Sambora)World on FireEvery Breath You Take (ft Sting)Open Arms (ft Steve Perry)Magic Man (ft Ann Wilson with Howard Leese)Long As I Can See the Light (ft John Fogerty)Either Or (ft Kid Rock)I Want You Back (ft Steven Tyler with Warren Haynes)What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done for You (ft Stevie Nicks with Waddy Wachtel)Purple RainBaby, I Love Your Way (ft Peter Frampton)I Hate Myself for Loving You (ft Joan Jett and the Blackhearts)Night Moves (ft Chris Stapleton)Wrecking Ball (ft Miley Cyrus)(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (ft Pink and Brandi Carlile)Keep on Loving You (ft Kevin Cronin)Heart of Glass (ft Debbie Harry)Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (ft Elton John)Tried to Rock and Roll Me (ft Melissa Etheridge)Stairway to Heaven (ft Lizzo and Sasha Flute)We Are the ChampionsBygones (ft Rob Halford with Nikki Sixx and John 5)My Blue Tears (ft Simon Le Bon)What’s Up? (ft Linda Perry)You’re No Good (ft Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow)

The group – a contractor for local authorities – takes further steps to ensure security of IT infrastructureThe outsourcing firm and government contractor Capita has revealed it will take a hit of up to £20m from a recent cyber-attack in which some customer, supplier and staff data was accessed by hackers.The group, which is a major contractor for local authorities, said investigations into the incident suggested that some data was accessed but that this was from less than 0.1% of its server estate. Continue reading...

Pub chain reports highest Easter week sales and busiest-ever SaturdayThe pub chain JD Wetherspoon has reported its highest Easter week sales and busiest-ever Saturday, with cash-conscious drinkers searching out cheaper options amid the cost of living crisis.Wetherspoon’s, which runs more than 830 branches across the UK and Ireland, said it had benefited from a rise in sales in the past two weeks, both of which included bank holiday weekends. Continue reading...

ACT director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold tells inquiry of his concerns over the ‘passion’ a number of officers held about the case not proceeding

Angus Taylor repeats claims budget may have increased chances Reserve Bank will further increase interest rates

Mehajer found guilty of charges including common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intimidation and choking

Australian auditor’s office finds defence department’s procurement process lacked ‘value for money’ focus

Claims by high-profile figures including Duke of Sussex allege unlawful information gatheringA high court trial with a tabloid newspaper publisher in which Prince Harry will give evidence is due to begin.Claims by a number of high-profile figures including the Duke of Sussex allege unlawful information gathering by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) titles. Continue reading...

Chris Minns says committee will determine if the Kiama MP, charged with sexual assault, is again suspended from parliament

Cancellation comes after Guardian Australia revealed O’Brien’s previous links with a far-right ‘patriots’ group

Current workers blame policy of ‘open display’ for compromising safety of collection, in new allegations the museum rejects as ‘lies’

Move to reduce unnecessary packaging at the checkout is expected to take 230m plastic bags from circulation nationwide within a year

Rikki Mitchell went missing after becoming disorientated south of Townsville while going for a swim

Researchers say ‘studies not good enough’ to know whether medications work or not for painAntidepressants commonly used to treat chronic pain lack evidence as to whether or not they work, researchers have said, declaring the situation a global public health concern.Chronic pain, typically defined as pain lasting three months or more, is a widespread problem affecting up to one in three people, with conditions ranging from osteoarthritis to fibromyalgia. Continue reading...

Charles should adopt specific measures to build understanding of the legacy of enslavement, say activists and academicsKing Charles has been urged to go further towards offering reparatory justice for the UK’s role in transatlantic slavery, even as he was praised for reportedly ignoring Boris Johnson’s advice to avoid the issue at all costs.Academics and campaigners called on Charles to adopt specific measures to help build an understanding of the legacy of the enslavement of black people, as well as putting forward suggestions for how the UK could work towards making amends. Continue reading...

Cartoons of treasurer Jim Chalmers dominated front pages, while the budget works ‘a Chalm’ for the voter featured on the Daily Telegraph

While the 2023 budget is unlikely to budge the RBA, experts are watching for inflationary pressure from a population boom and energy prices

Governments urged to roll out chargers, reduce prices and recruit celebrities to mobilise public as one in four new vehicle sales predicted to be electric by 2025

PM cites increased workload for staff of all political stripes while treasurer points to ‘well-publicised court cases’ as motivation

Group reportedly got into difficulty as torrential rain hit during outing in Northland regionSearchers in New Zealand have found the body of a teenager who died on Tuesday as torrential rain fell during a school trip into caves in the Northland region.The deluge swamped parts of the North Island, including Northland, where damage from record floods in February was still evident. In New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, inspections of 120 water-damaged buildings began on Wednesday morning as the weather cleared. Continue reading...

Report says UK will also blacklist as terrorists the mercenaries who have led months-long assault on Bakhmut, UkraineThe French parliament has called on the EU to formally label the Russian mercenary group Wagner as terrorists, as the UK reportedly prepares to do the same.France’s parliament unanimously passed a non-binding resolution aimed at encouraging the 27 members of the EU to put Wagner on its official list of terrorist organisations. Continue reading...

BMJ Global Health article calls for halt to ‘development of self-improving artificial general intelligence’ until regulation in placeAI could harm the health of millions and pose an existential threat to humanity, doctors and public health experts have said as they called for a halt to the development of artificial general intelligence until it is regulated.Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise healthcare by improving diagnosis of diseases, finding better ways to treat patients and extending care to more people. Continue reading...

Watchdog says gaps in regulation are letting landlords offer costly supported accommodation ‘with little or no support’Increasing numbers of landlords are profiting from letting bad housing to some of society’s most vulnerable people, the National Audit Office has found.Gaps in regulation are allowing property owners “to profit by providing costly, sub-standard” supported housing “with little or no support, supervision or care”, the spending watchdog said. Continue reading...

Justin Welby to join peers condemning measures that seek to criminalise people seeking refuge in UKThe archbishop of Canterbury will make a rare intervention in the House of Lords to join dozens of peers condemning the government’s flagship asylum bill.Justin Welby will argue against measures championed by Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman that seek to criminalise people seeking refuge in the UK if they arrive on small boats. Continue reading...

Verdict for first time legally brands a former US president as a sexual predator but clears Trump of rape

Images released by US labor department show conditions over 100 children faced at Packers Sanitation Services IncorporatedHarrowing photos released by the US labor department taken at a slaughterhouse plant in Nebraska show the conditions more than 100 children faced while illegally working for Packers Sanitation Services Incorporated (PSSI) before the department cracked down on the company for violating child labor laws.The pictures show employees covered in protective gear, using chemicals to spray down and sanitize equipment. In some of the pictures, made public on Sunday by the television news show 60 Minutes, some of the employees appear to be young children, wearing protective face glasses and holding buckets. Continue reading...

Somerset experiences ‘different scale’ of rain as flood warning issued for EnglandParts of England have been battered by hailstorms among a deluge of rain as well as thunder, as a yellow weather warning remains in place for the UK until 10pm.Basingstoke was hit by an onslaught of hail on Tuesday, with one resident describing his worry over the storm damaging his car – while Somerset experienced a “different scale” of rain. Continue reading...

The latest shooting of an innocent victim spotlights ‘stand your ground’ laws, which some Republicans are trying to strengthenA 14-year-old girl was playing hide-and-seek with her friends when she was shot in the head by her neighbor in Louisiana, according to authorities.The shooting on Sunday adds to a recent string of gun attacks across the US aimed at people who were engaged in innocuous activities when they encountered their shooter. Continue reading...

About 1,700 houses in Manipur have been destroyed in clashes between Meiteis, who are mostly Hindus, and mainly Christian Kuki tribeThe road to Heirokland is smooth and freshly laid, with a sign proclaiming it part of an Indian government development initiative. But ethnic violence has reduced the village itself to little more than smouldering ashes.Sanatomba picked through the ruins of his sister’s home in the north-eastern state of Manipur, trying to salvage anything of value, but could only recover a traditional stool. Continue reading...

Sharon White wants to bring in investors to build flats above stores, potentially leading to the sale of stake in the businessThe boss of John Lewis will face a confidence vote by staff members on Wednesday as the business considers the option of raising funds by selling a stake in the business.Chairman Sharon White is considering looking at radical ways to bring in outside investment of up to £2bn as a way to secure the future of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP), partly by diversifying into building flats for rent above shops, after reporting hefty losses from its chain of department stores and Waitrose supermarkets. Continue reading...

PM’s costly helicopter trip to Southampton to announce prescription reforms underlines fears of some he is out of touchRishi Sunak flew to the south coast and back by helicopter to announce a new government health policy on Tuesday as he tried to calm Conservative jitters after a disastrous set of local election results.In the latest example of the prime minister’s fondness for short-distance air travel, the prime minister visited Southampton to set out plans for pharmacists to provide prescriptions for millions of patients in England to help ease the GP crisis. Continue reading...

Jithender Ballepu says more staff and funding would be needed and has concerns about passing antibiotics over the counterThere is no plaque outside Bassett Pharmacy in Southampton to indicate this was once run by the prime minister’s mother but there is a sign round the back that gives the game away: “Parking for Sunak Pharmacy customers.”Inside, the pharmacist Jithender Ballepu was expressing reservations about Rishi Sunak’s plans for chemist shops to provide prescriptions for millions of patients in England. Continue reading...

Exclusive: John Allan, a prominent business leader and former CBI president, denies all but one of the allegationsOne of the UK’s most prominent business leaders, the Tesco chair John Allan, faces claims of inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour from four women, the Guardian can reveal.Allan allegedly touched the bottom of a senior member of Tesco staff in June 2022, at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM). It is also claimed that he touched the bottom of a member of staff at the business lobbying group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), at its annual dinner in May 2019, when he was the organisation’s president. Continue reading...

UK foreign secretary and US secretary of state have urged Russia not to use global hunger as a tool of war. This live blog is closedThe North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, said Russia “will prevail” in its fight against what he described as “imperialists”, the state news agency KCNA said on Tuesday, in remarks seen to be aimed at Ukraine and its western supporters such as the US.North Korea has forged closer ties with the Kremlin and backed Moscow after it invaded Ukraine last year, including its proclamation later of having annexed parts of Ukraine, which most UN members condemned as illegal. Continue reading...

Multibillion-dollar deal for 737-Max-10s could double capacity at budget airline and create 10,000 jobsRyanair has announced an order for a further 300 aircraft from Boeing, a deal worth $40bn (£32bn) at list prices, which could allow the budget carrier to nearly double passenger capacity over the next decade.The new Boeing 737-Max-10 aircraft are 10% larger again than the newest fleet of Max planes the Irish carrier has recently introduced from Boeing, which Ryanair called “gamechangers” for their fuel burn and costs per passenger. Continue reading...

Chair of health committee did not properly declare work for health recruitment firm Remedium PartnersA leading Conservative MP and former health minister did not properly declare his second job for a health recruitment firm when lobbying Matt Hancock and Michael Gove during the pandemic, the standards watchdog has found.Steve Brine, the chair of the Commons health committee, was found to have breached the rules twice by failing to declare in his approaches to cabinet ministers in early 2021 that he was a paid strategic adviser to Remedium Partners, a recruitment firm offering doctors for free to the NHS. Continue reading...

UK opens tender for rockets akin to those denied by US, which could enable strikes deep into CrimeaBritain and a group of European allies are hoping to supply long-distance cruise missiles to Ukraine, similar in range to those the US has so far refused to supply Kyiv, which could allow its army to strike deep into Russian-occupied Crimea.A tender document quietly released by the UK calls for western arms makers to offer “missiles or rockets with a range 100-300km” (62 to 186 miles) to the International Fund for Ukraine, run jointly with Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Continue reading...