World news | The Guardian

Dominic Raab, Michael Gove, Steve Barclay, Grant Shapps and Johnny Mercer are entitled to £16,876 each• UK politics live – latest news updatesRishi Sunak has rehired five ministers who are entitled to redundancy payouts after resigning from government only seven weeks ago.The new prime minister filled his cabinet with allies including Dominic Raab and Grant Shapps who were once loyal to Boris Johnson but switched to back Sunak as leader. Continue reading...

The government slush fund, which amounts to about one-fifth of the entire discretionary spending budget, has little or no oversightWhen historians write books about why so many Brazilians voted for the far-right they will justifiably focus on ideological, political and social issues. But there is another key reason why President Jair Bolsonaro is still competitive as Sunday’s run-off ballot approaches: he’s handing out billions from a government slush fund.The fund is known as the “secret budget” because there is little or no oversight over where the money goes once it is handed to lawmakers. Continue reading...

RBA will likely not pay government dividends for years until negative equity of $12.4bn is restored and built up

Teenager died on floor of Yuendumu police station as pilots allegedly argued about state of the runway

Education committee inquiry into increasing numbers of students unable to attend school follows Guardian Australia reporting on trend

Agreement between two of the largest supermarket chains in the US could also make prices increaseThe proposed $24.6bn merger of Kroger and Albertsons could have dramatic consequences for customers, including higher prices for groceries and more food deserts, experts say.The agreement between two of the largest supermarket chains in the US – which own brands such as Ralphs, Mariano’s, Fred Meyer, Safeway and Vons – would give the combined company control of nearly one-fifth of the US grocery market, with about 5,000 stores across 48 states. If the deal is approved by regulators, it is expected to close in 2024. Continue reading...

NSW premier says $550m project to boost health in border region is a ‘great example of co-operation across political lines’

Court hears juror brought in research paper on sexual assault while considering verdict. Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to raping Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019

NZ government facing accusations that its response to Iran protests has been muted in order to secure release of pairTwo New Zealand influencers who were detained for nearly four months in Iran have said they are “extremely relieved” to be out of the country and back with family.Christopher “Topher” Richwhite and Bridget Thackwray were on a trip they called Expedition Earth; driving a Jeep through 70 countries to “promote environmental issues” and documenting their travels on Instagram. They disappeared in early July, shortly after they were questioned by authorities upon entering Iran. The pair are understood to have been kept in the country by security forces. Continue reading...

Advertisers trim budgets amid jitters over World Cup host’s human rights record and appearing ‘tone-deaf’ to austerityThere will be no Christmas TV advertising boom this year as jitters over associating with the World Cup host Qatar’s human rights record and the cost of living crisis put paid to the annual battle of the big-budget extravaganzas that traditionally bombard the public over the festive season.UK companies will still spend a record £9.5bn in the run-up to Christmas, known as the “golden quarter”, when many retailers make the lion’s share of their annual profits and sales, but the amount targeted at traditional TV, newspaper and radio outlets will decline this year. Continue reading...

As crises and party management problems loom, PM must act quickly to try to reverse Tories’ poor poll ratingsRishi Sunak is inheriting a hefty in-tray of issues, with several looming crises and party management problems piling up as he takes the reins as prime minister.Given he was out of government for about three months, Sunak has not been privy to some of the day-to-day issues filling ministers’ red boxes. So he will have to act quickly if he stands a chance of reversing the Conservative party’s deteriorating poll ratings, and prove he can deliver. Continue reading...

Women’s groups express concern as under just 22% of those named to new PM’s cabinet are female

Airport still has shortage of 25,000 staff and is keen to avoid disruption of summerHeathrow has said passengers may have to fly outside peak times on some days in the run-up to Christmas to avoid further travel chaos, as Europe’s busiest airport admitted it was still short of 25,000 staff to meet high demand.The airport, which this Sunday is due to lift the current cap of 100,000 passengers a day that was introduced in July as summer holiday travel descended into chaos, said it was in talks with airlines over the selective cap. Continue reading...

Minister says legalisation could set precedent for rest of Europe, though plan is still subject to EU approvalGermany wants to make it legal for adults to purchase and own up to 30g of cannabis for recreational use and to privately grow up to three plants, the country’s health minister has announced, saying the intended outcome could set a precedent for the rest of the European continent.“If this law comes to pass, it would be the most liberal project to legalise cannabis in Europe, but also the most regulated market”, the Karl Lauterbach said at a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday. “It could be a model for Europe.” Continue reading...

No 10 not committing to keeping triple lock or inflation-linked benefits rise in 17 November statement

Vessels carrying at least 380 people could ask Italian authorities to disembark them in Sicily safe portTwo NGO rescue boats carrying hundreds of asylum seekers in the central Mediterranean are expected to face the first test of migration policy under Italy’s new far-right government after Rome threatened to prevent them from entering Italian waters.The Norwegian-flagged Ocean Viking, operated by the NGO SOS Mediterranée, has more than 200 people onboard. The other vessel, Humanity One, flying the German flag and run by the German charity SOS Humanity, is carrying about 180. Most left Libya on small boats. Both ships could ask the Italian authorities for authorisation to disembark their passengers in a safe port in Sicily. Continue reading...

Body of 54-year-old worker found in stomach of 7-metre snake on island of SumatraA woman was found dead in the stomach of a 7-metre python at a rubber plantation where she worked in Indonesia, according to local reports.The woman, identified as Jahrah, 54, went to work on the plantation in Jambi province, on the island of Sumatra, on Sunday morning and her husband reported her missing when she did not return home that evening. Continue reading...

Shahriar Alam criticises international community for doing ‘absolutely nothing’ to press Myanmar’s junta to guarantee a safe returnThe world has done “absolutely nothing” to ensure safety in Myanmar for its persecuted Rohingya minority, said Bangladesh’s foreign minister, complaining that his country is sheltering more than 1 million refugees without support.Foreign minister Shahriar Alam told the Guardian financial support for the Rohingya has decreased each year and there has been no real progress towards repatriation in the five years since more than 700,000 fled massacres by Myanmar’s military. That wave, in August 2017, joined approximately 300,000 people that had already fled Myanmar because of previous security crackdowns. Continue reading...

James Cleverly says Rishi Sunak’s government could take more time to draw up spending cut plans

Effective amnesty for those accused of killing or maiming people may not comply with ECHR, says committeeProposed UK government legislation to deal with the legacy of Northern Ireland’s Troubles risks widespread breaches of human rights law, a parliamentary committee has found.The joint committee on human rights found that the so-called “legacy” bill had the intention of addressing “a complex situation with no easy solutions”. Continue reading...

Nonprofit organisation Short Back & Sidewalks hopes to hire its first paid employee and give 15,000 free haircuts a year by 2025

Lehrmann pleaded not guilty to raping Brittany Higgins in trial at ACT supreme court in Canberra

Exclusive: Harry Rich says transparency would be easier if lobbyists reveal which ministers they speak toThe head of the UK’s lobbying watchdog has called for tougher disclosure rules to show which ministers have been solicited, as well as a review of exemptions made use of by David Cameron and Philip Hammond.Harry Rich, who is in charge of the register of consultant lobbyists and their clients, said it would “significantly assist transparency” if lobbyists were asked to reveal which ministers and permanent secretaries they had spoken to – as well as when, how and what about. Continue reading...

Charity criticises delays after rise in trusts missing two-week target in suspected cancer casesPeople with suspected cancer in England are facing a higher risk of “worrying” outcomes owing to unacceptable delays in being referred to hospital, experts have said, as figures show seven in 10 NHS trusts are failing to hit a key target.The number of NHS trusts missing the national target for urgent cancer referrals is the highest it has been for at least three years, according to analysis of NHS data. Continue reading...

Aid sector welcomes Albanese government’s commitment but says country ‘can and must do better’

Oleksandra Matviichuk’s organisation has documented more than 21,000 Russian human rights violations since 2014 but she fears the world is looking the other wayOleksandra Matviichuk has a point she wants to make. The Ukrainian lawyer heads the Centre for Civil Liberties, a human rights organisation that this month jointly won the Nobel peace prize. And she wants to use her platform to call for international action against Russian human rights violations now.The body she heads has patiently documented more than 21,000 examples of war crimes committed by occupying Russian forces since 2014, including many from after the invasion in February. But, speaking quietly and with controlled emotion, she complains: “I haven’t any legal instrument to stop the Russian atrocities” – no immediate way of bringing perpetrators to court. Continue reading...

Families and businesses feeling the pinch as soaring CPI ensures more interest rate rises to come

Review finds measure is needed to break ‘link between organised crime and gaming machines’

UK front pages offer their assessments of the prime minister’s new cabinet and outline the scale of the challenges aheadRishi Sunak’s sudden return to the top of British politics and the unveiling of his new cabinet dominates the UK front pages on Wednesday.The Guardian headlines “PM’s reshuffle gamble on first day in charge” and leads with an image of Rishi Sunak meeting King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Nearly 10,000 homes were destroyed or damaged by storm that flooded cities and forced a million to evacuateAt least 24 people have died and millions were without power after Cyclone Sitrang struck Bangladesh, forcing the evacuation of about a million people.Most of the deaths were from falling trees, police and government officials said, with two dying in the north on the Jamuna river when their boat sank. A Myanmar national working on a ship also died by falling off the deck, an official said. Continue reading...

Tension mounts as ceremonies marking 40 days since Mahsa Amini’s death expected to take place on WednesdayStudents have protested at universities across Iran, defying a bloody crackdown as tensions mount on the eve of planned ceremonies marking 40 days since Mahsa Amini’s death.“A student may die but will not accept humiliation,” demonstrators chanted at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan, in an online video verified by AFP. Continue reading...

For years critics have denounced Ye for his rightwing views and comments – but only now are they costing him his careerIn the span of two weeks, Kanye West has lost his talent representation, connections to major fashion houses and other lucrative relationships over recent anti-Black and antisemitic comments.As sports brand Adidas ended its estimated €250m partnership with West on Tuesday, reportedly costing the Black American rapper his billionaire status, many are asking if the fashion and music mogul’s actions have ended his decades-long career. Continue reading...

Footage shows former Chinese president involved in apparent disagreement over documentsChina’s former leader Hu Jintao was arguing about official papers, moments before he was escorted off the stage at a key Communist party meeting in Beijing, new footage shows.Hu’s apparently reluctant departure from the stage at the 20th congress of the Chinese Communist party (CCP) was a rare moment of unscripted drama at what was otherwise a carefully choreographed week of political theatre. Continue reading...

Opposition MPs and former sleaze watchdog criticise move days after she resigned over security breach

Violence has intensified recently as Ethiopia and TPLF seek to bolster their negotiating positionPeace talks aiming to end the nearly two-year-old war in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia have started in South Africa, although the chances of bringing the conflict to an immediate stop are believed to be low.Representatives of the Ethiopian government and a team sent by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a political organisation that has ruled the northern region for decades, are to spend five days together in the most serious effort yet to find a negotiated solution to the conflict. Continue reading...

21 people also wounded in one of deadliest operations this year by Israeli forces in West BankFive Palestinians have been killed and 21 wounded in a huge raid by Israeli forces in Nablus, one of the deadliest operations so far during a year of mounting violence in the occupied West Bank.Snipers, soldiers with shoulder-launched missiles and members of Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency attacked the old city in the early hours of Tuesday, the Israeli military said, blowing up what it said was a bomb lab and killing one of the leaders of an increasingly popular Palestinian militant group in a gunfight. Continue reading...

Ukraine foreign minister says experts from UN nuclear watchdog will soon arrive in Ukraine and receive full access.This blog is now closed

MP known as ‘honourable member for the 18th century’ asks Rishi Sunak to convey his resignation as business secretary to King

Oliver Dowden is back in cabinet; Jacob Rees-Mogg and Brandon Lewis among cabinet departures while Simon Hart made chief whip

Households that ‘pay as they go’ for energy may not be able to afford to top up their meters this winterCalls are growing for a winter ban on energy suppliers forcing struggling households on to prepayment meters, amid evidence that large numbers of people already can’t afford to top them up – leading to “disconnection by the back door”.Winter has not even arrived yet, but there is mounting concern about low-income families being left shivering in darkness because they do not have enough money to keep the lights and heating on. Uswitch has today revealed 10,000 households a month are being pushed on to prepay. Continue reading...

Anna Pasternak alleged Lara Prescott copied elements of her book about her great uncle Boris’s loverA descendant of the Doctor Zhivago author, Boris Pasternak, has lost a claim for copyright infringement against the writer of a novel about the publication of the Russian epic.Anna Pasternak claimed seven chapters in Lara Prescott’s work of historical fiction, The Secrets We Kept (TSWK), copied elements from her own book Lara, a 2016 biography of her great uncle’s lover Olga Ivinskaya. Continue reading...

Leader restates support for Ukraine and vows crackdown on illegal immigration in address to MPsGiorgia Meloni said she felt a “burden weighing on my shoulders” after “breaking the heavy glass ceiling” to become Italy’s first female prime minister, in an address to parliament restating her pledge to back Ukraine and her opposition to illegal immigration.Meloni, the leader of Brothers of Italy, a party with neofascist roots, has taken the helm of Italy’s most rightwing government – which includes Matteo Salvini’s far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia – since the second world war. Continue reading...

Firms aim to minimise rises by using cheaper paper and increasing print runs as raw material and energy cost hikes hit sectorThe price of books is likely to go up, say publishers – which are acting to avoid steep rises for readers.Some presses are exploring printing on cheaper and thinner paper, postponing reprints for older books and publishing fewer titles to reduce costs and avoid increasing recommended retail prices. Continue reading...

Boxer – who has been open about mental health struggles – will donate single’s proceeds to charity Talk ClubThe boxer Tyson Fury is set to release his debut single to raise money for the men’s mental health charity Talk Club.The two-time world heavyweight champion has covered Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline, with the song slated for release next month. Continue reading...

January attack by Vasile Culea left Freda Walker dead and her husband Kenneth seriously injuredA burglar has been convicted of murdering an 86-year-old woman in her home after beating, gagging and tying her up and leaving her to die.Vasile Culea was also found guilty of the wounding with intent of Freda Walker’s 88-year-old husband, former district councillor and alderman Kenneth Walker, during the attack in January. Continue reading...

Unable to get Taylor Lloyd, 15, included in mainstream classes at his high school, his mother says she had to turn to home schooling

Possible challengers from within the party are emerging in Holsworthy and Camden ahead of March election

With alcohol-induced deaths at their highest rate in 10 years, one doctor says a quarter of his hospital’s ICU resources are being used to treat the illness