World news | The Guardian

The mercenary leader's reputation as patriot, martyr or traitor will be dictated by two linked factors - Putin and the result of the warIn a 2018 documentary, Vladimir Putin answers instantly when asked if there is anything he cannot forgive. Betrayal," he says with no hesitation.Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed in a probable assassination last week on board his Embraer private jet, held a similar belief. One of his fighters' tactics to punish deserters was to tape their heads to a block of concrete and then bludgeon them to death with a sledgehammer. The hammer became their symbol. Continue reading...

When the Romantic poet's younger brother John died at sea, marine artefacts helped him bear the loss, research revealsWhen William Wordsworth's beloved younger brother John died on a ship that sank in rough seas off the coast of Dorset in 1805, the great Romantic poet dealt with his sorrow by writing of the calamitous" loss: Sea, Ship, drown'd, Shipwreck - so it came/The meek, the brave, the good, was gone;/ He who had been our living John/ Was nothing but a name."John was captain of the East India Company's largest ship, the Earl of Abergavenny, which sank after hitting rocks shortly after embarking on a trading voyage to China. He was among more than 250 crew and passengers who perished on a bitterly cold February night. Continue reading...

Three others in police custody over death of Andy Foster, 26, who was sprayed with substance when he opened front doorTwo men have been arrested on suspicion of murder by police investigating the death of a man who was sprayed with a substance thought to be ammonia after he answered his front door.Andy Foster, 26, was attacked at his home in Wrekenton, Gateshead, at 11pm on Sunday 20 August. Continue reading...

Gale-force winds and hot, dry conditions whip up flames and hamper firefighting effortsMore than 600 firefighters, including reinforcements from several European countries, backed by a fleet of water-dropping planes and helicopters, are battling three major wildfires in Greece, two of which have been raging for days.A massive blaze in the country's north-eastern regions of Evros and Alexandroupolis, believed to have caused the deaths of 20 people, was burning for a ninth day. Continue reading...

Moscow aiming to increase influence in Africa, winning lucrative contracts and gaining access to key resourcesSocial media channels associated with the Russian state have launched a major effort to exploit the military coup in Niger last month, seeking to reinforce Moscow's influence in the strategic African country and possibly open opportunities for intervention.Mohamed Bazoum, the pro-western elected president, was ousted by senior army officers on 26 July and is being held a prisoner in his official residence in Niamey. African leaders have threatened military action to oust the new regime but advocates of intervention have so far been unable to rally sufficient support. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Data from past five years in England and Wales includes wage costs and victim payments for claims such as upskirting, indecent exposure and inappropriate videosLocal authorities in England and Wales have spent at least 2.5m in the past five years on costs relating to allegations of sexual harassment, an investigation by the Observer can reveal today.Data obtained through freedom of information (FoI) laws shows that since 2018, 62 councils spent more than 1,728,900 to cover wage costs of staff who were suspended after allegations of sexual harassment, with accusations ranging from indecent exposure, upskirting, inappropriate comments and sexual assault to stalking and abuse of power. Continue reading...

Javier Milei, a culture war populist and sex coach who won country's open primary, rages at communist' pontiff as he sets his sights on becoming presidentIn one corner of the ring stands Javier Milei, 52, self-described former tantric sex coach, outsider anarcho-capitalist and frontrunner in Argentina's upcoming presidential elections; in the other, his compatriot Pope Francis, 86, world champion of the poor, repeatedly derided by Argentina's likely next president as a fucking communist" and the representative of the evil one on Earth" for promoting the doctrine of social justice" to aid the underprivileged.Milei, a political unknown until 2020, has pledged to wage a cultural battle" to transform Argentina into a libertarian paradise where capitalist efficiency replaces social assistance, taxes are reduced to a minimum and cash-strapped individuals are allowed to sell their body organs on the open market. Continue reading...

Human rights group finds growing number of cases of minors held among prisonersVulnerable children who arrive in Britain by small boat are being placed in an adult prison that holds significant numbers of sex offenders.A growing number of cases have been identified where unaccompanied children, many of whom appear to be trafficked, have been sent to HMP Elmley, Kent, and placed among foreign adult prisoners. Continue reading...

Last-minute white knight bid worth 90m from M2 Capital follows earlier offer from owner of HMVWilko's administrators are facing pressure to accept a rescue deal for the ailing budget retailer after a second last-minute white knight bid worth 90m emerged from an Anglo-Canadian private equity firm.The gardening to beauty retailer, which has 400 stores and employs almost 12,500 people, called in administrators from PricewaterhouseCoopers earlier this month after running short of cash. Shops are expected to close within weeks, with thousands of job losses unless a buyout can be secured. Continue reading...

Shadow minister Jane Hume calls it an inconsistency' that a cross on a ballot paper will not count as no'

Sir Kevan Collins says government failure to back his 15bn post-Covid catch-up plan caused the stark disparity in this year's English GCSE resultsThe former schools recovery tsar, Sir Kevan Collins, has blamed the government's failure to back his catch-up plan for the stark north-south divide in last week's GCSE results.While more than 28.4% of entries received the top grades of 7-9 in London, only 17.6% got these scores in the north-east and 18.6% in the north-west of England. A-levels results showed a similar picture. While in London 30% of A-level grades were graded A or A*, in the north-east it was 22% and in the north-west 24%. Continue reading...

The deputy premier, Steven Miles, called speculation about a challenge rumours and gossip'

Rights groups say churchgoers were killed and wounded as they marched in order to rid the area of gang membersAt least seven people were killed in Haiti, a rights group said, after a powerful gang that controls a northern suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, opened fire with machine guns on a protest organised by a Christian church leader.Hatian rights group CARDH director Gedeon Jean said the final number killed would probably be higher, adding that several people were wounded and some churchgoers had been kidnapped, after they marched through the community on Saturday trying to rid the area of gang members. Local media reported at least 10 participants were killed. Continue reading...

AFL legend wants Australians to join recreation of his Long Walk of 2004 which ended with a meeting with then PM John Howard

Kremlin orders Wagner fighters to sign oath of allegiance; three Ukrainian pilots die in mid-air collision

The Yindjibarndi people say WA and Andrew Forrest's mining company must pay for the destruction of sacred country and community

Two L-39 training planes came down west of Kyiv, says air force, with Andriy Pilshchykov, advocate of Ukraine getting F-16s, among the deadThree Ukrainian military pilots, including one nicknamed Juice who campaigned for the supply of F-16s, were killed on Friday when two combat training aircraft collided over a region west of Kyiv, Ukraine's air force said.President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is counting on swift training of crews to fly F-16 fighter jets promised by western allies, said in his nightly video address that the three men included Andriy Pilshchykov, callsign Juice, a Ukrainian officer, one of those who greatly helped our state". Continue reading...

Letter sent to Emil Davey also requests he hand over communications relating to protest at Perth headquarters

Beside the obvious environmental benefits, one of the key questions for those following the expansion of the scheme is whether it adds up financiallyThe controversial expansion of London's ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) on Tuesday will be watched closely by policymakers around the UK and the world, as other cities weigh up whether to introduce similar schemes.One key question is whether low-emission zones make financial sense for cities that introduce them. City administrations must weigh up the health benefits, any income from tolls and fines, the positive and negative effects on businesses and the cost to affected residents. Continue reading...

Election victory marred by criticism of voting process from other parties and official observersEmmerson Mnangagwa has a secured second term as Zimbabwe's president in a poll marred by electoral malpractice.The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared Mnangagwa the winner, with 52.6% of the vote, beating Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC), who trailed at 44%. Continue reading...

Potential leaked data from system with access to names, ranks and photos of officers could do incalculable damage in the wrong hands'The Metropolitan police is on high alert after a security breach involving the IT system of one of its suppliers, the force said.Scotland Yard is working with the company to understand the scale of the incident but said on Saturday evening that any leaked data could do incalculable damage" in the wrong hands. Continue reading...

Currently rare prison orders with little chance of parole would become default for worst offenders under MoJ proposalsMurderers whose offences have a sexual motivation face spending the whole of their lives behind bars - with no chance of being released - under plans announced by the government on Saturday.Ministers plan to expand the use of the rare whole-life term, the sentence given to the child serial killer Lucy Letby, so it can be handed down to more of the most serious offenders. Continue reading...

Former minister accuses PM of whipping public frenzy' against her in letter sent 11 weeks after she said she would stand downThe Tory MP and former minister Nadine Dorries has resigned her Commons seat and accused Rishi Sunak of demeaning his office" by speaking out against her.Two-and-a-half months after first announcing her intention to step down as MP for Mid Bedfordshire in protest at not receiving a peerage, Dorries on Saturday accused the prime minister of abandoning the fundamental principles of Conservatism", telling him: History will not judge you kindly." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Greyhound Racing NSW estimates betting ban would cost sector $20m a year while animal welfare advocates say claims of increased cruelty are absurd

Researchers call for urgent stabilisation efforts so the ship, which brought settlers to the state in 1836 and was used in whaling, can be studiedThe wreck of a ship that brought immigrants to Australia, served as a whaling platform and was used as a makeshift prison for the first Aboriginal person to kill a European in South Australia is at risk.The South Australian, originally named the Marquess of Salisbury, started out carrying mail across the Atlantic before embarking on a more chequered career. Continue reading...

Decisions in Jim Morakis case also call penalties given in cases involving family violence manifestly disproportionate' and light'

Papers reveal how Richard Nixon was briefed on impending military takeover in Chile that ushered in 17-year dictatorshipTwo more US Department of State documents relating to Augusto Pinochet's coup d'etat in Chile have been declassified, revealing how President Richard Nixon was briefed on the impending military takeover.The president's daily brief from 11 September 1973, the morning of the US-backed military coup, informed Nixon that Chilean military officers were determined to restore political and economic order", but may still lack an effectively coordinated plan that would capitalize on the widespread civilian opposition". Continue reading...

The position of the PM's wife as a shareholder in a company that could benefit from an agreement is a major headache for No 10 Read more: Rishi Sunak faces fresh conflict of interest row of India trade talksWith a general election not far away and the economy still struggling, Rishi Sunak is on the hunt for good news. Next month he will be in New Delhi for the G20 summit - a visit that will be unusually rich with picture opportunities and chances to strike deals. Sunak's parents are of Indian Punjabi descent and his wife, Akshata Murthy, is a hugely wealthy Indian businesswoman, fashion designer and venture capitalist. In many ways it will be a homecoming for the first Asian couple ever to occupy No 10.Sunak's business and trade secretary, Kemi Badenoch, has been in India over the past few days, laying the ground for a string of announcements with her G20 counterparts. Inevitably, much of the talk in UK and Indian diplomatic, business and trade circles has been about the possibility of a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and India. The two governments had hoped to conclude one last autumn but negotiations have dragged on. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Labour has called for more financial transparency after it was revealed the prime minister's wife's shares could benefit from the agreement Read more: trade deal with Indian could be double-edged sword for SunakRishi Sunak faces a new conflict of interest row before a G20 summit in New Delhi next month over claims that his family could stand to benefit financially from a post-Brexit trade deal that he is negotiating with India.MPs and trade experts say there are concerns at the highest levels of government over potential transparency" issues relating to his wife Akshata Murty's shareholding - worth almost 500m - in the massive Bengaluru-based international IT services and consultancy company Infosys. Continue reading...

Decree published on Kremlin website obliges anyone working on behalf of the military in Ukraine to swear a formal oath of allegianceThe crash that killed militia leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has raised serious questions about the future of the mercenary Wagner Group of which he was the leader, especially following Putin's demand for fighters to sign an oath of allegiance.In African countries where Wagner provided security against groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State, officials and commentators predict Russia will likely maintain its presence, placing the forces under new leadership. Others, however, say Prigozhin built deep, personal connections that Moscow could find challenging to replace quickly. Continue reading...

Body of black man aged between 40 and 50 with beard and moustache was recovered near Bankside PierPolice have renewed calls for information on a body found 10 years ago that is yet to be formally identified.Metropolitan police were called to Bankside Pier in Southwark on 26 August 2013 after reports a member of the public had seen a man's body in the River Thames. Continue reading...

Ronnie-Lee Gray, from Essex, calmly phoned emergency services and explained the situationA seven-year-old boy has been praised for his quick thinking after he dialled 999 when his mother collapsed at home.Ronnie-Lee Gray, from Tilbury in Essex, called emergency services after his mother, Becky, fell unconscious at their home earlier this month. His mature actions meant an ambulance arrived quickly. Continue reading...

Eric Duprey died after a police officer threw a picnic cooler at him, knocking him off his motorbikeThe death of a new New York scooter rider who died during a buy-and-bust" police operation in the Bronx has been upgraded to a homicide, the city medical examiner has said.The examiner ruled Eric Duprey's death a homicide, caused by blunt force trauma to his head. Continue reading...

From the red carpet to the high street - as modelled by Gwyneth Paltrow and Marilyn Monroe - styles that reveal the bare stomach are everywhereThis summer might have been a washout, but that's not immediately obvious when walking down a typical UK high street. Along with sandals, sunglasses and shorts, any fashion-conscious observer might notice something else: the ubiquitous midriff.Making a showcase of this part of the body is not so much a trend as a given for young consumers - so much so, in fact, that this year marks 10 years since the midriff became an established fashion statement. Continue reading...

Compact teaching timetables will allow cash-strapped undergraduates to dovetail jobs with studiesUniversities are reducing the number of days students are required to be on campus to enable them to work part-time as they struggle to survive the cost of living crisis.Compact teaching timetables, where lectures and seminars are scheduled over two or three days rather than dotted throughout the week, are being introduced by a number of institutions. The move makes it easier for the growing number of undergraduates who have to take on part-time jobs to make ends meet. More than half of students now work alongside their studies, up from 45% in 2022 and 34% in 2021. Continue reading...

Price of more than 30 different kinds of period underwear to be lowered at stores from next weekJohn Lewis and Waitrose are cutting the price of their period underwear by a fifth, becoming the latest retailer to join the effort to make reusable period products more affordable.The price of more than 30 different kinds of period underwear will be reduced at stores from next week as they join the Say Pants to the Tax campaign, which was launched by Marks & Spencer and the Wuka this month. Continue reading...

One man confessed to having set four other fires on the island of Evia as the Greek authorities struggle to contain 111 blazesFire department officials in Greece have arrested two men for allegedly starting wildfires on purpose, while hundreds of firefighters battled blazes that have killed at least 21 people in the past week.One man was arrested on the Greek island of Evia for allegedly setting fire to dried grass in the Karystos area. The fire department said the man confessed to having set four other fires in the area in July and August. Continue reading...

Officers responded to shooting at game in Choctaw where police also fired weapon, though suspect remains at largeFour people were shot during a high school football game on Friday night in Oklahoma where a police officer also fired a weapon, authorities said.Officers responded to a report of a shooting around 10.30pm at a game in Choctaw between Choctaw high school and Del City high school, the Choctaw police chief, Kelly Marshall, said. Continue reading...

Taoiseach says whole nation mourns' after three teenagers and 24-year-old die on exam results nightFour young people who died in a crash in County Tipperary while on the way to exam results celebrations have been named.Luke McSweeney, 24, his sister Grace McSweeney, 18, Nicole Murphy, 18, and Zoey Coffey, 18, died at the scene after the car they were travelling in struck a wall on Friday, Gardai said. Continue reading...

Astronauts from US, Denmark, Japan and Russia will reach ISS on Sunday and say we're a united team with a common mission'Four astronauts from four countries rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday.They should reach the orbiting lab in their SpaceX capsule on Sunday, replacing four astronauts who have been living there since March. Continue reading...

Campaigners to return to the courts after planned two-mile tunnel near site, blocked in 2021, is greenlit againCampaigners have launched a fresh legal battle after the government once again greenlit plans for a controversial road tunnel at Stonehenge, after the development was successfully blocked two years ago.The Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site campaign (SSWHS) is challenging the decision by the transport secretary, Mark Harper, to allow a 1.7bn scheme to widen roads and dig a two-mile tunnel near the ancient site. The plan is designed to improve traffic on the A303, a congestion hotspot in south-west England. Continue reading...

Suspect to appear at Manchester and Salford magistrates' court on Saturday after man's body discoveredA man is due to appear in court charged with murder after police officers searching for a missing dog found the body of a man.Ian Gary Connell, 39, who is from Bolton, will appear at Manchester and Salford magistrates court on Saturday, Greater Manchester police (GMP) said. Continue reading...

Investigation under way into blaze at business centre that was attended by about 100 firefightersAn investigation is under way into a fire at a business centre with flats in east London that residents have said will keep them from their homes for most of the bank holiday weekend.About 100 firefighters were sent to deal with the fire in the Bow area of the capital after the alarm was raised at about 6pm on Friday, bringing it under control within three hours. Continue reading...

Railway says smuggled-in gas cylinder caused blaze that burned for two hours at Madurai station in Tamil NaduNine people have died after a fire broke out in a stationary train compartment at a railway station in southern India, officials said.The blaze broke out at 5am on Saturday and burned for two hours before firefighters were able to put it out, authorities said. Continue reading...

Governing body says it will take necessary legal action' against female players protesting over Luis Rubiales kiss scandalThe Spanish football federation has threatened to sue Jenni Hermoso, the player at the centre of a row over its president's conduct, for lying and defamation.It has also threatened to sue the 79 women's football players who signed a letter in which they refused to play for their country as long as Luis Rubiales remained in his post. Continue reading...

Guitarist discusses treatment that leaves him radioactive' and says he was previously told he needed end-of-life careThe former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor has revealed that his prostate cancer is asymptomatic" after he was previously classified as needing palliative, end-of-life care".The 62-year-old musician was diagnosed in 2018 with stage-four prostate cancer. Continue reading...

Police called to Monterey at 9.50pm Friday night following reports a car had crashed into a tree

Institution's chair of trustees admits its reputation has been damaged by suspected theftsThe recovery of missing British Museum artefacts is under way, George Osborne, the institution's chair of trustees, has said as he apologised over the scandal that has engulfed the museum, and admitted that its reputation had been damaged.About 2,000 items are believed to be missing, Osborne told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the day after the organisation's head resigned and his deputy stepped back. Continue reading...

Kayley Asher was left with permanent brain injuries by nurse in 1991 and has been upset by news of another nurse's crimesSince the Lucy Letby trial reached its conclusion, Kayley Asher has been living in a state of heightened fear. She checks under her bed and in her wardrobe, convinced that Letby is coming to get her.Kayley was 14 months old when another nurse, Beverley Allitt, tried to kill her in 1991. Allitt was said to have twice injected air under Kayley's armpit, which made her lungs collapse. The respiratory arrest left her with permanent brain injuries. Continue reading...

Deal offered over three years, and money invested will help finance windfarms and tree plantingSavers who want to make a difference with their cash no longer have to sacrifice a decent return after National Savings and Investments raised the rate on its green bond to 5.7%.The UK government-backed provider is offering the deal over a three-year term and savers will not be able to access their money in that period. Continue reading...