World news | The Guardian

Starting salaries will rise from $75,791 to $85,000 under agreement expected to be finalised this week

The final rates decision under outgoing RBA governor Philip Lowe was widely expected

Sato Kilman also hits back at reports on his political alignments as western nations grapple with China for influence in PacificVanuatu's new prime minister says the Pacific island nation will likely need to rethink a security agreement signed with Australia.Less than a day into his tenure, Sato Kilman said the parliament was unlikely to ratify the agreement, with questions raised about it being in Vanuatu's best interests. Continue reading...

Traders close shops, electricity bills are set alight and utility firm staff are attacked as anger rises over living costs and political strifeProtests against rising electricity and petrol prices have rocked Pakistan over the past week, with thousands taking to city streets and setting their electricity bills alight.The cost of electricity has doubled in the last three months to about 50 rupees (12p) a kilowatt. Petrol prices have shot up from 262 rupees a litre in June to 305 rupees this month. Continue reading...

Court in Karlsruhe decides against extradition of Albanian man in view of the state of the British prison system'A German court has refused to extradite to the UK a man accused of drug trafficking because of concerns about prison conditions in Britain, in what is thought to be the first case of its kind.The decision has been described as a severe rebuke" and an embarrassment for the UK" by a member of the Law Society. Continue reading...

Leader of a secondary school in Essex warns upheaval could have similar negative impact to that caused by Covid lockdownsA headteacher whose 830 pupils must learn semi-remotely for at least a term because of the schools concrete crisis has warned that the upheaval could cause a recurrence of the negative mental health impact of Covid lockdowns.James Saunders, the leader of Honywood school in Coggeshall, Essex, fears that year-seven students entering their first term at secondary school could face future struggles after the Department for Education last week ordered the closure of 22 classrooms as part of a nationwide safety alert. Continue reading...

Frequent collaborator of George Harrison and synthesiser pioneer was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementiaGary Wright, the singer of pop hits Dream Weaver and Love is Alive, has died aged 80.His son Dorian confirmed the news to the Guardian. His other son Justin told TMZ his father died on Monday at home in California, and had been diagnosed with both Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia. Continue reading...

Disability royal commission finds state should have done more to protect pair, who were found malnourished in house with dead father

Former foster mother, 58, pleaded guilty to assaulting the child on two occasions in 2021

Individual charges against Andrew, James and Peter Buttle dropped, though their company still faces charges over deadly eruptionThe three brothers who owned Whakaari/White Island at the time of its deadly eruption had the individual charges against them thrown out by a New Zealand judge on Tuesday, two months into their trial.The sudden eruption in December 2019 came as tour groups were visiting the island volcano. The explosion killed 22 people, 17 of them Australians, and seriously injured 25 others. Continue reading...

Campaigners says case of child who may have lost consciousness while restrained in spit hood highlights need to legislate ban

Unverified image purportedly shows Surovikin with his wife for the first time since his removal as Ukraine war chief following Wagner rebellionA photo has emerged that appears to show Russian general Sergei Surovikin, who is regarded as an ally of Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner and has not been seen in public since the militia's brief rebellion in June.General Sergei Surovikin is out. Alive, healthy, at home, with his family, in Moscow. Photo taken today," Ksenia Sobchak, a Russian journalist and the daughter of Vladimir Putin's one-time boss, said on Telegram. Continue reading...

Beleaguered airline chief executive brings forward retirement by two months stating the company needs to move ahead with its renewal as a priority'

The nomination for Adi, the first British person of African heritage to become a professor of history in the UK, is a vindication for the academic who was made redundant a week agoHakim Adi, the first British person of African heritage to become a professor of history in the UK, has been shortlisted for a prestigious history writing prize. This comes after Adi was made redundant by the University of Chichester when it cut a course he founded.Adi has made the shortlist for the Wolfson history prize for his 2022 book, African and Caribbean People in Britain: A History. The winner of the prize, announced in November, will receive 50,000. Continue reading...

Sales of health and beauty products help high street stores bounce back after a disappointing start to the summerBritain's retailers have received a boost from consumers making themselves beach-ready by increasing their spending on skincare and makeup before their summer holidays, despite the cost of living crisis.The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said sales of health and beauty products helped drive up spending on the high street as shoppers made the most of brief spells of sunshine in August, although squeezed consumers were holding back elsewhere. Continue reading...

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood to be interviewed about upcoming LP Hackney Diamonds on WednesdayThe Rolling Stones are set to release details of their first studio album of original material since 2005, an LP called Hackney Diamonds.The surviving members of the band, now in their 70s and 80s, teased the new music online and in the form of a cryptic advert in the local newspaper the Hackney Gazette. Continue reading...

Man and woman from Bournemouth taken into custody over death of man identified as Simon ShottonTwo people have been charged with murder after the discovery of partial human remains in Boscombe, Dorset police have confirmed. The force said the victim had been identified as 49-year-old Simon Shotton from Bournemouth. His family have been informed.Debbie Ann Pereira, 38, and Benjamin Lee Atkins, 48, both from Bournemouth, were arrested after the remains were discovered by a member of the public near the Manor Steps Zig Zag, off Boscombe Overcliff Drive, on 26 August. They are due to appear at Poole magistrates court on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Desert begins to dry as organizers ask burners' stuck in mud to delay their exit until Tuesday to alleviate congestionThousands trapped at Nevada's Burning Man festival may have a chance of escape on Monday as improving weather conditions give the Black Rock desert a chance to dry out from torrential rains that hit the festival with heavy mud.Around 70,000 festival-goers, known as burners", were ordered to shelter in place" and conserve water and food over the weekend after festival organizers said roads were impassable because of mud and not officially open. Continue reading...

Alleged victim says she was sexually assaulted by a group of Israeli men while on holiday in Ayia NapaA group of young Israeli men have been detained in Cyprus after local police said they needed time to investigate accusations of gang-rape from a British woman on holiday in Ayia Napa.The five men, all aged 19 or 20, were remanded on order of a district court magistrate in Famagusta for a further eight days after their arrest late on Sunday. The Briton, who is 20 and cannot legally be identified, told police she had been sexually assaulted by the Israelis after being taken by force" from the pool area of her hotel to her room. Continue reading...

Big suppliers want debts paid upfront in order to guarantee supplying shops

Joel Carreido, 47, was one of two people killed in separate collisions involving same car on SundayA cyclist who was one of two people killed in a series of hit-and-runs in Coventry has been named as Joel Carreido, a healthcare assistant who was 47.His family said he was a loving husband and father of two" and would be missed dearly by all that knew him". Continue reading...

The reshuffle, thought to have been deftly managed by Sue Gray, made a shadow cabinet heavy with stalwarts from the Blair-Brown eraWhen Keir Starmer put the final touches to his shadow cabinet reshuffle over the summer recess, his thoughts were not just on who would help propel Labour into government at the next election, but who could run the country if they are successful.His top team now includes three MPs who served in the last Labour cabinet - Ed Miliband, Yvette Cooper and Hilary Benn - at least four who were ministers under Tony Blair or Gordon Brown and three, including self-proclaimed Blairites Peter Kyle and Liz Kendall, who were special advisers. Continue reading...

Ex-minister says he regrets using inappropriate language in text messages sent to Wendy MortonGavin Williamson has apologised in the Commons for bullying the Conservatives' former chief whip Wendy Morton in a series of text messages in 2022.The former cabinet minister was found to have abused his power when he sent Morton the messages in September 2022 complaining about not getting a seat at Elizabeth II's funeral. The messages included Williamson telling Morton: Well let's see how many more times you fuck us all over. There is a price for everything." Continue reading...

Deputy leader to take over brief from Lisa Nandy as Keir Starmer makes long-awaited changes to top team

Row over high court ruling undermined chief constable's position after he had appeared to weather data leak crisis

Education secretary gives statement to Commons on Raac after being caught on camera swearing about lack of credit for her workLisa Nandy has been made shadow cabinet minister for international development. She was shadow levelling up secretary.Lisa Nandy MP @LisaNandy has been appointed Shadow Cabinet Minister for International Development. Continue reading...

Turkish and Russian leaders hold talks as Moscow continues to attack Ukrainian grain-exporting ports

Russian president says the Black Sea grain deal will not be restored until restrictions on the export of Russian agricultural products are lifted

Decision will ease some of pressure on UK homebuyers and people seeking remortgage dealsHSBC and NatWest have announced a fresh round of mortgage rate cuts and Britain's remaining large lenders are expected to follow suit in a move that will ease some of the pressure on hard-pressed BritonsHSBC said it was cutting rates across many of its new fixed products - including some of its first-time buyer, home mover and remortgage deals - with effect from Tuesday, when full details of the reductions will be published. Continue reading...

Thirlwall was the presiding judge in the 2013 case of Mick and Mairead Philpott and Paul MosleyThe court of appeal judge Lady Justice Thirlwall has been appointed to lead the public inquiry into how Lucy Letby was able to murder seven babies in an NHS hospital.The health secretary, Steve Barclay, described Thirlwall as one of the country's most senior judges" as he announced her appointment in a statement to the House of Commons on Monday. Continue reading...

The key changes as the party leader prepares his shadow cabinet for a general election

Parents outside a secondary school in west London describe impact of the alert over crumbling concreteThe first day of secondary school is always a daunting experience - and it is especially so this term for year 7s in west London starting at a school with crumbling concrete panels.Parents outside the school gates at the Ellen Wilkinson school in Ealing, west London, said they had spent the weekend worrying for their children's safety. Continue reading...

Singer of hits including All Star and Walkin' on the Sun died peacefully and comfortably' following liver failureSteve Harwell, the former lead singer of US pop-rock band Smash Mouth, has died aged 56.His death was announced by his manager Robert Hayes, who said in a statement to Rolling Stone that Harwell passed peacefully and comfortably" with family and friends by his side. Steve's iconic voice is one of the most recognisable voices from his generation," Harwell added. He loved the fans and loved to perform ... Steve lived a 100 percent full-throttle life. Burning brightly across the universe before burning out." Continue reading...

Gen Brice Oligui Nguema pledges to restore civilian rule but does not give timeframe after ousting of Ali BongoBrice Oligui Nguema, the general who led a coup last week that toppled Gabon's 55-year-old ruling dynasty, has taken the oath of office as interim president and promised free, transparent and credible elections" to restore civilian rule, though without giving a timeframe.He also pledged to grant amnesty to political prisoners and insisted the coup had saved Gabon from bloodshed after elections that were obviously loaded". Continue reading...

Department's top official acknowledges profound impact UAE detention had on British academicThe UK Foreign Office has formally apologised to the academic Matthew Hedges for its handling of his arrest and subsequent torture by the United Arab Emirates.The apology was recommended by the parliamentary ombudsman after Hedges filed a complaint. Continue reading...

Chinese-owned MG's MG4 is Britain's bestselling EV after Tesla's Model Y in first seven months of yearChina's share of the European electric car market has more than doubled in less than two years as the world's second largest economy tries to take the lead in the transition away from petrol and diesel cars.The UK is the largest market in Europe for Chinese electric car brands, accounting for almost a third of sales in 2023 so far, according to data from Schmidt Automotive Research on the 18 largest European car markets. About 5% of all new car sales in the UK were from Chinese brands in the first seven months of 2023, a market share second only to Sweden. Continue reading...

Mayus Karia wanted permission to fly clients in and out of his country property at any time of dayA high-flying lawyer's hopes of unrestricted flights to and from the garden helipad of his country house in Hampshire have been thwarted after a council concluded it would destroy the tranquility of the area.Mayus Karia had upset residents of the village of Durley by seeking permission to fly clients in and out at any time of day. Continue reading...

The Met Office says England is likely to experience hotter weather than Ibiza and Ayia Napa this weekA heat health alert has been issued across much of England for the rest of the week as temperatures could reach 32C on Wednesday and Thursday.The Met Office has said temperatures could be 4C hotter than the Spanish island of Ibiza and British temperatures could also be warmer than Ayia Napa in Cyprus (30C) and Athens in Greece, where it could be 27C on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politicians' promises to rid Britain of dirty money' in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine haven't come to fruitionIn the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the government promised to clean up dirty money flowing through London. As part of this, new legislation passed last year was supposed to make it harder for kleptocrats to use the UK property market to launder ill-gotten gains.Introducing the measures, Boris Johnson, then the prime minister, said in March 2022 what we are bringing forward now is the exposure of the ownership of properties in London, and across the whole of the UK". Continue reading...

Thousands of staff attend rally in Seoul demanding better protection amid spate of teacher suicidesTeachers in South Korea have staged a mass walkout in protest at widespread harassment by overbearing parents and unruly students, which has led to some staff taking their own lives.The problem of bullying and violence among students in the country has been well-documented. But teachers are now demanding better protection for themselves amid growing outrage about teaching staff being mistreated, including being accused of child abuse for disciplining students.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Chancellor sustained minor injuries to his face after falling while out running at the weekendThe German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has posted a photo of himself wearing an eyepatch after injuring his face while jogging.Scholz sustained minor injuries after falling while out running at the weekend, forcing him to cancel some appointments. On Monday, he posted a picture on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing him wearing a black patch over his right eye, with red scrape marks visible around the edge. Continue reading...

Sharp rise in sightings of the invasive species this year prompts fears for native bees on which they preyIt is likely the Asian hornet has become established in the UK, conservationists fear, as a record number of nests have been found.There has been a sharp rise in sightings of the invasive species in the UK this year; the previous two years only had two sightings each, whereas there have been 22 confirmed so far in 2023. In total there have been 45 sightings since 2016. Continue reading...

Independent MP Zali Steggall claims opposition members encouraged protesters and calls for disorderly conduct' to be addressed

PM shown evidence of critical risk to life' when chancellor, says former top civil servant at Department for Education

Damp and mould so bad one cancer patient had to sleep on floor after ceiling collapsed, say residentsHundreds of residents on a south London housing estate are demanding action from their council landlord, which they claim is ignoring urgent repairs needed on their homes.Residents of the Tulse Hill estate say they have been left dealing with widespread issues of damp and mould that are so bad that in one case a cancer patient had to sleep on the floor for months after his ceiling collapsed twice. Continue reading...

Connor Gibson, 21, sentenced to minimum prison term of 22 years at high court in LivingstonA man who sexually assaulted and then murdered his teenage sister has been jailed for a minimum of 22 years by a court in Scotland.

Director attacks extremes' of movement while promoting Coup de Chance, his 50th film, at Venice film festival, as well as addressing persistent interest in historic allegations against himWoody Allen has voiced his support for the #MeToo movement while promoting his new film, adding that he sometimes finds cancel culture silly".The director's career has lately been mired by a recent refocusing in social media on an allegation made against him in 1993, when his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, said he had sexually assaulted her in an attic at the time of the custody battle between Allen and Dylan's adoptive mother, Mia Farrow. Continue reading...

The season was a mixed bag in Britain, but Japan has had its hottest summer on recordEntering September brings the arrival of meteorological autumn in the northern hemisphere, officially drawing the summer of 2023 to a close.In the UK, the summer was a mixed bag. We started with a fairly pleasant June before entering into a wet and windy July caused by multiple consecutive weekend low pressure synoptic situations. A relatively unusual August followed in which we had two named storms, Antoni and Betty, before a pleasant warm spell. Continue reading...

Center of Orlando for Women ordered to pay $193,000 for contravening state law requiring 24-hour waiting periodJust a few weeks ago, one of the few abortion clinics left in Orlando, Florida, looked like it would have to close its doors. A government agency had ordered it to pay $193,000 in fines - enough to potentially bankrupt the clinic.But supporters of the clinic, the Center of Orlando for Women, had an idea: they would crowdfund the money to keep it open. Within days, they succeeded. Continue reading...

Omer Tok was on bail facing charges of importing 186kg of cocaine in 2018 when he allegedly fled Australia using someone else's passport