World news | The Guardian

Driver shortages and lagging compensation have incited several strikes as huge school bus driver strike in New York City loomsThe US is facing a series of school bus strikes as the new school year begins.School bus driver shortages and lagging compensation have incited several strikes and raised the prospect of a huge school bus driver strike in New York City. Continue reading...

Documents show authorities bought Voyager Lab products which the company claims can use AI to map online human behaviorNew York law enforcement agencies have spent millions of dollars to expand their capabilities to track and analyze social media posts, new documents show, including by contracting with a surveillance firm accused of improperly scraping social media platforms for data.Documents obtained by the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (Stop), a privacy advocacy non-profit and shared with the Guardian, reveal the New York police department in 2018 entered a nearly $9m contract with Voyager Labs, a surveillance company that has been sued by Meta for using nearly 40,000 fake Facebook accounts to collect data on an estimated 600,000 users. Continue reading...

Airport, which had hoped to raise fees, loses appeal to UK competition watchdog in provisional rulingHeathrow will have to cut passenger charges by almost a fifth next year after losing an appeal to the UK competition watchdog.The London airport had hoped to raise the fees it charges to airlines to fund baggage handling, security and other costs, which are set by the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Continue reading...

Bookseller's managing director says potential hack was detected on Wednesday and investigation has been launched

Luxury brand Coach's spring/summer 2024 launch almost upstaged by animal rights protestLibraries are usually quiet places where people go to study or relax, but on Thursday night the American luxury brand Coach broke from protocol when it kicked off New York fashion week by staging its spring/summer 2024 collection at the New York Public Library, the second largest public library in the US.Instead of shushing librarians and hardback chairs, there were plush velvet lined benches and celebrities including the actor Jennifer Lopez and the rapper Lil Nas X. Continue reading...

Agency's chief executive says Centrelink staff acted in good faith', following damning royal commission findings

A key calculation of the Australian PM's team is that dialogue is of value, even if both sides agree to disagree

Hundreds of women across Spain join Se Acabo movement and open up about micromachismos' they have sufferedMore than 200 women from across Spain have anonymously shared their personal experiences of sexism or abuse of power in the workplace, as the reckoning sparked by Luis Rubiales' unsolicited kiss spills into other spheres of Spanish society.Since mid-August Spain has been in the grip of a national conversation over sexism in football after the federation president grabbed the player Jenni Hermoso by the head, pulled her towards him and planted a kiss on her lips at the World Cup medal ceremony in Sydney. Continue reading...

Oleksii Reznikov urges unity against Russia to save this world from catastrophe of world war III'

Elden Chamberlain, 60, who is being held on drug charges he denies, will take on the country's main drug enforcement agency in his defenceAn internationally respected British public health consultant, who has been in Philippines jails for more than two years on what he says are fabricated drugs charges, is taking on the country's main drug enforcement agency, making allegations of fabricated evidence, theft and corruption.Sixty-year-old Elden Chamberlain was Thursday due to open his defence case in the regional trial court in the city of Cagayan de Oro in a case that has the potential to highlight previous allegations against the Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the wake of the country's notorious war on drugs". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Witnesses say federal forces have been looting villages and shooting farmers in their hunt for defiant Fano militiamenEthiopian soldiers killed more than 70 civilians and looted properties in a town in Amhara, multiple witnesses have claimed.The killings took place in Majete, a rural town in north-eastern Ethiopia, after two weeks of heavy fighting between federal soldiers and the Fano, an Amhara militia. Continue reading...

Opposition leader has called for recognition referendum if yes vote fails, but shadow Indigenous Australians minister says further discussion' needed

Design fault blamed for drivers, who were caught with a passenger breaking seatbelt laws, being issued double demerit points

Stuart Lindsay Heron sentenced to at least 15 years imprisonment over ferocious' murder of Nick Cameron

State government says one person has died and 11 infections remain active after outbreak emerged in March

China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all have claims over the area, and tensions often threaten to boil overThe South China Sea is one of the most strategically and economically important waterways in the world. In 2016 more than 21% of global trade was estimated by UN bodies to have transited through it, and it contains extensive oil and gas reserves.But it is highly contested. China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all have claims over areas within the 3.5m sq km area, many of which overlap. Brunei is the only party that does not lay claim over any disputed islands, but it does say part of the sea falls within its exclusive economic zone. Continue reading...

Commonwealth Games Australia tells Senate inquiry there's hope another state could host an event in 2027

Active front crosses SA, Victoria and NSW on Thursday, with more strong winds to bring cooler temperatures on Friday

Zelenskiy praises very effective action' in eastern and southern Ukraine; No evidence of deliberate attack on Romania, says Nato chief Continue reading...

Northern Territory government approval will be contested at a tribunal with activists arguing the expansion will hurt Indigenous communities

PM travels to Delhi for G20 summit this weekend and is likely to discuss trade agreement with Narendra ModiRishi Sunak is willing to discuss corporate visas as part of a trade negotiation with India, Downing Street officials have indicated, as he flies to Delhi this weekend hoping to lay the groundwork for an agreement later this year.Sunak lands in Delhi on Friday for the weekend's G20 summit of world leaders, but will begin his trip with a key meeting with Narendra Modi at which officials say the two prime ministers are likely to discuss the sensitive subject of the prospective trade deal. Continue reading...

Two prime ministers to meet before G20 summit as India continues to import Russian oil and weaponsRishi Sunak will use a meeting with Narendra Modi in Delhi to push the Indian prime minister to take a tougher stance towards Russia, Downing Street has said.The two prime ministers will meet this weekend before the G20 summit in the Indian capital, where Russia's invasion of Ukraine will be discussed in front of the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, told Modi a week ago he would not attend. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Authorities move to notify families after children's names were provided in unredacted documents

State council rejected complaints that ban was discriminatory and could incite hatred against MuslimsFrance's top administrative court has upheld a government ban on girls in state schools wearing abayas, rejecting complaints that it was discriminatory and could incite hatred.The government announced just before schools reopened this week that the abaya, a long, flowing dress worn by some Muslim women, would no longer be allowed because it violated the French principle of secularism, or laicite. Continue reading...

Exclusive: eSafety Commissioner says companies must work on building tools to promote greater online safety, including detecting deep fake images

Salvage operation in Dutch waters finds remains presumed to be those of Arthur Smart, Charles Sprack and Raymond MooreThe remains of British airmen shot down by the Nazis over Dutch waters may have been discovered in a massive rescue operation.With the help of a 15m national plane wreck rescue fund, the Dutch have started to sift the wreckage of the British Lancaster ED603, which never returned from a mass bombing mission targeting Bochum in Germany on 13 June 1943. Instead, this Pathfinder" that gave the lead to 503 bombers, was tracked as it headed home, shot down and crashed in the blue Dutch waters of the IJsselmeer with seven men aboard. Continue reading...

Government facing questions about state of criminal justice system as search for Daniel Khalife continuesThe escape of a former soldier from a London jail has provoked a furious political row with ministers criticised over cuts and staff shortages that have left potentially dangerous inmates in low-security prisons.With the hunt for Daniel Khalife involving 150 counter-terrorism officers, the police were on Thursday urgently trying to establish whether the 21-year-old had help fleeing from HMP Wandsworth. Continue reading...

NHS expected to come under pressure with unprecedentedly long spell of hot September weatherThe UK has provisionally recorded its hottest day of the year, with this week expected to be the longest prolonged period of hot weather ever seen in September, the Met Office has said.Temperatures reached 32.6C (90.7F) in Wisley in Surrey on Thursday, the Met Office said. Amber heat-health alerts are in place for much of England, with only the north-east under a yellow alert. Continue reading...

Bombings around Izmail, main port along Danube river, last three hours and injured two truck drivers, Odesa governor saidRussia has maintained its bombing campaign against Ukrainian food exports with the fourth drone attack in five days on grain silos and other infrastructure around the port of Izmail along the Danube river.The governor of the Odesa region, Oleh Kiper, said Thursday's attack lasted three hours, and the general prosecutor's office said two truck drivers were hurt and several homes were damaged by blast waves. The Ukrainian military said agricultural facilities were damaged but did not give details. Continue reading...

Study finds one in five institutions are leaving themselves vulnerable by continuing to accept cashA significant number of UK universities are still taking millions of pounds in cash as payment for tuition fees and accommodation, making them vulnerable to criminal gangs and money laundering, according to a study.A fifth of universities who responded to a freedom of information (FoI) request said they had accepted cash payments, while three institutions each accepted more than 1m in cash in 2019-20 alone. Continue reading...

Torrential rain blocks roads, causes power cuts and severs water suppliesFour days of cataclysmic rain have lashed the central Greek region of Thessaly, triggering landslides, road and bridge collapses and severing water supplies.In what was described as a biblical catastrophe", storms also hit other parts of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. Continue reading...

Donations in second quarter were 10.4m, including 3m from David Sainsbury and 2.2m from business tycoon Gary Lubner

A member of the public in Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire, called emergency services to report people lying on the floorA yoga class was cut short after a member of the public called the police to report a mass killing" after seeing several people lying on the floor.Participants in the class, which was being held at the Seascape cafe, inside the North Sea observatory in Chapel St Leonards, Skegness, Lincolnshire, were in the midst of meditation when officers turned up on Wednesday night. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Move criticised as inadequate, with Australian Centre for International Justice saying it minimised gravity of allegations

Exclusive: Access to immediate testosterone therapy significantly reduces gender dysphoria, depression and thoughts of suicide, research findsFast access to testosterone therapy for transgender adults is life-saving", leading to a significantly reduced risk of depression and suicide, a clinical trial led by the University of Melbourne has found.It is the world's first study to examine the impact of access to hormone therapy on mental distress for trans people through a randomised control trial, a strong type of study crucial in medicine due to the minimal risk of confounding factors influencing the results. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Recently built Caboolture watch house, north of Brisbane, expected to be converted to child-specific facility by October

Indigenous Australians minister says claims of potential clandestine' burials at former Kinchela Aboriginal Boys' Training Home are deeply disturbing'

Exclusive: Treasurer expects bumpy' year ahead as Australia feels the squeeze of higher interest rates and China's slowdown

Ex-footballer was among those at restaurant in Bournemouth when royal dropped in to highlight his homelessness campaignFormer England footballer Paul Gascoigne had an affectionate encounter with the Prince of Wales after popping up in a Pret a Manger where the royal was highlighting his homelessness campaign.The one-time England midfielder was among staff and diners at the sandwich chain in Bournemouth as William dropped in to help out as part of his Homewards initiative. Continue reading...

Chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown also says clients are not properly served if workers avoid Mondays and FridaysWorkers should come into the office at least three days a week - and not just Tuesday to Thursday - to ensure clients are properly served throughout the week, according to the head of the world's biggest insurance market.Bruce Carnegie-Brown, the chairman of Lloyd's of London, said he wants to see people working in its building in the City for most of the week, and to avoid a situation where people were taking long weekends" every week, and Mondays and Fridays weren't properly covered for clients. Continue reading...

There will be pressure on rich countries to fulfil a commitment to provide climate finance to poorer nationsThe run-up to this weekend's G20 summit in Delhi has largely been dominated by two issues: the host's efforts to project India as a superpower; and the intriguing decision of Xi Jinping not to attend. The substance of what world leaders will discuss during their two days together has struggled to surface.Yet this year's G20 - the 24th since the format was inaugurated in 1999 - is potentially a make or break moment for the organisation that includes the world's 19 wealthiest nations plus the European Union as a bloc. With one part of the world increasingly gathering in the now expanded Brics format where China has a leading role, and the west comfortable with its annual G7 summitry, the G20 is the best remaining hope of keeping the principle of multilateralism alive. The United Nations secretary general, Antonio Guterres, spoke on Thursday of a real risk of fragmentation of the world order, while his own organisation is paralysed by the war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Police in Western Australia say 25-year-old Lachlan Bowles, who is alleged to have killed a workmate, has died

Julie Fujishima, niece of late pop mogul, apologises and acknowledges agency founder's abuse for first timeThe president of Japan's biggest boyband talent agency has resigned after acknowledging for the first time that its late founder sexually abused aspiring young stars.The country's most powerful pop mogul, Johnny Kitagawa, who died in 2019 aged 87, was accused of sexually assaulting multiple teenagers over decades, but evaded justice because his victims feared he would destroy their careers if they spoke out. Continue reading...

Duo's 2019 hit was alleged to have imitated 2015 song Dancing With Strangers, performed by Jordan VincentSam Smith has won a copyright lawsuit filed by songwriters who claimed Smith's hit Dancing With a Stranger imitated their own track.Jordan Vincent, Christopher Miranda and Rosco Banlaoi had alleged that their song Dancing With Strangers, performed by Vincent, was infringed upon by Smith's song, a duet with US singer Normani which shares the same chorus line dancing with a stranger". Dancing With Strangers amassed over 500,000 streams after being uploaded to Soundcloud in 2015. Continue reading...

The man, 56, has pleaded not guilty to the incident in October 2021 and another allegation of intimidation in November 2020

Investigation launched over escape of Daniel Khalife from category B facility, cabinet minister confirmsAn investigation is under way into why a former soldier accused of terrorism who is now on the run was held in a lower-security prison, a cabinet minister has said.Michelle Donelan, the science secretary, said the government's top priority" was tracking down Daniel Khalife, who absconded from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday morning by clinging to the bottom of a delivery van. Continue reading...

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Tech to scan cloud storage services is operated by Meta, Microsoft and Google, but Apple stopped development last year to focus on warnings for explicit images

Renee Jeffery says country's discomfort' stems from reluctance to address own history including treatment of First Nations people

Born Ready Shady, bred on the NSW mid-north coast, sold for $144,000 above his reserve at the Kempsey saleyards on Saturday