World news | The Guardian

Third-century coins taken in heist involving ‘cut off’ phone and internet connections in Manching, BavariaThieves have stolen a hoard of Celtic coins worth several million euros from a German museum after apparently disrupting local telephone and internet connections.Employees at the museum in Manching discovered on Tuesday that a “showcase was broken” and the collection of 450 coins had been stolen, local police told AFP. Continue reading...

Kingdom faces calls for reprieve for Hussein Abo al-Kheir, whose arrest UN deems arbitrary, after 17 executions in two weeksSaudi Arabia on Tuesday executed two more Saudi citizens for drug offences, taking the total number of executions in the past fortnight to 17.The kingdom had previously given a commitment it would not impose the death penalty for drug offences, but has suddenly gone back on its word, executing seven Saudi and 10 foreign nationals. Continue reading...

Tribunal hears there were grounds to suspect the then 15-year-old had been groomed as a child bridePolice should have helped Shamima Begum return to Britain after she joined Islamic State in Syria because there were grounds to suspect she had been groomed as a child bride, a court has heard.Samantha Knights KC told a tribunal that the police had an obligation to investigate whether Begum, who was 15 when she left the UK, was a victim of human trafficking, and then help her return if she was. Continue reading...

Head of Ukraine’s power grid operator says almost no thermal or hydroelectric stations left unscathed by Russian attacks. This live blog is now closed

Rochdale Boroughwide Housing says ‘we got that wrong’ after two-year-old killed by exposure to mouldThe landlord of the flat lived in by a two-year-old boy who died because of long-term exposure to mould has admitted it made false assumptions about his family’s lifestyle when they raised complaints.Awaab Ishak’s parents, who originally came from Sudan, last week accused Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) of racism over its handling of the damp and fungus they faced. The landlord failed to fix the mould or improve ventilation despite complaints and had suggested issues such as bathing habits and cooking techniques might be a cause when they were not. Continue reading...

MPs sign amendment to scrap mandatory local housing targetsRishi Sunak is facing a rebellion of about 50 MPs who are demanding an end to housebuilding targets for councils, via an amendment which campaigners say would further hinder affordable homes.The amendment, led by the former cabinet minister Theresa Villiers, has backing from 46 MPs who have signed the bid to scrap mandatory local housing targets and make them advisory only. Continue reading...

Former MP, who once argued UK should break free from Strasbourg court, is challenging finding he repeatedly broke rules

South London authority says it faces ‘existential question’ after asking ministers to write off £1.3bn of debtCroydon council has declared effective bankruptcy for the third time in two years, saying it faces an “existential question” after collapsing under the weight of a “toxic debt burden” running to more than a billion pounds.In the latest sign of the continuing financial storm raging through local government, the south London authority said it would be unable to balance its books after April, and signalled a fresh round of brutal cuts to services and job losses. Continue reading...

Richard Wyn Lewis accused of conning number of people between 2015 and 2020A 74-year-old man killed in a crossbow murder on a Welsh island and his partner were swindled out of more than £200,000 by a “conman” they had regarded as a “good and trusted” friend, a jury has heard.Gerald Corrigan and Marie Bailey, 68, were left with “virtually nothing” after they were cheated by Richard Wyn Lewis, 51, Mold crown court was told. Continue reading...

Region rejoices as Saudi team ‘writes history’ against South American powerhouse in group stageSaudi Arabia has said Wednesday will be a national holiday as, on the Jeddah Corniche by the Red Sea, in the heart of the capital Riyadh and in towns and villages across the country, its seismic 2-1 World Cup win over Lionel Messi’s Argentina was celebrated as a coming of age.The national football side’s remarkable victory was being seen as both a triumph on the pitch and a huge moment on the global sports stage, where the regional power has long sought a place in the spotlight. Continue reading...

Tory government eager to focus on trade rather than Cyril Ramaphosa’s refusal to put sanctions on RussiaThe South African president has started a two-day state visit to the UK, the first since King Charles took the throne, with the Conservative government eager to focus on trade rather than challenge South Africa’s refusal to impose sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.Cyril Ramaphosa’s trip has been much delayed due to Covid and only by chance became the first state visit of the king’s reign. Continue reading...

Actor joins demonstration over plans to slash £50m from arts bodies in London as part of levelling-up agendaRecent cuts to arts funding are part of “an agenda of cultural vandalism” that benefits only a wealthy few, the actor Juliet Stevenson has said, at a protest over plans announced by Arts Council England (ACE).Stevenson was one of hundreds of people, including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who demonstrated outside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Tuesday in response to the cuts. Continue reading...

Osborne & Little triples profits following coronavirus and furlough support grantsGeorge Osborne’s family business upped pay for directors, who include the former chancellor, by 30% last year as profits were boosted by £700,000 in British and US government grants.Wallpaper maker Osborne & Little almost tripled profits to £1.5m as sales rose almost 20% to £29m in the year to the end of March 2022, according to accounts filed at Companies House this week. Continue reading...

Internationally famous musician known for hits such as Yolanda, was a supporter of Cuban revolutionThe Grammy-winning Cuban singer-songwriter and guitarist Pablo Milanés, known for pioneering the Nueva Trova movement and for hits such as Yolanda and Amo Esta Isla, has died of cancer in Madrid. He was 79.One of the most internationally famous Cuban musicians, Milanés recorded dozens of albums and toured the world during a career that lasted more than five decades. Continue reading...

A certain amount of ‘shock absorbing’ is expected among civil servants but what happens when there is a more serious expression of concern?

Exclusive: Ex-home secretary rejects claim she oversaw two-month ‘pause’ in finding rooms for asylum seekers

Actor and her dance partner will not take part this weekend but will remain in competitionKym Marsh will not take part in Strictly Come Dancing this weekend after testing positive for Covid-19, the BBC has said.The 46-year-old actor and her dance partner, Graziano Di Prima, remain in the competition and are due to return the following weekend. Continue reading...

Former work and pensions secretary Chloe Smith becomes latest to announce decision to stand down before deadline next month

Media Diversity Australia dismisses criticism over methodology from ABC as ‘disappointing’ and ‘flimsy’A report revealing the lack of diversity among presenters of Australia’s TV news and current affairs programs has been criticised as lacking balance.But non-profit group Media Diversity Australia defended the findings of its report – Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories? 2.0 – and said the criticisms made were “disappointing” and “flimsy.” Continue reading...

Man, 22, was charged with breach of peace over incident during Queen’s funeral procession in EdinburghA man charged with breach of the peace after the Duke of York was allegedly heckled as he walked behind the Queen’s coffin will not face court, prosecutors have said.The 22-year-old was arrested after the incident, which occurred as Andrew walked in the procession as it made its way from the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh to St Giles’ Cathedral on 12 September. Continue reading...

Police launch triple murder inquiry following death of Fatoumatta Hydara, 28, on Tuesday morningThe mother of the two children killed in a house fire in Nottingham has died in hospital, two days after the blaze.Nottinghamshire police said they had launched a triple murder investigation after Fatoumatta Hydara, 28, died on Tuesday morning. Continue reading...

Death toll of Java quake rises to 268, with dozens of schools affected, as rescuers race against time to find survivorsThe death toll from the earthquake that struck Indonesia’s main island of Java on Monday has risen to 268, and many of the dead are schoolchildren, officials have said as rescuers raced against time to find survivors.The quake, centred in the Cianjur region of West Java province, struck at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles (10km), triggering landslides and damaging buildings, including tens of thousands of homes and dozens of schools. Continue reading...

Labour leader calls on business leaders to stop using ‘cheap labour’ to plug workforce shortages

Force says member of public discovered breach two weeks ago, but document was first released in 2019A police force that inadvertently published details of victims of sexual offences on its website has apologised for the “anxiety this unintentional disclosure of personal information will have caused”.Suffolk constabulary said the data breach was discovered by a member of the public on the evening of 7 November, but the document “was first published in 2019”. Continue reading...

Kimber Lee’s award-winning drama, untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play, will be staged at Manchester’s Royal Exchange while Miss Saigon opens at the Sheffield CrucibleThe Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester is to present an award-winning play that rails against the portrayal of Asian women in the musical Miss Saigon.The programming of Kimber Lee’s drama untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play was announced on Tuesday, following news that a touring theatre company of British east and south-east Asian (BESEA) artists has pulled a production from the Sheffield Crucible next summer because the venue is staging Miss Saigon. In a statement, New Earth Theatre said it would not present its play Worth alongside “a musical that perpetuates deeply held notions of Asian inferiority”. Continue reading...

More than 1,000 staff who deliver money to firms such as Barclays, Asda and Tesco to take actionMore than 1,000 security workers who deliver cash and coins to some of the UK’s biggest banks and supermarkets have voted to strike in December, raising the prospect of potential cash shortages in the run-up to Christmas.The 48-hour strike by 1,156 members of the GMB union who work for the security company G4S is due to take place from 3am on 5 December, after a 97% vote in favour of industrial action in a dispute over pay. However, only 665 workers voted in the ballot, a turnout of 58%. Continue reading...

Investigation will focus on church’s finance and organisation amid public dismay at extent of its links to ruling partyJapan’s government has launched an investigation into the Unification church, five months after the former prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead, allegedly by a man with a longstanding grudge against the group.The probe, announced on Tuesday, will focus on the church’s finances and organisation, and could see it stripped of its legal status, media reports said. Continue reading...

Daniel Andrews’ election pledge would mean future parliament would require ‘super majority’ to privatise State Electricity Commission

Upper house MP Catherine Cumming did not commit offence during speech about state’s premier

Italian immigrant Otto Dal Zotto, who grew Australia’s first commercial vines, says EU push makes him ‘very sad and a bit angry’

Regional interests remain very much at stake in conflict neither isolated, nor solely Syrian – though often forgottenOver the plains of northern Syria, an approaching warplane usually makes a distinctive roar, allowing those on the ground to determine who it belongs to and whether there’s a need to hide.But the past few days have been more onerous than ever for plane-spotters as the air forces of three countries have crisscrossed Syrian skies, bombing targets from the Mediterranean coast to the deserts of the east in the most comprehensive airstrikes in the past three years. Continue reading...

Six men who had been held in Australia’s offshore processing facilities for more than eight years arrive in Auckland

Prime minister stresses ‘enormous benefits and opportunities’ of Brexit before business leaders

Penguin owner Bertelsmann will not appeal US judge’s ruling that merger would be illegal because it would hit authors’ payPenguin Random House, the world’s largest book publisher, and rival Simon & Schuster have scrapped a $2.2bn deal to merge, Penguin’s owner said in a statement on Monday.Bertelsmann, a German media group which owns Penguin, initially said it would appeal a US judge’s decision that said its purchase of Simon & Schuster would be illegal because it would hit authors’ pay. Continue reading...

Negotiations with leftist guerrillas in Caracas are part of President Gustavo Petro’s promise to bring ‘total peace’Negotiators from the Colombian government and the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group have begun fresh peace talks, the first major step in President Gustavo Petro’s efforts to end nearly 60 years of war.Petro, a former member of the M-19 insurgency who took office in August, has promised to bring “total peace” to Colombia by negotiating with rebels and crime factions involved in drug trafficking and illegal mining. Continue reading...

New Earth Theatre said ‘damaging tropes, misogyny and racism’ in show contradict its valuesA touring theatre company has pulled a play from the Sheffield Crucible because of the venue’s decision to also stage Miss Saigon, a musical often criticised for its portrayal of the Vietnam war and Vietnamese people.In a statement, New Earth Theatre, a company of British east and south-east Asian (BESEA) artists and co-producers Storyhouse said: “Miss Saigon remains a very contentious musical since its release over 30 years ago … The damaging tropes, misogyny and racism inherent in the show completely contradict [our] values and beliefs.” Continue reading...

Exclusive: Source says MoJ permanent secretary made move to prevent incident from escalating into formal complaintDominic Raab behaved so badly in a meeting with the Home Office during his first stint as justice secretary that his department’s top official had to personally apologise to counterparts afterwards, the Guardian has been told.Whitehall sources said the deputy prime minister, who is facing two official complaints over alleged bullying, had acted “so badly and inappropriately” at a high-level meeting earlier this year that the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was forced to call senior officials of the then home secretary, Priti Patel, to express regret. Continue reading...

Move comes amid fears war damage to infrastructure too severe for civilians in newly liberated areas to survive

Ukrainian president makes appeal to Nato members; Russia’s state-run atomic energy agency warns of risk of nuclear accident. This live blog is now closed

Campaigners say poorest people will suffer most as NHS is ‘neglected and private practice becomes the norm’Rishi Sunak is registered with a private GP practice that guarantees that all patients with urgent concerns about their health will be seen “on the day”.The west London clinic used by the prime minister charges £250 for a half-hour consultation and, unlike most NHS GPs across the country, offers appointments in the evenings and at weekends, as well as consultations by email or phone that cost up to £150. Continue reading...

Move comes after lawyers and MPs raised concerns about charitable status of Global Warming Policy FoundationThe Charity Commission has confirmed that it is reviewing a complaint about the Global Warming Policy Foundation after lawyers and MPs formally raised concerns about its charitable status.GWPF exists to question policy around the climate crisis, and was set up by former Conservative chancellor Nigel Lawson, who has said that climate change is not a threat, but “happening very gently at a fraction of a degree per decade, which is something we can perfectly well live with”. Continue reading...

Revelations that vast majority were instead given written warnings will raise fresh concerns about the forceScotland Yard has sacked only 10 of the 412 police officers investigated for their allegedly abusive use of WhatsApp or social media sites such as Facebook in the past five years.The vast majority of the officers disciplined for their conduct were instead given written warnings while others were put on “reflective learning practice” or given “management advice”. Continue reading...

Coroner says delay ‘significantly reduced’ Tony Reedman’s chances of survival after strokeA coroner has concluded that a two-and-a-half-hour wait for an ambulance significantly reduced the chances of a holidaymaker in Cornwall surviving a stroke, and blamed the social care crisis for a series of similar cases in the far south-west of Britain.If the ambulance had reached Tony Reedman, 54, within the target time of 18 minutes, he would have had had a much better chance of responding to treatment, the assistant coroner for Cornwall, Guy Davies, said on Monday. Continue reading...

Janusz Waluś murdered head of communist party in 1993, risking outbreak of political violence before first multiracial electionsSouth Africa’s top court has ordered the release on parole of the man convicted of assassinating anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani, a murder that threatened to plunge the country into political violence before its transition to democracy.Janusz Waluś, 69, killed Hani, a hugely popular leader of the Communist party, a year before South Africa’s first multiracial elections. He was sentenced to life in prison and his applications to be released on parole have been rejected by several justice ministers. Continue reading...

Snowstorm, worst since 2014, closed schools and forced Buffalo Bills to relocate game due to massive 77in lake-effect snowfallJoe Biden is sending federal aid to western New York to help state and local authorities clean up from the massive storm that dumped as much as six feet of snow in western and northern parts of the state, the White House announced on Monday.The emergency declaration authorizes the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief in 11 counties hit by the lake-effect snowstorm on Friday and Saturday. Continue reading...

Charlie Cornish says departure from EU has harmed UK aviation sector’s ability to recruit workers

Rescue operation under way after magnitude-5.6 quake triggers landslides and causes buildings to collapseAt least 162 people have been killed after a magnitude-5.6 earthquake struck Indonesia’s main island of Java, triggering landslides and causing buildings to collapse.The US Geological Survey said the quake, which struck late in the afternoon, was centred in the Cianjur region of West Java province at a depth of 6.2 miles (10km). Continue reading...

Trust that runs historic building falls into liquidation citing ‘unpredictable and below-forecasts’ visitor numbersNottingham Castle has closed its doors to the public after the trust that runs it fell into liquidation, a year after a £33m revamp of the site failed to bring in expected visitor numbers.In a statement published on Monday morning, Nottingham Castle Trust said it was “saddened and hugely disappointed” to be closing. It added that visitors were “significantly below” the 300,000 a year projected after a three-year renovation. Continue reading...

World Cup footballers did not sing before match against England in apparent show of support for protesters back home

Nearly 200 jobs at risk as Iceland Seafood says Grimsby no longer ‘a strategic fit’A fish processing facility in Grimsby employing almost 200 workers is under threat of closure after its owner said Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic had made it too challenging to operate.Iceland Seafood said the site at Grimsby was no longer “a strategic fit” after buying the facility in 2018, and that it would focus on its other European facilities for processing. Continue reading...