World news | The Guardian

Officials drawn from AFP and the Australian Signals Directorate to form ‘joint standing operation’ against cybercriminal syndicates

Labour said Jack McKenna was leaving of his own accord and with ‘clean record’A former senior aide to Angela Rayner is believed to have been given a significant payout by Labour after the party acknowledged there had been “misleading and unauthorised leaks” about him to the media.Labour said Jack McKenna, the former communications chief to the party’s deputy leader, was leaving of his own accord and with a “clean record” and that Keir Starmer wishes him well for the future. Continue reading...

Video apparently shows crowds marching in Zahedan to condemn 30 September massacre of activistsThousands of Iranians protested in the restive south-east to mark a 30 September crackdown by security forces known as “Bloody Friday” as the country’s rulers faced persistent nationwide unrest.Amnesty International said security forces unlawfully killed at least 66 people in September after firing at protesters in Zahedan, capital of flashpoint Sistan and Baluchistan province. Authorities said dissidents had provoked the clashes. Continue reading...

Deputy ambassador summoned after Met police warns of credible threats to journalists reporting on Iran protestsThe Foreign Office has summoned the Iranian deputy ambassador over allegations that two London-based journalists have faced death threats from Tehran-backed agents over the reporting of the country’s protests.The news channel Iran International took precautionary steps to protect its reporters after being informed by the Metropolitan police earlier this week that it believes there were credible threats to the journalists’ lives. The two reporters have not been named nor the precise threats detailed. Continue reading...

Quarantine periods shortened by two days but Beijing government ‘will not waver’ from strict zero-Covid policyChina has eased some of its strict Covid rules in an apparent attempt to alleviate economic pressures and cool escalating discontent, though authorities insist their “war” against the pandemic remains unchanged.The changes include shortening quarantine periods by two days for close contacts of infected people and for travellers arriving in the country, as well as scrapping a rule that penalises airlines for bringing in too many cases. Continue reading...

Those living in the south-west, north-west and London most likely to have care disrupted, research also suggestsUp to 3 million patients in England could have their surgery delayed because of the looming NHS-wide strikes by nurses, new research shows.A total of 2.99 million people are waiting to have an operation at the dozens of hospitals in England where members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will start striking next month. Continue reading...

Widespread showers and storms forecast for Sunday could cause rapid river rises and flash flooding in parts of NSW and Victoria

UN calls for international action as regime announces public trials for protesters and Iranian lawmakers seek harsh punishmentThree weeks after he was violently arrested at his home by Iran’s security forces, Saman Yasin, a young Kurdish artist and rapper, is facing execution. He has been charged with waging war against God after posting his support for anti-regime protesters on social media.His fate, which will be decided in the coming days by the Iranian courts, could be shared by thousands of other young protesters being held in detention as human rights organisations warn that the regime may unleash a bloody campaign of revenge in an attempt to quash continuing protests. Continue reading...

Tehran’s supply of drones to Moscow deepens a collaboration between two unlikely alliesWhen a Russian plane arrived in Iran with €140m in cash and a booty of captured western weapons, an exchange for Iranian drones, it marked a new phase in a seven-year alliance between two unlikely bedfellows.The delivery of cash and weapons was reportedly made in August, after Russia received its first deliveries of drones to support its war in Ukraine. It was Iran’s first known contribution to the Russian offensive in Europe. But the bond between the two countries had been forged on another continent ravaged by war, the Middle East. Continue reading...

Mother of murdered sisters Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry says unless Mark Rowley makes changes in force she is ‘coming for him’Women’s safety campaigner Mina Smallman has warned the new Metropolitan police commissioner that she is giving him 100 days to address sexism and racism in the police force and “unless things have changed I’ll be coming for him”.Smallman was thrust into the public eye after criticising the Met for failings in handling the case of the murder of her two daughters, Nicole Smallman, 27, and Bibaa Henry, 46, in a satanic ritual during the pandemic. Continue reading...

Exclusive: John Gomperts returned ancient objects worth up to £80,000 he had inherited from his grandmotherAn American man has returned 19 antiquities to the four countries they came from after reading reports in the Guardian about the repatriation of looted antiquities.John Gomperts, who lives in Washington, realised that the ancient pieces worth up to £80,000 – including two 7th- and 8th-century Cypriot vases – that he had inherited from his grandmother could have come from illicit excavations because they have no collecting history. Continue reading...

Protesters have thrown soup and glued themselves to famous artworks around the world, prompting response by high-profile galleries including Moma and the LouvreClimate activists targeting masterpieces around the world are not fully aware of how delicate the artworks are, the directors of almost 100 galleries have warned, saying they have been “deeply shaken” by the attacks.This year, famous artworks have been attacked by protesters from various activist groups demanding action on the climate crisis. The incidents include a German environmental group throwing mashed potatoes at a Claude Monet painting in a Potsdam museum, activists from Just Stop Oil throwing tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery in London, a group splashing pea soup on a van Gogh masterpiece in Rome, Extinction Rebellion campaigners targeting a Picasso painting in Melbourne, and activists gluing themselves to artworks by Botticelli, Boccioni, Van Gogh and other old masters. Continue reading...

No one else was involved, ACT police say, with complex investigation ongoing

Commissioner Reece Kershaw says AFP has ‘significant runs on the scoreboard when it comes to bringing overseas offenders back to face justice’

Former NSW premier tells parliamentary committee of ‘limited discussion’ about sight lines at 2015 meeting

Appointment of veteran energy executive was announced during radio interview on Friday before minister Matt Kean had been informed

Three guest panellists give their verdict on how the parties performed in the second week of the 2022 state election campaign

Gatto had vowed to fight ‘tooth and nail all the way’ after losing defamation battle over report he says falsely implied he was a hitman and murderer

The AirDrop function was being used to anonymously share digital leaflets with strangers, but has now been restricted on iPhones in ChinaApple has limited filesharing features on iPhones in China, a month after reports that anti-government protesters were using the function to share digital leaflets with strangers.Under the update to the AirDrop function released on Thursday, iPhone users in China can only opt in to receive files from non contacts during a 10-minute window before it automatically shuts off. The feature did not previously have a time limit. Continue reading...

Former chancellor says he warned Truss she would be out in two months if she ‘carried on like this’Kwasi Kwarteng has revealed he told Liz Truss to “slow down” and warned her she would “have two months” if she continued at the same rate with her radical mini-budget measures.Kwarteng, who was sacked as chancellor last month by the then-prime minister after less than six weeks in the job, also criticised the “mad” decision to dismiss him for implementing her tax-cutting agenda. Continue reading...

Dive team discovered space vehicle ‘artifact’ from 1986 explosion that killed all seven astronauts onboard, including civilian teacherNasa has confirmed the recovery of debris from the Challenger spaceship that exploded less than two minutes after its launch and killed all seven members onboard in 1986.In Thursday’s announcement, the space agency said the “artifact” was discovered by a film crew that was in search of aircraft from the second world war off the east coast of Florida. Continue reading...

Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose party helped prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu back to power, praises Meir Kahane at memorialA far-right Israeli lawmaker, whose surging popularity helped propel former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu back to power in last week’s general election, has delivered a glowing tribute at a memorial event for an extremist rabbi assassinated in 1990.Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose ultra-nationalist Jewish Power party emerged as the second biggest group in Netanyahu’s bloc and the third largest in the country, praised the late racist rabbi Meir Kahane in a speech at the memorial in Jerusalem on Thursday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Business secretary acts after Elon Musk announces sudden job cuts including staff at British operationsThe business secretary, Grant Shapps, has written to Twitter to ensure it is complying with UK law after the US company’s new owner, Elon Musk, announced that hundreds of its British staff would be fired.Musk took control of the social media platform at the end of October, and within days launched deep job cuts, with as many as 3,700 redundancies expected worldwide. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Call for FSM income cap to be raised as children in England come to school with mouldy bread or even nothing​​• How families on the breadline are ineligible for FSMs

New analysis of weather data suggests potential for severe flash flooding has increased far beyond predictions

Firm messaged German customers to suggest they ‘commemorate’ Nazi atrocity by eating its foodKFC has apologised for a push notification sent out via its app inviting German customers to celebrate the anniversary of the Nazi Kristallnacht pogrom against Jews by ordering fried chicken and cheese.It sent the message to its customers on Wednesday, the 84thanniversary of the Night of Broken Glass in which Nazis led gangs in the torching, vandalising and ransacking of Jewish shops, businesses and synagogues across Germany. The event is seen as the beginning of the Nazis’ systematic attempt to annihilate Europe’s Jewish population. Continue reading...

Norbord Europe employee was asked to clear out hot ash from a gas duct over a wood dryerA chipboard firm has been fined more than £2m after a worker at its Scottish plant died from catastrophic burns sustained while cleaning hot ash from machinery.Norbord Europe, one of the world’s largest chipboard makers, was found guilty of two health and safety breaches at its plant in Cowie, Stirlingshire, in a unanimous verdict by a jury at Perth sheriff court in early November. Continue reading...

This live blog has now closed, you can read more on this story hereAccording to Pat Leahy, political editor of the Irish Times, the Irish government is doubtful about the prospect of a breakthrough in the coming weeks in the talks on the Northern Ireland protocol.In his Sky News interview Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary, also suggested that large number of politicians in parliament are voting for Matt Hancock to perform “grim” tasks on I’m A Celebrity. My colleague Aubrey Allegretti has the story here. Continue reading...

Mother of teenager murdered in 1993 racist attack talks of rawness, guilt and resolve to fightDoreen Lawrence, who has campaigned tirelessly for justice and equality since her son was killed in an unprovoked racist attack in 1993, has spoken candidly for the first time about finding her inner strength after the brutal murder that seized Britain.In a BBC Maestro course released on Thursday, Lady Lawrence reflects on being thrust into the spotlight and having to publicly mourn her son Stephen, then 18, who was stabbed while waiting for a bus in Eltham, south London, nearly 30 years ago. Continue reading...

Criminal trials may not start before 2025 and government pledges have not yet been delivered

While the government apologised, the counsel attacked companies for a ‘merry-go-round of buck-passing’

Huw Merriman appears supportive of city’s re-inclusion in NPR plans but says decision remains with TreasuryHopes that a planned northern high-speed railway line may include Bradford after all have been raised after the new rail minister said he was still “working on options” to link in the city.Huw Merriman said he was “committed to local consultation” and “passionate about delivering better services” to Bradford, whose removal from the future high-speed rail map last year provoked uproar in the north. Continue reading...

Editor of Harden restaurant guides says prices of more than £200 a head at top eateries are ‘becoming the norm’The price of a meal at the UK’s best restaurants has more than doubled since Brexit from £100 a head to more than £200, according to two new guide books.Peter Harden, the editor of his eponymous restaurant guides, said: “We’ve gone very quickly from a time five years ago when charging over £100 a head was the outlier, to now, when for the very top restaurants £200 pounds a head is becoming the norm.” Continue reading...

Sharp rise in people leaving labour market in past three years could be related to home working since CovidBack and neck injuries caused by working from home during the Covid pandemic has been identified by the UK’s official number crunchers as a possible factor contributing to a sharp rise in people leaving the labour market over the past three years.The Office for National Statistics said there had been a marked increase in disabilities often associated by medical experts with excessive screen use, after the increase in the number of people home working while offices were shut during the pandemic. Continue reading...

Firm reports £63m profit in year to August and prepares for strong Christmas sales at travel hubsWH Smith will pay a dividend for the first time in three years as it expects a strong Christmas after a return to foreign holidays helped the books-to-stationery retailer return to the black.The company reported a £63m profit in the year to August, after a loss of £116m a year earlier, as sales soared 58% to £1.4bn. Continue reading...

Steven Craig served jail time for 1998 petrol attack and was re-arrested after her death in 2019A man has been jailed for life and told he will serve at least 15 years for the “sadistic” and “monstrous” murder of his partner, who died 21 years after he doused her with petrol and set her on fire.In what is believed to be a legal first, Steven Craig, 58, was convicted of murdering Jacqueline Kirk more than two decades after the attack, having already served almost 19 years in prison for it. Continue reading...

One hundred thousand PCS members across public sector will join nurses in wave of stoppages

Gemma White KC, appointed by BBC to look into concerns about DJ’s conduct, thanks those who have already contacted herThe barrister leading an independent review of concerns regarding Tim Westwood’s conduct during his two decades at the BBC has extended the deadline for evidence.Gemma White KC was appointed by the BBC in August after an internal review of allegations against the DJ found that the corporation may have missed chances to explore concerns raised over the behaviour of the former Radio 1 and Capital Xtra DJ.Anyone with information is being asked to contact the review on GWKCBBCReview@blackstonechambers.com, or by post, marked for the attention of Gemma White KC BBC Review, to Linklaters LLP, One Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8HQ. Respondents can request a meeting with Gemma White and ask for Jahnine Davis to be present. Continue reading...

Chris Heaton-Harris refuses to say if nurses should be paid same as politicians, amid RCN warning NHS services are unsafe

US general’s remarks come as experts say potential winter lull in fighting could offer chance for negotiations• Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updatesAmerica’s top general has estimated that 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Ukraine, and that Kyiv’s armed forces have “probably” suffered a similar level of casualties in the war.Gen Mark Milley also suggested that as many as 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed after being caught up in the conflict. Continue reading...

Leave backer Lord Wolfson says UK must let in much-needed overseas workers to plug chronic labour shortagesSimon Wolfson, the chief executive of clothing and homeware retail Next has urged the government to make it easier to allow foreign workers into the UK and said this is “not the Brexit I wanted”.The Conservative peer and Brexit supporter said the government was blocking much-needed workers from entering the UK, even though firms were desperate for labour. Continue reading...

Trussell Trust research shows profile of food bank users changing as cost of living bites• Nurses among rising numbers of workers using food banks, research showsJenny estimates she eats four days a week, if she’s lucky. She’s clearly underweight and worryingly thin but she’s not the priority, she said. “I will go without to let my kids have.”She lives in a house with her children and grandchildren, including a young baby who, at the moment, is always cold. They wrap themselves in quilts to keep warm. “I daren’t put the heating on. I get a little heater out for the bairn. He’s absolutely gorgeous but I am panicking … his little hands are cold. The house is absolutely freezing.” Continue reading...

Criticism of state-wide rollout of extraordinary knife-search powers comes as report says metal detector trial didn’t reduce violence

Critics say everyday UK consumer spending has funnelled billions to controversial World Cup host since 2010Some of the UK’s largest listed companies including water and energy giants have handed almost £500m to Qatari state-owned investors this year, raising concerns that blue-chip company profits are supporting the controversial World Cup host.The dividend payouts are the result of the Gulf nation’s investments in a raft of FTSE 100 firms, including Barclays, Shell and utility firm Severn Trent, which have reported strong profits amid a cost of living crisis and the worst UK drought in centuries. Continue reading...

Call over protecting most vulnerable citizens comes before UN review of Britain’s human rights recordAngola has urged the UK to adopt an emergency poverty strategy to protect its most vulnerable citizens from the cost-of-living crisis.The call – from a country where more than half of its population of 34 million people live on less than $2 (£1.75) a day, on behalf of citizens of one of the world’s richest – was among several concerns raised before a UN review of the UK’s human rights record today. Continue reading...

Anxiety Nation report finds clear links between financial insecurity and poor mental healthPrivate renters are twice as likely as homeowners to suffer symptoms of anxiety, according to research that finds clear evidence of the links between financial insecurity and poor mental health.In a report called Anxiety Nation, researchers from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) thinktank found that people with money problems were significantly more likely to report suffering sleepless nights, feeling depressed, and lacking in energy. Continue reading...

Foreign minister says decisions on recognising the state of Palestine are a ‘matter for government’ despite prior resolution from Labor national conferences

Royal commission also shown key 2015 document confirming Scott Morrison’s request for welfare ‘compliance’ measures

Dawson’s daughter Shanelle tells sentencing hearing ‘the night you removed our mother from our lives was the night you destroyed our sense of safety’

Comprehensive database of Benin bronzes held by museums raises questions about where they belong by charting provenanceCheerfully gnashing their magnificent fangs as they stand side by side, the two bronze leopards look back on a journey that was as adventurous as it was cruelly absurd.Looted by British soldiers on a punitive expedition to the west African kingdom of Benin in 1897, the bronzes were shipped to the UK, where they spent some time guarding the fireplace of army captain George William Neville’s Weybridge home. They were later put in display at Moma in New York and bought by a French art collector – who eventually sold them back to the colonial administration in Lagos in 1952 with a considerable mark-up. Continue reading...