World news | The Guardian

Announcement comes after global company posted 47% decline in quarterly earnings in news media

Fast food chain reportedly experimented with mushrooms and chickpeas before settling on breaded cauliflowerChick-fil-A is jumping on the plant-based bandwagon.The Atlanta-based chain said on Thursday that it’s testing its first plant-based entree – a breaded cauliflower sandwich – at restaurants in Denver; Charleston, South Carolina; and the Greensboro, North Carolina, area. The test begins 13 February. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Queensland Police Service ‘exploring its legal options’ after several children granted bail

New Zealand city council says ‘you would be seriously injured or killed’ by lamps weighing up to 15kg, like a microwave or bulk sack of riceNew Zealand’s capital is being plagued by potentially deadly street lights that have begun dropping without warning and smashing on the footpath below.Wellington city council spokesperson Richard MacLean said the council was aware of the problem. The lamp heads weighed up to 15kg (33lb), he said – about equivalent to a bulk sack of rice, full-grown border collie or a microwave oven. They were falling from heights of 4-6m. Continue reading...

Damning report by MPs urges government to ensure safe passage for interpreters and contractors at risk from TalibanSeveral thousand Afghans who helped British forces before the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 remain stranded and at risk from the Taliban because of failures of the government’s settlement schemes, according to a damning report by MPs.The defence select committee’s report urged the government to set out what action it is taking to ensure safe passage to the UK for at least 4,600 Afghans, including interpreters and contractors, who worked for UK forces.A lack of preparedness for the number of potential applicants resulting in under-resourcing, backlogs in applications, and errors in decision making.Poor communications with applicants causing stress to them and increasing correspondence to MPs and others.Unclear and frequently changing eligibility criteria. Continue reading...

The communist party’s propaganda machine pulled out all the stops to ensure the public opinion was in accordance with party narrativeAmid the diplomatic spat over the high-altitude balloon that flew across North America before being shot down by the US air force, China is taking the opportunity to drum up nationalistic fervour among its citizens – and the tactic appears to be working well.The balloon incident has burst the facade of a three-month, uneasy peace between China and the US since the summit between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in November. Continue reading...

Labour candidate Ashley Dalton odds-on favourite to hold seat after resignation of Rosie CooperPolls have closed in the West Lancashire byelection, with Labour confident of retaining the seat it has held since 1992.The bookies have the party at 1/25 to keep hold of the seat where it had a majority of 8,336 in the last election. A result is expected between 2am and 4am. Continue reading...

Reduced ad spends due to rising inflation and higher interest rates have battered Rupert Murdoch’s media conglomerateMedia conglomerate News Corp said on Thursday that it would cut 1,250 jobs after it missed estimates for second-quarter earnings due to weakness in its news and digital real estate businesses.Rising inflation and higher interest rates are forcing companies to curb their ad and marketing spend, denting one of the major sources of revenue for companies such as News Corp, which has major publishing platforms including the Wall Street Journal and New York Post in the US, The Sun and The Times in the UK, and The Australian. Continue reading...

Weather system off the Queensland coast predicted to intensify to category three, with winds of up to 224km/h

Footage showed girl being punched, kicked and having her hair pulled on MondayMPs have called for an investigation into a school after a black pupil was the victim of a serious suspected racist assault.Janet Daby, who represents Lewisham East, said that Thomas Knyvett College in Ashford, Surrey, should be investigated after footage showed a girl being punched, kicked and having her hair pulled on Monday. Continue reading...

Collette Bell says she thought ‘you don’t care’ when told of partner’s death by Ch Supt Garry McEwanA chief superintendent shrugged his shoulders when confronted over whether Sheku Bayoh had been killed by police officers, the inquiry into his death in custody has been told.Bayoh’s partner, Collette Bell, alleged that Ch Supt Garry McEwan, who has now retired, told her that the father of her baby had died during a “forceful arrest” using sprays and batons, and that she responded furiously: “So you battered him to death?” Continue reading...

Daughter of former foreign minister Francisco Aguirre-Sacasa says he is among detainees released, adding: ‘Everybody is on the plane’More than 200 prisoners jailed by Nicaragua’s authoritarian regime during a ferocious two-year political crackdown have been freed and flown to the United States.“This is huge,” Georgiana Aguirre-Sacasa, the daughter of one of the prisoners – the elderly former foreign minister Francisco Aguirre-Sacasa – said on Thursday morning as she digested the news of her father’s release. Continue reading...

Government evaluation of the legislation is the first official review of the policies that led to the Windrush scandalThe Home Office’s hostile environment policies appear to have had a disproportionately negative impact on people of colour, a government evaluation of the legislation has shown.The long-awaited impact assessment of the package of hostile environment measures which were introduced when David Cameron was prime minister, and later rebranded as “compliant environment” policies, reveals for the first time the government’s own assessment of the legislation’s potential risks. Continue reading...

Nurse accused of killing prematurely born infant at fourth attempt during trial for murdering seven babiesA baby girl was killed after a nurse injected air into her stomach three times and ultimately into her bloodstream over a period of three weeks, a court has heard.Lucy Letby, 33, is accused of murdering the prematurely born infant at the fourth attempt during a nightshift at the Countess of Chester hospital’s neonatal unit. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Children as young as three in emergency departments for mental health problems, data obtained by Labour revealsChildren suffering mental health crises spent more than 900,000 hours in A&E in England last year seeking urgent and potentially life-saving help, NHS figures reveal.Experts said the huge amount of time under-18s with mental health issues were spending in A&E was “simply astounding” and showed that NHS services for that vulnerable age group were inadequate. Continue reading...

Previous inclusive policy on initial assignments reversed after furore over rapist sent to female prisonAll transgender offenders entering the Scottish prison system will first be sent to jails that match their birth gender, in a reversal of the Scottish Prison Service’s (SPS) previous inclusive policy.The announcement came in an urgent review into the handling of the case of Isla Bryson, a transgender double rapist who was initially sent to a female prison, resulting in a public outcry. Continue reading...

Ipso received more than 25,000 complaints about piece in which presenter said he ‘hated’ duchessThe UK’s press watchdog is to investigate Jeremy Clarkson’s column in the Sun about the Duchess of Sussex after it received more than 25,100 complaints.The Duke and Duchess last month accused the presenter of writing articles “that spread hate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories and misogyny” after he wrote that he “hated” Meghan and had dreamed of her being paraded naked through British towns and publicly shamed. Continue reading...

Some MPs accuse former prime minister of damaging the party with her comeback weeks before budgetConservative infighting before next month’s budget has intensified as allies of Liz Truss repeated their calls for sweeping tax cuts but other MPs accused the former prime minister of damaging the party with her comeback.With just weeks until Jeremy Hunt announces his first budget, Tory MPs argued in public about how to rescue the party’s reputation with voters, as an MRP (multilevel regression and post-stratification) poll showed the Conservatives could be heading for near-wipeout at the next election. Continue reading...

Passing of motion at General Synod represents profound shift in church’s stance on homosexualityChurch of England priests will be permitted to bless the civil marriages of same-sex couples in a profound shift in the church’s stance on homosexuality after a historic vote by its governing body.The first blessings for gay couples could happen this summer. Individual churches will be encouraged to state clearly whether they will offer blessings to avoid confusion and disappointment. Continue reading...

Comments from Downing Street come as Zelenskiy follows up trip to UK with Brussels visit in the hope of receiving more military aid

Faisal Abdullah thanks Michael Gove for announcing ‘Awaab’s law’, after death of two-year-old in RochdaleThe father of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who was killed by mould in a social housing flat, has welcomed a new law to prevent a repeat tragedy, saying: “We are finally starting to feel like we are being treated fairly.”Faisal Abdullah met Michael Gove, the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, on Thursday as the government announced a new “Awaab’s law” that will set deadlines for landlords in England and Wales to tackle reported hazards. Continue reading...

This live blog has now closed, you can read more on this story hereRishi Sunak has recorded a TV interview this morning, and he has had to explain that, unlike his party’s new deputy chairman, he is not in favour of the death penalty. The full clip has not been shown yet, but PA Media has the quotes.As he confirmed that he disagreed with Lee Anderson on the death penalty, he also claimed his party was “united” in wanting to tackle crime. Asked if he agreed with Anderson, he replied:That’s not my view, that’s not the government’s view.But we are united in the Conservative party in wanting to be absolutely relentless in bearing down on crime and making sure people are safe and feel safe.It’s why we’re on our way to having 20,000 more police officers on our streets and we’re giving those police officers more powers to tackle crime, whether it’s stop and search or just this week in parliament we are giving police officers the power to tackle violent and extremist protesters.That’s because we want to make sure people are safe, they feel safe and that’s what we’re doing. Continue reading...

Renewable project on edge of Bristol has overcome planning hurdles and will empower local housing estateA muddy, forgotten patch of land, sandwiched between a gas power station and a car breakage plant, will be home to England’s tallest wind turbine by the end of next week.The turbine, which will stand 150 meters tall from its base to the tip of its blade, is owned by a group of residents from nearby Lawrence Weston, a deprived housing estate on the fringes of Bristol, and some of the income it generates will be used to help the local community. Continue reading...

Singer and performer, who wrote Walk on By and What the World Needs Now Is Love, died at home in Los Angeles of natural causes

Mattia Muggittu says he feels like David v Goliath as energy drink firm disputes branding on his first bottlesA small wine producer in Sardinia accused by the maker of the energy drink Red Bull of copying its logo has said he feels as if he is in a David and Goliath battle against the Austrian company.Mattia Muggittu, the owner of Muggittu di Mamoiada, had just produced his first bottle of wine, which features two traditional Sardinian oxen tied together on its label, when he received a legal notice from Red Bull claiming the image bore similarities to the one on its energy drink depicting two bulls charging at each other inside a golden sun. Continue reading...

Extra powers granted to allow removal of people taking photos and video at scene of 45-year-old’s disappearancePolice have been granted extra powers to remove social media influencers from the scene where Nicola Bulley went missing in Lancashire.A dispersal order was put in place on Wednesday night meaning anyone taking photos and video for social media following the 45-year-old’s disappearance 13 days ago, can be sent away. Continue reading...

Move by NI secretary means Stormont could continue to be in abeyance until April 2024Elections for the Northern Ireland assembly are to be delayed again, with a new deadline of 18 January next year for the Democratic Unionist party to return to power-sharing, the government has announced.The decision to delay the formation of an executive means Stormont could legally be in abeyance until 11 April 2024, 12 weeks after the government will be obliged to call an election under the proposed law. Continue reading...

Lee Anderson, who was given role on Tuesday, also called for a naval ‘standoff’ in the Channel over small boats

Serhiy Haidai says Moscow’s forces are trying unsuccessfully to advance westwards in ‘maximum’ escalation

Minister urged to ‘come clean on why she didn’t declare political interest’ in Joanne Cash’s EHRC appointmentThe business secretary, Kemi Badenoch, has appointed an equalities commissioner who had previously donated to her leadership campaign, the Guardian can reveal.Joanne Cash, a former Tory candidate, was made a commissioner to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) board in January. Badenoch announced the appointment, in her capacity as equalities minister, saying Cash had “a track record of promoting women’s rights and freedom of expression”. Continue reading...

Almost 3,000 people remain behind bars in England and Wales under ‘imprisonment for public protection’ scheme abolished in 2012The UK government has rejected a call for prisoners detained indefinitely to be resentenced, in a move criticised as a “missed opportunity to right a wrong” by the chair of the justice committee.A report by the cross-party justice committee, published last year, said people stuck in prison under the now abolished imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme should be resentenced. Continue reading...

Australian union leader says the absence of labour market expertise on the RBA board had caused ‘missteps’

Posts amplify content about sexual assault and misconduct allegations in Parliament House in order to undermine trust in political system, researchers say

Exclusive: Department of the prime minister and cabinet has revealed Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg also knew of the decision

Sanchia Romani awarded damages after officers ignored her ‘no trespassing’ signs in August 2021

Exclusive: finding comes as Netflix prepares to crack down on users sharing login details outside their household

Government warned it could be found liable over contraction of sexually transmitted diseases in only state still opposing distribution

Dundee-based company, which also owns Scottish regional newspapers, to close almost 40 magazinesThe publisher of the Beano and Scottish newspapers including the Press and Journal and the Courier is to cut almost a fifth of its workforce and shut almost 40 magazines as the economic downturn forces a digitally-focused “reset” of the business.Dundee-based DC Thomson, which also owns businesses including the fashion title Stylist, is to cut 300 of its 1,600 workforce in a bid to shave £10m of costs. Continue reading...

Lawyers for Jaskeerat Singh Gulshan challenge policy concerning ceremonial blade that must be worn at all times, the kirpanPractising Sikhs are at risk of being unlawfully banned from entering courthouses or tribunals in England and Wales under current guidelines, according to a case being heard on Thursday by the lord chief justice and the vice president of the court of appeal.In a hearing that experts say is of national importance , lawyers for Jaskeerat Singh Gulshan are challenging the security policy of the courts and tribunals concerning kirpans, the ceremonial blade that practising Sikhs must have on their person at all times. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president addresses European parliament and is due to meet all 27 European Union leaders

In plea for military aid, Vadym Voroshylov explains why modern planes are needed for defence against RussiaA Ukrainian fighter pilot who shot down five Iranian drones in one day has said he could learn how to fly a western jet within a few months – and help his country act as “a safe shield for the world” against Russian aggression.Maj Vadym Voroshylov, a well known figure in his homeland, said he believed it would take “up to three months to learn all the combat tasks” given his years of experience of flying in a Soviet-era MiG-29. Continue reading...

Ofcom could implement tougher protections against hefty bill increases midway through contractsThe UK telecoms regulator has launched an investigation into the industry-wide practice of hitting broadband and mobile customers with inflation-busting price rises of up to 17% and could bring in tougher protections against hefty mid-contract increases.Ofcom, which in December launched a separate investigation into the sales tactics used by telecoms companies, said it could intervene to ensure consumers struggling with the cost of living crisis have “greater clarity and certainty” over how much they are likely to pay over the course of their contract. Continue reading...

Berlin government attempts to pour cold water over prominent voices seeking to reverse Merkel-era phase outPolitical and military figures in Germany have suggested a return of compulsory military service after the new defence minister described the 2011 phase-out of general conscription as a “mistake” that had contributed to alienating the general public from civic institutions.The German parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, Eva Högl of the centre-left SPD, on Wednesday urged the government to ask itself whether some form of obligatory civic service was required to address staff shortages in the German army’s ranks. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Former Greens senator says she will be guided by activists and elders as she pledges to champion the Blak sovereignty movement

This blog is now closed. Follow our next Australia news live blog here when it launches

Further slowdown likely amid interest rate rise and cost of living crisis, says surveyors’ body RicsProperty sales and house prices continued to decline across the UK in January, while new buyer demand and fresh listings were also down, surveyors have reported.A net balance of -47% for new buyer inquiries was reported, down from -40% in December, according to the latest monthly snapshot from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics). The January return marked the ninth successive negative monthly reading for new buyer inquiries. Continue reading...

Jeremy Hunt urged to reconsider raising state-subsidised energy rate from April as market prices make delay affordableJeremy Hunt must act now to reverse plans to raise energy bills from April, MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis has warned, saying the change cannot wait until the spring budget next month.In a letter to the chancellor seen by the Guardian, Lewis warned more than 1.7m more households could be plunged into fuel poverty if he does not urgently commit to freezing energy prices. Continue reading...

Researchers say food and energy security boosts prospects for civilisation to continue, along with Vanuatu, Iceland and Solomon IslandsThe lucky country can count on one more piece of good fortune, with researchers finding Australia – followed by neighbour New Zealand – best placed to survive a nuclear winter and help reboot a collapsed human civilisation.The study published in the journal Risk Analysis describes Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as the island countries most capable of producing enough food for their populations after an “abrupt sunlight‐reducing catastrophe” such as a nuclear war, super volcano or asteroid strike. Continue reading...

Can Pahali’s body was found among the rubble after members of his family flew to Turkey from Australia to help search for him

Kim Ju-ae attends anniversary military parade and banquet at which Kim Jong-un praises ‘strongest army in the world’North Korea has put on its biggest display yet of long-range missiles at a parade to mark a key military anniversary, as speculation grows that the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is grooming his daughter as a possible successor.State media said the nuclear-armed North displayed multiple long-range missiles at a parade late on Wednesday to mark the 75th anniversary of its army, with analysts saying they included what appeared to be a new, solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Continue reading...