The independent review will examine delivery models, project governance and passenger impactsSydney’s ongoing Metro program will undergo a major review after it was revealed the cost of the project has already blown out by $21bn.After taking over the program from the previous government, the NSW premier, Chris Minns, said it has been plagued by cost overruns and significant time delays. Continue reading...
Post-Brexit rules on touring under fire as it emerges Trigger Cut may have been turned away due to not being full-time musiciansA German punk rock band that was refused entry to the UK because of “opaque and confusing” post-Brexit rules may have been turned away at the border because they are not full-time professional musicians and have day jobs, the Guardian has learned.Trigger Cut, a three-piece from Stuttgart, should have been on a seven-date tour of the UK this week, but were refused entry by UK border guards at Calais last Thursday. Continue reading...
Programme is for people aged between nine and 24 who are experiencing extreme social withdrawalSouth Korea is to offer reclusive youths a monthly living allowance of 650,000 won ($490) in order to encourage them out of their homes, as part of a new measure passed by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. The measure also offers education, job and health support.The condition is known as “hikikomori”, a Japanese term that roughly translated means, “to pull back”. The government wants to try to make it easier for those experiencing it to leave the house to go to school, university or work. Continue reading...
Mint collection of historical Canadian stamps and rare set from Laos were given to royals as state giftsThe royal family appears to have appropriated two sets of stamps that were official state gifts, incorporating them into an extraordinarily valuable private stamp collection that King Charles inherited from his mother.The gifts, a mint collection of historical Canadian stamps and a rare set of stamps from Laos, were formally given to the royal family as state gifts. They appear to have been subsumed into the royal philatelic collection (RPC), a private trove of rare stamps estimated to be worth at least £100m. Continue reading...
US documents reportedly describe private conversations between António Guterres and his deputy, including on Black Sea export grain dealThe US felt UN secretary general António Guterres was too sympathetic to Russia’s interests when renegotiating the Black Sea grain deal, documents from the leaked Pentagon files reportedly suggested.The report emerged as the Kremlin warned on Wednesday that the outlook for extending the deal beyond 18 May was “not so great” because Russia’s own such exports still faced obstacles. Continue reading...
by Presented by Hannah Moore with Jessica Elgot; prod on (#6AR77)
The party’s latest ad campaign launches personal attacks on Rishi Sunak. What’s behind its new ruthless approach?Labour’s new attack ad campaign came as a shock, even to some senior members of the party. Its social media strategy ahead of next month’s local elections started with a highly personal attack on Rishi Sunak, suggesting he somehow does not think adults who sexually assault children should go to prison. It was followed by another ad focusing on the Sunak family’s taxes.It’s a marked change from Keir Starmer’s previous approach of emphasising his personal integrity and insisting he wants to bring honesty back into politics. So what’s changed? The Guardian’s deputy political editor, Jessica Elgot, explains what it says about the party’s confidence, unity – and the threat posed by Sunak. And she tells Hannah Moore whether it could mean the next general election will be be the most ruthlessly fought yet. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler Social policy editor on (#6AR39)
Local government ombudsman rules that delay in finding suitable accommodation for family caused serious health risksA severely disabled child missed out on vital NHS surgery and was left in chronic pain for more than three years because a council failed to move them out of unsuitable housing despite repeated pleas from health professionals, a watchdog has ruled.Lambeth council in London was fined £20,000 by the local government and social care ombudsman for a catalogue of service failures and administrative errors that left the child unsafe and in “significant and avoidable distress” and her mother at risk of serious injury.Child Y’s constant pain, requiring injections and medication, could be relieved only through surgery, yet this was being delayed because the unsuitability of the family’s home meant Child Y could not safely return after an operation.Sitting in the wheelchair for long periods caused so much pain that Child Y’s school had bought a specialist bed in which they would be wheeled around the school to ensure they could access lessons.At home, Child Y and her mother were at risk of injury from manual handling because they were unable to use proper equipment. Because of the lack of space, Child Y could not be positioned properly for eating and was at risk of choking. Continue reading...
Rics monthly poll shows new buyer inquiries in UK are flat as volume of agreed sales falls furtherUK house prices are expected to continue to fall despite surveyors’ expectations that the housing market will stabilise over the next 12 months, a study has shown.The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ (Rics) monthly survey, which measures the proportion of surveyors reporting new buyer inquiries against those saying they fell, found the net balance was -29% in March, almost flat on the -30% recorded in February. Continue reading...
Government sleepwalking, junk food and rising inactivity have created a health emergency that has been warned of for decadesThe warnings about a looming, large and potentially lethal diabetes crisis in the UK have been sounded for years. Tragically, there is no longer any need for warnings.Diabetes UK’s grim report confirms the worst: 5 million people are now living with diabetes, a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation. Continue reading...
Diabetes UK study also expresses concern about growing number of younger people with type 2The UK is experiencing a “rapidly escalating” diabetes crisis, with cases topping five million for the first time and under-40s increasingly affected, a report has revealed.About 90% of diabetes patients have type 2, a condition much more likely to develop if people are overweight. About two-thirds of adults in the UK are overweight or obese. Continue reading...
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities says measure is needed to protect housing for local families and workersPeople who convert homes into short-term holiday lets would require planning permission in tourist hotspots in England under government plans.The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has said it will consult on the change as well as whether to give owners flexibility to let out their home for a maximum number of nights a year without the need for the permission. Continue reading...
Researchers say improved health screening of people arriving in small boats is needed to prevent outbreaksHealth experts are calling for better care for asylum seekers as research reveals small boat crossings have been linked to a sharp increase in diphtheria cases in the UK and across Europe.Reception centres in the UK have hit by a series of scandals in recent months, including outbreaks of disease and reports that offers of assistance from public health leaders have been declined by the Home Office. Continue reading...
BBC presenter contributes to £88,000 fund in response to attack on Carly Burd’s initiative to help feed vulnerable people in EssexGary Lineker has donated money to a woman’s charity allotment, which had been used to feed more than 1,600 people during the cost of living crisis, after vandals ruined her land by pouring salt over it.Carly Burd, from Harlow in Essex, transformed her garden into an allotment to help feed people who were struggling to pay for food. The 43-year-old visited the plot of land last Saturday to discover that about 5kg of salt, which causes plants to dehydrate, had been poured over the areas where she grew organic produce. Continue reading...
Piran Ditta Khan, arrested in Pakistan in 2020, is accused of killing police officer in Bradford in 2005A 74-year-old man has been extradited from Pakistan to be charged with the murder of PC Sharon Beshenivsky, who was shot dead in Bradford in 2005.Piran Ditta Khan was brought back to the UK on Tuesday and taken into custody at a West Yorkshire police station, where he was charged with killing the 38-year-old officer. He is also charged with robbery, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon. Continue reading...
by Agence France-Presse in Los Angeles on (#6AQX2)
After murdering her friend’s mother as a teenager, as dramatised in film Heavenly Creatures, she turned to writing period thrillersA British crime writer who helped bludgeon her friend’s mother to death as a teenager and was the inspiration for Peter Jackson’s film Heavenly Creatures has died in Los Angeles, her publisher announced Wednesday. She was 84.Anne Perry, a prolific author whose period thrillers have sold over 25m copies worldwide, was 15 years old when she and her friend Pauline Parker murdered Pauline’s mother in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1954. Honora Mary Parker died after being hit with a brick about 20 times, in a killing that shocked and captivated the country. Continue reading...
French president reaffirms Sunday’s call for Europe to act more independently from US over China and TaiwanEmmanuel Macron has stood by his controversial comments on Taiwan, repeating that being a US ally did not mean being a “vassal”.At the end of a state visit to the Netherlands during which he has also faced protests over pension reforms at home, Macron appeared to reaffirm the remarks he made in an interview on Sunday, in which he called for Europe to act more independently from the US over Taiwan. Continue reading...
Exasperated former California governor takes action but officials say ‘giant pothole’ is actually service trench dug by utility workersIt was not one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most prominent roles, but is proving to be disproportionately controversial. The Hollywood star and former California governor filmed himself filling in a troublesome pothole near his Los Angeles home, proffering it as an act of civic responsibility by an exasperated resident. But he was then told by the authorities it wasn’t officially a pothole at all.According to city officials, the “giant pothole” Schwarzenegger and a friend packed with quick-drying cement and topped with sand was actually an essential service trench for work being performed by a utility company in the Brentwood neighborhood. Continue reading...
US president tells Belfast audience that current figure could triple and hopes ‘assembly and executive will soon be restored’Joe Biden has dangled a $6bn (£5bn) carrot in front of Northern Ireland’s leaders with a promise to boost the country’s economy with US investment if power sharing is restored.In a thinly veiled message to the Democratic Unionist party, which has been boycotting the devolved government for more than a year, the US president told an audience in Belfast that American investors were ready to “triple” the $2bn already invested. Continue reading...
French president also criticised for saying Europe should act independently from US over TaiwanEmmanuel Macron was heckled and jeered on a state visit to the Netherlands as he faced pressure over both raising the French pension age and his warning that Europe must not become “vassals” in a US conflict with China over Taiwan.The French president was due to give a speech on European strategic autonomy when two demonstrators against his pension changes were arrested as they ran towards him on his arrival at the University of Amsterdam. Continue reading...
Move of London’s live broadcast centre to Doha could involve dozens of job lossesAl Jazeera English plans to close its live broadcast centre that operates from London’s Shard skyscraper and move programming to Qatar, with the possible loss of dozens of UK-based jobs.In an email to staff, the network’s managing director, Giles Trendle, said Al Jazeera was “looking to undertake a restructure involving the move of AJE live programming to Doha. The move would include the news bulletins between 1900GMT and 2300GMT produced from London, and The Stream programme produced from Washington DC.” Continue reading...
Company did not admit wrongdoing in settlement regarding unlawfully marketing its addictive products to minorsE-cigarette maker Juul has agreed to pay $462m to settle claims by six US states including New York and California that it unlawfully marketed its addictive products to minors, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.With the deal, Juul Labs Inc will have settled with 45 states for more than $1bn. The company did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement, which also included Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico as well as the District of Columbia. Continue reading...
Musicians have shared tributes on social media to the singer and producer, who influenced dub stars and punk musicians alikeDub and reggae pioneer Jah Shaka has died, according to social media posts from close friends and collaborators. His precise age and the cause of death have not been disclosed.The singer, producer and label owner also known as Zulu Warrior was at the helm of sound system culture in London, releasing some of the scene’s most seminal records and spearheading the influential Jah Shaka Sound System, which he began operating and touring in the 1970s. Continue reading...
Mock hospital drills held as new Omicron variant suspected of causing highest number of infections since 2022India has experienced its highest number of Covid infections in months, reportedly caused by a new variant, with almost 8,000 new cases reported on Wednesday.Mock drills were carried out in hospitals and some states reintroduced mask mandates over concerns at the increase, with more than 40,000 active cases across India, the highest since last year. Continue reading...
Party leader says US president’s Belfast speech was ‘measured’ as he refuses to support claims by his own partyPerhaps anxious to show that he does not hate Britain, or Northern Ireland, Joe Biden (or, more accurately, the person running his social media) tweeted a message this morning it being “great” being back.Sky News has broadcast footage of Joe Biden meeting Rishi Sunak in his Belfast hotel. (It does look more like a coffee than a bilateral – see 9.54am.) Continue reading...
Buckingham Palace announces Duchess of Sussex to remain with Prince Archie and Princess LilibetThe Duke of Sussex is to attend his father’s coronation, but without the Duchess of Sussex or their two children.Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6 May. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.” Continue reading...
Police questioned former Radio 1 star in March and again last week over five allegationsThe DJ Tim Westwood has been interviewed under caution by the Metropolitan police in relation to five sexual offence allegations dating back more than 40 years.The 65-year-old was interviewed in March and again last week in relation to offences allegedly committed in London between 1982 and 2016. Continue reading...
Health minister says adults will be allowed to grow and consume limited amounts privately or at members clubs by end of yearAdults in Germany will be able to grow and consume recreational cannabis privately or via non-profit members clubs by the end of the year, the country’s health minister announced on Wednesday, scaling back previous plans to make the drug distributable via shops or pharmacies nationwide.“The previous cannabis policy has failed,” said the health minister, Karl Lauterbach, as he presented the German government’s new two-phase approach to legalising cannabis at a press conference in Berlin. “Now we have to go new ways.” Continue reading...
US does not mention case of Mikheil Saakashvili but move coincides with protests in Tbilisi over ex-president’s detentionFour current and former judges in Georgia have been put on a US sanctions list amid a wave of protests in Tbilisi against the failure of Georgian courts to release the former president Mikheil Saakashvili, a prominent Kremlin critic, from jail.The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has accused the men – who have chaired courts and sat on the Georgia’s high council of justice, which oversees the judiciary – of “significant corruption”. They deny the accusations. Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Economics correspondent on (#6AQCR)
World’s largest commercial printer of money issues profit warning after downturn causes ‘significant degree of uncertainty’Demand for paper money has fallen to its lowest level in more than 20 years as consumers switch to card and contactless payments, the world’s largest commercial printer of banknotes has said.De La Rue – the 200-year-old British firm responsible for a third of all banknotes worldwide, including the new King Charles III design being produced for the Bank of England – said the drop in demand was affecting its order books. Continue reading...
Upmarket chain says its proposition feels as relevant as ever as it continues to open new sitesThe allure of luxury sofa seating and a menu including parsley and garlic dough balls and hot honey halloumi helped the upmarket cinema chain Everyman bounce back to profit last year.The group, which started in Hampstead and now has 38 venues across the UK, hailed a post-pandemic return to “business as usual” as admission numbers rose by 70% to 3.4 million last year. Continue reading...
Petition for judicial review puts new first minister Humza Yousaf on collision course with WestminsterScottish ministers will challenge in court the UK government’s block on Holyrood’s gender recognition reform bill, putting the new first minster, Humza Yousaf, on a constitutional collision course with Westminster only two weeks after his election.The social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced on Wednesday that she had informed the Scottish parliament that ministers would lodge a petition for a judicial review of the decision in January by the Scotland secretary, Alister Jack, to use section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 for the first time to halt the Holyrood bill from going for royal assent, citing concerns it would have an “adverse impact” on UK-wide equalities law. Continue reading...
First minister reveals firm resigned several months ago but that he did not find out until first NEC meeting as party leaderThe new leader of the Scottish National party, Humza Yousaf, and his closest rival for the position, Kate Forbes, have urged party members to stay the course as further accusations of secrecy and financial mismanagement engulf the party.On Tuesday, Yousaf revealed that the SNP’s auditors quit six months ago, a fact none of the leadership contenders were made aware of during the campaign to replace Nicola Sturgeon, raising significant questions about transparency under the former chief executive Peter Murrell. Continue reading...
Home Office curtailed Saiful Islam’s visa in 2010 after wrongly linking him to criminal convictionsA chef from Bangladesh who was wrongly recorded as a sex offender by the Home Office has won the right to remain in the UK after fighting since 2010.Saiful Islam, 47, arrived in the UK in 2003 at the age of 27 after being granted a work permit to take up a job as a chef in a Thai restaurant. In 2005 he raised the alarm with the police and the Home Office that his employer was exploiting him by withholding most of his wages, forcing him to work 18-hour days, and beating him. Continue reading...
Pembrokeshire couple intrigued to discover what was causing damage catches culprit on stealth cameraCreeping through the darkness, the midnight vandal fells yet another tree with “machete-like” skill.On a hidden camera planted in their garden, a couple whose trees disappeared from their garden “overnight” have unmasked the unlikely culprit: the first wild beaver spotted in Wales in 400 years. Continue reading...
Road and rail travel problems hit Wales as Met Office extends yellow weather warning to south-east EnglandA swathe of stormy weather with heavy rain and strong gusts is set to sweep across the UK on Wednesday.The weather system, named Storm Noa by Météo-France, is predicted to grow stronger over the course of the day with coastal areas in south-west England, particularly Devon and Cornwall, likely to be worst affected. Continue reading...
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