World news | The Guardian

Jerusalem Orchestra East & West’s performance ‘cynical attempt to re-brand apartheid as diversity’, claims letter by over 50 artistsMore than 50 artists, including the poet Benjamin Zephaniah and the Turner prize co-winner Tai Shani, have protested at the Barbican arts venue’s collaboration with the Israeli embassy in London in putting on a concert.Arguing that the Israeli government must be “held to account for its policies towards the Palestinian people”, the artists say the concert this weekend is “a cynical attempt to re-brand apartheid as diversity and military occupation as tolerance”. Continue reading...

Dominic Raab under increasing pressure as civil servants’ union calls for him to be suspended until bullying inquiry concludesMPs have been told that paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland have coerced young people with drug debts to take part in rioting, PA Media reports. PA says:A community worker gave an example of a user’s debt being reduced by £80 for doing so.Megan Phair, coordinator of the Journey to Empowerment Programme and member of the Stop Attacks Forum, said both loyalist and dissident republican groups use the tactic to force people on to the streets.It’s time for the prime minister to come out of hiding and face the music. The public deserves to know the truth about what he knew and when, including the full disclosure of any advice given to him by the Cabinet Office. Continue reading...

Schoolgirl gives evidence in trial of Andrew Innes who denies murdering Bennylyn and Jellica Burke in DundeeA schoolgirl has told a murder trial that a woman and a toddler were killed in a game of hide-and-seek and that she “should have saved them” but could not because she did not know what was happening.Andrew Innes, 52, has admitted killing Bennylyn Burke, 25, and her daughter Jellica, two, at a house in Dundee between 20 February and 5 March 2021, but denies murdering them and has lodged a special defence of diminished responsibility. Continue reading...

Mayor says officers with misconduct proven against them during career should not return to forceThe Metropolitan police are under pressure to stop inviting back retired officers whoduring their career had action taken against them for misconduct.Under a scheme to rehire recently retired officers to help plug gaps in the ranks of Britain’s largest force, 253 people who had action taken against them after misconduct proceedings have been asked to rejoin, along with 99 who retired while under investigation. Continue reading...

Embattled firm to launch £75m share buyback scheme to bolster stock price amid criticism of sales and marketing

Voices from picket lines and protests in Bristol, Birmingham and London on a day of mass industrial action

Rosy-plumaged bird found wandering in city square was domestic king pigeon unable to fend for itself, wildlife group saysA pink-plumaged pigeon rescued from a New York City park may have been dyed for a gender reveal party, a wildlife group said.The king pigeon was found wandering Madison Square Park in Manhattan and was taken into care, the Wild Bird Fund said. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese urges Peter Dutton to bring ‘an open heart’ when he meets with an expert Indigenous referendum group

Exclusive: The prime minister’s assessment pits him against Paul Keating, who has urged Labor to walk away from the controversial pact

An unwelcome and unwanted relationship cannot be imposed, supreme court rulesItaly’s top court has ruled that children are under no obligation to see their grandparents if they do not wish to do so.The ruling from the supreme court of cassation relates to an appeal by the parents of two children against the decision of a lower court which had forced the youngsters to spend time with their paternal grandparents. Continue reading...

Former PM tells Nadine Dorries talkshow the idea he was knowingly going to rule-breaking parties is ‘for the birds’

Jailed activists Tantawan Tuatulanon and Orawan Phupong are demanding lese-majesty law be repealedTwo young Thai activists accused of insulting the monarchy are in a weak, exhausted condition and experiencing symptoms such as nosebleeds and chest pain after a hunger strike during which they have only sipped water, according to their lawyer and doctors.Tantawan “Tawan” Tuatulanon, 21, and Orawan “Bam” Phupong, 23, were accused of breaching Thailand’s lese-majesty law after they held up a poster at a shopping mall asking people whether they believed that royal motorcades – which lead to road closures – create trouble for the public. Tantawan faces a second lese-majesty case over a speech she gave on Facebook live. Continue reading...

Entain says £995m pre-tax profit forecast boosted by record number of customers in final months of 2022The owner of the gambling brands Ladbrokes and Coral has raised its annual profit forecast after it benefited from customers betting on the men’s football World Cup.Entain said it had seen a record number of customers in the final three months of 2022, an increase of 14% compared with a year earlier. Continue reading...

P38-La Gang perform in balaclavas, namecheck the Red Brigades – and are under criminal investigation for inciting terrorism. Are they, as they believe, being scapegoated for their politics?For P38-La Gang, everything changed on 1 May 2022, Labour Day. The Italian rap group were performing at the club Arci Tunnel in Reggio Emilia. The location appeared to be no coincidence. It is the city that birthed the Red Brigades, the far-left terrorist group that shocked Italy with kidnappings, kneecappings and more than 80 political assassinations in the 1970s and 1980s – a period of social turmoil known as the “Years of Lead”. On stage that day, the four-piece covered their faces with balaclavas and made a three-fingered gesture representing the P38 gun – the symbol of the 70s leftist movement Autonomia Operaia. As usual, the group flew the Red Brigades flag at the back of the stage – the title of their 2021 debut album, Nuove BR, translates as “new Red Brigades”.Until then, the Bologna-based band had been considered one of the most bizarre and original newcomers in the Italian trap scene: angry, funny, outrageous, paradoxical, even a novelty act, depending on who you asked. Mixing bad taste with offending politicians and talkshow reporters, making fun of terrorism and dictatorships, P38-La Gang showed a face of Italy that few people want to see: the anger of workers paid €3 an hour and of a generation defeated by the class struggle who are surviving on memes and desperate irony. Continue reading...

Potential £9m profit dropped for £150m investment to shield consumers from price increases, says supplierOctopus Energy said it has decided against making its first ever annual profit after ploughing £150m into attempting to keep customers’ gas and electricity bills down.The energy supplier said it would have made a slim annual profit of £9m but instead decided to invest in protecting customers from the worst of the energy price increases caused by a sharp rise in wholesale gas costs linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision resulted in a £141m operating loss for the last financial year, to the end of April 2022. Continue reading...

Spire Healthcare contacts patients after opening historical databases, more than two decades after rogue doctor treated themHealth officials are recalling a further 1,500 patients of the jailed breast surgeon Ian Paterson, more than two decades after he treated them, after the discovery of an old IT database.Paterson was jailed for 20 years in 2017 for 17 counts of wounding people with intent after he subjected more than 1,000 patients to unnecessary and damaging operations over 14 years. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Fears growing that far-right extremists are producing 3D-printed firearms to use on streets of BritainCounter-terrorism police are removing “a large amount” of homemade gun-making guides from the internet amid fears that far-right extremists are producing 3D-printed firearms to use on the streets of Britain.Detectives have said DIY guns are increasingly viable and include semi-automatic weapons that can fire multiple rounds at a time. Continue reading...

Opposition parties say any other workplace would suspend employee during such an investigation

Court finds owners of apartments opposite London gallery face unacceptable level of intrusionThe owners of luxury flats opposite the Tate Modern’s viewing gallery face an unacceptable level of intrusion that prevents them enjoying their homes, the supreme court has ruled.

Treasurer hits back at criticism of his essay that championed co-investment and economic inclusion

Education secretary says some schools may open with restrictions, as more than 100,000 teachers go on strike

Report also urges government to be prepared to expel Iranian diplomats who may be involved in ‘intimidation, threats or monitoring’ of citizens or residents

George Marchesini says new group will focus on preventing youth offending and work to address underlying complex factors

Man in his 30s was found injured in Castle Park on Tuesday afternoon and later died in hospitalA man has died after he was stabbed in Bristol city centre.Avon and Somerset police said emergency services were called to Castle Park around 4.30pm on Tuesday after reports of a man being stabbed. A man in his 30s was found injured and taken to hospital where he later died. Continue reading...

Albanese government to launch new industrial relations negotiations but all but rules out bringing back bargaining fees for non-union members

Record high spending ‘is putting our democracy at risk’, Centre for Public Integrity chair says

Which? study reveals huge disparity in the amount of caffeine delivered by high street coffee chainsCoffee lovers looking for a strong pick-me-up should avoid Starbucks and head to Costa, after it emerged its cappuccinos deliver almost five times as much caffeine – the same as four cans of Red Bull.Buyers of a Costa medium cappuccino get three shots of espresso and a table-topping 325mg of caffeine, which is around the same as four cups of tea, and way above the Starbucks equivalent containing just 66mg. Continue reading...

Australian and New Zealand football organisations seek ‘urgent’ clarification from Fifa over its deal with Visit Saudi

First of two walkouts by Aslef members will affect 14 operators, 10 of which will run no servicesRail passengers across Britain face more disruption on Wednesday, with no trains at all running on most routes in England as train drivers start the first of two days of strikes this week.The seventh day of national action in the past year by the Aslef union will affect 14 operating companies, with all but four of them suspending services entirely. Continue reading...

The 15-year-old boy was allegedly chased through Perth’s Swan View area before being punched, kicked, stabbed and taken to a house

Former human services minister says he was not aware of issues with Centrelink scheme until Malcolm Turnbull sent him an article in 2017

Community Action for Rainbow Rights reach an agreement with NSW police outside of court to march along modified route

As rain and flooding eases, attention turns to assessing the scale of the damage after four people were killed by unprecedented extreme weatherInsurers say devastating flooding in Auckland was the “biggest climate event” in New Zealand’s history, as rain eased after days of downpours and a clean-up of the city began.Friday was the wettest day on record for New Zealand’s largest city, with severe rain leading flood waters to sweep through streets and down highways, killing four people. Schools and businesses closed as buildings and roads were ravaged by the deluge. Auckland International Airport was shuttered temporarily, stranding thousands of travellers overseas. Continue reading...

The UK, US, Canada and Australia have announced a range of measures aimed at punishing Myanmar’s militaryThe UK, US and Canada have imposed fresh sanctions against Myanmar’s military, including measures from some aimed at stopping the supply of aviation fuel to its air force, which is accused of indiscriminately bombing civilian areas.The sanctions were announced two years on from the 2021 February coup, in which Myanmar’s military ousted the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, detaining her and plunging the country into turmoil. Continue reading...

Group says it will take no official position on referendum but strongly opposes Warren Mundine’s preamble proposal

Federal court finds public broadcaster defamed the former special forces soldier by linking him to war crimes

Investigations in Haiti have reached a virtual standstill after threats and intimidation against judgesFour key suspects in the killing of the Haitian president Jovenel Moïse were transferred to the US for prosecution, according to officials, as the case stagnates in Haiti amid death threats against local judges.The suspects in custody include James Solages, 37, and Joseph Vincent, 57, two Haitian-Americans who were among the first arrested after Moïse was shot 12 times at his private home near the capital of Port-au-Prince on 7 July 2021. Continue reading...

Length of time someone has lived in Australia will be taken into account when considering whether to deport Kiwis who have been sentenced to a year or more in prison

Claims made that broken bolts on HMS Vanguard’s reactor chamber were stuck on instead of replacedThe Royal Navy has ordered an urgent investigation amid claims that workers on a Trident nuclear armed submarine fixed broken bolts in the vessel’s reactor chamber using glue.The faulty repairs on the cooling pipes aboard the HMS Vanguard were found after one of the bolts fell off during an inspection, the Sun reported. Continue reading...

The companies may now face fines and a ban on selling their land, the government has saidAlmost 13,000 offshore companies holding UK property have failed to declare their ultimate owners and may now face fines and a ban on selling their land, the government has said.Martin Callanan, a business minister, praised the introduction of the new register of overseas owners of UK properties, saying it had been “invaluable for tax and revenue services, bringing transparency to opaque offshore trusts often used to obscure assets for tax purposes”. Continue reading...

British actor’s surprise inclusion in the best actress category will not be disqualified after accusations of unfair tactics although ‘responsible parties’ will be dealt withAndrea Riseborough’s controversial Oscar nomination will not be taken away after an academy review.The British actor had been a surprise inclusion in this year’s best actress category for her performance in low-budget drama To Leslie after a last-minute campaign from celebrities including Kate Winslet and Gwyneth Paltrow. Accusations of unfair tactics were raised and the academy announced an internal review of campaign procedures. Continue reading...

Action by teachers, civil servants, Border Force staff and train drivers to go ahead, with ministers accused of ‘stonewalling’Up to half a million workers will go on strike on Wednesday with thousands of schools shut, rail lines closed down and significant border disruption, as unions said negotiations on ending strikes were “going backwards”.Ministers have been accused of “hoodwinking the public” and freezing any moves towards a settlement with NHS workers and rail unions. Government sources privately conceded that optimism at the beginning of the month about bringing an end to strike action had faded. Continue reading...

Child was in a garden when attack happened and the dog has now been destroyedA four-year-old girl has died after being attacked by a dog in Milton Keynes.Officers were called just after 5pm on Tuesday after reports a dog had attacked the child in the back garden of a home in Broadlands, Netherfield. The dog has since been humanely destroyed, Thames Valley Police has confirmed. Continue reading...

Washington condemns Moscow for what it says is a ‘refusal to facilitate inspection activities’ regarding New Start treatyThe United States has accused Russia of violating the New Start treaty, the last major pillar of post cold-war nuclear arms control between the two countries, saying Moscow was refusing to allow inspection activities on its territory.The treaty came into force in 2011 and was extended in 2021 for five more years. It caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the United States and Russia can deploy, and the deployment of land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them. Continue reading...

State and territory leaders outline their wishlists before national cabinet meets on Friday

Several women in fire service also claim to have been sexually harassed by colleaguesAn investigation has been launched after allegations that firefighters working for Dorset and Wiltshire fire service photographed women who had died in car accidents.The disturbing images were shared on an informal WhatsApp group and were then subject to demeaning comments from male firefighters, ITV News uncovered. Continue reading...

In a speech in London, Penny Wong calls on nations to examine how they use power and networks to avoid conflict

Viking-inspired parade returns to Shetland after pandemic break as ban on female participation lifted

Chancellor defiant as pressure mounts with warning from within that party could face end of an era in governmentConservative MPs have warned Jeremy Hunt that refusing to cut taxes in the spring budget would spell “the end of an era” for the party in government, amid disagreement over the latest warning about Britain’s gloomy economic forecast.In a showdown with backbenchers on Tuesday night, the chancellor was told that voters were lacking hope and feeling depressed. But Hunt was said to have remained defiant and made clear there would not be a “rabbit out of the hat” announcement before the local elections in the spring. Continue reading...