World news | The Guardian

Government seizes on ‘fantastic news’ that will allow skeleton service to continue during planned strikesManagers employed by Network Rail have voted to accept a 4% pay offer in a move seized on by the government as a breakthrough in the wider rail strikes dispute.The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) confirmed its management-grade members had accepted the deal which should ensure a skeleton service will continue to run during planned strikes in August. Continue reading...

Music festival organisers say they are notifying patrons after two infections reported in people who visited Byron Bay site

UK regulator rules that businessman breached fiduciary duties by sharing ConvaTec informationSir Christopher Gent, the former chief executive of Vodafone and ex-chair of GlaxoSmithKline, has been fined £80,000 by the UK financial watchdog for disclosing inside information to shareholders while chair of the medical-devices maker ConvaTec.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined Gent, one of the most prominent figures in British business, after ruling that he shared information relating to a revision of the financial performance of ConvaTec and plans for the retirement of its chief executive to senior individuals at two of the London-listed company’s biggest shareholders. Continue reading...

PM marks public broadcaster’s 90th birthday with a defence of its importance and thinly veiled attack on former government• Get our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastOnly a government ruled by ideology or fear would attack the ABC, Anthony Albanese has said at the 90th birthday celebration of the public broadcaster in Sydney.In a thinly veiled attack on the former Coalition government’s fraught relationship with the ABC, the prime minister on Friday evening said a strong independent broadcaster was vital to democracy and brought Australia together as a nation.Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning Continue reading...

Song from pair’s album 18 appears to take several lines from Hobo Ben by Slim Wilson without giving creditRepresentatives for Johnny Depp and Jeff Beck have said the duo will review allegations they stole lyrics from a poem by an incarcerated man on their collaborative album, 18.The song Sad Motherfuckin’ Parade appears to take several lines from Hobo Ben, a poem and song by Slim Wilson, the alias of a self-proclaimed cheat and pimp who served time for murder and armed robbery, Rolling Stone reports.Ladies of culture and beauty so refined, is there one among you that would grant me wine?I’m raggedy I know, but I have no stink Continue reading...

Beijing also targets relatives of US House speaker as major military activity continues around Taiwan

Minister for Indigenous Australians says negotiating organisations have one week to agree on future of community centre

Brigid Heywood has stood down but denies wiping saliva on a schoolgirl’s face and commenting on her skin colour

Adelaide-based public servant blew the whistle on the use of garnishee notices to claw back debts from taxpayers

Family planned to distribute book, deemed ‘protest material’ by security, to MPs and media as they urged government to intervene in proposed extradition

Kathrina Lo tells inquiry she had not been aware of Stuart Ayres’ input into recruitment process

From US floods to drought in France, communities around globe are still feeling effects of July’s extreme weatherCentral US states are still reeling from a week of extreme flooding events in the final days of July. Initially, the extreme rainfall into St Louis gave a quarter of the normal annual rainfall in just 12 hours, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). A few days later, in eastern Kentucky, at least 10-12 inches (about 25-30cm) fell in the space of a few days, causing devastating flooding in the Appalachian region of the state.The complex, numerous and steep valleys in the region enabled rainwater to quickly run down valley sides and build up on the limited and often built-up floodplains. Deforestation and historic mining activity in the region have also been mentioned as potential contributors. Both flooding events have been classified as one in 1,000 year events by the NWS. Continue reading...

New president Wickremesinghe tries to crush mass demonstrations that forced his predecessor outThe Sri Lankan government has been accused of a draconian crackdown on protesters who were involved in toppling Gotabaya Rajapaksa as president, with activists facing intimidation, surveillance and arbitrary arrest.Dozens of protesters have been detained by the police in recent days as the government, led by the newly appointed president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, tried to crush the mass protest movement that forced Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign in early July. Continue reading...

Deceased victims of the shooting have been identified as Mervyn and Maree Schwarz, and Graham Tighe

Hollywood actor loses appeal to have arbitration award overturned amid allegations of sexual misconductKevin Spacey has lost his appeal to have a $31m dollar (£25.5m) arbitration award to the producers of House of Cards overturned.In November, the Hollywood actor was ordered to pay the sum to MCR following “explosive” allegations of sexual misconduct involving young crew members working on the production. Continue reading...

In Biloela, Priya Nadesalingam says ‘I know my daughters will get to grow up safely in Australia. Now my husband and I can live without fear’

Two customers’ account numbers and balances pop up on screen when NT resident Nick Oliver was using bank’s siteAn ING Australia customer was able to access the account information including bank balances for at least two other customers through his internet banking login, due to an issue with the company’s online banking site.Northern Territory resident Nick Oliver told Guardian Australia he was logged into his ING account and was attempting to do a transfer on Thursday night when he noticed a “complete stranger’s” account details popped up on his screen.Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning Continue reading...

Market cools in July as lender warns of impact of higher interest rates and cost of living crisisUK house prices fell for the first time in more than a year in July, as the country’s largest lender warned of the impact of higher interest rates and the broader cost of living crisis.The average price of a home was £293,221 last month, down 0.1% month on month, the first decrease since June last year, according to the latest report from Halifax. Continue reading...

As presidential elections approach, engagement appears low among under-35s – but some see staying away from the polls as a form of protestA growing number of 18- to 25-year-olds say they are not planning to vote in Kenya’s presidential elections next week.Only 40% of the 22 million people registered to vote in Tuesday’s elections are aged 18 to 35. Under-35s make up 75% of the country’s population. Continue reading...

Exclusive: £25.1m was handed out to Windrush scandal victims and £12.7m to people wrongfully detained in immigration centresThe Home Office has been accused of wasting taxpayers’ money after paying out £70m in compensation and associated legal costs, official figures show.Departmental accounts for 2021-22 show that a total of £41.1m was handed out in compensation, which includes £25.1m to 768 victims of the Windrush scandal and £12.7m to 572 people who were wrongfully detained in immigration centres. Continue reading...

Fumio Kishida welcomes Nancy Pelosi in Tokyo and urges Beijing to halt planned four days of military exercises sparked by US House speaker’s visit

Home Office and MoJ plans will require migrants convicted of crimes to take photos up to five times a dayMigrants who have been convicted of a criminal offence will be required to scan their faces up to five times a day using smartwatches installed with facial recognition technology under plans from the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice.In May, the government awarded a contract to the British technology company Buddi Limited to deliver “non-fitted devices” to monitor “specific cohorts” as part of the Home Office Satellite Tracking Service. The scheme is due to be introduced from the autumn across the UK, at an initial cost of £6m. Continue reading...

UN says terror organisation, whose affiliate recently attacked Mali’s most important military base, ‘is once again the leader of global jihad’It was one of Ayman al-Zawahiri’s last victories. Just over a week before the al-Qaida leader was killed in Kabul by missiles fired from a US drone, militants from the organisation’s biggest affiliate in sub-Saharan Africa attacked the most important military base in Mali.The tactics of the attack were familiar – suicide bombers blowing a gap in defences to allow gunmen to reached stunned defenders – but the operation marked a major escalation. Continue reading...

Researchers say institutional racism probably contributed to ‘differential approach’ to enforcement of powersBias in policing at least partly explains why minority ethnic people were more likely to receive fines for Covid breaches than their white counterparts, research says.The study, seen by the Guardian, was based on in-depth interviews with officers who policed the streets. The officers spoke confidentially to academics from Liverpool University and served in forces in northern England, including Cheshire, Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. Continue reading...

Future Fund scheme granted loans to eclectic range of companies, list from British Business Bank showsBritish taxpayers are now shareholders in a further 65 companies because of a government rescue funding scheme set up during the Covid crisis – including a medical cannabis firm, a video game studio and a chain of bars offering activities like ping pong.A list published by the government’s development bank reveals an eclectic range of firms that have received convertible loans as part of the Future Fund. Continue reading...

Tasmanian senator served in Australian army for 11 years and was medically discharged after a back injury during training

This blog is now closed. Read our latest live news coverage of China’s military drills around Taiwan hereThe president of Paraguay has offered solidarity to Taiwan. The South American nation is one of just 14 nations formally recognising Taiwan as a country.“Paraguay expresses its solidarity with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the context of the threats it has been subjected to,” Mario Abdo Benítez said on Twitter. Continue reading...

Party’s youth wing also cites failure to recruit women and to deliver national integrity commission as factors in Coalition loss

Move will trigger extra resources and other measures to combat virus as health secretary urges ‘every American to take it seriously’The Biden administration has declared the US monkeypox outbreak a national public health emergency which will trigger extra resources and other measures aimed at combatting the virus.During a news briefing with reporters Xavier Becerra, the health secretary, said: “We’re prepared to take our response to the next level in addressing this virus, and we urge every American to take monkeypox seriously.” Continue reading...

Liz Truss’s strategists aim to convince MPs to switch allegiance to maintain her campaign’s momentumA number of major names have gone public with their endorsement of Liz Truss over the past fortnight, with announcements carefully timed by her campaign strategists at opportune moments to seize headlines.But to maintain momentum over the coming weeks as new policies dry up, the foreign secretary’s team want to go one further by flipping those who have already declared support for her Conservative leadership rival, Rishi Sunak. Continue reading...

Proposed program that would see Philip Morris pay pharmacists $275 when they order VEEV vapes labelled ‘nothing short of appalling’

Lincolnshire coroner’s court hears results of postmortem examination after death of schoolgirl in BostonLilia Valutyte, the nine-year-old girl who was killed while playing in the street with her sister in Boston, Lincolnshire, died from a stab wound to the chest, an inquest has heard.Deividas Skebas, 22, has been charged with the girl’s murder after she was found stabbed in the street last Thursday. Continue reading...

Headteachers say pandemic has worsened extremism among pupils as staff call for more trainingTeachers in England who feel overstretched by pandemic catchup and curriculum demands fear they are missing signs of far-right radicalisation in classrooms, and lack the training to effectively challenge extremist views among pupils.Swastikas doodled on a chemistry book, white-power slogans daubed on exam papers, pupils quoting from videos by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson and hate speech against refugees are a few of the more obvious signs of the influence of the far right on schoolchildren, as reported by teachers and other staff. Continue reading...

Staff cut by almost 300 in year to August 2021 as celebrity chef’s company warns of tough trading conditions in cost of living crisisGordon Ramsay’s restaurant empire has reported almost £12m in losses and cut almost 300 staff because of closures and restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic as the businessman warned of the potential impact of soaring inflation and rising bills on restaurant dining habits.The celebrity chef runs or owns a stake in 35 restaurants in the UK – including Pétrus, Bread Street Kitchen, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and three at the Savoy – and has licence agreements for a further 13 worldwide. Continue reading...

Verdict expected soon on US basketball player before potential prisoner exchangeRussian prosecutors have asked for the US basketball player Brittney Griner to be sentenced to nine and a half years in prison, as the Kremlin wraps up her politically charged trial before a potential prisoner exchange.Prosecutors in the Russian court said Griner’s arrest on drug charges was “fully proven” and demanded she serve nearly a decade in a high-security prison and pay a large fine. Continue reading...

Mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains imposed measure after dozens of ‘pseudo-mountaineers’ ignored warningsClimbers attempting to reach the summit of Mont Blanc from a popular path in France will have to pay a €15,000 (£12,640) deposit to cover costs in case they need to be rescued, or worse, die.Jean-Marc Peillex, the mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, from where climbers can make it to the top of the highest peak in Europe via the Goûter Route, imposed the measure in response to dozens defying warnings and engaging in what he described as “a game of Russian roulette”. Continue reading...

Firefighters struggle to contain blaze that began at munitions site used to store second world war bombsRepeated explosions have prevented firefighters in Berlin from reaching a blaze in a forest to the south-west of the city that started at a police munitions site used to store second world war bombs.The fire broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning after unexploded ordinance was accidentally detonated, according to the Berlin police. Continue reading...

Michael Gunning calls for the event to push for change after a ‘petrifying’ visit to his home country JamaicaThe former Team GB swimmer Michael Gunning has called on the Commonwealth Games to do more to help improve LGBTQ+ rights in member countries as he talked of his “petrifying” experience visiting his home country Jamaica for the first time since he came out as gay.Gunning, who retired from swimming earlier this year to help promote equality in sport, said the event could do more on the global stage to push the issue. Continue reading...

The Kabul property hit by a US drone was familiar. It turned out Dan Smock had something in common with al-Qaida’s leaderThe place where the head of al-Qaida was killed was a spot Dan Smock knew well. It used to be his balcony when he worked in Kabul on a US government aid project, and the views were spectacular.Smock enjoyed starting the day looking out at the Afghan capital, as did the world’s most wanted terrorist, from the villa they both called home, several years apart. Continue reading...

The internal Queensland police intelligence report found officer responses had heightened the risk of fatal consequences

Study finds city has nation’s highest average income, some of shortest commuting times and good access to services and green spaces

Parental incarceration can interrupt childhood development and affects wellbeing, report finds

The truce will bring some relief to a country exhausted by war and famine, but critics say the Houthis will use the peace to regroupThe UN has announced that the warring sides in Yemen have agreed to extend the current ceasefire for a further two months.Late on Tuesday the government and the Houthi rebels committed to intensify efforts on negotiations, said Hans Grundberg, special envoy for the country. Continue reading...

John and Gabriel Shipton say they’re frustrated at Australian PM for lack of progress in WikiLeaks founder’s case since Labor was elected

UN to conduct fact-finding mission into deaths of Ukrainian PoWs; US Senate ratifies Sweden and Finland’s accession to Nato Continue reading...

Next challenge is to get Russia and Ukraine to agree on terms of reference to investigate atrocity, says UN secretary generalThe UN is setting up a fact-finding mission to investigate the killing of dozens of prisoners of war at a prison in a Russian-occupied region of eastern Ukraine that Moscow and Kyiv accuse each other of carrying out.António Guterres, the UN secretary general, told reporters he did not have authority to conduct criminal investigations but could conduct fact-finding missions, and terms of reference were being prepared for the governments of Ukraine and Russia to approve. The mission was set up in response to requests from Russia and Ukraine. Continue reading...

Which? says people are cutting food and clothes spending to pay for mobile, broadband and landlineAlmost 6 million UK households are struggling to pay their mobile, landline and broadband bills, with the cost of living squeeze forcing many to cut back on essentials such as food and clothes, cancel or change a service, or miss payments to stay connected.A report from the consumer group Which? estimates that 5.7 million households have experienced at least one “affordability issue” in April, as cash-strapped homes struggle to cope with soaring bills and other costs. Continue reading...

Parents of 12-year-old say they should be allowed to choose where their son takes ‘his last moments’The parents of 12-year-old Archie Battersbee have pledged to “fight” to get him moved to a hospice, insisting they should be allowed to choose where he takes “his last moments”.After the rejection by the European court of human rights of their last-ditch bid to postpone the withdrawal of Archie’s life support, the family now intends to file an application to the high court in London to transfer him out of the Royal London hospital. Continue reading...