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Allegations include 160 killings of ex-government officials and security forces, torture and punishmentsTaliban authorities have presided over widespread human rights abuses since they took control of Afghanistan last August, the UN said, including 160 killings of former government officials and members of the security forces, and dozens of cases of torture, arbitrary arrests and inhumane punishments.A UN report, released on the day an Australian journalist said she had been detained in Kabul and forced to tweet a retraction of her reporting, also detailed a broad assault on the press. In total 173 media workers were affected by abuses including detention, threats, ill-treatment and assault. Continue reading...

There is an increasing likelihood of above-average rainfall for much of Australia in the coming months, the Bom says, with another La Niña likely

Hundreds of childcare centres to shut on Early Childhood Educators Day as workers call for better conditions and wages

US deputy attorney general hails ‘interesting’ find on board yacht seized by US authorities and sailed from Fiji to San DiegoWhat could be a priceless Fabergé egg has been found on board a Russian oligarch’s superyacht seized by US authorities, one of the more curious items unearthed in sanctions-led investigations so far.US deputy attorney general Lisa Monaco told the Aspen security forum on Wednesday it was one of the more “interesting” finds her team has made. Continue reading...

Universities must do more, says thinktank, noting need for support for those from poorer backgroundsUniversities must do more to track and prevent student homelessness, which is expected to increase because of the cost of living crisis and widening participation in higher education, according to a report.Students are less likely than their peers in the general population to experience homelessness, but with more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds being admitted to universities experts say they could be at greater risk of homelessness and in need of extra support. Continue reading...

Popular opposition to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s election by MPs could spill over into violence as he picks an old schoolmate as PMSri Lanka was braced for more unrest after newly appointed president, Ranil Wickremesinghe, vowed to crack down on the protests that toppled his predecessor, condemning them as “against the law”.Speaking after being MPs picked him as successor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe made it clear he would not tolerate those he perceived to be stirring up violence. Continue reading...

PM accuses his predecessor of making ‘nonsense throwaway conspiracy’ claims about the UN at a church in Perth

This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war hereThe European Union will set out emergency plans later today to reduce gas demand within months, warning countries that without deep cuts now they could struggle for fuel during winter if Russia cuts off deliveries.

Zurich UK says fraudulent property claims from 1 January to 31 May 25% higher than in same period in 2021A growing number of financially squeezed households are “turning to crime” by submitting bogus insurance claims, with data revealing a sharp rise in cases over the past year.Zurich UK, one of Britain’s biggest insurers, said the cost of living crisis was fuelling the increase in insurance fraud, where people exaggerate or make up claims for items such as jewellery and electrical goods. Continue reading...

The final two will face each other in a TV debate on Monday before weeks of hustings with Conservative membersIn an analysis of the yesterday’s public sector pay awards published this morning, the Institute for Fiscal Studies thinktank says the new prime minister will have to decide whether to increase departmental spending budgets, to fund the higher-than-expected pay awards, or to require the awards to be funded from existing budgets, requiring cuts elsewhere. It says:One option is to top up spending plans to at least partially fund the costs of higher-than-expected pay awards, shoring up departments’ ability to deliver on the government’s public service objectives (such as clearing the NHS backlog). This would come at the cost of higher borrowing and reduced fiscal room for the tax cuts seemingly desired by the entire field of would-be prime ministers.The other option is to stick to existing spending plans, instead requiring public services to make some painful cuts: to other budgets, to headcount, or to the range and quality of service provision. Reducing the government’s public services ‘offer’ is a coherent response to a series of global economic shocks that make us poorer as a nation. But the government should be honest about what that implies for the NHS, local government, and other public services. Continue reading...

Twitter complaints of sexism and dated views pour in after 1922 Committee tries jest with teapot amid Tory leadership contestAttempts to inject some levity into the Conservative leadership contest on social media fell flat on Wednesday when a photograph tweeted of the 1922 Committee led to criticism that it was sexist and outdated.With the announcement of the two remaining candidates for the UK prime minister role about to be announced (at 4pm this Wednesday) or at “tea time” as it was described, the photograph showed members of the committee representing Tory backbenchers posing with teacups in hand and a teapot. Continue reading...

The Guardian is attempting to overturn decision that prevented media from attending hearingA leading judge acted unlawfully by authorising a secret court hearing in which he decided that Prince Philip’s will should be kept secret without notifying the media, an appeal court has heard.On Wednesday the Guardian opened its legal case to overturn the decision that prevented media from attending the hearing, arguing that it was a serious interference with the principle of open justice. Continue reading...

Former European Central Bank chief had failed to secure support from coalition partners in confidence voteItaly’s prime minister, Mario Draghi, is expected to confirm his resignation after three key parties in his broad coalition did not participate in a confidence vote on the conditions he set for his government continuing.The former European Central Bank chief told the senate earlier on Wednesday that the survival of his unity administration hinged on “rebuilding the pact of trust” and spirit of cooperation of its early months, and asked for a vote on this basis. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss to face off after Penny Mordaunt is voted out, as party members prepare to pick PM

Calls come ahead of meeting of Australia’s ministers for women, where groups say a national register should be discussed

Executive tells MPs new clarity on levy’s December 2025 end date means no longer a need to review investmentsBP has said that the windfall tax on oil and gas operators will not affect its investments in the North Sea despite warning on the fallout from the new levy.Former Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the energy profits levy in May, which he hoped would generate £5bn to help offset the impact of the cost of living crisis for households struggling to pay energy bills. Continue reading...

Graham Mansfield, 73, said Dyanne, who had stage 4 cancer, was ‘the most precious thing in the world’A 73-year-old man accused of murdering his wife, who had cancer, has told a court that she asked him: “When things get bad for me, will you kill me?”Graham Mansfield, 73, was found lying in a pool of blood in his kitchen on the morning of 21 March 2021. The body of his wife, Dyanne, 71, was slumped in a chair in their garden. Continue reading...

The French midfielder and a male passenger were stopped by Italian police in Milan after he was mistaken for someone elseAC Milan footballer Tiémoué Bakayoko has spoken out against Italian police who held him at gunpoint after mistaking him for someone else.The French midfielder and a male passenger were stopped as they drove in the Porta Garibaldi area of Milan on 3 July as police searched for suspects involved in an alleged shootout the night before. Continue reading...

Director apologises for delays and says 550,000 applications were in the system at end of JuneThe Passport Office has admitted that more than 50,000 Britons have been waiting more than 10 weeks for their passport, as civil servants struggle with a record number of applications before the summer holiday getaway.MPs were told on Wednesday that there were 550,000 passport applications in the system at the end of June and that one in 10 had exceeded the 10-week turnaround that people are advised by the Passport Office to allow for. Continue reading...

Workers such as teachers on term-time contracts may be able to claim back pay after supreme court judgmentThousands of teachers on term-time-only contracts, and workers with similar arrangements, could be entitled to back pay after a ruling by the UK’s highest court.The supreme court judgment on Wednesday means such employees should receive the same amount of paid annual leave as their colleagues working all year around. Continue reading...

Outgoing PM never relished being held to account at the dispatch box, as his frequent outbursts have shown

The daughter of the celebrated artist is suing the New York courts over claims that he is being mistreated in a case that could affect the entire systemThe daughter of a celebrated pop artist who created famous images of the “cosmic sixties” is suing the New York court system over what she claims are secretive communications between her father’s court-appointed guardian and judges that drastically impact his life and violate her basic rights.Libra Max lodged a federal lawsuit on Wednesday in which she alleges that her father, Peter Max, 84, is being held in virtual isolation by a court-appointed guardian. She claims multiple judges have allowed the guardian to communicate with them behind closed doors, without the family’s knowledge, leading to one-sided decisions that profoundly impact his life and that constitute a gross distortion of justice. Continue reading...

Wednesday’s farewell at the dispatch box was revealing for three reasons

Tata Steel UK reported a pre-tax profit of £82m in the year to the end of MarchThe owner of Port Talbot steelworks in south Wales has made its first pre-tax profit in 13 years thanks to record steel prices and a recovery in demand across Europe as pandemic restrictions eased.Tata Steel UK (TSUK) reported a pre-tax profit of £82m in the year to the end of March, a dramatic improvement on the £347m and £654m losses of the previous two years. Continue reading...

Footage emerges of Ukrainian citizens in occupied Donbas being press-ganged to fight for Moscow

Antelope by Samson Kambalu depicts John Chilembwe wearing hat in defiance of colonial rule in Nyasaland, now MalawiA sculpture of a preacher who was killed in an anticolonialist uprising in what is now Malawi will be unveiled in September on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.Antelope by Samson Kambalu is the 14th contemporary artwork to be commissioned for public display in the historic central London square. Continue reading...

Daniel Andrews pledges reforms after Operation Watts finds public funds ‘misused’ and codes breached

Profile: Six-time PM may be unacceptable to many of the same protesters who forced out predecessorThere are few who have been stalwarts of Sri Lankan politics in the last half-century quite like the man often referred to as “the fox”.Ranil Wickremesinghe, 73, who gained his nickname for his apparently wily ability to repeatedly resurrect his political career, has been prime minister six times since he first entered politics in 1977, though he has famously never completed a term. Continue reading...

Deal over mining giant’s financing arrangements and marketing hubs in Singapore is one of ATO’s biggest ever tax settlements

Telstra and Westpac advise staff to work from home if possible while government departments are yet to shift work settings

Barrister for newspapers tells court former soldier was either an ‘architect or knowing beneficiary of … dishonest collusion’, in closing submissions

Prime minister says people should stay home if they are sick but there is no prescriptive position on working from home

A win for acting president Ranil Wickremesinghe could spark more protests by people furious with ruling elite over crippling shortagesSri Lanka’s parliament will choose between three candidates for president on Wednesday, hoping the new leader will be able to pull the island out of its worst economic and political crisis since independence in 1948.A win for the acting president, Ranil Wickremesinghe – one of the main two contenders but opposed by many ordinary Sri Lankans – could lead to more demonstrations by people furious with the ruling elite after months of crippling shortages of fuel, food and medicines. Continue reading...

Emergency crews called to blaze in a Port Hedland home on Tuesday afternoon

This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war hereThe self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in occupied Ukraine, which is only recognised as a legitimate authority by Russia, Syria and North Korea, has stated that as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces, “one resident of Verkhnotoretske was killed, and three people were injured. Twenty-two residential buildings and seven civil infrastructure facilities were damaged.”The claims have not been independently verified. Continue reading...

Leader of the House also outlines changes to make sitting hours more family friendly

ASA received complaints that ad encouraged unsafe behaviour, but firm said a ban would lead to gender stereotypingA Samsung ad featuring a woman running alone at 2am has avoided a ban by the UK advertising watchdog, despite complaints that it was irresponsible after a spate of late-night attacks on women.The TV and cinema ad for Samsung products including a smartwatch featured a woman getting up at 2am and going for a run through a large city while wearing wireless earbuds. A voiceover encouraged the idea of running at unusual hours, stating: “Sleep at night. Run faster. Push harder. Follow the herd. Not for me. I run on a different schedule. Mine.” Continue reading...

Analysis: While elements of the strategy are thoughtful and will make a meaningful difference, others have either appeared out of the blue or slipped from view entirely

A 31-year-old man was shot and killed by an unidentified person while on the set in Brooklyn early Tuesday morningA crew member for Law & Order: Organized Crime was shot and killed while working near the show’s New York City set early on Tuesday.The crew member, who police identified on Tuesday afternoon as 31-year-old Johnny Pizarro of Queens, was sitting in his car in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, when an unidentified person approached the car at about 5.15am, opened the door, and shot him in the neck and head. No arrest has been made, and it is unclear if the two had a prior connection. Continue reading...

Though this is the second straight quarterly drop, the results for the streaming company are better than expectedNetflix reported better-than-expected earnings on Tuesday, seeing a smaller exodus of viewers than originally forecast even as the platform struggles to maintain its meteoric pandemic growth.Though Netflix reported its second straight quarterly drop in subscriber growth, and lost 1 million viewers in the second quarter of 2022, that number was lower than the 2 million it had projected in its previous report. Shares were up 10% in after-hours trading. Continue reading...

Neculai Paizan, 64, is believed to have attacked 20-year-old with a power tool in a converted shipping containerA man who hit a young woman over the head 20 times with a power tool is facing life imprisonment after being convicted of her murder.Neculai Paizan is believed to have attacked Agnes Akom, 20, in a converted shipping container in north-west London, wheeled out her body in a bin and disposed of it in a shallow grave. Continue reading...

Temporary closure of Nord Stream 1 prompts fears for private consumers as well as industryGermans are fretting about the coming winter freeze even while Europe sweats in record temperatures, amid uncertainty over whether a complete stopping of Russian gas deliveries would force energy rationing on private households as well as industry.Germany, which has managed to reduce its reliance on Russian gas from 55% to about 35% of its demand since the start of the Ukraine war, is still heavily reliant on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which closed down for 10 days from 11 July due to scheduled maintenance works. Continue reading...

Measure replaces patchwork of policies and, defence secretary says, reflects changing social attitudesBritain’s armed forces have introduced a ban on the use of sex workers abroad for the first time as part of an attempt to stamp out sexual exploitation and abuse across the military.Personnel found to have engaged in what the Ministry of Defence describes as “transactional sex” face the prospect of dismissal – and they could also be prosecuted if in countries where prostitution is illegal. Continue reading...

Report commissioned by Keir Starmer highlights ‘toxicity on both sides’ under Jeremy Corbyn

Unions warn many workers will quit teaching, nursing and social care rather than take real-terms pay cutPublic sector unions raised the prospect of widespread strikes in schools and hospitals after being told millions of their workers are to receive below-inflation pay rises.Ministers announced the pay rises on Tuesday, with NHS staff receiving a rise of at least 4.5%, teachers at least 5% and £1,900 for police officers. Health unions angrily denounced the NHS pay rises as a “betrayal” and “a kick in the teeth”, and warned stoppages could be on the horizon.More than 1 million NHS staff – including nurses, midwives and paramedics –will get a pay rise of £1,400, equivalent to 4%. However, cleaners and porters will get 9.3% while doctors and dentists will receive 4.5%.Teachers have been awarded 5% – though newly qualified teachers will get 8.9%.Police officers in England and Wales will receive a consolidated pay award of £1,900, equivalent to a 5% increase overall. Prison officers will receive a 4% base pay increase.UK armed forces will receive a base pay rise of 3.5%. Continue reading...

While diplomatic efforts continue over Ukraine, Syria risks becoming entrenched as the conflict that wasBefore Ukraine there was Syria, a war so vicious and consuming that it was once considered to be the most consequential conflict of the last 50 years.With more than half a million killed when the counting stopped seven years ago, nearly two-thirds of the country’s prewar population displaced or in exile, and its economy and social fabric in ruins, Syria is a shattered husk, its spoils eagerly eyed by the three leaders who gathered in Tehran on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Activists and athletes say this is an important and symbolic moment for rights of LGBTQ+ people in RussiaRussian human rights activists and fellow athletes have described the decision to come out as gay by the nation’s highest-ranked female tennis player, Daria Kasatkina, as a monumental and symbolic moment for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the country.“When I heard the news about Kasatkina, I couldn’t believe it, I was so proud,” said Nadya Karpova, a footballer, who became the first openly gay Russian national team athlete when she came out last month. “I was ecstatic, jumping around like crazy in my flat.” Continue reading...