World news | The Guardian

Woman who had affair with former SAS soldier tells defamation trial she was ‘simultaneously in love and afraid of him’

The book named a Jewish notary as a main suspect in exposing the family’s hideout to the Nazis, prompting widespread backlashThe Dutch publisher of a discredited cold case investigation into the betrayal of teenage Jewish diarist Anne Frank said it was recalling the book following a critical report on its findings.The Betrayal of Anne Frank: A Cold Case Investigation by Canadian bestselling author Rosemary Sullivan has been widely criticised by experts since its release in January. Continue reading...

BuzzFeed News staffers on investigations, inequality, politics and science teams to be offered buyouts as top editors also departBuzzFeed is shrinking and shifting the focus of its Pulitzer prize-winning news division as the digital media company, best known for its lighthearted lists and quizzes, strives to increase its profitability.The New York-based company is offering voluntary buyouts in its high-profile, 100-person newsroom and some top editors are leaving. They include Mark Schoofs, the editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News, and deputy editor-in-chief Tom Namako, who announced a move to NBC News Digital on Tuesday. Ariel Kaminer, the executive editor for investigations, is also leaving. Continue reading...

Liberal MP for Goldstein Tim Wilson had complained the signs were put up prematurely ahead of a ban by the local council

Debate over Florida legislation has forced Disney into a balancing act between expectations of a diverse workforce and demands from a politicized marketplaceEven though only a small percentage of Walt Disney Co workers participated in a walkout Tuesday, organizers felt they had won a moral victory with the company issuing a statement denouncing the anti-LGBTQ legislation that sparked employee outrage.Throughout the day, pockets of employees staged demonstrations at various sites across the country, including near Orlando’s Walt Disney World and Walt Disney Studios. According to a Disney official, there had been no interruptions in any operations as of midday Tuesday. Continue reading...

William and Kate arrive in Jamaica to be met by protests calling for reparations from British monarchyThe Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been accused of benefiting from the “blood, tears and sweat” of slaves as they arrived in Jamaica to be met by a protest calling for reparations from the British monarchy.William and Kate will celebrate the culture and history of the island, where there have been calls from politicians in recent years to drop the Queen as head of state and become a republic, and for a formal acknowledgment of slavery. Continue reading...

Chancellor expected to announce fuel duty cut in package of measures to tackle cost of living crisisRishi Sunak will promise “security” to cash-strapped families as he announces a fresh package of measures to tackle the cost of living crisis on Wednesday, but will continue to underline the importance of fixing the public finances.The chancellor has been under intense pressure to take action to help households with the rocketing cost of fuel and other essentials. The financial expert Martin Lewis told MPs on Tuesday that many households are facing a “fiscal punch in the face” when the energy price cap rises next month. Continue reading...

Maks Levin’s disappearance from Vishgorod on 13 March causes concern after previous abduction of journalists

Culture secretary Nadine Dorries is expected to decide who will oversee UK media regulator this weekMichael Grade has emerged as the favourite to become the next Ofcom chair, with the culture secretary expected to make a final decision this week on who will oversee the UK’s media regulator.Appointing the veteran media executive and Tory politician as boss of the organisation would end a chaotic and embarrassing appointment process. The search has taken almost two years as a result of a series of botched attempts to hand the role to former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre. Continue reading...

Briton held captive in Iran for six years should not face online trolling, says Boris Johnson’s officeDowning Street has condemned critics of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who accused her of being “ungrateful” after she expressed frustration with the UK government for taking six years to secure her release from an Iranian jail.Days after touching down in Britain, Zaghari-Ratcliffe faced abuse on social media for saying it should not have taken so long for ministers to ensure she returned home safely. Continue reading...

Impostors posing as Ukrainian PM post new YouTube clip with Ben Wallace’s response to claim that arms have failed

Former EDL leader was due to be questioned about his finances after losing libel caseTommy Robinson is potentially facing jail over possible contempt of court after failing to show up for a high court hearing where he was to be questioned about his finances after losing a libel case.The former English Defence League leader had claimed he was bankrupt after losing a libel case brought against him by Jamal Hijazi, who had been filmed being attacked at school in 2018. Continue reading...

Russian gas supplier losing contracts over Ukraine invasion would get UK government lifeline if it collapsesThe government has drawn up plans to take over the funding of the UK operation of the Russian energy giant Gazprom, should the state-backed supplier collapse as customers cut supply contracts due to the invasion of Ukraine.Officials have drawn up contingency plans to implement a financial lifeline for the business energy supplier, which has contracts in place with about two-thirds of the UK’s heaviest gas users, in the event that Gazprom Energy enters administration in the next few weeks. Continue reading...

Statement comes as it emerges that series of messages lost from Boris Johnson’s phone in April 2021Communication within government during the pandemic was often by instant messaging, such as by WhatsApp, a senior Cabinet Office official has accepted, as it emerged that a series of messages have been lost from Boris Johnson’s phone.The messages were lost in April 2021 amid security precautions when it was found that the prime minister’s phone number was listed on the internet, according to a statement by Sarah Harrison, chief operating officer at the Cabinet Office. Continue reading...

Ukrainian commanders say fuel, food and ammunition in short supply after breakdown in Russian supply chains

Official watchdog says force’s ability to tackle corruption is ‘fundamentally flawed’Measures taken by the Metropolitan police to tackle corruption are “fundamentally flawed” and “dire”, with continued failings down to arrogance, secrecy and lethargy, a devastating independent report has said.The report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services was ordered after an independent panel criticised the Met for failings over the Daniel Morgan murder, where corruption hampered the hunt for the killers of the private detective.Failed to properly supervise more than 100 recruits with criminal convictions or criminal connections, to lessen the risk they may pose. Those convictions include handling stolen goods, possession of drugs, assault and theft.The Met does not know if staff in highly sensitive posts, such as child protection, major crime investigation, and informant handling, are vetted to the right level.More than 2,000 warrant cards issued to former officers who are now not entitled to hold them are unaccounted for.Monitoring of IT systems, which helps identify potentially corrupt staff, remains weaker than it should be.Hundreds of items such as drugs, cash and exhibits are missing, with the arrangements and policies for keeping them safe branded as “dire”. The security code for a store was written on its door at one police station. Continue reading...

Call and response was part of a President’s Day lesson at a southern California Christian schoolA southern California parochial school apologized to parents after a teacher shared a video last month of her leading preschool students in a chant denouncing Joe Biden.The video obtained by ABC 7 News in Los Angeles shows the unnamed teacher at Turning Point Christian school in Norco asking the four- and five-year-olds: “Who’s our president?” Continue reading...

Police initially believed they had intercepted a drunk driver as they chased car traveling at 93mph on the wrong side of the roadWhen police in Canada responded to reports of a car travelling at 150km per hour on the wrong side of the road, they initially believed they had intercepted a drunk driver.So officers were surprised to discover that the driver was in fact an 11-year-old boy. Continue reading...

Chinese and American scientists say western and central Africa may be hit in futureWildfires will pose a greater socioeconomic risk in years to come, scientists have predicted, as they increasingly burn agricultural areas and harm populations.A study uses machine learning to model where wildfires are likely to strike in coming years, and their impact on humanity. Continue reading...

An 18-year-old student allegedly killed two teachers, both women in their 50s, at a secondary school in MalmöPolice in Sweden are attempting to determine why an 18-year-old student allegedly killed two teachers at a school in Malmö, as fresh details of the attack emerged.The two victims, both women in their 50s, were teachers at Malmö Latin, a creative arts secondary school with more than 1,000 students in Sweden’s third-biggest city, police said at a press conference on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Ali Harbi Ali allegedly gained appointment after asking to discuss healthcare and dwindling church congregationsAn alleged Islamic terrorist feigned an interest in churches and Christianity before killing the MP David Amess, a court has heard.Ali Harbi Ali, 26, denies the murder of the Southend West MP during a constituency surgery in a Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex on 15 October last year. Continue reading...

Analysis: Some say the country’s losses could rival those of its wars in Chechnya or Afghanistan

Newtown parents allegedly failed to meet dietary and health needs of Kaylea Titford, 16, in first lockdownThe parents of a teenage girl from Mid Wales have appeared in court charged with causing their daughter’s death by allowing her to become morbidly obese and not getting medical help for her.Kaylea Titford, 16, was found dead at her home in Newtown, Powys, in October 2020. Continue reading...

Axioma held after Dmitry Pumpyansky was added to UK and EU sanctions list in March

Ex-Arsenal shareholder claims millions of pounds of his assets are in irrevocable trustAlisher Usmanov, the Russian oligarch once said to be the UK’s richest person, claims to have placed hundreds of millions of pounds of his assets into an irrevocable trust, potentially leaving them outside the sanctions regime established by western governments.The tycoon – a former 30% shareholder in Arsenal football club who has also ploughed millions into sponsoring Everton and is subject to sanctions – can today be revealed as connected to at least six luxury UK properties and one central London office building, collectively worth more than £170m and held via a complex web of offshore companies and family members.Close relatives who are named as the owners of luxury properties in countries including Italy, Germany and Latvia.The use of a $350m private jet and a helicopter deregistered from the Isle of Man on the day Usmanov was sanctioned by the UK, plus another now deregistered from Luxembourg, the LX-VIP.A 512ft, $600m private yacht called Dilbar, along with a concession to moor the vessel until 2036 in Barcelona port, which is thought to be worth about $20m. Continue reading...

Yvan Colonna’s death following assault on mainland raises fears of fresh violence on the islandThe French government has appealed for calm following the death of the jailed Corsican nationalist Yvan Colonna after he was attacked by a fellow prisoner almost three weeks ago.Colonna, 61, had been in hospital in a coma since the assault on 2 March in a prison where he was serving a life sentence for the murder of Claude Érignac, the French prefect – the government’s senior representative in Corsica – in 1998. Continue reading...

Neighbours in Blackbrook tell of shock after 17-month-old ‘beautiful little girl’ mauled by dog at her homeA 17-month-old girl who died after a dog attack at her home in Blackbrook, St Helens, on Monday has been named by Merseyside police as Bella-Rae Birch.Neighbours have spoken of their shock after the toddler, described as a “beautiful little girl”, died after being mauled by a newly acquired dog. Continue reading...

Volodymyr Zelenskiy urges direct talks with Russian president amid US fears Moscow could order chemical weapons attacks

Demand for energy-saving kit and the shift to working from home are driving sales, says Kingfisher bossThe owner of B&Q and Screwfix is handing workers a pay rise as the company’s boss forecast that demand for energy-saving kit and the shift to working from home would keep fuelling the DIY boom.Pay for B&Q workers will increase by 6.5% to £9.80 an hour while Screwfix is increasing minimum staff pay by 5.4% to £9.70 an hour from 1 April, putting both chains just ahead of the new legal minimum of £9.50 which starts next month. Continue reading...

Foreign affairs committee inquiry could help determine why it took six years to secure releaseAn inquiry into why the British government took more than 30 years to pay a £400m debt to the Iranian government that was deemed fundamental to the release of British-Iranian dual nationals held in Iranian jails is to be mounted by the foreign affairs select committee.The decision was taken in principle by the committee on Monday, a committee source said, but will not start until Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and any other former prisoners feel ready to provide evidence. Continue reading...

Jacob Elliott and Allan Fares have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder over 2019 nightclub shooting

Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein told police officer tax evasion case could kill Tory’s careerZac Goldsmith faces fresh questions about his involvement in a multimillion-pound tax evasion scheme in Spain after a family friend was secretly recorded trying to enlist a police officer to help “resolve” the case.The family friend, businesswoman Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, the ex-lover of Spain’s former King Juan Carlos, was recorded telling the senior police officer the Conservative politician’s career would be “dead” if details of the case became public. Continue reading...

Business minister Paul Scully says firm could face ‘unlimited fine’ if it has flouted lawsP&O Ferries could face prosecution over the sacking of 800 workers, business minister Paul Scully warned ahead of a government ultimatum to the company.The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, has said he will review all government contracts and dealings with the company and its owners, DP World. Continue reading...

Committee says current moves towards ‘gender responsive budgeting’ should go further

Exact cause of issue which left many users unable to access sites for an hour is under investigation

But experts warn again accelerating ‘an upward spiral towards a less stable and more risky space environment’

Maher Maaroufe will appear in court in London on Tuesday over death of 19-year-old in student accommodationA 22-year-old man has been charged with the murder of teenager Sabita Thanwani, who was found dead at student accommodation in London.Maher Maaroufe, 22, of no fixed address, has been charged with 19-year-old Thanwani’s murder as well as assaulting an emergency worker, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: documents seen by the Guardian prove Assad minister’s boast that evading financial sanctions has ‘become a Syrian craft’The Syrian regime is setting up shell companies in a systematic attempt to avoid sanctions, according to official documents obtained by the Guardian.The documents, not publicly available, detail at least three companies established in Syria on the same day with the explicit purpose of operating as a shell to buy shares and manage other companies. Continue reading...

Tanya Davies says her government needs to end vaccine mandates, sparking criticism from Labor

Frontal system will move through Sydney, form a line of storms across the Hunter Valley and mid-north coast before moving north

Philip Lowe hopes inflation spike a one-off caused by supply chain disruption and soaring oil prices due to Ukraine invasion

City of Shenyang has barred residents from leaving without a 48-hour negative test result and put all housing compounds under ‘closed management’

Images of thousands of sites dating from 1919 to the present day made available to viewEver wondered what your road or area looked like 50 or 100 years ago? Historic England is launching an aerial photography tool that allows users to explore images of England over the past century.The bird’s eye views range from second world war defences and nuclear power stations to the remains of neolithic monuments, Roman farmsteads and medieval villages. Continue reading...

Analysis: Putin’s ally needs to show enemies at home and abroad his strength, but needs his forces intact to prop up his brutal ruleRussia’s invasion of Ukraine is primarily Vladimir Putin’s war, but if there is a second man whose name and reputation will be tied to the devastation unleashed by Moscow it is Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.His fighters were part of the first wave assault on the country, and died in large numbers around the Hostomel airbase, with one key commander among those killed. Continue reading...

Celebrity chef says lockdowns have been ‘devastating’ for industry but upside is ‘crap is gone’The celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has said it is good that the Covid-19 pandemic wiped the slate clean of “crap” restaurants.In an interview with the former shadow chancellor Ed Balls in Radio Times, Ramsay argues that while the past two years have been “devastating” for the restaurant industry, the upside is “the crap’s gone”. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Caroline Dinenage given approval to take up nonexecutive role at care home developer owned by Tory donorA Conservative MP and former social care minister has signed up for a second job working as a director for a care home developer, just months after Boris Johnson promised a crackdown on outside earnings.Caroline Dinenage asked for formal approval to take up a job as a nonexecutive at LNT Group, a developer of new care homes owned by Tory donor Lawrence Tomlinson. Continue reading...

As prices rise, there are warnings president could face another protest movement like gilets jaunesOutside Lidl, Isabelle Martin, a childminder from a village in Creuse, in central France, was loading discounted eggs, sugar and milk into her car. With prices rising, the 55-year-old couldn’t stretch to a full trolley and could rarely afford to drive to Guéret, her nearest town.“I’m constantly thinking about my bank balance,” she said. At home she turned lights off and cut heating, and she never filled her car’s petrol tank completely “because the cost would be too much of a shock”. Continue reading...

Survivors Against Terror to tell Priti Patel that victims should be given minimum guarantees of supportA group of people who survived or were bereaved by terrorist attacks is due to meet the home secretary on Tuesday to call for a state-funded support scheme.Brendan Cox, widower of the murdered MP Jo Cox and co-founder of the Survivors Against Terror (SAT), will tell Priti Patel that granting terror victims minimum guarantees of support should be a key part of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Former NSW deputy premier abused at shopping centre, called ‘corrupt’ and sworn at in front of daughter, court hears