World News Hub

Rise of the ‘ghost owners’: 18,000 UK vehicles in use without proper records

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Exclusive: Labour MP calls on DVLA to take action, saying ‘speeding, hit and runs and worse’ are going unpunishedMore than 18,000 vehicles are being used in the UK without proper records of where their owners live, it has emerged, part of what a Labour MP has called an increasing problem of “ghost owners” who cannot be held accountable for their driving.According to a freedom of information reques...

Top Cabinet Office official to give evidence to MPs about Peter Mandelson’s vetting – UK politics live

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Permanent secretary, Cat Little, to give evidence to foreign affairs committee as pressure increases on Keir Starmer The UK government budget came in below its annual borrowing target by £700m, official figures show – but the Iran war is likely to blow a hole in Rachel Reeves’s carefully calculated fiscal “headroom” over the coming months. Tom Knowles has the story.Good morning. As Kiran Stacey, P...

Ben Roberts-Smith planned to leave Australia and researched buying wellness business in Spain, court documents show

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Partner of soldier accused of war crimes says the couple discussed possibility of moving overseas to ‘create some normalcy in our lives’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBen Roberts-Smith was planning to leave Australia to live overseas and had a business class flight out of the country booked in four days’ time when he was arrested at Sydney airport this month, court docu...

EU set to sign off €90bn loan for Ukraine and fresh Russia sanctions – Europe live

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Move comes after Hungary and Slovakia dropped opposition following reopening of the Druzhba oil pipelineEU leaders are set to meet in Cyprus this evening to discuss the latest on the Middle East and the next EU budget, starting in 2028.But it looks like they will have a bit of a detour – and a reason to celebrate, too – as the long-awaited €90bn loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions a...

Australia news live: Rinehart’s $200m donation to convert homes for veterans welcomed by RSL; Minns says about a third of NDIS cuts will be in NSW

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJames Valentine’s family has released a statement after his death. Here’s what they had to say:James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him. Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying. Both ...

City firms bank on ‘savvy squirrel’ advertising campaign to push Brits towards investing

The Guardian • 4 months ago

The campaign is part of government initiative to boost financial risk taking, amid fears UK growth is being stymiedNils Pratley: the ‘Savvy Squirrel looks a hit too tame’City firms are pinning their hopes on a government-endorsed advertising blitz fronted by a finance “savvy” CGI squirrel to encourage cautious British savers to shift out of cash and start investing.The long-awaited retail investme...

Head-on train collision near Copenhagen leaves four critically injured

The Guardian • 4 months ago

At least 17 people hurt after incident involving two local services north of Denmark’s capitalTwo local trains have collided head-on in Denmark, injuring at least 17 people, four of whom are in a critical condition, according to emergency services.The public broadcaster DR showed images of two yellow and grey trains, both with damage to the front, facing each other in a wooded area. Continue readi...

Sainsbury’s says impact of Iran war may lead to drop in profits this year

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Retailer WH Smith joins supermarket in warning on effects of Middle East conflict Sainsbury’s has warned that profits could fall this year as the conflict in the Middle East squeezes customers’ budgets and pushes up business costs.The supermarket group said the conflict “will impact both our customers and our business” and it was unclear how large the effect would be. Continue reading...

David Malouf, Australian author of Remembering Babylon and Ransom, dies aged 92

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Acclaimed Brisbane-born writer was known for his work exploring his own childhood, great myths and colonial AustraliaDavid Malouf, the acclaimed Australian author of books including Ransom, An Imaginary Life and the Booker prize-nominated Remembering Babylon, has died aged 92.Malouf died on Wednesday, his publisher, Penguin Random House Australia, said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading....

Private secretary of billionaire Judith Neilson refused bail on $1.6m fraud charges

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Annalouise Spence allegedly used credit card to make ‘unauthorised purchases of luxury and personal items, including clothing, artwork and jewellery’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former private secretary of billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson has been charged with dozens of counts of fraud after she allege...

Private secretary of billionaire Judith Neilson refused bail on $1m fraud charges

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Annalouise Spence allegedly used credit card to make ‘unauthorised purchases of luxury and personal items, including clothing, artwork and jewellery’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former private secretary of billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson has been charged with dozens of counts of fraud after she allege...

Schools forced to cut back on support for Send pupils in England, poll finds

The Guardian • 4 months ago

More than 70% have cut down in past year on teaching assistants, who play key role in helping children with SendTwo-fifths of school leaders in England have been forced to cut back on support for children with special educational needs due to a financial crisis “more than a decade in the making”, according to a poll.Seven out of 10 (71%) leaders say they have cut down on teaching assistants (TAs) ...

Australia news live: Albanese says his mother would have been eligible for the trimmed-down NDIS; Minns says about a third of cuts will be in NSW

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJames Valentine’s family has released a statement after his death. Here’s what they had to say:James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him. Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying. Both ...

UK undershoots annual borrowing target by £700m

The Guardian • 4 months ago

But Iran war likely to blow hole in Rachel Reeves’s carefully crafted fiscal ‘headroom’ in coming monthsBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government came in below its annual borrowing target by £700m, official figures show – but the Iran war is likely to blow a hole in Rachel Reeves’s carefully calculated fiscal “headroom” over the coming months.The government borrowed a net total of £132bn for...

Mysterious death of Jackson Stacker near Byron Bay referred to homicide squad

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Melbourne man stabbed twice in chest, with remains found in field near his campervan in 2021. Family argue police prematurely assumed he’d killed himselfFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales coroner has recommended the mysterious death of Jackson Stacker near Byron Bay be investigated by the homicide squ...

Mapped: the elections that could deliver ‘unprecedented’ losses for Labour

The Guardian • 4 months ago

All signs point to a record-low performance for Labour in May in what will be a moment of high jeopardy for Keir StarmerLabour is on track for its worst local election performance, data analysed by the Guardian shows, in a blow that will pile further pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership.Barring a drastic change in fortunes, Labour’s vote-share could fall to historic lows across elections for coun...

Queensland police recall 15,000 service-issued Glock handguns after discovery of fault causing multiple shots to fire

The Guardian • 4 months ago

A malfunction was discovered during routine testing of the firearm, which is standard issue for QPS officersGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQueensland police have been forced to retest all service-issued Glock handguns after a fault was discovered in the weapon that could cause it to fire multiple shots.The 40-calibre Glock is the standard-issue sidearm for Queensland po...

Queensland police recall all service-issued Glock handguns after discovery of fault causing multiple shots to fire

The Guardian • 4 months ago

A malfunction was discovered during routine testing of the firearm, which is standard issue for QPS officersGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQueensland police have been forced to retest all service-issued Glock handguns after a fault was discovered in the weapon that could cause it to fire multiple shots.The 40-calibre Glock is the standard-issue sidearm for Queensland po...

Thursday briefing: ​Why the US president is losing support from crucial allies

The Guardian • 4 months ago

In today’s newsletter: As political tensions rise abroad and economic pressures mount at home, ​D​onald Trump faces a shifting landscape that is testing the loyalty of his ​M​aga supportersGood morning. Starting a war of choice that is rapidly spiralling out of control, poll ratings at a second-term low, and a cost of living crisis intensifying for millions.Any conventional US president would be i...

Leading California governor candidates spar in debate as topsy-turvy race heats up

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Six candidates clashed over homelessness and cost of living crisis in first debate since Eric Swalwell’s exit – with a clear frontrunner still yet to emergeSix candidates vying to become the next governor of California sparred on Wednesday in the first debate since the already topsy-turvy race was plunged into upheaval by the sudden collapse of former congressman Eric Swalwell’s campaign after sex...

Leading California governor candidates spar in first debate as topsy-turvy race heats up

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Six candidates clashed over homelessness and cost of living crisis in first debate since Eric Swalwell’s exit – with a clear frontrunner still yet to emergeSix candidates vying to become the next governor of California sparred on Wednesday in the first debate since the already topsy-turvy race was plunged into upheaval by the sudden collapse of former congressman Eric Swalwell’s campaign after sex...

Starmer urged to bring in ticket-touting ban as resellers target Big Weekend

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Industry groups dismayed at hints policy will not be in king’s speech, as touts make huge sums from BBC Radio 1 eventKeir Starmer has been urged to honour his pledge to ban ticket touting, amid fears that the policy will be left out of next month’s king’s speech, potentially costing fans “hundreds of millions”.Music industry groups called on the prime minister to act as fresh evidence showed that ...

Migrant care workers to leaflet Shabana Mahmood constituents over longer wait to settle

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Campaign is said to be first time Labour-affiliated Unison is lobbying en masse against a key party policyMigrant workers and the UK’s largest union will carry out a mass leafleting campaign in Shabana Mahmood’s Birmingham constituency to protest against a planned change in immigration policy.The Labour-affiliated Unison union says the changes will adversely affect migrant care workers. About one-...

Australia news live: Minns says about a third of those cut from NDIS will be in NSW and state can’t provide equivalent support

The Guardian • 4 months ago

Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJames Valentine’s family has released a statement after his death. Here’s what they had to say:James passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family, who adored him. Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying. Both ...

Pilot’s selfie led to mid-air collision in F-15K fighter jet, says South Korea’s air force

The Guardian • 4 months ago

One pilot ordered to repay some of the $600,000 of damage caused by collision in 2021South Korea’s air force has apologised for a 2021 mid-air collision involving two fighter jets, a day after auditors said pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the accident.“We sincerely apologise to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in...