More prisoners recalled to jail than released in England and Wales

29 October 2026 at 21:00

Ministry of Justice figures show recalls rose 27% in year to June despite emergency measures to ease overcrowding

More people were recalled to jails in England and Wales in the first half of this year than were released, despite government efforts to reduce the prison population, according to figures released on Thursday.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that 12,338 people were recalled to custody between the beginning of April and the end of June, while 12,278 people were released. It continues a trend set between January and March, when 13,193 people were returned to prison and 12,977 released.

Lawyers for Marist Brothers face questions over advice to keep serial offender out of ‘legal arena’

World news | The Guardian

By: Christopher Knaus

29 October 2026 at 17:00

A once-confidential letter says child sexual abuser might implicate senior church officials if allowed near ‘the legal arena’ upon his release from jail

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Lawyers from a leading law firm for the Marist Brothers have been subpoenaed to explain a once-confidential document showing they advised the Catholic order to keep a serial offender out of “the legal arena”, suggesting he was too honest and might implicate senior church officials.

The offender was “regrettably up front” about his interactions with senior leadership, and could not be trusted to heed “suggestions” about “not dumping on others excessively”, the document says.

Toblerone owner sues British vegan chocolate brand over chunky shape

World news | The Guardian

By: Sarah Butler

29 October 2026 at 10:00

Catherine’s Originals denies Mondelēz claims in London high court of ‘passing off’ and trademark infringement

The owner of Toblerone is taking legal action against a tiny British vegan chocolate brand which it claims has been copying the Swiss chocolate bar’s famous chunky shape.

Mondelēz has filed papers at the high court in London accusing Catherine’s Original’s of “passing off” and trademark infringement with its O’bar – a length of chocolate divided into segments each with a rounded semi-oval hump.

Cambodian police and soldiers helped guard abusive scam compounds, Amnesty alleges

World news | The Guardian

By: Oliver Holmes in Bangkok

29 October 2026 at 09:00

Survivors tell rights group that serving officers who worked as guards administered electric shocks and beatings

Cambodian police and military officers worked as private security guards in scam compounds where thousands were forced to work in the online fraud industry, according to a report by Amnesty International.

The global rights group alleged they worked for security companies as part of a system that enabled slavery and rape in the compounds, with some guards using electric batons to keep people trapped.

Guardian and ITN have ‘duty to public and sources’ to publish sexual allegations against well-known figure, court hears

World news | The Guardian

By: Michael Savage Media editor

28 October 2026 at 19:40

Individual known in court as PPT is seeking a permanent injunction, with lawyers citing his risk of suicide

Two news organisations have a duty to the public and their sources to publish allegations of exploitative sexual behaviour by a well-known figure despite claims he is “highly likely” to attempt suicide, the high court has heard.

The anonymous individual, known in court simply as PPT, is seeking an injunction against the Guardian and ITN to stop them publishing the allegations, which he denies.

Socialist Hasan Piker sues conservative counterpart for ‘violent racist’ portrayal

World news | The Guardian

By: Richard Luscombe

28 October 2026 at 19:11

The $72.5m suit alleges Scott Jennings falsely told listeners Piker had a ‘plan of returning our country to lynchings’

The prominent socialist political commentator and influencer Hasan Piker is suing his conservative counterpart Scott Jennings for $72.5m over comments on a podcast that he said portrayed him as “a violent racist” who advocated the lynching of Black people.

Piker’s defamation lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in US district court for the District of Columbia, states that Jennings misrepresented his comments in a podcast and subsequent social media post in August.

Give UK workers right to know colleagues’ pay to prevent disparities, says watchdog

World news | The Guardian

By: Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent

28 October 2026 at 16:58

EHRC says transparency needed to prevent pay discrimination, particularly against women

Workers should have a legal right to know their colleagues’ pay to help prevent pay discrimination, particularly against women, the UK’s human rights watchdog has said.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) made the recommendation in response to government proposals to overhaul equal pay laws, saying workers deserved a right to transparency if they suspected other staff were being paid more for similar work.

UK sanctions Sudanese military leaders implicated in El Fasher ‘campaign of rape’

World news | The Guardian

By: Mark Townsend

26 October 2026 at 18:07

Commanders suspected of sexual violence during the largest and fastest slaughter of civilians in more than 30 years have been subjected to travel ban and asset freeze

Senior Sudanese commanders implicated in a “campaign of rape” have been targeted by the UK on the first anniversary of a mass atrocity that saw tens of thousands of civilians killed over several days.

A year after the fall of El Fasher, the British government said it had sanctioned military leaders from both sides in the country’s ongoing conflict whom it suspected of sexual violence during the siege of the city.