Maria Corina Machado climbs over barriers to meet chanting supporters gathered outside the Grand Hotel in early hours of ThursdayVenezuela's best-known opposition leader, the Nobel peace prize winner Maria Corina Machado, has made a dramatic appearance in Norway after slipping out of her authoritarian homeland by boat.The Venezuelan politician and pro-democracy activist stepped out on to the balcony of Oslo's iconic Grand Hotel at just before 2.30am local time, after spending the past 11 months in hiding in Venezuela's capital, Caracas. Continue reading...
Commercial in Netherlands depicting festival-season chaos at most terrible time of year' prompted flurry of criticism onlineMcDonald's says it has removed an AI-generated Christmas advertisement in the Netherlands after it was criticised online.The ad, titled the most terrible time of the year", depicts scenes of Christmas chaos, with Santa caught in a traffic jam and a gift-laden Dutch cyclist slipping in the snow. And the message? Retreat to a McDonald's restaurant until January and ride out the festive season. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Alison McGovern makes target for end of this parliament, but figures show homelessness has jumpedThe homelessness minister has pledged to end the use of bed and breakfasts as emergency housing, even as new figures show that the country's homelessness problem has worsened since Labour came into government.Alison McGovern said she would consider it a personal failing if people were still being placed in B&Bs by the end of this parliament as she launched the government's three-year homelessness strategy. Continue reading...
Previously sceptical MPs now want to modernise ECHR to prevent an overreach of the law and losing to the far rightThe sight of David Lammy and the attorney general, Richard Hermer, arriving in Strasbourg together to demand new constraints on human rights law would have been unthinkable a year ago. But as one ally says, quoting Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's seminal 1860s novel The Leopard: If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change."It was that sentiment that convinced Lammy's predecessor, Shabana Mahmood, now home secretary, that the UK should join the push to seek a declaration to change how the European convention of human rights should be interpreted. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#722PE)
BMA puts health secretary's offer, which includes pledge to double number of extra training places, to resident doctorsWes Streeting has made an improved offer to end the long-running dispute with resident doctors before their strike next week that threatens to bring chaos to the NHS as it battles a flu surge.The health secretary has pledged to double the number of extra places that early career doctors in England can apply for in order to train in the area of medicine they have chosen to specialise in. Continue reading...
by Eleni Courea Political correspondent on (#722N9)
Labour says appointments needed to balance upper house and chooses former advisers to No 10 and the chancellorKeir Starmer has appointed 25 Labour peers including a number of former senior government and party aides in a move to strengthen his hand in the House of Lords.Matthew Doyle, a former No 10 director of communications, and Katie Martin, a former chief of staff to Rachel Reeves, will be among those appointed to the upper house in a move first reported by the Guardian. Continue reading...
by Fran Lawther (now) and Jakub Krupa (earlier) on (#72284)
European leaders confirm that they spoke with the US president earlier today about the state of talks'Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, is now delivering his opening speech.It's a damning verdict on Maduro's authoritarian rule in Venezuela, as he talks about a number of figures facing repression and torture from the regime.As we sit here in Oslo City Hall, innocent people are locked away in dark cells in Venezuela. They cannot hear the speeches given today - only the screams of prisoners being tortured."Venezuela has evolved into a brutal, authoritarian state facing a deep humanitarian and economic crisis. Meanwhile, a small elite at the top - shielded by political power, weapons and legal impunity - enriches itself.A quarter of the population has already fled the country - one of the world's largest refugee crises.Those who remain live under a regime that systematically silences, harasses and attacks the opposition."Venezuela is not alone in this darkness. The world is on the wrong track. The authoritarians are gaining.We must ask the inconvenient question:Authoritarian regimes learn from each other. They share technology and propaganda systems. Behind Maduro stand Cuba, Russia, Iran, China and Hezbollah - providing weapons, surveillance and economic lifelines. They make the regime more robust, and more brutal." Continue reading...
Proposed plan would apply to tourists of countries not currently required to get a visa to visit the US, including Britain and FranceTourists to the United States would have to reveal their social media activity from the last five years, under new Trump administration plans.The mandatory new disclosures would apply to the 42 countries whose nationals are currently permitted to enter the US without a visa, including longtime US allies Britain, France, Australia, Germany and Japan. Continue reading...
Cross-party group of MSPs says bill going through Holyrood could attract people from elsewhere in UKSenior Scottish politicians fear there could be a risk of death tourism" from terminally ill people travelling from other parts of the UK to end their lives in Scotland.A cross-party group of MSPs, including the deputy first minister, Kate Forbes, said the looser controls on eligibility written into an assisted dying bill for Scotland could attract people who are unhappy with stricter rules planned for England and Wales. Continue reading...
The festival says goodbye to both founder Robert Redford and its longtime home of Park City, Utah, with a selection of provocative documentaries and starry new filmsNew films starring Charli xcx, Natalie Portman and Salman Rushdie will all receive their world premieres at next month's Sundance film festival.The festival will be held for the last time in Park City, Utah, before it moves to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027. Over the years, it has been home to the first screenings of films including Get Out, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Blair Witch Project, Past Lives, Napoleon Dynamite, Precious and Little Miss Sunshine. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#722K6)
Craig Guildford told to provide more documents and not mislead parliament' after fans were banned from Europa Cup gameA parliamentary committee has said it expects to recall the chief constable of West Midlands police to explain why his evidence on the reasons behind a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans was wrong.In a letter to Craig Guildford, the home affairs committee of MPs warned him of the seriousness of misleading parliament and demanded more documents be handed over. Continue reading...
Research by Cambridge University and Met calls for better neurodivergence screening for vulnerable peopleHalf of people arrested recently in London were found to potentially have undiagnosed ADHD, according to a study calling for better neurodivergence screening for vulnerable individuals.Research by the University of Cambridge found that one in two individuals arrested and detained over an eight-week period in London in 2024 may have undiagnosed attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and one in 20 may have undiagnosed autism. Continue reading...
by Josh Butler, Tom McIlroy and Krishani Dhanji on (#722D8)
Exclusive: Prime minister defends Anika Wells as controversy over use of taxpayer-funded travel entitlements continuesExpenses rules for federal politicians are so broad that ministers and senior politicians have unlimited" travel entitlements for their spouse, according to guidelines governing spending.Despite days of controversy around spending by the communications minister, Anika Wells, and growing calls for reform of the rules, Anthony Albanese did not indicate there would be changes to entitlements. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#722AY)
Sharaz Ali, 40, was motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drugs and alcohol when he set fire to house, jury heardA man who set fire to a house killing a woman and her three children aged nine, five and 22 months has been found guilty of murder.Sharaz Ali, 40, was motivated by jealousy and fuelled by drugs and alcohol when he set fire to the house in Bradford at 2am on 21 August last year, a jury heard. Continue reading...
Mark Jenner began five-year relationship with Alison, a leftwing activist, while undercover spying on political campaignersAn undercover police officer deceived two women at the same time over many years in a sustained betrayal of both of them, the spycops public inquiry has heard.Mark Jenner had a relationship with a leftwing activist, known as Alison, for five years without disclosing to her that he was in reality an undercover officer who was spying on political campaigners. Continue reading...
Hooley, 28, of the Parachute regiment was killed on TuesdayA British soldier killed on duty in Ukraine has been named by the Ministry of Defence as 28-year-old L/Cpl George Hooley of the Parachute regiment.More details soon ...
Legal action alleges Irish broadcaster defamed group by claiming they led antisemitic chants at festival in JuneThe British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan have launched defamation proceedings against the Irish broadcaster RTE over its coverage of their performance at Glastonbury.The legal action alleges Ireland's national broadcaster defamed the group by claiming they led antisemitic chants at the festival last June. Continue reading...
From a live blog on the BBC to cautious reaction in the New York Times, here's how the world's media covered the banThe BBC blogged about it, News Corp boasted about it and the New York Times questioned its effectiveness.Australia's world-first laws stopping children accessing social media until they turn 16 turned heads globally, with mixed and nuanced results. Continue reading...
Visitor numbers to UK's 10 most-visited services have settled at a lower level' than before 25 July, report findsTraffic to pornography websites in the UK has fallen in the wake of age checks being introduced this year while use of specialist software to dodge viewing restrictions has increased, according to the communications watchdog.Ofcom said the enforcement of age vetting on 25 July led to an immediate fall in visits to popular online porn publishers, including the most visited provider in the UK, Pornhub. Continue reading...
Exclusive: System more likely to suggest incorrect matches for images of women and Black peoplePolice forces successfully lobbied to use a facial recognition system known to be biased against women, young people, and members of ethnic minority groups, after complaining that another version produced fewer potential suspects.UK forces use the police national database (PND) to conduct retrospective facial recognition searches, whereby a probe image" of a suspect is compared to a database of more than 19 million custody photos for potential matches. Continue reading...
If Amelia Vanderhorst is found guilty and penalised for allegedly sticking googly eyes on Mount Gambier landmark, it might be the first time such an act has been punishedOn Mount Gambier's Bay Road, the Blue Blob" stands like a proud but paunchy echidna, its seamless coating restored to perfection after an alleged googly eye stunt that captured the world's attention.Amelia Vanderhorst, 20, from Mount Gambier in South Australia, was charged with damaging the town's $136,000 Cast in Blue sculpture by sticking large novelty eyes on it on 13 September. Continue reading...
Ministry says Briton, who has not publicly been named, was injured while observing a test, away from the frontlineA member of the UK armed forces was killed in an accident in Ukraine on Tuesday morning, believed to be the first time a serving member of the British military has been killed in the country since the full-scale Russian invasion.The victim was not immediately named, though the Ministry of Defence said their family had been notified, after an incident that appears to have taken place during a weapons test at a site away from the frontlines. Continue reading...
US treasury accuses Colombian nationals and companies of aiding the RSF, which has committed horrific war crimesThe United States has sanctioned four people and four companies accused of enlisting Colombian mercenaries to fight for and train a Sudanese paramilitary group accused by Washington of committing genocide.Announcing the sanctions on Tuesday, the US treasury said the network was largely composed of Colombian nationals and companies. Continue reading...
Aid agencies say Israel is still restricting their aid shipments despite ceasefire announced two months agoMalnutrition continues to take a toll among Gaza's young despite a ceasefire declared two months ago, with more than 9,000 children hospitalised for acute malnutrition in October alone, according to the latest UN figures.While the immediate threat of famine has receded for most of the 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza after the ceasefire announcement on 10 October, the UN and other aid agencies report continuing Israeli restrictions on their humanitarian aid shipments, which they say fall well below the needs of a population weakened and traumatised by two years of war, homelessness and living in flimsy shelters. Continue reading...
Activist says treatment of her by Mark Jenner, with whom she had five-year relationship, left her devastatedAn undercover police officer who deceived a woman into a five-year relationship and strung her along when she wanted to have children with him had sadistic tendencies", the spycops inquiry has heard.Mark Jenner lived with the woman, known as Alison, as a couple without telling her that he was an undercover officer sent to spy on political campaigners. Continue reading...
Legal team of man who was part of cohort of non-citizens freed after high court decision argues Nauru's medical facilities are insufficient' to treat his severe asthma
by Jessica Murray Social affairs correspondent on (#7219G)
Information regulator reminds council leaders of need for compassion when releasing files on childhood careThe UK's information commissioner has raised alarm over the lengthy, traumatic and often demoralising process" people face when trying to access their care records, writing to local authority leaders to say his office will take action over legal breaches.The data protection regulator said people who grew up in the care system were waiting up to 16 years for access to their records, and in some cases found their files had been destroyed, lost or were provided only with extensive redaction. Continue reading...
Migrant support groups in France say lack of action over British activists is encouraging violent and xenophobic practices'UK and French authorities have been accused of encouraging violent and xenophobic practices" by failing to tackle anti-migrant British activists who travel to northern France in an attempt to stop small boat crossings.In an unusual move, nine French associations working with people camped in northern France have issued a statement condemning the UK and French governments for lack of action. Continue reading...
by Guardian staff and agencies in Tokyo on (#720PX)
90,000 people advised to take shelter after 7.5-magnitude quake, with 20 injuries reportedA powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake has shaken north-eastern Japan, injuring more than 20 people and triggering a tsunami of up to 70cm in Pacific coast communities.The earthquake and tsunami warnings prompted orders for about 90,000 residents to evacuate their homes, although the warnings were later downgraded to advisories. Continue reading...
STC troops now control all eight governorates, a major setback for Emirates' regional rival Saudi ArabiaThe United Arab Emirates-backed military leadership in South Yemen has seized power across the whole of the south of the country, a move that opens up the possibility that the South will declare independence and revert Yemen to being two states for the first time since 1960.As many as 10,000 troops from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) poured into the oil-rich Hadramaut governorate last week and later into Marah, the less-populated governorate bordering Oman, which had not previously been under its control. Continue reading...
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#720D0)
Fifteen organisations sign letter expressing deep concern over EHRC guidance being considered by ministersNew rules on access to single-sex spaces could pose a significant risk to the mental health of trans and non-binary people, according to 15 of the UK's most respected mental charities.Organisations including Samaritans, Mind, Centre for Mental Health and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have written to the equalities minister, Bridget Phillipson, to express their deep concern" about guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that is awaiting approval from the government. Continue reading...
West African Ecowas forces sent to country after group of soldiers announced dissolution of government on state TVWest African troops were deployed to Benin on Sunday after what the country's president described as an unsuccessful coup attempt.Benin's president, Patrice Talon, said on Sunday that the situation was totally under control" after security forces acted to end a coup attempt by a group of soldiers who attacked state institutions. Continue reading...
Senior officer had told MPs some Jewish representatives did not want Maccabi Tel Aviv fans at Aston Villa game classified as high riskA senior police officer has apologised to Birmingham's Jewish residents after he told MPs that some had expressed support for the exclusion of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending last month's match against Aston Villa.The decision to ban supporters of the Israeli team from the Europa League game at Villa Park in Birmingham had triggered political uproar, including Keir Starmer saying he was angered by the decision". Continue reading...
Mediators of delicate truce say troop removal and deployment of international force crucial to second phaseQatar and Egypt, the guarantors of the Gaza ceasefire, called on Saturday for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the deployment of an international stabilisation force as the necessary next steps in fully implementing the fragile agreement.The measures were spelt out in the US- and UN-backed peace plan that has largely halted fighting, though the warring parties have yet to agree on how to move forward from the deal's first phase. Continue reading...
Police launch manhunt' after 25 people are shot in early morning in township attack west of PretoriaGunmen have stormed into a hostel in South Africa's capital and killed at least 12 people, including a three-year-old child, and injured more than a dozen others.Police said they had launched a manhunt" for three people and were investigating whether the killings were linked to a bar within the hostel that may have been selling alcohol illegally. Continue reading...
US offers to get Australians out of camps if they are issued with travel documents, but Labor has said this is not something the government is considering'
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