World news | The Guardian

Karoline Leavitt blames Democrats for looming job losses and says Trump administration expects thousands to be furloughed

Britain must defeat rising antisemitism, says PM, following attack in Manchester on Yom Kippur

Police say they believe they know identity of man behind car and knife attack that left four people seriously injured

Departments and staff are using out-of-office emails and websites to engage in partisan political activity

Policing at Jewish places of worship to increase as officials investigate killer's motivations and ties to others Manchester synagogue attack - latest updatesMI5 and counter-terrorism police will operate at a heightened state of alert in the coming weeks, reflecting concern that the Manchester synagogue attack risks being followed by others during a period that includes the second anniversary of the 7 October attack by Hamas on Israel.Policing at synagogues across the country is to be increased. The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, promised high visibility" patrols in and outside Jewish places of worship to reassure communities and to deter any further threats, while police forces elsewhere in the UK made similar commitments. Continue reading...

Residents come together to insist their diverse neighbourhood will stick together

Ban on Nottingham Post and its website reversed after threat of legal action over damaging freedom of expressionA Reform UK council has ended its ban on journalists from the area's biggest local newspaper after being threatened with legal action over damaging the outlet's freedom of expression.Nottinghamshire county council, which has been led by Reform since the local elections earlier this year, said it was committed to the principles of openness" after lifting the sanctions it had placed on journalists from the Nottingham Post and its website, Nottinghamshire Live. Continue reading...

During speech in Sochi, Russian president also strikes conciliatory note towards Donald TrumpVladimir Putin has vowed to quickly retaliate against Europe's escalating militarisation", while dismissing as nonsense" western fears that Moscow plans to attack Nato.During a wide-ranging speech in Sochi on Thursday, the Russian president said: We are closely monitoring the escalating militarisation of Europe ... We simply cannot ignore what is happening. We have no right to do so for reasons of our own security." Continue reading...

Witnesses screamed he's got a bomb' and shoot him" before suspect was killed by armed police

Airline claims next week's air traffic control strikes could affect up to 100,000 passengers as routes over France closeRyanair could cancel up to 600 flights a day next week due to French air traffic control (ATC) strikes, the airline has claimed.The company's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, has reiterated demands to the EU to protect overflights in a long-running campaign to minimise the disruption from ATC strikes. Continue reading...

Comments from Ukraine's president come after the seventh summit of the European Political CommunityEuropean Council president Antonio Costa opens his speech with congratulations for Moldova and its president Maia Sandu for the win of pro-European forces in last weekend's parliamentary elections there.He also congratulates the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for their recent peace deal.I know that for some of you, the threat from Russia is very clear and very present. For others, it still seems further away, but none of us can no longer be naive.The war was never just about Ukraine. It is about Europe, all our nations, all our citizens, our values and our freedom."Please just take one look at the history of our continent, from the expansion of the Russian Empire to Soviet tanks rolling across several borders during the cold war, shattering hopes of freedom.Recent history tells us the exact same story. So why shouldn't it happen again? Continue reading...

Military offensive stepped up as Hamas leaders consider Trump's 20-point peace plan

Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, Ed Davey and Nigel Farage express sympathy for victims and condemn attacker

Zaytoun's olive oil and dates provide a tangible way to help Palestinians, says the business's managing directorA Palestinian food brand says its UK sales increased by 50% to 3.2m in 2024 as shoppers seek out its olive oil in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.Zaytoun, the Arabic word for olives, is a social enterprise set up to support the resilience of Palestinian communities through fair trade. Continue reading...

Exclusive: temporary deal to shield UK exporters from levy's impact is now viewed by both sides as likelyThe EU and Britain are poised to agree a deal sparing British businesses from a carbon border tax being introduced in 2026, with officials targeting late spring for the next EU-UK summit.The EU is introducing a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) on 1 January targeting imports produced using carbon-intensive methods, such as steel, glass and fertiliser. Continue reading...

One boat, the Mikeno, reported to have escaped the maritime blockade and to have stopped inside Palestinian territorial waters

Thousands marched in cities across the world following the interception of the flotilla and detainment of activists including Greta Thunberg

Two killed in city of Lqliaa on fifth day of demonstrations calling for social justice reforms as unrest risesTwo people were killed in the southern Moroccan city of Lqliaa on Wednesday night after security forces opened fire at protesters during demonstrations, local authorities said.Morocco's state news agency, Map, cited local authorities as saying two people were killed by police who were acting in self-defence while trying to seize police weapons, as anti-government protests that started as a call for social justice reforms took a deadly turn. Continue reading...

Lindsay and Craig Foreman were seized in January during a round-the-world motorbike tripThe family of a British couple detained in Iran on espionage charges have said they will keep pushing for their release for years if needed, as they express alarm over ongoing trial proceedings and the pair's welfare.Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52 and who previously split their time between Spain and England, were seized in January in Kerman, southern Iran, while travelling on a round-the-world motorbike trip. Continue reading...

Protesting young people reject dissolution of government as insufficient and demand list of reformsYoung protesters in Madagascar have said they will continue their fight until the president, Andry Rajoelina, resigns, rejecting his dissolution of the government on Monday as insufficient.Twenty-two people were killed and 100 injured at the demonstrations, according to the UN. The unrest broke out on 25 September when local councillors were arrested for protesting against water and electricity outages in the capital, Antananarivo. The youth-led protests quickly spread to other towns and cities, fuelled by social media and other Gen Z protests in Indonesia and Nepal, where the government was toppled. Continue reading...

Reform's lead is persistent but pollsters themselves point out that their models come with significant uncertainty

Locals complain of a changed landscape, flooding, dust and disruption as rail project cuts through area of outstanding natural beauty

Independent Adnan Hussain says racist and sexist posts expose dark abyss of hatred and despair' in UK being left to grow uncheckedThe newborn daughter of a British MP was the target of utterly depraved" and sexist online abuse hours after her birth, her father has told the Guardian.The independent MP Adnan Hussain, who won his Blackburn seat in 2024 running on a pro-Gaza stance, said he and his newborn were subject to vile" abuse after he posted a pixelated picture of her on X. Continue reading...

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Pukpuk mutual defence treaty will establish Australia's first new alliance since the Anzus agreement was signed in 1951

Person who was thought to have received intelligence is understood to be Cai Qi, de facto chief of staff to Xi JinpingBritish prosecutors suspected that China's fifth most senior official was in receipt of intelligence from Westminster in a controversial and now-abandoned espionage case, the Guardian understands.The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in April 2024 that a senior member of the Chinese Communist party and a politburo member" had received politically sensitive information" from two British researchers who were charged with spying for China. Continue reading...

Researchers find profit chasing has systematically weakened' safety and workers feel unable to challenge decisions

Exclusive: Letter released under FoI argues company was denied procedural fairness when it was included in looming law

Spencer Elden, who was photographed as a baby and put on the cover of the 1991 album, has attempted to sue the band twice, claiming it constituted child sexual abuseA federal judge again threw out a lawsuit by a man who accused grunge rock band Nirvana of distributing child sexual abuse images by using a photograph of him as a naked, swimming baby on the cover of its breakthrough 1991 album Nevermind.US District Judge Fernando Olguin tossed out the lawsuit filed by plaintiff Spencer Elden for a second time after finding that no reasonable jury would consider the picture pornographic. Continue reading...

Applications from US citizens make up less than 1% of monthly applications but have risen steadily since Trump's inauguration

People granted asylum will have to earn right to invite family in plan charities call straight from populist playbook'People granted asylum will no longer be given the golden ticket" of resettlement and family reunion rights, Keir Starmer said, amid deepening concerns from charities that his words are demonising refugees.As the prime minister prepared to discuss illegal migration with European leaders, No 10 outlined plans to strip successful claimants of the right to automatically invite spouses and children to join them. Continue reading...

Commissioner Mark Rowley says prejudice has put down deep roots' within force after BBC Panorama investigationMetropolitan police officers have been recorded calling for immigrants to be shot, bragging about excessive force, being dismissive about a rape complaint and making anti-Muslim and anti-women comments.The BBC Panorama programme followed seven months of undercover filming at Charing Cross police station.Panorama: Undercover in the Police is on BBC One at 9pm on Wednesday and is available on iPlayer Continue reading...

Lobby group says urgent government intervention required as small suppliers on brink of collapse during shutdownSmall companies who supply parts used in Jaguar Land Rover cars have been asked by banks to put up their family homes as personal guarantees in order to access emergency loans, with no direct UK government support on offer for parts makers a month after the carmaker was hit by a crippling cyber-attack.JLR, Britain's biggest automotive employer, is considering making advance payments to top-tier suppliers as it tries to restart production after the hack, but smaller parts makers warn they are on the brink of collapse without urgent cash injections. Continue reading...

Analysis finds lower proportion of foreign inmates than would be expected if they were jailed at same rate as UK citizens of same ageForeign nationals are underrepresented as a proportion of prisoners jailed in England and Wales when compared with rates of incarceration among British citizens of similar age, an analysis of government data has found.In June, 12.4% of prisoners were non-UK nationals, excluding people with no recorded nationality, according to Oxford University's Migration Observatory. The figure roughly mirrors official statistics indicating that about 12% of the overall population in England and Wales last year were foreign nationals. Continue reading...

PM made long-awaited rallying call against Reform threat, but many in Labour still fear his shortcomings will produce a public challengeWith Labour party delegates waving the flags of the UK nations during Keir Starmer's conference speech this week, the beleaguered prime minister was reassured that his paean to patriotism had hit the spot.Downing Street insiders say that his address had been locked down" for three weeks, avoiding the usual last-minute rewrites and adjustments, as he was so clear in his mind of the argument he wanted to make. Aides met in Chequers at the beginning of the summer, to find Starmer had reams of notes of his vision of how to address the rising tide of nationalism. Continue reading...

Tanker, named on list of shadow fleet' vessels, may have been launchpad for drones that closed Denmark airportsFrench military personnel have boarded an oil tanker named on a list of Russia's shadow fleet" vessels and suspected of being a launchpad for mystery drone flights that forced the closure of airports in Denmark last week.Photos showed navy personnel on the deck of the tanker, known as the Boracay, which has used numerous identities and was one of four Russia-linked vessels in the seas near Denmark at the time of the drone sightings on 22 and 24 September, which so far have not been fully explained. Continue reading...

Firms run by two ex-British envoys and an ex-chief of staff to the Conservatives listed on the Foreign Influence Registration SchemeFirms run by two former British ambassadors and an ex-chief of staff to the Conservatives are the first three to appear on the government's new register of foreign influence.The register is designed to shine a light on which companies are being paid to represent foreign states in the UK. Continue reading...

French navy reportedly on the Boracay, thought to be part of the shadow fleet'Silia says the EU should move on drones very quickly, as she rejects some criticism that fully developing the bloc's drone wall" could take up to three-four years.We don't need three years, and I believe we can do it in a much shorter time.It just depends on the leaders [if] we can agree on a much shorter time, because with drones, how they're developing so fast, three years is too long." Continue reading...

Transport systems, hospitals and schools hit, as workers say laws kill hopes of work-life balanceA general strike has paralysed Greece as unions step up industrial action in protest about labour laws introducing a 13-hour work day in a country that already puts in some of the longest hours in Europe.The 24-hour strike brought mass disruption to services across the country on Wednesday as thousands of workers in the public and private sector stopped work and took to the streets. Continue reading...

More than 700 aftershocks recorded - mostly minor - while rescuers search for casualties in coastal city of BogoRescuers in the Philippines combed through rubble and mud after the deadliest earthquake in more than a decade killed at least 69 people, with patients overwhelming hospitals on the island of Cebu.Outside the Cebu provincial hospital, injured children cried and adults screamed on Wednesday as they were treated on beds beneath blue tents. They had been wheeled outside as a precaution against waves of aftershocks. Continue reading...

Members of Italy's art squad confiscate works after experts were dispatched from Gala-Salvador Dali FoundationItaly's art squad on Tuesday seized 21 artworks from a major exhibition in Parma dedicated to works by Salvador Dali on suspicion they were falsely attributed to the Spanish surrealist.The show, entitled Dali, Between Art and Myth, had only been open for a few days at Palazzo Tarasconi before police confiscated the allegedly forged works, including drawings, tapestries and engravings. Continue reading...

Charity has apparently reduced number of sites it wants to shut but insists change needs to happen'Samaritans is pressing ahead with controversial proposals to close some of its 200 local UK branches, insisting changes were necessary to make the 70-year-old organisation fit for the future.Julie Bentley, the mental health charity's chief executive, told the Guardian the organisation will set up three-year regional projects co-created" with volunteers to develop more efficient ways of working, including branch mergers and closures. Continue reading...

Trial heard 25m surgical gowns supplied by PPE Medpro to protect NHS staff were unusable and could seriously harm or kill patients'

Hundreds of students accepted on courses facing costs and even deportation after being told to defer studies until 2026Hundreds of international students accepted on courses by University College London have been left in limbo and facing thousands of pounds in costs, after the university admitted it had run out of places just days before many were due to start.About 200 students from China alone have been affected after UCL exceeded its visa allocations for the coming academic year, with the university initially telling the students that they would have to defer their studies until 2026. Continue reading...

Account of intimidatory operation' comes as Italy and Greece repeat call for Israel to guarantee safety of flotillaA pro-Palestinian flotilla heading to Gaza has said it has been approached and harassed by Israeli naval boats that cut one of its lead vessels' communication systems as Italy and Greece reiterated calls for Israel to guarantee the safety of those onboard.The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), carrying about 500 people including the climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, said it had an encounter with Israeli navy vessels that circled the fleet's lead boat for around six minutes" while remotely disabling its communication systems. Continue reading...

First named storm of season expected to bring heavy rain and winds over 80mph to northern and western regionsStorm Amy, the first named storm of the season, is due to batter northern parts of the UK late on Friday and into Saturday, the Met Office has warned.Forecasters said the storm was likely to bring gale force winds of over 80mph as well as heavy rain to northern and western regions. Continue reading...

Case against Michelle Mone-linked company showed pressure to award contracts to those with political connections

Island imported $1.3bn of crude oil product in first half of 2025 despite joining sanctions against Moscow, report findsTaiwan has become the world's biggest importer of Russian naphtha, a petroleum derivative used to make chemicals needed for the semiconductor industry, despite the fact that it has joined other sanctions against Russia and considers itself an ally of Ukraine.In the first half of 2025, Taiwan imported $1.3bn worth of Russian naphtha, and average monthly imports reached a level nearly six times higher than the 2022 average, according to a report published on Wednesday. Compared to the first half of 2024, Taiwan's naphtha imports this year increased by 44%. Continue reading...

TGA investigation also finds some testing laboratories may be more reliable than others

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