World news | The Guardian

Letitia James, who prosecuted several Trump-related cases, reacts to one criminal charge filed against her in Virginia

US president hails great peace plan' in Oval Office meeting with Finnish PM; Israel's security cabinet has yet to publicly approve the deal

Head of submarine agency says $12m payment was value for money'. Follow today's news live

Rapper had claimed UMG helped to damage his reputation by distributing Kendrick Lamar's Not Like UsA federal judge has thrown out Drake's defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), ruling that the company cannot be held responsible for promoting Kendrick Lamar's hit diss track Not Like Us.US district judge Jeannette Vargas decided Thursday that the song's lyrics express nonactionable opinion" and therefore cannot be considered defamatory. Continue reading...

Gustavo Petro demands US release names of victims: A new theatre of war has opened up: the Caribbean'Colombia's president has drawn Washington's ire after accusing the US of killing Colombian citizens during a recent boat strike in the Caribbean Sea.A new theatre of war has opened up: the Caribbean," Gustavo Petro wrote on his official X account on Wednesday night. Continue reading...

Data shows a stunning shift in law enforcement priorities that has raised public safety concernsNearly half of the FBI agents working in the US's major field offices have been reassigned to aid immigration enforcement, according to newly released data, a stunning shift in law enforcement priorities that has raised public safety concerns.Personnel data obtained by Mark Warner, a Democratic senator, and shared with the Guardian, suggests the Trump administration has moved 45% of FBI agents in the country's 25 largest field offices to support the Department of Homeland Security's immigration crackdown. Across all of the FBI's offices, 23% of the roughly 13,000 total agents at the bureau are now working on immigration, according to Warner, the top-ranking Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee. Continue reading...

Commissioner's review found 87% of cases uncovered physical, psychological or sexual abuse of a family memberNearly 90% of cases before the family courts in England and Wales show evidence of domestic abuse, a watchdog has disclosed.Physical, psychological or sexual abuse of a member of the family or household was uncovered in 87% of cases, according to a review ordered by the domestic abuse commissioner, Nicole Jacobs. Continue reading...

Trump administration has been accused of preparing to severely limit journalists' ability to cover the departmentWith days left before journalists covering the Pentagon must sign on to a new set of guidelines to retain physical access to the department, major US news companies - and organizations representing their interests - remain concerned about specific policies they fear will stifle independent reporting on the Pentagon.The Trump administration has been accused of preparing to impose severe limitations on the ability of journalists to cover the Pentagon and publish information that had not been officially approved for release. Continue reading...

Israelis and Palestinians share mixed feelings as end to bloody two-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands nearsIsraelis and Palestinians celebrated on Thursday night as Hamas and Israel's government began preparations to implement a ceasefire deal that promises a durable end to a bloody two-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands, destabilised much of the Middle East and prompted protests around the world.In Gaza, there was joy but much anxiety. Many expressed the fear that the new deal would collapse, bringing more suffering to the devastated territory. Though crowds gathered in some places to dance and sing, in many places witnesses reported muted reaction amid loud overflights by warplanes and drones. Continue reading...

Police arrest 30-year-old on suspicion of failing to disclose information about potential terrorist actsA 30-year-old man arrested over the Manchester synagogue attack has been rearrested at an airport shortly after being released.Counter-terror police detained the man at Manchester airport on Thursday on suspicion of failing to disclose information about potential terrorist acts. The arrest came within 24 hours of the man being released from custody, where he had been held since the attack at Heaton Park synagogue on Yom Kippur last Thursday. Continue reading...

Antwerp police recover an improvised explosive device and plans for terrorist attacks on political figuresPolice in Belgium have arrested three young adults for plotting a jihadist-inspired attack using drone-mounted explosives, with the Belgian prime minister reported to be among the politicians targeted.The arrests were made in the northern city of Antwerp as part of an investigation into attempted terrorist murder and participation in the activities of a terrorist group", the federal prosecutor Ann Fransen told a news conference. Continue reading...

Former UK prime minister told post-ministerial jobs watchdog roles would not involve lobbying or UK policy influenceRishi Sunak has been appointed as a senior adviser by the US technology companies Microsoft and Anthropic.The former British prime minister's pair of new jobs emerged on Thursday in letters published by Westminster's office of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba). They add to his roles as a senior adviser to Goldman Sachs International, the investment bank, and speechmaker to investment firms including Bain Capital and Makena Capital in the US, which have netted him over 150,000 a talk. Continue reading...

The film from disgraced director, Brett Ratner, will premiere in cinemas and follow the first lady in the 20 days prior to the 2025 inaugurationAmazon is set to release its Melania Trump documentary in cinemas January 2026.The film follows the first lady in the 20 days before the 2025 inauguration and comes from director Brett Ratner. It marks the film-maker's first feature since he was accused of sexual misconduct by a number of women in 2017. He had denied the claims. Continue reading...

Exclusive: education secretary tells the Guardian scrapping limit entirely in November's budget most cost-effective way to tackle child povertyBridget Phillipson is pushing the prime minister and chancellor to scrap the two-child benefit cap entirely in next month's budget, with the education secretary telling the Guardian the evidence is clear that it needs to be removed.Phillipson, who is finalising a report to Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves on child poverty, said abolishing the cap was the most cost effective way to make lives better for young disadvantaged people. Continue reading...

Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey speak to the education secretary and Labour deputy leadership candidate Bridget Phillipson about the plan for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as why she is pushing the prime minister and chancellor to get rid of the two-child limit on benefits.Plus, she explains why she believes she is the best candidate to become the next deputy leader of the Labour party. And, we hear her thoughts on Keir Starmer's leadership and how Labour should take on Nigel Farage and the rise of Reform Continue reading...

Exclusive: Reform UK leader's remarks at event for private US college criticised as grossly irresponsible' by NEU leaderNigel Farage has claimed teachers would go on strike within weeks of a Reform UK election win, and accused them of poisoning our kids" by telling them that black children are victims and white children oppressors.The Reform UK leader set out his view on British schools in an event for a private US Christian college in Michigan, claiming the Marxist left" was now in control of our education system". Continue reading...

From inside Gaza, Ansam Tantesh and Mai Elawawda react to the news of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel and the prospect of finally ending the two-year warIn the early hours of Thursday morning, both Palestinians and Israelis were celebrating the news that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas had been reached. Though there are still many uncertainties ahead - and many points of disagreement to resolve - an end to Israel's two-year war in Gaza has never seemed nearer.As Ansam Tantesh, an English graduate and would-be teacher, explains from inside Gaza, it has been a brutal period for those living in the strip. The pain, she tells Annie Kelly, will never leave my heart'. Continue reading...

Rhun ap Iorwerth says 2026 Senedd vote will pitch vision against division but will not be a poll on independenceThe leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has said next year's Welsh parliament elections will be a two-horse race between his party and Reform UK.Ap Iorwerth said voters could choose to back Plaid's vision of a progressive Wales or face the division that Reform thrives on. Continue reading...

Metropolitan police say Westwood, 68, has been charged with sexual offences against seven womenThe former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood has been charged with sexual offences against seven women, including four counts of rape.The Metropolitan police said the 68-year-old had been charged with offences dating from 1983 to 2016. Officers said their investigation remained open and urged anyone with further information to come forward. Continue reading...

Donald Trump announces all hostages will be released very soon' and Israel will withdraw troops to an agreed timeline

Vocalist with 70s horror-rock group says he is completely fine' after reportedly passing out at the wheelGene Simmons, the bassist and vocalist with 70s horror-rock group Kiss, has acknowledged being a horrible" driver after he crashed his SUV after reportedly passing out at the wheel and ended up in the hospital in Malibu, California.Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes," Simmons posted on social media. I'm completely fine. I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us were horrible drivers. And that's me. All is well." Continue reading...

Three Bollywood movies will be made in the UK, says British PM, and two more British universities will be setting up a campus in IndiaCompensation schemes for victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal will be improved, with a new appeals process and funded legal advice for post office operators, the government has announced.Responding to the first part of the findings from a two-year public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal, regarded as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in UK legal history, the business secretary, Peter Kyle, said there would be a new appeals process for people who have accepted fixed-sum offers under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, one of several compensation schemes. Funded legal advice will also be offered. Continue reading...

Julia Wandelt is on trial accused of targeting McCann family in a two-and-a-half-year harassment campaignMadeleine McCann's brother and sister have described being stressed and scared by their creepy" and deeply disturbing" interactions with an alleged stalker who claimed to be their missing sister.Giving evidence at the trial of Julia Wandelt, 24, who stands accused of targeting the family in a two-and-a-half-year harassment campaign, the twins Amelie and Sean McCann recalled the defendant contacting them a number of times saying she was Madeleine, who disappeared during a family holiday in Portugal in 2007 when she was three and they were two. Continue reading...

Authorities investigate site after shrimp exported to the US found to contain the hazardous isotope Caesium-137A large industrial zone on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia, is grappling with radioactive contamination after a government taskforce found traces of the hazardous isotope Caesium-137 at 22 production facilities at the site, which includes businesses that export frozen seafood.The discovery, which has prompted emergency decontamination and relocation of residents, follows a contamination scare in the US that was traced back to the Jakarta facilities. Continue reading...

Jamie Dimon, chair of JPMorgan Chase, said he was far more worried than others' about serious market correctionThe chances of the US stock market crashing is far greater than many financiers believe, the head of America's largest bank has said.Jamie Dimon, who is the chair and chief executive of the giant Wall Street bank JPMorgan Chase, said he was far more worried than others" about a serious market correction, which he predicted could come in the next six months to two years. Continue reading...

Dozens of worshippers gather at sombre but defiant vigil a week after attack in which two men were killedDozens of worshippers have gathered at the Manchester synagogue that was attacked on Yom Kippur, vowing to show resolve" and not be cowed" by terrorism.Amid heavy security a week after the assault in which two men were killed, Jewish community leaders led prayers and speeches in a sombre but defiant 15-minute vigil. Continue reading...

Government response to two-year inquiry's initial findings includes crucial' pledges for new appeals process and legal advice fundingCompensation schemes for victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal will be improved, with a new appeals process and funded legal advice for post office operators, the government has announced.Responding to the first part of the findings from a two-year public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal, regarded as one of the worst miscarriages of justice in UK legal history, the business secretary, Peter Kyle, said there would be anew appeals process for people who have accepted fixed-sum offers under the Horizon Shortfall Scheme, one of several compensation schemes. Funded legal advice will also be offered. The Post Office will close this scheme on 31 January, to give post office operators who have not yet applied more time to put in applications. Continue reading...

Court's decision in Louisiana v Callais could limit voters from challenging racial discriminatory districtsThe US supreme court is set to hear a case this month that could gut what remains of the Voting Rights Act, effectively killing one of the crown jewels of the civil rights movement and the nation's most powerful statute to prevent discrimination in voting.The court's decision in the case, Louisiana v Callais, could be one of the most consequential rulings for the Voting Rights Act since it was enacted in 1965 and is almost certainly the biggest test for the law since its decision in Shelby county v Holder in 2013, when the justices hollowed out a provision of the law, section five, that required certain places to get voting changes approved by the federal government before they go into effect. Continue reading...

Banking group had set aside 1.2bn for compensation but character' of City regulator's payout scheme could fuel bigger bill

Study shows clear link between Israeli aid restrictions and malnutrition among children aged between six months and five years

Exclusive: Jacinta Allan's comments come after a cabinet subcommittee met to address growing concerns about youth crime

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Abdallah, 27, and Soha, 31, describe adjusting to their new lives after leaving their war-torn homeThe young man emerging from a backstreet accommodation block in a bustling corner of east London looks much like any other student, getting to grips with his studies at the start of a new term. But 27-year-old Abdallah carries more of a burden than most. A qualified doctor, he has recently been evacuated from Gaza to begin his studies at Queen Mary University of London on a fully funded, government-backed Chevening scholarship.As well as his work in hospitals, he has been striving for months on behalf of the dozens of Palestinian scholars like himself who have been stranded in war-torn Gaza awaiting evacuation by the British government to take up places in UK universities. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will see the release of hostages and the withdrawal of most of Israel's troopsGood morning. After more than two years of devastating war, a ceasefire has finally been announced in Gaza.US president Donald Trump said Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a peace plan to pause fighting and secure the release of hostages and prisoners. Under the deal, Hamas is expected to release 20 surviving hostages over the coming days in exchange for Palestinian detainees, while Israeli forces will begin withdrawing from most of Gaza.Gaza | Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase" of a peace plan to pause fighting and release some hostages and prisoners held in Gaza, bringing the best hope yet of a definitive end to a bloody two-year conflict that has killed ten of thousands, destabilised much of the Middle East and prompted protests across the world.Health | Ministers are preparing to raise the amount the NHS pays pharmaceutical firms for medicines by up to 25% after weeks of intensive talks with the Donald Trump administration and drugmakers.Education | Universities in the UK reassured arms companies they would monitor students' chat groups and social media accounts after firms raised concerns about campus protests, according to internal emails.AI | The Bank of England has warned there is a growing risk of a sudden correction" in global markets as it raised concerns about soaring valuations of leading AI tech companies.Politics | The Conservatives will scrap stamp duty on sales of primary residences if they win the next election, Kemi Badenoch has said, in a policy-heavy speech designed to improve her standing as Tory leader and her party's economic credibility with voters. Continue reading...

James Cullen, who was summonsed to appear before Rosehill inquiry, says 1901 law that enables parliament to compel witnesses is unconstitutional

Julie Inman Grant says message board will need to comply with other codes which will also include age assurance for sites hosting violent and adult content

Court in Buenos Aires sentences Fernando Sabag Montiel and accomplice over 2022 incident in which gun was pointed at former president but did not go offA court in Argentina has sentenced a man to 10 years in prison after finding him guilty of attempting to kill former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.The court in Buenos Aires also sentenced the man's accomplice to eight years in prison, capping a dramatic case that has captivated the country since 2022, when the main defendant, Fernando Sabag Montiel, squeezed through a crowd outside the ex-president's home, thrust a loaded gun at her face and pulled the trigger. Continue reading...

Calls for reform to allow people across the Pacific threatened by climate crisis to more easily migrate, particularly to New ZealandClimate and migration experts are calling for urgent action to create legal pathways for people displaced by the climate crisis, as a new report highlights the scale of the problem across the Pacific.Research by Amnesty International released on Thursday found current immigration systems are inadequate for Pacific Islanders seeking safety and stability, as rising seas threaten to make their homelands uninhabitable. Continue reading...

Suman Mokhtarian was killed in Riverstone on Wednesday in the latest in a series of broad-daylight shootings

DPP alleges sentencing judge erred' when finding triple-murderer could be held in solitary confinement for years'The Victorian director of public prosecutions is appealing Erin Patterson's sentence because a judge erred in finding she was likely to spend years to come" in solitary confinement when allowing for the possibility of parole.According to the notice of appeal released by the supreme court on Thursday, the DPP is appealing Patterson's sentence of life imprisonment - due to the setting of a non-parole period of 33 years - because of findings Justice Christopher Beale made about her likely prison conditions. Continue reading...

Note from secretary of state says you need to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first'The text of the note handed to Donald Trump by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, on Wednesday afternoon, captured in a photograph, suggested the president could soon announce a peace deal in Gaza on his social media platform.Very close," the note read, according to an image of the handwritten note taken by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci. We need you to approve a Truth Social post soon so you can announce deal first." Continue reading...

Times Higher Eduction ranks university as 37th in the world, with five other Australian schools in top 100

Exclusive: Wife of Jihad al-Shamie says he was intimidating, aggressive and controlling' but did not seem radicalisedThe Manchester synagogue terrorist was intimidating, aggressive and controlling" but showed no sign of extremism before carrying out his lethal antisemitic attack, one of his wives has said.The woman, who married Jihad al-Shamie in an Islamic ceremony in 2021, said the 35-year-old was glued to his phone" watching Arabic news channels but did not appear to be on the path to terror. Continue reading...

Departments told to manage their own cost pressures as finance ministry seeks to curb overuse of contingency fundCabinet ministers have been told they will not be able to use the Treasury reserve to fund public sector pay rises and cannot access it unless there are exceptional circumstances.In the run-up to the budget, James Murray, the chief secretary to the Treasury, has written to ministers setting out a decision to clamp down on departments' access to the reserve. Continue reading...

Prime minister hopes to learn from success of scheme rolled out to most of country's 1.4bn citizensKeir Starmer is to examine India's digital ID system on his visit to Mumbai as a potential model for the UK, praising the system as a massive success".Speaking on his two-day trip to Mumbai, where he met an expert on India's digital ID system, Starmer defended the introduction of a similar measure in the UK, saying he believed the rollout of a voluntary system could be expanded to school applications, mortgages and driving licences. Continue reading...

US president optimistic after US, Qatari and Turkish officials join third day of indirect Israel-Hamas talks in EgyptDonald Trump has said he may travel to the Middle East at the end of the week, adding that negotiations in Egypt to end the two-year war in Gaza were very close" to reaching a deal.The US president said that he could visit the region on Saturday or Sunday as he hailed talks that could bring peace for the Middle East". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Plans for England and Wales would help ailing hospitality sector but health experts criticise movePubs, clubs and restaurants will be able to open into the early hours as part of Labour's drive for economic growth, a move which critics say will lead to more drunken disorder.Ministers are pushing ahead with plans to allow premises that sell alcohol to extend their opening hours in order to boost the British night out" and help the hospitality sector. Continue reading...

Rivals lurk in the aisles at sparsely attended conference at which the party leader ignores the threat from ReformWhen Kemi Badenoch was knocking on doors in her Essex constituency in the run up to the last election, she was confronted by a former Tory voter who told her: I don't know what the blue rosette you're wearing means any more."While she went on to retain her seat, Badenoch's majority was slashed by almost 25,000 and the Conservative party as a whole suffered its worst defeat in parliamentary history. Continue reading...

Friedrich Merz's conservatives had pledged to rescind legislation, which allowed citizenship in three years instead of fiveGermany's parliament has rescinded a fast-track citizenship programme, reflecting the rapidly shifting mood on migration in Europe's labour-hungry economic powerhouse.Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives pledged in this year's election campaign to rescind the legislation, which let people deemed exceptionally well integrated" gain citizenship in three years instead of five. Continue reading...

Adrian Young, of British Transport Police, restrained 15-year-old at a train station in Camden, north LondonA British Transport Police officer who put a 15-year-old girl in a headlock during an arrest has been found guilty of assault.PC Adrian Young, 48, used unlawful force in September last year at Camden Road railway station in north London, and was convicted after a trial at Westminster magistrates court. Continue reading...