World news | The Guardian

Republicans secure majority of votes to send articles introduced by Thomas Massie to committee, meaning there won't be a full vote on chamber floor

Trump ally, accused of an array of illegal acts, had earlier condemned impeachment push as a farce and a stunt'House Republicans on Tuesday blocked an effort to impeach Pete Hegseth, rejecting allegations that the defense secretary had repeatedly violated the constitution through his handling of the Iran war and other conflicts globally.The vote came a week after Republicans lost control of the Senate and House of Representatives in their worst midterm election in more than a half century, and underscored how lawmakers remain wary of crossing Donald Trump, who has signaled his continued support for Hegseth. Continue reading...

Republicans pick Jordan as House leader and John Thune as Senate leader for last two years of Trump's presidency

Estranged father of Duchess of Sussex was arrested for keeping child sexual abuse material, authorities sayThe estranged father of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has been jailed after US authorities said he cut an electronic monitoring device off his ankle, days after his arrest for keeping child sexual abuse material in storage units in California.Thomas Markle, 82, was in custody awaiting a hearing in federal court in Tampa, Florida, first assistant US attorney Bill Essayli said. He was arrested shortly after he cut off the ankle bracelet at 1.45am on Tuesday, Essayli said. Continue reading...

Progressive senator says I like Chuck ... but the time is now for change' as calls grow for new Democratic leadershipBernie Sanders, a progressive senator from Vermont, said on Tuesday he would not support Chuck Schumer's bid to serve as the Democratic leader in the US Senate, joining a growing cohort of Democrats calling for a change in leadership.I personally have known Chuck Schumer for over 30 years, and I like Chuck. Nobody who works harder than Chuck Schumer. But in my view, the time is now for change, and I will not be supporting Chuck to be re-elected as the Democratic leader," Sanders told reporters on Capitol Hill. Continue reading...

New indictment claims Mohammad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian and Iraqi national, plotted while in US custodyUS federal prosecutors have said that an Iranian operative jailed in New York was responsible for the foiled attack on a UK air force base where American B-1 bombers were stationed.A new indictment alleged that Mohammad Dawood al-Saadi, a dual Iranian and Iraqi national, plotted while in custody and then transmitted plans - using coded messages in calls to his family - to two co-conspirators to buy large quantities of chemicals that could be used as explosives in an attack on the RAF Fairford base in September. Continue reading...

Legal battle escalates as far-right US podcaster continues to spread false claims that France's first lady was born a manEmmanuel and Brigitte Macron have brought a fresh defamation lawsuit against Candace Owens in her home state of Tennessee, in an escalation of a transatlantic legal battle as the far-right US podcaster continues to spread false claims that France's first lady was born a man.The Macrons first sued Owens and her media companies in July 2025 in Delaware in response to what the French first couple called verifiably false and devastating lies" being repeated by Owens on her podcast and on X. According to that lawsuit, those lies included that Brigitte Macron, 73, was born a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux - who is actually her older brother - and committed identity theft to hide a gender transition; that Emmanuel Macron was elected as French president as part of a CIA mind-control program; and that the couple are blood-related relatives committing incest. Continue reading...

The federal agency is requiring all GLP-1s to include information about the potential risk on warning labelsThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a new warning on GLP-1 medications - which can facilitate weight loss - over a rare eye condition that could lead to sudden and permanent blindness.On Monday, the FDA announced that it is requiring all GLP-1 medications - including Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound, as well as Sanofi's Soliqua - to include information about the potential risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, also known as NAION, on warning labels. Continue reading...

Man, 41, arrested near Gloucester by police working with US authorities in investigation involving allegations of espionage', according to FBI directorA US soldier with alleged links to Russia has been arrested by British counter-terrorism police.The man, 41, was arrested as part of an investigation by counter-terrorism police, working closely with US authorities, the US military and the FBI, London counter-terrorism police said. Continue reading...

Arrests made after three properties were searched in relation to inquiry into late businessmanFrench police have made arrests after raiding three properties, including the Ritz hotel in Paris, in relation to an investigation into sexual abuse and trafficking by Mohamed Al Fayed.Several individuals were taken into custody for questioning last month and later released, according to the Paris public prosecutor's office. Another property in Paris and one in Saint-Tropez, both with links to Fayed, were also searched in mid-October. Continue reading...

Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has mandate to try to form a government - with Netanyahu waiting if he failsOpposition lawmakers have wasted no time after Israel's new Knesset was sworn in, deploying their majority to seize control of the legislature from Benjamin Netanyhau and his allies.Although they are still too divided to form a government, the opposition requested a vote for a new speaker, who sets the Knesset's agenda. Once Netanyahu loyalist Amir Ohana has been replaced, the six opposition parties will be able to work on key legislation even if they broker a coalition. Continue reading...

Voters adopted extreme policy requiring medical sex verification for all girls who want to play team sportsParents of student athletes in Washington state have sued to block a ballot initiative banning transgender girls from women's sports teams, calling the measure discriminatory and warning it would lead to invasive" genital examinations for female athletes.Last week, voters in the solidly Democratic state passed Initiative 638, a major setback for LGBTQ+ rights amid the blue wave" of the US midterm elections. Nebraska, Colorado and Arizona adopted similar anti-trans sports bans, though advocates say Washington state's policy is particularly extreme due to its medical sex verification requirement for all girls who want to play team sports. Continue reading...

Senators pressured Danielle Thumann, senior counsel to FCC chair Brendan Carr, to speak about agency's actions toward ABC and Jimmy KimmelDuring a contentious Tuesday hearing on her nomination by Donald Trump to serve as a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner, Senate Democrats hammered Danielle Thumann about recent actions taken by the Brendan Carr-led regulator that have been criticized as hostile to press freedom.Thumann, who serves as senior counsel to Carr, is expected to be approved as commissioner, with Republicans in charge of the US Senate and House. But Ben Ray Lujan, a senator of New Mexico, assured her that the commission's actions will be under close scrutiny when Democrats take charge of the chamber in January. Continue reading...

Countries clash over Sea Lion project as Hamburg tribunal risks deepening sovereignty disputeThe people of the Falkland Islands face devastating consequences" if Argentina is successful in blocking development of its offshore oilfield, the attorney general for England and Wales has told an international tribunal.Ellie Reeves, representing the British government at a hearing of the international tribunal for the law of the sea (Itlos), said billions of pounds vital to the future of the British overseas territory would be lost. Continue reading...

Republicans on House panel criticize US government's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine MaxwellRepublicans on the House oversight committee released a report on Tuesday criticizing the federal government's handling of the investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, and called on the Department of Justice to interview key witnesses, investigate Epstein associates accused of criminal activity, and ensure survivors have access to their records".The federal government has failed the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's horrific crimes for decades," James Comer, the Republican congressman who chairs the committee, said in a statement. Continue reading...

Criminal Bar Association and campaigners hail Mr Justice Bennathan for delivering remarks with piercing clarity'The judge who sentenced Russell Brand has been praised for dispelling rape myths with piercing clarity".Mr Justice Bennathan's sentencing remarks were particularly welcomed given that rape myths had played a part in the trial. He was also lauded for calling out enablers" who witnessed sexual assaults by the comedian. Continue reading...

Jury finds Blade Silvano, who presented herself as a male army veteran, guilty of six counts of sexual assaultA woman serving a prison sentence for sexual assault after pretending to be a man and duping a woman into a physical relationship has been found guilty of tricking another woman into a similar abusive partnership.In both cases, Blade Silvano, 44, met the women on an online dating site and falsely claimed she was a man who had served in the armed forces before meeting them in person and sexually assaulting them.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...

Jason Jones welcomes decision by privy council in London to overturn 2025 ruling that outlawed anal sexA gay man has won a historic 10-year battle against Trinidad and Tobago's homophobic laws with a landmark UK appeals court ruling that could help overturn similar anti-gay laws in other Caribbean countries.The privy council, based in London, overturned a 2025 decision by Trinidad and Tobago's court of appeal that recriminalised consensual anal sex, seven years after the Trinidadian activist Jason Jones secured a high court judgment declaring the country's colonial-era buggery" laws unconstitutional. Continue reading...

Hamish Falconer says UK has not accepted principle' of linking electricity trade to cohesion fund' but two sides will discuss issueBritain is willing to discuss paying towards infrastructure schemes in poorer parts of the EU in return for access to the European electricity market, according to the minister in charge of renegotiating the bilateral relationship.Hamish Falconer, the cabinet minister in charge of EU talks, told the Guardian he was sure the two sides would discuss the issue after this month's summit, as ministers look to deepen ties with the union over the next few years. Continue reading...

New alliance with the Netherlands and Baltic and Nordic countries comes in response to 41% increase in Russian naval activity around UKRussian naval activity around the UK has increased by 41% in the first nine months of the year, a British defence minister has said, as the Royal Navy announced plans to step up a 10-country maritime defensive effort in response.Luke Pollard, the minister for defence readiness, described the figure as a huge increase", justifying a new drone and warship initiative from the alliance of beer-drinking nations" - the UK, the Netherlands and the Baltic and Nordic countries. Continue reading...

Conservative leader launches Welfare That Works policy document outlining benefit reductions of 36bnBadenoch and Whately are now taking questions.Q: [From Rob Powell from Sky News] We are running a report on the Netherlands, where youth unemployment is much lower than in the UK, but the amount they spend on getting people into work is much higher. Do you want to spend more on job training and support? Continue reading...

German chancellor has signalled he will block budget with no aid deal, complaining that burden is carried mostly by only a few member states'Friedrich Merz has signalled he will block the EU's seven-year budget unless there is a deal on financial aid for Ukraine, triggering accusations of typical blackmail" from some other European leaders and setting the stage for stormy talks later this month.The German chancellor's intervention has angered leaders in central Europe who are net beneficiaries of EU funds but do not want to take part in an upcoming funding round to support Ukraine's war effort. Continue reading...

Premature death risk also varies according to employment and qualifications, shows analysis laying bare the scale of inequalities'People living in the most deprived areas of England are more than twice as likely to die prematurely than their more affluent counterparts, according to analysis.The research, conducted by the Health Foundation, took demographic data from the 2021 census to look at differences in premature mortality rates - defined as any adult who died before their 75th birthday - alongside further data on deaths from March 2021 to December 2023. Continue reading...

US-led talks in Abu Dhabi break up after four hours but are expected to resume tomorrow as Zelenskyy says humanitarian issues were discussed

Multiple women allege David Walliams abused his power and position as a celebrity to prey on them for sexual purposes when they were young women, an investigation by the Guardian and ITV News has found. He denies the allegations. Maeve McClenaghan reportsDavid Walliams, the comedian and former Britain's Got Talent judge, is alleged to have groomed fans he met when they were as young as 15. Walliams denies any wrongdoing.In this episode, investigations correspondent Maeve McClenaghan tells Nosheen Iqbal about the investigation by the Guardian and ITV News.You can watch this podcast on YouTube.The ITV News documentary David Walliams: Power and Silence is available to watch on YouTube and ITVX. Continue reading...

Earlier doses for children, a focus on unvaccinated adults, a risk strategy based on geography - here's how a functioning ACIP would address the measles outbreakThe US has announced three deaths associated with measles last week, among them a seven-month-old baby in New York and a postpartum woman in Pennsylvania, underscoring the need for a more aggressive vaccination approach - but US recommendations haven't changed.Dismantling the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made it harder for the US to respond to the measles outbreak, with vaccine recommendations staying the same during a historic rise in cases and deaths, four former advisers say. Continue reading...

Host Turkey celebrates new oilfields as UN climate summit prepares to host world leaders from more than 90 countriesWe've just heard from Patricia Espinosa, the former UN climate boss (succeeded by Simon Stiell) and now we are hearing from former US secretary of state and climate ambassador, John Kerry.Kerry has congratulated Brazil for keeping the fossil fuel transition issue alive, and the room has erupted in cheers. Continue reading...

Met says several people have been in contact since start of disgraced comedian's rape and sexual assault trial

California saw the most expensive opposition campaign in its history as funding of political campaigns broke records in the US midtermsIn the hours after polls closed on election day, tech industry players began praising Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, on social media.Huge thanks to Sergey Brin here," wrote Garry Tan, the CEO of Y Combinator. Venture capitalist Ilya Sukhar posted: God bless Sergey Brin." And David Marcus, a crypto entrepreneur, simply wrote: Hero." Continue reading...

If data from device is recovered, it could give crucial details about what pilots said as they lost control of aircraftInvestigators said Monday they have recovered the cockpit voice recorder from a business jet that plummeted from the sky amid severe weather in Florida eight days earlier, killing all nine people on board.The recorder was found at the site where the Bahamas-bound Learjet slammed into the ground in Palm Beach county, Florida, and erupted in a fireball 1 November, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement posted to social media. Continue reading...

Computer records reveal College Republican Patriot Coalition's web domain in account registered to Fuentes-managed companyA college Republican coalition claiming 31 affiliated student groups in 14 states that attacked the Trump administration from the right routed its email through the same Microsoft 365 account as a company controlled by white nationalist Nick Fuentes.Until Monday morning, Microsoft's public sign-in records put the College Republican Patriot Coalition (CRPC)'s web domain in an account registered to NJF LLC, a Fuentes-managed company that also runs his personal website and online store. Continue reading...

GLP-1 products such as Ozempic and Mounjaro spread but many in poorer countries struggle to get basic diabetes treatmentThe gold rush into GLP-1 weight-loss drugs risks diverting pharmaceutical firms' attention away from diabetes treatments such as insulin, the head of the Access to Medicine Foundation has warned.GLP-1 blockbuster medications such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro have revolutionised obesity and diabetes treatment but there has been a greater focus by companies on weight loss, according to a report from the Netherlands-based non-profit group. Continue reading...

Speaking in the White House, the president said the US remained locked and loaded' but escalation was not needed. Plus how Grand Theft Auto became a cultural colossusGood morning. Oil prices have dropped after Donald Trump unilaterally declared that the US war on Iran was effectively over". During a White House press conference, Trump said Israel and Gulf allies in the region were well protected from Iran and that an escalation was not needed.He said, however, that the US remained locked and loaded, ready to go for any reason", adding: We're seeing momentum toward the end of this conflict. I think it's going to be ending fairly soon." Brent crude has dropped below $90, its lowest level since August.What is the latest development with Pete Hegseth? A Republican lawmaker has moved to force a vote to impeach the US defense secretary. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth, accusing him of illegally waging war without congressional authorization and abusing his powers.What has happened at a US airbase in England? The US military has reportedly evacuated aircraft from a second airbase in Britain after a threat from Iran. Two US refuelling tankers that were using the RAF Mildenhall military base diverted to Germany on Monday morning, while several other tankers at the base were moved to Germany and other locations later in the day. Continue reading...

First substantive peace talks since February to include US proposal for long-term security architecture' between Moscow and Europe

Former prime minister faces death penalty upon return after being sentenced in absentia over deaths in 2024 uprisingSheikh Hasina is confident" she will return to Bangladesh in December, according to exiled members of her party, after the disgraced former prime minister of Bangladesh applied for a new passport this week.Hasina has been living in self-imposed exile since August 2024 when she was toppled from power by a mass uprising against her authoritarian rule. She crossed the border to India, where she has since been allowed to live freely in Delhi. Continue reading...

Evacuation comes weeks after US withdrew bombers from RAF Fairford over suspected Iran-linked security incidentThe US military has reportedly evacuated aircraft from a second airbase in Britain after a threat from Iran.Two US refuelling tankers that were using the RAF Mildenhall military base diverted to Germany on Monday morning, while several other tankers at the base were moved to Germany and other locations later in the day, according to the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading...

Shoppers appear to have taken government's Be Ready campaign seriously, retail analysts say

Arrest made by anti-corruption body set up to investigate alleged graft during former PM's 16-year ruleHungarian authorities have detained the brother of Viktor Orban as part of a people-smuggling investigation, the prime minister, Peter Magyar, has said.The Hungarian anti-graft body, the national asset protection and recovery office (NVVH), said in a statement it and police had detained four people and searched homes in Budapest and Pest county. Continue reading...

From the assassinations of her husband and mother-in-law to press stonewalling under Modi, Belonging offers an insider's account of India's political evolutionFew love stories have been as closely entwined with a nation's history as that of Sonia and Rajiv Gandhi. The former's much-awaited political memoir, Belonging, offers a strikingly candid account of her journey from a small town in Italy to the highest echelons of power in India - all for love, she says.The veteran Congress party leader has been fiercely protective of her personal world. In Belonging, she opens up for the first time about the extraordinary twists and turns of a life that has largely unfolded in full public view. (The Guardian's Hannah Ellis-Petersen has a rare in-person interview with Gandhi, and you can read an excerpt from the book here.) Continue reading...

Errors in entry and exit records leave some Britons wrongly flagged as having overstayed post-Brexit 90-day limit

Opposition politicians get first chance to take control of levers of power, even as they struggle to form governmentIsrael's new Knesset will be sworn in on Tuesday, giving opposition politicians their first chance to take control of some levers of power, even as they struggle to form a new government to unseat Benjamin Netanyahu.High on the agenda will be replacing the speaker, who wields immense influence by controlling the legislature's agenda. The role is currently held by Amir Ohana, a close ally of Netanyahu. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Iran war has fuelled energy price rise and clouded outlook, driving up unemployment, says Clare LombardelliYoung people in Britain are bearing the brunt of a low-gear economy" as employers hold back from hiring amid the fallout from the war in the Middle East, a deputy governor of the Bank of England has warned.Clare Lombardelli, the Bank's deputy governor for monetary policy, said the unfolding conflict, which has triggered a surge in energy prices and clouded the outlook for the economy, was contributing to an increase in youth unemployment. Continue reading...

Jens Eskelund says Europe may need to allow its companies to become part of Chinese firms' supply chainsEurope's manufacturers could give up on attempting to compete with their Chinese counterparts by the end of the decade if current trends continue amid fears over mass job losses, the head of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China has warned.In a case of if you can't beat them, join them", Jens Eskelund said European companies operating in China were now thinking Made in China for China" could be replaced by a philosophy of Made in China for the world". Continue reading...

Former police officer tells jury he joked about being white girl crazy' with friends as lawyer questions him about start of relationship with TV presenter

Westpac survey results signal growing sense of helplessness' while Jim Chalmers faces growing pressure to rein in spendingConfidence among mortgaged households has crashed to its lowest level in more than three decades amid a growing sense of helplessness" about the economy, even as a dramatic shift in financial markets suggests there is now a strong chance of a Reserve Bank rate cut by this time next year.The latest Westpac survey showed its consumer sentiment index sinking again in November to reach a four-year low, amid deepening pessimism about the near-term prospects for the economy. Continue reading...

Inquiry recommends police investigate allegations of sexual assault and other abuse at Redeemer Baptist school

Tasmanian premier leads tributes for Russell, who earlier this month returned home to see out his days'

Party disendorses Preston candidate Franco Guardiani after social media posts emerge

Boy says he was first exposed to extremist material on TikTok, turned to Telegram and YouTube for bomb-making instructions, and used ChatGPT to devise his plans

Almost two-thirds of school leaders polled say new regime is much more intense than previous frameworkMore than half of headteachers in England who were polled after their schools were inspected under Ofsted's new regime are considering cutting short their careers as a result of the experience.In response to the question Has the inspection affected how long you intend to stay in your role?", 52% of those who responded said they were thinking of leaving their job sooner than planned. Continue reading...