by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#79S0A)
Four arrested after BMW collides with Volkswagen on Gelderd Road, with police appealing for witnessesTwo people aged 22 and 23 have died after their car was hit by a BMW being pursued by police.West Yorkshire police said four people had been arrested after the crash in Leeds on Sunday and appealed for witnesses to come forward. Continue reading...
Exclusive: South Wales police figures show BAME people accounted for 24% of selected scans in 2025, despite being 7% of populationEthnic minority people are four times more likely than their white counterparts to be chosen for some police facial scans, according to official data, sparking warnings of racial bias.Internal figures released by South Wales police revealed that 24% of people selected by police for facial recognition checks were from ethnic minorities, despite this group making up only 7% of the area's total population. Continue reading...
Chain restocks stores in operation named after singer of I Will Survive after US owners release fundsPoundland's under-fire US owners have released funds to help the stricken discount chain restock shelves temporarily, keeping hopes of a rescue deal alive in the run-up to crunch talks with the government.In an emergency resupply effort codenamed Operation Gloria" by senior Poundland staff, about 16m grocery items were dispatched to 600 shops in the UK and Ireland over the weekend. Continue reading...
Iran has targeted airbase in Bahrain in latest resumption of strikes since septemberThe state-run Bahrain news agency is also carrying the statements of each country in the region responding to Iran's actions targeting their Gulf neighbour this morning.Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have all strongly condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Bahrain.The Kingdom affirms that the Iranian attacks constitute a violation of international law and the principles of good neighborliness. The Kingdom stresses the importance of an immediate halt to the blatant Iranian attacks on the countries of the region, and of taking serious steps towards achieving security and stability for the countries of the region and their peoples.The continuation of these attacks represents a dangerous escalation that will complicate efforts to contain the tension and undermine political and diplomatic endeavors aimed at achieving security and stability in the region.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom of Bahrain's strongest condemnation of the continued Iranian aggression against its territory, including the attack launched today, Sunday, November 15, 2026, by drones that were intercepted and destroyed by air defense systems in the Kingdom's airspace.This comes two days after a similar attack at dawn on Friday, November 13, 2026, by two drones that were also intercepted. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard explicitly claimed responsibility for these attacks. The Ministry praised the efficiency, vigilance, and capability of the Bahrain Defense Force in confronting today's attack and its complete readiness to deter any aggression.
UKHSA warns of health impact on those vulnerable to cold and urges people to check in with neighboursCold weather warnings have been issued for parts of the UK, and alerts for the risk to health services are due to begin on Sunday evening.The Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for ice for central and eastern Scotland from 6pm on Sunday evening until 10am on Monday. People should be vigilant as they travelled, due to the risk from slipping on footpaths in icy conditions, it added. Continue reading...
Courts have issued stinging rebukes to president's blatant' financial ploys as pro-democracy groups defend government of laws, not of men' pillarDonald Trump's legal and political ploys to increase his wealth and boost Republican electoral prospects have fueled lawsuits by non-partisan groups, prompting federal judges to issue stinging rejections to some of the president's schemes.Several lawsuits were filed in 2026 against Trump's schemes to benefit his bottom line by reducing potential tax liabilities, boosting his Truth Social platform financially by offering big investors early access to his posts, and helping Republicans by using federal funds to pay for highly partisan ads touting Trump's record in the run-up to the midterm elections, in which Republicans suffered a heavy defeat. Continue reading...
From Aldi candles to Quince's cashmere jumpers, cut-price versions of high-end sellers have gone mainstream. But is it fair?For fans of the festive season nothing is more Christmassy than lighting a super-sized botanical candle with its trim of orange slices and berries.But as the notes of cinnamon and clove fill the room will you be burning money spent on the White Company's 95 winter indulgence" candle that customers describe as the scent of Christmas". Or have you followed TikTok's advice and bought the Aldi dupe" for 25. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor on (#79RXX)
HMS Vengeance's 217-day tour raises questions about slow pace of maintenance of ageing fleet and impact on crewA Trident nuclear submarine has concluded a record seven-month deployment, returning to the Faslane naval base in Scotland, where its crew are expected to be greeted by senior members of the government .HMS Vengeance began its patrol on 12 April and spent 217 days submerged before returning on Sunday, leaving the country when Keir Starmer was in Downing Street and Manchester United were third in the Premier League. Continue reading...
Experts warn that sweeping changes elevate health secretary RFK Jr's anti-vaccine agenda and personal profitThe Trump administration is finalizing a rule to reimburse doctors who diagnose, treat and counsel patients with side effects from vaccines in what experts believe is an attempt to undermine trust in vaccines and to create an evidence base on their purported risks.Robert F Kennedy Jr, the secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also announced the creation of a vaccine injury" research center at the National Institutes of Health and has sought to reshape the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) - actions that point to Kennedy's longtime activism against vaccination as well as the profits he and his network have made from vaccine lawsuits. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Shepard Fairey says image will hold PM accountable over promise to get people off the streetsThe Hope" portrait of Barack Obama by the US street artist Shepard Fairey came to symbolise a historic 2008 presidential campaign, became one of the most ubiquitous and reproduced political portraits of modern times, and ended up in the Smithsonian.Fairey's latest work, of the UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, may not elicit the same response but will, he hopes, deliver a hard-hitting message: one of a promise made. Continue reading...
MP says party is being squeezed by arrival of more plausible' Labour leader in Andy BurnhamReform UK has been losing support to Labour after a very difficult year," Danny Kruger has admitted, just over 12 months after his defection to Nigel Farage's party.The MP, who has been tasked with preparing Reform for government, denied that he regretted jumping from the Conservatives as recent polls indicated a revival under Kemi Badenoch. Continue reading...
Hundreds of thousands expected to rally against plan to scrap licence fees and fund broadcasters from state budgetHundreds of thousands of Czechs are expected to rally in Prague on Sunday to protest against what they say is a government attempt to stifle media freedom.The gathering to save the mandatory licence fees that fund Czechia's public broadcasters could be one of the biggest in the nation's history, organisers say. Continue reading...
Book sells out and tour tickets in demand after comedian reveals she contributed to Walliams investigationWhen the comedian Lucy Beaumont revealed she had intervened to support a junior TV worker concerned about David Walliams' behaviour, she feared it would brand her as a troublemaker and ensure she would never work in television again.The immediate response to her actions, however, has been more heartening. Her book Drinking Custard: The Diary of a Confused Mum sold out online soon after she talked about her fears for her career. There was also a flurry of online posts from fans buying tickets to her current tour, with many posting messages of praise and support.Support for anyone affected by sexual abuse issues is available in the UK from Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adult survivors on 0808 801 0331. Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. Other international helplines are available for people affected by sexual abuse and childhood abuse, and people in crisis. Continue reading...
Liberty Steel Dalzell plant in Motherwell with order for 34,000 tonnes of metal plate to build three warships has struggled to pay billsThe Royal Navy is facing questions over whether three new warships will be built with British steel as its Scottish supplier faces deepening financial difficulties.Liberty Steel Dalzell, a plate mill in Motherwell, has struggled to pay its bills and workers in recent weeks, according to several people with knowledge of operations. Continue reading...
Mia Latter says she was in an abusive relationship with the convicted rapist when he was 30 and she was 16A woman who alleges she was raped by Russell Brand when she was 16 has waived her right to anonymity to campaign for a staggered age of consent.Mia Latter says she was in an abusive three-month relationship with Brand when he was 30 and she was 16. Continue reading...
Survey respondents describe current or former partners controlling bank accounts and taking out credit online without full consentAlmost one in five young women and girls in the UK have experienced digital financial products being used as a tool of abuse by a current or former partner, a report has found.Abusers are exploiting banking apps, online payments and digital credit to control young women, causing financial harm and preventing them from leaving relationships, according to research from the charity Surviving Economic Abuse.In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Women's Aid. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...
We think dialogue is a good thing,' Australian PM says after German chancellor urges the US to work with Europe for peace in UkraineAustralia has endorsed this week's historic summit between Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin in China, even as European leaders warn that the US president must not make major concessions over the war in Ukraine.The three-way summit is planned to take place in Shenzhen, where the leaders will gather for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) meeting. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has warned the talks must not lead to a redistribution of influence among world powers or the abandonment of his country, more than four years into the war sparked by Putin's full-scale invasion. Continue reading...
Exclusive: British sportswear firm is seeking to obtain rights to The Conditioning Club, which is also the name of a Gloucestershire gymGymshark, the 1bn British sportswear firm started in a family garage, is locked in a trademark battle that threatens the future of a small fitness business.Ben Francis, the university dropout who started sewing his own gym clothes in his parents' garage and is now estimated to be worth 800m, is trying to add The Conditioning Club to his Gymshark stable of trademarks. Continue reading...
International court of justice has never before found a state guilty of genocide, and ruling will have implications for case against IsraelThe world's top court will deliver a judgment this week on whether Myanmar committed genocide against its Rohingya minority, in a landmark case that will set a critical 21st-century benchmark for the gravest of all international crimes.The closely watched judgment could become one of the most significant moments in international law since the end of the second world war. Continue reading...
Thames Water says detainees at proposed accommodation should expect to experience insect swarms and strong smellsA Home Office plan to build asylum seeker detention facilities next to a sewage pump is facing objections after water company officials warned that detainees should expect to experience insect swarms and strong smells.Proposed secure accommodation blocks at Campsfield House immigration removal centre in Oxfordshire will be 20 metres from a sewage pumping station, according to a written submission from Thames Water. Continue reading...
Tussle for influence as trade, tech and regional security to take centre stage in China, Philippines and Cambodia meetingsThe global political centre of gravity will be firmly in Asia this week as world leaders fly in for back-to-back high-level summits against the backdrop of the tussle for influence between the superpowers China and the US.Beijing will have the home advantage when it welcomes Donald Trump to its southern technology hub of Shenzhen for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders' meeting. It starts two weeks after the US leader lost midterm elections. Continue reading...
Although booster exploded, company caught upper stage for first time in campaign to make megarocket reusableSpaceX's megarocket Starship returned to its Texas launch tower on Saturday, a milestone in the company's efforts to make the craft suitable for human spaceflight.The 171ft (52-meter) bullet-shaped upper stage descended into the clutch of the tower's mechanical arms, ending a 22hr mission where the craft orbited Earth 14 times. Continue reading...
Filipino entry, pop and rap song Sobra-Sobra, takes 19-year-old to victory at grand final in BangkokCarmelle Collado has won the first Eurovision song contest Asia, taking the Philippines' entry, Sobra-Sobra, to victory in Bangkok on Saturday night, at the first regional edition of the contest to be staged outside Europe.Eleven countries competed at the One Bangkok Forum in central Bangkok, and the show ran for two and a half hours including advertising. Continue reading...
Appeal for information comes after Brenda Raymond, 80, was set on fire outside her flat on MondayThe family of an elderly woman who was set on fire outside a block of flats in Watford have said they are desperate for answers".Brenda Raymond, 80, was found set alight outside her flat on Caractacus Cottage View on Monday. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she is in critical condition. Continue reading...
Thousands of flights still canceled as officials blamed ageing air control system for nationwide groundingThe Trump administration says Friday's four-hour nationwide Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ground stop that delayed or canceled thousands of flight stemmed from routine maintenance.At a news briefing on Saturday, the US transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, said that the issues began when a contractor was performing routine maintenance" at a remote FAA facility to switch telecommunications lines" from copper wire to fiber optic cable. Continue reading...
Exclusive: 2,850 more patients a month would need to be treated within 62 days to meet March 2027 goal, as experts warn of failure of leadershipNearly 10,000 more cancer patients in England will not be treated on time because the government will fail to meet its targets, amid a failure of leadership, focus and resource, experts have warned.The NHS set an interim target to treat 80% of cancer patients within 62 days of urgent referral or consultant upgrade by March 2027. But with little more than 100 days to go, the proportion of patients starting treatment on time in September was 70.7%, down from 71.9% in August, NHS figures show. Continue reading...
UKHSA warns of threat to vulnerable people from frosty conditions expected to last until ThursdayMore cold health alerts have been issued for parts of the UK on Sunday night and next week.The alerts were issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the north-west, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber, and will be in place from 9pm on Sunday until 9am on Thursday. Continue reading...
Raising borrowing costs too far risks laying waste to whatever growth there is in the economyA head of steam is building up behind the Bank of England raising interest rates again. With the latest forecasts by the central bank showing inflation rising to 5% next spring, another increase in the cost of borrowing seems inevitable, and may come as soon as next month.A growing number of analysts predict the Bank's policymakers will don Scrooge masks when they meet on 17 December to deliver a message of austerity and sacrifice. Continue reading...
PM accuses Tories of burning all our bridges' and says deal he is pursuing with EU will get food prices down'Andy Burnham has said the UK has lost more than we gained" since leaving the EU, the prime minister's latest in a string of comments criticising Brexit.Outlining his desire to form closer ties with Brussels, Burnham accused the Conservative party of having burned all our bridges" with the bloc after Brexit and said a new deal he hopes to secure with the EU next week will get food prices down" and put more money in the pockets of British exporters. Continue reading...
We have further to go,' says Huw Pill after increase to 4% this month as Bank seeks to tackle rising inflationThe Bank of England will probably need to raise interest rates next month and again in early 2027 to combat rising inflation, its chief economist has said.Signalling a sharp rise in mortgage payments for an estimated 2.3 million homeowners who will have to refinance their loans next year, Huw Pill said that while the decision to nudge interest rates from 3.75% to 4% earlier this month was a significant step" towards getting monetary policy into a better place, we have further to go". Continue reading...
Undercover ITV report also shows inadequate welfare checks at ex-military base run by firm of asylum camp billionaire Graham KingAsylum seekers accommodated at a controversial military base in East Sussex have been subjected to inadequate welfare checks, and torture survivors may have been placed there unlawfully, an undercover documentary for ITV has revealed.Mass accommodation sites are central to the government's plan to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers. For the documentary, Inside The Asylum Camp, ITV's undercover reporter got a job as a welfare officer at Crowborough and covertly filmed inside the former military training camp. The documentary claims that poor screening and welfare checks are having serious consequences for some of the asylum seekers. Continue reading...
Questions remain about reason for leak, safety of drinking water and where salt can be sourced for roads during winterWhen water last month began gushing through a crack in the ceiling of a Morton Salt mine in Ohio, the company had only one option: shut the mine down for good.For locals in and around Fairport Harbor, it means the loss of 77 jobs; but for the wider region, which depends on its salt reserves to keep roads ice- and snow-free every winter, it could mean travel chaos. Continue reading...
by Jonathan Watts; graphics by Sara Fiorillo on (#79RF6)
People around the world have contended with unprecedented weather events and their fatal effects caused by the climate catastropheAfter the world's hottest summer since records began in 1850, the death toll from extreme weather in 2026 is already in the high tens of thousands. That is a conservative estimate and is certain to rise much higher.As Cop31 continues and scientists warn that climate breakdown may be accelerating, the Guardian looks back at a year of droughts, fires and floods as a reminder that, unless the world takes urgent action to cut emissions, this disastrous year will be one of the best of the rest of our lives. Continue reading...
Experts warn of risks of platforms hosting bets tied to US public health - including vaccine mandates and drug trialsThe sign was pasted on a construction fence next to an elementary school in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Vaccines," it proclaimed in bold capital letters against a blue star-spangled background - appearing, at first glance, to be like any other public health message on the importance of getting vaccinated.But at the bottom of the sign, in smaller letters, it read: Will any state end vaccine markets?" It was accompanied by the logo for Polymarket, an online prediction market where users can log in to wager on the outcomes of nearly any event - including, now, public health. Continue reading...
Prime ministerial hopeful calls Arab minority an integral part of the Israeli story' as he seeks to form governmentIsraeli prime ministerial hopeful Gadi Eisenkot condemned a racist and aggressive campaign of delegitimisation" against the country's Arab citizens, after the caretaker prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accused Arab parties of electoral fraud without evidence.Netanyahu has repeatedly targeted Arab parties and Palestinian citizens of Israel after his party received a disappointing electoral showing, accusing them of manipulating the election and being linked to Hamas. Israeli electoral authorities have rejected these claims as not being backed by evidence. Continue reading...
Throttling of Elon Musk's military-grade satellite system affecting whole frontline, says Ukraine's presidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy has accused SpaceX of not telling the truth over restrictions to Ukraine's Starshield satellite system, saying the decision to impose speed limits appears to be political" rather than technical".Speaking on Friday, Ukraine's president said the restrictions affecting Ukrainian drones had been in place for five days. They could no longer fly at speeds of more than 161km/h (100mph), he said, with connections at higher speeds lost. Continue reading...
by Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on (#79RDW)
Activists dumped rocks off Norfolk coast on site of Burnham-backed project in protest against seabed trawlingThe giant offshore windfarms backed by Andy Burnham this week may face unexpected stumbling blocks after Greenpeace activists unwittingly dumped about 15 tonnes of boulders on to the site as part of a campaign against seabed trawling in the North Sea.Greenpeace created the boulder barrier" to safeguard harbour porpoises off the Norfolk coast by dropping giant stone blocks, each weighing up to 2 tonnes, on to the sea floor to prevent a method of fishing known as bottom trawling. Continue reading...
Comedian regrets inappropriate' jokes he made with Brand during work pair did together in the 2000sThe Great British Bake Off presenter Noel Fielding has said he was horrified and deeply disturbed to learn of Russell Brand's crimes" and has had no contact with his fellow comedian for many years".In the early 2000s, Fielding often worked with Brand, who was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison on Monday for raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. Continue reading...
Charles marks 78th birthday and 50th anniversary of King's Trust charity with a playlist for special episode of podcastKing Charles marked his 78th birthday on Saturday joking with Elton John that they were still standing" as he appeared on the singer-songwriter's Rocket Hour for a shared musical journey.In a special recorded episode of the Apple Radio show to mark the 50th anniversary of the monarch's charity the King's Trust, Charles's playlist included John's I'm Still Standing. Continue reading...
Paintings by one of country's most important artists have been animated and set to music at National Library of WalesThe paintings of artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne and David Hockney have been brought to life in all-singing, all-dancing immersive shows in recent years.Now one of Wales's most important artists, Sir Kyffin Williams, known for capturing the spectacular landscapes of his homeland with layers of paint thickly applied with a palette knife, has been given the same treatment. Continue reading...
Artists and industry figures call for culture secretary to shut down the touts' by outlawing resale for profitOne tout is advertising 1m of tickets for U2's long-awaited 2027 tour through StubHub, raising questions about the website's condemnation of professional ticket traders who use bot" software to scoop up tickets and exploit genuine fans.Seats for the four-night London leg of the Irish band's The Greatest Show on Earth tour sold out last week, shortly after going on sale. Continue reading...
Exclusive: investigation finds prescriptions for children under 12, as experts stress need for specialist supervision and long-term monitoringHundreds of children in England are receiving prescriptions for GLP-1 medications, including some younger than 12, the Guardian can reveal.GLP-1 medications were initially developed to help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels, but have since become a popular slimming aid, with products such as Wegovy and Mounjaro becoming household names. Continue reading...
by Lisa O’Carroll Senior correspondent on (#79RB3)
Eurotunnel owner Getlink wants to replicate airport experience' at Folkestone and Calais, without making people get out of carsAirport-style passport and fingerprinting controls are to be introduced at Eurotunnel in an attempt to prevent short-term and long-term chaos" in Folkestone and Calais.In a breakthrough for travellers, the European Commission has agreed to a new system in which an eagle eye" camera system, already used in Rome and Paris airports to supervise fingerprinting and facial imaging, will be used at the border between the UK and France. Continue reading...
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