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President and secretary of state to flaunt oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude bound for Texas refineries

Having lost the first round of Brazil's presidential election to far right rival Flavio Bolsonaro, incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spectacularly triumphed in the second. What comes next for Brazil? The Guardian's Tom Phillips is answering your questions now.Ask a question: log in or sign up here to comment, or email conversations@theguardian.comJeremy Hurley asks: Why did the Brazil stock market tank after the election result, and will it recover?Tom: Basically, because the markets had been convinced that Flavio Bolsonaro was going to win and that after taking power he would implement a chainsaw" style austerity programme inspired by Javier Milei's government in Argentina, deal with Brazil's budget deficit, and bring down interest rates. Lula's victory came as a shock to investors who believe his fourth presidency will see increased and unsustainable public spending.Yes, I'm sure things will stabilise at some point soon after the initial panic - during Lula's previous administrations investors made a lot of money, particularly during his first two terms. There is talk of Lula naming his vice-president, the centre-right politician Geraldo Alckmin, as finance minister in order to calm markets down. Another possible name Rafael Fonteles, a mathematician who is the governor of Piaui and used to run that state's finances.Tom: Hi Adam. That's a really good question and, as someone who lives in Rio de Janeiro, it is one that has been on my mind a lot. The far right has been very good at blaming soft" left wing policies and federal government incompetence for the failure to control armed violence. It was a huge part of the campaign against Lula in the run up to this election.But public security is a state matter and Rio state has largely been governed by the right for years now. Their hard-line, shoot first ask questions later approach has not worked - in fact many believe it has made the violence even worse and led to massacres such as the one I covered in the Complexo da Penha almost exactly one year ago. It must be said that similar tactics have been used in Bahia state, which has a huge problem with violence and is governed by the Worker's party (PT). My colleague Tiago Rogero has written about this. Continue reading...

Greens say Labour has no respect for young people' amid reports chancellor will pause equalisation of minimum wage for under-21s with that paid to older workersJonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, has not contested reports saying that, in the budget tomorrow, John Healey, the chancellor, will pause the process of equalising the lower national minimum wage paid to people under the age of 21 with the more generous national living wage that applies to older workers.In an interview on the BBC this morning, Reynolds was asked to respond to a story suggesting the equalisation process has been put on hold because of concerns about youth unemployment.John Healey will announce plans to increase the minimum wage by nearly 4% but slow the rise for young people after warnings that they are being priced out of jobs.The Times has been told that the national living wage, which applies to those aged 21 and over, is expected to rise from 12.71 to around 13.20 - an increase of 3.9%.The manifesto pledge on equalisation still applies, but it was always clear it would happen over time and we would take into account, as the minimum wage uprating each year always does, the relative strength of the labour market and other pressures ...Of course, you want not just good wages, but good work. And the way this has always been done - it is a balance of making sure the pressures on the labour market are taken into account. That is the approach you will see confirmed [in the budget].Anyone doing a day's work, needs to be paid the same rate for the same job. A young person's rent and food bill is no less because they are young, so they need to receive the same wage.Healey and Burnham are now breaking a manifesto pledge to young people that even Starmer managed to keep. Labour have no respect for young people, who appear to just be there for cheap labour for the wealthy and their corporate donors.[It] wouldn't be my cup of tea, but I wouldn't ban anybody from doing so ... I don't want us to get into a world of cancel culture.I'm not going to have run a party where we say you can't talk about that person or that person. We have to be sensible about vetting. And we are. Continue reading...

By early afternoon almost 45% of voters had cast their ballot

Alexander Stubb and Jonas Gahr Store held substantive' talk with Russian president on peace negotiations, but faced sceptical reactions from some European leadersMeanwhile, Wes Streeting, the defence secretary, has warned that Russia's Vladimir Putin is testing us and testing Nato's resolve" as he condemned hybrid threats and state-sponsored terrorism" from Russia.Streeting repeated his recent warnings that we have to be ready for a scenario in which the United Kingdom and the Nato alliance finds itself at war with Russia". He went on:Not because we want war - we have no quarrel with the Russian people, and we have no desire for war with Russia; Nato is a defensive alliance - but when Putin gives assurances that he has no intentions to provoke a war with Nato, we are reminded of what he said about Ukraine only days before the invasion.The more ready we are to face against Russia, to defend every inch of Nato territory, the less likely we are to find ourselves in that scenario.Poland is one of our greatest and certainly our most reliable friend in Europe, and we value and treasure this friendship very much. Continue reading...

Frontline near Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine quiet for first time in years ahead of planned evacuation

Retailers also report jump in purchases of wind-up radios and torches to deal with extreme weather and cyber-attacksSales of tinned foods, bottled water, wind-up radios and torches have surged after the UK government advised households to prepare for emergencies.Retailers have reported a jump in sales of items linked to preparation for emergencies such as extreme weather or cyber-attacks. The Be Ready campaign was launched last week with the aim of persuading households to lay in supplies to last 72 hours. Continue reading...

Jennifer Shuford is expected to leave her post after midterm elections to spend more time with my family'The deputy director and chief medical officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will resign after six months on the job, according to an agency email obtained by the Guardian.Dr Jennifer Shuford was appointed by Donald Trump in April as part of a four-person senior leadership team. Continue reading...

Home Office refused entry to Judith Clark, 77, invited by RSC to speak about restorative justice after her time in prisonHuman rights activists and celebrities including the lawyer Helena Kennedy, the actor Harriet Walter and the theatre director Phyllida Lloyd have urged the Home Office to overturn its decision to refuse a visa to a former member of the radical US group the Weather Underground, saying her decades of rehabilitation should count in her favour.Judith Clark, 77, was the inspiration for Walter's portrayal of prisoners in the Donmar Warehouse all-female Shakespeare trilogy, including Brutus in Julius Caesar and Prospero in The Tempest. Continue reading...

Misogyny prevention fund to help tackle sexism at work, school and in public places across UK UK politics live - latest updatesThe chancellor will give 15m to a dedicated fund to tackle misogyny in workplaces, schools and public places amid concerns in government about the rise of manosphere" influencers.The women and equalities minister, Bridget Phillipson, will helm the UK-wide fund, announced last month, marking the first time there has been specific national cash to address misogyny. Continue reading...

From everyday fixes', party management and communications to long-term plans for care and pensions, the PM's six key acts so far

Albanese promises swift response' on MP safety as he mulls panic buttons for politicians

Boiler upgrade scheme, which provides grants of up to 9,000 for sustainable alternatives, expected to be slashed in budgetWhen Bill Tuck first started installing air source heat pumps six years ago, other heating engineers were skeptical about whether the green technology would take off. Now, the conversation is completely different," he said.I'm getting approached by them saying: Mrs Jones, my customer for 15 years, she's enquiring about a heat pump. What can you tell me?' The whole narrative has changed." Continue reading...

President has taken an axe to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, stalling climate research on and response to extreme weather eventsSweeping cuts to the premier US climate agency under Donald Trump have severely hampered the country's capacity to forecast, research and respond to extreme weather events, former government officials and scientists have warned, as the US faces a cascade of hazards fueled by a potentially historic El Nino this winter.From the start of his second term, the president has taken aim at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), slashing staff levels, canceling contracts and grants, and shutting down databases and research laboratories. The agency that has long been considered a global crown jewel in climate science and forecasting, has lost roughly 20% of its staff since January 2025. Continue reading...

The musician and outspoken critic of the president is suing for $10m in reputational damages - six years after a settlement in which Trump agreed not to use the song againNeil Young is suing Donald Trump's political action committee Trump 47 Committee Inc for $10m (7.47m) over alleged copyright infringement of his song Rockin' in the Free World after the US president used it as walk-up music in recent midterm election rallies.It is the second time that Young has filed against one of Trump's organisations over his unlicenced use of the song. He first did so in 2020, against the corporation Donald J Trump for President Inc. Trump settled, promising, according to Young's suit, that his organisation would never again use Rockin' in the Free World without a license and permission from Young". Continue reading...

Pair charged with offences under National Security Act after investigation into suspected terror plot, CPS saysTwo men have been charged with offences under the National Security Act after an incident in September at RAF Fairford, an airbase used by the US to strike Iran.Mohmed Abdulkarim, 24, and Nouman Essghir, 24, have been charged after an investigation into a suspected terror plot involving RAF Fairford, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Continue reading...

Head of Australia's national broadcaster says depiction of globally beloved character ramming politicians with a car breaches intellectual propertyAustralia's national broadcaster will send a cease and desist letter to rightwing populist party One Nation for using Bluey in a shocking and disrespectful" cartoon which sees the beloved character repeatedly ramming politicians with an SUV.ABC managing director Hugh Marks told Senate estimates on Tuesday he became aware of One Nation's potential breach of intellectual property last week and sought legal advice. We will be taking further action, I can assure you," he said. Continue reading...

Administrator BTG says 738,144 firms struggling as calls grow for more support for private sector in budget

Casey Sparks inadvertently ended up in Lyerly, Georgia, where he noticed burning home and helped to save familyAn Alabama driver's unintended, GPS-directed detour in Georgia positioned him to help save a couple and a dozen children in their care from a fire that enveloped their home while they slept recently, according to the family and their rescuer.As he recounted in an interview with television station WRCB that quickly went viral among internet circles dedicated to uplifting news stories, James Burke had fallen asleep in his recliner while his wife, 12 adopted children and one grandchild slept in their beds on the night of 17 October in the community of Lyerly, Georgia. Continue reading...

Grant part of $560m invitation-only scheme transparency advocates say largely funded projects in Labor-held seats

Italian army removes and defuses 250 explosives encased in ice for more than 100 years after hikers' sightingsA significant cache of unexploded bombs from the first world war emerged this summer from rapidly retreating glaciers in the Dolomites, the Italian army has said.The devices, which included Italian artillery shells and French mortar bombs, were removed and defused by the army's Julia Alpine brigade, according to a statement. Continue reading...

Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, accounted for more than 10% of all deaths for the first time, new data reveals

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Binbag-wielding volunteers clear encampment used by thugs to intimidate opponents of deposed governmentStudent List cleaned up at Serbia's parliamentary elections. So it was only fitting that the morning after a night of raucous celebrations, the movement's supporters were gathering, bin bags in hand, at Pioneers Park, opposite the national assembly building in Belgrade.For the previous 18 months, this small patch of greenery - with its established trees and playground - had been a no-go zone. A pro-government camp known as aciland had taken over the space with convicted criminals living there in white tents, happy to attack journalists, or anyone else who came too close. Police stood by but did nothing to prevent the violence. Continue reading...

Many punters say inconvenience of bus rerouting is small price to pay for more space, but not everyone is happyTo the east of Oxford Circus, there is chaos. A steady stream of red London buses swing round the last junction before the newly pedestrianised Oxford Street begins. The streets are crammed with pedestrians, some squabbling over who poked whom with their umbrella first.To the west, pedestrians walk freely through the temporary bollards on to a green welcome banner rolled along the tarmac, declaring Oxford Street traffic-free. Continue reading...

Foreign affairs minister says party's social media content promotes division and violence as One Nation leader claims Liberal and Labor want cartoons censored

US military says the restrictions on the electric vehicles at Kadena airbase also apply to delivery drivers and taxisOne of America's biggest overseas military bases has banned vehicles made by the Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD over security concerns, the US military in Japan said on Tuesday.The ban, which went into effect this week at Kadena airbase on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, has fueled speculation that similar measures could be taken at other US military facilities as part of Washington's crackdown on Chinese technology it suspects of being used to collect sensitive information. Continue reading...

NSW police officer accused of murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies tells court he wanted to do right thing' by their families

British Retail Consortium says dam is starting to break on the huge wave of costs' being kept from consumersShop price inflation has risen to the highest level in two and a half years, according to the British Retail Consortium, which warned that the dam is starting to break" when it comes to retailers trying to limit price rises for customers.The lobby group said shop price inflation was 2.1% year on year in October, a sharp rise compared with 1.4% in September, and an indication that retailers were beginning to pass on the rising costs of energy and food ingredients since the Middle East conflict broke out. Continue reading...

Far-right senator banned from leaving country as supreme court judge's ruling makes reference to money-laundering caseThe far-right senator Flavio Bolsonaro was banned from leaving Brazil and ordered to surrender his passports just hours after his dramatic loss in the presidential election to the leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.The ruling was issued by supreme court justice Alexandre de Moraes, the same justice who oversaw the trial of the senator's father, the former president Jair Bolsonaro, for attempting a coup. Continue reading...

Australia's public debt may be well below that of France but there are lessons to be taken from its economic woes

Controversial mechanism that hit unpaid carers with huge penalties to be scrapped following Guardian investigationThe controversial rule that led to unpaid carers being punished with penalties amounting to thousands of pounds is to be abolished, the Guardian can reveal.The chancellor, John Healey, is to announce a new digital taper system for the so-called carer's allowance in Wednesday's budget, effectively ending what is regarded as one of the UK benefit system's most feared and unfair administrative practices. Continue reading...

Fraser coast mayor described James Hansen as always ready to help others, contribute to the community and advocate strongly'

Activists say struggle must go on until their maximum' demands are met over teacher shortages and building repairsFrench children should continue to barricade their schools and take part in street protests, a student union said on Monday after the government announced a package of education measures to try to stem the crisis.Today we're at the negotiating table, we're able to negotiate with the government," Pierre Sourzat of Les Lyceens told France Info television. We're in a power struggle and we still need to call for continued mobilisation to meet a maximum of our demands." Continue reading...

Brand, charged with rape and sexual assault, was sleeping with people day and night', former assistant allegesRussell Brand had an insane sexual appetite" and his bad behaviour was normalised and dismissed" by those around him, his former personal assistant has told a court.Helen Berger alleged she had seen Brand treat women badly and that she once had to stop his mother and girlfriend walking in on him having sex with someone in his dressing room. Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister increases alarmist rhetoric as his far-right coalition narrowly trails in pollsBenjamin Netanyahu has resorted to increasingly alarmist rhetoric and reportedly put pressure on Israel's military to take action against Iran as his far-right coalition narrowly trails in the polls ahead of Tuesday's close-run elections.The Israeli prime minister posted an AI-generated image of a nuclear mushroom cloud destroying Tel Aviv, telling Israeli voters to choose him or risk nuclear annihilation. Continue reading...

Badr Albusaidi calls for security pact involving Gulf states, Iraq and Iran with US no longer primary provider of securityThe Middle East's ability to solve its problems has been held back by America's 50-year insistence that the Gulf states should view Iran as a security threat, Oman's foreign minister said on Monday in a significant speech designed to break the deadlock over the region's future.Badr Albusaidi called for a non-aggression security pact involving all six Gulf states as well as Iran and Iraq. The US would in future no longer be the primary provider of security, he said. Continue reading...

The actor appeared in the cult 1960s show as well as many of the films but also worked as a writerWalter Koenig, the actor known for playing Pavel Chekov throughout the Star Trek franchise, has died, his representative confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter. He was 90.Koenig died at his home in North Hollywood surrounded by his daughter and niece, according to a Facebook post by Zachery McGinnis, the founder of Galactic Productions, an appearance agency that counted the actor as one of its clients. His death was attributed to old age", with no other details provided.This article was amended on 26 October, 2026 to correct details on Koenig's cameo on Star Trek: Picard. Continue reading...

More strong winds forecast after Austen and Boelo kill two people and bring travel disruption and flooding

Industrial action by senior doctors to begin on 25 November with only emergency cover provided, BMA saysEngland's most senior hospital doctors will strike next month in a dispute over their pay and hours, prompting NHS bosses to warn that patients will suffer pain, discomfort and inconvenience".Consultant doctors, who earn an average of 152,000 a year inclusive of overtime and merit awards, will stage a two-day walkout on 25 and 26 November, as hospitals gear up for the extra pressures winter brings. Continue reading...

Clarification comes after PM fuelled speculation about EU-UK relationship in series of interviews at weekendDowning Street has been forced to clarify Andy Burnham's stance on whether the UK would return to having freedom of movement with the EU after the prime minister said an honest discussion" was needed on the issue.Burnham fuelled speculation about a return to freedom of movement in an interview at the weekend, prompting questions about how close the UK could become to Brussels. Continue reading...

A viral WhatsApp channel and student-led protests played a key role in the veteran Brazilian leftist's election victoryAfter the first round of the Brazilian presidential election three weeks ago, the leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reportedly told allies he could not understand how he finished second after a government he considered the best of his three terms.A mood of dismay swept Brazil's left, and because 9 million voters for the other candidates, all of them on the right, were expected to mostly transfer to senator Flavio Bolsonaro, analysts widely saw the far-right senator's victory as certain. Continue reading...

Mr Justice Saini tells the eight men and six women at Winchester crown court the case is likely to be upsettingJurors being selected for the trial of four men accused of sexually assaulting the ex-wife of a former Conservative councillor, who has admitted repeatedly drugging and raping her, have been warned the case is likely to be upsetting.Philip Young, 50, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of abuse against his former wife, Joanne Young, who has waived her right to anonymity. Continue reading...

Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won a historic fourth term as president, defeating the far-right candidate Flavio Bolsonaro in a dramatic comeback.Lula is the first candidate to win a runoff election after losing in the first round, taking victory with 51.79% of the vote to his rival's 48.21%. His win bucks a regional trend, after the son of the former president Jair Bolsonaro had spearheaded a radical populist movement.But with Flavio Bolsonaro refusing to concede defeat, what's next for Brazil? Michael Safi speaks to Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips - watch on YouTube Continue reading...

Move comes after claims that killer had history of using threatening behaviour and an obsession with weaponsShabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has launched a review to examine whether opportunities were missed to prevent the murder of the student Henry Nowak.It follows claims that there were several warning signs that the perpetrator, Vickrum Digwa, had a history of threatening behaviour and an obsession with weapons. Continue reading...

The prime minister previously said that he wanted a debate on how Britain can establish a closer relationshipSpeaking at his rough sleeping summit in Downing Street this morning, Andy Burnham expanded on the claim he made on Good Morning Britain about tackling rough sleeping being cheaper than ignoring the problem. (See 11.13am.)He said:We've also got to be conscious when we speak to the rest of the country, the taxpayers of this country, that actually to leave people sleeping rough has financial consequences. It doesn't work for anybody and it doesn't work for the public purse, because if you leave people in a position where they are in and out of A&E, and in and out of a hospital bed, that doesn't make sense for anybody.There is a rock-solid business case to do something to end homelessness, to put people on a path to recovery, so that they can contribute once again. And that should be the thinking that we take to this conversation.Burnham is throwing another 432m at a problem he failed to solve in Greater Manchester. Under Labour, rough sleeping has hit record highs - yet their answer is always more taxpayers' money and more empty promises.[John] Healey must use his budget this week to cut taxes for working people, get the ballooning benefits bill under control, and stop pushing up energy prices.John Healey is expected to confirm on Wednesday that the full state pension will rise by 489 to 13,036 - equivalent to 3.9%.However, the rise will push about one million people on low incomes who rely on the state pension above the 12,570 personal allowance threshold, meaning they would be dragged into paying income tax. Continue reading...

Leaders and governments worldwide congratulate Lula on dramatic comeback seen as an important signal to rest of Latin AmericaLuiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian president, has vowed that dictatorship and fascism will never return to Brazil after winning a historic fourth term in power by defeating his far-right opponent, Flavio Bolsonaro.This is God's work - and it's thanks to all of you," Lula told tens of thousands of supporters who had gathered in central Sao Paulo in the early hours of Monday to celebrate his dramatic election comeback. Continue reading...

Hopes raised for a reset in relations with EU and other partners following the defeat of authoritarian president

Application made for group claim seeking compensation for companies for alleged overcharging on customer card payments