French interior minister, Laurent Nunez, warned earlier this week of a very high risk of public disorder'The demonstrations coincide with Halloween, but France's interior minister, Laurent Nunez, has warned protesters that covering their faces with costumes for malicious intent could result in a fine of 150.Using Halloween as an excuse will not be a legitimate reason to cover one's face in public spaces," he said. Continue reading...
The 15th amateur to challenge Littler in Netflix stream on Friday evening, Sherrock was lost for words' after winning 501,000 prizeThe name of the programme was Beat Luke Littler and Fallon Sherrock did just that.On one of the biggest nights of the year for British TV, Netflix, too, there was much at stake: not just 501,000 to any of the 20 amateur challengers who managed to beat Littler in a single leg of darts, but also the jeopardy of whether audiences would choose to watch the streamer's first UK live entertainment event - or the final of BBC juggernaut The Celebrity Traitors. Continue reading...
UK chancellor's plans add to concerns government is moving away from pro-renewables agendaJohn Healey has said he will veto new offshore wind projects if they will not lower bills, adding to concerns that the government is moving away from the pro-renewables agenda.Announcing his plans, the chancellor said clean power is how we break the grip of international gas prices on our bills", but added the shift towards it has to come at the right pace, in the right places, with the grid to carry it". Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#79E4Q)
London Paddington and Birmingham New Street stations will shut for five days but most routes will stay openPassengers travelling on some of Great Britain's busiest railway lines at Christmas have been warned of significant disruption from 10 days of engineering works.Work will close London's Paddington station - affecting intercity trains to the west of England and Wales until January - as well as Birmingham New Street, the UK's busiest station outside the capital, for five days over the holiday period. Continue reading...
Defence secretary says value for money and modernisation key for spending to fight the wars ahead'The defence secretary, Wes Streeting, says he started stockpiling food and water weeks ago in case of a national emergency, as he talked up the threats to the UK and said his department had already begun ramping up its spending in response.Streeting spoke after the chancellor, John Healey, said he wanted defence spending to reach 3% of GDP by 2030 and 3.5% by 2035; having already asked Whitehall departments to find 1% cuts in their budgets for long-term investment to fund defence spending. Continue reading...
by Deborah Cole in Berlin and Jon Henley in Paris on (#79E3H)
Activists call for people to make their anger known over poor public services including education and housingStreet protests sweeping Europe are expected to spread to Germany and reignite in France on Saturday, with police mobilised to stop potential looting and rioting on the fringes of what organisers hope will be peaceful rallies.Weeks of, at times violent, student demonstrations have rocked Italy, Spain, Portugal, Albania and France, where activists on Halloween have again called for people to make their anger over the cost of living and deficient public services felt across the country. Continue reading...
The former comedian and his wife gave evidence in the case in which he denies all charges against himRussell Brand's trial at Southwark crown court began with widespread media coverage on 12 October. The former comedian and presenter faces three charges of rape, three of sexual assault and one of attempted indecent assault against six women, in allegations spanning 10 years from 1999. He denies all the charges. Here are five things we learned in the third week of his trial. Continue reading...
Mouria coffeehouse unable to renew lease in Exarchia, known for leftwing solidarity, resistance and radicalismIt has been the hangout of writers, artists, poets and politicians, doctors and lawyers, radicals and revolutionaries for as long as anyone can remember. And for 44 years, Christos Vanas, the proprietor of Mouria, has let them all in.Every day at 7am, the taciturn former waiter has been the first man to step inside the historic cafe in Exarchia, the heart of leftwing Athens. It is a ritual he has kept punctiliously, opening up the famous gathering place before he himself has had his first coffee. Continue reading...
Editor, agony uncle, crossword compiler - he even interviews himself. Our sketchwriter finds there's no end to Farage's talentsWelcome to your new super, soaraway Reformer. The paper that aims to take you back to the 1950s with all the stories that the mainstream media don't want you to read. Free to all patriots. And those who happen to have found a copy on the floor of the bus. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#79E2Q)
Intercity train operator's compensation bill likely to top 70m this financial year amid rise in claims across networkAvanti West Coast paid out more than 20m to passengers in just three months this summer in refunds for disrupted journeys on Britain's main intercity rail network.The intercity operator paid out almost as much in a four-week period to 25 July - 9.3m - as its annual profits for each of the past two years. It repaid a further 12.2m in the subsequent eight weeks. Continue reading...
by Natricia Duncan Caribbean correspondent and Neil M on (#79E1H)
Activists see meeting as opportunity to demand UK confront role in transatlantic enslavementThe royal family enslaved us! Apologise now! Reparatory justice now!"King Charles and the UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, will be greeted with messages as they travel through Antigua's capital, St John's, to attend meetings at the Commonwealth leaders' summit next week. On billboards, placards and T-shirts, in letters and at a candlelight vigil for the thousands of Africans trafficked to Antigua and Barbuda during the transatlantic slave trade, the message from the Caribbean will be pervasive: slavery reparations is not an issue they are going to be able to dodge". Continue reading...
Sellers in areas such as Belgravia and Mayfair face hundreds of thousands of pounds in losses as property prices fallEight out of 10 properties in London's most exclusive neighbourhoods - such as Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge - now sell below asking price, according to research by Coutts, which provides private banking services to wealthy clients.Property prices in prime central London", which covers the city's most expensive postcodes, have dropped 5% in the third quarter of 2026, as the slowdown in the UK's property market hits its wealthiest residents. Continue reading...
Consultation follows growing calls from campaigners, vets and National Farmers' Union for tighter regulationAs the nights draw in, the season of sparklers begins, with Diwali, Bonfire Night and New Year's Eve among the occasions typically celebrated with fireworks. But if campaigners get their way, this could be the last blast for bangers in the back yard.In January concerns about the noise and availability of fireworks were aired in a parliamentary debate, with two petitions clocking up more than 180,000 signatures each, while earlier this month the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade closed a consultation on proposals including making louder fireworks only available to professional users. Continue reading...
President Karol Nawrocki seen struggling to gain entry to court building in Warsaw amid long-running row over the court's legitimacyRiot police were locked in a tense standoff with protesters outside Poland's constitutional court on Friday night after its top judge was suspended in the latest escalation in a decade-long dispute over the court's legal status.The clashes followed a controversial decision by a group of government-appointed judges to suspend the court's contested president, Bogdan wiczkowski, and his deputy, Bartomiej Sochaski, amid disagreements over the bench's legitimacy. Continue reading...
by Oliver Holmes in Bangkok, Daniel Boffey in London on (#79DZP)
The MV Odyssey was billed as the ultimate escape from Donald Trump. Instead, the oil shock caused by his war has left passengers unceremoniously dumped in CambodiaThe idea was a never-ending retirement at sea, a continuous voyage around the globe. The promise to the passengers of the MV Odyssey cruise ship - many approaching the autumn of their lives - was that on the open seas they could cut loose from the troubles of the world. But the world had other ideas.The end came in an announcement as stark as it was brief: they had seven hours to get off. They were going no further than Cambodia. Continue reading...
The Ukrainian president called the US decision strong, but added that delivery of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles could take yearsThe US has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an estimated $2.1bn, but Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned deliveries could take years and stockpiles were needed now to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.The proposed sale will improve Ukraine's capability to meet current and future threats by improving its integrated air and missile defense capabilities," the US state department said in a statement on Friday. Continue reading...
Alliance for the Future, unveiled at Montreal summit and open to other countries, conceived for world shaken by new storms'Canada and Europe have announced a new alliance of like-minded nations to serve as both a protective canopy under which our citizens can thrive" and a powerful hedge against the unpredictable nature of geopolitics, while welcoming other countries to join.Speaking to reporters on Friday from Montreal, the prime minister, Mark Carney, and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, called the new partnership the Alliance for the Future and said the deepest possible partnership between Canada and the 27-member bloc had the potential to offer unprecedented stability and opportunity". Continue reading...
Miami-Dade officials drop charge of battery by strangulation against rapper due to insufficient evidence'Florida prosecutors on Thursday dropped a felony charge against rapper Rick Ross nearly a month after he was arrested in Miami Beach when a woman he was living with told police he hit her, court records said.The Miami-Dade state attorney's office filed paperwork on Thursday to drop a felony charge of battery by strangulation because of insufficient evidence". Ross, whose legal name is William Roberts II, still faces a misdemeanor charge of battery domestic violence. Continue reading...
by Robert Mackey (now); Uwa Ede-Osifo, Chris Hippenst on (#79D3G)
This is voter fraud at the highest level,' president tells rally crowd in South Carolina; Alaska governor orders inquiry into Peltola campaign amid Republican outcry
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#79DP5)
Report calls for an effort to tackle harms in similar way to obesity and smoking, and stresses need to offer boys something better'The manosphere and online misogyny should be treated by the government as a public health issue, in the same way as obesity or smoking, experts have said.Writing in the Lancet, the authors of a new report argue that a coordinated response is needed, involving governments, schools, health services and community organisations, similar to the public-health response to tobacco use and ultra-processed food. Continue reading...
Security incident linked to performance-monitoring tool spurred platform to halt trading for about an hourPolymarket temporarily halted trading on its international platform on Thursday because of a security incident that compromised a third-party provider, the company said.Trading was paused for about an hour and resumed on Thursday afternoon. The company has promised to fully reimburse any affected traders. Continue reading...
Prime minister claims Arab Israeli parties used foreign backing to steal elections, in which his coalition lost its majorityBenjamin Netanyahu has been accused of using smear tactics to cling to power, after he claimed that Arab Israeli parties had used foreign backing to steal" Tuesday's election, in which the prime minister's coalition lost its parliamentary majority.Netanyahu and his allies called on the internal security service, Shin Bet, to investigate alleged vote buying and other irregularities in Palestinian communities in Israel, supposedly funded by foreign money. Continue reading...
Pentagon says it has referred leak case to justice department for criminal investigationThe US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has reportedly dismissed Lt Gen Brett Sylvia, a high-ranking army strategist serving on the Pentagon's joint staff, following allegations that he disclosed classified information to the public.The Pentagon announced on Thursday that it had referred an alleged information leak case for criminal investigation, maintaining that the removal of the senior general was essential to protect sensitive information", the Washington Post reported. Continue reading...
by Heather Stewart, Rowena Mason, Richard Partington on (#79DJ2)
Experts round on chancellor over scattergun' budget, saying he ducked big tax and spending decisionsJohn Healey has backed away from cutting the cost of welfare this parliament, amid dire warnings his first budget could lead to brutal spending cuts because of a 28bn shortfall in public finances.Experts rounded on Healey's steady-as-she-goes budget on Thursday, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies saying he had left himself a mountain to climb by ducking big tax and spending decisions. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#79DJ3)
Move comes as Philippines police investigate alleged child sexual abuse images reportedly found at Thomas Markle Sr's former homeThe Metropolitan police has referred itself to the police watchdog over potential errors in its handling of a 2019 letter warning of dangers to the security of the Duchess of Sussex posed by her father.The letter made allegations about Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan, who is facing claims of child sexual abuse images offending linked to the Philippines, which he denies. Continue reading...
Ministry of Justice figures show recalls rose 27% in year to June despite emergency measures to ease overcrowdingMore people were recalled to jails in England and Wales in the first half of this year than were released, despite government efforts to reduce the prison population, according to figures released on Thursday.Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data shows that 12,338 people were recalled to custody between the beginning of April and the end of June, while 12,278 people were released. It continues a trend set between January and March, when 13,193 people were returned to prison and 12,977 released. Continue reading...
Blaze was world's deadliest residential fire since 1980, but some survivors and bereaved families say justice has yet to be servedHong Kong's leader has apologised for government shortcomings that contributed to a fire that killed 168 people in the city last year, a rare sign of public contrition that nevertheless failed to impress some victims' families.The chief executive, John Lee, and seven other officials bowed in apology at the release of a report that pointed to decades of failure" by government bodies. Continue reading...
Caroline Voaden says Reform UK leader grabbed her by the arm and tried to push past her in incident in May UK politics live - latest updatesA female Liberal Democrat MP has accused Nigel Farage of shoving her aside at the state opening of parliament after which one of her male colleagues intervened.Caroline Voaden gave her account of the incident in May this year after Farage revealed on Wednesday that there had been a physical altercation" in parliament which meant he had decided to avoid the budget. Continue reading...
The trouncing of the far right provides a playbook for social and environmental movements in other countries facing elections, including the US, Spain and FranceThank you, Brazil, for demonstrating how the far right can be trounced while protection for the Amazon is strengthened. In a world where nature and democracy appeared to be bleeding out in tandem, voters and forest defenders in this global south powerhouse have shown it is possible to staunch the flow. This should provide much needed inspiration and, more practically, a playbook for social and environmental movements in other countries facing elections, including the US, Spain and France.The astonishing comeback victory of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Sunday's presidential runoff against his extreme right challenger Flavio Bolsonaro has brought oceans of rapturous supporters on to the streets, while also thrilling conservationists, climate activists and social justice campaigners across the world. Continue reading...
Prime minister wrote to ministers saying he did not want them to advocate for specific options or opine on the likely outcome of the process'Selling nicotine-free vapes to children under the age of 18 has become illegal from today, the government has said.Children were already banned from buying vapes containing nicotine. But, under the Tobacco and Vapes Act, shops across the UK will now be banned from selling nicotine-free vapes, and nicotine pouches, to children.Vaping can be a way to help established adult smokers who are already addicted to nicotine from tobacco to swap to a less dangerous product. Vaping is considered safer than smoking, but that is a low bar. Vapes should therefore never be used by children or non-smokers.Some children have already come to harm from bad reactions to vapes. The long-term health harms of vaping in today's children will only become clear over time. They are however unlikely to be good; inhaling multiple, often heated, chemicals into the lungs may well do irreversible harm. Continue reading...
The Berlin-born actress had a gift for languages that took her to Hollywood, landing roles alongside Peter Sellers, Dick Van Dyke and Paul NewmanElke Sommer, the prolific German star of the Pink Panther film A Shot in the Dark, early 70s Agatha Christie adaptation And Then there Were None, and British sex comedy Carry On Behind, has died aged 85. Bild magazine reported that Sommer had died in Los Angeles of heart failure.German-born Sommer, whose best-known film roles were in the 1960s and 70s, was one of the wave of European performers who crossed over to Hollywood and English-language cinema with considerable success, following the post-war emergence of European New Wave cinema. Sommer was one of the few German actors to make waves at the time, as Hollywood made much of her bombshell image. Continue reading...
by Hilary Osborne, Heather Stewart and Guardian moder on (#79D0W)
The Guardian's money and economics editors Hilary Osborne and Heather Stewart answered your questions on energy prices, tax thresholds and the global events pressuring the economy.FelonMarmer asks: What is going to stop landlords just transferring their tax increase onto tenants, while complaining about how hard done by they are?Heather says: Unfortunately, there's nothing to stop landlords passing their higher tax bills onto their tenants, aside from what the local rental market will bear. Indeed, the Office for Budget Responsibility did suggest one result of this and other recent policies (the 2p rise this year followed another 2p last year) could be a steady rise in rents," as some landlords whack up rents and others leave the market altogether. I think John Healey's answer would probably be a fairness one - that income made through renting out property should be taxed more heavily than that earned through work.Heather says: That's a really good question: Labour strategists are adamant that they wouldn't. I can't help thinking that voters were so convinced the public services were in a dire state, they could have accepted the argument that taxes needed to rise. Certainly, the Tories didn't seem to get much electoral credit for Jeremy Hunt's desperate cuts to national insurance contributions in his last couple of budgets. But we'll never know.Another question is whether Labour should have bust the manifesto promises - either when they first got in, on the basis the public finances were worse than they thought; or at some point in the last year, given the impact of the Iran war (which has added 14bn to the government's interest costs this year alone). Continue reading...
John Healey aced the morning-after media round because his Martin Lewis measures left nothing to challenge him onMaybe it had been one of the greatest acts of political genius after all. The day after the budget is usually the moment when things start to fall apart. When clued-up journalists and economists have had a chance to go through all the fine points the chancellor would rather everyone had missed. The forecasts that suggest everything is predicated on a wing and a prayer. The hidden unfunded tax cuts. The greater-than-expected spending commitments.But on Thursday morning Andy Burnham and John Healey could afford themselves a sigh of relief. All had gone about as well as they could have hoped. It turns out that when you don't make any massive tax or spending commitments, there isn't a great deal to unravel. All there had been was a raft of small-scale interventions designed to help people with their personal finances. Call it the Martin Lewis budget. In fact, Healey and Lewis now seem unable to get through the day without spending some time with each other. They certainly can't stop talking about one another. It's becoming unhealthily co-dependent. The gods of small things. Continue reading...
Possible candidate to run World Economic Forum departs ECB nine months early, saying she wants to speak her mind about world affairsChristine Lagarde, the eurozone's top central banker, has said she is stepping down nine months early to speak her mind about world affairs and confront the misrepresentation of the truth".Ending months of speculation about her future at the European Central Bank, Lagarde said she would quit her role as president in March rather than October next year because the rules of neutrality that governed her job prevented her from influencing debate about financial and economics affairs. Continue reading...
Party aims to build a significant national publishing operation' as first edition of the Reformer is distributedReform UK has launched what it is calling a newspaper, featuring large pictures of Nigel Farage, which the party hopes will replace mainstream media for its supporters.Though the party is hiring qualified journalists to write its newspapers, the only reporter" credited with writing articles is Farage, the party leader. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#79D9T)
Audio file appears to point finger at control centre, but there are questions around signalling and technical issuesAt least 69 people died when a high-speed train from Madrid to Seville hit another train on the same track from behind near Toledo on Wednesday morning.Both trains had been brought to a halt earlier when the signalling system failed. The driver of the state-owned Spanish train, a Renfe AVE service, was told by controllers to restart the journey, but crashed into the train in front, run by the private operator Iryo. The front carriages of the AVE train and rear of the Iryo train were destroyed and others derailed. Continue reading...
Giving evidence at her husband's rape trial, Laura Brand says couple previously split up over his promiscuityRussell Brand's wife has told a court that they previously split up over his promiscuity but that he was a wonderful father" and an amazingly attentive husband".Giving evidence at her husband's rape trial, Laura Brand, 39, said they fell in love after meeting in 2006 but that the comedian found monogamy difficult. Continue reading...
As John Lewis reports a 96% rise in searches for CD players, music fans share their reasons for ditching streamingCDs appear to be having a resurgence. John Lewis said searches for CD players are up 96% since July, while another report on trends in music and film this year found that CD sales are up 16%.With this in mind, we asked music fans why they favour discs over other formats, and if it is a new preference or a lifetime habit. Continue reading...
Miracle' cache of letters written by French scientist who died in ill-fated La Perouse mission give personal account of 1785 voyageAs he prepared to climb the scaffolding to be publicly executed by guillotine on 21 January 1793, Louis XVI is reported to have asked: Is there news of Monsieur de la Perouse?"He was referring to Jean-Francois de Galaup, the count of Perouse, a naval officer and navigator whom the French king had dispatched in 1785 on a round-the-world scientific mission to rival discoveries made by the English explorer Captain James Cook. Continue reading...
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