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Most polling shows prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition will lose its majority, with Gadi Eisenkot the leading opposition contender

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...

Investigation finds dozens of ministers and civil servants moved into AI roles as government developed datacentre expansion plansThe UK's policy on datacentres and AI was developed without any meetings with environmental groups, an investigation has found.The nonprofit organisation Spotlight on Corruption said a considerable revolving door" shaped the government's development of AI growth zones", a central plank of the former prime minister Keir Starmer's AI and economic policy, with 38 ministers, senior civil servants and special advisers hired to positions in AI companies between July 2024 and September 2026. 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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Grant part of $560m invitation-only scheme transparency advocates say largely funded projects in Labor-held seats

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...

Senator Fatima Payman also criticises former colleagues over lack of staffing given to her office

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...

Tasks from determining asylum seekers' ages to border surveillance now involve AI, says Open Rights GroupAI has been embedded across the Home Office in near-total secrecy, reinforcing the so-called hostile environment for immigration, according to research.Tasks from the detection of potential sham marriages to determining the age of asylum seekers and checking through the contents of phones of new arrivals now involve use of the technology, according to a report by Open Rights Group (ORG). Continue reading...

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 will be answering your questions from 15:00 GMT today.Ask a question: log in or sign up here to comment, or email conversations@theguardian.comAfter losing the first round of Brazil's presidential election to far right rival Flavio Bolsonaro, incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, better known simply as Lula, pulled off the most stunning political fightback in modern Brazilian history by winning the second, in so doing securing a fourth presidential term. It will see him become the country's longest-serving leader.The result - 51.79% to Lula, 48.21% to Bolsonaro - was delivered after a supreme court judge had extended polling time by two hours, and after Lula's camp accused their opponents of sabotaging public transport in an attempt to keep their voters from the polls. It was the first time in Brazilian electoral history that a first-round verdict had been overturned. 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...

Company says small number of devices affected by display glitch after posts appear on Reddit and social mediaOwners of the new foldable iPhone are reporting cracks in the device's screen, as Apple confirmed an issue with a small number" of units.Reports of cracks have emerged on Reddit and social media platforms since the handset went on general sale globally on Friday. Experts said there had been too few examples to determine whether there was a more serious problem with Apple's first foldable device, which retails from $1,999 (1,499). 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

Commanders suspected of sexual violence during the largest and fastest slaughter of civilians in more than 30 years have been subjected to travel ban and asset freezeSenior Sudanese commanders implicated in a campaign of rape" have been targeted by the UK on the first anniversary of a mass atrocity that saw tens of thousands of civilians killed over several days.A year after the fall of El Fasher, the British government said it had sanctioned military leaders from both sides in the country's ongoing conflict whom it suspected of sexual violence during the siege of the city. Continue reading...

London sites to remain open as Prospect and PCS agree to Acas-faciliated talks' with museum managementA planned strike at the V&A over half-term has been suspended after an improved offer from management.Museum staff who were members of the Prospect and Public and Commercial Services (PCS) unions had voted to strike on Thursday and Friday in a dispute over pay and working conditions including inadequate toilet and hydration breaks. The strike would have closed the V&A's main galleries in south Kensington, as well as V&A East, V&A Storehouse and Young V&A in east London. Continue reading...

Exclusive: EPA flags oil spill risk from proposed gasfield and threat to pygmy blue whales

R&B singer sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 12 months over incident in Mayfair in 2023The R&B singer Chris Brown has been given a suspended sentence after striking a man twice in the head with a tequila bottle in a central London club.Brown, 37, admitted affray earlier this year after attacking a former friend with a heavy" tequila bottle on the dancefloor at the Tape private members' club in Mayfair in February 2023. Continue reading...

Jump fuelled by fears of further Middle East supply disruptions amid reports of US-Israeli plans to strike IranEuropean gas prices have jumped to levels not seen since 2022 as fears continue to grow around the continent's supply this winter and ongoing conflict in the Middle East.Wholesale gas prices hit 97 (81) per megawatt-hour on Monday, as temperatures across Europe fell and traders priced in stronger demand for heating. Continue reading...

Rapid Support Forces strike five power stations in three states controlled by Sudanese armySudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have launched a coordinated drone attack against five power stations, causing mass power outages across the country's east, a government official said.The drones hit two power stations each in the states of Al-Jazira and Gedaref and one in White Nile state, resulting in power outages across large parts of these three states", the official said on condition of anonymity. Continue reading...

Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of raising bricks'Chinese young adults looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having pets or children have found an answer: raising bricks.Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick," wrote one brick parent on social media. Continue reading...

Ninety-plus Labour MPs warn civil service lacks skills to drive growth where it is needed and plan should be steered by Louis Haigh from Manchester

With industrial action over job cuts heading into its 21st week, students at famed London college are unhappyStudents arriving at Goldsmiths, University of London this autumn found a campus embroiled in a bitter industrial dispute that has upended timetables and disrupted courses.I was really excited to start my studies at Goldsmiths," one international student told the Guardian at a gathering of unhappy students on Friday. But when I first arrived, I was quite shocked because almost all the induction sessions seemed to turn into discussions about strikes." Continue reading...

Families forced to flee as Netanyahu tries to prove security credentials after two Israeli soldiers killed days before electionHebron, the biggest city in the West Bank, had paid little attention to Israel's looming elections until it found itself suddenly in the midst of them, a proving ground for Benjamin Netanyahu's security credentials in the run-up to Tuesday's vote.A gun attack on an Israeli military checkpoint on Friday in which two soldiers were killed brought immediate televised visits from Netanyahu and his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, whose ruling coalition is narrowly trailing with two days of campaigning left. Continue reading...

Calculations from the Center for Global Development say spending next year is likely to be 410m less than anticipatedThe UK is on course to miss its target of spending 0.3% of national income on international aid by an estimated 400m by the end of next year.Calculations from the Center for Global Development (CGD) found the UK was on course for a large shortfall in promised official development assistance at the end of 2027. Continue reading...

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In today's newsletter: As Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured victory in the presidential race, we look the implications for democracy, the environment and international relationsGood morning. Chances are you woke this morning to news of two momentous election results. In Serbia, a student-led movement has ousted the country's long-serving leader, Aleksandar Vui (which you can read more about here). And just hours ago, Brazil's president staged a sensational turnaround against his far-right opponent after a nail-biting vote.Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, won a forth nonconsecutive term as president, seeing off far-right senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who spearheaded the radical populist movement built by his father and former president, Jair. Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 election.UK news | Two people have been killed and more than 160,000 properties have been left without power as Storm Boelo continues to batter the UK.Crime | British police are recording a growing number of crimes linked to cocaine, including assaults, domestic abuse and dangerous driving, as figures show consumption has surged across England.France | Hundreds of thousands marched in cities across France on Saturday in largely peaceful protests to support schoolchildren's demands for more teachers and repairs to dilapidated buildings, as Emmanuel Macron faces a social and political crisis in his final months as president.UK politics | Prime minister Andy Burnham's call for the UK to consider a return to free movement with Europe has been backed by senior cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner but risks causing concern among fellow red wall MPs.Aviation | Three in four European airline pilots have taken microsleeps in the cockpit, while almost a quarter routinely fly despite being too fatigued to work, according to a report.Tuesday | Israel goes to the polls on Tuesday, amid orders from prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a full lockdown of the occupied West Bank after recent checkpoint attacks. His government will be fighting for its survival.Wednesday | On Wednesday Chancellor John Healey will deliver his first budget statement in the House of Commons, which is expected to give local authorities more spending powers, as a means to promote growthThursday and Friday | European and Canadian leaders will meet in Montreal for the 21st EU-Canada summit, to discuss security and strategic cooperation. It will be the first opportunity for leaders to iron out details over a proposed invitation for Canada to become the EU's first ever associate member" Continue reading...

Zali Steggall and Monique Ryan say Coalition leader was wrong to deny link between parliamentary debate and political violenceAngus Taylor has been criticised for his response to the alleged attack on Helen Haines, with crossbenchers Monique Ryan and Zali Steggall labelling a speech by the opposition leader tone deaf" and saying he did not read the room".Parliament returned in Canberra on Monday, a week after an alleged attack outside the Indi MP's northern Victorian electorate office, which led to her losing both legs. A 43-year-old man has been charged and the incident continues to be investigated.Sign up for Guardian Australia's Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...