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Chancellor Friedrich Merz says we are still a long way from that' as Trump blasts Ukrainian leadership on social mediaThe Ukrainian delegation has held talks with European security officials in Geneva, according to the head of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office, Andriy Yermak.Overall, a series of meetings in various formats is planned for today. We continue working together to achieve a lasting and just peace for Ukraine," Yermak wrote in a post on X. The next meeting is with the US delegation. We are in a very constructive mood." Continue reading...

US president appears to roll back from demand Zelenskyy sign by Thursday amid claims Russia authored the textDonald Trump on Sunday claimed Ukraine had shown no gratitude for US efforts to end the war, as American, Ukrainian and international negotiators met in Switzerland to discuss the peace plan" that would involve significant concessions to Moscow from Kyiv.Poland's president, Donald Tusk, asked where Trump's peace plan" came from, after an apparent admission by the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, that the text was originally drafted by Moscow. Continue reading...

South Africa rejects proposal from US, which boycotted summit and hosts the next, for president to hand over to junior officialSouth Africa's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, closed the G20 summit in Johannesburg by banging a gavel, having rejected a US proposal for him to hand over to a relatively junior embassy official for the next summit in Florida in a year's time.South Africa presented the two-day event as a triumph for multilateralism but it was marred by a boycott by the US, which has repeatedly accused South Africa of discriminating against white-minority Afrikaners, a claim that has been widely discredited. Continue reading...

At least two people killed and dozens injured in airstrike on southern suburbs of Lebanon's capitalIsrael targeted the chief of staff of Lebanon's Iran-aligned group Hezbollah in a strike in Beirut's southern suburbs, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday.The strike was the first in months on the Lebanese capital's southern suburbs, known for housing Hezbollah officials. Continue reading...

The government has offered to make changes to the bill to both the Greens and the Liberals hoping to reach a deal on legislation that can pass the Senate

Exclusive: Man box' stereotype of appearing tough and believing in rigid gender roles linked to likelihood of committing acts of abuse, new report finds

Unable to reunite with their families in Gaza due to the closed border, Palestinian workers have spent two years in a refugee camp at Nablus stadiumInside a dim locker room at the Nablus municipal stadium, in the occupied West Bank, the television rarely goes dark, streaming day and night the relentless news from Gaza. Gathered in front of it are a group of men from Khan Younis. For more than two years, they have lived in this stadium converted into a refugee camp, their lives suspended between exile and the war they watched on a screen.They are mostly construction workers who were in Israel on the morning of 7 October 2023 when Hamas launched its attack. As Israel rounded up Palestinians from Gaza, they fled to the West Bank, where they remain - cut off from wives and children living in makeshift tents inside the strip. With very few exceptions, civilians are not currently allowed in or out of Gaza. Continue reading...

TV personality wants homeowners and businesses to shun dishonest' firms Arconic, Kingspan and CelotexGrenfell United and the TV architect George Clarke are calling on businesses and homeowners to take a moral decision" and boycott the companies criticised in the Grenfell inquiry for systematic dishonesty".Clarke, best known for his series George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, said he had made the decision not to use products from Arconic, Kingspan and Celotex, three companies that were heavily criticised in the findings of the Grenfell inquiry published last year and who have continued to deny wrongdoing. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Jason Clare says new powers will ensure information is accurate, comprehensive and representative' to help government deliver evidence-based reforms'

Artworks to go on display in January at Bethlem Museum of the Mind, in the world's oldest psychiatric hospitalFrom images of empty community rooms and a colourful canvas crammed with caricatures to a baby linked by an umbilical-like cord to a seated stranger, artworks on the subject of mental health are to go on display in an exhibition that examines social bonds against the backdrop of today's polarised times.Artists have long drawn on their own experiences of mental ill health. Staged at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind, in the world's oldest psychiatric hospital, in south-east London, Kindred will explore the power of communities to make people feel comforted as well as isolated. Continue reading...

Standoff between China and EU over supply of chips for car industry underlines value of sector requiring huge financial investmentKeir Starmer has announced a critical minerals and rare earths strategy to build resilience against China, which has a stranglehold on supplies of materials including magnets critical to everything from car doors to fridges.For too long, Britain has been dependent on a handful of overseas suppliers, leaving our economy and national security exposed to global shocks," the prime minister said. Continue reading...

Severe lack' in territory where Israeli strikes have killed more than 50 people and injured over 100 in recent daysHospitals in Gaza are running out of essential supplies, with new waves of Israeli airstrikes killing more than 50 people and injuring more than 100 in recent days, medical and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory have said.Medics told the Guardian on Sunday that stocks of gauze, antiseptics, thermometers and antibiotics were running low. Continue reading...

Did the talks succeed or fail? The verdict must take account of the geopolitical minefield they took place inCop30 in Belem wrapped up on Saturday night more than 24 hours later than planned, and with an Amazonian rainstorm thundering down on the conference centre. The United Nations structure just about held, as it has done these past three weeks despite fire, savage tropical heat and blistering political attacks on the multilateral system of global environmental governance.Dozens of agreements were gavelled through on the final day, as the most collective form of humanity worked to resolve the most complex and dangerous challenge that our species has ever faced. It was chaotic. The process very nearly collapsed and had to be rescued by last-ditch talks that lasted into the early morning. Veteran observers told me the Paris agreement was on life-support. Continue reading...

Professionals say claims about birth, including excessive bleeding, blue babies and placenta care, are dangerous Full story: How the FBS is linked to baby deaths around the worldThe Free Birth Society (FBS) is a multimillion-dollar business that promotes the idea of women giving birth with no medical assistance.It is led by two ex-doulas turned social media influencers: Emilee Saldaya and Yolande Norris-Clark. Neither have midwifery or medical training, but they claim to have extensive experience from attending the births of other women. Continue reading...

Calls for Rachel Reeves to increase taxes in budget as estimate outstrips duties collected from online casinosBritish gambling companies spent an astronomic" 2bn on advertising and marketing last year, according to a new estimate that has intensified calls for the chancellor to increase taxes on the sector.Bookmakers, online casinos and slot machine companies spent the sum through a mixture of print and digital promotions, as well as affiliate programmes, where third parties are paid to steer gamblers towards particular operators in return for a fee. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Member of homeland security group says anti-terrorism Prevent scheme risks being overwhelmed by Palestine advocatesThe anti-terrorism Prevent programme risks being overwhelmed because of the government's ban on Palestine Action and could lead to people being wrongly criminalised, a member of the Home Office's homeland security group has warned.The official said there was already confusion among counter-terrorism police, officials and in schools and hospitals as a result of the proscription of the direct action group, which makes being a member of - or showing support for - it a criminal offence under the Terrorism Act. Continue reading...

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Environment ministry says most of the deaths were in the mountainous central province of Dak LakThe death toll from major flooding in Vietnam has risen to 90, with 12 more people missing, the environment ministry said on Sunday after days of heavy rain and landslides.Relentless rain has lashed south-central Vietnam since late October and popular holiday destinations have been hit by several rounds of flooding. Continue reading...

Christian group revises up number of students and teachers missing after one of country's largest mass abductionGunmen have kidnapped more than 300 students and teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria, a Christian group said on Saturday, as security fears mounted in Africa's most populous nation.The early Friday raid on St Mary's co-educational school in Niger state in western Nigeria came after gunmen on Monday stormed a secondary school in neighbouring Kebbi state, abducting 25 girls. Continue reading...

Research shows members would back Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting over PMAndy Burnham, Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting would all win a head-to-head leadership contest against Keir Starmer, according to a poll of Labour members.Research conducted by Survation for LabourList found that Burnham and Rayner would defeat the prime minister by considerable margins, while Streeting and Miliband would have a slight advantage but within the margin of error. Continue reading...

Chancellor will confirm the measure, intended to help commuters on expensive routes, in her budget speechRail fares in England will not be increased in 2026, the government has announced, surprising passengers with the first fare freeze in 30 years.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will confirm a freeze on fares in this week's budget, a move designed to limit inflation, ease the cost of living and support economic growth. Continue reading...

Brazilian ex-president says he used soldering iron on device and is now in custody over fears he was going to abscondBrazil's former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro has claimed he tried to damage his electronic ankle monitor out of curiosity" after he was arrested at his villa owing to suspicions he was poised to abscond.In a video released by the supreme court, Bolsonaro - who was recently sentenced to 27 years in prison for masterminding a military coup - can be heard admitting to a security official that he had used a soldering iron to tamper with the black tag. Continue reading...

Prime minister says in principle anyone with knowledge of child sexual offence cases should disclose what they knowKeir Starmer has increased the pressure on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to cooperate with a congressional investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, saying those who are caught up in child sexual offence cases should disclose any information they have.Asked whether Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles last month, should respond to the US House oversight committee, the prime minister said those with relevant information" should share it. The former prince had a long friendship with Epstein and is alleged to have sexually assaulted one of his victims, Virginia Giuffre - allegations he denies. Continue reading...

Many fear competition and diversity will be diminished as Daily Mail owner wins race to buy newspaperAs the dust settles from the battle for the ownership of the Daily Telegraph, one man has been left standing: Lord Rothermere, whose family have been a mainstay of British newspapers for more than a century.This is a very British stitch-up," said Lionel Barber, the former editor of the Financial Times. Lord Rothermere has played a very astute poker hand, he's shown patience and he's the big winner." Continue reading...

Files show then PM was walking dog, riding motorbike and hosting guests as pandemic planning stalled in lost month'Boris Johnson took four days off from official government business during a key period in the UK's Covid preparation when the NHS was bracing to be overwhelmed" by the virus.Official disclosure for the period in February 2020 - described by the Covid inquiry as a lost month" in the country's crisis response - reveal Johnson enjoyed an extended break during the half-term holidays at Chevening, a governmental estate in Kent, where he spent time walking his dog and taking motorcycle rides. Continue reading...

Celebrations to McLean's jaw-dropping goal picked up by seismic activity monitors at Glasgow Geothermal ObservatoryWhen Scotland qualified for the men's football World Cup for the first time in 28 years, supporters were propelled into wild celebration - and even made the earth move in the process.According to the British Geological Survey (BGS), when Kenny McLean scored from the halfway line to seal a breathtaking 4-2 win over Denmark, which are ranked 18 places higher in the world than Scotland, the reaction at Hampden Park was equivalent to a very small earthquake. Continue reading...

Police detain teenager after responding to reports of disorder in Moredon on Friday eveningA 13-year-old schoolgirl has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman died inside a house in Swindon.Police detained the teenager after responding to reports of a disorder in Baydon Close, Moredon, at about 7pm on Friday. They arrived to find a woman in her 50s not breathing, with no other reported injuries. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereLeaders from Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia are expected to huddle on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Saturday to discuss the way ahead on Ukraine", an EU official said.A European diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse (AFP):We are working on making the US plan something more able to be applied, based on previous dialogue. Continue reading...

Women's groups welcomed the announcement on the eve of the international leaders' summit in JohannesburgHundreds of women gathered in cities across South Africa on Friday to protest against gender-based violence in the country before the G20 summit in Johannesburg this weekend.Demonstrators turned out in 15 locations - including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban - wearing black as a sign of mourning and resistance". Continue reading...

Louise Haigh criticises delivery company over treatment of workers who spoke out against pay cutsThe Labour government must back delivery workers who were sacked for speaking out about DPD's plans to cut of thousands of pounds from their pay, a former cabinet minister has said.Louise Haigh has heavily criticised the delivery firm over its treatment of the workers - one of whom said the row had cost them their livelihoods just in time for Christmas. Continue reading...

Robert James Purkiss faces extradition for alleged septic tank killing of Agnes Wanjiru near army training baseA former British soldier accused of murdering a Kenyan woman whose body was found in a septic tank in 2012 has spoken publicly about the allegations, saying: I do not believe I ever met her."Robert James Purkiss, 38, faces extradition to Kenya, where he is wanted for the alleged brutal" murder of 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru in Nanyuki, a town near a British army training camp. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Kanak leader Christian Tein, who was freed from prison in June, says France is deliberately dragging out' re-issue of his passportA pro-independence leader from the French overseas territory of New Caledonia has accused the French government of deliberately dragging out" his passport application, preventing him from flying home after his release from prison.Christian Tein, an Indigenous Kanak leader, was arrested in New Caledonia in June 2024 over allegations that he had instigated the deadly pro-independence protests that had taken place on the island a month earlier. Continue reading...

Billions will be spent on credit over the discount weekend but experts say the payment option is not risk-free'Black Friday bargain-hunters should be wary of the flood of buy now, pay later" offers at the checkout, money experts have warned, amid record numbers of people seeking help with shopping debts.Billions of pounds will be spent online and in shops over the coming weeks, with more than one in three Britons said to be planning to use this form of credit to help stagger their Black Friday spending. Continue reading...

When Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine posted complaints about their local primary school, they never expected six uniformed police officers to turn up at their doorBefore it catapulted a small school community in London's commuter belt into the centre of a global news story, the year-four class WhatsApp group at Cowley Hill school in Borehamwood was unremarkable - a place of snide comments, reminders about non-uniform day and flustered messages about being late for the school run.It was mum gossip, you know?" said one member, Sarah. A bit juicy, but it wasn't anything nasty." Continue reading...

Tom Player speaks out about incident in which Victoria Bond died along with two Mexicans and two GermansA survivor of the blizzard that killed a British woman and four others in Chilean Patagonia has said that tourists were concerned about adverse weather conditions ahead of the trek, but were told by staff it was normal" and they could proceed.Tom Player, a London-based composer, told the Guardian that during the brutal blizzard about 30 volunteers worked together in an attempt to try to rescue hikers. Continue reading...

Shumeet Banerji was away during crucial discussions that led to resignation of director general and BBC News chiefA member of the BBC's board has resigned after saying he was cut out of the discussions that led to the shock resignation of its director general, Tim Davie.Shumeet Banerji, a tech industry executive, was out of the country on the crucial days before the departure of Davie and the head of BBC News, Deborah Turness. Continue reading...

From Scott Morrison's on-water matters' to the Albanese government's MOU with Nauru, successive governments' attitude to legitimate scrutiny has been one of hostility

US president says Thursday is an appropriate time' in radio interview as Ukrainian leader weighs up US proposalGerman Bild tabloid is also reporting that Merz is expected to hold a phone call not only with Zelenskyy, but also with the US president, Donald Trump.Mind you: there's been no official confirmation yet. Continue reading...

PM says Reform UK leader also has questions to answer' about alleged racist comments and chants when at schoolNigel Farage has been accused of being spineless" by the prime minister and a coward" by Dulwich college contemporaries over his response to allegations of racism.Keir Starmer said the Reform UK leader had questions to answer" about alleged comments and chants as a teenager that include songs about the Holocaust, and accusations of bullying towards minority ethnic schoolboys. Continue reading...

Online fashion retailer says action to cut discounts and deter serial returners' contributed to fall in sales

Opening in Alicante airport is the chain's first move outside UK

Supermarket still losing market share despite effort under Allan Leighton to win over customers with price cutsAsda is selling off 24 stores and a distribution centre - and leasing them back - to raise 568m in what has been called a sign of weakness" as sales continue to fall.The Leeds-based supermarket group, which is expected to release its quarterly results next week, has continued to lose market share to rivals as sales have gone backwards, despite an effort to win over shoppers with price cuts and improved stores. Continue reading...

Beijing still trying to recruit British sources in parliament through LinkedIn regardless of provocationAn unexpected connection on LinkedIn. An offer of work from a headhunter, most likely a young woman, based in China. The chance to earn perhaps 20,000 part-time writing a handful of geopolitical reports for a Chinese company peppered with non-public" or insider" insights. Payment in cryptocurrency or cash preferred.It may seem obvious, on this telling, that something about this approach would be amiss. Nevertheless, China's powerful Ministry of State Security (MSS) still considers it worthwhile to deploy recruitment consultants to try it - leading MI5 to warn repeatedly about their activity online. Continue reading...

European Commission seeks to ease rules on cross-border movements to create military Schengen' zone

Defence secretary reveals details of recent incursions as he warns UK is facing new era of threat' from hostile countriesA Russian spy ship has entered British waters and shone lasers at military pilots, the defence secretary has said, as he warned the UK was facing a new era of threat" from hostile countries.John Healey said on Wednesday that the Yantar surveillance ship had crossed in and out of the UK's exclusive economic zone multiple times in recent weeks, not for the first time this year. Continue reading...

Facebook and Instagram users under 16 will be sent email, SMS and in-app messages in anticipation of 10 December when ban will begin

Officers accused of using violence and threats to make Peter Sullivan confess to 1987 murder of 21-year-old Diane SindallA man wrongly jailed for 38 years has spoken of being beaten by police and bullied into making a false murder confession.Peter Sullivan, 68, the subject of one of the longest miscarriages of justice in British history, said he had lost everything and wanted an apology from Merseyside police. Continue reading...

PM Mette Frederiksen's centre-left party loses control of Copenhagen for first time in more than 100 yearsMette Frederiksen has admitted that a fall in support for the Social Democrats was greater than we had expected" after her party suffered sweeping defeats across Denmark and lost control of Copenhagen for the first time in more than 100 years.While the Social Democrats remain the largest municipal party in Denmark, the prime minister's centre-left party lost more than 5 percentage points across the country in Tuesday night's municipal and regional elections, dropping from 28.4% in 2021 to 23.2%. Support for the far right Danish People's party, meanwhile, rose slightly from 4.09% to 5.9%. Continue reading...

After MI5 issues China espionage alert to parliament, Luke Pollard says message should be heeded by all citizens

Public should be told nature of threat posed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, says defence committee chairThe UK lacks a plan to defend itself from a military attack, MPs have warned as the government promised to boost readiness with new arms factories.The challenges facing the government and defence industry were laid bare in a stark report from the Commons defence committee about the UK's ability to fight a war and meet its Nato obligations in light of Russia's war in Ukraine. Continue reading...