World news | The Guardian

Education and high income not always a recipe for yes vote as social tribes' have influence, analysis shows

David and Celia Barlow were married in South Africa on Saturday and were killed by a group linked to Islamic StateTributes have been paid to a couple who were killed on their honeymoon in Uganda in a cowardly terrorist attack".A British businessman, David Barlow, his wife Celia, a South African-born hotel executive, and their Ugandan guide were driving through the Queen Elizabeth national park on Tuesday when they were attacked and killed by a group linked to Islamic State. Continue reading...

Tolerance never more vital than at times of international turmoil', king saysKing Charles has stressed the importance of mutual understanding in religious faiths and the space to think and speak freely, saying it is never more vital than at times of international turmoil and heartbreaking loss of life".In a speech at Mansion House in the City of London, against the backdrop of the Hamas-Israel conflict, Charles stressed that tolerance and civility were among the virtues that Britain could draw on. Continue reading...

President compares situation to 9/11 as Benjamin Netanyahu promises to allow aid into Gaza via Egypt

Protesters call for removal of president Mahmoud Abbas after Palestinian Authority's lacklustre response to Israel conflict

Appeal court rules that distress displayed by complainers to witnesses can be used to corroborate rape claimsScotland's most senior law officer has hailed as transformative" a decision by appeal court judges about the way sexual assaults are prosecuted in the country.The lord advocate, Dorothy Bain KC, spoke on Wednesday after seven appeal judges ruled that the distress displayed by a complainer to a witness can be used to corroborate whether a rape took place. Continue reading...

Russian president says decision to supply army tactical missile systems shows US is wading deeper into the conflictSpeaking at a televised news conference in Beijing, Vladimir Putin said that US deliveries of long-range Atacms missiles to Ukraine were a mistake" that would create additional threats to Russian forces.The Russian president said, however, that they would not significantly change the situation on the front. Continue reading...

Singer tells fans at Vegas residency she misses alcohol so much' after giving up drinking a few months agoAdele has quit drinking, she told fans in attendance at her Vegas residency, having been a borderline alcoholic" in her 20s.Performing at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Saturday (14 October), Adele, 35, said: I stopped drinking maybe like three-and-a-half months ago. It's boring. I mean, I was literally borderline alcoholic for quite a lot of my 20s, but I miss it so much." Continue reading...

Simon Parry followed the former education secretary on two days this year but was cleared of impersonating a police officerA man has been found guilty of stalking the former education secretary Gavin Williamson.The Conservative MP, who has also served as defence secretary, said he felt incredibly threatened" by Simon Parry who persistently followed" him on 24 May and 14 June. Continue reading...

Germany's chancellor expresses outrage after two molotov cocktails hurled at buildingGermany's chancellor has vowed to step up the fight against antisemitism after assailants hurled two molotov cocktails at a Jewish synagogue in central Berlin.Speaking in Egypt on Wednesday, Olaf Scholz said he was outraged" by what police called a suspected serious attempted arson" that took place in the early hours of Wednesday in the Mitte district of the city. Continue reading...

Letter from Labour leader stresses his concern for international law and sympathy with the plight of the Palestinian peopleRishi Sunak will be taking PMQs shortly. It will be his first exchange with Keir Starmer since the party conferences.Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.We were the victims of an inside job by someone, we believe, who over a long period of time was stealing from the museum and the museum put trust in.There are lots of lessons to be learnt as a result of that, the member of staff has been dismissed by us. The objects have started to be recovered ... We have changed our whistleblowing code, changed our policy on thefts ... tightened up security on thefts.If someone is entrusted by an organisation to look after something and they are the person removing those objects, that is hard for any organisation, and it was hard for the museum, where there is a trusting culture.If that trust is completely abused and as I think will become clear in the coming months quite a lot of steps were taken to conceal that, it wasn't just that things were taken, records were altered and the like, it's hard to spot.We are intending to put on display the objects we have recovered, there is a lot of public interest in these objects.350 have now been recovered and titles have been transferred to us so we have the makings of a good exhibition that was not previously planned. Continue reading...

Several Arab states condemn Israel for explosion, which it blames on failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad

Intelligence summit told terror groups or hostile states may seek to use AI to build bombs or disrupt electionsArtificial intelligence could be harnessed by terrorists or hostile states seeking to build bombs, spread propaganda or disrupt elections, according to the heads of MI5 and the FBI.Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, and Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, said their organisations were monitoring developments and needed to cooperate with experts in the private sector to tackle emerging threats. Continue reading...

Former butcher Andrew Miller claimed he acted in a motherly way' but later admitted sexual assaultA former butcher who sexually abused a primary school pupil over 27 hours in a nauseating" attack has been jailed for 20 years.Andrew Miller, who also uses the name Amy George, was dressed as a woman when he offered the girl - whom he had never seen before - a lift in February. Continue reading...

IOPC says 11 current or former officers and one staff member being investigated over handling of allegations against CarrickTwelve police employees, including serving officers, are under investigation for misconduct over the handling of allegations against the serial rapist and former Metropolitan police officer David Carrick.Carrick, 48, a former armed officer, pleaded guilty in January to 85 serious offences including 48 rapes between 2003 and 2020, making him one of the worst sexual offenders in modern British criminal history. Continue reading...

Just Stop Oil says its cofounders Indigo Rumbelow and Roger Hallam were also arrested on WednesdayGreta Thunberg has been charged with a public order offence after she was arrested while taking part in a protest against a conference in London described as the Oscars of oil".The Swedish environmental campaigner, 20, was one of 29 arrested during a protest trying to stop delegates entering the Energy Intelligence Forum at the InterContinental London Park Lane in Mayfair. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Transport Opinion Survey says in September workers spent 21% of their week working from home, down from 27% in March

Questions raised about how attacker slipped through net to attack two football fans heading to Euro 2024 qualifierThe Swedish and Belgian prime ministers have paid tribute to two Swedish men shot dead by a gunman in Brussels on Monday night, as authorities scrambled to work out how the attacker had slipped through the net.In Brussels on Wednesday, the Swedish prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, and his Belgian counterpart, Alexander De Croo, took part in a brief ceremony for the victims, laying wreaths and a Swedish football scarf and jersey among bouquets of flowers. Continue reading...

Andrew Cooper defends sharing of Facebook post condemning people who cannot feed their children and pay for phone contractA Conservative byelection candidate has defended sharing a Facebook post telling jobless parents who cannot feed their children to fuck off" if they still pay a 30 phone bill.Andrew Cooper is seeking to replace the former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher as MP for Tamworth in one of two byelections on Thursday. Continue reading...

Hezbollah calls for day of rage' as both sides in war continue to trade blame for deadly explosion

Defence minister says consequences of a conflict over Taiwan are so grave' and says status of island must be arrived at peacefully'

Singer laments the deaths of children during war, as well as the Palestinian-American child to alleged hate crime in ChicagoMadonna has addressed the Israel-Hamas war in a long statement during a concert at London's O2 Arena.At the third date of her Celebration tour, she lamented the deaths of children in the conflict as well as alleged hate crimes related to it, expanding on comments she had made about the war at earlier concerts. Continue reading...

Jury member replaced after judge catches him snoring during prosecutor's opening speechA juror has been discharged after he fell asleep and started snoring during the opening of a people-smuggling trial in Birmingham.The panel member was replaced on Tuesday, less than an hour into the crown's opening speech. Continue reading...

Journey Castillo's parents say she is the youngest person to have gone to every one of the country's national parksA three-year-old girl has visited all 63 US national parks to complete a goal her family set only weeks after she was born.The aptly-named Journey Castillo's parents, Eric and Valerie Castillo, have also staked the claim that their daughter is the youngest person known to have gone to every one of the country's national parks. The couple from San Antonio, Texas, has said they want to inspire other families to get outdoors together and savor the sights and sounds that the world has to offer. Continue reading...

Repairs to footbridge mean straw must be dangled to warn oncoming shipping of work going on beneathWorkers on London's Millennium Bridge are hanging a bale of straw under the structure after triggering an ancient bylaw.Repair works to the footbridge mean straw must be dangled to warn oncoming boats of the work going on beneath it. Continue reading...

Former Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes posted picture on LinkedInThe boss of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes, has faced a backlash for posting a picture of himself receiving a topless massage during a management meeting.The former owner of Queens Park Rangers football club shared the image in a LinkedIn post, which has since been deleted. Continue reading...

Hewa Rahimpur, 30, was ringleader of gang thought to have smuggled up to 10,000 people from France to Kent coastOne of the most notorious smugglers of people in small boats across the Channel has been sentenced to 11 years in prison by a Belgian court after his extradition from the UK.Prosecutors said Hewa Rahimpur, 30, an Iranian Kurd who was granted leave to remain in the UK in 2020, was the ringleader of a gang that smuggled up to 10,000 people from northern France to the Kent coast. Continue reading...

Wong under investigation for sedition over book that was banned by Malaysian government three years agoAn Australian-based journalist has been briefly detained and is under investigation for sedition in Malaysia after editing a book that was later banned by the Malaysian government.Kean Wong is a Malaysian citizen but a permanent resident of Australia, where he has lived and worked for about 30 years. Continue reading...

Attorney general still yet to consent to Alexander Csergo's prosecution with never-before-proven charge as time in custody exceeds six months

Coalition motion to reconvene committee fails after Greens and David Pocock side with government

This blog is now closed.

Homes bought by state after exiting National Rental Affordability Scheme will become social or affordable housing

In today's newsletter: From allegedly lost WhatsApp messages to Sir Patrick Vallance's frank lockdown diary, revelations only get more intriguing Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning, and welcome to Dorland House, a one-time hotel in west London where former high court judge Baroness Hallett is chairing the independent public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic.It is here that we have heard heartbreaking stories from the families of some of the 229,765 people who died from Covid, and seen the release of shockingly frank WhatsApp messages between ministers and their advisers.Israel-Hamas war | A deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza City has upended US diplomatic efforts aimed at fending off the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and thrown a dark shadow over President Joe Biden's imminent visit to the region. The hospital explosion has become a lightning rod for anger and sparked protests across the Middle East.UK news | The UK's infrastructure needs a big cash injection, with public transport, home heating and water networks all in dire need of renewal, independent government advisers have said. The investments, of about 30bn a year from the taxpayer and 40bn to 50bn a year from the private sector, would result in savings to the average household of at least 1,000 a year, higher economic productivity, and a better quality of life in the future.Belgium | The man suspected to have killed two Swedish football fans in Brussels has been shot dead by police. Police said they opened fire during the arrest outside a cafe in the city centre and found a weapon and bag of clothes. The suspect was a 45-year-old of Tunisian origin and is said to have been inspired by Islamic State.Charity | The family of Captain Sir Tom Moore, who raised 38.9m for the NHS, has defended building an oversized spa-pool complex in their home stating it has rehabilitation purposes for elderly people in the local area. Central Bedfordshire council have ordered the family to demolish the spa pool as it was unauthorised.Politics | The prime minister and the Conservative party chair have been accused by charity Full Fact of spreading disinformation regarding Labour's immigration plans. The pair have claimed Labour pledge to open up UK borders to 100,000 people a year which Full Fact warn could mislead voters in the next general election. Continue reading...

Union and workers say waiting staff in some cases lose hundreds of pounds a month in incomeMiller & Carter, the steakhouse chain owned by the nationwide pub group Mitchells & Butlers, has been criticised for taking payments from waiting staff worth up to 2% of the sales they serve up, cutting their income during the cost of living crisis.The payments are intended as a way for waiting staff to share tips with chefs and other back of house workers. Continue reading...

Spectres of Nadine Dorries and Chris Pincher haunt Conservatives in Mid Beds and Tamworth, as Labour claims momentum going its wayAlistair Strathern hates the photo chosen to be splashed across his advertising boards. Good poster", shouts a schoolboy between mouthfuls of crisps at the gently blushing Labour candidate across Dunstable Street in the centre of Ampthill, one of the 48 towns and villages that make up the constituency of Mid Bedfordshire. I look smug," Strathern explains of his discomfort. Maybe you think I always look smug but I don't think I look that smug."It's a shame that Strathern feels this way as his boards are absolutely everywhere. Like a constituency-sized Where's Wally?", Strathern's face pops up from out of hedges, emerges smiling from behind trees and stares back from front gardens just daring a chastened voter to have the gall not to back Sir Keir Starmer's Labour party. Continue reading...

Vladimir Putin lauded the success of our Chinese friends' at global forum, while Xi Jinping spoke out against international sanctions and decoupling'Xi Jinping met his internationally isolated Russian counterpart in Beijing on Wednesday against the backdrop of China's biggest diplomatic event of the year, underlining the close relationship between two leaders amid the war in Ukraine.The Chinese president, addressing delegates at the belt and road initiative (BRI) forum, spoke out against international sanctions during his opening speech. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Malkinson was convicted with no DNA evidence and says police must be compelled to disclose whyAndrew Malkinson believes an inquiry into how he was wrongfully convicted of rape must be made statutory to ensure Greater Manchester police do not hide evidence.Malkinson, 57, was convicted of raping a stranger in 2003 in Greater Manchester, despite no DNA evidence. The court of appeal overturned his conviction in July after forensic testing linked another man to the crime. Continue reading...

Official at Finnish intelligence service says espionage attempts have increased since Ukraine invasionFinland has had increased online espionage attempts from Russia since Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, security services have said.Supo, the Finnish security and intelligence service, said the country faced various threats from Russia, including cyberattacks and disinformation. Continue reading...

Letters To a Young Generation: Aspiring School Leaders book aims to encourage Black teachers to pursue leadership positionsBlack headteachers from across the UK have written letters to the next generation of school leaders, urging them to become role models for students who are crying out for people who look like them".The letters are compiled in a book by Amanda Wilson, a headteacher at a primary school in Greenwich, south-east London, which is aimed at encouraging black teachers to pursue leadership positions to combat their current under-representation in the sector. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. You can find all of our coverage of the Israel-Hamas war here.Japan will provide $10 million in emergency aid for civilians in Gaza, foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa said on Tuesday.

Health officials say blast killed hundreds as footage shows fire engulfing medical centre owned by Anglican church

An array of state charges including waste levies could potentially be unlawful after court overturns 1974 precedent on consumption taxes

Influx comes after online application process simplified - but it is sparking calls for more funding to cut survivors' wait times

Ukraine starts using Atacms missiles from US, with Russian-held airfield targeted; $14bn damage toll from destruction of Kakhovka damUkraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has confirmed that Kyiv used US-provided long-range army tactical missile systems (Atacms) missiles. Today, special thanks to the United States. Our agreements with President Biden are being implemented. Very accurately - Atacms missiles proved themselves," he said. This marks the first officially confirmed use in Ukraine of Atacms, which can fly up to 190 miles.Ukrainian forces struck airfields in Russian-held territory in eastern and southern Ukraine overnight, destroying helicopters, knocking out an air defence missile launcher and damaging runways, Kyiv's military said. The military said its forces had carried out well-aimed strikes on enemy airfields" near the eastern city of Luhansk and the southern city of Berdiansk. Atacms are thought to have been used.A telecommunication cable connecting Sweden and Estonia has been damaged, Sweden's civil defence minister has said. Carl-Oskar Bohlin said it appeared to have occurred at the same time as a subsea gas pipeline and a telecom cable connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged on 8 October.China's president, Xi Jinping, welcomed his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to Beijing, which is to host representatives of 130 countries for a forum on Xi's belt and road initiative.The lower house of the Russian parliament has reportedly given preliminary approval to a bill revoking the ratification of a global nuclear test ban treaty.The destruction of the Kakhovka dam in south-eastern Ukraine in June caused $14bn worth of damage and losses, according to a report by the Ukrainian government and the UN.Grant Shapps, the UK defence secretary, is due to visit the US on Tuesday for urgent talks over conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.Canada is targeting nine individuals and six TV stations in new sanctions against Russian collaborators in Moldova. Those targeted are associated with influential oligarchs, such as Vladimir Plahotniuc and Ilan Mironovich Shor, while the TV stations promote and disseminate Russian disinformation, the Canadian foreign ministry said.US, South Korean and Japanese officials have met in Jakarta to discuss North Korea's engagement with Russia, including arms transfers violating UN security council resolutions.A convoy of British ambulances has arrived in Lviv in western Ukraine and will be delivered to hospitals on the frontline. Five vehicles donated by the charity Medical Life Lines Ukraine are being sent to the southern city of Kherson - which is under intense Russian attack - as well as the towns of Kupiansk and Vorozhba in the war-torn north-east of the country. Since last year's full-scale invasion the group has donated 43 vehicles. Continue reading...

Government says research suggests survivors of strangulation are more likely to be seriously injured or murdered by the same partner

Government advisers say congested roads and inadequate public transport constrain economic growthEngland's biggest cities outside London should introduce some form of congestion charge to reduce car traffic and boost their economies, according to the National Infrastructure Commission.The commission called on the government to invest 22bn into public transport in Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and Leeds, warning that congested roads and inadequate public transport ... constrains their economic growth". Continue reading...

Musician's work spanned the mainstream and avant-garde, including in fusions with the world of rockCarla Bley, the American jazz composer-pianist celebrated for boldly avant-garde work as well as her uplifting and beautiful takes on the genre's mainstream, has died aged 87.Her death was announced by longtime partner and musical collaborator Steve Swallow, who said the cause was complications from brain cancer. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester police say normal service resumed after no items discovered or arrests madeManchester airport was forced to close its airfield on Tuesday evening after police investigated an Emirates flight after reports of a suspicious package onboard.The aircraft, which took off at about 2.30pm from Dubai, landed in Manchester on Tuesday evening and was held for further assessment. Continue reading...

Health officials say blast killed at least 500 as footage shows fire engulfing medical centre owned by Anglican church

Letter signed by 178 members of US's most prestigious law faculties calls Israeli reaction to Hamas attack a moral catastrophe'