World news | The Guardian

International visitor aged in his 60s fighting for life in hospital after accident on rafting trip on Friday

Local government ombudsman report into SEND in England offers damning assessmentEngland's special education system is failing, causing thousands of children to have their development put back by months or even years, according to a damning report by the local government ombudsman.Amerdeep Somal, the local government and social care ombudsman, said her caseload was now dominated by complaints from families involving special educational needs (Sen) provision and schools, with more than 90% of complaints being upheld. Continue reading...

Gladiator II and Wicked filling up theatres but unlikely to replicate phenomenon of Barbie-Oppenheimer releaseThe great Barbenheimer clash of summer 2023 - when Barbie came out on the same day as Oppenheimer - will for ever be a part of cinema history for capturing the public imagination and bringing audiences back to cinemas in droves after years of Covid-induced antipathy.So it's unsurprising, that in an attempt to recapture some of the excitement, fans have come up with a new portmanteau: Glicked, used to refer to the face-off between Gladiator II and Wicked this week. Continue reading...

Vice-president Sara Duterte tells press conference she has given an assassin the instructions, prompting referral from Marcos's office over active threat'The Philippines' vice-president, Sara Duterte, said on Saturday she would have someone assassinate the president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, if she herself were killed, leading Marcos's office to vow immediate proper action".In a dramatic sign of a widening rift between the country's two most powerful political families, Duterte told a press conference that she had spoken to an assassin and instructed him to kill Marcos, his wife and the speaker of the Philippine house of representatives if she were to be killed. Continue reading...

Brine from pickled onions, beetroot, pickles and even oysters is now a fixture on bar menus across the UKIf Donald Trump has ruined Diet Coke for you, perhaps the answer is following Dua Lipa's lead. In a now viral video, the pop star empties the best part of a can of it into a cup filled with ice. To this she adds the brine from a tub of pickles, followed by the brine from a tub of jalapenos. Using both hands, she sips it like it's hot chocolate.It may seem like the latest in a series of drinks-based social experiments that only the most successful and famous can get us to try (see Tom Hanks' Diet Cokagne, or Diet Coke and champagne). But in truth it seems the singer is on to something. Over the past few months, when it comes to cocktails, there's been a notable uptick in all things salty and filthy. Continue reading...

Freedom of speech groups alarmed after events to promote book by Hope Not Hate employee are called offHanif Kureishi, Billy Bragg and freedom of speech groups have voiced alarm after a number of venues cancelled events to promote a book by an anti-racism campaigner amid threats and fears that the recent riots have emboldened the far right.An east London bookshop this week became the latest venue to pull plans to promote Rebel Sounds, a book about the role music plays in the fight against racism and other struggles. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president calls testing of nuclear-capable weapon on his country's territory an international crime'Vladimir Putin has vowed to launch more strikes using an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile as Ukraine decried the testing of the nuclear-capable weapon on its territory as an international crime".Speaking at a defence conference on Friday, Putin contested US claims that Russia possessed only a handful" of the high-speed ballistic missiles, saying that the military had enough to continue to test them in combat conditions" and would put them into serial production. Continue reading...

Cool change expected to push through state late on Saturday, bringing intense rain and thunderstorms across the wider region into next week

Gus gained 3.5kg during his 20-day stopover before being released back into the Southern Ocean on Wednesday

Markwayne Mullin stalls promotion of Lt Gen Christopher Donahue, photographed as last US soldier to leaveThe US general who was photographed as the last American soldier to leave Afghanistan is seeing a promotion blocked by a sole Republican senator, multiple outlets reported.The move comes amid separate reports that the incoming Trump administration is considering courts martial, for offenses including treason, for officers involved in the evacuation. Continue reading...

Loyalist lawmakers give green light to constitutional amendment as authoritarian president, 79, tightens gripNicaragua's President Daniel Ortega and his wife are set to assume absolute power after loyalist lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment elevating her to the position of co-president" and boosting the pair's joint control over the state.Under sanctions for human rights abuses, Ortega himself had proposed the change, which also increases the president's control over the media and extends the presidential term from five to six years. Continue reading...

Infection brings number of US bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California, says CDCA California child has been diagnosed with bird flu, the first reported case in a US minor, health officials confirmed on Friday.The child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in announcing the test results. No details about the child have been released, except that they live in Alameda county, which includes Oakland and Berkeley, and attend day care. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For the latest on the Russia-Ukraine war, read our full report:

Rapper caps off 2024 with release of 12-track album featuring guest spots from SZA and Kamasi WashingtonKendrick Lamar has released a surprise album called GNX.The Pulitzer prize-winning rapper teased the release with a one-minute video before the 12-track album was then released. Continue reading...

McGregor ordered to pay nearly 250,000 in damages to Nikita Hand after he was accused of 2018 assaultA jury at a civil trial at Ireland's high court has found that the Irish martial arts fighter Conor McGregor assaulted a woman who had accused him of raping her at a hotel in Dublin in December 2018.McGregor was ordered to pay nearly 250,000 (210,000) in damages to Nikita Hand, who is also known as Nikita Ni Laimhin. Continue reading...

Labour peer Wajid Khan told the House of Lords that remediation work is yet to start on about 50% of properties with unsafe claddingFar too many high and medium-rise buildings are still unsafe after the Grenfell disaster, with dangerous cladding remaining on at least 2,400 blocks, a housing minister has warned.Wajid Khan, a Labour peer and housing minister, said on Friday that remediation work has not started at about 50% of properties being monitored for their unsafe cladding. Continue reading...

Plans are understood to show where cameras and sensors are, triggering fears of weapon smuggling and escapesDetailed prison blueprints have been leaked, triggering a security alert at jails in England and Wales, it has emerged.The leak, first reported by the Times, involves prison layouts being shared on the dark web in the last fortnight, prompting an investigation by the National Crime Agency. Continue reading...

Settlement was reached in case against once-rising but now embattled former Marvel starJonathan Majors' ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement.Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice, according to a joint filing in Manhattan federal court on Thursday. Continue reading...

Security cordon lifted and train services resume, though thousands of people have had their travel plans disruptedGatwick's southern terminal reopened for passengers on Friday afternoon after a security alert caused disruption for thousands of people.Travellers were unable to check in for more than four hours after the terminal building was evacuated on Friday morning as bomb disposal experts responded to reports of a suspected prohibited item in the luggage area. Continue reading...

In preparation for plan, Ontario has indemnified itself from liability if cyclists are killed on streets that once had bike lanesRemoving bike lanes from busy city streets will increase traffic congestion, according a Canadian government document leaked amid a furious row over urban infrastructure.The findings, which come as the province of Ontario goes to war over cycling infrastructure in Toronto, undercut claims that the dedicated routes contribute to urban gridlock. Continue reading...

Kremlin dispatched weapons as payment for 10,000 troops deployed to support war in Ukraine, says South Korean official

Former Criminal Bar Association chair Navjot Sidhu denies predatory behaviour towards two womenA former chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) made a woman who was an aspiring lawyer have sex with him against her wishes, a disciplinary tribunal has heard.Navjot Jo" Sidhu, who was once a contender to be the director of public prosecutions, is charged with 10 breaches of the Bar Standards Board (BSB) rules for alleged predatory behaviour towards two women. Continue reading...

Viktor Orban says he will not enforce ICC decision that requires court members to detain Israeli PM if he enters their country

Brella's body was found in a vehicle in Ilford, east London earlier this month, with her husband the main suspectThe family of Harshita Brella, who was found dead in the boot of a car in east London, have said they will never forget you till our last breath" in a tribute to the 24-year-old.Harshita, you left this world but you are still with us in our hearts and will always be there," they said in a tribute issued through Northamptonshire police on Friday. Continue reading...

Media Concierge submits 56.2m cash offer for National World, underbidder in the auction for the Telegraph titles

Swedish maker of battery cells for electric vehicles says it has enough cash to support operations for only a week

More than 300 people had sued MI5 on grounds its failure to prevent the 2017 atrocity breached their human rightsThe families of the Manchester Arena bomb victims have said they are extremely disappointed" after judges ruled they could not continue their legal action against MI5.More than 300 people affected by the suicide blast had sued the Security Service on the grounds that its failure to prevent the atrocity on 22 May 2017 breached their human rights. Continue reading...

US Senator Elizabeth Warren sounds alarm over president-elect's refusal to sign MOU and failure to release ethics planDonald Trump's refusal to cooperate with the outgoing Biden administration is putting national security at risk and weakening safeguards against corruption, the US Senator Elizabeth Warren has warned.The president-elect has broken from precedent by refusing to sign memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the current White House team and failing to release a comprehensive ethics plan. Continue reading...

Government urged to dismiss recommendations, including unchanged poker machine operating hours

Ex-Ukip councillor Colette Fairbanks loses claim that she was bullied in charity job because of political stanceSupporting Brexit is not a belief that is protected from workplace discrimination, an employment tribunal has ruled, as a former Ukip councillor lost her claim that she was bullied and harassed by her charity employer because she supported the UK's departure from the EU.Colette Fairbanks was sacked from her job at the drug and alcohol rehabilitation charity Change Grow Live after sharing offensive" posts about immigrants on social media, a tribunal hearing was told. Continue reading...

Low-pressure system brings deaths and power outages to region, while an Arctic blast sweeps swaths of EuropeLarge parts of the US have been battered by severe weather this week, as low pressure developed over the north-west coast. The weather system intensified into a phenomenon known as a bomb cyclone, which rapidly intensified to an estimated central pressure of 942 hectopascals (hPa) - close to the lowest pressure recorded in that area.To be classified as a bomb cyclone, the central pressure of a low pressure system must fall by at least 24hPa in 24 hours. Wind speeds exceeded 70mph (113km/h) near Seattle, while Canada had the strongest winds with gusts of about 100mph. There were two deaths and almost 500,000 people in the region were left without power. Continue reading...

Commission chair reopens submissions and says report will be finished and tabled in parliament

Australian designer says she is devastated and heartbroken by US singer's successful appeal, adding trademark isn't worth the paper it's printed on'

Thompson refutes any and all allegations that have been made' against him after government announced action

Healthscope to rip up contracts with Bupa and Australian Health Services Alliance in fight over extra fee

Sector will have extra 2.8bn cost burden from April due to tax and wage rises announced in budget, says Nuffield TrustLarge parts of England's adult social care market face collapse as a result of tax and wage rises announced in the budget, with devastating consequences for vulnerable and older people who rely on care services, a leading thinktank has warned.The Nuffield Trust said that while the government has consistently spoken of its long term ambition to reform the social care sector, there may be little of it left" to reform unless it takes urgent action to stabilise the care market financially. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Jacinta Allan has been criticised by Labor and Greens over agreement signed before the 7 October attacks

Exclusive: Chief inspector says drones are number one concern' amid inadequate' Prison Service responseGuns could be delivered by drones into jails already riven by drug-related gang wars amid an inadequate" response from the prison service, a leading watchdog has told the Guardian.Charlie Taylor, the HM chief inspector of prisons, said the surge in the use of large unmanned aerial vehicles was his number one concern" and had increased the possibility that firearms would be used to settle turf wars or attempt to escape. Continue reading...

Everyone in US politics has an opinion on why the Democrats lost the election, and finger-pointing within the party is rife. As the debate rages, Jonathan Freedland will be speaking to various experts about what the party got wrong - and how it can bounce back.This week, he meets James Carville, the veteran political strategist who helped get Bill Clinton elected twiceArchive: Pennebaker Associates, McEttinger Films, Cyclone Films, CNN, CBS News, MSNBC, PBS Newshour, BBC News Continue reading...

Ukrainian president appeals for tough global response, as Nato accuses Vladimir Putin of trying to intimidate Kyiv's allies

Company's shares sink with revised revenue outlook in wake of former CEO's high-profile resignation last month

NAHT says early checks on phonics, arithmetic and English in primary schools are potential waste of time and fundingPrimary school pupils in England should not face compulsory tests on phonics, times tables or grammar and punctuation, an influential headteachers' union has advised the government.The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) told the government's national curriculum and assessment review that there was an urgent need" to reconsider the phonics check of reading ability, along with the multiplication check and tests of spelling, grammar and punctuation, as a potential waste of school time and funding. Continue reading...

Persistent offenders will face up to two years in prison under Respect orders, as police get powers to seize vehiclesPeople who persistently demonstrate antisocial behaviour will face up to two years in jail under Labour's Respect orders, the home secretary will say on Friday.Yvette Cooper will also announce that police will be given new powers to immediately seize off-road bikes, e-scooters on pavements and street-racing cars as part of the clampdown. Continue reading...

Violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follows killing of dozens of people in clashes between Sunnis and minority ShiasAt least 42 people have been killed and 20 wounded after gunmen opened fire on vehicles carrying Shia Muslims in Pakistan's restive north-west, in one of the region's deadliest such attacks in recent years, police said.The attack happened in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where sectarian clashes between majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shias have killed dozens of people in recent months. Continue reading...

Gaetz's withdrawal comes amid intense scrutiny of allegations of sexual misconduct against cabinet nominee

Simon Medland KC told inquiry his membership of organisation was not the reason he was approached by hospital bossA judge has denied he was asked to give legal advice to hospital bosses over concerns about nurse Lucy Letby because he is a Freemason, a public inquiry has heard.The Thirlwall inquiry into events surrounding the crimes of Letby heard that both Judge Simon Medland KC and the Countess of Chester's former director of corporate and legal services, Stephen Cross, are members of the organisation. Continue reading...

Cross-party group cites legal threats used to hide Post Office Horizon scandal and allegations against Mohamed Al FayedExcessive legal threats used to silence those who tried to expose the Post Office Horizon scandal and allegations against Mohamed Al Fayed should be outlawed, a cross-party group of MPs have said.MPs raised a series of cases, documented by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, where media outlets and whistleblowers have been prevented from publishing material that they believed was in the public interest. Continue reading...

Prescott, from proud working-class stock, represented the part of Labour that Tony Blair knew he had to carry with himThe first time I met John Prescott, we were in a helicopter flying over the Thames Gateway where he and Tony Blair, the then prime minister, also on board, were announcing a multimillion-pound regeneration plan.It was August 2003 and I was a young pool reporter for the Press Association, there to ask the politicians about their plans on behalf of the rest of the media. The flight was noisy and we all wore ear protectors, so conversation was limited. Continue reading...

Warrants also issued for ex-defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Mohammed Deif; UK expected to agree if ICC request Netanyahu arrestIsrael's position has always held that the rulings of the international criminal court do not apply to it, as it is not a member.Foreign minister Gideon Saar on Thursday said that it had issued absurd orders with no authority" against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant because Israel is not a member of the court."The Chamber found reasonable grounds to believe that during the relevant time, international humanitarian law related to international armed conflict between Israel and Palestine applied. This is because they are two High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and because Israel occupies at least parts of Palestine.The Chamber also found that the law related to non-international armed conflict applied to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Continue reading...

Police were advised there was no chance of conviction against journalist after hate crime investigation, Guardian understandsEssex police have dropped their hate crime investigation into Allison Pearson, the Daily Telegraph columnist visited by police after she wrongly accused people of colour of being antisemitic.The decision followed advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that there was no reasonable chance of a conviction, the Guardian understands. Continue reading...