Members back ending of support for self-identification and broadly share views of public on gender recognition, says Labour Together groupAllies of Keir Starmer claim he has the backing of Labour's grassroots over his stance on sex- and gender-based rights after a new poll of members suggested they support the party's updated position on the issue.The party shifted its stance in the summer, abandoning its support for self-identification - which would allow people to legally change gender without a medical diagnosis. It announced the move alongside support for making the process of obtaining a gender recognition certificate far simpler and less invasive, as well as continuing to ensure some single-sex services and places could only be accessed by biological women. Continue reading...

Report calls on government to take immediate action to disrupt supply of technology used in electronic warfareMany of the countries that have sanctioned Russia over the war in Ukraine need to take urgent action to disrupt the supply of technology for its electronic warfare campaign, according to a new report.The dossier compiled by Ukraine and circulated to the major countries which have imposed sanctions identifies key Russian firms involved in the development and production of electronic military equipment. It says the UK and other countries have not yet sanctioned some of the firms involved. Continue reading...

Liberal leader Peter Dutton had endorsed Andrew Constance and Zed Seselja for the seat opened up by Marise Payne's resignation

A new survey shows extent of two-tier health system as around 14% of patients advised to pay for healthcare in past yearThe health and social care champion for England has warned that patients face a two-tier system, as a new poll revealed one in seven people had been advised by an NHS professional in the past year to consider paying for private healthcare.Healthwatch England, which gathers the views of health and social care users in England, says it is concerned that some health services are now only available to those who can afford it. It says more work is required to overcome the barriers to care in deprived areas. Continue reading...

Former Telegraph editor Charles Moore among those to condemn bid for the Conservative party's paper of choiceTory MPs are used to poring over the pages of the Telegraph titles for evidence of whose political fortunes are up or down in the party's papers of choice. Now, however, senior Conservatives are more worried about the increasingly fraught battle for the publications' ownership than with what appears on their pages.There is growing backbench unease over an Abu Dhabi-backed bid that appears to be the leading contender to seize the newspapers and the weekly Spectator. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. All our Israel-Hamas war coverage is here.Here are some pictures of Yaffa Adar, 85, as she was reunited with her family after being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.She had been kidnapped from Nir Oz and taken into the Gaza Strip in a golf cart on 7 October. Continue reading...

Gulf petrostates must also pay for relief, warns EU commissioner Wopke Hoekstra in the run-up to the Cop28 summitChina and other big developing nations must pay into a fund to rescue poor countries stricken by the climate disaster, the EU's climate chief has said as world leaders prepare to gather in Dubai for a crucial climate summit.Wopke Hoekstra, EU commissioner for climate action, said there was no longer any reason to exclude big emerging economies with high greenhouse gas emissions such as China and petrostates in the Gulf from the obligation to provide aid to the poorest and most vulnerable countries. Continue reading...

Exchange takes place after ceasefire was plunged into crisis when Hamas accused Israel of blocking aid convoysPrison authorities in Israel announced early on Sunday that they had released 39 Palestinian prisoners after Hamas freed 13 Israelis and four Thai nationals in the latest stage of a four-day ceasefire.Television footage showed hostages on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing after leaving Gaza, as Hamas handed over the captives to the International Committee of the Red Cross late on Saturday. Continue reading...

Pink top designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel among the famous items of clothing to be soldA top worn by Diana, Princess of Wales for her engagement portrait in 1981 is among the items in an auction of famous clothing.The pink crepe blouse with ruff-like collar and loose pleats to the front, worn by Diana, was captured by royal photographer Lord Snowdon and is being put up for sale by Julien's Auctions. Continue reading...

Silvia Arce and Alberto Sanchez, who were kidnapped on Wednesday, freed unharmedTwo of three journalists recently kidnapped in southern Mexico have been freed unharmed, the journalists' international free-speech group Article 19 said in a statement on Saturday.Silvia Arce and Alberto Sanchez, who lead the digital RedSiete platform, were released during the early hours of the morning, the organisation said. Continue reading...

We don't know how much time they will be able to hold on for,' says relative of one elderly captive

Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton, who met via an accidental text message, invited a second stranger to join them this yearAn Arizona grandmother and the stranger to whom she accidentally texted a Thanksgiving invitation in 2016 celebrated their eighth holiday dinner together this week - and welcomed a new guest to the tradition.Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton, whose unexpected Thanksgiving went viral nearly a decade ago, expanded their annual get-together this year by inviting another stranger into her home. Continue reading...

PM says there is much more to do' on manifesto pledge to bring numbers as down as net migration to UK hits record highRishi Sunak has vowed to clamp down" on immigration and conceded, in the face of growing Tory anger about his past performance, that there is obviously a lot more to do" to reduce the record numbers of people immigrating to the UK.Earlier this week, official figures showed net migration is running at a record high, prompting Boris Johnson, Suella Braverman and other rightwing Conservatives to attack Sunak for failing to honour the government's 2019 Tory manifesto pledge to bring overall migration numbers down. Continue reading...

Police said the entertainer was slumped over the steering wheel of a car stopped in the road at 5.45am on FridayTiffany Haddish was jailed early on Friday in Los Angeles on suspicion of driving under the influence, authorities said, marking the second time in less than two years that the actor and comedian has been arrested on such allegations.Police in Beverly Hills said they found Haddish, 43, while responding to a call to check on a motorist who was stopped in the road at about 5.45am. Officers found Haddish appearing to be slumped over the steering wheel of that car, whose engine was still running. Continue reading...

Buildings across Ukrainian capital damaged in what officials say was largest drone attack of war so far Russia-Ukraine war - latest news updates What happened in the war this week?Five people have been injured after Russia struck the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in what officials said was its largest drone attack of the war to date.The attack began hitting different districts of Kyiv in the early hours of Saturday, with more waves coming at sunrise. The air raid warning lasted six hours. Continue reading...

Leaflets warn against using racist abuse and promoting terrorism during rally in London against Israel-Hamas war Israel-Hamas war - live updatesMetropolitan police officers are to hand out leaflets to demonstrators to provide absolute clarity" on what will be deemed an offence, as more than 100,000 people are expected to join a pro-Palestine march on Saturday.More than 1,500 officers will be on duty in London as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) marches from Park Lane to Whitehall in protest against the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Met police said 500 officers from outside London would be on duty. Continue reading...

The PM is soon to appear for questioning, and a perilous narrative is emerging about his role in the crisis responseIt was the first time the Covid inquiry had heard directly from Rishi Sunak and things went immediately awry for the prime minister: his claim in a witness statement that no one had raised concerns about a flagship pandemic policy was immediately contradicted by the government's former chief scientific adviser.Monday's tussle over the eat out to help out" scheme, in which Sir Patrick Vallance responded to an extract read out from Sunak's statement, which has yet to be published, was arguably more embarrassing than damaging. Continue reading...

Clerk in town of March hits out at cancel culture mentality' after some called tilted tannenbaum embarrassingO Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how wonky are your branches.A row has broken out in March, a town in Cambridgeshire, over a lopsided tannenbaum erected in Market Place. The 30ft tree has a significant tilt, prompting some residents to liken the conifer to the leaning tower of Pisa, and others to question its safety. Continue reading...

Duchy of Lancaster says money it collects from dead people goes to charity after costs and obligations', raising questions about sum yet to be donatedA royal insignia shines from the heart of a stained glass window in the Savoy chapel in London. The ornate 150-seat church is tucked incongruously between the theatres of the Strand, the Savoy hotel and the Thames.It was built on land previously occupied by a palace that was torn down during the 1381 Peasants' Revolt against the inequities of feudalism. More than 600 years later, a remnant of that feudal system still funds the chapel. Continue reading...

Those with existing health problems also at greater risk of condition that kills estimated 48,000 a year in UKPoor people and those with existing health problems are much more likely to die from sepsis, one of the UK's biggest killers, a study has found.Sepsis, or blood poisoning, is a potentially fatal condition triggered when the body reacts to an infection by attacking its own tissues and vital organs. It leads to an estimated 48,000 deaths a year in Britain.People with learning disabilities are almost four times more likely to get sepsis.People with liver disease have about three times greater risk.Patients with chronic kidney disease that is at stage 5 are more than six times as likely to develop it. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Assets of thousands of people in north-west England used to upgrade king's property empire via archaic custom

Actor who played Prince Charles in The Crown said non-London crowds have a real hunger for a good night at the theatre'The actor Dominic West has extolled the virtues of regional theatre ahead of a new stage role, complaining that West End ticket prices are going crazy".The actor, who is appearing at the 120-seat Ustinov Studio in Bath for his theatrical comeback after playing Prince Charles in The Crown, said there was a tangible" desire for good theatre in the regions. Continue reading...

Survey two months before presidential election reveals more than 80% of people think threat from Beijing has worsenedMore than 80% of Taiwanese people think that the threat from China has worsened in recent years, while trust in the US has also declined in the past two years, in part because of the war in Ukraine damaging Washington's credibility.The results of a survey published this week reveal a portrait of Taiwanese society that is under increasing pressure as the self-governing island heads towards a presidential election in January that could have far reaching ramifications for its relationship with the world's two biggest superpowers. Continue reading...

Harvard Law Review declined an essay by Palestinian doctoral candidate Rabea Eghbariah after it had been initially approvedA prestigious journal published by Harvard Law School has been accused of censorship after it refused to publish an academic article accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, allegedly because editors feared a backlash.The Harvard Law Review, which is run by the school's student body, declined the 2,000-word essay - titled The Ongoing Nakba: Towards a Legal Framework for Palestine - by a Palestinian doctoral candidate, Rabea Eghbariah, after it had been edited, fact-checked and initially approved. Continue reading...

Intellectuals clash over country's traditional commitment to defence of Israel amid bloodshed in Gaza

Government minded to' issue intervention notice to call in regulator on public interest groundsThe culture secretary has said that she is likely to refer the Barclay family's proposed 1.15bn deal to take back control of the Telegraph and Spectator magazine to Ofcom.Lucy Frazer, who has 10 working days to make a final decision on referring the deal to the media regulator, said that she was minded to" issue an intervention notice to call in the communications regulator to examine the deal on public interest grounds. Continue reading...

Despite historical high demand for homes due to the territory's size, the economic downturn has resulted in a glut of unsold flatsHong Kong's once-lucrative land market looks to be in trouble after a series of unsuccessful tenders for government plots cast a shadow over the city's finances.Earlier this month, Hong Kong's largest public transport company, the MTR Corporation, revealed that it had received no proposals for a joint development project in Tung Chung, a residential town next to Hong Kong airport. Continue reading...

Victoria police say the remains are likely to be that of Stephen Gale and his passenger, James Rose

Broadcaster accuses Israel of targeting its journalists as death toll in Lebanon from rising hostilities surpasses 80Two Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon have killed eight people, including two journalists working for a Lebanese TV channel and a senior Hamas official, according to Lebanese state media and official sources.The deaths bring those killed in Lebanon since the beginning of hostilities along the border to more than 80 people, mostly fighters from the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. Continue reading...

UTA lets Oscar-winning actor go after she spoke at several pro-Palestine ralliesThe Hollywood talent agency UTA has dropped Susan Sarandon as a client after she spoke at a pro-Palestine rally over the weekend, a spokesperson for the agency confirmed to Deadline.The Oscar-winning actor attended several rallies in support of Palestine and drew criticism for saying: There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country." Continue reading...

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says earnings of full-time workers will rise by 1,800 a year as a the result of moveNearly 3 million low-paid workers will receive a pay increase of almost 10% next spring after the chancellor announced an increase in the national living wage" to 11.44 an hour.Jeremy Hunt said the earnings of full-time workers would rise by 1,800 a year as a result of a move that the Low Pay Commission (LPC) said met the 2019 Conservative pledge to end poverty pay in the UK. Continue reading...

Police in southern city of Tilburg tell residents to stay indoors after owner reported missing snakeAn extremely venomous" 2-metre green mamba snake is on the loose in the Netherlands, police have said, warning residents to stay indoors and under no circumstances attempt to ensnare the serpent.Police in the southern city of Tilburg said they were alerted by the mamba's owner on Monday evening that he was missing a snake". Continue reading...

The country's six main party leaders confronted each other in Rotterdam on Monday night in a TV debateThe Dutch housing market is one of the top issues in this week's election, writes Senay Boztas.According to I&O research, 86% of Dutch people believe there is a housing crisis", and there are 390,000 more house seekers than there are homes. Continue reading...

Newly elected president and far-right libertarian has vowed to repeal country's 2020 landmark legalisation of abortionThree years after Argentina made history as the first large Latin American country to legalise abortion, women's rights campaigners are gearing up to again go to battle after the election of Javier Milei as president.It's a very bleak picture," said Soledad Deza of the Fundacion Mujeres x Mujeres. This is a government that is promising us greater inequality and - from the first minute - that the autonomy, sovereignty and independence of our bodies is not going to be supported by the state." Continue reading...

Secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council says Russia has increasingly put its economy onto war footing. This live blog is now closed

Industry feud flares over proposed smart TV laws that will likely mean free local apps feature more prominently than paid services

Rumours of tensions at the top, exhaustion after two years of fighting and frustration with allies dampen the mood in KyivThere is a subtle yet unmistakable sense of gloom in Kyiv at the moment, and not only because of the dark afternoons and plunging mercury of an eastern European November. A number of internal and external factors have combined to create perhaps the most downbeat mood about the prospects for a swift and decisive Ukrainian victory over Russia since the first weeks of the full-scale invasion.At the end of last year and beginning of this one, there was such euphoria. Now we see the other extreme, the down, and I guess we will see some ups and downs for some time to come," said Bartosz Cichocki, who last month finished a four-year posting as Poland's ambassador in Kyiv. Continue reading...

Scientifically sound methodology was sacrificed for speed', says health minister, Shannon Fentiman

Joana Partyka, of Disrupt Burrup Hub group, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of failing to obey a data access order

The e-safety regulator says standards will not compromise end-to-end encryption in move that could prevent fight with Apple over iMessage

Prime minister declines to confirm if he raised incident in his face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping

Israel calls seizure of Galaxy Leader an escalation in Iran's belligerence' and that no Israelis are onboard or involved in its operation

Failure to increase density has left NSW worse off when it comes to housing stock and affordability, treasurer says

Report calls for workplaces to do more after only one in 10 women say their organisation provides menstrual health supportMore than two-thirds of women in the UK have bad experiences at work because of their periods, a report has found.In a survey of more than 2,000 women by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 69% said they had a negative experience at work because of their menstruation symptoms. Continue reading...

Campaigners say move would save lives and bring England and Wales in line with other countriesThe high court is to consider for the first time whether universities owe a legal duty of care to their students, which campaigners argue would save lives and bring England and Wales in line with other countries.The landmark hearing next month comes at a time of widespread concern about declining student mental health and a number of widely reported suicides, including that of Natasha Abrahart, 20, who was a second year physics student at Bristol University when she killed herself in 2018.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or by emailing jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Israeli military releases security camera footage it says shows two kidnapped men being taken into Gaza's largest hospital on 7 October

Stephen Gale and passenger James Rose identified as pair missing after Viper S-211 Marchetti jet crashed into the water

Judge jails former Australian army soldier for at least 15 months, urges him to leave survivalists to their silly games'

Optus parent company Singtel says priority is about setting on a path of renewal for the benefit of the community and customers'

In letter to Guardian, campaigners say billions could be raised to help finance decarbonisationJeremy Hunt has been warned that combating the climate emergency will require higher taxes on wealth and big corporate polluters at the autumn statement rather than a package of giveaways for the rich.In the run-up to the chancellor's speech to the Commons on Wednesday, a group of 19 leading charities and campaigners - including Greenpeace, Christian Aid and Patriotic Millionaires UK - said billions of pounds could be raised to help finance decarbonisation. Continue reading...