Former president Moon Jae-in says he will give up gift of Pungsan dogs if no support from Yoon Suk-yeolSouth Korea’s former president Moon Jae-in has said he plans to give up a pair of dogs sent by the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, as a gift after their 2018 summit, citing a lack of support from his successor.Moon has raised the white Pungsan dogs, named Gomi and Songgang, since their arrival and took them to his personal residence after his term ended in May. Continue reading...
Halifax reports steepest monthly drop since February 2021 amid interest rate risesUK house prices fell by 0.4% in October after Liz Truss’s mini-budget drove a sudden rise in mortgage rates, the lender Halifax said.The decline in the average price to £292,598 was the third in the past four months and the steepest since February 2021. The annual rate of growth in house prices slowed to 8.3% in October from 9.8% in September. Continue reading...
Above-average temperatures across northern hemisphere come amid an extremely warm year for BritainThe UK and much of Europe experienced well above normal temperatures during the second month of the meteorological autumn, in what was a very warm month for the northern hemisphere as a whole.Persistent low pressure in the Atlantic and higher pressure across central and southern Europe helped feed mild air from the south/south-west for prolonged periods in October. Continue reading...
Airline reports greater traffic at higher fares than the same period in 2019, before Covid lockdownsRyanair has reported a surge in profits to a record €1.4bn (£1.2bn) for the first half of its financial year, as the airline said it was seeing no letup in the demand for air travel going into winter after record summer passenger numbers.The airline reported greater traffic at higher fares than the same period in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, the first time that has been achieved since the first Covid-19 lockdowns. Continue reading...
Rival teams begin launching aerial artistic creations that explode with fireworks once (hopefully) in the skyThousands of people have gathered in the hills of central Myanmar for the annual Tazaungdaing light festival marking the end of the rainy season with a fiery display of exploding hot-air balloons.The celebration in the former British hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin has not been held for two years because of the Covid pandemic and unrest after a military coup. Continue reading...
by Luke Henriques-Gomes Social affairs and inequality on (#65HSA)
Earlier document warned proposed debt recovery measures would have ‘fundamental impacts on social security policy and legislation’, royal commission told
Faith centres, village halls and other warm spaces will struggle to stay open this winter, says reportThe “last line of defence” against the cost of living crisis is under threat as churches and other community hubs could be forced to close their doors because of spiralling bills and shrinking donations, two UK elder statesmen have said.Former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown and ex-archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams say: “The UK’s faith and voluntary sectors find themselves as precarious as the people they are helping.” Continue reading...
by Damian Carrington Environment editor on (#65HRY)
Exclusive: Support for developing countries will be critical issue at Cop27 but new data shows rich countries are laggingThe US, UK, Canada and Australia have fallen billions of dollars short of their “fair share” of climate funding for developing countries, analysis shows.The assessment, by Carbon Brief, compares the share of international climate finance provided by rich countries with their share of carbon emissions to date, a measure of their responsibility for the climate crisis. Continue reading...
Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission takes action against operator over misconductMelbourne’s Crown Casino has been slapped with a record $120m in fines for breaching gambling laws spanning more than a decade, including consistently failing to stop people gaming for long periods.The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has taken disciplinary action against Crown for ongoing misconduct, imposing two fines.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...
Moscow’s growing need for armaments from Pyongyang is likely to lead to greater alignment of diplomatic and military interestsRussian arms procurement from Iran and North Korea heralds an increasing convergence of military and diplomatic interests between Moscow and two countries regarded as international pariahs.Amid renewed accusations from Washington that Russia is attempting to procure large amounts of artillery ammunition from Pyongyang, on top of the missiles and kamikaze and other drones it has already bought from Iran, Moscow’s arms procurement blitz has flagged up the mounting logistical problems in Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine. Continue reading...
Scandal over Malcolm MacArthur killings destabilised a government and spawned an acronymNo single adjective could do justice to the events that rocked Ireland in July and August 1982, so the then taoiseach, Charles Haughey, used four: “Grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented”. An acronym was soon born: Gubu.That summer, Malcolm MacArthur, a socialite with a yen for bow ties and cravats, had bludgeoned a young woman to death, killed a farmer with his own shotgun and attempted to rob a retired US diplomat, sparking a huge manhunt. Continue reading...
New Zealand PM tells party conference ‘we are not done yet’ as poll shows Labour’s support at 5-year low ahead of elections in 2023In the darkened amphitheatre of a south Auckland conference centre, a youth choir swayed, as crowds waited for the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, to take the stage. “Give me one more chance,” they sang, in a medley featuring the Jackson 5’s I Want You Back. “Won’t you please let me back in your heart.”It was an apt-enough score for the annual Labour conference, with the party facing a steep uphill road to persuade New Zealanders to return them to office for another three years. “We are not done yet,” Ardern told the party faithful, as delegates sought to map a pathway to election victory in an increasingly sour economic and political landscape. Three days of speeches and discussions built a picture of a party girding itself for a bitterly fought campaign: speeches were laced with jabs at centre-right opposition leader Christopher Luxon, warnings of the prospect of gains rolled back under a National government, and encouragement to stay the course under fire. Continue reading...
Layoffs come after $80bn wiped off company’s market value last month amid global economic downturnFacebook’s parent company, Meta, is reportedly preparing to cut thousands of jobs after $80bn (£69bn) was wiped off its market value last month amid the global economic downturn.On Sunday the Wall Street Journal reported that the cuts, to be announced on Wednesday, were expected to affect thousands of Meta’s 87,000 employees globally. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#65HDH)
Guardian understands early drafts of UK government’s autumn statement include at least £35bn reduction in spendingJeremy Hunt will set out tax rises and spending cuts totalling £60bn at the autumn statement under current plans, including at least £35bn in cuts, the Guardian understands.Ministers must submit the key points of the autumn statement to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) by Monday morning. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#65H6W)
Ed Davey sets out plans for mortgage protection fund that would provide grants of up to £300 a monthA quarter of homeowners are concerned about losing their homes or defaulting on payments, new research for the Liberal Democrats has found, as the party urged Rishi Sunak to provide help for mortgage payments.Ed Davey said the Tories are no longer the party of homeowners, business or fiscal responsibility but “the party of chaos”, as he stepped up calls for an immediate general election in an autumn keynote speech. Continue reading...
Rule change, a UK first, will save more than 100 lives over a decade, research claimsSetting the default speed limit at 20mph in residential roads in Wales will save £100m in the first year alone as deaths and injuries are reduced, according to research.The move, a first in the UK, will save more than 100 lives over a decade, the research claims, though a second study has found many people are concerned the limit will be very difficult to enforce and do not believe drivers will respect it. Continue reading...
Research shared with the Guardian also shows offshore holdings in London are worth a combined £55bnMore than 138,000 residential and commercial properties in England and Wales are owned by offshore companies, with holdings in London worth a combined £55bn, according to research shared with the Guardian.The findings come as the government begins a crackdown to dismantle the secrecy that surrounds offshore property ownership, which it says has been used by “corrupt elites laundering money through UK property”. Continue reading...
Original guitarist of British new wave group reveals diagnosis in a letter read by his bandmates while being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of FameDuran Duran’s original guitarist Andy Taylor has been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, the band has revealed while being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which Taylor had to miss due to ongoing treatment.The renowned British new wave group revealed Taylor had been diagnosed four years ago while reading a letter from him to the audience at the Hall of Fame ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#65H5R)
Dr Cathy Gardner, whose father died from Covid in a care home, urges viewers to boycott ITV showA bereaved daughter who won a high court ruling that Matt Hancock’s policy on care home discharges at the start of the Covid pandemic was unlawful has urged TV viewers to boycott his appearance on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!Dr Cathy Gardner, whose father was among more than 11,000 care home residents in England whose deaths involved Covid in March and April 2020, said “to see him just paraded on television, like he’s some kind of fun figure, so he can make some money and make himself into some kind of fake celebrity” was “insulting” and “completely sick”. Continue reading...
MoD has apologised for delays by outsourced firms awarded repair contracts worth £650m six months agoA scandal over the state of military accommodation has deepened as it emerged that nearly a third of homes require repair, despite firms being awarded maintenance contracts worth £650m six months ago.Among 47,900 service family accommodation (SFA) properties made available by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), a total of 13,900 are awaiting works. Continue reading...
Government guidance would empower consumers, helping them save on bills, says thinktankA public information campaign to encourage consumers to cut their gas usage this winter could save households nearly £400 and the Treasury £9bn, a study has shown.An analysis by the cross-party thinktank the Social Market Foundation found that households could save between £250 and £400 a year if a UK campaign similar to Germany’s national energy-awareness drive were launched. Continue reading...
Comedian will kick off with shows in Manchester later this year as tickets go on sale on 12 NovemberPeter Kay has announced his first live standup tour in 12 years.Tickets will go on sale for the UK gigs at 10am on 12 November from his website, following an announcement on the comedian’s Twitter account. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#65H1P)
PM said to have been informed of the complaint against Williamson before giving him a cabinet roleRishi Sunak is facing further questions over his political judgment after it emerged he was made aware of a complaint by the former chief whip against his political ally Gavin Williamson before appointing him.The Guardian understands some cabinet ministers and ex-ministers were aware of hostile messages to Wendy Morton. The texts were revealed over the weekend to include angry remonstrations about not being invited to the Queen’s funeral and warnings that “there is a price for everything”. Continue reading...
Heathrow centre finally emptied on Sunday despite minister expecting everyone to be evacuated by Saturday eveningDozens of immigration detainees were finally removed on Sunday from a Heathrow immigration centre where a disturbance broke out on Saturday after a power cut, despite a government minister saying he expected everyone to be evacuated by Saturday evening.Robert Jenrick issued a statement undertaking to empty the centre of detainees by the end of Saturday. Continue reading...
by Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo and agencies on (#65H6X)
Children and the sick were allowed off when boat run by German organisation SOS Humanity docked in SicilyIn the first test of its immigration policy, Italy’s new far-right government has prevented 35 asylum seekers from disembarking from their boat, claiming they did not qualify for asylum.On Saturday night, Rome allowed the ship Humanity 1, run by the German search-and-rescue organisation SOS Humanity and carrying 179 people, to enter the port of Catania, in Sicily, and begin disembarking only children and sick or “vulnerable” people. Continue reading...
by Nadeem Badshah (now), Alexandra Topping and Adam F on (#65GYR)
Residents warned they must prepare for having no electricity, water or heating as temperatures drop below freezingRussia appointed a new acting commander of the Central Military District on 3 November, the UK’s Ministry of Defence has said.Major General Alexander Linkov replaces Colonel General Alexander Lapin who was purportedly removed from office at the end of October 2022.If confirmed, this follows a series of dismissals of senior Russian military commanders since the onset of the invasion in February 2022. The Commanders of the Eastern, Southern, and Western Military Districts were replaced earlier this year.Lapin has been widely criticised for poor performance on the battlefield in Ukraine by both Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin. Continue reading...
Oliver Dowden says Department of Health has ‘well-oiled contingencies’ to manage impact of actionThe government has said it has contingency plans for dealing with a strike by nurses amid the growing threat of industrial action in the NHS.The Observer revealed on Sunday that the biggest nursing strike in NHS history could take place before Christmas after “large swathes of the country” voted for nationwide industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is due to announce the results of its ballot in the next few days. Continue reading...
Police Scotland call disorder in Edinburgh ‘disgraceful’ after Molotov cocktail thrown at police vehiclePolice across the UK had a busy bonfire night dealing with violence and antisocial behaviour, with disorder in Edinburgh branded “disgraceful”.Police Scotland said specialist officers had been deployed to the Niddrie area of the Scottish capital on Saturday night, with a Molotov cocktail thrown at a police vehicle. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Political correspondent on (#65H85)
PM has chance to set out exactly where he stands on green issues, but don’t expect him to give too much awayRishi Sunak’s whistle-stop visit to the Cop27 climate summit in Egypt is the overseas debut for a prime minister still largely untested in diplomatic matters. But at the same time it is a trip primarily shaped by domestic concerns.If it always seemed possible that Sunak would U-turn on his much-criticised initial decision to entirely skip the Sharm el-Sheikh gathering, news that Boris Johnson planned to go presumably sealed the decision. Continue reading...
About 500 jobs expected to be lost and thousands of customers nervously await refundsThe online furniture retailer Made.com’s dream of becoming the “new Ikea” will die tomorrow when administrators are appointed, triggering about 500 job losses and leaving thousands of customers in the lurch.It will complete a fall from grace for the London-based company which was valued at almost £800m when it listed on the stock exchange in summer 2021 and was vaunted as the future of furniture retail. Continue reading...
Precision Air plane with 43 people onboard came down in bad weather on its approach to Bukoba airportAt least 19 people have died after a plane plunged into Lake Victoria in Tanzania during bad weather shortly before it was due to land in the north-west city of Bukoba, according to the state-owned Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation.“There was an accident involving a Precision Air plane which … crashed into water about 100 metres from the airport,” the regional police commander William Mwampaghale told reporters at Bukoba airport. Continue reading...
New report says increase in work time by 30 hours a week due to raising SPA will lead to a drop in care time of 6.3 hours a weekThe increase in women’s state pension age could force mothers and daughters to withdraw the free, informal care they give the UK’s rapidly ageing population, a paper has warned.The report, entitled Should I Care or Should I Work? The Impact of Work on Informal Care, says this family care must be urgently replaced by significant increases in state spending otherwise families will have to exhaust their savings buying care privately. For families who cannot find or afford to buy in care, however, older relatives’ lives will be put in danger, the authors say. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#65H6T)
Death of 34-year-old former child star and brother of Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter being investigatedTributes have been paid to Aaron Carter, the former child star who was found dead at his home in southern California at the age of 34 on Saturday.Carter, brother of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, began performing at the age of seven and released his self-titled debut album in 1997 when he was nine. He had two UK top 10 hits with Crush On You and Crazy Little Party Girl. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#65H44)
Hunger striker’s sister welcomes news but warns he may die before end of summitRishi Sunak has said he will raise the issue of imprisoned writer Alaa Abd El-Fattah in Egypt at the Cop27 summit, but the writer’s sister has warned her brother’s hunger and water strike may mean he will die before the end of the summit.Sunak wrote to the family of the British Egyptian writer saying he would raise his imprisonment with the Egyptian government and reply again by the end of the climate summit. Continue reading...
Rarely have so many major political decisions been reversed. Here are Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak’s changes of heartSuch has been the political chaos over the last two months that it has felt as if there hasn’t been a single week without a major government U-turn. There is a good reason for that – there hasn’t been. Since the start of September, the Truss and Sunak administrations have so far averaged well over one significant U-turn a week. Here are some of the most notable reversals: Continue reading...
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