World news | The Guardian

Questions raised over missed opportunities to save girl after conviction of Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool at Old Bailey

Andrew Cayley, of the international criminal court, questioned reports used to justify Israeli military strikesClaims about the presence of Hamas fighters in hospitals in Gaza under siege by Israel's military have been grossly exaggerated", a top prosecutor at the international criminal court (ICC) has said.Andrew Cayley, who is leading the ICC's Palestine investigation, questioned the reliability of claims about military activity in Gaza's hospitals which have been made to justify Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities in the territory. Continue reading...

Exclusive: TV star is said to have behaved inappropriately towards journalist he met at awards ceremonyGregg Wallace has been accused of sending inappropriate texts to a young female reporter asking her for a snog" and leaving multiple creepy" voicemails after taking her number under the pretext of work.The MasterChef judge and presenter announced he was stepping back from the show earlier this month while the BBC investigated other allegations of misconduct. Continue reading...

Rents have risen by 27% since end of pandemic lockdowns, while earnings have increased by 19%The average cost of renting a newly let UK home is now 3,240 higher than at the end of the pandemic lockdowns, after three years of rental increases outstripping rises in earnings, research shows.Rents have risen by 27% since 2021, the online property website Zoopla found, compared with a 19% increase in earnings, taking the annual cost of renting a property to 15,240, up from 12,000 in 2021. Continue reading...

Andrew Powell first said he was not 100% convinced' 12 years ago while holding the portfolio during the Campbell Newman era

PM takes stance on provocative acts' and denounces antisemitism after Melbourne synagogue arson attack and Sydney anti-Israel vandalism

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Home Office plans to find 800 new accommodation sites and cut bill that has risen to 8m a dayAsylum seekers will be housed in disused care homes and student digs under a Home Office plan to find 800 new accommodation sites and cut a bill that has risen to 8m a day.Home Office sources have confirmed to the Guardian that the fundamental changes to asylum accommodation are under way in a bid to save millions spent every day on hotel accommodation. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Secure Journeys, a local subsidiary of Management & Training Corporation, will begin operating the centres from early 2025

Pesticide Action Network analysis of government testing data finds chemicals linked to cancer and harmful to beesImported food has been found to have residues of 48 pesticides that have not been approved for use by British farmers, including chemicals linked to cancer and imidacloprid, which is harmful to bees, analysis shows.Pesticide Action Network (PAN) went through UK government testing data, comparing the results for pesticide tests on imported and domestically produced food. They found there were residues of 46 cancer-linked pesticides in imported produce, compared with 19 in food of UK origin.. Importers include the EU, Peru, Thailand, Turkey and the US. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Pilots of scheme to tackle drug-driven crimes have been encouraging, says head of sentencing reviewSpecialist courts focused on breaking the addictions of prolific offenders are efficient" and a good idea", the head of the government's sentencing review has said as he suggested they could be rolled out across England and Wales.In an interview with the Guardian, David Gauke praised very encouraging" pilots of intensive supervision courts which steer recidivists to engage repeatedly with judges, probation officers and drug counsellors.Supported proposals for an intermediate court between magistrates and crown court, in which the bench consists of a district judge sitting with two magistrates.Warned ministers and opposition leaders to stop making promises to increase sentences for offenders.Called for ministers to consider inviting third sector organisations to become involved in the provision of drug treatment. Continue reading...

Research shows UK police arrest environmental and climate protesters at three times the average global rateBritish police arrest environmental protesters at nearly three times the global average rate, research has found, revealing the country as a world leader in the legal crackdown on climate activism.Only Australia arrested climate and environmental protesters at a higher rate than UK police. One in five Australian eco-protests led to arrests, compared with about 17% in the UK. The global average rate is 6.7%. Continue reading...

Daughter confirms swimming great broke four ribs and required a hip replacement after accident last week

Energy giant executive admits in court company was absolutely wrong' not to compensate ex-customers it took money from

Israel plans to create sterile defensive zone' inside southern border, and Turkey bombs Kurdish targets in north Syria

This blog is now closed. You can read our latest report on events in Syria here or all our coverage from the region here.

Exclusive: Open letter seen by the Guardian asks King to ensure the government does not diminish the crown's honour' amid tensions over policy direction for Mori

Damning parliamentary report blames lack of education by healthcare workers and pervasive stigma' for poor careWomen and girls are enduring years of pain because their reproductive conditions are being dismissed due to medical misogyny", according to a damning parliamentary report.The report, by the Women and Equalities committee, found that gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis and adenomyosis are treated with inadequate care due to a pervasive stigma", a lack of education by healthcare professionals and medical misogyny". Continue reading...

RMT members plan to take industrial action on 22, 23 and 29 December in dispute over rest day workingTrain managers at Avanti West Coast are to strike in a dispute over rest day working.Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union plan to walk out on 22, 23 and 29 December. Continue reading...

Prime minister calls vandalism in Woollahra a hate crime' as NSW premier promises massive' police response

Assault rifle and knives seized as three men suspected of preparing serious act of violence'Three suspected Islamist extremists have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of preparing a serious act of violence", with an assault rifle and knives also seized, authorities said on Tuesday.Police swooped on the homes of two German-Lebanese brothers aged 15 and 20 in the city of Mannheim, and a 22-year-old German-Turkish man from the Hochtaunus district of Hessen state on Sunday. Continue reading...

Assembly votes to keep special trading arrangements despite long-held division with unionist oppositionThe Northern Ireland assembly has voted to continue with the special Brexit trading arrangements for another four years.It means Northern Ireland will retain some EU trade laws as a means of maintaining an invisible border on the island of Ireland, despite continued opposition in some unionist quarters. Continue reading...

London fire brigade sends eight fire engines and about 60 firefighters to deal with blaze in Ley Street, IlfordTwo people have been taken to hospital after an explosion in a terrace house in Ilford, east London.London fire brigade sent eight fire engines and about 60 firefighters to deal with the blaze in Ley Street just after 4pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Records obtained via FoI request relate to critic of Saudi royal family living in UK under asylum protectionMohammed bin Salman personally lobbied David Cameron earlier this year to intervene in the legal case of a London-based dissident who is suing the Saudi government, amid threats by its officials that the issue could have implications" for 100bn of investment in the UK.UK government documents obtained by the Guardian show that Cameron asked senior Foreign Office (FCDO) officials to propose options after the extraordinary intervention by the Saudi crown prince over the case brought by Ghanem Al-Masarir, a prominent critic of the Saudi royal family who is living under asylum protection in the UK. Continue reading...

Post-Assad leadership must prove its social and political inclusivity to shed terror designation, says UN envoyThe UN would consider taking the Syrian rebel group that toppled the regime of Bashar al-Assad off its designated terrorist list if it passes the key test of forming a truly inclusive transitional government, according to a senior official at the world body.Geir Pedersen, UN special envoy for Syria, held out the prospect of removing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the organisation's list of proscribed terrorist groups. But he said the group could not seek to govern Syria in the way that it had governed Idlib, the northern province where it was based and from where it led the military breakout that resulted in the sudden collapse of the Assad regime. Continue reading...

Western intelligence has deemed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham not a direct terror threat to the UKHayat Tahrir al-Sham, the leading group that overthrew the Assad regime in Syria, is not a direct terror threat to the UK, according to western intelligence assessments.The judgment could mean that the UK, along with the US and EU, will soon remove HTS's designation as a terror organisation. In the British case, that would help justify direct contact with Syria's emerging leaders. Continue reading...

Counsel for Sun publisher accuses Duke of Sussex and co-claimant of calling irrelevant witnesses over generic issues'The Duke of Sussex is attempting to turn his case against the publishers of the Sun into a public inquiry" to seek accountability for others who have already settled claims, the high court has heard.Prince Harry faces up to four days of very extensive" questioning in the witness box in the legal action he and Tom Watson, a former Labour deputy prime minister, brought against News Group Newspapers (NGN) over allegations of unlawful information gathering. NGN denies the allegations. Continue reading...

Prosecutors argue that Trump's position as president-elect does not grant him legal protectionManhattan prosecutors on filed paperwork to fight Donald Trump's most recent push for dismissal of his criminal hush-money case, saying that his position as president-elect does not grant him legal protection.This Court should reject defendant's motion to immediately" dismiss the indictment and vacate the jury's guilty verdict based on the outcome of the recent presidential election," prosecutors wrote in papers filed Monday but made public this afternoon. Continue reading...

Phil Shiner found guilty of misconduct and dishonesty relating to untruthful allegations against UK combatantsAn award-winning former human rights lawyer was spared jail on Tuesday after admitting to fraud charges linked to false abuse claims made against war veterans.Phil Shiner, the principal solicitor of the law firm Public Interest Lawyers, was given a two-year suspended sentence after being found guilty of misconduct and dishonesty relating to untruthful claims against combatants in the Iraq war. Continue reading...

Like our Nige, Nick Candy doesn't appear to have any solutions to anything ... but he does have very deep pocketsSeveral Range Rovers with blacked out windows pulled up outside the TV studios in Westminster. Out stepped Theresa May. Awkward. If she'd known her arrival was going to coincide with a Reform party photo call, she'd have probably asked the driver to go round the block again. Just in case people jumped to conclusions. Not that there was much chance of anyone imagining that the Maybot was about to leave the Tory party and defect to Reform. But better safe than sorry.These are happy days for Nigel Farage. OK, so Donald Trump might have gone a little cold on him. The Donald's apparatchiks have been letting it be known that the president-elect regards Nige as an eccentric fanboy, basking in the reflected glory. But back in the UK things are hunky dory. The Tories are barely alive and Labour haven't got off to the best of starts. To put it kindly.Taking the Lead by John Crace is published by Little, Brown (18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply. Continue reading...

Disciplinary hearing opens against Charlotte Proudman for saying a judge had shown a boys' club attitude'A barrister has accused her professional regulator of failing to protect her from online gender violence, at the start of a disciplinary hearing against her for saying a judge had shown a boys' club attitude".Charlotte Proudman is alleged by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to have breached its professional standards but has been permitted to argue that the decision to bring proceedings against her constitutes discrimination because she is a woman and a feminist. Continue reading...

Franchise operators pursuing 120m legal claim say they feared losing their livelihoods or homes, with some having suicidal thoughts

Three days of action include Boxing Day sales but union says no option as management refuses to engage'Harrods workers from cleaners to shop floor and restaurant staff are set to strike in Christmas week, including during the upmarket department store's key Boxing Day sales, in a dispute over pay and perks.The United Voice of the World (UVW) independent union said 95% of its members at the Knightsbridge store had voted in favour of the strikes on 21, 22 and 26 December. Continue reading...

Senegal also requests departure of French troops, saying they are not compatible' with country's sovereigntyFrance has begun recalling its military assets from its former ally Chad, the latest blow to its dwindling influence across its former colonies in Africa.Two Mirage fighter jets returned to a base in eastern France on Tuesday, said the army spokesperson Col Guillaume Vernet. It marks the beginning of the return of French equipment stationed in [Chadian capital] N'Djamena," Vernet said. Continue reading...

David John Andrews used sextortion to target 47 victims as young as eight years old via social mediaA man described by police as a heinous child predator" has been sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to 130 charges of sexual abuse in a court in Northern Ireland.David John Andrews, 55, was told he could serve a minimum of 13 and a half years after which the Parole Board would decide whether he could be released, but was described as a danger to the community by the police. Continue reading...

Former Beatle speaks out amid fears the rise of AI threatens income streams for music, news and book publishersPaul McCartney has backed calls for laws to stop mass copyright theft by companies building generative artificial intelligence, warning AI could just take over".The former Beatle said it would be a very sad thing indeed" if young composers and writers could not protect their intellectual property from the rise of algorithmic models, which so far have learned by digesting mountains of copyrighted material. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Health ministry releases 10-year LGBTQ+ health plan informed by largest national consultation undertaken by any Australian government

As rebel leader promises torturers will be held accountable, legal experts consider whether war crimes trials can be conducted

Britain's biggest water supplier reports 40% increase in pollution incidents, blaming a wet spring and summer

Anthony Albanese to portray Labor as the party of equitable early education while attacking Liberals for being stuck in the past'

Refunds offered for event at Great Hall in Winchester after visitors say Santa is not jovial and beard is blatantly fake'Finding the right candidate to play the part of Santa (when the real one is too busy preparing for the festive season) can be a tricky task.But a popular festive event at one of the finest medieval halls in the UK has had to offer refunds because its new Father Christmas was not considered up to scratch. Continue reading...

Unions hail historic outcome' after agreement reached on claims that left council with estimated 760m liabilitiesBirmingham city council has reached an agreement to settle historical equal pay claims that left the authority with liabilities estimated at 760m and pushed it into effective bankruptcy.Union leaders called it a historic outcome" for women at the council that brought pay justice within touching distance", after the announcement on Tuesday morning, Continue reading...

Report recommends monks not be allowed to give pastoral advise or pose for selfiesAn abbey on a Welsh island where dozens of children were sexually abused by a monk over decades has promised to implement a string of safeguarding recommendations including strict limits on contact the members of the monastic community can have with visitors.Monks on Caldey Island will not be allowed to give religious or pastoral advice to visitors even if asked or pose for a selfie with them and under a no touch" policy will be obliged to report any accidental physical contact. Continue reading...

Individuals arrested last month are accused of belonging to Kurdistan Workers' party, Met police saySix people have been charged with being part of the banned Kurdistan Workers' party (PKK) after an investigation by counter-terrorism police.Turkan Ozcan, 59, Mazlum Sayak, 27, Berfin Kerban, 31, Ali Boyraz, 62, Ercan Akbal, 56, and Agit Karatas, 23, have been accused of being members of the proscribed group, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Jubilation at the prospect of going home to a new Syria mixed with trepidation about what the future holdsBefore she fled Syria and came to the UK in 2016, Raya Homsi was told her fiance had been tortured to death in the Sednaya prison run by Bashar al-Assad's regime. All she had to go on was the word of one person who said he had witnessed it.Now, after Assad's fall, the human rights campaigner wonders if he might still be alive, among the thousands of people liberated in the last 24 hours from the facility near Damascus that Amnesty International called a human slaughterhouse". Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: The Guardian's William Christou was the first western journalist to gain access to Sednaya prison. He reflects on what he sawGood morning. Of all the horrific symbols of the deposed Assad regime, few carry the notoriety of Sednaya, the most feared node in the Syrian government's repressive prison system. About 30,000 people were killed there between 2011 and 2020, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated, more than in any other single location; for years, groups of 50 at a time were hanged in secret, once or twice a week.Many were still locked up there a couple of days ago, including women and children, in conditions so disorienting and dehumanising that some were unable to say their names. But early on Sunday, as the rebels swept into Damascus, the doors were opened, and they were freed.Syria | Bombing raids have hit sites across Syria as regional actors in the Middle East scrambled to defend their interests in the country after the sudden fall of Bashar al-Assad. The US has struck targets associated with Islamic State (IS) in central Syria, while Turkey has attacked US-backed Kurdish forces, and Israel sent troops into the buffer zone beyond the Golan Heights.US news | A 26-year-old man has been charged with murder over the shooting death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, in New York. Luigi Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania after a customer recognised him.Media | Rupert Murdoch's adult children will retain equal control over their father's media empire upon his death, a Nevada court has ruled. Murdoch had wanted to wrest away power from James, Elisabeth and Prudence and give it all to his oldest son Lachlan.Courts in crisis | Ministers should consider abandoning jury trials for some crown court cases unless they properly fund a justice system in serious crisis", the former lord chief justice has said. Lord Thomas said there had been a political failure" by successive governments to invest in justice.Culture | Jacques Audiard's daring crime musical Emilia Perez has dominated the Golden Globe nominations, taking 10. Conclave, the papal thriller directed by Edward Berger, got six, including for its script, direction and leading actor Ralph Fiennes, while daring body horror The Substance and Cannes Palme d'Or winner Anora both took five. Continue reading...

Four days after Adass Israel was attacked, the prime minister visited the site and called for unity, but among the surging crowd the mood was one of frustration and blame

The mother of baby identified only as KP' claimed a man she had met years earlier told her he would look after the three-month-old in the days before the baby was found deadNew South Wales police found no evidence proving the existence of a man who a mother claimed was with her baby before it was found dead inside a freezer, an inquest has heard.The deputy state coroner, Kasey Pearce, has been investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a three-month-old baby, identified only as KP", who was found by police in a home in Corowa, on the NSW-Victoria border, on 19 January 2022. Continue reading...

Number of trials in England and Wales declared ineffective' because of delays has almost trebled under contracts Serco and GeoAmeyHundreds of trials are being derailed because prison vans fail to transport the defendant to court on time, figures show.A Guardian analysis found 207 crown court trials in England and Wales were declared ineffective" in 2023 - meaning they were postponed on the day - because the prison escort and custody service (Pecs) failed to produce the accused. That figure was up 44% on the year before and a near trebling of the number from five years ago. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Lord Thomas says there has been political failure to either properly invest in justice or make hard decisionsMinisters should consider abandoning jury trials for some crown court cases unless they properly fund a justice system in serious crisis", the former lord chief justice has said.Lord Thomas said there had been a political failure" by successive governments to invest in justice or make the difficult decisions needed to protect it. Continue reading...