World news | The Guardian

Covid tier system introduced in October 2020 and imposed different restrictions on English regions in effort to contain spread of virus. This live blog is closedAt the Covid inquiry Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, said that he was not getting information from the government in February about Covid. He said he was disappointed" by that.In late February and early March he was getting information from other cities around the world instead, he said. He said this happened even though his foreign affairs team consisted of just three people.The government generally does give us information about a variety of things happening. I'm disappointed the government weren't giving us information in February about what they knew then. Continue reading...

Aunt tells of Roni Krivoy's breakout as further details emerge of ordeal faced by those held captive in Gaza

Changes to include use of commercial recruitment firms to carry out more targeted conscription, say officials

PC Jonathan Broadhead accused of using unreasonable force against girl who was holding garden shearsA Metropolitan police officer Tasered a 10-year-old girl twice after she threatened her mother with garden shears and hit her with a hammer, a misconduct hearing has heard.PC Jonathan Broadhead is accused of gross misconduct over the use of force that was not necessary, reasonable and proportionate" when he responded to the mother's 999 call. The hearing was told he used the Taser within approximately eight seconds" of entering the house in south-west London on 21 January 2021. Continue reading...

Payments allegedly facilitated by senior government and military figures to secure arms contracts for British firmsCabinet ministers and Whitehall mandarins approved payments totalling 60m to Saudi royals and high-ranking officials over decades to secure and maintain a huge arms deal, a court heard on Monday.The accusation was made by Tom Allen, a barrister representing one of two men who are being prosecuted for corruption in a longstanding arms deal between the UK and Saudi Arabia. Continue reading...

Blow to passengers as direct trains from Netherlands cancelled from June 2024 to early 2025Rail passengers will be unable to directly travel from Amsterdam to London for six months next year as a big revamp of the Dutch capital's largest railway station causes upheaval on the Eurostar.The refurbishment of Centraal station will lead to the suspension of the high-speed services from Amsterdam between next June and early 2025, the Dutch national railway company, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), said. Continue reading...

Police promise arrests of riot leaders and participants in coming weeks as government seeks to expand use of facial recognition technologyIrish police are expected to make sweeping arrests of suspected ringleaders of Thursday's riot in Dublin and to obtain wider rights to use facial recognition technology to help identify suspects in any future disorder.The moves come amid mounting pressure on the government and police chiefs over the mayhem on 24 November when an estimated 500 anti-immigrant activists and gangs of youths looted shops, burned vehicles and attacked police, leaving swathes of Ireland's capital resembling a war zone. Continue reading...

Guitarist celebrated by Jimmy Page and Kevin Shields for his intense, multi-layered sound suffered a stroke over the weekendKevin Geordie" Walker, guitarist with industrial band Killing Joke whose ringing, richly textured tone influenced generations of musicians, has died aged 64.The band wrote in a statement on Sunday: It is with extreme sadness we confirm that at 6.30am on 26th November 2023 in Prague, Killing Joke's legendary guitarist Kevin Geordie' Walker passed away after suffering a stroke, he was surrounded by family. We are devastated. Rest In Peace brother." Continue reading...

Both sides say they would like to see further release of hostages held by Hamas in return for Palestinians in Israeli jails

Lisa Lines, 43, denies attempting to murder Jonathon Hawtin and his mother, and intends to plead not guilty to all charges

Meanwhile, Storm Bettina brings wind and rain to southern and eastern parts of EuropeLast Tuesday, the Amalfi coast in Italy saw more than one waterspout form offshore, fuelled by high humidity and relatively warm sea surface temperatures.A waterspout is a column of rapidly rotating air, filled with cloud, which forms from a cumulus cloud above a large body of water. They are similar in appearance to small tornadoes, but are typically far less powerful. A typical waterspout is about 50 metres wide with wind speeds of about 50mph, and will exist for only five to 10 minutes. Continue reading...

Australian Border Force alleges four people previously released have breached their visa conditions

Businessman warns people to never ever' purchase from advertisers on Facebook and Instagram after totally fraudulent' video appears

Ship boarded by gunmen - who fled and then surrendered when USS Mason arrived - in latest incident in regionA US warship rescued an Israeli-linked tanker that had been attacked by armed individuals" in the Gulf of Aden, the US military has said, in the latest such incident to underscore the heightened risk to shipping in the region.The USS Mason responded to a distress call by the Central Park tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Sunday and demanded the ship's release, US Central Command said. Continue reading...

Greenpeace-led research discussed in Canberra with independent Kate Chaney saying politicians need to understand sheer scale' of what is planned in WA

This bog is now closed. All our Israel-Hamas war coverage can be seen here.Israel's military has issued a statement about its activity in Jenin in the occupied West Bank overnight. In a post to social media, it said:In the operation commanded by the 646th Reserve Brigade, five terrorists were eliminated, 21 wanted persons were arrested, a cargo laboratory was destroyed and an aircraft attacked from the air an armed terrorist squad that endangered the IDF forces. Continue reading...

Exclusive: figures include one man who died during 18-minute wait for the ambulance service to answer his 999 call

Relatives say they can't find the words to describe our emotions' as Israeli-Irish girl comes back from Gaza

Darren Jones says figures are extremely high' and party would aim to reduce them to normal levels'A Labour government would cut net migration to a couple of hundred thousand a year" within its first term, a shadow cabinet minister has said.The shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, said the party intended to get net migration back to normal levels", as figures are extremely high". Continue reading...

Students are learning about half the science content of school systems in similar countries, consulting group has found

TV cook says she will be making chocolate cake this year, a new tradition for her householdIt may be one of the longest-standing festive traditions, but Nigella Lawson has urged people to ditch Christmas cake this year and opt for a family-friendly chocolate one instead.The celebrity chef said there was no point in having a dried fruit cake gathering dust" on the kitchen counter, and families should choose a festive dessert that would go down better with visiting guests over the winter break. Continue reading...

Sgt Elliot Butler also charged with causing male to engage in penetrative sexual activityA serving Metropolitan police officer has been charged with attempted rape, allegedly committed 10 years ago, the force said.Sgt Elliot Butler, attached to the Central East command unit, was also charged with causing a male to engage in penetrative sexual activity. Continue reading...

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