World news | The Guardian

Leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defeated the far-right senator and was elected president of Brazil for a fourth non-consecutive term

Jump fuelled by fears of further Middle East supply disruptions amid reports of US-Israeli plans to strike IranEuropean gas prices have jumped to levels not seen since 2022 as fears continue to grow around the continent's supply this winter and ongoing conflict in the Middle East.Wholesale gas prices hit 97 (81) per megawatt-hour on Monday, as temperatures across Europe fell and traders priced in stronger demand for heating. Continue reading...

PM says talking about changing the relationship with the bloc would not be divisive but can start to bring people together'Andy Burnham's pledge to reindustrialise Britain is doomed to fail unless it is driven decisively from his new No 10 North outpost in Manchester, a group of more than 90 backbench Labour MPs is warning. Heather Stewart has the story.Andy Burnham has said the budget will set out a path" to higher defence spending. Continue reading...

Hopes raised for a reset in relations with EU and other partners following the defeat of authoritarian president

Industrial action by senior doctors to begin on 25 November, with only emergency cover provided, union saysSenior doctors in England plan to go on strike for two days in November, the British Medical Association has said.The industrial action by consultants is to begin at 6.59am on 25 November, with only emergency cover to be provided. Continue reading...

Rapid Support Forces strike five power stations in three states controlled by Sudanese armySudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have launched a coordinated drone attack against five power stations, causing mass power outages across the country's east, a government official said.The drones hit two power stations each in the states of Al-Jazira and Gedaref and one in White Nile state, resulting in power outages across large parts of these three states", the official said on condition of anonymity. Continue reading...

Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of raising bricks'Chinese young adults looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having pets or children have found an answer: raising bricks.Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick," wrote one brick parent on social media. Continue reading...

Ninety-plus Labour MPs warn civil service lacks skills to drive growth where it is needed and plan should be steered by Louis Haigh from Manchester

With industrial action over job cuts heading into its 21st week, students at famed London college are unhappyStudents arriving at Goldsmiths, University of London this autumn found a campus embroiled in a bitter industrial dispute that has upended timetables and disrupted courses.I was really excited to start my studies at Goldsmiths," one international student told the Guardian at a gathering of unhappy students on Friday. But when I first arrived, I was quite shocked because almost all the induction sessions seemed to turn into discussions about strikes." Continue reading...

Many rivers and roads left flooded after torrential downpours across Queensland

Families forced to flee as Netanyahu tries to prove security credentials after two Israeli soldiers killed days before electionHebron, the biggest city in the West Bank, had paid little attention to Israel's looming elections until it found itself suddenly in the midst of them, a proving ground for Benjamin Netanyahu's security credentials in the run-up to Tuesday's vote.A gun attack on an Israeli military checkpoint on Friday in which two soldiers were killed brought immediate televised visits from Netanyahu and his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, whose ruling coalition is narrowly trailing with two days of campaigning left. Continue reading...

Calculations from the Center for Global Development say spending next year is likely to be 410m less than anticipatedThe UK is on course to miss its target of spending 0.3% of national income on international aid by an estimated 400m by the end of next year.Calculations from the Center for Global Development (CGD) found the UK was on course for a large shortfall in promised official development assistance at the end of 2027. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed

In today's newsletter: As Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured victory in the presidential race, we look the implications for democracy, the environment and international relationsGood morning. Chances are you woke this morning to news of two momentous election results. In Serbia, a student-led movement has ousted the country's long-serving leader, Aleksandar Vui (which you can read more about here). And just hours ago, Brazil's president staged a sensational turnaround against his far-right opponent after a nail-biting vote.Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, won a forth nonconsecutive term as president, seeing off far-right senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who spearheaded the radical populist movement built by his father and former president, Jair. Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 election.UK news | Two people have been killed and more than 160,000 properties have been left without power as Storm Boelo continues to batter the UK.Crime | British police are recording a growing number of crimes linked to cocaine, including assaults, domestic abuse and dangerous driving, as figures show consumption has surged across England.France | Hundreds of thousands marched in cities across France on Saturday in largely peaceful protests to support schoolchildren's demands for more teachers and repairs to dilapidated buildings, as Emmanuel Macron faces a social and political crisis in his final months as president.UK politics | Prime minister Andy Burnham's call for the UK to consider a return to free movement with Europe has been backed by senior cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner but risks causing concern among fellow red wall MPs.Aviation | Three in four European airline pilots have taken microsleeps in the cockpit, while almost a quarter routinely fly despite being too fatigued to work, according to a report.Tuesday | Israel goes to the polls on Tuesday, amid orders from prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a full lockdown of the occupied West Bank after recent checkpoint attacks. His government will be fighting for its survival.Wednesday | On Wednesday Chancellor John Healey will deliver his first budget statement in the House of Commons, which is expected to give local authorities more spending powers, as a means to promote growthThursday and Friday | European and Canadian leaders will meet in Montreal for the 21st EU-Canada summit, to discuss security and strategic cooperation. It will be the first opportunity for leaders to iron out details over a proposed invitation for Canada to become the EU's first ever associate member" Continue reading...

Zali Steggall and Monique Ryan say Coalition leader was wrong to deny link between parliamentary debate and political violenceAngus Taylor has been criticised for his response to the alleged attack on Helen Haines, with crossbenchers Monique Ryan and Zali Steggall labelling a speech by the opposition leader tone deaf" and saying he did not read the room".Parliament returned in Canberra on Monday, a week after an alleged attack outside the Indi MP's northern Victorian electorate office, which led to her losing both legs. A 43-year-old man has been charged and the incident continues to be investigated.Sign up for Guardian Australia's Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...

Exclusive: Ministers planning overhaul of apprenticeship funding to increase cost of over-25s training, Guardian understandsBritain's largest employers have told the government that forcing businesses to pay more to train older workers risks damaging its goal to tackle the youth jobs crisis.The Guardian understands ministers plan to overhaul Labour's apprenticeship funding scheme to increase the cost of training a worker over the age of 25 in England by 25%, to encourage firms to train young people instead. Continue reading...

Robert John Crawford on trial after wife found near ride-on lawnmower on their Toowoomba propertyA former RAAF pilot was a love rat" and master manipulator" who staged his wife's death to make it appear a tragic accident, a jury has heard.Robert John Crawford, 49, pleaded not guilty on Monday to murdering his wife Frances Elizabeth Crawford at Upper Lockyer on 29 July, 2024. Continue reading...

Nobel peace prize winner's return after almost a year in exile is unlikely to please interim president Delcy RodriguezThe Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, has announced she has returned to Venezuela almost a year after she left the country to receive the Nobel peace prize.I'm here. With you," she wrote on X on Sunday lunchtime. Continue reading...

Monzo says 55% of cardholders' British Museum payments in first hour of latest ticket release were by people under 35A 1,000-year-old embroidery may be an unusual candidate for a pop culture moment, but young people are seemingly more willing to shell out for tickets for the Bayeux tapestry than spend money on Hollywood blockbusters.In the first hour that the second round of tickets to view the tapestry were available last Wednesday, payments from Monzo cardholders to the British Museum reached 14,100 and were 48 times that of a normal Wednesday morning. More than half (55%) of those buyers were aged under 35. Continue reading...

Victorian coroner hears Emily Lal told Stacey Warnecke that her condition and mindset' needed to be solid' to avoid a hospital birth

Former police officer accused of shooting dead Jesse Baird and Luke Davies apologised to friend, acknowledging you're involved because of me'

Paul Edbrooke says he fears for family's safety amid heightened concerns for MPs after alleged attack on Helen Haines

Prohibition of salty, yeast-based condiment in Victoria's prisons remains after convicted murderer claimed it denied him right to enjoy his culture'

Allegra Spender calls Indi MP force for change' as politicians pay tribute in parliament

Report from commonwealth ombudsman finds technological black box' ignores transparency recommendations from robodebt royal commission

The fifth plenum comes against a backdrop of years of purges that have had some analysts wondering if the issue is corruption or a lack of loyaltyWhen Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he pledged to stamp out corruption all through the ranks of the Communist party. More than a decade later, the pace of investigations has not slowed. Last year, China's disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including more than 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level.As Chinese Communist party (CCP) officials prepare for an important meeting this week discipline - and party loyalty - is high on the agenda. For those who try to read the tea leaves of elite Chinese politics, concern about the apparent lack of discipline is dominating CCP discussions. Continue reading...

Leftist incumbent Lula says unprecedented comeback was a defeat for denialism' as Bolsonaro refuses to accept election result

After a shock defeat in the first round, the incumbent Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has turned the election around to win the runoff.Live blog: latest analysis and reactionBrazil's president is elected purely by the popular vote. A winning candidate needs one more vote than 50% of votes cast; there is no role for the parliament and no electoral college. Continue reading...

Vui's 12-year reign looks to have been ended by record turnout of voters in election provoked by student-led protestsThe long-serving leader of Serbia, Aleksandar Vui, has conceded defeat, ushering in a seismic political shift after a historic election that saw the increasingly authoritarian leader pitted against a student-led movement that had spent two years protesting against his government.Vui pointed to preliminary results that suggested voters had overwhelmingly backed the students, potentially giving them a majority in the country's 250-seat parliament. Continue reading...

Student List movement projected to have 141 seats in the new parliament, well clear of the 126 required for majority

Chancellor is in favour of North Sea project, but energy secretary has said she is leaning towards rejecting itA cabinet split has emerged over whether to approve drilling at the Rosebank oilfield, with the chancellor, John Healey, in favour of the controversial North Sea project.The energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh, is ultimately in charge of the decision, and the Guardian reported last week that she was leaning towards rejecting it after granting permission for the smaller Jackdaw gasfield. Continue reading...

Making innocent protesters liable for damage would be bad for rule of law and play into far-right hands, say opponentsEmmanuel Macron has been accused by trade unions of trying to curb the fundamental French right to protest as the government fast-tracks a bill to make protesters pay for damage caused by vandalism at street demonstrations even if they did not directly cause it themselves.The French president, who leaves office next spring, has faced more than a month of protests in which high-school students have blockaded schools demanding a response to teacher absences, repairs to decrepit buildings and changes to the university applications platform. Continue reading...

PM's plea supported by Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband and business leaders, while some red wall' MPs voice concernAndy Burnham's call for the UK to consider a return to free movement with Europe has been backed by senior cabinet ministers but risked a rift with red wall" Labour MPs, who say it could jeopardise Brexit-voting seats.The prime minister made his plea for an honest discussion" about freedom of movement in an interview with the Sunday Times, making clear that staying out of it would no longer be a red line in talks with the EU. Continue reading...

Lana Nusseibeh has Palestine's endorsement but faces criticism over the UAE's human rights record and alleged funding of the RSF in SudanAn Emirati diplomat who as UAE ambassador to the UN helped secure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza has entered the race as a late contender to succeed Antonio Guterres as the world body's secretary general.Lana Nusseibeh, who is of Palestinian heritage, is widely noted for her advocacy of the Palestinian cause and the two state solution and has won the endorsement of the state of Palestine. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Joshua Loudermilk says suspicions first raised during filming by gun shaped like wearable plastic bottom: You're gonna put a butt on top of a butt? You can't run in that' This article contains spoilers for Ali G: Who Iz I?Joshua Loudermilk, one of two men apparently discredited by the new Ali G movie Ali G: Who Iz I?, has said that he was in on the joke, but that the film-makers didn't realise this.Loudermilk, a 54-year-old aspiring actor from North Carolina, has told the Guardian he recognised star Sacha Baron Cohen early in the shoot but continued pretending to be a hard-right Maga sympathiser prepared to defend the US border at all costs. Continue reading...

More than 30 people arrested as officers clear at least 100 tents in central Lisbon and about 50 in PortoPolice in Portugal have dismantled housing protest camps in Lisbon and Porto, baton-charging campaigners in the early hours of Sunday and arresting more than 30 people.The raids were the latest incident in days of clashes between police and campaigners who - inspired by similar camps in Spain - had sought to pitch tents in central squares to protest against the country's deepening housing crisis. Continue reading...

Incumbent president lost in first round to senator and son of convicted ex-presidentBrazilians are going to the polls on Sunday in a highly unpredictable runoff in which the leftist president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is attempting an unprecedented comeback against the far-right senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who won the first-round vote.Bolsonaro's surprise victory despite not leading most polls made him the favourite three weeks ago, but since then Lula's campaign has gained ground, and the two go into the contest virtually tied. Continue reading...

Exclusive: RACGP survey reflects Medicare investments, but experts caution quality of care and outcomes also matter

Number of videos about British trains doubles in three months as creators find audiences interested in workings of railwaysThey are not just gathered at the end of your local train station platform any more. Now they are on your social media platforms too.Trainspotters have played a part in more than doubling the number of videos about British trains on TikTok in the last three months. According to the platform, the rise in rail content is also down to more people seeking information on cheap tickets, facts about the London Underground and tales from train staff. Continue reading...

Exclusive: People from marginalised groups more likely to be diagnosed via urgent referral or in emergency setting, research findsPeople from minority ethnic backgrounds in England are up to a third less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer via routine screening, and are more likely to be diagnosed in an emergency setting, analysis has found.The research, carried out by academics at the University of Surrey and funded by the charity Breast Cancer Now, involved analysis of 86,564 adults diagnosed with the disease between 2009 and 2019, from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and the Cancer Registration Tumour and Treatment datasets. Continue reading...

Sources close to Tory leader say Jack Ross, who faces party investigation after undercover report, worked as social media consultantA former Conservative election candidate who was suspended after he was filmed discussing the cost of hiring contract killers worked as a consultant in Kemi Badenoch's office as recently as last year.Jack Ross is facing an investigation by the Tories after he was filmed apparently asking an undercover reporter: What do you want done?" and apparently offering to broker" the services of an alleged far-right paramilitary group. Continue reading...

Almost 1,000 arrested as police charge crowd in Paris and teargas used to stop protesters reaching other city centresHundreds of thousands marched in cities across France on Saturday in largely peaceful protests to support schoolchildren's demands for more teachers and repairs to dilapidated buildings, as Emmanuel Macron faces a social and political crisis in his final months as president.The prosecutor's office in the southern city of Nice said on Sunday that 59 people had been taken into police custody, including 11 suspected of belonging to extreme-right groups. They were alleged to have gathered with the intent of committing violence. Some were arrested in two vehicles with masks, gloves, gas sprays and truncheons, the prosecutor's office said in a statement to public broadcaster FranceInfo. Continue reading...

Experts say Bank of England unlikely to increase rates by full percentage point - and could lower them by end of 2027Financial markets are wrong to predict the Bank of England will raise UK interest rates by a full percentage point or more by next summer, City economists believe.According to market-implied interest rate expectations, the Bank is likely to raise interest rates at least four times over the next year, lifting the bank rate from 3.75% today to 4.75% by the end of July, and possibly to 5% - meaning five rises - by December 2027. Continue reading...

Irish and Welsh authors Chris Haughton and Nicola Davies show solidarity over Rooney's support for Palestine ActionThe children's laureates for Ireland and Wales are donating royalties from their works to Sally Rooney in a show of solidarity after she was forced to stop selling books in the UK because of her support for Palestine Action.Chris Haughton, Ireland's children's literature laureate, said he also wanted to demonstrate the absurdity" of the bestselling author being unable to receive royalties from her own UK sales because of her public support for the direct action group. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Forensic analysis of found images continues as Meghan's father denies possessing child sexual abuse imagesAll signs point to Thomas Markle Sr being a possible sex offender of the grossest kind" although a full forensic investigation will give a definitive picture", the Philippine interior minister has told the Guardian.Authorities in the south-east Asian country are analysing digital images allegedly belonging to the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex that were said to have been found at his former home in Cebu. Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, reported to authorities last week that he had apparently discovered a stash of child sexual abuse images. Continue reading...

Stakeholders concerned more people at risk of food insecurity after One Big Beautiful Act took effectEnrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap) has decreased significantly over the past year in the US following restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, which has forced more people to seek help from food banks or go hungry, stakeholders say.The number of people who receive food stamps has dropped from 41.6 million in July 2025, before the One Big Beautiful Act took effect, to 36.5 million in June 2026, a 13% decrease, according to the latest data from the US Department of Agriculture, which administers the program. Continue reading...

Police closed case of Andrew Frederick despite autopsy report ruling his death a homicideA time-critical investigation into the death of a British man whose body was found in a ransacked property on the Caribbean island of Grenada has stalled because of diplomatic delays between the two countries.Charity workers supporting the family of Andrew Frederick are demanding immediate government intervention to clear the path for a full investigation to begin almost 10 months after his death, which has been ruled a homicide by a pathologist. Continue reading...

Teesside town has come out worst in children's commissioner's report, but residents say such rankings are demoralising and counterproductiveIt's disappointing, it's just another kicking," said a youth worker after the town in which they work was labelled as the hardest place in which to be a child in England.It suggests our children are living unhappy lives," said a teacher, who described her pupils as joyful. Continue reading...

Exclusive: research for the Guardian shows pre-pack' deals with former management also pay far less to creditors

Andrew Woosnam took millions from his recruitment firms before creditors, including HMRC, were left out of pocket