Eleven years of overpayments leave 63-year-old facing hardship and return to full-time workA retired civil servant faces being forced back into full-time work after being ordered to return 25,000 in overpaid pension benefits.Derek Ritchie, 63, was informed in March by scheme administrators that his payments had been miscalculated since 2014. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#71ZFD)
James Graham's play Punch touches on gang culture, restorative justice and masculinity in crisis, and for the playwright the true story was a privilege to tellWhen thousands of schoolchildren came to see James Graham's play Punch in the West End, the playwright, actors and producers were struck by one thing. Despite fears about social media eroding attention spans, the pupils were engrossed for two and a half hours and many stayed for Q&A sessions afterwards.They were the most remarkable atmospheres we've ever experienced," Graham said. Julie [Hesmondhalgh, one of the actors] said it was one of the highlights of her performing career. You always hear that theatre doesn't fit the TikTok generation, but we could tell these young people were completely connected to the themes of what it's like to grow up as a teenager, to struggle, survive and evolve." Continue reading...
by Miranda Bryant Nordic correspondent on (#71ZFC)
Moscow continuously reinforcing' its presence in the region, says Swedish chief of operations Capt Marko PetkovicThe Swedish navy encounters Russian submarines in the Baltic Sea on an almost weekly" basis, its chief of operations has said, and is preparing for a further increase in the event of ceasefire or armistice in the Ukraine war.Capt Marko Petkovic said Moscow was continuously reinforcing" its presence in the region, and sightings of its vessels were a regular part of life for the Swedish navy. Its very common", he said, adding that the number of sightings had increased in recent years. Continue reading...
Crafters, artisans and others told to declare income if above 1,000 trading allowance in tax yearThis is a busy time of year for the thousands of people who earn a bit of extra income from a festive side hustle such as running a stall at a Christmas market or selling items online.The UK's army of crafters, artisans and designers are being urged to check if they need to tell HM Revenue and Customs about their earnings. Continue reading...
by Seham Tantesh in Gaza, Julian Borger and Emma Grah on (#71ZEN)
The term ceasefire risks creating a dangerous illusion life is returning to normal' for Palestinians squeezed into the remaining 42% of their land behind Israel's yellow line'When Jumaa and Fadi Abu Assi went to look for firewood their parents thought they would be safe. They were just young boys, aged nine and 10 and, after all, a ceasefire had been declared in Gaza.Their mother, Hala Abu Assi, was making tea in the family's tent in Khan Younis when she heard an explosion, a missile fired by an Israeli drone. She ran to the scene - but it was too late. Continue reading...
French president's remarks come a day after a report claimed he had warned Washington could betray KyivEmmanuel Macron has said there is no mistrust" between Europe and the US, a day after a report claimed the French president had warned privately there was a risk Washington could betray Ukraine.Unity between Americans and Europeans on the Ukrainian issue is essential. And I say it again and again, we need to work together," Macron told reporters during a visit to China on Friday. Continue reading...
Adelita Grijalva, a Democratic representative, said she was sprayed in the face' at demonstration outside a restaurantAdelita Grijalva, an Arizona congressperson, said she was sprayed in the face" during a protest against a federal immigration raid at a Mexican restaurant in Tucson on Friday.In a video filmed after the incident, Grijalva said she joined a group of protesters assembled outside Taco Giro, a small mom-and-pop" restaurant in Tucson Grijalva said she visits weekly. By the time she arrived, she said, the protesters had stopped" a squadron of dozens of mostly masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Continue reading...
Carlos Portugal Gouvea, charged with firing a pellet gun on eve of Yom Kippur outside a synagogue, has said he was not aware of the holiday or that he was shooting next to oneUS immigration authorities arrested a visiting professor at Harvard law school after he was charged with discharging a pellet gun outside a Massachusetts synagogue the day before Yom Kippur, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Thursday - and he agreed to leave the country.Carlos Portugal Gouvea, a Brazilian citizen, was arrested on Wednesday by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after his temporary nonimmigrant visa was revoked by the state department following what the Trump administration labeled an anti-semitic shooting incident" - a description at odds with how local authorities have described the case. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#71Z4D)
Party removes Ian Cooper after he was alleged to have abused Sadiq Khan, David Lammy and other figures onlineNigel Farage has revoked the party membership of a Reform UK council leader accused of racially abusing Sadiq Khan, David Lammy and other public figures online.Ian Cooper, the leader of Staffordshire county council, allegedly called the London mayor a narcissistic Pakistani" and said migrants were intent on colonising the UK, destroying all that has gone before". Continue reading...
Producer says creatives need to own their intellectual property so they can license it to generative AI platformsThe Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart has said artificial intelligence is an unstoppable force", and musicians and other artists should bow to the inevitable and license their music to generative AI platforms.These platforms use artificial intelligence to analyse existing songs and tracks, using that knowledge to generate completely new ones as prompted by a user. For example, someone could ask the AI platform to generate a song about a boozy night out in the style of a Britpop band, and it would draw on songs with similar sounds and themes to create its own. Continue reading...
by Philip Oltermann and Lisa O’Carroll on (#71Z3G)
Host broadcaster says show will not suffer after four countries withdraw from 2026 contest over Israel and GazaAustria has said it will continue with plans to host next year's Eurovision, in spite of its budget being hit by four countries boycotting the song contest over Israel's participation and the war in Gaza.At a meeting in Geneva, the national broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union gave the all clear for Israel to take part in next year's event in Vienna, the contest's 70th anniversary edition. Continue reading...
Reform UK leader's responses to allegations of racist and antisemitic behaviour at Dulwich college have varied over timeNigel Farage's response to allegations of teenage racism during his time at Dulwich college have ranged from vehement at times and rather more nuanced at others.Here is what he has said: Continue reading...
by Hayden Vernon (now) Vicky Graham (earlier) on (#71YQT)
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereRussia and India will reshape their defence ties to take account of New Delhi's push for self-reliance, the two countries said in a joint statement after a summit between president Putin and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.In response to India's aspirations for self-reliance, the partnership is currently being reoriented toward joint research and development, as well as the production of advanced defence platforms," the statement said. Continue reading...
All 18-year-old men to be screened for suitability for armed forces, but proposal falls short of conscriptionThe German parliament has rubberstamped a new model for military service that aims to boost its armed forces as thousands of school pupils demonstrated across the country against the plans.The change will include the obligatory screening of all 18-year-old men to gauge their suitability to serve in the military from 1 January, but does not include conscription, as favoured by some conservative politicians. Continue reading...
Rinaldo Nazzaro says detention of suspected Base members in Spain justifies resistance ... by any means necessary'After Spanish police and Europol's counter-terrorism section arrested three suspected members of the Base - a globally proscribed neo-Nazi terrorist group - in the eastern province of Castellon, its American leader living in Russia was defiant and signaled further actions.In a text message to the Guardian, Rinaldo Nazzaro called the arrests another example of political persecution" by world governments that are further justifying our resistance to its hegemonic rule by any means necessary". Continue reading...
ACIP vote follows two postponements and contentious meeting and comes as RFK Jr pushes for vaccine delayAfter a delay and an unusually contentious meeting, a federal vaccine advisory panel was expected to vote on Friday whether to change the longstanding recommendation that all newborns be immunized against hepatitis B.The first day of the meeting of the advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP) on Thursday was marked by heated debate over restricting access to the hepatitis B vaccine for infants and a decision to defer the vote by a day to give members more time to review the wording. The panel, which advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to use vaccines, had twice before postponed the vote. Continue reading...
Michael Dell's $6.25bn gift spotlights how the super-rich use charity' to win access, favour and influencePity the billionaire class. The 0.001% are so unpopular these days that when tech billionaire Michael Dell and his wife announced the donation of $6.25bn into the Trump Accounts" of 25 million children, one of the largest single philanthropic donations in American history, Dell had to hurry to assure us that his was not at all about currying favor with Donald Trump.I don't think this is in any way a partisan activity," Dell told the New York Times. Continue reading...
The civil liberties group argues the Texas governor's proclamation exceeds his authority and deepens fearsIslamophobia is on the rise in the US, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair), a civil liberties group, reporting sharp increases in anti-Muslim violence and rhetoric over the last two years.In Texas, the issue has come to the fore in high-profile incidents, including the case of a Euless woman who was initially released on a $40,000 bail after attempting to drown two Palestinian American children. Continue reading...
Future of Europe' at stake with Von der Leyen and Merz desperate to persuade Belgian PM to allow use of frozen Russian assetsGermany's chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will meet the European Commission chief, Ursula von der Leyen, and Belgium's prime minister, Bart De Wever, for emergency talks on Friday as the EU races to save its sorely needed financing plan for Ukraine.The three leaders will dine in private in Brussels, a German government spokesperson said on Thursday, as Belgian officials continued to express strong opposition to the scheme, which involves the unprecedented use of frozen Russian assets. Continue reading...
Owner of Sports Direct chain says consumer confidence very subdued' with sales at sports division down 5.8%The owner of Sports Direct and Flannels has said sales have fallen at its UK retail businesses amid heavy discounting by rivals and very subdued" consumer confidence.Frasers, which is controlled by the former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, said sales at its UK sports division were down 5.8% in the six months to 26 October to 1.3bn despite growth at the main Sports Direct chain because of planned decline" at its Game outlets and the Studio Retail online arm. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#71YH9)
Number of overseas nurses and midwives registered between April and September was half that of a year agoThe number of overseas nurses and midwives coming to the UK is collapsing, figures reveal, with rising racism and changes to immigration rules blamed for the fall.Between April and September, 6,321 nurses and midwives from abroad joined the register of those licensed to practice in the UK, compared with 12,534 who did so in the same period in 2024. Continue reading...
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#71YHA)
Of patients diagnosed with condition in 2024/25, only 18% were assessed for fall risk and just 16% had a medical reviewGPs are failing to provide adequate support for people living with frailty, an independent watchdog has found.Frailty is a syndrome related to ageing and in which body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves. Symptoms include exhaustion and people living with frailty are more likely to be housebound. Continue reading...
by Damian Carrington Environment editor on (#71YHC)
Rewilding charity helps bolster Scottish stronghold of species that once came close to extinction in UKRed squirrels have expanded their range across the Highlands by more than a quarter after a 10-year reintroduction programme moved hundreds to new homes.The species once came close to extinction in Britain when foresters killed them as pests and their natural habitat was destroyed. A deadly virus carried by invasive grey squirrels has hampered their recovery. Continue reading...
by Daniel Boffey, Henry Dyer and Rowena Mason on (#71YDQ)
Reform leader suggests he would boycott BBC, saying he has had letter from Dulwich pupils defending himNigel Farage has turned on broadcasters for questioning him about his alleged teenage racism and antisemitism as the number of school contemporaries who recalled such behaviour to the Guardian reached 28.In an angry performance at a press conference in London, the Reform leader suggested he would boycott the BBC and said ITV had its own case to answer, as he repeatedly shouted Bernard Manning". Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#71YBD)
Lawyer for parents say allegations included children coming home injured and claims about how Vincent Chan treated toddlersMore claims have emerged that parents' concerns about the nursery worker Vincent Chan were not acted on before he was unmasked as a paedophile, as the government vowed to improve child safety after the scandal.Chan worked at a north London branch of the Bright Horizons nursery chain from 2017 until his arrest in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on Wednesday to 26 offences including sexual assaults against girls aged two to four who were in his care, some carried out as children slept and some of which were filmed. Continue reading...
Bombs were placed near Republican and Democratic party HQs in Washington night before US Capitol attackUS authorities on Thursday made an arrest in connection with pipe bombs that were planted outside the headquarters of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington DC on the eve of 6 January 2021.Explosive devices were placed at night and then, on the afternoon of 6 January, the US Capitol attack occurred, when a mob of Donald Trump's supporters stormed Congress in an effort to prevent the certification of Joe Biden's win in the 2020 presidential election. Continue reading...
An investigation found defense secretary put US forces at risk, triggering fresh demands for his resignationThe Department of Defense's inspector general released the much-anticipated unclassified report on Thursday about Pete Hegseth's disclosure of plans for military airstrikes in Yemen in a Signal group chat earlier this year.It found that Hegseth violated departmental policies when he shared information in the chat, and that if a foreign enemy force intercepted that information it could have endangered the lives of US troops, as the Guardian reported on Wednesday. Using a personal cell phone to conduct official business and send nonpublic DoD information through Signal risks potential compromise of sensitive DoD information, which could cause harm to DoD personnel and mission objectives," the report said. Continue reading...
You could call it an act of friendship, except Nige sees Dicky less as a friend and more as a useful idiotAlas poor Dicky. Put not your trust in Nigel. For in him there is no salvation.It's not easy being Richard Tice. A man who has spent much of his recent life in Nigel Farage's shadow. Pushed around. Made to feel worthless. Losing what self-respect he may have had by the day. Continue reading...
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereNigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said that in Essex county council elections were postponed. He said district councils were being replaced with a new pretty amorphous unitary authority". Because of that, the area also needed a clear elected figure", a mayor, he said.Fahnbulleh said the government wanted to create strong, unitary councils. He said that would be a difficult concept for Reform UK to understand, given the absolute shambles that we're seeing in the councils that they control".The government had a moral and a legal obligation to honour its side of the bargain Continue reading...
Mohammad Bashir faces one count of preparing terrorist acts and three counts of sharing terrorist publicationsA man has been charged with assisting the Manchester synagogue attacker Jihad al-Shamie with earlier reconnaissance on a UK defence facility.Mohammad Bashir, 31, was charged with four terrorism offences, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Continue reading...
Peter Francis says he had hostile' exchanges over telling 1990s Macpherson inquiry into racist murder about covert operationSenior police officers resisted the idea of disclosing the covert monitoring of the family of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence to a public inquiry, a whistleblower has alleged.Peter Francis, the whistleblower, said that he wanted to reveal the surveillance of the family and their campaign by undercover police officers to the public inquiry that was led by Sir William Macpherson in the late 1990s. Continue reading...
Relatives say British state has failed to ensure public safety after inquiry into 2018 death, linked to Russian attack on ex-spyThe family of a British woman killed in the Wiltshire nerve agent poisonings have strongly criticised the UK state for not doing more to keep the public safe, and believe lessons have not been learned from her death.Relatives of Dawn Sturgess, who was killed after she sprayed herself with a nerve agent smuggled into the UK by Russian agents to kill a former spy, expressed concern that an inquiry into her death had not set out how such a tragedy could be prevented in the future. Continue reading...
Der Spiegel quotes leaked call in which European leaders voice doubts about Washington's approach to peace talksEmmanuel Macron has reportedly warned Volodymyr Zelenskyy that there is a chance that the US will betray Ukraine on territory, without clarity on security guarantees", the German magazine Der Spiegel reported, quoting a leaked note from a recent call with several European leaders.Der Spiegel said it had obtained an English summary of Monday's call, featuring what it said were direct quotations from European heads of government in which they expressed fundamental doubts about Washington's approach to the talks. Continue reading...
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#71XXA)
Average of 1,717 flu patients in beds last week, up 56% on a year ago, after unusually early' start to seasonThe NHS is facing an unprecedented flu wave", a senior healthcare leader said, as the number of people with the illness in hospitals across England hit a record high.The statistics, published by NHS England as part of its first weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals this winter, found that an average of 1,717 flu patients were in beds each day last week - more than 50% higher than last year - including 69 patients whose condition was critical. Continue reading...
Lord Evans of Watford and other directors of investment firm deny claims made in lawsuits they say are meritless'A peer suspended by the House of Lords for breaking lobbying rules is now facing claims that he received at least $1m (760,000) from an allegedly corrupt deal.Lord Evans of Watford, a longtime Labour peer, was found last week by the House of Lords watchdog to have broken its rules four times after undercover reporting by the Guardian, and will be suspended for five months. Continue reading...
Crypto investor Christopher Harborne previously gave 1m to Boris Johnson office and was one of biggest donors in UK politicsNigel Farage's Reform UK party has received a 9m donation from Christopher Harborne, a leading cryptocurrency, defence and aviation-fuel investor who previously bankrolled the Brexit party.Harborne gave the record donation to Reform over the summer in a boost to the party's finances before its autumn conference. Continue reading...
Experts say any change to the hepatitis B schedule could have significant and far-reaching consequencesRobert F Kennedy Jr's vaccine advisory committee convenes on Thursday to consider a reversal of a decades-long program of childhood immunizations, including a recommendation to delay hepatitis B shots for newborn babies.For decades, federal health recommendations have suggested that all newborns be vaccinated against the virus that can lead to serious liver disease. Kennedy, the US health secretary and a prominent anti-vaccine activist, has long pushed for delaying the shot. Continue reading...
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