World news | The Guardian

Move to come if Conservatives win next election and is calculated to head off growing support for Reform UKKemi Badenoch is expected to announce a plan this weekend to leave the European convention on human rights (ECHR) if the Conservatives win the next election, as the party attempts to halt a loss of support to Reform UK.The move will be seized on by political opponents as evidence the Tories have lurched to the right - Russia and Belarus are the only two other European countries that have opted out of the ECHR - while it could lose the party support from the political centre. Continue reading...

Exhibition at National Library of Wales marks historic event that has also inspired a wave of activism

Tehran considers move as part of multi-pronged offensive after bombing of nuclear sites and restoration of sanctionsIran is considering releasing hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees across its western borders with Iraq and Turkey. It would be part of what officials describe as a necessarily more offensive and unpredictable strategy in the wake of the bombing of its nuclear sites and the European reimposition of UN sanctions.The multi-pronged offensive includes expansion of its missile programme, strengthening air defences, suspending cooperation with the UN weapons inspectorate and on 18 October blocking the establishment of a UN committee to oversee the administration of the reimposed sanctions. Officials remain opposed to reopening talks with the US, believing the talks would fail. Continue reading...

North of England editor Josh Halliday reports from the scene of the attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue, in which two people were killed and three others seriously injured, in what appears to be the worst antisemitic incident in the UK in living memoryOn Thursday morning at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue - as in synagogues all over the world - Jews congregated to mark Yom Kippur.Then the very worst happened: a terror attack. A car was driven at members of the public and a man was stabbed. At the time of writing, two people have been killed and three others seriously injured. Police shot dead the suspect. Continue reading...

Watchdog's report highlights growing dangers of slot machines and in-play betting on matchesAn estimated 1.4 million adults in Great Britain have a gambling problem, according to landmark figures released days after the chancellor hinted at plans to increase taxes on the 11.5bn betting and gaming industry.The Gambling Commission's annual survey found that 2.7% of adults scored 8 or above on the problem gambling severity index, a widely accepted measure analysing negative consequences of betting. Continue reading...

Pair had crossed border to support presidential campaign of reggae singer Bobi WineTwo Kenyan activists have been abducted in Uganda after attending a presidential campaign event for Bobi Wine, a reggae musician turned politician.Heavily armed security operatives detained Bob Njagi, the chair of Free Kenya, and Nicholas Oyoo, the movement's secretary general, at a petrol station near Kampala on Wednesday afternoon. Continue reading...

Retailer manages to up full-year profit expectations by 100m after luring shoppers with price cuts over summer

Mark Rowley says Met is dealing with misogynist and racist officers who undermine force and want him out'The Metropolitan police commissioner has said he will not resign after secretly filmed footage revealed racist, misogynistic and violent behaviour and views at a police station known for its toxic culture for more than three years.Sir Mark Rowley said BBC Panorama footage was vile to watch" and that it showed incontrovertible evidence" to support fast-track dismissal for the officers involved. Continue reading...

Unions aim to keep up pressure on new PM, who has still not formed a government, over budget and super-rich taxFrench trade unions are leading a day of strikes as they try to maintain pressure on the new prime minister, Sebastien Lecornu, to rethink budget cuts and consider a form of wealth tax on the super-rich.Lecornu has still not formed a new government after being appointed on 9 September amid a political crisis when his predecessor, Francois Bayrou, was dramatically ousted over proposed budget cuts. Lecornu's unprecedented delay in announcing a new cabinet has angered opposition parties and trade unions, who have voiced concerns over budget cuts and protecting public services. Continue reading...

Creditors in control of firm say they will write off loans, invest more and commit to paying pollution fines

Exclusive: 1,680 football pitches of protected natural land in England, Wales and Northern Ireland lost in five years

Researchers say machine learning tool can help boost flood prediction accuracy as much as sixfoldJust over a week ago, Super Typhoon Ragasa ripped through communities in the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and southern China. In Taiwan, a lake burst resulted in a deadly wall of water pouring down a mountain, killing at least 14 people, injuring 18 and leaving 33 people unaccounted for.Now, a new AI flood forecasting tool is giving hope that earlier warnings can be given and lives saved. Continue reading...

Six asylum seekers placed in homeless shelter say they are frightened' they will be forcibly returned to home countriesThe first group of asylum seekers deported to France under Labour's one in, one out deal" have spoken of their fear of being pursued by smugglers and being forcibly returned to their home countries.The men spoke just hours before a larger group of asylum seekers were due to be forcibly removed to France on a private charter flight to Paris early on Thursday morning, with a second drop off in Albania planned. It is thought that at least seven people will be removed in a significant ramping up of one in, one out' removals. Continue reading...

Country moves to deepen policing ties with China as Australia continues negotiations on Nakamal agreement, which was not signed last month as hopedVanuatu remains open to signing a wide-ranging deal with Australia but must assert its sovereignty and will not be subject to pressure or bullying" from larger countries, the country's internal affairs minister, Andrew Napuat, said.Australia failed to seal the $500m Nakamal agreement in Port Vila last month amid concerns from Vanuatu that it would block other countries providing infrastructure funding. Weeks later, Vanuatu said it planned to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen policing cooperation with China. Continue reading...

Campaigners urge ministers to close tanning salons across country over dangers posed by UV radiationSunbeds are so dangerous they should be banned in the UK, cancer experts and campaigners say.They have urged ministers to order the closure of the thousands of tanning salons operating across Britain, using public funds to compensate owners if necessary. Continue reading...

Satellite images of damaged area show no sign of shelling that Moscow says prevents repairRussia has been accused of deliberately sabotaging the last remaining power line into the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, after satellite imagery of the damaged area showed no sign of Ukrainian shelling that Moscow says is preventing a repair.Outside power, normally used for cooling, has now been down for a record eight days, forcing the Russian operators of the plant in occupied Ukraine to rely on back-up diesel generators to avoid a meltdown of its six reactor cores. Continue reading...

Sheff G, who took stage with Trump in the Bronx last year, pleaded guilty on three countsA New York City rapper who joined Donald Trump during a campaign rally last year has been sentenced to five years behind bars after he admitted he used earnings from his music career to fuel gang violence in Brooklyn.Sheff G, whose legal name is Michael Williams, also must serve five years of supervised release once he is freed, under the terms of the sentence imposed on Wednesday. He had agreed to the prison term after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors earlier this year. He pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted murder and a conspiracy charge. Continue reading...

Fisheries minister says rehoming Marineland's cetaceans in China would only perpetuate the treatment' the whales have enduredCanada's government has refused a request by the beleaguered Marineland theme park to export its remaining 30 beluga whales to China due to concerns that the whales will face further mistreatment.Marineland, an amusement park, zoo and aquarium in Niagara Falls, has one of the largest captive whale populations in the world, and has long been mired in controversy amid reports of poor conditions for the animals on display. Continue reading...

Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give was taken off year 10 reading list at Budmouth Academy after parent complainedA bestselling black American author has condemned a Dorset school's decision to drop her critically acclaimed novel from a reading list.Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give was removed from Budmouth Academy's year 10 reading list after a complaint from a parent. Continue reading...

Defence minister issues warning, while Hamas reportedly considers seeking amendments to Trump planThe Israeli military has issued what it said was its final warning for Gaza City residents to flee as it intensified its bombardment and offensive on Wednesday, while Hamas was reportedly considering requesting amendments to Donald Trump's ceasefire ultimatum.Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, said the warning was the last opportunity for people to move to southern Gaza as the military encircled the city. Gaza's civil defence agency said on Wednesday that Israeli forces had killed at least 46 people, including 36 in Gaza City. Continue reading...

Handcuffs and police uniform also among items Peter Windsor is accused of sending to Classic FM studiosThe TV and radio presenter and former pop star Myleene Klass has told a jury of the sheer terror" and sense of violation she felt after being sent items in the post including an air pistol, handcuffs and a police uniform by an alleged stalker.Klass was giving evidence against Peter Windsor, 61, of Stechford, Birmingham. Windsor is accused of stalking Klass and her fellow Classic FM presenter Katie Breathwick between 2020 and 2024 by sending items to the radio station's studios in central London. He denies the charges. Continue reading...

Trump budget director blamed DEI principles' while another official pointed to the government shutdownThe Trump administration said on Wednesday that it was putting a hold on roughly $18bn to fund a new rail tunnel beneath the Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey and the city's expanded Second Avenue subway project - because of the government shutdown.The White House budget director, Russell Vought, said on a post on X that the step was taken due to the Republican administration's belief that the money was based on unconstitutional DEI principles", a reference to diversity, equity and inclusion. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Reintroducing tribunal fees would be a gift for bad bosses', says TUC chief Paul NowakWorkers could be charged a fee to take their bosses to court under plans being explored by Labour as it faces pressure from businesses lobbying to water down its landmark changes to employment rights.In a development described by unions as a disaster", sources in Westminster said ministers were looking at reviving a proposal made by the last Conservative government to impose fees on employment tribunal claims. Continue reading...

Supreme court rules police suspicion that a person is in possession of a prohibited drug is not sufficient to conduct a strip-search'

Environmental assessments could go out the window for mining projects, windfarms and other developments, green groups say

Israeli offensive intensifies amid reports Hamas will seek amendments to Trump's Gaza planHere are some images coming in via the newswires today:The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that the intensification of military operations in Gaza City" has forced the humanitarian organisation to temporarily suspend operations at its Gaza City office and relocate its staff to ICRC offices in southern Gaza to ensure staff safety and operational continuity".The ICRC will continue to strive to provide support to civilians in Gaza City, whenever circumstances allow, from our offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah, which remain fully operational. This includes providing medical donations to the few remaining health facilities in Gaza City and doing the utmost to facilitate the movements of first responders. In Rafah, the Red Cross Field hospital will continue to be a lifeline for the many wounded patients pouring in.The ICRC has been in Gaza City for decades. Following the latest intensification of hostilities, ICRC teams stayed as long as they possibly could to protect and support the most vulnerable people. The ICRC remains committed to returning as soon as conditions allow.The rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance must be allowed and facilitated across the Gaza Strip. Continue reading...

Bakery chain hit by sales growth slowdown as July heatwave led to shoppers shunning hot pastriesThe bakery chain Greggs is increasing the price of its breakfast deals by 20p and some other products by 5p from Thursday after unusually hot weather hit sales over the summer.The group said its three-part deal including a breakfast roll or baguette, hot drink and a side would rise in price from 3.95 to 4.15. The two-part offer, which includes a main item and a drink, will rise from 2.95 to 3.15. Continue reading...

Pope questions what it means to be pro-life' amid the inhuman treatment of immigrants' in the USPope Leo on Tuesday strongly criticized Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, questioning whether they were in line with the Catholic church's pro-life" teachings.Someone who says I am against abortion but I am in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don't know if that's pro-life," the pontiff told journalists outside the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, in the Alban Hills, near Rome. Continue reading...

Liu Jianchao, previously tipped to be next foreign minister, has not been seen publicly in monthsChina's ruling Communist party (CCP) has replaced the head of its powerful international department two months after he disappeared from public life.Liu Jianchao, an influential official who had been widely tipped to be the next foreign minister, was reportedly detained while returning from an overseas trip in late July. He has not been seen publicly since. Continue reading...

Host of expensive, impossible to fulfill' immigration fees and requirements suddenly being imposedBy the time the woman's asylum hearing came around, she had already been stuck in the purgatory of immigration custody for about nine months.Exhausted from detention conditions that are allegedly oppressive at best and deadly at worst, she nevertheless arrived at her court date in Laredo, Texas, with hope in the shape of strong evidence for her claim to asylum in the US. Yet before she could make her case for refuge, the immigration judge demanded she turn over a new and unexpected $100 asylum application fee. Continue reading...

Democrats accuse Republicans of risking America's healthcare' in spending bill. Plus, Trump says military should use US cities as training grounds

Designer uses fevvers', made from grass grown on her farm, in her collection for Paris fashion weekStella McCartney is trying to save the world, one feather at a time. Or rather one fevver", a new plant-based product that has the look of a feather without the bird, which made its first ever appearance at the designer's spring/summer show in Paris.It's weird to me that feathers being plucked from a bird are seen as delicate in fashion," said McCartney backstage at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. I'm trying to show that you can still have the theatre of fashion without the animal compromise." Continue reading...

Defense secretary's speech touching on physical fitness and doctrine of lethality was seen as egotistical' and dangerous'Naveed Shah, a veteran and activist who served as an enlisted public affairs specialist - an army journalist - uncharacteristically found himself searching for words to describe the address of the newly styled secretary of war to flag officers on Tuesday.A lot of the words that are coming to me aren't fit to print," said Shah, policy director for Common Defense, a veterans advocacy organization. The people in that room who have served for 20, 30-plus years in uniform do not need Pete Hegseth to tell them about warrior ethos." Continue reading...

Defend Our Juries has received 1,500 pledges to attend and expects hundreds more to register by SaturdayA mass protest against the ban on Palestine Action on Saturday could set a record for the number of people arrested at a single event of civil disobedience, organisers have said.Defend Our Juries said it had received 1,500 pledges to attend the demonstration in London and risk arrest and was expecting hundreds more to register by the weekend. Continue reading...

All workers must cover at least one of 26, 27 or 28 December in cost-cutting move condemned as a slap in the face'Many Marks & Spencer staff will be expected to work on Boxing Day for the first time in five years as the retailer has ditched its offer of an automatic holiday in an attempt to cut costs.Workers said some colleagues were upset by changes to Christmas working, under which all staff must work at least one of 26, 27 and 28 December and be available to work all three days in the run-up to Christmas Day. Continue reading...

Starmer blames Brexit for surge in numbers of small boat crossings but defends UK's membership of ECHRKeir Starmer has said he will look at how international law is being interpreted by British courts in an effort to tackle small boats, which he labelled Farage boats" because of their increase in number since Brexit.Speaking after the Labour party conference, the prime minister signalled his unhappiness with how the European convention on human rights was being interpreted by judges making decisions about deportations. Continue reading...

Greens-chaired inquiry says system should be demand driven despite Labor's dissenting view that this could cause unintended flow-on issues

Charities launch practical guide for campaigners, saying the way we talk about it doesn't always help'Campaigners need to change the way they talk about child poverty to counter far-right narratives and harness public energy for action, charities have warned.The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Save the Children will on Wednesday launch a practical guide for campaigners, saying that although the third sector, politicians and the media talk frequently about the urgency of tackling child poverty, bolstered with alarming facts, the way we talk about it doesn't always help". Continue reading...

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and BHP CEO Mike Henry to discuss reports of Chinese iron ore blockade

Cherry Brown, 69, a British overseas territory citizen, was left sleeping rough after being sent to England for treatmentThe UK has been accused of a stark injustice" for failing to provide health services and humanitarian support to citizens of British overseas territories after a woman from the Caribbean island of Montserrat was refused free NHS care and left homeless.Council officials found Cherry Brown, 69, sleeping rough in a park in Swanley, Kent, in April. Brown had been funded by the Montserratian government - whose budget is largely subsidised by the UK - to travel to England to receive treatment from the NHS that was not available at home. Continue reading...

August, known as Gus, disappeared from his family's sheep station in state's remote mid-north on Saturday afternoon

Musicians and staff at the theatre say Beatrice Venezi is not experienced enough for the role and should be replacedVenice's prestigious La Fenice opera house is embroiled in controversy over the hiring of a conductor with close ties to Giorgia Meloni's far-right government.The theatre's orchestra musicians and staff are calling for Beatrice Venezi's appointment as music director to be revoked, claiming she does not have enough experience for the high-profile role and was picked only because of her government connections. Continue reading...

National Energy Action says 58% of households expect to cut heating use as typical annual dual-fuel bill increases to 1,755The majority of British households expect to restrict their home heating this winter to try to keep rising costs in check, according to research released as the price cap that dictates most bills rose again.The fuel poverty charity National Energy Action said 58% of households told its survey they were likely to trim their energy use, a nine-percentage-point increase from the level in January. Continue reading...

US president threatens levy on all foreign-made films, but experts point out that the industry is global and Australia is intertwined with Hollywood

US president says Linda is finishing up the details' but not clear whether university ready to announce agreement

BBC's Panorama to broadcast allegations about Charing Cross station after sending evidence to police chiefsThe Metropolitan police are braced for an undercover documentary showing officers and staff allegedly being supportive of the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, making anti-Muslim comments and using excessive force against suspects in custody.The allegations, which centre on Charing Cross police station in central London, are contained in a BBC Panorama documentary airing on Wednesday evening. Continue reading...

Prime minister lambasts Nigel Farage and the politics of Reform in combative Labour conference speechKeir Starmer has warned that Britain faces an era-defining choice between Labour and the populist right, as he launched a scathing attack on Nigel Farage, saying the Reform leader neither liked or believed in Britain".In a speech that drew the battle lines for the next general election, the prime minister said the UK stood at a fork in the road where we can choose decency, we can choose division, renewal or decline". Continue reading...

Children not allowed out partly because their exercise - playing - looked too much like fun', says campaignerChildren were stopped from playing outside during Covid partly because it looked like fun" and did not fit with the seriousness of the restrictions, the UK's inquiry has heard.Alice Ferguson, the founding director of Playing Out, which campaigns for children's freedom to play outside, told the inquiry that play was fundamental for children's health and wellbeing, especially play outside with other children. Continue reading...

Military court convicts Kabila of war crimes, treason and other offences in verdict that could fuel enduring tensionsA military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sentenced the country's former president Joseph Kabila to death in absentia after convicting him of war crimes, treason and crimes against humanity.The case stems from his alleged role in backing the advance of M23 rebels supported by Rwanda in DRC's volatile eastern provinces. Kabila, who led the country from 2001 to 2019, has denied wrongdoing and said the judiciary had been politicised. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guidance says members of staff group must not engage in activities that could be construed to be political'Police chiefs want to prevent officers of colour from speaking out through guidance changes that would create a damaging double standard", the National Black Police Association has alleged.New draft rules seen by the Guardian aim to stop any public statements construed to be political" being made by staff associations. The NBPA said that could include statements on stop and search policy, rules on police use of force and even the effects of a future Reform government on policing and race. Continue reading...