In today's newsletter: Ukraine can now fire US-made long-range missiles into Russian territory - but it may be too little, too late for Volodymyr Zelenskyy Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.The US president, Joe Biden, has lifted the longstanding ban on Ukraine using American-made long-range missiles to fire into Russian territory. The Biden administration secretly first sent the army tactical missile systems, or Atacms, to Ukraine earlier this year under the stipulation that Ukraine would not use it inside Russia. That has now changed, and the US has given Kyiv the green light after reports emerged that 10,000 North Korean troops were in Ukraine.Hong Kong | 47 of Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy figures have been jailed - one for 10 years - in the territory's largest national security trial, following a prosecution that has been widely criticised as politically motivated and controlled by China's Communist party government.Poverty | More than one in three children and a quarter of adults are living in poverty in the UK as deprivation levels rise to the highest in the 21st century, according to a landmark report.Cop29 | Raising money needed to tackle the climate crisis need not be a burden on overstretched government budgets, leading economists have said. The sums needed - approximately $1tn a year by 2030 - are achievable without disruption to the global economy, and would help to generate greener economic growth for the future.Labour | A government policy to create 100,000 new nursery places using spare capacity in English primary schools is unlikely to work" because of a geographical mismatch between capacity and demand, according to research by Frontier Economics, one of the largest economic consultancies in Europe.Environment | More than 51 million chickens are being industrially farmed in the river valleys of the Severn and Wye - the equivalent of 79 chickens for every person in the region, according to new figures. The exponential rise in large intensive poultry units (IPUs) in the valleys is a key driver of river pollution. Chicken dropping contains more phosphates - which starve fish and river plants of oxygen - than any other animal manure. Continue reading...
Despite large poultry units being a key driver of river pollution, their number has soared near the Wye and SevernMore than 51 million chickens are being industrially farmed in the river valleys of the Severn and Wye - the equivalent of 79 chickens for every person in the region, according to new figures.The exponential rise in large intensive poultry units (IPUs) in the valleys is a key driver of river pollution. Chicken dropping contains more phosphates - which starve fish and river plants of oxygen - than any other animal manure. Continue reading...
by Emma Graham-Harrison, Quique Kierszenbaum and Sufi on (#6SAR7)
Huge rise in attacks by Israeli settlers and soldiers killed 171 children in year after 7 OctoberMohammad was 12, a football-mad teenager who spent his days dreaming of a career on the pitch and his last minutes practising ball skills. Ghassan was 14, a quiet, generous teenager who ran errands for elderly relatives, with an adoring six-year-old brother who stuck to him like a shadow.Both boys were shot dead this summer by Israeli soldiers, victims of an unprecedented surge in attacks on children in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Continue reading...
Jaume Collboni determined to follow through with plan that he says will return 10,000 properties to city's residentsThe decision made headlines around the world, sparking surprise and threats of billion-euro lawsuits. But months after officials in Barcelona announced plans to rid the city of tourist flats by late 2028, the city's mayor has described it as a drastic" but sorely needed move to rein in the surging cost of housing.It's very drastic but it has to be because the situation is very, very difficult," Jaume Collboni said in one of his first interviews with international media since the June announcement. In Barcelona, like other big European cities, the number one problem we have is housing." Continue reading...
Europe on 5 Dollars a Day author revolutionized leisure travel and built one of best-known names in travel industryArthur Frommer, whose Europe on 5 Dollars a Day guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, has died. He was 95.Frommer died from complications of pneumonia, his daughter Pauline Frommer said Monday. Continue reading...
The poet also wrote the lyrics for the Astro Boy theme song and translated Peanuts into JapaneseShuntaro Tanikawa, who pioneered modern Japanese poetry, poignant but conversational in its divergence from haiku and other traditions, has died aged 92.Tanikawa, who translated the Peanuts comic strip and penned the lyrics for the theme song of the animation series Astro Boy, died on 13 November, his son Kensaku Tanikawa said on Tuesday. The cause of death, at a Tokyo hospital, was old age. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6SAMX)
Campaigners want ministers to overhaul rules to outlaw snacks that contain up to 12 teaspoons of sugarSchools in England should be banned from giving pupils cakes or biscuits as part of their lunch because they contain so much sugar, food campaigners say.They want ministers to overhaul the rules that guide schools on the nutritional content of the meals they serve to outlaw such sugary snacks. Continue reading...
Tehran alleged to have targeted retired politician, 84, who is also human rights activist and critic of IranCanadian authorities foiled an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate a former justice minister and rights activist who has been a strong critic of Tehran, the Globe and Mail newspaper has reported.The 84-year-old was justice minister and attorney general from 2003 to 2006. He retired from politics in 2015 but has remained active with many associations that campaign for human rights around the world. Continue reading...
Hamas-run interior ministry says it carried out security operation after armed looters hijacked almost 100 trucksGaza's Hamas-run interior ministry has said that at least 20 people have been killed in an operation targeting gangs" accused of looting trucks bringing aid into the war-torn territory which is facing the threat of famine.Gunmen attacked and looted about 100 trucks carrying desperately needed supplies over the weekend, the biggest such attack during 13 months of war in the territory and new evidence of the growing power of Gaza's criminal gangs. Continue reading...
Whisky and migration thwarted earlier deal but UK PM hopeful of reaching agreement with Narendra ModiKeir Starmer is to restart the aborted UK-India trade talks in the new year after an agreement stalled amid disagreements over whisky tariffs and migration.No progress has been made on the deal since early this year after the last round of talks concluded. As prime minister, Boris Johnson promised a swift deal, but Rishi Sunak was said to be deeply uneasy with some of the provisions that had been negotiated by his predecessor. Talks were put on hold in March while both countries prepared for general elections. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh in Kyiv, Andrew Roth in Washington, Pj on (#6SAG0)
Move follows US president Joe Biden's agreement to supply similar American long-range Atacms weaponBritain is expected to supply Storm Shadow missiles for use by Ukraine on targets inside Russia, now that US president Joe Biden has agreed to do the same for the similar American long-range Atacms weapon.Keir Starmer, the prime minister, said at the G20 summit that the UK recognised it needed to double down" on its support for Ukraine, while diplomatic sources briefed they expected other European countries to follow the US lead. Continue reading...
Contaminated feed inquest conclusions highlight concerns over lack of requirement for providers to report problemsMore babies in England could die from issues caused by unlicensed medicines if providers are not required to report problems, a coroner has warned.The conclusions were reached at the end of an inquest held after three infants died due to receiving contaminated feed. Continue reading...
Oral arguments in case of administrator Meagan Wolfe, focus of conspiracy-theory-fueled Republican campaignThe Wisconsin supreme court heard arguments on Monday in a case that could determine the fate of the state's top election administrator - a widely respected official who for the past four years has faced intense conspiracy-theory fueled backlash from Trump's base.The Wisconsin elections commission administrator, Meagan Wolfe, drew ire in the wake of the 2020 election when pro-Trump activists made her a scapegoat in their false claims of a stolen election. Activists who supported Trump and rejected the results of the election protested against her role on the commission and pressured Republican lawmakers - who had previously appointed Wolfe unanimously to head the WEC - to oust her. Continue reading...
Talmika Bates will get $967,000 in settlement after lawsuit alleged Brentwood police used excessive forceA northern California city has agreed to pay nearly $1m to settle a lawsuit alleging police used excessive force when a K-9 dog tore out a woman's scalp during her arrest.Talmika Bates will receive $967,000 from the city of Brentwood, located about 60 miles (100km) east of San Francisco in Contra Costa county, her attorneys announced on Friday. Continue reading...
Two men, 36 and 68, killed and woman critically injured in apparently unprovoked stabbings in ManhattanNew York City police have arrested a man who allegedly killed two people and badly wounded a third in an apparently unprovoked stabbing spree in Manhattan, authorities said.The attacks began early on Monday morning, when the first victim - a 36-year-old man - was fatally stabbed in the abdomen at 8.20am. The stabbing occurred at a construction site where the victim was working on West 19th Street, the New York police department (NYPD) said. Continue reading...
Governor Mike DeWine also denounces Columbus event after video showed masked neo-Nazi procession in all blackThe White House on Monday condemned a march of neo-Nazis in Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend, saying it was hostile to everything the United States stands for".Joe Biden abhors the hateful poison of Nazism, antisemitism, and racism - which are hostile to everything the United States stands for, including protecting the dignity of all our citizens and the freedom to worship", Andrew Bates, a spokesperson for the president, said in a statement sent to several news outlets on Monday. Hate directed against any of us is a threat to every single one of us." Continue reading...
Prime minister says he wants to be clear about issues we do not agree on' after meeting Chinese president Xi Jinping at G20Keir Starmer has held his bilateral with Xi Jinping in Rio at the G20, offering to meet his counterpart, the Chinese premier Li Qiang, in Beijing or London at the earliest opportunity.But the PM also raised human rights issues with Xi, including the sanctions on parliamentarians and the persecution of Hong Kong and British citizen Jimmy Lai.A strong UK China relationship is important for both of our countries and for the broader international community.The UK will be a predictable, consistent, sovereign actor committed to the rule of law. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Stephen Cottrell, archbishop of York, says church is in period of reflection after unprecedented crisis' over abuse cover-upThe Church of England may need to rethink the role of archbishop of Canterbury after its unprecedented crisis" over an abuse cover-up, Justin Welby's second-in-command has said.In an interview with the Guardian, Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York, said he would welcome a woman taking over from Welby. But he warned that the responsibilities of the job may need to be shared more widely in future. Continue reading...
President-elect plans to declare a national emergency for undocumented immigrants with help of hardline cabinetDonald Trump said on Monday that his administration would declare a national emergency and use the US military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.In an early morning social media post, Trump responded TRUE!!!" to a post by Tom Fitton, the president of the conservative group Judicial Watch, who wrote on 8 November that the next administration will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program". Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6SAA3)
Exclusive: Study finds almost quarter of UK population living in poverty, reaching the highest level this century Poverty figures render government numbers too little and action very lateMore than one in three children and a quarter of adults are living in poverty in the UK as deprivation levels rise to the highest in the 21st century, according to a landmark report.The study by the Social Metrics Commission (SMC), which uses measures recently adopted by the UK government, found the cost of living crisis had plunged 2 million more people into severe hardship since 2019. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6SAA4)
Broadening definition of poverty reveals true numbers of people living in poverty and accelerates need to tackle crisis More than one in three children in poverty as UK deprivation hits record highThe news that more than one in three children in the UK are now living in poverty should shock everyone but surprise no one.Nearly three years into the cost of living crisis, we know that young families and disabled people have been among those hit hardest by the biggest fall in UK living standards in half a century. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6SA02)
Up to 20cm could hit worst-affected areas this week in Britain's first taste of winter' this seasonWeather forecasters have warned the UK to be prepared for disruptive snow" and plummeting temperatures after an Arctic blast brought the coldest night of the season so far.The Met Office said the early hours of Monday had been the chilliest night, with the lowest temperature, -7.8C, recorded at Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands. Continue reading...
by Lauren Aratani and Associated Press on (#6SA0A)
Biggest US budget airline says it expects to operate as normal as it works its way through Chapter 11 processSpirit Airlines said on Monday that it had filed for bankruptcy protection and would attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused decrease in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue.Spirit, the biggest US budget airline, has lost more than $2.5bn since the start of 2020 and faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1bn over the next year. Continue reading...
Indian capital imposes emergency measures including closing of schools and offices and barring heavy vehiclesPollution levels in India's capital, Delhi, have soared to their highest levels this year, forcing schools and offices to close and cloaking the city in hazardous" thick brown smog.In some parts of the city, a live air quality ranking by IQAirput levels at more than 1,500 - more than 30 times the level deemed healthy. Continue reading...
No immediate arrests after two incidents in area where second line' celebration was taking place on SundayTwo people were killed and 10 others were wounded in a pair of separate shootings along a New Orleans parade route and celebration attended by thousands on Sunday, authorities said. There were no immediate arrests.Including Sunday's violence, there had been more than 460 mass shootings across the US so far this year, according to the non-partisan Gun Violence Archive.Guardian staff contributed to this report Continue reading...
Counter-terrorism commander says risk of contamination in Salisbury was not discussed with public health leadersPeople were not warned against picking up discarded objects after the 2018 novichok attack on the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal despite concerns that a container of the nerve agent had been left in Salisbury, a senior counter-terrorism police chief has said.Commander Dominic Murphy told an inquiry that he believed no warning was issued by public health leaders until after the poisoning of Dawn Sturgess three months later when she sprayed herself with a dose of nerve agent from a fake perfume bottle apparently found in a bin in the city. Continue reading...
Jerome Beasley and Luke Robinson each accused of four counts of sexual assault on woman while off dutyTwo Metropolitan police officers have been charged with sexually assaulting a woman while off duty.Jerome Beasley, 41, and Luke Robinson, 39, who work in the central west command unit, are to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday. Continue reading...
The Matildas captain announced the news in an Instagram post, revealing the baby is due next yearMatildas captain, Sam Kerr, and her partner have announced they are having a baby due next year.Kerr made the announcement on Instagram with her American partner and fellow footballer, Kristie Mewis. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6S9X1)
Items up for auction from Eric Morecambe's family home show Ernie Wise had doubts about pair's futureThey became arguably the greatest comedy duo Britain has ever produced but if Eric Morecambe had listened to a young and despondent Ernie Wise they would have split up before ever getting properly started.A poignant 1950 letter from Wise to Morecambe is part of a remarkable treasure trove of memorabilia to be auctioned in the new year. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6S9VP)
Campaigners want anti-racist content to be embedded in curriculum and for Black history to be compulsory subjectSchools and colleges are failing in their legal duty to prevent and address racism, say campaigners who are calling for the national curriculum in England to include an explicit anti-racism focus with Black history as a compulsory subject.A coalition of organisations representing young people's voices has written to the prime minister, warning that racism is holding all young people back" and calling for urgent action to address the impacts of this growing crisis". Continue reading...
Practice banned in both countries but widespread among those displaced by Sudan's civil war, say aid workersWomen's rights campaigners have spoken of their concern over the spread of female genital mutilation among Sudanese refugees in camps across the border in Chad.Both countries have outlawed the practice but it continues in secret. The UN children's agency, Unicef, says that about 87% of Sudanese women aged 14-49 have been cut - one of the highest rates in the world. In Chad, the figure is 34.1%, though rates are higher in the south and east, which is where the camps for Sudanese people have been set up. Continue reading...