World news | The Guardian

VAT-registered schools will be able to claim refunds for tax paid on capital projects over past 10 yearsThe UK's biggest and richest private schools are in line for substantial financial windfalls as a consequence of the government's plan to impose VAT on their fees, according to official new guidance issued by tax authorities.A document issued by HMRC on Thursday made clear that, once registered for VAT, independent schools will be able to claim back the tax they have paid on capital projects such as buildings and land acquisition completed over the past 10 years. Continue reading...

Migrant workers accuse Home Office of targeting the victims of labour exploitation rather than companies profiting from themMigrant workers living in a caravan encampment raided by immigration enforcement officers have accused the Home Office of targeting the victims of labour exploitation rather than companies profiting from the hidden economy.The Observer reported in August that about 30 mainly Brazilian delivery riders working for large companies such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats were living in dilapidated caravans in the centre of Bristol. Many claimed they were, in effect, earning below the minimum wage and could not afford to rent in the city. Continue reading...

With the budget and Starmer's investment summit approaching, the industry's lobbyists are in full cry over carried interest'When the future deputy prime minister Angela Rayner walked the floor of a bespoke kitchen outfitter's warehouse in October 2022, she was doing more than gladhanding local workers in her Greater Manchesterconstituency.The real reason Rayner had been invited to tour Goyt Kitchen Fabrications in Ashton-under-Lyne was not to see how the firm had fared through the Covid pandemic, but to be sold the benefits of private equity. Goyt's bosses had taken a 200,000 investment from Welsh-government-backed FW Capital. Continue reading...

Thousands could lose up to 4,900 a year if the plan is retained in the forthcoming budgetRachel Reeves is coming under intense pressure to use the budget to abandon a 1.3bn cut to benefits for people with disabilities, first announced by the Tory government, amid warnings it will lead to hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable people losing almost 5,000 a year.The leading independent thinktank, the Resolution Foundation, has called on the chancellor to drop or delay changes to the work capability assessment (WCA), arguing that key aspects of the policy have not been thought through, and that around 420,000 people who are unable to work through disability or ill-health could lose up to 4,900 a year. Continue reading...

With the amount spent on refugees and asylum seekers this year on course to hit 3.6bn, the sum available for international projects must be cut again, warns thinktankMinisters have been warned that 900m will have to be raided from UK overseas aid projects to meet the costs of supporting asylum seekers in Britain this year.Projections seen by the Observer show that the amount of overseas aid set to be spent in the UK on refugees and asylum seekers this year is still on course to reach 3.6bn, despite a big fall in the costs of housing people from Ukraine. Continue reading...

Karen Conaghan brought 40 complaints to tribunal including for sexual harassment and victimisationA woman who sued her former employer over not being given a leaving card lost her case when it was revealed it had been hidden from her after only three people signed it.Karen Conaghan claimed that the failure to acknowledge her existence" at IAG, the parent company of British Airways, was a breach of equality law. Continue reading...

Charles said to be adopting anti-confrontational approach' to republican campaigners before visitKing Charles has said he will not stand in the way if Australia wishes to replace him as the country's head of state, it has been reported.Ahead of his visit later this month, the king is said to be adopting an anti-confrontational approach" to Australian republican campaigners, the Daily Mail reported. Continue reading...

The Guardian's 10-day polling average tracker showed vice-president with two-point nationwide lead, down from 4%Tightening poll figures have triggered nervousness and anxiety in Kamala Harris's presidential campaign, with Donald Trump making gains in the states where it matters most as the election race enters its climactic final phase.Amid a dramatic news cycle that has seen the US hit by two destructive hurricanes and rising fears of all-out war in the Middle East, the Guardian's 10-day polling average tracker showed the vice-president and Democratic nominee with a two-point nationwide lead, 48% to 46%, over her Republican opponent as of 10 October - tellingly, down from a 4% advantage she registered two weeks ago. Continue reading...

Surrey police still trying to find out cause of accident that led to six people entering the water at Sunbury LockThe search is continuing for a man missing after a rowing boat capsized on the River Thames.Emergency services were called to Sunbury Lock, Sunbury-on-Thames, at about 8.50am on Friday, Surrey police said. Continue reading...

Cardinal Vincent Nichols says proposed bill could change medical duty of care into duty to kill'The UK's highest-ranking Catholic bishop has urged churchgoers to lobby their MPs to oppose proposed changes in the law around assisted dying in England and Wales, warning people: be careful what you wish for".In a letter to be read out in the churches of his diocese, Cardinal Vincent Nichols said the proposed changes risk bringing about a slow change from a duty to care to a duty to kill" for medical professionals. Continue reading...

Parents force U-turn on hardline approach that included ban on absence for period pains without medical informationParents have forced three academies to abandon hardline attendance policies in which pupils were told to come in even when unwell and were banned from missing school for period pains without further medical information.The headteacher of Neale-Wade academy in the market town of March, Cambridgeshire, wrote to parents on Thursday apologising and retracting a previous letter that said that absence for period pain would be marked as unauthorised" - meaning parents could be liable for fines or prosecution - unless the school had medical information relating" to this. Continue reading...

Experts blame hateful soup' of social media content as MI5 boss points to threefold increase in under-18s being investigatedTeenagers as young as 13 are coming under suspicion of engaging in terrorism after being exposed to a toxic cocktail of easily accessible far-right extremism online, experts have warned.Insiders describe a horrible hateful soup" of social media content where children can pick and mix" terrorist narratives, including the Terrorgram network - recently banned in the UK - of white supremacist channels on Telegram. Continue reading...

The female sergeant, a veteran of 40 years in the force, allegedly made banned gesture on Tuesday and Wednesday in front of colleagues

Police spotted alleged stabber in Murrumbidgee River but he swam to an island and climbed a tree, where he stayed for 12 hours

Exclusive: Caroline and Stan Sturgess hope investigation into daughter's death will look at how safe the UK is nowThe parents of the woman who died in the Wiltshire novichok poisonings have said they hope an inquiry into her death will answer far-reaching questions about how the tragedy unfolded and allow the family, finally, to grieve fully for her.Caroline and Stan Sturgess said they hoped the long-awaited inquiry, which begins in Salisbury on Monday, would scrutinise the actions of the UK and Russian governments and examine how safe the UK is from such attacks now. Continue reading...

A Dodge Ram 1500 is bigger than a Panzer I tank and campaigners say heavy trucks are lethal' in collisionsThe engines rev, the guitars thrum and a gruff narrator lays out why the vehicle occupying the driveway is more than just a machine. A truck is a tool," he says, but a Ram - a Ram is life."So begins an advert for the Ram 1500, a pickup truck slightly bigger than the Panzer I tanks of Nazi Germany and almost as heavy. It is growing in popularity in Europe, with the number of Rams arriving on the continent up 20% in 2023 from the year before, according to registration data from the European Environment Agency. Road safety and environmental campaigners in the UK and Europe are aghast as the latest, most extreme cases of North American car bloat - giant pickup trucks - are increasingly crossing the Atlantic. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Request to postpone Tsai Ing-wen's trip came before goodwill visit' to China by David Lammy next weekThe UK Foreign Office (FCDO) asked for a visit by the former Taiwanese president to be postponed so as not to anger China ahead of a trip by David Lammy, the Guardian has learned.Lammy is due to travel to China next week for high-level meetings in his first trip to the country as foreign secretary. Continue reading...

Palestinian women and children among dead after Israel reportedly targets schools and homes with quadcopters and airstrikesAt least 30 people have been killed by Israeli strikes throughout the day in northern Gaza's Jabalia town and refugee camp, Gaza's civil defence agency has said, a week after Israel launched an offensive there which it claims is aimed at stopping Hamas regrouping.The agency's spokesperson, Mahmud Bassal, said a strike that occurred before 9.40pm local time killed 12 people including women and children, while 14 were missing and likely trapped under the rubble. Continue reading...

Country's south will likely bask in temperatures up to 8C hotter than normal next week and the balmy weather could trigger thunderstorms, BoM says

About 40 assailants fired rockets and hurled grenades at mines and miners' quarters in country's south-west, days before regional summit in IslamabadDozens of attackers armed with guns, rockets and hand grenades have stormed a cluster of private coalmines in south-western Pakistan on Friday, shooting some miners in their sleep and others after lining them up, killing at least 21, police have said.The attack by about 40 armed men days before Pakistan hosts a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation grouping is the worst in weeks in the restive, mineral-rich province of Balochistan bordering Afghanistan and Iran. Continue reading...

Ex-Australia rugby captain has been sentenced in his absence to five years in prison by a French court for misuse of corporate assets, lawyer says

This blog is now closing. You can read our latest full report on Israel's invasion of Lebanon here and all our coverage of its war on Gaza here.Israel's Magen David Adom has reported that one person has been killed and another wounded at a kibbutz in northern Israel by anti-tank fire from Lebanon.Israel's emergency services said the person killed was a 27-year-old Thai national working at kibbutz Yiron. Continue reading...

Arctic air is on the way but southern England will be relatively unscathed as temperatures up to 16C are forecastThe UK is bracing itself for a frosty weekend accompanied by cold air from the Arctic, the Met Office has said.Forecasters have warned that more wintry conditions and chilly weather will mean most people in the UK will require a thick coat over the next couple of days. Saturday is expected to be the wettest day of the weekend, particularly for parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Two incidents in Lebanon prompt growing concern over Israel's escalating campaign and the spreading Middle East conflict

Broadcaster says she was admitted to hospital and blames burnout' brought on by working seven days a weekCarol Vorderman is to leave her Sunday LBC radio show after a health scare" two weeks ago during which she was admitted to hospital.The former Countdown co-host said she was following the advice of her family and friends after an incident that she attributed to burnout" brought on by seven-day working weeks. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Labour to promise more investment as PM tells Guardian he will not be distracted by side winds'Keir Starmer will pledge billions of pounds of extra investment in transport, schools and hospitals in his inaugural budget, as he insisted he would not be distracted by side winds" after a turbulent first 100 days in office.In an interview with the Guardian, Starmer acknowledged his government needed to get back on track after the furore over Sue Gray and freebies", but said he was determined he would not be knocked off course". Continue reading...

Transport secretary denounced DP World over mass sackings while bringing in protections for workers at seaDP World, the Dubai-based owner of P&O Ferries, has put the announcement of a reported 1bn investment in the UK on hold after fierce criticism of the firm by ministers this week.The announcement of plans by DP World to expand its London Gateway port was due to be a key part of the Labour government's investment summit on Monday. Continue reading...

Group says government policy would force many to close and leave deeply religious families with no alternativesIndependent faith schools have held talks with ministers over a proposal to exempt small private establishments from VAT if their fees are far below those charged by elite schools such as Eton.The group, representing more than 270 Jewish, Muslim and Christian independent faith schools that often rely on donations and volunteers to survive, say the government's policy of adding 20% VAT to fees from this January would force many to close and leave deeply religious families with no alternatives. Continue reading...

Virginia McCullough, 36, kept bodies of her father and mother in house for four years after their deathsA woman who murdered her parents and lived with their bodies for four years has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 36 years.Virginia McCullough, 36, poisoned her father, John McCullough, 70, with prescription medication that she crushed and put into his alcoholic drinks, the prosecutor Lisa Wilding KC told Chelmsford crown court. She then murdered her mother, Lois McCullough, 71, the following day. Continue reading...

Ministers are unclear on what action Israel is preparing to take, which shows how far the UK is from endorsing it

Bill aims to find 60bn to plug deficit but opposition parties could demand concessions and even topple the administrationThe new French government is facing its first major test in a hostile parliament as it tries to push through an austerity budget of spending cuts and tax increases on the wealthy and big companies aimed at saving 60bn (50bn) and reining in a ballooning fiscal deficit.The rightwing prime minister, Michel Barnier - who was appointed last month by Emmanuel Macron in an attempt to end the political paralysis following an inconclusive snap election - said France was facing a debt crisis and had to act. Continue reading...

Tory leadership also suggests it was a mistake for him to order murals at a children's asylum centre to be painted overKeir Starmer was appalled" by reports that Israel deliberately fired on peacekeepers in Lebanon, Downing Street said this morning.Asked about the prime minister's reaction to the story, a Downing Street spokesperson said:We were appalled to hear those reports and it is vital that peacekeepers and civilians are protected.As you know, we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to suffering and bloodshed. This is a reminder of the importance of us all renewing our diplomatic efforts.All parties must always do everything possible to protect civilians and comply with international law. But we continue to reiterate that and call for an immediate ceasefire.The very hard Brexit forced through by Boris Johnson means that we are for now driving with the economic handbrake on - we can't let that handbrake off. It is what is, It is difficult to see this being reversed within the next decade.The truth is it could be a conversation that starts in 10 years' time. It could be longer, but the beginning of a conversation is not the end of that; it's not the resolution of our relationship to the European Union.I think it'll be very hard to persuade people in the European Union to revisit, to reengage and start getting into another negotiation about Britain's membership of the European Union, for a long time to come. I'm sorry to say that but they have had up to here with us. Continue reading...

Cochise country supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd face charges of conspiracy and interfering with an election officerThe criminal trial of two rural Arizona county supervisors who initially refused to certify election results in 2022 will not occur before this year's elections after it was again delayed.Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd, two of the three supervisors in the Republican-led Cochise county, face charges of conspiracy and interfering with an election officer, brought by the Democratic attorney general, Kris Mayes. Continue reading...

Conservative MP says his tack to the right has rattled Nigel Farage and confirms he would like the UK to exit the ECHRRobert Jenrick has denied that he would drop his hard-right policies and return to the Conservative middle ground if he become leader, arguing that his ideas for the party have left Nigel Farage rattled".Jenrick, who faces Kemi Badenoch in a ballot of Tory members for the post, confirmed that he would expect his shadow frontbench to sign up to the plan of immediately quitting the European convention on human rights (ECHR), a red line for some centrists. Continue reading...

Some in the party were concerned the Moira Deeming defamation trial had aired too much dirty laundry - but new polling suggests voters are focused elsewhere

Alerts to possible power shortfalls have become a familiar occurrence. But experts say it won't be long before the opposite is common

Campaigners say John Woodcock has commercial interest in organisations whose clients were targeted by protestersPressure is growing on Labour to sack John Woodcock as the government's adviser on extremism after civil society campaigners filed official complaints alleging multiple conflicts of interest.The Good Law Project and Compassion in Politics sent the Lords commissioner for standards a dossier of evidence they claim shows [Woodcock] has a commercial interest in organisations whose clients have been targeted by the very protesters whose activities he seeks to ban". Continue reading...

Lib Dems say public deserve better' after Tory MP and lawyer spent several days working in Mauritius last monthThe Tory MP Geoffrey Cox has been missing parliamentary votes and sitting days while working at his lucrative second job as a lawyer in Mauritius, the Guardian can reveal.The former attorney general, who has declared at least 500,000 in pay from his second job this year, was on the Indian Ocean island for at least three days in mid-September and missed two votes on cuts to the winter fuel allowance. Continue reading...

Health of nonagenarian Paul Biya declared a matter of national security and strictly prohibited'Cameroonian authorities have banned discussions about the health of President Paul Biya after the latest round of speculation about the nonagenarian's prolonged absence from public.In a 9 October letter to regional governors, interior minister Paul Atanga Nji said discussing the president's health was a matter of national security and any debate in the media about the president's condition is therefore strictly prohibited". Continue reading...

Nick Read tells Horizon IT inquiry he did not threaten to resign over remuneration

Deputy opposition leader expresses concern for Jo Tarnawsky's welfare after chief of staff claims she was effectively sacked

Following a BBC documentary women who worked at Harrods have told Met of sexual abuse and rapeThe Metropolitan police said on Friday that they had recorded 40 new allegations relating to the late businessman Mohamed Al Fayed and others, after multiple women accused the late businessman of sexual abuse and rape in a BBC documentary.In September British police called for anyone with allegations against Fayed, the former owner of Harrods, who died last year, to come forward, and said it would aim to prosecute others after the accusations.

Conservative leadership candidate says he would not do it again in apparent pitch to centre of partyThe Conservative leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick has suggested he regrets ordering cartoon characters to be removed from the walls of a children's asylum-seeker centre.Asked about the incident on LBC radio, Jenrick initially defended the action, saying he was very worried at the time and continue to be" about adults coming to the country illegally and posing as children. Continue reading...

The 2024 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the Japanese atomic bomb survivor movement Nihon HidankyoThe 2024 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the grassroots Japanese atomic bomb survivor movement Nihon HidankyoWe're about five minutes away from the announcement... Continue reading...

Two parties agree to end a review of notice to take down videos of the attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel

Nomad Group director issues statement, saying he offers an olive branch of peace and love' to wider Jewish community

Move is part of THG raising 95.4m to fund demerger of lossmaking technology arm IngenuityMike Ashley's Frasers Group has become an investor in online retailer THG as part of a near-100m fundraising to spin off the lossmaking technology arm Ingenuity.Frasers, which owns Sports Direct, Evans Cycles, the House of Fraser department stores, the luxury streetwear chain Flannels and multiple brands from Slazenger to Jack Wills, has made a strategic investment of 10m in THG. Continue reading...

Lawyers predict more claims after perfect win' for two Syrian asylum seekers pushed back to LebanonA ruling by the European court of human rights ordering authorities in Cyprus to pay damages to two Syrian refugees found to have been prevented from applying for asylum has been welcomed as a perfect" victory by campaigners.Lawyers said Tuesday's judgment would encourage others to follow suit, including an ever-growing group of asylum seekers stranded in the UN-patrolled buffer zone of the war-split country. Continue reading...

As it happened

Revitalise says challenges insurmountable' due to local authority cuts, higher running costs and fall in donationsBritain's only specialist respite holiday provider for severely disabled people and their carers is to close because of financial difficulties, in what has been called a bellwether example of the UK's growing social care crisis.Revitalise, a charity that runs unique state-of-the-art respite stays, offering 24-hour care at two specially adapted hotels, said local authority cuts, combined with increased running costs and a fall in donations, meant it was no longer viable. Continue reading...