World news | The Guardian

Interior ministry says 43 arrested as thousands take to streets over fears government is steering country towards RussiaPolice have clashed with protesters in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, after the country's ruling party said the government would suspend talks on EU accession until 2028.The interior ministry on Friday reported the arrest of 43 protesters, with three police officers injured, two of whom were taken to hospital. Continue reading...

Investigation into incident found tactic to be lawful and necessary to prevent harm to the public and property'A Surrey police officer who rammed into a calf in the summer will return to frontline duties after the conclusion of an internal investigation, the force have said.The investigation into the incident found the tactic to be both lawful and necessary to prevent harm to the public and property". Continue reading...

More than 20 years after child was born, inquiry hears, woman found out truth about Bob Lambert in newspaperA woman has been absolutely ruined" after discovering by chance that the father of her son was an undercover police officer, more than two decades after their child was born, a public inquiry has heard.The woman, known as Jacqui, described how the undercover officer, Bob Lambert, fathered their son and then vanished two years after his birth, claiming to be on the run from the police. Continue reading...

Presenter denies allegations of harassment, including claim he made lesbian jokes constantly' and discussed spankingGregg Wallace has been accused of highly inappropriate" behaviour including making lesbian jokes constantly", regularly discussing spanking and threesomes, and making sexually explicit comments while filming programmes, multiple sources have said.Further details of the allegations facing the MasterChef host have emerged since the announcement on Thursday that he was stepping away from his role after the BBC received complaints about alleged misconduct.A man who worked on Big Weekends and other travel shows between 2019 and 2022 said Wallace talked about threesomes with sex workers and said he loves spanking" multiple times a day.A woman who worked on MasterChef in 2019 said Wallace talked about his sex life and had asked if her boyfriend had a nice bottom.A woman on the BBC Good Food Show in 2010 said Wallace stared at her chest.A woman on Eat Well for Less in 2019 said Wallace told her he wasn't wearing any boxer shorts under his jeans.A man who worked on MasterChef in 2005-06 said Wallace regularly made sexually explicit comments on set. He said Wallace once said a dish tasted like his aunt's vagina, and on another occasion had asked a female runner if she put her finger up her boyfriend's bottom. Continue reading...

French president tours medieval cathedral in Paris to view restoration after devastating 2019 fireThe restoration of Paris's Notre Dame after its partial destruction by fire five years ago will give the world a shock of hope", Emmanuel Macron has said as he marked the medieval cathedral's imminent reopening with a televised walking tour.Alongside his wife, Brigitte, and the archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, the French president was shown around the rebuilt medieval cathedral on Friday morning by Philippe Villeneuve, the chief architect of France's national monuments. Continue reading...

Dong Yuyu was detained in 2022 after meeting Japanese diplomats named agents of espionage organisation'A veteran Chinese state media journalist has been sentenced by a Beijing court to seven years in prison on espionage charges, his family has said.Dong Yuyu, a senior columnist at the Communist party newspaper Guangming Daily, was detained in February 2022 along with a Japanese diplomat at a Beijing restaurant. Continue reading...

Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein all on about 20% in opinion polls after short, sharp campaign

Critics say the bill is too flawed and question whether the NHS is ready for impact of such a change in the law

Armengol to replace Robin Bulloch in 2025 but owner Sabadell faces $13bn hostile takeover bid by BBVATSB has appointed the former executive Marc Armengol as its new chief executive as the bank faces uncertainty over its future, with its parent company facing a hostile $13bn (10.2bn) takeover bid.Armengol, a former strategy director at TSB who has served on the board since 2022, originally joined the UK bank's Spanish owner Sabadell in 2002. He will take over as CEO at the start of 2025. Continue reading...

Appeal launched to identify woman who was found by member of the public in River Mersey in MarchPolice have released a facial reconstruction of a woman who was found in a river in Manchester eight months ago but whose identity remains a mystery.The body of the woman, wearing a neon-green Primark crop-top and New Look jeans, was found by a member of the public in the River Mersey at Chorlton Water Park on 21 March. Continue reading...

Ronald Greentree and his company Auen Grain cleared 1,262 hectares of land home to 30 threatened species, NSW government saysThe former graincorp chair and prominent wheat farmer Ronald Greentree has been handed a record fine of more than $1m for illegal land-clearing in the north-west of New South Wales.

But the Sydney hospitality giant, which operates more than 90 bars, restaurants and hotels, didn't admit any liability in relation to the claims

Rescuers in Sumatra search for people trapped in cars after landslide triggered by torrential rainfallLast week, torrential rainfall across Indonesia's largest island, Sumatra, triggered flash floods and landslides, causing widespread destruction. Twenty people died earlier this week in four areas in North Sumatra province amid flash floods and landslides. On Thursday morning, another devastating landslide claimed seven more lives. This landslide struck the main access route between Medan, the provincial capital, and surrounding regions, burying vehicles - including a tourist bus - in mud, rocks and trees. More than 10 people were injured and rushed to the nearest hospital in Medan. Rescue efforts are continuing, with several vehicles still trapped in the debris. North Sumatra's traffic director estimated it may take up to two days to evacuate those affected.Flash floods and landslides are a frequent occurrence in Indonesia owing to seasonal rainfall from October to March, caused by the Asia-Australia monsoon circulation system. This phenomenon causes wind to blow from Asia to Australia, bringing increased water vapour and consequential rainfall to Indonesia. Teleconnections such as El Nino-Southern Oscillation can also influence rainfall patterns, with the likely upcoming La Nina phase expected to bring further extreme weather by the end of the year, intensifying the risk of flooding and landslides as sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean drop below average and easterly trade winds strengthen, pushing additional moisture into the region. Continue reading...

NSW police officer who fatally shot 95-year-old with Taser extends thoughts and prayers' to Nowland family after manslaughter verdict

Former Liverpool manager's rented home fends off 27-bedroom manor house as website's most-viewed propertyA home fit for football royalty and a grade-I listed abbey are among this year's most-viewed properties on the listing website Rightmove.Jurgen Klopp left his job as manager of Liverpool in May, and in October the six-bedroom home he was renting from the Merseyside club was put on the market at an asking price of 4.25m. Continue reading...

Ban comes after two Australian teenagers, two Danish citizens, an American and a Briton became ill, and later died, after drinking in Vang Vieng

Authorities warn it's too late to leave some areas after bushfire in the Shire of Dandaragan cuts evacuation routes

Trees of hope' will be planted across the UK, including at a prison and a children's hospital, in National Trust schemeSaplings from the felled Sycamore Gap tree are to be planted across the UK, including next to one of London's most famous roads, at a rural category C prison and at a motor neurone disease centre opening in the name of the late rugby league star Rob Burrow.The National Trust on Friday announced the recipients of 49 saplings it has called trees of hope". Continue reading...

Vote expected on Friday afternoon, as those running campaigns for and against say it is too close to callMPs are hours away from deciding whether to legalise assisted dying for those with less than six months to live, in a knife-edge historic vote.The private member's bill, brought by the Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, will be debated from 9.30am on Friday in the House of Commons with a vote expected at about 2.30pm. Continue reading...

Recent attack on trucks carrying flour has deprived starving civilians of food as territory teeters on edge of famineAid officials and witnesses have described the chaotic and violent moments when a huge convoy carrying enough flour to bake bread for two-thirds of the population of Gaza for a week was looted this month.The officials made clear the attack was undertaken by groups of criminals, not civilians who were now being deprived of food in a territory close to famine. Continue reading...

One independent MP calls bill - which passed on Thursday - a 1970 solution for a 2024 problem'Social media company Meta has accused the Australian government of rushing to introduce an under-16 social media ban without properly considering the evidence and voices of young people.But Australian politicians who supported the world-first legislation argue it is necessary to ensure another generation of teenagers do not experience as much damaging content" in years to come. Continue reading...

Interim report into the October disaster blames human error, saying HMNZS Manawanui's autopilot was not disengaged when it should have been'A series of human errors caused a New Zealand navy ship to plough into a reef off the coast of Samoa, where it caught fire and sank, according to the preliminary findings of a military court of inquiry into the disaster.The ship's crew did not realise the autopilot was engaged, believed something else had gone wrong with the ship, and did not check that the HMNZS Manawanui was under manual control as it maintained course towards land, a summary of the inquiry's first report published on Friday said. The full report has not been made public. Continue reading...

PM trumpets social media ban for under-16s, housing package and Future Made in Australia bill, saying government is getting things done'

Transport secretary was mugged in 2013 and incorrectly included work phone on list given to police of stolen itemsThe transport secretary has a conviction for fraud by misrepresentation after wrongly reporting her work mobile phone stolen in 2013, it has emerged.Louise Haigh was convicted by Camberwell Green magistrates and given a conditional discharge after pleading guilty to an offence in connection with misleading the police. Continue reading...

PM says previous government deliberately liberalised' post-Brexit immigration as he announces deal with IraqKeir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of running an open borders experiment" after new figures showed that net migration to the UK hit a record high of nearly 1 million in a period covering Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak's administrations.The prime minister announced a deal with Iraq to tackle people-smugglers and a white paper to overhaul the visa system, before demanding an explanation" from Kemi Badenoch for her party's decision to deliberately liberalise immigration" after the Brexit vote. Continue reading...

Opposition groups in north-west have launched biggest push in years against government forcesJihadist fighters have cut the Damascus to Aleppo highway during an offensive that a monitor says killed about 200, including civilians hit by Russian air force strikes.On Wednesday, the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions launched a surprise attack on government-held areas of northern Aleppo province, triggering the fiercest fighting in years, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Continue reading...

Jim Colwell, who is acting in the role after suspension of predecessor, is also being investigated in another matterThe acting chief constable of Devon and Cornwall has been suspended from his 180,000-a-year job over claims he misused his work phone, 18 months after his predecessor was also suspended.Jim Colwell has been placed under investigation for gross misconduct by the police watchdog, triggering fears that the force in south-west England may go into freefall", according to one senior policing source. Continue reading...

Court told Bulgarian nationals surveilled targets including a journalist linked to Russian dissident Alexei NavalnyA sophisticated" UK-based spy ring passed secrets to Russia for nearly three years and gathered information on targets across Europe, a court has heard.Three Bulgarian nationals - Katrin Ivanova, 33, Vanya Gaberova, 30, and Tihomir Ivanov Ivanchev, 39 - allegedly carried out surveillance on individuals and places of interest to Russia. Continue reading...

Lawyer for Syrians who sued Doha Bank alleges kidnap threats and tracking devices used to thwart his clients' caseAgents working for Qatar threatened witnesses and issued bribes to thwart an alleged terror funding case brought in London and to avoid derailing the Gulf state's hosting of the 2022 Fifa World Cup, a court has heard.Eight Syrian refugees were attempting to sue Doha Bank claiming that it knowingly facilitated the transfer of funds to al-Nusra Front, a jihadist group that controlled part of northern Syria, which forced them to flee for their lives overseas. Continue reading...

Teaching assistants and other workers regularly experience physical and verbal abuse, Unison saysTeaching assistants, librarians and catering workers are on the frontline of England's school behaviour crisis, facing daily abuse for low pay and long hours, according to a union representing school support staff.A survey of more than 7,000 Unison members working in schools found that one in three said they were verbally abused every day, while many said they had recently witnessed violence including kicking, pushing and throwing objects. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester police ask for help identifying child's mother who may require medical assistance'A baby whose body was found last week on the edge of a snow-covered field in Salford was a newborn girl, police have said.Greater Manchester police (GMP) said the girl had now been named Ava and they renewed an appeal for the child's mother, family or anyone with information to come forward. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereHere is a chart from the ONS report illustrating the latest figures.Here is the PA Media story on the figures.Net migration to the UK hit a higher than previously thought record of 906,000 in the year to June 2023, revised official estimates show.The measure for the difference between the number of people arriving and leaving the country then dropped by 20% in the latest period, the 12 months to June 2024, and now stands at 728,000. Continue reading...

Prime minister says Beijing has been asked to cooperate after Yi Peng 3 vessel was seen in area where cables were cutSweden has announced that it has sent a formal request to China for cooperation over the suspected sabotage of two undersea cables in the Baltic sea.The prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, said on Thursday that Swedish authorities were seeking clarity" from China on what happened to the two fibre-optic cables between Finland and Germany and Sweden and Lithuania last week. Continue reading...

Vapes and batteries maker Supreme says it is in talks over rescue of British tea brand, which was founded in 1903Typhoo Tea has fallen into administration after 121 years.The vapes and batteries maker Supreme has said it is in talks over a potential rescue deal to snap up Typhoo, which filed a notice to appoint administrators on Wednesday, according to official filings. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereMy colleagues, Bethan McKernan in Jerusalem, and Oliver Holmes have produced this explainer on what the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire are. You can read more at the link below:Here is a video report on families returning to homes in Lebanon and northern Israel after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire took effect: Continue reading...

SNP says heating payment will go to every single Scottish pensioner' from next year

Departments ready to work on assessment of its workability as critics say it is proceeding the wrong way round'Civil servants and ministers will begin work on implementing the assisted dying bill if it passes its first stage in parliament on Friday, but the Guardian understands it will not be adopted as a government bill.MPs will have a free vote on the bill to legalise assisted dying in the case of terminal illness. It is a private member's bill, brought by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, which means the government is technically neutral on the issue. Continue reading...

Recheck of result of the first round, won by Clin Georgescu with Elena Lasconi second, likely to take daysRomania's constitutional court has ordered a recount of all first-round votes to rule out a suspicion of fraud in the country's presidential election, which was won in a major upset by a little-known far-right candidate.The court said on Thursday it had decided unanimously to order Romania's central electoral bureau to recheck and recount all valid and invalid ballots" cast in Sunday's election, won by the Moscow-friendly ultranationalist Clin Georgescu. Continue reading...

This live blog is closedReuters has a quick snap that there are power cuts in Ukraine's southern region of Mykolaiv as a result of Russia's missile attack. It cited regional governor Vitaliy Kim.Zhitomir and Chernihiv region have ended their air alarms in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Tamzin Hall, 17, was hit by car after fleeing police vehicle which had pulled over on M5 in SomersetTwo police officers have been served with misconduct notices after the death of a 17-year-old girl who fled a police car and was killed by a vehicle on the M5 in Somerset, the Independent Office for Police Conduct has said.Tamzin Hall was being taken to custody on the night of 11 November when officers pulled over for safety reasons", the IOPC said, adding that she had been handcuffed with her hands in front of her and had an officer sitting beside her. Continue reading...

Louise Haigh plans to focus on poorer areas, healthy methods and ability to tap in and tap out seamlessly'

In its report Ofcom says the novelty of meeting online could be waning, which tracks with a romanticisation of real-life meet cutes'The UK's dating scene is swiping left on popular apps such as such as Tinder and Hinge as younger people turn to real-life ways of connecting with potential partners, according to the UK's communications watchdog.Ofcom said the UK's top four dating apps had experience a dip in use since 2023, with Tinder losing 600,000 users, Hinge shedding 131,000, Bumble declining by 368,000 and Grindr falling by 11,000. Continue reading...

Campaigners welcome IOPC's recognition of adultification as racial bias but say guidelines to address it do not go far enoughThe police watchdog for England and Wales has called for urgent measures to stop the adultification" of black children by officers, but campaigners have said the revised guidelines do not go far enough.The Independent Office for Police Conduct identified adultification as a racial bias that primarily affects black children as well as other minority ethnic children, where they are seen as more streetwise", more grown up", less innocent and less vulnerable. Continue reading...

More than 30 pieces of legislation pass the upper house amid a flurry of deals with the Coalition and Greens

Independent Office for Police Conduct to look into allegations Jim Colwell breached professional standardsThe acting chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police, Jim Colwell, has been suspended pending an investigation into allegations of breaching professional standards.The region's police and crime commissioner, Alison Hernandez, has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which has confirmed it will investigate the allegations. Continue reading...

Test to be offered to people with heartburn gives faster, cheaper diagnosis of precursor conditionThe NHS is to offer a 10-minute sponge on a string" test to 120,000 patients with heartburn in a trial to see if it should be used to screen millions of people for one of the world's deadliest cancers.Patients swallow a soluble pill attached to a thread which, when washed down with a glass of water, releases a sponge the size of a 50p coin to collect cells from the oesophagus as it is retrieved. Continue reading...

Insurer says 250p per share offer was highly opportunistic' and undervalues the companyDirect Line shares surged more than 40% on Thursday after the insurer rebuffed a 3.3bn offer from Aviva, prompting speculation that the company could attract a higher offer.Aviva's approach, which was revealed on Wednesday night, is the third rejected by Direct Line this year, with the company having snubbed two previous bids by the Belgium insurer Ageas that culminated in a 3.2bn offer in March. Continue reading...

Lebanese given conflicting information about whether they can return home, as Israeli army strikes cars and areas along boundary

Firms reach preliminary agreement on financial terms of deal that values Renewi at 870p a share

The young man who escaped Wandsworth prison offered a mixed picture of ineptitude and threat, according to policeAt the heart of the Daniel Khalife trial has been the question: is he an amateurish fantasist who convinced himself he was playing a game of chess with spies, or a consequential character in the global world of espionage?The answer, the police have said, is a bit of both. They believed Khalife to be inept in many regards. Khalife's own barrister, Gul Nawaz Hussain KC, said he was hapless" and sometimes bordering on the slapstick" - more Scooby-Doo than 007. Continue reading...