School looking to sell piece of open land beloved by people in Devon town to fund refurbishmentsOn Saturdays throughout autumn, residents of Totnes have met at a field on the banks of the River Dart to play ballgames, fly kites or simply sit on the grass and chat.But it hasn't just been about having fun - this has been a play protest" aimed at trying to save a beloved piece of open land in the historic Devon market town. Continue reading...
Andrew Bailey among finance leaders to leave session in Bangkok when Russian finance minister addressed groupThe Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, has taken part in a walkout of finance leaders who left an International Monetary Fund meeting in protest against Russian involvement.Bailey joined counterparts from France, Germany and a number of Scandinavian and Baltic countries who left the session in Bangkok when the Russian finance minister, Anton Siluanov, addressed the group in Russian. Continue reading...
As Mark Cocker approaches a landmark for the world's oldest column in an English-language newspaper, he is still inspired by powerful encounters with natureIn the autumn of 1987, Mark Cocker sat in a field near Norwich and watched a jay burying acorns for the long winter ahead. He described the scene in his first country diary for the Guardian. Thirty-nine years on, some of those jay-planted acorns will be mature oaks now, and Cocker is completing his 1,000th diary for the world's oldest column in an English-language newspaper.In his next diary, he will reflect on the changing birdlife around Flint Clough, in the Peak District, where he first marvelled at rare birds aged 12 after devouring bird books in his bedroom. As a boy, he would find cuckoo, golden plover, ring ouzel and twite, a once-common bird which is now virtually extinct in England. Continue reading...
Environmental watchdog Mighty Earth reveals two-year effort to postpone and weaken EU Deforestation RegulationUS corporate lobbyists launched a two-year blitz" to postpone and weaken the world's most progressive legislation to protect forests, according to a new investigation by the environmental watchdog Mighty Earth.Major US firms and trade associations, including Cargill, Bunge, Mondelz and the US Soybean Export Council, as well as numerous other US firms and organizations, sought to influence the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in more than 350 meetings, the advocacy group found. Continue reading...
by Lisa O’Carroll Senior correspondent on (#7942W)
Mark Smith, who is married to a Swedish woman, says he was told three times he needed to do nothing in order to remain after BrexitA seriously ill British man living in Sweden has been forced into hiding amid fears he will be deported as a result of what he says is a government Brexit residency error.Mark Smith, 60, who has had hearts attacks, strokes, severe headaches and chronically high blood pressure that has been difficult to treat, was told on the phone he should leave Sweden by 17 October as he was an alien" without permission to stay. Continue reading...
As a surge in beekeepers has lead to increased numbers of honeybees, researchers record them pushing bumblebees and other rival species away from flowersHoneybees are outcompeting wild pollinators for resources by aggressively bumping into them and chasing them away from flowers, research has shown.The study, by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University, found that areas where there were higher concentrations of honeybees had fewer wild pollinators, such as bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies. Continue reading...
Data shows 2026 could be worst harvest on record, as growers suggest painting faces on vegetables instead of carvingIn the lead-up to Halloween, front porches across the country feature fat, proudly carved pumpkins, lit from within by tea lights.But this year there is likely to be a shortage due to drought, experts have warned, with the squashes much smaller than usual. Continue reading...
Owner and mechanics fear for their health and future of the Herne Hill shop with no date for fixing problemThe leafy south London neighbourhood of Herne Hill is a haven for cyclists who can often be seen lapping the local parks and refuelling at the many cafes that line the suburban streets. But there is something foul in the air of this corner of the capital - and for once it's not the traffic fumes hitting bicycle riders.A toxic stench thought to be caused by untreated sewage stuck in Thames Water drains has been emanating from the subterranean depths for months, most likely caused by the summer's lack of rain. Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent on (#793ZZ)
Exclusive: Ministers considering overhaul of apprenticeship funding scheme to tackle youth jobs crisisEmployers in England are to be forced to pay more to train an older worker than a youth apprentice under plans being drawn up by the government to tackle the youth jobs crisis.The Guardian understands ministers plan to overhaul Labour's apprenticeship funding scheme to increase the cost of training by 25% for a worker over the age of 25 in order to encourage businesses to train young people instead. Continue reading...
Families have been scattered, fathers separated from their children, and couples unable to reunite and marryWijdan Abu Matar, 43, was forced to leave Gaza in November 2023 with her eight children for medical treatment, while her injured husband, Hatem, remained behind.Wijdan and her family were living in the Nuseirat refugee camp when the Gaza war began with the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. Ten days later, on 17 October that year, an Israeli strike hit the al-Muhandseen tower, near their home, injuring Wijdan and every member of her family. Continue reading...
by Presented by Aditya Chakrabortty with Michael Gove on (#793ZR)
For more than three decades, Michael Gove has been a leading figure in British Conservatism. As a journalist, government minister and now editor of the Tory bible, the Spectator, he has helped shape the right even as it has moved further rightwards. In the latest episode of Radical Thinking, Gove joins Aditya Chakrabortty to discuss the future of the right, his record on Brexit and austerity, and the Spectator's position on IslamWatch the full episode with Michael Gove here.
British father would like to take his family to Lancashire to see ill relative but officials refused visa for his partner, a refugee from MyanmarThe Home Office has denied a great-grandfather from Lancashire the chance of meeting his five-month-old British great-grandson, who lives abroad.William Cross was born in Thailand on 30 April to parents Matthew Cross, 31, who is from Burnley in Lancashire, and Khin Thant Zin, known as Jue Jue, also 31, a refugee who fled persecution in Myanmar to Thailand. Continue reading...
Alan Feeney, who sat on Solihull and Birmingham councils, said there was no excuse' for his commentsAlan Feeney has resigned as a Reform councillor for Solihull and Birmingham after backlash over racist comments that were captured in an undercover investigation.In a Facebook post on Friday, Feeney wrote: There is no excuse for my comments. With responsibility comes accountability, and it is for that reason that I have resigned every post I hold on both Solihull borough council and Birmingham city council." Continue reading...
Chancellor says government will study responses to public consultation, with airports being big part of jobs and growth'John Healey has said there is a pro-growth case for going ahead with a third runway at Heathrow despite the prime minister declining to back it.Healey's predecessor as chancellor, Rachel Reeves, put approval of the long-planned runway at the heart of her growth speech" last year, saying it would make Britain the world's best-connected place to do business". Continue reading...
Prosecutors allege Moises Freire gave two students at FIT the opioid, saying it was cocaine, and raped one as she overdosedA man raped a student at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) after giving her a dose of fentanyl that rendered her unconscious and ultimately killed her, federal prosecutors allege.That student's friend also experienced an overdose and nearly died after taking the potent synthetic opiate, leading to charges against three men, the US Department of Justice said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...
by Associated Press and Agence France-Presse on (#793V4)
Disgraced music mogul moved to Pennsylvania prison after reports of perks and fight injuries at New Jersey lockupSean Diddy" Combs, who was convicted of prostitution-related crimes, has been moved to a federal prison in Pennsylvania after reports that the disgraced music producer was living the high life and was injured in a fight at his New Jersey lockup, according to reports.The US Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is transferring Combs, 56, from FCI Fort Dix to FCI Allenwood Low, a low-security facility south of Williamsport and about 155 miles (250km) west of New York City, a person familiar with the matter said to the Associated Press. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity. Continue reading...
Forest clearance at smallest total since records began in 1988 in success for Lula ahead of presidential run-offDeforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen to its lowest level since records began, new government data shows.But whether this globally important success is maintained or reversed is on a knife edge ahead of a presidential election run-off on 25 October between two candidates with sharply different visions for the future of the rainforest and how that affects relations with the US under Donald Trump. Continue reading...
Lawyers tell high court that client could harm himself if serious allegations against him are made publicA well-known individual" is trying to secure a permanent injunction against the Guardian and ITN to prevent them from publishing details of serious allegations made against him.At a high court hearing on Friday, the claimant's legal team said there was a serious risk that he could harm himself should the allegations be made public.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...
by Rowena Mason, Lisa O’Carroll and Jasper Jolly on (#793PF)
Beijing warns against discriminatory' step after France drops opposition to British role in Made in Europe packageNo 10 has left the door open to imposing tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of the Made in Europe package, prompting a warning from Beijing that such a move would be discriminatory".Downing Street said on Friday that it would welcome the objective to have the UK included in the Industrial Accelerator Act" after France dropped its opposition to Britain joining the scheme. Continue reading...
Author Sarah Helm, married to Jonathan Powell, wrote to back novelist Sally Rooney's support of proscribed direct action groupThe UK's national security adviser Jonathan Powell is under pressure to distance himself from a comment made by his wife, the award-winning writer Sarah Helm, in support of Palestine Action.The post was made in defence of the critically acclaimed Irish novelist Sally Rooney, who said she had been forced to pull her books from shelves in the UK after pledging proceeds from their sales to Palestine Action. Continue reading...
Lula reverses position on age of responsibility for heinous' crimes in what many see as a desperate electoral gambitBrazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has announced that he now supports lowering the age of criminal responsibility for heinous" crimes from 18 to 16, reversing a longstanding policy in what is widely seen as a desperate electoral gambit.The U-turn, which Lula announced during a Thursday night interview with TV Globo, comes with the presidential runoff in just over a week. The incumbent faces an uphill battle to overturn the first-round victory of his opponent, the far-right senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who remains slightly ahead at the polls. Continue reading...
by Chris Osuh Community affairs correspondent on (#793NH)
Speaking at live UK event, former US president expresses hope rooted in the past and discusses the modern challenges to democracyBarack Obama cited the wonderful" story of how Manchester cotton workers stood in solidarity with enslaved African Americans as an inspiration for our times in a live appearance in the city.Tens of thousands of people packed Co-op Live in the city on Thursday for An Evening With Barack Obama, where the former US president was interviewed by the writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsch. Continue reading...
by Robyn Vinter North of England correspondent on (#793NJ)
Yorkshire ambulance service says workers may have accessed or attempted to access information without legitimate reason'NHS staff may have accessed the medical records of a man killed by a tiger at a wildlife park without legitimate permission", an ambulance trust has said.Yorkshire ambulance service NHS trust has launched an investigation into two members of staff at the trust, which responded to emergency calls on Saturday when William Chapman climbed into the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Continue reading...
Former head of Foreign Office Olly Robbins applied for judicial review after Keir Starmer dismissed him in AprilOlly Robbins, the former head of the Foreign Office sacked by Keir Starmer over his role in vetting Peter Mandelson, has received a six-figure payout from the government over his dismissal.Robbins had applied to the high court for a judicial review of the prime minister's decision to remove him as the top civil servant at the Foreign Office after he was dismissed in April. Continue reading...
Settlers hurl rocks at Palestinians and beat photographer Heidi Levine as part of yearly attacks to disrupt harvestIsraeli settlers have attacked Palestinians across the occupied West Bank in a coordinated movement to disrupt the annual olive harvest, burning cars and trees and injuring Palestinians and a Washington Post photographer.Masked settlers wielding clubs and other weapons attacked people attempting to harvest their olives in West Bank towns on Friday. Palestinian authorities said they recorded attacks in eight villages, and injuries among at least 20 people. Continue reading...
The actor, who made a cameo in the Radio 4 drama in 1989, has signed a letter urging BBC not to move studio elsewhereThe cast and crew behind The Archers, including the one-time guest star Judi Dench, have written to the BBC director general urging him to keep the recording of the Radio 4 drama in Birmingham.It emerged this week that the corporation was planning to stop recording the rural community soap opera in the city for the first time in the show's 75-year history, after it scrapped plans for a radio drama studio. Continue reading...
Woman says she wrenched' herself free of assault that allegedly took place when she was working at MTV in 2001Russell Brand transformed into a wild-eyed maniac" when he tried to drag a woman into the men's toilets for a sexual encounter before she wrenched" herself free, a court has heard.The 51-year-old comedian is accused of indecently assaulting the woman who told Southwark crown court: I emerged relatively unscathed. He didn't manage to rape me." Continue reading...
by Raphael Boyd (now) and Taz Ali (earlier) on (#793BH)
This blog is now closedBurnham spoke of Ravenscraig, once the pride of Scotland's steel industry that employed tens of thousands of people before it closed in 1992.He said:When it closed, it wasn't just a works that shut, it was a whole community which saw the pillars underneath it just taken away, collapsed beneath it.That was a decision taken hundreds of miles away without any real consequences for what that would mean for people here, taken by people who would never have to live with those consequences, or see those consequences.I was the MP there for 16 years from the early 2000s, just after the pits had shut in the 1990s. It broke my heart to see the old miners shuffling into my surgery, carrying oxygen bottles, still struggling to get compensation for the damage that was done to their lungs.It pained me to drive past the wasteland around Bickershaw Colliery, one of the last pits to close in Leigh. Nobody asked Leigh what was going to come next either.I care about Scotland a lot, and I am coming today with a big offer and in search of common ground.When I walked into Downing Street in July, I said I wanted to do politics differently. Place first, not party first. Honestly, I meant it, and I arrive here in that spirit because people in Scotland, in my view, deserve better from politicians and politics. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#793JW)
Exclusive: Devon and Cornwall police formally apologise to nine women and settle claim without admitting liabilityA police force alleged to have promoted and protected male officers despite knowing they were accused of attacking women has formally apologised and paid compensation to nine female victims, the Guardian has learned.The women allege they were subjected to a range of abuse including rape, assault, threats, harassment and coercive control while in relationships with male officers from Devon and Cornwall police. Continue reading...
Guillaume Faury writes to Andy Burnham warning him against choosing US firm Lockheed Martin to build Skynet satellitesThe boss of Airbus has told Andy Burnham that choosing its US rival Lockheed Martin to manufacture military satellites could cost the UK a key role in the European space industry, intensifying a last-minute lobbying effort for the 2.4bn contract.It is understood that Guillaume Faury, the chief executive of France-headquartered Airbus, has written to the prime minister suggesting that the choice of provider of the Skynet system could have effects for decades to come on the UK's strength in military satellites in Europe, in an effort to tip the contract away from its US rival. Continue reading...
Initiatives to address youth employment crisis and offer training are being launched in towns such as TelfordSmaller cities and towns across England have higher rates of young people not in employment, education or training than the nine largest cities, analysis shows.The Centre for Cities, an independent thinktank dedicated to improving the economies of the UK, used 2021 census data to work out the rates across 41 cities and towns in England. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#793FW)
Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, was arrested in Huddersfield with two guns and live ammunitionA teenage hitman who travelled from Norway to the UK with the intention of carrying out a murder on behalf of an Iran-backed international crime gang has been jailed for 20 years.Johannes Kongsnes Natland, 19, a talented footballer, had agreed to shoot an unknown target in return for 25,000 (21,500). Continue reading...
NFU analysis of official data shows falls in exports to UK's largest trading partner since 2019 include 70% for sugar and 74% for egg productsExports of British food and drink to the EU have collapsed by more than a third since Brexit with eggs, chicken and potato producers badly hit, new figures show.Analysis by the National Farmers' Union (NFU) of HMRC data shows a sharp fall in exports in the year to July compared with the same period in 2019, with sugar dropping the most, down 70%. Continue reading...
by Matt Andrews and Ed Walton for MetDesk on (#793BJ)
Landslide blocks river and triggers downstream flooding, while summer temperatures persist in PortugalFlash floods have swept through Nepal's central Gorkha district after a pre-dawn landslide on 11 October blocked the Budhi Gandaki River, triggering severe downstream flooding. Two villages in the worst-affected Chumanubri rural municipality were reportedly destroyed, with homes, roads and bridges washed away. Part of a hydropower station was also damaged.After river levels surged from 2 metres to nearly 8.5 metres within hours, the national disaster risk reduction and management authority reported that 204 homes were damaged, and more than 650 people had been affected. More than 100 foreign trekkers were stranded in the popular hiking region. The floods come just two months after catastrophic flooding and landslides devastated parts of the country on the border with Tibet, leaving thousands dead or missing. Continue reading...
Images from New Zealand aerial survey of Nikumaroro in 1938 offer new clues over aviator's disappearanceA New Zealand museum has released nearly 50 photos from a 1938 aerial survey of the island where Amelia Earhart is believed to have crash-landed, offering amateur sleuths new evidence to scour for traces of the pioneering aviator and her plane.The black-and-white images were published by the Air Force Museum of New Zealand after renewed interest in one of the biggest mysteries of the 20th century, spurred by a US expedition to the Pacific atoll of Nikumaroro in search of new clues. Continue reading...
Joshua Foster pleaded guilty over death of toddler who fell from fourth-floor window of hotel during family holidayA British man has been handed a 3,000 (2,500) fine after his two-year-old son fell nearly 12 metres (40ft) to his death from the fourth floor window of a hotel in Cyprus.Joshua Foster thought the window was closed when he placed the boy on a sill to show him the view of a waterpark and lost control" of him, the court previously heard. Continue reading...
by Natricia Duncan Caribbean correspondent on (#793BG)
As violent spirits are unleashed in Sky's Possession, observers see confident creatives reclaiming the island's narratives in a form of cultural reparation'A woman opens a 300yearold box, unleashing a violent spirit - it is the spirit of colonialism and oppression roaring back to life. It is a pivotal scene in Sky's supernatural series Possession and symbolises a wider shift in Jamaica's film industry, where directors are increasingly using the landscape to tell Jamaican stories - including those that confront enslavement, trauma and historical memory.The series is about a biracial British lawyer who travels to Jamaica to investigate a multimillion-pound inheritance dispute, only to uncover a dark, vengeful spirit tied to the plantation's brutal colonial past. Continue reading...
Regulator for Great Britain weighs up reintroducing market stabilisation charge to prevent firms going bustEnergy suppliers could be forced to pay a charge to rivals if they lure customers with cheaper deals, as the industry regulator for Great Britain attempts to prevent suppliers going bust this winter.Ofgem has published a consultation on a proposal to reintroduce the market stabilisation charge (MSC), which aims to prevent suppliers failing if there is customer exodus, as it frets over the impact of sharp swings in energy prices linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Continue reading...
Reform MP defends leader after ITV footage shows official warning Farage he is protecting' candidate over racist David Lammy commentsThe Reform UK MP Robert Jenrick sought to defend the party against fresh allegations that it hosts extremists by claiming that Nigel Farage had probably done more than almost anybody to stand against racism and the far right."The remarks came after Farage was berated by a Reform official for protecting" a mayoral candidate who was accused of making racist remarks against the former Labour deputy prime minister, David Lammy. Continue reading...
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