World news | The Guardian

Cambridgeshire trial found workers' performance improved and staff turnover fell, while London Underground also plans to introduce four-day week optionCouncils will have the right to adopt a four-day working week after the government dropped concerns raised by the Conservatives when they were in power.For more than a year, South Cambridgeshire district council has defied Conservative opposition to its policy to introduce a four-day working week, after a controversial 15-month trial indicated in March that the performance of its workers mostly improved or remained the same, while the council simultaneously saved more than 370,000 in a year.Staff turnover fell by 39%, helping save 371,500 in a year, mostly on agency staff costs.Regular household planning applications were decided about a week and a half earlier.Approximately 15% more major planning application decisions were completed within the correct timescale.The time taken to process changes to housing benefit and council tax benefit claims fell. Continue reading...

Award given to next of kin of more than 30 public servants after campaign by fathers of murdered police officersMore than 30 former firefighters, police officers and other public servants who died in the line of duty have become the first recipients of an award in recognition of their service.The Elizabeth Emblem, named after the late queen, will be awarded to the next of kin of those who died in public service. Among those honoured are PCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, who were murdered by Dale Cregan in Greater Manchester in 2012. Continue reading...

IT issues and restrictions on access to information are leaving staff unaware of crucial background detailsCoroners in England and Wales have issued 35 warnings this year over inadequate sharing of NHS patient information, with some patients dying because clinicians couldn't access important details about their needs.Problems caused by conflicting IT systems, restricted access to medical records and obstacles to sharing information outside the NHS mean staff often struggle to access details about the patients they are treating. Continue reading...

Alyse Ogletree has helped nourished hundreds of thousands of babies as a means of giving to charityAlyse Ogletree would love it if she could donate immense amounts of money to all sorts of worthy causes, but as a mother raising three young children, that's not something realistic. So the 36-year-old from Flower Mound, Texas, has found another way to fulfill her philanthropic instinct: giving away a record amount of breastmilk that officials estimate has been enough to nourish hundreds of thousands of premature babies.I have a big heart, [but] at the end of the day, I'm not made of money and I can't give away money to good causes over and over because I have a family to support for," Ogletree said in an interview recently published on Guinness World Records' website. But donating milk was a way I could give back". Continue reading...

Smoked salmon, artisan cheese and fine wine among food and drink lost by European outletsSmall food producers are increasingly being targeted by organised crime gangs and rogue industry insiders looking to exploit national and global supply chain challenges , according to food crime experts.The warning comes after several food businesses in the UK and continental Europe revealed how they had lost hundreds of thousands of pounds in scams where thieves apparently posed as legitimate buyers. Continue reading...

Police say army personnel targeted in possible suicide bombing in country's south-west and many of more than 40 injured in critical conditionAt least 24 people have been killed and more than 40 injured in a bomb blast at a railway station in Quetta in south-western Pakistan, police and other officials have said.The target was army personnel from the Infantry School", said the inspector general of police for Balochistan, Mouzzam Jah Ansari. Continue reading...

Echoes Within These Walls aims to dispel myths about the religion by telling story of temple at St Agnes PlaceThe headquarters of the Rastafarian faith in the UK is being brought back to life with an exhibition its organiser hopes will help to dispel myths about the religion, which continues to be a big influence in popular culture from music and food to fashion.Echoes Within These Walls will tell the story of the temple at St Agnes Place in south London, which was founded in 1972 after Rastafarians took control of the building. Continue reading...

MPs with experience in mental health say lack of statutory regulation leaves people vulnerable to harm

Looming catastrophe' will dwarf anything we have seen so far' in Gaza since 7 October 2023, famine review committee saysThere is a strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas" of the northern Gaza Strip, a committee of global food security experts warned on Friday, as Israel claims to be pursuing a military offensive against Palestinian militant group Hamas in the area.Immediate action, within days not weeks, is required from all actors who are directly taking part in the conflict, or have influence on its conduct, to avert and alleviate this catastrophic situation," the independent Famine Review Committee (FRC) said in a rare alert. Continue reading...

Seoul's military says several vessels and dozens of civilian planes disrupted, a week after Pyongyang fired what it called its most powerful solid-fuel ICBM missileNorth Korea staged GPS jamming attacks on Friday and Saturday, Seoul's military said - an operation that was affecting several ships and dozens of civilian aircraft in South Korea.The jamming allegations come about a week after the North test-fired what it said was its most advanced and powerful solid-fuel ICBM missile, its first such launch since being accused of sending soldiers to help Russia fight Ukraine. Continue reading...

Lewis Parkin, 23, was found with life-threatening injuries and taken to hospital after an incident at a unit complex in the CBD

BoM expects hot weather to continue across parts of Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory next week

Exclusive: Publisher takes responsibility for the failure to consult Indigenous groups, who say the fantasy novel trivialises complex and painful histories

Jonathan J Batt, assigned in Crystal City, Virginia, accused of three charges with 76 specifications of sexual abuseA US army major has been accused of raping or otherwise sexually assaulting at least 20 victims during a span of three years, according to the military branch's office of special trial counsel.On Thursday, the office of special trial counsel confirmed to the Army Times that it had accused Jonathan J Batt - a major assigned to the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center in Crystal City, Virginia - of three charges involving 76 specifications of sexual abuse. Continue reading...

William Hoesch, 71, is suing Columbia River fire and rescue department for $1m for injuries and medical expensesAn ambulance struck a cyclist in Oregon, brought him to a hospital for treatment - and then billed him more than $1,800, according to a lawsuit that the unwitting patient has since filed.William Hoesch, 71, was hit by the ambulance in question after its driver made a right turn, fracturing his nose and leaving him with scrapes as well as other injuries across his body. Continue reading...

Police say Anthony Nephew, 46, shot wife and son and ex-partner and their son dead in Duluth on ThursdayA Minnesota man shot and killed his wife and son, and his ex-partner and their son, before killing himself, authorities said on Friday.Duluth police have not determined a motive, but the police chief, Mike Ceynowa, said at a news conference that the shooter, named as 46-year-old Anthony Nephew, had a pattern of mental health issues".In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...

Police found woman's body at unit in South West Rocks, about 30km north of Kempsey, after they were called there at 8am on Friday

Yechiel Leiter, American-born rightwinger, has called for ultimate Israeli sovereignty' over West Bank territoriesBenjamin Netanyahu has appointed a hardline supporter of the war in Gaza and longtime backer of settlements in the West Bank as his ambassador to the US as Israel prepares for the incoming administration of Donald Trump.Yechiel Leiter, an American-born rightwing publicist and former government aide who immigrated to Israel four decades ago, was announced as Israel's next ambassador to Washington on Friday. His son, a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, was killed in fighting in northern Gaza last year. Continue reading...

Had Biden left sooner, she noted, the party could have an open primary. Now they must live with what happened'Joe Biden's slowness in exiting the 2024 presidential election cost the Democrats dearly, the former House speaker Nancy Pelosi said, days after Kamala Harris was beaten by Donald Trump.We live with what happened," Pelosi said.Trump wins the presidency - how did it happen?With Trump re-elected, this is what's at stakeAbortion ballot measure results by state Continue reading...

Complaints involve inquiries from 2008 and 2013, quality of force's response and how details leaked in later caseScotland Yard has referred two cases to the police watchdog after receiving complaints over the force's historical investigations into claims of sexual offences by Mohamed Al Fayed.The complaints involve investigations from 2008 and 2013 and regard the quality of the Metropolitan police's response and, in the latter case, how details leaked publicly. Continue reading...

Police say plans in place to deal with rise in border crossings as US president-elect pledges to remove 11m people

Plane carrying fans home lands in Israel as Amsterdam mayor condemns hit and run' attacks on visiting supportersAmsterdam police have made more than 60 arrests after what authorities called hateful antisemitic violence" against Israeli football fans.A plane carrying football supporters brought home from the Dutch capital by the Israeli government landed on Friday at Israel's Ben Gurion airport after the clashes on Thursday, which took place after a Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Continue reading...

Gregor Bauld, 23, cleared of murder but admitted manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibilityA schizophrenic man who killed his mother outside their family home has been jailed for life, subject to a hospital order.Gregor Bauld, who was 22 when he killed Christine Bauld, had delusions that his mother was the leader of a war tribe, the court heard. Continue reading...

Campaign raises 5m in just a few weeks as community, local businesses and celebrities rally roundA Liverpool baby hospice has been saved after the city helped raise vital funds for a new home.Zoe's Place, a charity that cares for children with life-limiting conditions from birth to the age of five, was founded in Liverpool in 1995 by Prof Jack Scarisbrick. The name was chosen because Zoe means gift of life" in Greek. The charity needed to raise 5m in a matter of weeks to find a new building to call home, while an extra 1.4m was needed to help the hospice stay open in the meantime. Continue reading...

David Miliband, Peter Mandelson and Cathy Ashton thought to be on shortlist for diplomatic roleA decision on a new US ambassador is likely to be taken within days, with David Miliband, Peter Mandelson and Cathy Ashton all on the shortlist, the Guardian understands.Whitehall sources said Downing Street is determined to press ahead with the appointment of a new US ambassador now that Donald Trump has been confirmed as the next US president. Continue reading...

Antonia the ferret becomes first cloned animal of an endangered species to successfully produce offspring in USA cloned black-footed ferret has given birth, becoming the first-ever cloned animal of an endangered species in the US to successfully produce offspring in what officials recently hailed as a major milestone".In an announcement at the beginning of November, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) said that a cloned black-footed ferret named Antonia had given birth to three kits in June after mating with a three-year-old male black-footed ferret at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia. Continue reading...

Head of the Norwegian Refugee Council calls for peace process to begin as new figures reveal civilians have borne the brunt of the warNearly 70% of the people killed in the war in Gaza are women and children, according to a UN analysis of verified deaths that highlights the heavy civilian toll of the conflict.In a new report, the most detailed analysis of its kind yet, the UN human rights office said it had verified 8,119 of those killed during the first six months of the war in Gaza. Of the fatalities, 3,588 were children and 2,036 were women. The youngest victim was a one-day-old boy and the oldest was a 97-year-old woman. Continue reading...

Trump campaign said US officials warned him in September about suspected Iranian assassination plotThe US justice department is bringing criminal charges over an Iranian plot to kill President-elect Donald Trump that was thwarted by the FBI, the government said.The federal government has unsealed criminal charges in what the justice department said was a murder-for-hire plan to take out Trump before this week's presidential election, which he won decisively over his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. Continue reading...

Budapest meeting finds consensus on need to raise growth and productivity as America first' protectionism loomsEU leaders meeting in Budapest have signed a declaration aimed at boosting the bloc's ailing competitiveness - a task given added urgency by the threat of America first" protectionist trade policies promised by the US president-elect, Donald Trump.The bloc has too many barriers to innovation and must drastically reduce red tape, especially for startups; ramp up investment; make access to capital easier; and raise productivity, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Friday. Continue reading...

Creator of the wedge cut dies after being diagnosed with terminal cancerThe hairdresser Trevor Sorbie, who was celebrated for pioneering the wedge haircut and inventing scrunch drying, has died aged 75, his company has announced.The stylist, who frequently appeared on TV and had his own line of hair products, revealed in October he had weeks to live after his bowel cancer spread to his liver. Continue reading...

Reform leader says negative media coverage means it is no surprise Trump is unpopular in UKKeir Starmer has hosted veterans and charities at Downing Street with defence secretary John Healey in the lead-up to Remembrance Day, PA Media reports. PA says:The informal reception was held after Starmer pledged 3.5m in support for veterans facing homelessness.Peter Kent, 99, the oldest veteran at the event, said he was pleased by the increase in funding and described Starmer as a good guy".State visits take a while to organise. So in the next year, I've got to tell you, I think that would be a bit of a tall order. But [Trump] was genuine in his respect and his affection for the royal family. Continue reading...

The star is out in front with multiple genre recognition for Cowboy Carter while Kendrick Lamar, Charli xcx, Post Malone and Billie Eilish followBeyonce is out in front with the nominations for the 67th Grammy awards in what promises to be another female-heavy year.The star has scored 11 nods for her country album Cowboy Carter with recognition in the country, pop and Americana categories. It's the biggest number of nominations she has received in a single year. Continue reading...

Some ex-girlfriends of accused men tell court of burden of not knowing if they had been sedated and molested in pastGiving evidence in Avignon's criminal court, a softly spoken woman in her 30s pondered the question if the medication she took as part of managing her multiple sclerosis might have allowed her ex-partner, Cedric G, to sexually abuse her without her knowledge. She described their relationship as lies, from start to finish".Cedric G, 50, a software technician who used to run a record shop in Avignon, looked on from behind the glass-screened dock in the court. He is one of 51 men on trial over the rape of Gisele Pelicot, whose then husband, Dominique Pelicot, crushed sleeping tablets and anti-anxiety medication into her food and invited dozens of men to rape her while she was unconscious over a nine-year period from 2011 to 2020 in the village of Mazan in Provence. Continue reading...

City officials say supporters were attacked, abused and pelted with fireworksReuters reports that the Israeli military said on Friday that all Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel have been banned from going to the Netherlands until further notice.Human rights organisations say they are gravely concerned that a young Iranian woman arrested for stripping down to her underwear could be subjected to torture after she was transferred to a psychiatric hospital by the authorities. Continue reading...

Retailers report strong sales of jodhpurs, riding boots and paddock-ready blazers - but is it class passing'?It's a sport traditionally associated with mud and manure, but now the equestrian world is finding itself in fashion's spotlight.Jodhpurs and riding boots are galloping up the style charts, even if some fans of the trend have never set foot inside a yard. Blame Rupert Campbell-Black and his Rutshire set, but the Rivals effect is in full swing. Continue reading...

CMA sets out potential measures, including price cap on retailers, to combat high prices and lack of choiceThe government could offer its own low-cost baby formula under a brand such as the NHS to combat the high prices and lack of choice in the market, the UK competition watchdog has suggested.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said another backstop" measure could be for the government to regulate and set a price or profit-margin cap on retailers as a way to bring prices down for parents more quickly. Continue reading...

Martin Hibbert and daughter Eve successfully sued ex-TV producer Richard Hall who claimed bombing was hoaxTwo Manchester Arena bombing survivors have been awarded 45,000 in damages after suing a former TV producer who claimed the attack was staged.Martin Hibbert and his daughter Eve sued Richard Hall for harassment over his claims in several videos and a book that the attack was a state-orchestrated hoax, with the pair involved as crisis actors". Continue reading...

Shares in UK retailers fall as investors digest Rachel Reeves's changes to NICs and tax thresholds

Billie Eilish also expressed dismay at the re-election of Trump, calling him someone who hates women so, so deeply'Madonna has expressed outrage at the re-election of Donald Trump, describing him as a convicted felon, rapist, bigot".Writing on Instagram, she said: Trying to get my head around why a convicted felon, rapist, bigot was chosen to lead our country because he's good for the economy?" She also posted a picture of a cake with the words Fuck Trump" etched in frosting along with the caption: Stuffed my face with this cake last night!" Continue reading...

Presence at Cenotaph and Festival of Remembrance mark her first consecutive days of engagements since start of yearThe Princess of Wales will attend two remembrance events this weekend, Buckingham Palace has said, as she gradually returns to public duties after her treatment for cancer.Catherine will join the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph and the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall alongside King Charles and the Prince of Wales to honour the nation's war dead. Continue reading...

Firm issues second profit warning in a month after review into understated' build costs in south divisionShares in the FTSE 100 housebuilder Vistry have plunged after it issued a second profit warning in as many months and said cost overruns on building projects were worse than previously thought.Vistry was the top faller on the blue chip index of stocks on Friday morning. The builder's shares were down 18%, wiping about 500m off the value of the company. Continue reading...

At times it felt like the three parties thought they were governing three completely different countriesGermany's coalition government, which collapsed in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night after almost three years in power, was always an odd throuple.A pact between three parties with three quite different histories and different priorities, it was made up of two outfits that have traditionally located themselves on the left of the political spectrum - the Social Democratic party (SPD) and the Greens - and one, the liberal Free Democrats (FDP), that had until then been a loyal junior partner to the conservatives. Continue reading...

Susan McGowan took two doses of tirzepatide, under Mounjaro brand, before she died in North LanarkshireA weight-loss drug recently approved for use on the NHS contributed to the death of a 58-year-old nurse from North Lanarkshire, according to a report.Susan McGowan took two low-dose injections of tirzepatide, under the Mounjaro brand, over the space of a fortnight before she died on 4 September, the BBC reported. Continue reading...

Soldiers holding chunk of enemy territory in Kursk have been learning Korean phrases and are unconcerned by threat from reinforcementsVitalii Ovcharenko, a Ukrainian soldier, has been learning a new language: Korean. I've picked up a few phrases. They are: Hands up, drop your weapon and come to us slowly,'" he said. Also: Throw off your body armour and helmet.'"Ovcharenko has been mugging up with the help of a three-page printed guide. It lists words in Ukrainian, their Korean equivalent, and a helpful transliteration. Continue reading...

British foreign secretary says many politicians have said pretty ripe things' about US president-elect

Measure alongside bill to facilitate removal of non-citizens criticised as heavy-handed proposals that interfere with fundamental rights'

Noonan Real Estate Agency in Sydney forced to apologise after it disclosed renter's full name, occupation and financial circumstances to global audience

Protesters and political prisoners are being drugged, tortured and beaten in state-run institutions, say rights groupsHuman rights organisations say they are gravely concerned that a young Iranian woman arrested for stripping down to her underwear could be subjected to torture after she was transferred to a psychiatric hospital by the authorities.Amnesty International said it had found evidence that the Iranian regime used electric shocks, torture, beatings and chemical substances on protesters and political prisoners taken to state-run psychiatric institutions after being called mentally unstable. It said the situation facing the young woman was alarming". Continue reading...

Petition demands council hold binding referendum on issue after local people say they have been priced outHousing activists in Lisbon are to hand over a petition, signed by more than 6,600 residents, calling on city officials to agree to hold a binding referendum on banning tourist lets in residential blocks.The effort, months in the making, is aimed at prompting decisive action in a city where the cost of housing has drastically outpaced local salaries. Short-term rentals take most of the housing space in Lisbon's historic centre," said Raquel Antunes, a member the group Movement for a Housing Referendum. We need to put the brakes on this." Continue reading...

Alexis Jay says she is still pressing ministers to introduce mandatory reporting of allegations in England and WalesA once-in-a-lifetime" chance to protect children is at risk of being squandered by the UK government, a leading expert has warned.Prof Alexis Jay, the former chair of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) said she was still pressing Labour ministers for a commitment to introduce her recommendations made at the conclusion of the seven-year inquiry in 2022. Continue reading...