World news | The Guardian

Armed drones attack two airbases and explosive device targets patrol in most widespread strikes in a single day

Thousands move south as Israeli forces inch closer to two big hospitals in north where many have sought refuge

Tory allies claim she is reflecting the views of a silent majority' who are too often ignored at WestminsterGetting rid of Suella Braverman, if you are Rishi Sunak, is not as easy as it might first appear.The home secretary has already handed the prime minister several opportunities, none of which have been taken up. Continue reading...

At freedom of information tribunal, Guardian says it has not been publicly explained how such data might be useful to attackersThe Home Office should publicly reveal the cost to the taxpayer of providing security to the royal family, a barrister representing the Guardian has told a tribunal.The news organisation has brought a legal case arguing that disclosure of the figure would enable a more informed public discussion about the costs and benefits of the monarchy. Continue reading...

The architect of the illegal Catalonian 2017 referendum has signed an unlikely deal to support Spains's socialists back into government in return for amnestyDespite the fast-moving, wildly unpredictable and frequently improbable turns Spanish politics has taken of late, very few pundits could have predicted the scenes that played out in Belgium on Thursday.A little after 2pm, a 60-year-old Catalan politician and fugitive from Spanish justice addressed a packed conference at the Brussels press club. As reporters brimmed with questions that would go unanswered, Carles Puigdemont appeared to be relishing his moment. Continue reading...

Opposition leaders accuse first minister and deputy of misleading Holyrood after they are forced to retract statements about message requestsHumza Yousaf has apologised for shortcomings" with the release of government WhatsApp messages, as he faced new secrecy allegations over legal advice and private emails written during the Covid crisis.The first minister apologised unreservedly" on Thursday after the UK Covid inquiry challenged the accuracy of parliamentary statements made last week by him and his deputy, Shona Robison, about its requests for access to WhatsApp messages. Continue reading...

Inequalities between rich and poor areas and white and black communities widening, according to child mortality dataBlack babies in England are almost three times more likely to die than white babies after death rates surged in the last year, according to figures that have led to warnings that racism, poverty and pressure on the NHS must be tackled to prevent future fatalities.The death rate for white infants has stayed steady at about three per 1,000 live births since 2020, but for black and black British babies it has risen from just under six to almost nine per 1,000, according to figures from the National Child Mortality Database, which gathers standardised data on the circumstances of children's deaths. Infant death rates in the poorest neighbourhood rose to double those in the richest areas, where death rates fell. Continue reading...

PM's WhatsApp messages show he felt odd' to bash the cops' having only seen footage of some argy bargy'Boris Johnson said it felt odd" to bash" Metropolitan police officers who had interrupted the Sarah Everard vigil as all he had seen is footage of some argy bargy".The prime minister's WhatsApp messages from March 2021 were shown during the Covid inquiry as Priti Patel gave evidence. Continue reading...

Increase in discrimination, vandalism, graffiti and abusive behaviour since outbreak of Israel-Hamas warSchools across England are struggling with the emotional turmoil set off by the terrorist attacks on Israel last month and the impact on students, parents and teachers.Specialist organisations such as the Community Security Trust and Tell Mama say they are seeing a big increase in reports of antisemitism and Islamophobia involving schools and pupils since the 7 October attacks and Israel's invasion of Gaza. Continue reading...

Home secretary accuses force of being biased against rightwing protesters and favouring groups such as Palestine Solidarity CampaignAlistair Carmichael (Lib Dem) says every day 6,000 crimes go unsolved. If the home secretary does not have confidence in the police, or thinks she could do a better job, she should say so, he says.Diana Johnson (Lab), chair of the home affairs committee, says her committee backs the idea of operational independence for the police. It is a concept that goes back to 1885. If the government wants to change that, it should be debated in parliament, she says. Continue reading...

Jozef Puska faces mandatory life sentence after Ashling Murphy was murdered in January 2022A man has been found guilty of killing a primary school teacher last year, in a case that shocked Ireland.Ashling Murphy, 23, a popular local teacher and musician, was murdered as she jogged along a canal near Tullamore, central Ireland, in January 2022. Continue reading...

Chapman is first Black songwriter to win the award, after a 2023 Luke Combs's version helped the song gain newfound popularityTracy Chapman has become the first Black songwriter to win the Country Music Awards' song of the year - 35 years after the relevant number was a hit for her.It was 1988 when Chapman's dulcet tones and guitar plucks emanated from seemingly every speaker with her smash Fast Car. On Wednesday night in Nashville, during the CMA's ceremony, it won a top award, Rolling Stone first reported. The annual award ceremony is one of the largest celebrations of country music. Continue reading...

UK ministry of defence says Russian military overextended'; Hungary says EU should not start membership talks with Ukraine

Backing for socialist government hinged on proposed amnesty for activists involved in 2017 attempt to separate Catalonia from SpainToday we live in a democracy worse than yesterday," the conservative People's party deputy secretary Miguel Tellado wrote following news of an agreement between the socialists and Junts.Spain's socialist party and Catalan separatist party Junts have confirmed that they have reached a deal for Junts to support a Socialist-led government, Reuters reported. Continue reading...

At least three politicians were funded to attend three-day inaugural Alliance for Responsible Citizenship event, register of members' interests shows

Advocates push for limit on rent rises as PropTrack report finds vacancy rate slipped to 1.02% in October

Blue Lagoon temporarily closes as spate of earthquakes prompt fears of volcanic eruptionOne of Iceland's most popular tourist attractions has closed after the Reykjanes peninsula was hit by about 1,000 earthquakes in 24 hours, a seismic swarm" that has prompted fears of an imminent volcanic eruption.The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa south-west of Rejkjavik, announced it would close its doors on Thursday for a week after a particularly powerful earthquake hit just after midnight followed by about 800 smaller quakes. Continue reading...

French president tells Paris conference that world must pursue a humanitarian ceasefire to save lives

Accused, 14, blows kiss to his parents during brief appearance on charges of murder and possession of a knifeA 14-year-old boy accused of stabbing another teenager to death in Leeds blew a kiss to his parents as he made his first court appearance on Thursday.Alfie Lewis, 15, was attacked in the upmarket Horsforth suburb on Tuesday afternoon as children were leaving two nearby schools. Continue reading...

Home secretary also condemned for undermining police by claiming they were biased when handling protests

Home secretary criticised for likening pro-Palestine protests in London to sectarian marches

McOnie - who choreographed Jesus Christ Superstar, On the Town and Carousel - takes over from Tim SheaderRegent's Park Open Air theatre in London has appointed Drew McOnie as its new artistic director, in a rare case of a choreographer being given the top job at a major British theatre. McOnie will replace Tim Sheader who has cemented the outdoor theatre's reputation for musicals and takes over at the Donmar Warehouse in the new year.McOnie is no stranger to Regent's Park, having choreographed its hit 2016 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, which had two sold-out seasons at the theatre, transferred to the Barbican and toured the UK and the US. He directed and choreographed On the Town there in 2017 and choreographed Carousel in 2021. Continue reading...

After finding that the Friends actor wanted Efron to play him in a film, the latter, who had already played a younger Perry in 17 Again, expressed his agreementZac Efron said he would be honoured" to play Matthew Perry in a film that the Friends actor had been planning before his death on 29 October.In an interview with Sirius XM in 2022, Perry said that he had asked Efron to play the lead role in a film that Perry had written and planned to direct, but that Efron had said no". The project was mentioned again in the wake of Perry's death by the actor's friend Athenna Crosby, who told People magazine that Perry's movie was a biopic and that he wanted Zac Efron, who's played him already to play him again because he said he did such a good job". Continue reading...

UK's 43 police forces have all referred domestic abuse victims to Home Office in last three years, finds watchdogVictims of domestic abuse across the UK are being reported to immigration officials when they turn to the police for help, according to data published by an independent watchdog.The UK's 43 police forces have all referred victims or survivors of abuse to immigration enforcement in the last three years, prompting urgent calls for a reform of the system. Continue reading...

Energy firm's lawsuit looks for indefinite block on group's protesters targeting its infrastructure

Report identifies lack of aerial surveillance and personnel as contributing to deaths when small boat sank in 2021

Community groups say Labor government's incentive for short-term accommodation owners could double state's rental housing supply

This blog is now closed.

In today's newsletter: Alongside Moldova, Ukraine is officially on the path to EU accession - what does that mean for the future of both countries and the continent? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. Ukraine has been hoping for EU membership for decades, but the prospect of it actually happening only became likely after Russia's invasion posed an existential threat to Europe for the first time since the second world war. Weeks after the war erupted in February last year, Ukraine and Moldova applied for membership of the EU; in June they were both granted candidate status.After waiting just under 18 months, the European Commission announced yesterday that it was recommending that formal talks begin on Moldova and Ukraine joining the European Union.Conservatives | Suella Braverman has launched a full-throated attack on policing double standards" after the head of the Metropolitan police gave the go-ahead for a pro-Palestine march on Saturday, Armistice Day.Israel-Hamas war | The US, for the second time in recent weeks, has carried out strikes against a weapons storage facility in eastern Syria that the Pentagon said was used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and affiliated groups, as fears grow that the Gaza war could spread in the region.Strikes | The RMT union has reached a possible deal with train operators to resolve their long-running national rail dispute, allaying fears of a repeat of last year's Christmas strikes.Environment | Japan has gained another island to add to its already impressive collection, after an undersea volcanic eruption 1,200km south of Tokyo created a new landmass.US news | Hollywood actors are set to end their nearly four-month strike, the Sag-Aftra union announced on Wednesday, bringing to a close a historic work stoppage that had brought the film and television industry to a standstill for months. Continue reading...

UK and Taiwan sign trade agreement they hailed as a first in fostering bilateral trade between Taiwan and EuropeChina's government has accused the UK of using trade cooperation as an excuse" to enhance its ties with Taiwan, after the announcement of a bilateral trade talks agreement.On Wednesday Taiwan's representative to the UK, Kelly Hsieh, and his British counterpart based in Taipei, John Dennis, signed an enhanced trade partnership (ETP). The agreement paves the way for future talks on green energy, digital trade and investment, among other trade-based issues. The UK is Taiwan's third-biggest trading partner in Europe and 21st largest overall. Continue reading...

Former officer says course of his life changed forever after incident which made him lose trust in police force

Communications minister Michelle Rowland says it is critical' to examine Wednesday's blackout that impacted nearly 10 million Australians, given no network is immune'

Eighty-five years after the brutal prelude' to Nazi crimes, the emphasis falls on contemplating its influence on the present dayIt has long been the most delicate day in the German calendar, 9 November. It brings a balancing act of remembrance for the state-sanctioned murderous devastation of the Nazi pogroms across the country in 1938, and, 51 years later, the overnight collapse of the most famous barrier in the world, the Berlin Wall.Both had international repercussions which are still felt today. The former dominates the nation's collective memory. Continue reading...

More than 33,550 cases of diarrhoea reported since mid-October, most among children under five, says WHO; US launches airstrike in response to attacks on bases housing US troops as Syrian state media reports strikes in south by Israel

One Nation leader, who is also being sued by Faruqi for similar comments she made in a tweet, said she would take the Greens senator to the airport and put you on a plane'

Optus customers left without phone and internet could be looking to switch to rival carriers like Telstra or Vodafone for better deals or savings, and may be about to seek refunds, though it's not straightforward

Optus hit with another disaster barely a year after it copped the worst cyber breach in Australian history

Body found beside road near Pacific Highway outside Port Macquarie but detectives don't yet know if it is linked to ute shootings

Strong competition for mortgage customers is putting pressure on its margins, NAB says

Extremist organisations and football hooligans have been urged to gather at Cenotaph in central London

Opposition spokesperson says government should have had a plan B' after ruling that means many held in indefinite detention will be released

Rivalry with US and current of antisemitism are running up against Beijing's increasing closeness to Israel

City editor Anna Isaac, political editor Pippa Crerar and columnist Marina Hyde honoured at ceremony in LondonThe Guardian has won three awards at the Society of Editors' Media Freedom Awards at a ceremony in London.Anna Isaac, the Guardian's city editor, was named the Media Freedom Awards National Journalist of the Year and was praised by the judges for her stories exposing a culture of sexual misconduct at the Confederation of British Industry. Continue reading...

Unverified footage from state media shows captured soldiers swearing allegiance to Russia as part of new battalionRussia is sending Ukrainian prisoners of war to the frontlines of their homeland to fight on Moscow's side in the war, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti has reported.Video from RIA Novosti released on Tuesday showed the Ukrainians swearing allegiance to Russia, holding rifles and dressed in military fatigues to fight in a battalion named for medieval nobleman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, seen as a national hero in Russia for bringing parts of Ukraine under Moscow's control in the 15th century. Continue reading...

Four shadow ministers prepared to quit in coming days and up to 10 others on resignation watch'Keir Starmer is battling to reassert his authority within the Labour party over the conflict in Gaza, with four shadow ministers prepared to quit in the coming days and up to 10 others on resignation watch".The Labour leader is facing a rebellion by as many as a dozen shadow ministers, who sources say are ready to resign rather than vote against calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East, which Starmer has refused to back. Continue reading...

Ministers give NHS England just a tenth of sum, forcing leaders to scale back drive to tackle hospital waiting list of 7 millionHospitals will reduce the number of operations they perform over the next few months after ministers rejected an NHS plea for 1bn to cover the cost of strikes by staff.The move makes it even more unlikely that Rishi Sunak will be able to deliver his promise to cut NHS waiting lists, one of the five key pledges he said voters should judge him by. Continue reading...

Invasion of Ukraine has fast-tracked timetable for the countries to join bloc after years of economic warfare'

National security council spokesperson says US has used majority of funds it has allocated for UkraineThe Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, hosted a top Chinese general and defence delegation in Moscow on Wednesday for talks to deepen" military cooperation with Beijing as Russia's troops fight on in Ukraine.Shoigu welcomed Zhang Youxia, a high-ranking general and vice-chair of Beijing's central military commission, in a red carpet ceremony in Moscow.We, unlike some aggressive western countries, are not creating a military bloc. Relations between Russia and China are an example of strategic cooperation, based on trust and respect.I am sure that today's meeting will be another step to deepen the multi-profile links between our countries and military departments.Patrushev is the secretary of the security council. He is part of the Kremlin. And his statements are statements from the Kremlin.As for the Russian Federation, we have a doctrine where everything is clearly spelled out. There are no changes. This is confirmed by the president. Continue reading...

Mark Sedwill says there was sometimes gallows humour' in a very stressful period' in 2020Keith is only now asking about Covid. All the questions so far have been about process.Sedwill says, when concerns about Covid arose, he did not agree to a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee taking place immediately. He wanted to ensure that the meeting was prepared for. And he was concerned that having a Cobra meeting might alarm people.I felt that a Cobra which might have been convened primarily for communications purposes wasn't wise. Two days later I was advised there was a genuine cross-government basis for it and I agreed.May we be plain please as to what you mean by communications purposes. Were you concerned that the Cobra was being called by the DHSC [the Department of Health and Social Care] for presentation purposes, that is to say to make a splash about the role of DHSC, perhaps its secretary of state [Matt Hancock], and that's why you initially hesitated. Continue reading...

Republican Sue Finkam gains Carmel mayor's seat after decrying Hitler quote but refusing to denounce Moms for LibertyA Republican candidate who refused to denounce a local chapter of Moms for Liberty that used a quote by Adolf Hitler in a newsletter has won her election as mayor of Carmel, Indiana, a wealthy suburb of Indianapolis.City councilwoman Sue Finkam defeated Democratic candidate and fellow city councilman Miles Nelson in Tuesday's municipal election, according to unofficial returns from the Hamilton county election office. The election closed a contentious and at times bitter race to lead the city of about 102,000 people and succeed its longtime mayor. Continue reading...