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Sandy Bolton raises prospect of reintroducing Newman-era policy scrapped by Labor as she helms powerful youth crime committee

Max Caller, tasked with pulling the local authority from financial brink, calls crisis self-inflicted'Councillors at Birmingham city council ignored the warning signs" of its financial crisis and caused a self-inflicted" disaster that will take years of cuts to rectify, according to the lead government commissioner drafted in to help.Local government expert Max Caller, who has been nicknamed Max the Axe for his unsparing approach to budget cuts, was lured out of retirement to take on the task of fixing England's largest local authority after it effectively declared itself bankrupt. Continue reading...

Residents of Ladispoli, at the seaside near Rome, told to stay at home before animal was sedated and capturedA lion prowled the streets of an Italian seaside town for several hours after escaping from a local circus, before being sedated and captured.Alessandro Grando, the mayor of Ladispoli, near Rome, had told residents to stay at home on Saturday while police and circus staff sought to catch the animal. Continue reading...

As Scunthorpe faces 2,000 job losses in a move to greener tech, MPs and unions fear for workers and a strategic UK industrySteve Barnes, co-owner of the Lucky Tuppence sweetshop on Scunthorpe's high street, has experienced the decline of the UK's steel industry first-hand: he was made redundant in 1981, when Margaret Thatcher's government cut thousands of jobs. Barnes said the lack of investment in steel in the decades that followed has felt like a way of punching the north".In between weighing lollipops and chocolate buttons from the array of jars that line his shelves, he is now contemplating the latest blow to the town: British Steel's plans to axe more than 2,000 jobs in Scunthorpe, out of a workforce of about 3,800, in a shift to greener technology. Continue reading...

Bereaved families frustrated by slow pace of work by memorial commissionA memorial to commemorate the 72 lives lost in the Grenfell Tower fire will not be completed until at least 2027, a decade after the fire, according to a new report.A report, Remembering Grenfell, by the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission says the earliest point" building on a memorial could start would be late 2026. The government has not yet made any decision on the future of the tower in west London, which is now covered in a protective wrapping. Continue reading...

Dreams, surreal visions and pagan rituals play a central part in works now filling galleries and in high demand around the worldWhen artist Stuart Pearson Wright was about five, he was woken by a spectral black dog standing over him. It growled and scratched the wall by his bed, leaving marks still visible the next morning. The incident stayed with him, and when he was older, Pearson Wright was fascinated by the myths of such grims" (spectral dogs). In his new exhibition, he even creates portraits of them.As an artist, he's not alone in his interest in the paranormal. As recent exhibitions and auctions show, a new generation has been inspired by witchcraft, mysticism and spiritualism. The Horror Show at Somerset House, London, last year was a group show about ghosts, monsters and witches, including pieces by artist David Shrigley and Turner prize winner Tai Shani. In the summer, the Tate Modern showed Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian. Klint was clairvoyant and believed much of her work was created through automatic painting guided by spirits. Continue reading...

Israeli raids raise tensions in a West Bank paying the human price of warAfter the march through the town centre, the men dispersed: to mosques, to their homes, to the few stands that had opened to sell juice or coffee. Many were armed, cradling their M16 assault rifles and ammunition in their arms. All were young, with close-cropped hair, wearing black T-shirts and baseball caps, trainers or combat boots, and all ready to fight.The day before, many had done exactly that. A raid by Israeli forces into Jenin, a town in the far north of the occupied West Bank, had led to a protracted and chaotic battle. When it ended, 14 were dead and many more injured. These included at least two non-combatants: a 31-year-old paramedic badly wounded when she tried to retrieve an injured militant, and a 40-year-old construction worker who was killed. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said they had detained terrorist leaders, destroyed terrorist infrastructure and seized a stash of handmade bombs. Continue reading...

With waiting times on the rise and a challenging winter ahead, analysts claim the financial bottom line' is being prioritisedRishi Sunak's pledge to slash NHS waiting lists has effectively been downgraded, the Observer has been told, amid an increase in the number of patients in England waiting longer than 18 months for treatment.Hospital leaders are warning that morale is low, staff absences are high, and funds for new equipment and repairs are having to be raided ahead of winter. They have now been told to prioritise controlling costs in favour of some of the extra work being done towards the prime minister's pledge to bring down waits. Continue reading...

Burnt-out car was found on Sunday morning on Mansfield-Woods Point Road in Piries

Rare move comes after years of criticism from Strickland, a strong supporter of former US president Donald TrumpPope Francis has dismissed a bishop in Texas, Joseph Strickland, one of his fiercest critics among US Roman Catholic conservatives, the Vatican has said.It is very rare for a bishop to be relieved of his duties outright. Usually bishops in trouble with the Vatican are asked to resign before submitting a resignation, which the pope accepts. Continue reading...

As Israeli missiles rain down on crowded apartment blocks, survivors are left numb as entire family groups are wiped outThe first call informing Fares Alghoul that a relative's home had been hit by an Israeli airstrike arrived late on a Friday. The internet in Gaza was cut only moments later, forcing him to wait 12 hours to learn the names of the 18 dead. He would have to wait even longer for the confirmation that a further 18 family members stuck under the rubble had also been killed, bringing his family's death toll to 36.As a journalist, Alghoul has covered all Gaza's previous wars but now lives in Canada, where he has had to watch from a distance as generations of his family are wiped out. Continue reading...

This blog has now closed. You can read all our coverage of the Israel-Hamas war hereThe al-Shifa hospital director, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, has warned we are minutes away from imminent death" with patients dying by the minute".Speaking from inside the besieged facility in Gaza City to Al Jazeera, he said:All I can say is that we've started to lose lives. Patients are dying by the minute, victims and wounded are also dying - even babies in the incubators.We lost a baby in the incubator, we also lost a young man in the intensive care unit. Continue reading...

Sirul Azhar Umar, sentenced in Malaysia over a politically charged murder, cannot be deported by Australia because he would face the death penalty

Luis Manuel Diaz has described how he spent 12 days trekking through mountains with almost no sleepThe father of Liverpool footballer Luis Diaz has spoken publicly of how he endured almost two weeks of arduous treks and sleepless nights while held captive by armed guerrillas on the Colombian-Venezuelan border.Luis Manuel Diaz, 58, said: It was a lot of horseback riding, really hard, a lot of mountains, a lot of rain, too many insects." A weak Diaz, who was helped to and from a chair by his family, told journalists in his home town of Barrancas in Colombia: I couldn't sleep peacefully, it was very difficult, almost 12 days without sleep." Continue reading...

Australian foreign minister calls on Israel to show greater restraint around medical facilities and for Hamas to release hostages

Met assistant commissioner Matt Twist says nine officers were injured while preventing a violent crowd reaching the CenotaphScores of people have gathered in Hyde Park for a stewards' meeting" before the march, the PA Media agency reports.They are all wearing hi-vis jackets, while many have also donned keffiyehs, Palestinian scarves.Armistice Day is a moment of solemn national reflection in remembrance of those who have given their lives in service of our country. It's important that people can use our rail network to safely travel, free from intimidation.That's why I have granted consent for the British Transport Police to make orders under section 14A of the Public Order Act 1986 prohibiting planned protests at various London stations today, meaning anyone taking part will be subject to arrest. Continue reading...

Statet MP Jeff Bourman says his Hunters for the Hungry' proposal will help deal with ballooning deer numbers

Closures at subsidiary Coutts led to resignation of Alison Rose, the chief executive of NatWestNigel Farage is to launch a legal battle with NatWest over the closure of his accounts at its private bank subsidiary Coutts. The debanking scandal ultimately led to the resignation of Alison Rose, the chief executive of NatWest, in July and the departure of Peter Flavel, the chief executive of Coutts, soon after.The former leader of Ukip and the Brexit party said he is instructing lawyers to take action against NatWest, with the aim of turning it into a class action. Continue reading...

Police escort communities secretary as protesters shout Shame on you' shortly after London station sit-inMichael Gove has been mobbed by protesters as he walked through London's Victoria station, moments after a sit-in protest for Palestine ended.Pro-Palestinian protesters chanted shame on you" as the communities secretary, escorted by police officers, made his way through the concourse. Video footage posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, shows a number of protesters waving flags and surging towards Gove as Metropolitan police officers pushed them away and shouted at them to get back". Continue reading...

Doctors accuse IDF of attacking people trying to flee al-Shifa, the hospital portrayed by Israel as the main command post for HamasIsrael's campaign against Hamas in Gaza appeared to be reaching a key moment, with close-quarter battles raging around the most important hospital in the heart of its biggest city.Residents said Israeli forces had been fighting Hamas gunmen all night and throughout the day in the neighbourhood in Gaza City where the al-Shifa hospital is located, considered a key strategic area. Continue reading...

Report proposes memorial to tragedy should emphasise height and visibility' but says tower remains cannot stand foreverThe Grenfell Tower disaster should be remembered with a permanent memorial reaching high into the sky but the building itself cannot remain forever in its current form", the commission established to determine the future of the site has concluded.A memorial that lasts generations should consider incorporating the names of some or all of the 72 people who died in the June 2017 fire and make sure the world can never forget", states a report by the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission circulated to the bereaved, survivors and local people and seen by the Guardian. Continue reading...

Water-stained bill of fare from three days before disaster reveals passengers dined on shellfish, salmon, squab and Victoria puddingIt was not quite the last supper for the first-class passengers on board RMS Titanic, but very nearly. A unique surviving ship's menu from 11 April 1912, going under the hammer this weekend, has revealed the treats that were served on the doomed liner just three days before it hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic.Expected to sell for up to 70,000, the bill of fare poses some interesting questions: among them, who grabbed a menu while making for the lifeboats, and what is Victoria pudding? Continue reading...

The latest Opinium poll shows Keir Starmer's personal rating has slumped but the Tories are also suffering from internal divisions

Police arrest scores of people amid skirmishes with rightwingers in London moments before Armistice Day silence

Yousef Wynne, 39, remanded in custody after Andy Foster was attacked with suspected ammonia in AugustA fourth person has been charged with the murder of a man who died after a suspected ammonia attack, Northumbria police have said.Andy Foster, 26, was injured in a suspected ammonia attack when he opened the door at an address in Wrekenton, Gateshead, on 20 August. Continue reading...

UK's largest survey on knife crime, bullying and gang rivalry has uncovered shocking and unacceptable' levels of violence

Best chances of seeing aurora borealis are in northern Scotland, north Wales and MidlandsThe northern lights could illuminate skies across the UK on Saturday evening into Sunday morning, according to the Met Office.The forecaster predicts the natural phenomenon could be as strong as the lights that were spotted last weekend by webcams from Shetland and from onlookers in central and eastern parts of England. Continue reading...

As sci-fi show's 60th anniversary nears, a collector pleads for BBC to offer amnesty to those with recordings discarded by corporationFor Doctor Who-lovers they are the missing crown jewels: lost episodes of the first series of the TV sci-fi drama, shown in the 1960s. But now film recordings of not just one, but two of the early BBC adventures, both featuring the first doctor, William Hartnell, has been found in Britain by amateur sleuths.The episodes, one featuring the Daleks, would offer viewers a chance to travel back in time without the use of a Tardis. But the Observer has learned that the owners of the rare, rediscovered footage are not prepared to hand it over to the BBC, even as the clock ticks down to the 60th anniversary of the show's launch this month. Continue reading...

Girl stabbed in September in south London was said to leave a legacy of faith, determination and love for justice'Mourners have gathered in Croydon for the funeral of Elianne Andam, who dreamed of becoming a lawyer and was described as leaving behind a legacy of faith, determination and love for justice".The funeral for the 15-year-old, who died after being stabbed during the morning rush hour at a bus stop in Croydon, south London, on 27 September, was held at the New Life Christian Centre on Saturday. More than 2,000 people followed the ceremony on a live stream. Continue reading...

Activists have secured a string of legal victories in Hong Kong but it is a very different story on the mainlandAfter months of pandemic-related delays, Asia's first Gay Games was held in Hong Kong last week, with nearly 2,400 athletes competing. At the opening ceremony, Regina Ip, the convenor of Hong Kong's executive council, said the competition represented the city's commitment to equal opportunity and non-discrimination", and praised Hong Kong's courts for the numerous judgments" handed down in favour of the LGBTQ+ community in the past decade.This was met with bemusement by activists and lawyers, who pointed out that Ip's government has opposed each of those judgments, losing in nearly every single case. Since 2018, there have been at least seven cases relating to LGBTQ+ rights heard by Hong Kong's courts, with many reaching the Court of Final Appeal, the city's highest bench. Why are they still wasting taxpayers' money fighting these tooth-and-nail litigations when they're recycling the same arguments and losing?" said Mark Daly, a human rights lawyer who has worked on a number of the cases. Continue reading...

Furious colleagues denounce decision that there are no compassionate grounds' to allow the child to join her motherDr Doseline Kiguru, a Kenyan expert in world literature, was overjoyed when she secured a permanent position at Bristol University. But that all changed last week when the Home Office refused to allow her six-year-old daughter to join her.The decision, which furious colleagues have called an act of unthinkable cruelty", will fuel fears that the government is disproportionately blocking academics from the global south from coming to the UK, despite Rishi Sunak's pledge to make Britain a global science superpower". Continue reading...

Al-Shifa complex, where thousands of displaced people are sheltering, is besieged' and totally cut off', says hospital chief

Organisers say rally on Armistice Day could be one of the largest political marches in British history

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage hereThat's all from today's shorter-than-usual Ukraine live blog.Here is a summary of the day's main events so far:Blasts were reported across Kyiv on Saturday morning, as the city came under Russian attack for the first time since SeptemberA former Nato secretary general has put forward a proposal for Ukraine to join the military alliance but stripped of the territories occupied by RussiaThe UK's Ministry of Defence says Russia is ramping up its attempt to weaponise historyTrains carrying cargo in Russia's Ryazan region were derailed Saturday morning due to unauthorised interference" Continue reading...

Former secretary general says partial membership would warn Russia it cannot stop Ukraine joining the allianceA former Nato secretary general has put forward a proposal for Ukraine to join the military alliance but stripped of the territories occupied by Russia.Anders Fogh Rasmussen has long worked alongside Andriy Yermak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, particularly ahead of the last Nato summit in Vilnius this year that ended with no invitation for Ukraine to join. Continue reading...

Four years after it fell out of the FTSE 100 the high street brand is again boasting strong salesFours years after it fell out of the FTSE 100, M&S has turned around its fortunes to become the UK's best retailer for women's wear.In May, strong sales figures were driven not only by bog-standard basics such as underwear and T-shirts, but by more fashion-forward categories, too. Now, sales of women's party wear are up 49%, and knitwear up 23% in October compared with last year. Continue reading...

Israelis are politically divided, but there's widespread agreement that Benjamin Netanyahu's government needs to go

Force raided freelance journalist's property last year, seizing electronic devices and documentsA freelance journalist has defeated an attempt by the Metropolitan police to seize protected source material, after the high court quashed an order obtained by the force as part of an Official Secrets Act investigation into alleged defence and intelligence leaks.The high court ruled on Friday that Judge Mark Lucraft, the recorder of London, was wrong to have allowed police to obtain source material last year on the premise that information may have been stolen from the government. Continue reading...

Claims on X and Telegram include downplaying 7 October Hamas attack and allegations Palestinians are faking scenes of suffering

Some locals say number of stag party-type visitors is down after campaign targeting young BritonsBrits on tour!" laughed Devon Bennett, finishing her English breakfast at the all-day brunch restaurant Greenwoods. The 23-year-old from Brighton was in Amsterdam with 20 old school friends, attracted by the city's reputation for freedom, fun and frolics. If weed wasn't legal," said her friend Chloe Bishop, people wouldn't come here just to get high."But there is some evidence that high times are ending for partying Britons, whose stag and hen nights have become a byword for tourist nuisance in Amsterdam's red light district. Continue reading...

Regulations for carriages, which have been accused of ripping off tourists, announced in king's speechOn their last night in London, and for the second time on their trip, tourists Edward and Tiffany, from California, jumped into a pedal-powered taxi cab, commonly referred to as pedicabs. We just want to experience all the culture of London and we love these," Edward said, pointing at the bike decorated in faux fur and neon lights.I started off selling food in the streets, so for me to be able to support him, it's important. I know he'll probably have a family he's supporting, so it's nice to just give back to the people," he said. Continue reading...

Research found speeding or jumping a red light less likely in a Skoda or Hyundai than in brands sold as performance driving'What came first, the boy racer or the sports car? Academics have called for further research into the marketing of cars after analysis of UK accident data suggested that drivers of certain brands are more likely than others to cause a crash.A study of more than 400,000 UK road accidents found that when risky or aggressive manoeuvres" played a part in collisions, there was a significant statistical difference in driver culpability across different brands. Continue reading...

Amid talk of stalemate, long waits for western weapons and attention diverted to Gaza, experts say the conflict could last into 2025Ukraine's counteroffensive has stalled, with progress on the two principal axes on the southern front modest since it began on 4 June. Kyiv's forces have advanced about 10km south of Velyka Novosilka and 9km south of Orikhiv and there appears no prospect of a breakthrough as the weather turns.Last week, the reality was acknowledged by Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Kyiv's military. Just like in the first world war, we have reached the level of technology that puts us into a stalemate," he said in an interview with the Economist, while in a related essay he added that the war, after nearly 21 months of fighting, is gradually moving to a positional form". Continue reading...

Police say two-year-old was pronounced dead in hospital before another boy was found at the same address, south-west of Rockhampton

French president's comments come as aid agency Doctors Without Borders says situation at main Gaza hospital catastrophic'

Strikes increasing near al-Shifa hospital, where it is said more than 50,000 people may have taken shelter

Authorities step up checks and name and shame' content creators who break rules in move to regulate industryWhen Marie Lopez started recording YouTube videos of makeup and hair tutorials in her bedroom in Lyon aged 16, she ate, slept and breathed" social media.By 21, she had an online community of millions and was one of the most watched French women on YouTube, posting about topics from bullying and acne to ecology. Now 28, under the name EnjoyPhoenix she uploads content from her life so many times a day that she is scared to count her working hours, aware that part of success is to reveal more and more" of your private life. Continue reading...

Jacinta Allan asks for increased police presence around Hawthorn Road after authorities break up scuffles near a synagogue close to where the Palestinian-owned burger shop was damaged by a blaze

After eight weeks of evidence that heard of chronic and shocking' underfunding, Elisabeth Armitage wraps up landmark inquiry into killings of four women at hands of their partner

Head of World Health Organisation says Gaza's health system is on its knees'. This blog is now closed