World news | The Guardian

Atmospheric rivers have pummeled the region, resulting in the deaths of two people in rushing floodwatersTorrential rains that pummeled the Pacific north-west this week will begin to slow on Thursday, as the region examines the damage left in the wake of severe storms across Washington and Oregon.The atmospheric river systems brought heavy rain, flooding and unseasonably warm temperatures to the region, forcing closures of schools and roads as authorities rescued people from raging rivers and submerged streets. Officials reported the death of two men whose bodies were recovered from rushing waters. Continue reading...

Inquest examined watchdog's role in Ruth Perry's decline after Reading primary school's rating was downgradedThe family of Ruth Perry have spoken out against the brutal inhumanity" of Ofsted inspections after a coroner ruled that it was a contributory factor in the headteacher's death by suicide.

US and Britain express support for Guyana over Maduro threat to seize a third of its territory while Brazil calls for peaceful solutionThe United States has said it would conduct flight operations within Guyana that build on its routine engagement, as Britain and Brazil expressed concerns about growing border tensions between Guyana and Venezuela.The long-running spat over the oil-rich Essequibo region, which is being heard by the international court of justice (ICJ), escalated over the weekend when voters in Venezuela rejected the ICJ's jurisdiction and backed the creation of a new Venezuelan state. Continue reading...

MPs say plans for corporate public ownership disclosure in Britain's overseas territories must be revivedBritain will remain the global centre of dirty money" unless ministers revive stalled plans for public registers of who owns companies based in offshore havens such as the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) and Jersey, campaigners and senior MPs have said.Veteran anti-corruption campaigner Dame Margaret Hodge MP said it was a matter of national security" to do away with the secrecy offered by the 10 inhabited overseas territories and three crown dependencies. Continue reading...

Suella Braverman earlier denied plotting to bring the PM down over the Rwanda bill. This live blog is closedRishi Sunak says he is holding this press conference to explain why the government is publishing its Rwanda bill.He says he is the child of immigrants. He understands why people want to come to the UK. Continue reading...

Turkish leader says his visit to Athens hailed the start of a new era between the two countriesHungary's prime minister, Viktor Orban, cannot be allowed to blackmail" the rest of the EU by threatening to block Ukraine membership talks unless it releases withheld funds to Hungary, centre-left MEPs have said.This is a make or break moment for the EU," said Pedro Marques, vice chair of the Socialist and Democratic group in the European parliament.At a moment in which the US Congress has just outvoted a proposal by Joe Biden to continue to support Ukraine, we cannot put ourselves in a situation where the Ukrainians see that we are also not capable of continuing to assist them.It also not acceptable, from my point of view, that anyone gets the perception that at the end of next week, Orban got his way and got his 30bn in exchange for allowing the EU to continue to assist Ukraine.Ministers of the two countries will have constructive meetings. We'll discuss what steps we can take on all issues. Preparations have been made by ministers ... I believe it will be better for the future of both sides to speak seeing the glass half full. Continue reading...

Ukraine human rights commissioner says more and more children are being deported each day

20 people killed in airstrikes that hit two homes in Rafah, a town IDF told Palestinians to flee to

Day's friends had shot dead two police who came to their Queensland property. The FBI was taking no such chancesDonald Day Jr claimed he was armed to the teeth" and would kill any law enforcement officers who came to his remote property in northern Arizona, a US indictment alleges.The devils come for us, they fucking die," he allegedly posted online last year. It's just that simple. We are free people, We are owned by no one." Continue reading...

Disability organisations welcome proposed changes around foundational supports but urge Labor to give guarantee no participant will be worse off

US may feel impelled to protect Israel with veto again as UAE prepares security council motion

Regulator says figures show much of Britain's railway is still not delivering reliable journeys'

Cost of living crisis partly responsible but total sales at Mike Ashley's company riseMike Ashley's Frasers Group has warned of softening in the global luxury market" as underlying sales at its upmarket division, which includes the House of Fraser department stores and the Flannels chain, dived more than 11%.The fall in underlying sales, which does not take into account acquisitions, came as the group closed two more House of Frasers stores in the half-year, taking the total to 29, half the number the group bought out of administration in 2018. Continue reading...

Former home secretary refuses to back Rishi Sunak's deportation plan and says Tories are in a perilous situation'

PNG prime minister, James Marape, said the historic deal did not mean his country was picking between China and the west

Nikita Irvine also says Brittany Higgins seemed sad' and told her about alleged assault in Parliament HouseBruce Lehrmann's former colleague, an aide-de-camp for senator Linda Reynolds, has told the federal court she had bad vibes" about him based on her women's intuition".The army major, Nikita Irvine, also said she discussed Brittany Higgins' allegation of sexual assault against Lehrmann with both Reynolds and her chief of staff Fiona Brown. Continue reading...

Monthly increase of 0.5% in November comes as average price of property goes up to 283,615, says Halifax

Man, 23, succumbs to injuries and dies after falling into hole and becoming trapped in sand on Bribie Island north of Brisbane

Slow-moving tropical cyclone forecast to strengthen before weakening slightly and heading for Queensland next week

Shinji Aoba has admitted starting fire but has pleaded not guilty, saying a psychological disorder makes him incapable of distinguishing between right and wrongProsecutors in Japan are seeking the death penalty for the suspect in an arson attack in 2019 that killed 36 people in one of the country's deadliest crimes for decades.Shinji Aoba, who was not arrested until he had recovered from the burns he sustained in the attack on an animation studio in Kyoto, admitted in court in September 2023 to starting the fire. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: The former prime minister attempted to shape his legacy during hours of intense questioning. Pippa Crerar explains key takeaways from his testimony Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.For about six hours yesterday, Boris Johnson finally had a chance to defend his record against the blistering criticism levelled against him over the course of the Covid inquiry since it started in June 2022. Evidence handed over to the inquiry has revealed that senior figures in his administration had significant doubts about Johnson's ability to lead and govern, creating an image of chaos, disorganisation and dysfunction during an unprecedented global health crisis.Robert Jenrick | Rishi Sunak's government was plunged into crisis after his immigration minister quit just hours after the prime minister tabled a bill to save his Rwanda deportation policy. Robert Jenrick said the bill was a triumph of hope over experience" and would mean that the policy will be challenged again in the courts.Israel-Hamas war | UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, has said that he expects public order to completely break down" in Gaza amid Israel's continuing bombardment, rendering even limited humanitarian assistance impossible."Hillsborough disaster | Ministers have rejected the Hillsborough law" reforms that are central to a campaign by families of the 97 people killed in the 1989 disaster to prevent future police cover-ups. Instead the government has signed a charter" that states a commitment by departments to openness and transparency after public tragedies.Cop28 | The head of the International Monetary Fund has said that carbon pricing, a way to put an implicit price on carbon emissions, would generate the vast amounts of cash needed to tackle the climate crisis. It is a traditionally unpopular policy as in practice it can hit poorer people hardest if it is badly applied.Energy | A toxic culture" of bullying, sexual harassment and drug-taking risks compromising the safety of Europe's most hazardous nuclear site, multiple employees at Sellafield have claimed. Continue reading...

Western Australia police say a Carine high school student allegedly inflicted injuries on another and both were taken to hospital

The Preston Hotel fined $15,000 for allowing teen to gamble $2,500 as court hears extent of his addiction

In a lengthy interview, Swift says Kim Kardashian feud took me down psychologically', and criticises music industry over treatment of young starsTaylor Swift has spoken of the psychological damage of her feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and lambasted the music industry over its treatments of young pop stars, in a new interview with Time, which has named her their person of the year.After a year in which she has been at the centre of cultural conversations for her massively lucrative Eras tour, Swift spoke damningly of what she sees as a short-termist approach by record labels to replace, rather than nurture its stars. By the time an artist is mature enough to psychologically deal with the job, they throw you out at 29, typically," she says. In the 90s and 00s, it seems like the music industry just said: OK, let's take a bunch of teenagers, throw them into a fire, and watch what happens. By the time they've accumulated enough wisdom to do their job effectively, we'll find new teenagers.'" She said her solution was to change style with each new album project: I realised every record label was actively working to try to replace me. I thought instead, I'd replace myself first with a new me. It's harder to hit a moving target." Continue reading...

The staunch anti-communist, at first supportive of her brothers' efforts, became disillusioned with the Cuban governmentJuanita Castro, the sister of Cuban rulers Fidel and Raul Castro who worked with the CIA against their communist government, has died in Miami at 90. Florida had been her home since shortly after fleeing the island nearly 60 years ago.Journalist Maria Antonieta Collins, who co-wrote Juanita Castro's 2009 book, Fidel and Raul, My Brothers. The Secret History, wrote on Instagram that she died on Monday. Continue reading...

The 85-year-old was pictured leaving prison in Lima where he was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abusesAlberto Fujimori, Peru's former strongman leader, was freed from jail after a ruling from the country's highest court granted him a humanitarian pardon, despite a request from the regional Inter-American Court of Human Rights to delay his release.Looking frail and wearing a face mask, the 85-year-old was received by his lawyer, two of his children Kenji and Keiko Fujimori - his political heiress and three-time presidential candidate - and helped into a waiting vehicle amid cheers from his supporters, who waved banners, honked horns and chanted Fujimori Libertad", or Fujimori freedom". Continue reading...

UK charity says government must tighten consumer protections to stop rogue traders' taking advantageHouseholds could be at risk of net zero scammers" amid a surge in green home upgrades unless the government tightens consumer protections, Citizens Advice has warned.The charity said that if the government does not tighten consumer protections to keep pace with the work required to decarbonise Britain's homes, rogue traders" could take advantage of households and erode trust in the UK's climate agenda. Continue reading...

The former PM is scheduled to be questioned for two days. Here is what happened at his first session at the inquiry

Ruling defies international court, which has said that Fujimori cannot be pardoned due to his conviction for human rights crimesPeru risks being ranked alongside authoritarian states like Venezuela and Nicaragua, lawyers have warned, if it flouts international law by freeing former president Alberto Fujimori from jail after its highest court ordered his immediate release".In the latest chapter of a drawn-out legal saga, Peru's constitutional court ruled on Tuesday to free the former authoritarian leader who, since 2009, has been serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and ordering massacres committed by an army death squad in the early 1990s. Continue reading...

Calls for legislation after dozens of brands identified as being at risk of sourcing materials linked to China's transfer programmesA substantial volume" of clothing tainted by the use of Uyghur forced labour is entering the European Union market, according to a report, as campaigners say the EU's checks are not doing enough to weed out coercive work from large supply chains.Dozens of well-known brands including H&M and Zara are identified as being at high risk of sourcing materials, particularly cotton and PVC, made by Uyghurs compelled to participate in state-imposed labour transfer programmes, according to a report from Uyghur Rights Monitor, Sheffield Hallam University and the Uyghur Centre for Democracy and Human Rights. Continue reading...

Request for help came after Venezuelan president announced series of measures to formalize a referendum Sunday eveningGuyana has appealed for help from the United Nations and the United States as the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, announced a series of measures intended to advance its annexation of two-thirds of the tiny South American nation's territory.I have spoken to the Secretary General of the United Nations and several leaders, alerting them of these dangerous developments and the desperate actions of President Maduro," Irfaan Ali, president of Guyana, said in a television broadcast late on Tuesday, as he informed the nation of 800,000 of Maduro's latest steps intended to create a new Venezuelan state in Guyana. Continue reading...

Emergency legislation stops short of leaving European convention on human rights and will infuriate Tory hard right

Ex-PM tells inquiry abusive messages between staff were inevitable passion of people doing their best' under great stress

Famous tree was cut down from its spot on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland in SeptemberSalvaged seeds and cuttings from the felled Sycamore Gap tree are showing positive signs of being able to grow and provide new descendants", the National Trust has said.The world famous tree was cut down from its spot on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland in late September. Police continue to investigate the felling. A man in his 60s and two men in their 30s, who were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, remain on bail. Continue reading...

Veteran TV executive to replace Richard Sharp, who resigned after breaching rules over loan to Boris JohnsonThe veteran TV executive Samir Shah is set to be appointed as the next chair of the BBC.Shah, 71, who has previously served as a non-executive director at the broadcaster and was the co-author of the government's controversial racial disparities report in 2021, has been announced as the culture secretary's preferred candidate" for the three-days-a-week position, which pays a salary of 160,000. Continue reading...

Gaza's second biggest urban concentration is now being depicted as Hamas's centre of gravity'

Gen Sir Mark Carleton-Smith will support work on opportunities arising from Aukus defence pactA former head of the British army has joined a lobbying firm run by the veteran Conservative party strategist Sir Lynton Crosby as it seeks to capitalise on business deals in the defence industry.Gen Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, who until last year was one of the UK's most senior military officers, will work as an adviser at Crosby's influential Anglo-Australian consultancy, CT Group. Continue reading...

Families pushing for Hillsborough law' to outlaw police cover-ups after major incidents

Grim forecast comes after Nottingham city council became fourth authority in the past 12 months to declare insolvencyThe financial crisis engulfing English local authorities will trigger an unprecedented increase in town hall bankruptcies in the coming months, local government leaders have warned, as they prepare to increase council tax bills and impose a fresh round of cuts to services.The grim forecast, endorsed by council leaders of all political colours, comes days after Labour-run Nottingham city council issued a Section 114 notice to become the fourth authority in the past 12 months - and the eighth in six years - to declare effective insolvency. Continue reading...

Atsushi Ozawa accused of using car to kill common pigeon, which vets said died of traumatic shockTo some, they are another species of feathered friend; to others, they are rats with wings whose droppings deface historic buildings.But in Japan, pigeons may have become the victims of crime, after police arrested a Tokyo taxi driver on suspicion of deliberately driving into a flock of the birds, killing one of them. Continue reading...

Court of appeal rejects effort to overturn decision that stopped the man from suing his former partner for defamation

Ministerial staffers frequently hired in government departments and independent advice ignored, says report which takes aim at Suburban Rail Loop

Nearly a month after agreement, 78% of union's 160,000 members sign off on deal, marking end of a challenging period in HollywoodThe Sag-Aftra union has ratified its contract with Hollywood studios, nearly one month after the parties reached an agreement that put an end to the historic strike that had upended the film and television industry.Actors won pay increases, protections around the use of artificial intelligence, and streaming-based bonuses in the deal, which the union said was valued at more than $1bn and hailed for its extraordinary scope". Continue reading...

This blog has now closed. Read our full report on the latest developments in Gaza here and our report on a UN meeting to hear accounts of sexual violence committed by Hamas on 7 October here. Continue reading...

About 2.7m will have to choose between buying food or presents as cost of living crisis bitesMillions of people will have to make stark financial choices this Christmas including choosing between buying food or presents and be unable to afford to keep their homes warm through the festive season, according to new research by National Debtline.About 6.5 million people will struggle to heat their homes sufficiently this festive season, while 2.7 million will have to choose between buying food or presents, highlighting the drastic impact the cost of living crisis continues to have on household budgets. Continue reading...

Live and on-demand TV over broadband replaces BT TV as firm continues brand and service revampThe BT-owned EE is rolling out its revamped TV over broadband offering, which delivers live and on-demand services streamed to a choice of set-top boxes that includes a customised Apple TV - a first for the UK.The new IPTV service continues the firm's replacement of the BT brand with EE and ditches the aerial while still offering free-to-air and premium channels in a range of packages starting at 18 a month on top of the required EE broadband subscription. Continue reading...

20-year-old man and 16-year-old boy also injured in Hackney shootingA murder investigation has been launched after a woman died following a shooting in east London.The Metropolitan police said they were called to an incident on Vine Close in Hackney at 6.28pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For our latest reporting on Zelenskiy, you can read our latest report:

Air New Zealand says using the ALIA electric cargo plane to deliver parcels will help plot route towards zero-emissions passenger flights in a new age of propulsion'Parcels and letters will soon be distributed by electric aircraft between regions of New Zealand as the sparsely populated country embarks on a new age of propulsion" in its attempts to decarbonise its reliance on aviation.On Wednesday, Air New Zealand announced it had purchased a battery-powered, all-electric five seater cargo aircraft, which will be put to use running mail between airports with New Zealand's postal service from 2026. Continue reading...

Laine, who sang Go Now and co-wrote Mull of Kintyre, had suffered lung disease in recent yearsDenny Laine, the frontman of the Moody Blues who went on to huge success with Paul McCartney in Wings, has died aged 79.He had suffered lung damage caused by interstitial lung disease. My darling husband passed away peacefully early this morning," his wife, Elizabeth Hines, wrote on Instagram. I was at his bedside, holding his hand as I played his favorite Christmas songs for him ... My world will never be the same." Continue reading...