World news | The Guardian

Prices usually decrease at this time of year but fall is greater than 20-year average owing to high mortgage rates, says RightmoveThe average asking price for a UK home has dropped by almost 7,000 this month as sellers became more competitive as they fought to find a buyer for their properties.With prices expected to fall further in 2024, the property portal Rightmove has reported that the average new seller asking price fell by 1.9% month-on-month to 355,177. That is a drop of 6,966 compared with November. Continue reading...

Estate agent Hamptons estimates rise of 10.2% year-on-year means people paid record 85bn in rent this yearTenants in Britain last month were hit by the highest increase in rents for any November in at least a decade.Rents on new tenancies rose 10.2% year-on-year, according to the estate agent Hamptons, which is the strongest growth recorded in any November since its records began in 2014. Continue reading...

Foreign secretary says FCDO support for Scottish ministers could be withdrawn after Recep Tayyip Erdoan talksDavid Cameron has threatened to withdraw Foreign Office support for Scottish ministers after Humza Yousaf met the Turkish president without UK officials.The foreign secretary wrote to the Scottish National party government saying it was a breach of protocol for Yousaf to have discussed Gaza and other matters with Recep Tayyip Erdoan at the Cop28 summit. Continue reading...

PM's allies spend weekend pleading with groups on left and right of party in effort to prevent rebellion on flagship legislationRishi Sunak is facing the biggest week of his premiership, with his authority in the hands of two warring Tory tribes vying to set out their battle lines on his flagship Rwanda bill.The prime minister is beset by rebellion on the right and left of the party, with up to 100 MPs on each side due to meet on Monday afternoon to debate how to vote on the legislation. To avoid defeat at Tuesday's parliamentary vote, Sunak will need to keep the rebellion below 56 abstentions or 28 votes against. Continue reading...

Johan Floderus faces trial for spying for Israel' and corruption on Earth', one of Iran's most serious offencesIran has accused a Swedish EU diplomat held in a Tehran prison for more than 600 days of spying for Israel and corruption on Earth", a crime that carries the death penalty.Johan Floderus is accused of extensive measures against the security of the country, extensive intelligence cooperation with the Zionist regime and corruption on Earth," the judiciary's Mizan Online news agency said on Sunday. Continue reading...

Campaigners say monarch's decision to put Dr Michael Dixon in charge of royal medical household is inappropriate'King Charles's appointment of a pro-homeopathy head of the royal medical household has been described as worrying and inappropriate by academics and campaigners.Dr Michael Dixon, who has championed faith healing and herbalism in his work as a GP, has quietly held the senior position for the last year, the Sunday Times reported. Continue reading...

Radical libertarian likens his election to fall of Berlin Wall in inauguration speech with strong echoes of Trump's 2017 addressArgentina's new president, Javier Milei, has vowed to lead his country out of decades of decadence and decline" but said its punishing economic crisis would intensify over the coming months, as a who's who" of the global far right assembled in Buenos Aires to celebrate the radical libertarian's inauguration.Addressing tens of thousands of supporters outside Argentina's turquoise-domed neoclassical congress, Milei - a mercurial former TV celebrity known as El Loco or the Madman - - compared his shock election with the start of the Soviet Union's collapse. Continue reading...

Administration reportedly not carrying out continual assessments on whether war crimes being committed in Gaza

Two girls, 13 and 14, were arrested on Saturday and remain in custody after incident in Stamford HillPolice are investigating a possible hate crime after arresting two girls, 13 and 14, on suspicion of the robbery of a Jewish woman in north London.A 20-year-old woman, who is from the Orthodox Jewish community, was assaulted and had her handbag stolen in Stamford Hill on Thursday. Continue reading...

Storms bring warnings for north-east and south-west Scotland, north-west of England and West YorkshireThe UK will continue to be battered by heavy rain caused by the coming together of two storms, Elin and Fergus, with four yellow weather warnings for rain in place for Monday.The Met Office said heavy rain is expected in the north-east of Scotland including Aberdeen, the south-west of Scotland and most of the north-west of England and West Yorkshire. Continue reading...

Sir Richard Dearlove says the deal would be a profound security concern' and urges ministers to stop itThe former head of MI6 has labelled the planned Abu Dhabi-backed takeover of the Telegraph newspaper as completely unacceptable" and a profound security concern".Sir Richard Dearlove said an authoritarian state acquiring an influential newspaper poses a risk to the UK and its democracy, and urged ministers to intervene and block the deal. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president updates French president on military progress as he visits Argentina's far-right populist as he is sworn in

Forty fishing boats loaded with donations, Father Christmas figurines and nativity had set sail in disputed South China SeaA Philippine mission to bring Santa Claus to the South China Sea to spread holiday cheer to fisherfolk, troops and coastguard officials was cut short after organisers said Chinese vessels intimidated their convoy.The flotilla of 40 fishing boats loaded with Christmas donations, Father Christmas figurines and nativity displays set sail from El Nido in Palawan province at 1am local time on Sunday (1700 GMT Saturday), on its way to disputed areas that Beijing claims, without legal grounds, as its own. Continue reading...

Government says temporary migration system is broken' and changes to student and skilled worker visas are needed to address exploitation

When Joe Sacco created Palestine no one knew what comics journalism' was. Now his pioneering book has eager new readersAn acclaimed nonfiction graphic novel about Gaza, which pioneered the medium of comics journalism", has been rushed back into print after surging demand since the fresh outbreak of the conflict two months ago.Palestine, by Joe Sacco, was originally released in comic book form by the American publisher Fantagraphics 30 years ago, then published as a single volume by the company, and by Jonathan Cape in the UK in 2003. Continue reading...

Kenyan parents of Peter Mutuku Mutisya claim his neck had marks like he had been strangled. No injuries were recorded on the official reportWhen Peter Mutuku Mutisya's body was found floating in a dam on Del Monte's farm in Kenya last month his family and friends had already been searching for days.Mutisya, 25, worked as a chemical sprayer at the neighbouring farm and was relied on by his relatives, to whom he would offer lifts on his prized motorbike. Continue reading...

There's no chance of a fair election on Sunday, but Egypt president's weakness on Gaza is showing in a country racked by poverty, corruption and inflationFor Egyptians, the only signs that an election is imminent are the posters of President Abdel-Fatah al-Sisi's face plastered on every available wall and billboard across the country.The repetitive images of Sisi - always gazing into the distance with a stiff, forced smile - are so ubiquitous that people have turned to the only venue for free expression they have left and have begun making memes of them to share online. One picture that circulated features Jack and Rose from the film Titanic sitting on the deck of the ship surrounded by Sisi's campaign posters. In another, people joke that a pregnant woman passed so many pictures of Sisi on her way to work that her newborn baby resembled the incumbent president. Continue reading...

Fees for foreign investors who leave properties vacant will double and taxes will triple for those who buy existing houses

High court demolished indefinite detention system and within one month the Albanese government's resolved it', Labor minister says

Drama also claims the prizes for best director, best screenwriter and best actress for Sandra HullerAn arthouse whodunit about sexual jealousy and simmering creative rivalry between two married writers was everyone's envy at Saturday night's European Film Awards (EFA) in Berlin, with Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall beating her competitors to take home four of the five major awards.Centred around a deadly fall from the top floor of a chalet in the French Alps, Triet's drama scooped the European equivalent of the Oscars' coveted prizes for best film, best director and best screenwriter, as well as a best actress award for the film's lead, Sandra Huller. Continue reading...

ERG lawyers conclude plans will not forestall court challenges, echoing concerns of goverment's own legal teamRishi Sunak has been dealt a fresh blow over his Rwanda legislation as a legal assessment for the Tory right has concluded that the prime minister's plans are not fit for purpose.Bill Cash, who chairs the star chamber" of lawyers for the European Research Group, wrote in the Daily Telegraph that at present" the legislation is not sufficiently watertight to meet the government's policy objectives" such as circumventing individual legal challenges by people seeking to remain in the UK. Continue reading...

In a recording in 2020, the actor made a case for giving human beings true agency over their bodies at the end of life' Read more: Push me over the edge' - Diana Rigg's daughter Rachael Stirling writes about her mother's dying wishesDiana Rigg made an impassioned case to legalise assisted dying in a message recorded shortly before her truly awful" and dehumanising" death from cancer three years ago.The actor's statement calling for a law that gives human beings true agency over their own bodies at the end of life", published today in the Observer, adds to the ongoing debate on assisted dying, with MPs expected to publish recommendations to the government within weeks. Continue reading...

Video of fight shows villagers with sickles and rifles chasing down suspected gang members amid gunfireA clash between gunmen from a criminal gang and residents of a small farming community in central Mexico left 14 people dead and seven injured, local authorities said on Saturday.Dramatic video of the fight on Friday posted on social media showed villagers in cowboy hats with sickles and hunting rifles chasing down suspected gang members amid bursts of automatic gunfire. Continue reading...

Police say 13 protesters arrested during march from Bank Junction to Parliament Square

Teenager also charged with attempted murder of 16- and 20-year-old males in incident in which Lianne Gordon diedA 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder after a woman was shot dead in Hackney, east London, on Tuesday evening. Lianne Gordon, 42, died at the scene after police were called to the incident in the early evening on 5 December.The teenager has also been charged with the attempted murder of a 20-year-old man and a boy, 16, according to the Metropolitan police. The pair were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and have since been discharged. Continue reading...

Former Met PC Alice Vinten says online abuse worse since publication of book about women in force that inspired BBC dramaWhen Alice Vinten wrote The Real Happy Valley, she intended the book to be a celebration of women in the police force, the real-life accounts of those who served as inspiration for protagonist Sgt Catherine Cawood in Sally Wainwright's acclaimed BBC drama. Vinten interviewed women officers across Yorkshire who told of their careers on the frontline of policing, as depicted by Sarah Lancashire in the series that was set in the Calder Valley around Halifax.Instead, the book has prompted a campaign of abuse against Vinten, 42, a former Metropolitan police officer herself, on Twitter, now known as X, including what the author calls an orchestrated campaign of leaving bad reviews and even threats. Worse, she says, they're from police. Continue reading...

Dozens of flood warnings in place as Britain and Ireland hit by fifth named storm since SeptemberThe Met Office has issued yellow alerts for rain and wind across large swathes of the UK and the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, with dozens of flood warnings in place as the countries are battered by the fifth named storm since September.As Storm Elin hits the UK and the Republic of Ireland, there are yellow alerts for wind covering Wales, the Midlands and parts of Northern Ireland and the north-west and south-west of England. Yellow alerts for rain are in place in the north-west of England and parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Five things the PM could be asked about next week when giving evidence about his role as chancellor during the crisisIt is Rishi Sunak's turn on Monday to spend the day being questioned at the Covid inquiry, with the prime minister expected to spend some of the weekend working in Downing Street being briefed on what to expect. He will give evidence about his job as chancellor during the crisis. Here are some of things he might be asked. Continue reading...

Reform UK expects its founder to lead election campaign, but GB News host did not rule out Tory return on reality showNigel Farage's stint as a contestant in I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! has presented the former Ukip leader turned GB News host with a near-perfect platform for a return to frontline politics - but will it be as the head of Reform UK, the insurgent populist party he founded, or as a member once again of the Conservative party?Farage did not rule out a return to the Conservatives in never say never" comments to a fellow contestant in the Australian bush in an episode of the show, which ends on Sunday. Continue reading...

More community groups come forward to describe how shutdown suddenly left them unable to pay bills or staff

As prices rise, more people are buying only for close relatives and friends, or getting out the glitter glue and making their ownBritons are buying single Christmas cards or reaching for the glitter glue to make them as they opt for quality over quantity in an attempt to keep the festive tradition alive amid high postage costs.A recent poll found a third of people intend to send fewer cards this year because of the cost. The price of a second-class stamp has risen by nearly 30% in five years to 75p. Over the same period a first-class stamp is up nearly 90% to 1.25. Continue reading...

As NSW sweltered in heatwave conditions, Cyclone Jasper bore down on Queensland and Adelaide expected close to 50mm of rain

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Toddler later found almost 300km away in Tenterfield after police issued an amber alert

Government scrambles to respond to last month's high court ruling which led to the release of at least 148 detainees

Israeli media claimed images show Hamas fighters but several civilians have been identified including a journalist

Prominent journalist - who lives in the US - was placed on the list after discussing atrocities committed in Ukraine by Russian forcesRussian police have put prominent Russian American journalist and author Masha Gessen on a wanted list after opening a criminal case against them on charges of spreading false information about the Russian army.It is the latest step in an unrelenting crackdown against dissent in Russia that has intensified since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine more than 21 months ago, on 24 February 2022. Continue reading...

Assessment by GroupM expects spending totals for presidential election year to be up 30% on 2020 election cycleWith little more than a month to go before the US presidential election season kicks off in Iowa, a new projection of political spending says a record $15.9bn will be spent on advertising, up more than 30% up on the 2019-2020 election cycle.The assessment, by GroupM, one of the world's largest paid advertising agencies, suggests total political ad revenue could add a billion more to reach a total of $17.1bn, if including direct mail pitches. Continue reading...

Girl, 16, tells court she found murder victim attractive but co-defendant didn't agree' with trans or gay peopleA 16-year-old girl accused of killing transgender teenager Brianna Ghey in a park in Warrington denied having anti-transgender views, and said she found Brianna attractive, a court has heard.But the girl, known as X to protect her identity, told a jury that her very good friend" and co-defendant, a 16-year-old boy known as Y, didn't exactly agree with people who were trans or people that were gay". Continue reading...

Lawyers request unprecedented access to classified information special counsel wishes to redact before its introduction at trialLawyers for Donald Trump, defending him against charges that he retained national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago club, have asked a federal judge to grant them unprecedented access to the classified information that prosecutors want to redact before it gets introduced at trial.Cleared counsel for President Trump seek attorneys'-eyes-only access to these filings so that we can challenge the [special counsel's] assertions in adversarial proceedings," the Trump legal team said in the 18-page filing. Continue reading...

French far-right party denies irregularities in employment of parliamentary assistantsFrench far-right politician Marine Le Pen will stand trial alongside 27 others over alleged misuse of EU funds, the Paris prosecutor's office said on Friday, charges that Le Pen's party said it contested.Twenty-eight defendants will be brought to court, including Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie, the office said, confirming French media reports. Continue reading...

Human rights campaigners say responsibility to protect' principle and ambition to prevent genocides have diminished

Tears and applause as band plays Fairytale of New York and people recall memories of pubs, squats, youth, dreams and lossThey followed the horse-drawn carriage singing songs that were written as raucous ballads. But on this day, the crowds of mourners sung softly, their voices floating into a grey Dublin day in farewell to Shane MacGowan.The Pogues singer was dead but for mourners his lyrics seldom felt so alive as his funeral cortege wound through the heart of Ireland's capital on Friday. Continue reading...

Network Rail's chief executive, on board one of the stranded trains, describes it as a painful experience'London's passenger watchdog has called for an investigation after thousand of people were trapped on trains on Thursday evening when power lines were damaged.Passengers, who were given little information during the ordeal, were stuck for more than three hours on dark, cold trains - including on Elizabeth line trains, which have no toilets and rely on the overhead lines for power. Continue reading...

Bipartisan act aims to protect buyers from inflated pricing following Ticketmaster's disastrous handling of Taylor Swift tourSix US senators have introduced a new Fans First Act" to address flaws in the live event ticketing system by increasing transparency in ticket sales, protecting consumers from fake or overpriced tickets, and building accountability measures for bad actors.The bipartisan bill, brought to Congress by three Republicans (John Cornyn of Texas, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Roger Wicker of Mississippi) and three Democrats (Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Peter Welch of Vermont and Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico), is the latest effort by Congress to combat high and exploitative ticket pricing for concerts and other live events. Continue reading...

Georgina Mansergh, 24, reacted to sesame oil in a tahini sauce in the meal and collapsed at the Angel Inn in FerndownA student died after suffering an allergic reaction to sesame seed oil in a mushroom risotto she ate at a family dinner in a Dorset pub, an inquest has heard.Georgina Mansergh, 24, was visiting the Angel Inn in Ferndown with her family on 11 February when she suffered the reaction to the oil used in the tahini sauce included in the dish. She was studying for her masters degree. Continue reading...

Pre-election agreement would provide a major boost to Narendra Modi and Rishi SunakSenior Downing Street officials have flown to Delhi to kickstart talks over a multibillion pound free trade agreement, with the government of Narendra Modi having indicated it is keen to finalise a deal in the next three months.UK trade negotiators are in the Indian capital talking to their Indian counterparts as they look to revive a deal that looked a distant prospect just a few months ago. Continue reading...

Matthew Jordan's horn history beat Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze and I Fart in your General Direction!' Flatulence in Popular CultureDanger Sound Klaxon! The Horn That Changed History by Matthew F Jordan has won the Diagram prize for oddest book title of the year.Jordan's book charts the history of the klaxon automobile horn. It won a public vote against five shortlisted titles including Dry Humping: A Guide to Dating, Relating and Hooking Up Without the Booze and Backvalley Ferrets: A Rewilding of the Colorado Plateau. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Private tolling giant defends itself against Inner West mayor's accusation it is staying stubbornly silent' as road users vent frustration

Services Australia paid Infosys almost $200m over four years before technology was written off as a failure