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Four bodies recovered from Red Sea day after tourist boat capsizes
Five more rescued and seven still missing from the Sea Story, which was carrying 30 tourists and 14 crewEgyptian naval forces recovered four bodies and rescued five more people from the Red Sea a day after a large tourist boat sank in rough waters, officials have said. Seven people are still missing.The Red Sea governor, Amr Hanafi, said the yacht, called Sea Story, had been struck by high waves on Monday and sank in less than 7 minutes. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:03:58
Thirty-five million Africans driven from homes by war and climate disasters – report
Data shows a threefold increase in internal displacement across the African continent since 2009, with flooding and drought posing a growing threatWars and climate disasters have driven a threefold increase in the number of internally displaced people in Africa over the past 15 years, according to new data.There are now 35 million people internally displaced on the continent, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), compared with 11.6 million in 2009, when African governments signed a landmark deal legally binding them to tackle the causes of displacement. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:47:47
Two Britons among 16 missing after tourist boat capsizes in Red Sea
Sea Story was on diving trip with 31 tourists and 14 crew when it sent distress signalTwo Britons are reported to be among 16 people missing after a tourist boat on a diving trip capsized in the Red Sea.The Sea Story was carrying 30 tourists from several countries and 14 crew when it sent a distress signal at 5.30am local time (0330 GMT), according to Egypt’s Red Sea governorate. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 19:05:42
Weather tracker: Swaths of Canada braced for heavy snow
Temperatures unlikely to exceed -20C in parts of Canada, while a red weather warning has been issued for Sri LankaAn area of low pressure moving along the US-Canada border brought heavy snowfall to parts of western Canada at the weekend. A weather warning has been issued for the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan for 150-250mm (6-10in) of snow.As the weather system moves, it is expected to bring further snow to eastern parts of the country early this week. Pressure building after the snowfall is expected trap cold air from the north, triggering severe frost. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 15:20:51
Islamic State is primed to be thorn in the side of incoming Trump administration
The terrorist group has been looking to be active this holiday season, with online chatter about attacks increasingAmid a presidential campaign with foreign policy discussions more focused on the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon, the Islamic State stayed under the radar while calling on supporters and operatives to attack Americans on election day.The FBI thwarted a serious plot in Oklahoma City only weeks before the vote, prompting a similar public reaction to news involving the terror group that has become customary of late: is the Islamic State a renewed threat? Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 12:00:44
As Band Aid marks 40th anniversary critics take aim at Africa stereotypes
Latest version of Do They Know It’s Christmas fundraiser reignites debate about ‘problematic’ lyrics and imagery Forty years ago this week, a group of pop stars gathered at a west London studio to record a single that would raise millions, inspire further starry projects, and ultimately change charity fundraising in the UK.Do They Know It’s Christmas, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure’s festive charity behemoth, would go on to raise almost £150m for famine relief and development in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa. To mark the anniversary, on Monday a new version of the single – its fifth – will be released under the name Band Aid 40. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 09:00:38
Trudeau calls emergency meeting over Trump’s Canada tariff threat
US president-elect posted on social media about plan to impose 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada over immigrationJustin Trudeau has called an emergency meeting with provincial premiers across Canada after the US president-elect, Donald Trump, threatened a 25% tariff on the United States’ northern neighbour.Trump posted on social media that he would “sign all necessary documents” to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on all goods products coming into the United States, adding the levy would remain in place until “such time as drugs, in particular fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:32:30
Trump’s tariff threat sets stage for bitter global trade war
Trade experts hail ‘new era of protectionism’ with targeted countries retaliating with their own tariffsUS politics – live updatesDonald Trump’s threat to impose steep tariffs on goods imported into the US has set the stage for a bitter global trade war, according to trade experts and economists, with consumers and companies warned to brace for steep costs.The president-elect announced on Monday night that he intends to hit Canada, Mexico and China with tariffs on all their exports to the US – until they reduce migration and the flow of drugs into the country. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:49:43
Trump vows 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada and deeper tariffs on China
President-elect attacks neighbors over immigration and accuses China over fentanyl entering USTrump’s talk of tariffs raises fears of hit to economies worldwideDonald Trump has said that he will sign an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all products coming in to the United States from Mexico and Canada, and additional tariffs on China, once he becomes US president again.“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 08:40:45
‘Royalties for everyone’: Suriname president plans to share oil wealth
All Surinamese adults to receive payment from recently discovered oil and gas reserves – ‘no one will be left behind’Suriname’s president has announced a program of “royalties for everyone” as the South American nation plans for a boon from recently discovered oil and gas reserves.Suriname and its neighbor Guyana expect to make billions in the years to come from rich offshore crude deposits. Earlier this month, Guyana announced all adult citizens living at home and abroad would received a payout of around £370 as part of an effort to redistribute its oil wealth. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 20:34:53
Uruguay election: opposition centre-left figure Yamandu Orsi wins presidential runoff
Former history teacher says the ‘horizon is brightening’ as all political rivals pledged to work together to move the country forwardCentre-left opposition candidate Yamandu Orsi secured victory in Uruguay’s presidential election, official results showed on Sunday, with 97% of votes tallied, ousting the conservative governing coalition and making the South American nation the latest to rebuke the incumbent party in a year of landmark elections.Yamandu Orsi, the pre-election favourite by a few points, secured 49.77% of the vote to conservative Alvaro Delgado’s 45.94%, official results showed. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 03:19:34
Nicaragua: Ortega and wife to assume absolute power after changes approved
Loyalist lawmakers give green light to constitutional amendment as authoritarian president, 79, tightens gripNicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega and his wife are set to assume absolute power after loyalist lawmakers approved a constitutional amendment elevating her to the position of “co-president” and boosting the pair’s joint control over the state.Under sanctions for human rights abuses, Ortega himself had proposed the change, which also increases the president’s control over the media and extends the presidential term from five to six years. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 21:51:32
Eight Laos hostel staff held over suspected methanol poisoning deaths
Manager and seven staff at Nana backpacker hostel detained after death of six touristsPolice in Laos have detained the manager and seven staff of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng following the deaths of six tourists from suspected methanol poisoning, state media reported on Tuesday.Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died after what media said was a night out in the town on 12 November. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 10:51:14
Third Australian fell ill after suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos
Exclusive: Dual national understood to be in stable condition after tragedy which has claimed six livesFull Story podcast: The suspected methanol poisonings in LaosGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA third Australian also fell ill after a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos that has claimed six lives, Guardian Australia has confirmed.Melburnians Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, died in hospital in Thailand after the tragedy, which also claimed the lives of people from Denmark, the UK and the US.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 07:41:51
Chinese ambassador to Australia extends olive branch to Dutton but warns against letting differences ‘hijack’ relationship
Thaw to continue despite points of contention over territory disputes in south-east Asia, Taiwan, China’s ties to Russia and human rights abusesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastChina’s top envoy in Australia has extended the olive branch to Peter Dutton’s Coalition, urging the major parties not to let “differences” between the two countries “hijack our cooperation”.At a press briefing in Canberra on Tuesday, the ambassador, Xiao Qian, said Beijing was “happy” with the diplomatic stabilisation between Australia and China under Labor – but “not complacent”.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 06:26:21
Uncontacted hunter-gatherers facing threat of genocide because of minerals mining, claims report
Survival International says Hongana Manyawa in Indonesia are at risk but mining company says the people in ‘voluntary’ contact with workersUncontacted hunter-gatherers in Indonesia “are facing a severe and immediate threat of genocide” because of mining for minerals on their lands for use in electric vehicles, a report claims.In their own language, the Indigenous Hongana Manyawa people, of Halmahera island, call themselves “the people of the forest”. But their forest home is being destroyed in a rush for nickel, a crucial component in rechargeable batteries, campaigners say. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 05:00:02
Beijing orders investigations into local disputes after spate of deadly attacks
Mass stabbings and car rammings have prompted soul-searching about the state of society Beijing is ramping up scrutiny of “common” disputes such as those involving marriages and property, the justice ministry said, as the public reels from a recent string of deadly attacks.China has witnessed a spate of violent incidents in recent months – from mass stabbings to car rammings – a rare development for a country with a proud reputation for public security. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 00:35:08
China unnerved by Russia’s growing ties with North Korea, claims US official
Comments part of debate over whether Beijing backs Kim Jong-un’s decision to send troops to fight in UkraineChina is increasingly uncomfortable about North Korea’s engagement with Russia and finds the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow unnerving, Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state has said.He was leaning into a growing debate among the US’s security partners in Asia on whether China supports the decision of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to send 10,000 troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine. It is said the North Korean troops are now inside Russia. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-24 20:04:46
New home construction slumps to near 40-year low as renovation spending booms
‘This indicates that there is not enough money and resources being attracted to expanding the housing stock,’ urban economist saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew private residential construction is at its lowest level for almost four decades but spending on renovations has boomed, according to a new analysis.The report by KPMG found that new private residential construction spending per capita is at its lowest level since 1987-88, as renovation spending surged from 34.2% of total residential construction spend in 2018-19 to 40% in 2023-24.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:31
The 1920s desecration of a Gutenberg Bible shocked the US – but miraculously gave a Jewish family new life in Australia
Michael Visontay discovered that a ‘crime against history’ in the book world set off a chain of events that led to his family’s delicatessen in 1950s Sydney It was a brazen act of extreme literary vandalism that desecrated one of the world’s most valuable books. But it also allowed a family of Holocaust survivors to forge a new life in Australia.The extraordinary tale was uncovered by the author and journalist Michael Visontay while researching his family history during Covid lockdown and has now been published as a book, Noble Fragments. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:29
Albanese government says Australia on target to reduce emissions – but campaigners say they could do more
Departmental analysis includes contentious measurements, but climate minister says government is cleaning up after ‘decade of denial, delay, dysfunction and utter neglect’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Australian government will claim it is on track to meet its legislated 43% emissions reduction target by 2030 after a departmental analysis found it had improved its position over the past year.The government said annual emissions projections, based on an assessment of government policies and other trends, suggest national climate pollution would be at least 42.6% less than 2005 levels by the end of the decade, compared with 37% last year. The forecast included the impact of an underwriting scheme for new large-scale renewable energy and batteries, and vehicle efficiency standards that from next year require auto companies to start selling more zero and low-emissions cars.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:29
‘Deaths of needless poverty and despair’: homelessness report reveals surge in fatalities
‘Staggering’ annual death toll of 1,500 revealed in 10-year analysis ‘a shocking indictment on our society’, expert saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAlmost 1,500 people are dying in homelessness every year, with new research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showing a 63% surge in preventable deaths.The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare today released an analysis of a decade of data, showing 12,500 people who had accessed homelessness services died over the 10-year period to 2022.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:28
Banks and bookmakers tricked by ‘sophisticated’ gambling syndicate may have breached anti-money laundering laws
Exclusive: Documents seen by Guardian Australia show syndicate placed bets with Sportsbet while using another person’s nameGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBanks and bookmakers that were hoodwinked by a gambling syndicate that created multiple accounts in other people’s names to hide their true identities may have breached their anti-money laundering obligations.Guardian Australia has confirmed a gambling syndicate paid $1,000 to desperate men for their ID documents, which were used to create multiple bank and betting accounts in their names. Cash was deposited into these bank accounts and gambled with at least nine bookmakers.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:00:27
Community service ‘not enough’ says mother of unborn child killed in collision with teenage driver
Girl, 17, given community service and driving suspension in state’s first use of Sophie’s LawGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA mother who lost her unborn baby in a crash has hit out at a landmark sentencing after the teenage driver responsible avoided detention, saying it is “not enough”.An emotional Haylee Loccisano expressed her frustration outside court after the 17-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given community service and a driving suspension for the fatal crash under new laws.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 09:35:06
Irish PM’s party drops six points in pre-election polls amid ‘Simon slump’
Fine Gael had looked sure of victory on Friday before Simon Harris’s disastrous interaction with care workerIreland’s three main parties are almost neck and neck in the polls ahead of Friday’s general election, as the taoiseach, Simon Harris, struggles to contain the damage inflicted on his campaign by a disastrous interaction with an angry care worker.In what has been called the “Simon slump”, Fine Gael, the centre-right party which Harris leads, and which seemed almost certain to top the polls, is now under pressure. An Irish Times poll on Monday showed FG had lost its commanding lead of two weeks ago and was down six points. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:00:59
Russia preparing to retaliate after it says Ukraine hit it with US-made missiles – as it happened
This live blog is closedCălin Georgescu, a Moscow-friendly independent candidate with a nationalist background, has taken a surprise lead in the first round of Romania’s presidential election.As my colleague Jon Henley notes in this report, with 99.98% of votes counted, Georgescu, who has praised Vladimir Putin as “a man who loves his country”, was on 22.9%, with the reformist Elena Lasconi, of the Save Romania Union (USR), second on 19.17%. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:49:54
Power cuts in Ukraine after Russia’s biggest drone attack yet
Moscow is pushing hard on eastern frontline amid uncertainty as to how Trump taking office will affect warRussia launched its biggest ever drone attack on Ukraine on Monday night and Tuesday morning, sending a reported 188 drones into the country against various targets, resulting in power cuts in part of western Ukraine and damage to residential buildings outside Kyiv.Russian forces are pushing hard along the frontline in the east of the country, amid uncertainty as to how the dynamics of the war might change once Donald Trump takes office in January. Russia also vowed “retaliatory actions” for fresh Ukrainian strikes on military targets inside Russia that used long-range missiles sent by the US. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 15:06:24
Russia expels UK diplomat over spying allegations
Security service accuses diplomat of ‘reconnaisance and subversive activities’ amid rising tensionRussia said it was expelling a British diplomat for alleged spying as tensions between London and Moscow rose after Ukraine’s recent use of British weapons to strike deeper into Russia.The FSB, Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, announced on Tuesday that it had acted on documents accusing a British diplomat of engaging in “reconnaissance and subversive activities that threaten the country’s security”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 13:13:07
Ireland prices corporation tax loss from Trump policies at €10bn
Figure costed for three multinationals repatriating to US after nomination for commerce secretary hits out at Ireland’s tax regimeIreland’s prime minister has said the country could lose €10bn (£8.35bn) in corporate tax if just three US multinationals were repatriated to America under a hostile Donald Trump administration.His remarks come just days after Trump nominated the Wall Street investor Howard Lutnick to lead the Department of Commerce with direct responsibility for trade. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 18:33:54
UK government vows to do all it can to help Briton captured by Russia
Foreign secretary offers support for James Scott Rhys Anderson, who was fighting for Ukraine reportedly in KurskThe UK government has promised to do all it can to assist a former British soldier fighting for Ukraine who has been taken prisoner by the Russian army.Two videos of a man who identified himself as James Scott Rhys Anderson surfaced on Russian Telegram channels over the weekend. They featured interrogation of a bearded man in military fatigues, who had his hands tied and spoke slowly in English to give details from his biography, including that he served as a signalman in the British army between 2019 and 2023. Anderson is 22, according to the date of birth he gave in the video. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 18:07:43
Israel makes ‘widespread attack’ on Hezbollah targets as ceasefire deal expected
Airstrikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon some of the war’s heaviest to date, killing at least three peopleMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael has launched some of the heaviest airstrikes to date on Beirut, the Lebanese capital, before an expected ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah.The Israeli military began attacking areas of Beirut dominated by the Lebanese militia early on Tuesday before issuing a flurry of 20 evacuation calls – its widest warning to civilians since hostilities escalated into full-blown war in late September. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:02:29
What would a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah entail and would it succeed?
Deal to end 13 months of fighting between neighbouring countries could be announced on Tuesday eveningA ceasefire to pause the fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah is expected to be announced as early as Tuesday evening by the US president, Joe Biden, and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, and come into effect sometime on Wednesday.The Biden administration, wary of regional escalation that could draw in Hezbollah’s major ally, Iran, has been trying to broker a truce for months. The conflict began 13 months ago when the powerful Lebanese militia began firing rockets and shells at Israel a day after the Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 14:06:57
Migrant workers face ‘cycle of abuse’ in Saudi Arabia before World Cup, UN told
ITUC-Africa raises ‘severe concerns’ over labour practicesOrganisation calls on Caf to press Fifa on human rightsA trade union organisation that represents 18 million African workers has submitted a complaint to the United Nations against labour practices in Saudi Arabia. It has called for “immediate and decisive action” with the country poised to be granted World Cup hosting rights next month.In an account that collates claims of malpractice and abuse alongside testimonies from migrant workers, the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) argues that “the relentless cycle of abuse and exploitation mark the daily existence of African migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 11:13:55
Israeli cabinet to decide on ceasefire deal with Lebanon
IDF would withdraw entirely from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah pull back its heavy weapons under agreementIsrael’s security cabinet is due to meet on Tuesday to decide on a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon after more than a year of fighting between Israeli forces and the Shia militia Hezbollah.Under the deal being considered, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would reportedly withdraw entirely from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah would pull its heavy weapons north of the Litani River, about 16 miles (25km) north of the Israeli border, and the Lebanese army would move in to provide security in the border zone alongside an existing UN peacekeeping force, during an initial 60-day transition phase. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 07:37:36
Israelis displaced by war split over prospect of Hezbollah ceasefire
Some who live close to the border with Lebanon believe a deal would allow them to raise their children in safety, but others say communities are splitThere is a crack, a boom and a siren, all more or less simultaneously. Sergio Helman has not quite reached the concrete shelter a dozen metres away from his hummus restaurant, off highway 99, which marks the northernmost limit of the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona.The 60-year-old shrugs and explains that Hezbollah fires the rockets from so close that Israeli air defence systems can give only 15 seconds warning at best. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 18:46:38
Palestinian artists plan Gaza Biennale as ‘act of resistance and survival’
Project involves showing work in Gaza but also sending works across Israeli siege lines for exhibiting worldwidePalestinian artists in Gaza plan to stage a “biennale” exhibition as an act of defiance against Israel’s military onslaught and to focus attention on the plight of the territory’s 2.3 million people under more than 13 months of bombardment.About 50 artists from Gaza will exhibit their work within the besieged coastal strip, and are looking for art galleries to host exhibitions overseas. But in order to hold their work to the eyes of the rest of the world, the artists are facing a unique challenge: how to get their art across Israeli siege lines. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 07:00:36
Seven killed and dozens hurt as Imran Khan supporters clash with security forces in Pakistan
Up to 100,000 people broke through barriers in locked-down Islamabad to demand Khan’s release from prisonAt least seven people have been killed and dozens injured in Pakistan as thousands of supporters of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan forced their way through security barriers and entered the capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday morning.Authorities have enforced a security lockdown in the capital for the last three days after Khan called for supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to march on parliament for a sit-in demonstration to demand his release. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 12:05:51
Pakistani capital under lockdown to block rally by Imran Khan supporters
Government shuts down internet, blocks highways and brings in troops to stop protest by former PM’s supportersPakistan’s capital was put under lockdown as the government shut down the internet, blocked highways and brought in thousands of police and paramilitaries in an attempt to prevent supporters of the former prime minister Imran Khan protesting in Islamabad.Khan, who has been in jail for more than a year facing hundreds of charges, had issued a “final call” for his supporters to descend on Islamabad to demand his release and protest against recent changes to the judiciary and constitution. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-25 09:42:43
Hundreds flee deadly sectarian violence in north-west Pakistan
About 300 families relocate after fresh violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims kills 32 peopleAbout 300 families have fled sectarian violence in north-west Pakistan as fresh clashes killed 32 people.Sporadic fighting between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan has killed about 150 over the past months. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-23 14:50:30
Tributes paid to ‘kind and loving’ British tourist who died in Laos
Simone White was one of six people to die in suspected methanol poisoning incident in Vang ViengTributes have been paid to the “beautiful, kind and loving” British tourist Simone White, one of six people to die in a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos.The six died after allegedly being served drinks laced with methanol in Vang Vieng, a town popular with backpackers. These include the Australian teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, an American man and two Danish women aged 19 and 20. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 17:00:07
Canada denies it has evidence linking Modi to killing of Sikh separatists
Trudeau adviser shuts down foreign ministry’s allegations that Indian government was behind intimidation plotCanada, which expelled six Indian diplomats over allegations they were involved in a plot against Sikh separatists, has denied it has evidence Narendra Modi was linked to violence on Canadian soil.The Canadian foreign ministry last month alleged Amit Shah, considered the number two in Modi’s government, was behind a campaign of intimidation in Canada. Ottawa says it has evidence linking Indian government agents to the 2023 murder of the Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-22 14:57:13
More than 40 killed in north-west Pakistan in gun attack on Shia convoy
Violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa follows killing of dozens of people in clashes between Sunnis and minority ShiasAt least 42 people have been killed and 20 wounded after gunmen opened fire on vehicles carrying Shia Muslims in Pakistan’s restive north-west, in one of the region’s deadliest such attacks in recent years, police said.The attack happened in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where sectarian clashes between majority Sunni Muslims and minority Shias have killed dozens of people in recent months. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-21 21:39:19
Russia imposes travel ban on cabinet ministers, calling it retaliation for ‘Russophobic’ policies – UK politics live
Kremlin bans UK cabinet ministers including Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Yveette Cooper from entering countryThe Federation of Small Businesses applauds the ambition in the government’s Get Britain Working, but says that overcoming the “pervasive poverty of ambition” about employment in the public sector won’t be easy. This is from Tina McKenzie, the FSB’s policy chair.This is a start – but only a start – in fixing the pervasive poverty of ambition in the Jobcentre, health and other state systems when it comes to getting people back into work. Increasing employment is ultimately the most sure-fire way to drive up living standards and economic growth. Ministers have a huge job to persuade public institutions that work is good for health and that everyone who needs work should be helped to get a job or start-up in self-employment – not least getting rid of the idea that the only good work is in graduate jobs, the public sector or volunteering. The ambition behind the 80 per cent employment target is both clear and important ..To deliver on this policy agenda, government and small businesses must work in partnership to drive real change through the whole employment system and make sure the country is helping those who most need work.It is right to ensure that young people who are seeking work are helped to find a job or training. Positive early experiences in the jobs market are vital for young people’s future life chances. They must be supported to take part, not faced with self-defeating sanctions.Success will also depend on ministers making the investment that’s needed in health services and quality training. Jobcentre staff must have a central role in redesigning their services, and devolution must never come at the cost of staff terms and conditions. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:04:19
Final asylum seekers have now left the Bibby Stockholm
Most claims from 400 men on vessel moored in Portland, Dorset have been processed, with majority acceptedThe final asylum seekers housed on the Bibby Stockholm barge left the boat on Tuesday and crew members are set to leave on Wednesday, with the controversial vessel’s final day in port expected to be 8 January.The accommodation on the barge, moored in Portland, Dorset, will now be dismantled after the Labour government decided to discontinue the previous government’s contract to house asylum seekers on the vessel. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:00:36
Storm Bert flooded 500 properties in England and Wales
Welsh first minister to ask UK government for more money to make coal tips safe after Cwmtillery landslipMore than 500 homes and businesses were flooded across Wales and England during Storm Bert, it has emerged, as forecasters issued another severe weather warning for rain in parts of southern Britain.In Wales, the first minister, Eluned Morgan, said 400 homes had been damaged as well as businesses and infrastructure, and reviews were being done to find out why some householders appeared not to have received warnings in time. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:58:01
‘Phantom gnome snatcher’ of Formby admits prank almost 50 years on
Arthur tells Vernon Kay on Radio 2 he left ransom notes in place of garden ornaments in seaside town in 1977The closest that residents in the sleepy seaside town of Formby got to violent crime in 1977 was, the BBC solemnly reported, by watching Kojak.So the mysterious disappearance of garden ornaments, replaced by sinister ransom notes, was big news. It led to a media circus as journalists were dispatched to investigate the “phantom gnome snatcher of Formby”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:48:33
Labour urges inquiry into claims Lee Anderson was offered money to join Reform
Call for standards commissioner to look into circumstances of former Tory MP’s defection to Reform partyLabour has written to parliament’s standards watchdog asking for an investigation into claims that Lee Anderson was offered a six-figure financial incentive to join the Reform party the year before he defected.Ellie Reeves, the chair of Labour, called on the parliamentary standards commissioner, Daniel Greenberg, to look into the circumstances of Anderson’s decision to join Reform. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:45:40
Well-paid partners in City firms escape paying national insurance rises
Treasury forgoes ‘billions’ of pounds of potential revenue as well-paid self-employed partners spared employer NIC increasesWell-paid City lawyers and other self-employed partners at businesses including top accountancy and private equity firms have been spared the increases to national insurance contributions announced in October’s budget, in a move that will deny the Treasury “billions” of pounds of potential revenue.Members of limited liability partnerships (LLPs) were not included in Rachel Reeves’ changes to employer national insurance contributions (NICs), which were raised to 15% from April 2025, while the threshold at which contributions are due was also lowered to £5,000 from £9,100. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:36:33
Car found in Georgia pond may contain couple missing since 1980
Lincoln Continental with one human bone inside could belong to New York couple who disappeared on drive home from FloridaA Georgia police department says it has found a car that could contain the remains of a New York couple who have been missing since 1980.The car, a Lincoln Continental with one human bone inside, was found in a pond between the Royal Inn Hotel and Interstate 95 on New Jesup Highway, by a nonprofit investigative group from Florida called the Sunshine State Sonar Team, police said. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:08:10
Drake claims UMG and Spotify ‘artificially inflated’ Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us
Feud escalates as rapper’s lawyers file two petitions alleging Universal Music Group and streaming giant conspired while also accusing them of defamationDrake has launched two legal actions against Universal Music Group and Spotify, alleging they conspired to artificially inflate interest in Kendrick Lamar’s diss track about him, Not Like Us, while suppressing his own music, as well as accusing them of defamation.In a petition filed to the New York supreme court on Monday, attorneys for Drake’s company Frozen Moments LLC accused UMG and the streaming service of having “launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves”, using various tactics to make Lamar’s song more popular. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:51:28
China, Canada and Mexico hit back at Trump’s tariff plan amid warnings of impact on US economy – live
Donald Trump says he will sign executive order imposing 25% tariff on products coming into the US from Mexico and Canada with additional tariff for ChinaTwo-thirds of Americans think tariffs will lead to higher prices, poll saysTrump’s talk of tariffs raises fears of hit to economies worldwideDonald Trump has used the fentanyl crisis gripping the US to support his ambition to impose trade tariffs on China. It gives the incoming US president an opportunity to both appear to be addressing the narcotics emergency, while also reinforcing one of his key aims in terms of US trade.China is the dominant source of chemical precursors used by Mexican cartels to produce fentanyl, while Chinese money launderers have also become key players in the international drug trade, US authorities say.Trump has said that, as soon as he gets into office, he will impose a 25% tariff on “ALL products coming into the United States” from Mexico and Canada.He says the tariffs will remain in place until both countries clamp down on migrants and drugs crossing the border into the US.Trump also says he will impose a further 10% tariff “above any additional tariffs” on all products coming into the US from China.It was not entirely clear what this would mean for China as Trump has previously pledged to end China’s most-favoured-nation trading status and slap tariffs on Chinese imports in excess of 60% - much higher than those imposed during his first term.The reasons for the China tariff, Trump said, was their failure to curb the supply of drugs into the US. China is a major producer of the chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:39:51
Arctic blast to hit US as millions set to travel for Thanksgiving holiday
Extreme weather expected to bring ‘dangerous wind chills, lake effect snow, and severe thunderstorms’Millions of Americans will face severe weather – and low temperatures – as they travel for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.The National Weather Service (NWS) issued an announcement on Monday that an arctic blast is expected to bring “dangerous wind chills, lake effect snow, and severe thunderstorms”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:28:16
Jim Abrahams, co-creator of Airplane! and The Naked Gun, dies aged 80
Famed comedy writer and director, who was also involved in Ruthless People and Hot Shots!, died of natural causesJim Abrahams, the writer-director involved with hit comedies Airplane! and The Naked Gun, has died at the age of 80.According to his son Joseph, who confirmed the news to the Hollywood Reporter, he died of natural causes at his home in Santa Monica. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 17:22:40
Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover weight-loss drugs for 7.4m people
Move aims to tackle US’s chronic obesity problem, but poses a challenge to Trump’s incoming administrationThe Biden administration is proposing to make “miracle” weight loss drugs free for low-income people and retirees, in a move aimed at tackling America’s chronic obesity problem but which throws down a gauntlet to the incoming president, Donald Trump.The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday, would see expensive drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound covered by Medicaid and Medicare, the federal government programs for the poor and the elderly. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 16:42:30
