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British mother of Egyptian political prisoner to press Lammy to take action
Laila Soueif is to meet the foreign secretary, who in opposition called for the release of Alaa Abd el-FattahThe British-born mother of an Egyptian political prisoner who has been on hunger strike for 58 days is preparing to meet the foreign secretary, David Lammy, to urge him to secure her son’s release.Laila Soueif’s son Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a British and Egyptian dual citizen who wrote eloquently about the Arab spring and its aftermath, was jailed for five years for “spreading false news”. He was due to be released in September, but has not been freed. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 06:00:51
Namibia goes to polls amid anger at high unemployment rate
Swapo party could lose its majority for the first time since independence in 1990, if youth voter turnout is highNamibians are going to the polls with the longtime ruling party’s parliamentary majority under threat if dissatisfied young people turn out in big numbers amid a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment globally.The Swapo party could also be forced to contest a second round in the presidential election for the first time since the sparsely populated southern African country became independent from South Africa in 1990. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 03:00:48
Catholic priest accused of sexual assault fathered children of victims, court hears
Revelation emerges at hearing for Anthony Odiong, 55, charged with several counts and held in Texas on $5.5m bailA Roman Catholic priest with links to Texas and Louisiana who is facing criminal charges for allegedly abusing his position of authority within the church to pursue sex with vulnerable women fathered at least two children with them, authorities have alleged.The stunning information about Anthony Odiong surfaced at a bail hearing on Tuesday in Waco, Texas, where prosecutors have charged him with several counts of sexually assaulting women to whom he ministered. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 02:57:28
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
Elusive deer spotted wearing high-vis jacket in Canada: ‘Who is responsible?’
‘Double takes’ as British Columbia mountain community tries to figure out how local animal came to don neon jacketIn a town of fewer than 1,000 people, it can be hard to keep a secret. And yet no one in McBride, a mountain community in British Columbia, can figure out how a local deer came to be wearing a zipped-up high-visibility jacket – or why the day-glo-clad cervid has been so hard to track down.The mystery began on Sunday, when Andrea Arnold was driving along the snowy outskirts of McBride on Sunday and witnessed a sight so baffling she slowed her vehicle to a crawl. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 11:00:06
Bolsonaro allies nearly launched military coup in 2022, police report says
Senior Brazil military figures backed plot to seize power after Bolsonaro’s election defeat, federal documents allegeBrazil came within a whisker of a far-right military coup and the assassination of a supreme court judge just days before President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took power in January 2023, a federal police report has claimed.The report about the alleged plot to help the rightwing populist Jair Bolsonaro cling to power was made public on Tuesday, and paints a chilling portrait of how close one of the world’s largest democracies came to being plunged back into authoritarian rule. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 21:48:44
Mexico president vows to retaliate with own tariffs against Trump’s tax threat
Claudia Sheinbaum rebukes Trump and says his plan would do nothing to stem flow of migrants or drugs bound for USMexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has rebuked Donald Trump’s threat to impose steep tariffs on Mexico, arguing the plan would do nothing to halt the flow of migrants or drugs bound for the US border, and vowing that Mexico would hit back with tariffs of its own.“One tariff would be followed by another in response, and so on until we put at risk common businesses,” Sheinbaum said, warning that tariffs would cause inflation and job losses in both countries. “What sense is there?” Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:20:17
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
Trump intends to hit Canada, Mexico and China with tariffs, which experts say will risk retaliation and a damaging economic warDonald 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 intended 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
Seoul slows down under blanket of heaviest November snow in 100 years
First day of snowfall this season is heaviest on record, says weather bureauSouth Korea’s capital has been blanketed by what the weather agency said was the heaviest November snowfall since records began over a century ago. It was the first snowfall of this year’s winter.The Korea Meteorological Administration said 16.5cm (6.5 inches) of snow fell by 7am on Wednesday, compared with Seoul’s previous record of 12.4cm on 28 November 1972. It was the heaviest snowfall since records began in 1907, the KMA said. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 07:02:24
China’s CO2 emissions have peaked or will in 2025, say 44% of experts in survey
Research reflects rising optimism about country’s green transition as it takes leading position on climate actionNearly half of experts surveyed by a climate thinktank believe China’s carbon dioxide emissions have already peaked, or will do so in 2025, reflecting increasing optimism about the country’s green transition at a time when it is being called on to take a leading position on global climate action.According to a report published on Tuesday by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a research organisation, 44% of climate experts from academia and industry believe that China’s CO2 emissions will peak, at the latest, in 2025. In last year’s survey, only 21% of experts gave the same response. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 00:01:44
Eight Laos hostel staff held over suspected methanol poisoning deaths
Manager and seven staff at Nana backpackers hostel detained after death of six touristsPolice in Laos have detained the manager of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng as well as seven of its staff after the deaths of six tourists in a suspected mass methanol poisoning.Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died after becoming ill after a night out in the small riverside town. A third Australian, a dual national, also fell ill, and is understood to be in a stable condition. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:50:43
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
Western Australia’s endangered cockatoo among world’s longest-living birds
Oldest Carnaby’s cockatoo in wild lived to 35, with eight recorded living beyond 21, researchers findGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWestern Australia’s endangered Carnaby’s cockatoos can live up to 35 years in the wild, making them one of the longest-lived bird species, according to a study that began in 1969.Eight Carnaby’s cockatoos aged between 21 and 35 years have been recorded, according to research published in Pacific Conservation Biology.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:00:03
Australia’s ‘booming’ medicinal cannabis trade on track this year to quadruple 2022 sales
As market nudges $1bn, industry report calls for government to replace current criminalised model with a regulated adult-use approachGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe medicinal cannabis business is “booming”, with Australian sales likely to have quadrupled in the past two years, according to a new report.The annual Cannabis in Australia report released by the Penington Institute, a research organisation that promotes harm reduction approaches to drug use, shows the money Australians are spending on medicinal cannabis products is on track to reach $1bn by the end of the year.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:00:02
Albanese government plan to raise tax on super balances over $3m all but abandoned
Exclusive: Amid a chaotic end to the parliamentary session, Labor fears a repeat of franking credit policy fiasco that helped cost the 2019 electionGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe government’s contentious plan to increase the tax on superannuation balances over $3m has been all but abandoned, amid concerns that it could expose Labor to a repeat of the damaging franking-credits campaign that helped cost it the 2019 election.As the prime minister moves to strip away anything politically damaging before he takes Australia to the polls, the treasurer’s superannuation legislation was left off a list of 37 priority bills sent to senators on Wednesday night ahead of the last scheduled day of parliament for the year. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 12:52:00
Coalition boasts it’s ‘running the immigration system’ after deal to pass all three of Labor’s migration bills
The bills enable government to pay third countries to receive non-citizens and prosecute those who refuse to cooperate with deportationFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Coalition has struck a deal to pass all three of the Albanese government’s controversial migration bills, in return for minor safeguards on new powers to ban travellers from whole countries and tougher scrutiny of protection visa applications.On Wednesday the shadow home affairs and immigration ministers, James Paterson and Dan Tehan, announced the deal with Tehan boasting that the Coalition are now “basically running the immigration system for the government because they have failed … to do it themselves”.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 11:58:50
Albanese kills off deal with Greens to pass ‘nature positive’ legislation after intervention by WA premier
Roger Cook says he spoke to ‘highest level’ of federal government to reiterate his view the environment bills in their current form ‘should not be progressed’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has killed off a potential deal with the Greens to pass the government’s “nature positive” legislation after an intervention by the WA premier, Roger Cook.At a press conference on Wednesday, Cook said he had spoken to the “highest level” of the federal government on Tuesday to reiterate his view that the bills in their current form “should not be progressed”.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 09:42:46
University of Sydney review proposes ‘civility rule’ that requires ‘meaning of contested words’ to be made clear
Lecturer questions if academics will have to explain context of every phrase they use, saying those who speak up on Palestine would be affectedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe University of Sydney senate has backed the introduction of a new “civility rule” requiring speakers to “make the meaning of contested words and phrases clear to the audience” and to maintain its strict ban on protests in buildings, prompting accusations it is curbing freedom of speech.The external review into the university’s policies and processes, led by the barrister Bruce Hodgkinson SC, was commissioned after the disbanding of the university’s long-running pro-Palestine encampment in July.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 09:03:06
Von der Leyen calls for more EU defence spending after narrow election victory
European Commission president says average spending in Europe is 1.9% of GDP, while Russia’s is 9%The head of the EU executive, Ursula von der Leyen, has called for more defence spending in Europe over the next five years, as her top team was voted in by a wafer-thin majority of MEPs.The European parliament’s endorsement of the new EU executive by the narrowest-ever margin, clears the way for von der Leyen and her chosen 26 European commissioners to start a five-year term on Sunday. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:06:59
Russia’s rouble plunges to lowest rate since early weeks of Ukraine war
Rouble hit 110 against the dollar after US introduced sanctions against Gazprombank, Russia’s third-largest bankRussia’s rouble has plunged to its lowest rate against the dollar since the early weeks of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the wake of new western sanctions and growing geopolitical tensions.The rouble on Wednesday hit 110 against the dollar for the first time since 16 March 2022. Before launching its war on Ukraine in February 2022, the Russian currency traded at around 75-80 against the US dollar. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 13:03:13
EasyJet boss denounces ‘illegal’ fines over hand luggage charges
Spain’s penalty to carriers for charging passengers for hand luggage and seat reservations is called ‘anti-consumer’The boss of easyJet has denounced fines handed out to the airline and other budget carriers for charging passengers for hand luggage and seat reservations as “illegal” and warned the decision will make it more expensive to fly.EasyJet was given a penalty of €29m (£24.2m) by Spain’s consumer rights ministry earlier this month along with Ryanair, which received the largest fine of €108m, and other airlines including Vueling, Norwegian and Volotea. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 10:12:06
Plan to cut Berlin arts budget will ‘destroy’ city’s culture, directors warn
Leading theatre figures warn ‘drastic’ reduction in funding will cause bankruptcy and harm city’s tourism appealPlans to slash Berlin’s culture budget by tens of millions of Euros have led to a huge backlash, with leading venues saying they have been forced to cut performances and others warning they will be pushed into bankruptcy.About 450 institutes that are reliant at least in part on state subsidies, from theatres and opera houses to nightclubs and galleries, have formed an alliance in an attempt to force a rethink over the €130m (£108.6m) cuts. At around 12 to 13% of the current annual budget, they have been described even by those proposing them as “brutal”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 05:00:49
UK cabinet ministers barred from visiting Russia amid missile row
Moscow bans Labour figures including Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves under new sanctionsRussia has banned cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves from entering the country under new sanctions announced by Moscow’s foreign affairs ministry.More than a dozen other senior Labour politicians are among the 30 British citizens on the Russian “stop list” after tensions between London and Moscow rose following Ukraine’s recent use of British missiles to strike deeper into Russia. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 18:39:23
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 election: the parties, the voting, the issues and the likely resultIreland’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
Displaced residents return to southern Lebanon as Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire appears to hold – Middle East crisis live
Ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect at 02.00GMT; US to renew push for Gaza truce, says BidenFull report: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire comes into forceDown to the final half-hour before the ceasefire comes into effect and AFP is reporting strikes on south Beirut after the Israel army’s evacuation warning.“Urgent warning to residents of the Beirut area,” army spokesperson Avichay Adraee had earlier said in a post on X, telling people in the Bachoura area in the city centre to leave, as well as “all residents in the southern suburb area”, specifically in Ghobeiry. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:21:51
What are the terms of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire and will it succeed?
A truce between Israel and the Lebanese militant group has come into effect after 14 months of fightingMiddle East crisis – latest updatesA ceasefire to end 14 months of fighting between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah has come into effect, with Lebanese civilians already returning to the devastated south of the country. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 11:10:00
Former ICC chief prosecutor says she faced threats and ‘thug-style tactics’
Fatou Bensouda says she and her family were subjected to ‘direct threats’ while working on the most sensitive casesThe former chief prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda has said she was subjected to “thug-style tactics”, threats and intimidation while in office.Bensouda, who held the post between 2012 and 2021, said that when she was working on some the court’s most politically sensitive cases she experienced “direct threats to my person and family”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 10:52:30
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire comes into force with Biden insistent on ‘permanent cessation of hostilities’
Reports of cars heading south inside Lebanon despite Israeli army warning displaced residents not to return home immediatelyLive updates: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire beginsA highly anticipated ceasefire aimed at ending the 14-month-old war between Israel and Hezbollah officially came into effect early on Wednesday morning, hours after Joe Biden hailed the “historic” moment.The ceasefire officially began at 0200 GMT – 4am in Lebanon – after the heaviest day of raids on Beirut, including a series of strikes in the city’s centre, since Israel stepped up its air campaign in Lebanon in late September before sending in ground troops. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 09:49:29
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
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
ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrant for Myanmar junta chief
Min Aung Hlaing accused of crimes against humanity over deportation and persecution of Rohingya minorityThe chief prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC) is seeking an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, for crimes against humanity over the deadly crackdowns against the country’s Rohingya minority that drove hundreds of thousands to flee to Bangladesh.Karim Khan said that “after an extensive, independent and impartial investigation” his office had concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe that the Myanmar junta chief “bears criminal responsibility for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya committed in Myanmar and in part in Bangladesh”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 10:40:24
Pakistani security forces raid supporters of Imran Khan after unrest in Islamabad
More than 50,000 people had earlier forced their way into capital to demand former prime minister’s releasePakistani security forces have launched a sweeping midnight raid on supporters of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan who had earlier forced their way through security barriers and entered Islamabad.Thousands of protesters had gathered in the centre of the capital after a convoy, led by Khan’s wife, broke through several lines of security all the way to the edge of the city’s highly fortified red zone. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-26 20:55:31
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
Starmer refuses to rule out further tax rises when challenged at PMQs to repeat what Reeves told CBI – UK politics live
PM said he was not going to write the next five years of budgetsWilliam Hague has achieved a rare Tory election victory; he has won the contest to be Oxford University’s next chancellor.The university has released the figures for the final round of voting, where the winner emerged after the final five candidates were ranked using the alternative vote system. The runner up was Elish Angiolini, the lawyer and academic. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:13:27
Storm Conall brings train cancellations and warning of possible power cuts
Rail travel disrupted in southern England after heavy rain, as parts of country still feel impact of Storm BertThe third named storm of the autumn, Conall, has brought more disruption to the UK, with trains cancelled in parts of southern England on Wednesday and the Met Office warning of delays on roads and the potential for power cuts.Up to 40mm of rain fell overnight in parts of south and south-east England and another 5-8mm was expected during the day. The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for London and areas of Essex, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:05:06
Nationwide’s £2.3bn takeover gain prompts criticism of Virgin Money bosses
Analysts claim bosses at target bank decided to ‘take the money and run’ after Virgin assets valued at £5.1bn Nationwide building society has revealed a £2.3bn gain from its takeover of Virgin Money, prompting accusations that Virgin’s bosses decided to “take the money and run” after losing faith in the ex-chief executive David Duffy.The building society’s bosses hailed the terms of the deal on Wednesday, as it published its final set of results as a standalone brand. Although the £2.8bn it paid for Virgin Money represented a premium on the target-bank’s share price – and its £2bn market valuation prior to the bid, according to Guardian calculations – it ended up being a “significant” discount compared with the actual value of Virgin Money’s assets. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 13:42:38
‘An emotional wrench’: Smithfield traders absorb news that market is to close
Stunned workers at London meat market first established in 1133 say closure will mean end of a way of lifeThe junction at Cowcross Street marks the place where for centuries cattle were driven daily to London’s Smithfield Market. Nearby Cock Lane is another street name linked to the meat and poultry trade centred here since the 12th century, although some accounts attribute its origin to it being the only licensed place for sex work in the medieval city.Soon these will be among the last vestiges of a truly historic site that was central to London life, feeding the city’s people, dispensing justice as a place of public execution and even, in a shameful chapter from the early 19th century, providing a place where a man wishing to avoid a costly divorce could sell his wife. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 13:39:51
Aston Martin looks to raise £210m after second profit warning in two months
Luxury carmaker wants to drive electrification and boost growth by taking on further debt and issuing new sharesBusiness live – latest updatesAston Martin has announced it is hoping to raise £210m to help boost growth and drive its electrification strategy, shortly after issuing its second profit warning in two months.The British luxury car manufacturer said it aims to raise £110m through new shares and a further £100m by taking on new debt to “increase its financial resilience”. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 13:32:45
Former chief executive of Letby hospital denies he discouraged police inquiry
Tony Chambers accepts that chances to stop nurse were missed but declines to identify any personal failuresThe former chief executive of the hospital where Lucy Letby murdered babies has apologised to the victims’ families but denied discouraging police from launching an investigation.Tony Chambers told the Thirlwall inquiry he “wholeheartedly accepted” that the Countess of Chester hospital’s “systems failed” and that there were missed opportunities to stop the nurse sooner. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 13:29:15
Trump transition process raises ‘concerns about corruption’, top senator says – US politics live
US senator Elizabeth Warren says transition agreement between Trump team and White House fails to answer key questions about FBI vetting and securityThe MOU was supposed to be signed weeks ago, before the election. Trump has already indicated he will sidestep standard transition processes, including, The Guardian has reported, by issuing security clearances to appointees without requiring FBI background checks.In refusing to sign a transition agreement with the DOJ regarding FBI background checks, the incoming Trump administration stands to forgo access to classified information from Biden administration officials. Lawmakers have already raised concerns about key Trump appointees avoiding the standard security clearance process – which will likely arise during senate confirmation hearings early next year.The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the incoming Trump and outgoing Biden administrations outlining some terms of the transfer of power departs from the norm in a few key ways, which is raising eyebrows on Washington.The Trump team said the transition will be privately funded and will not utilize “government buildings or technology [...] and will operate as a self-sufficient organization.”Susie Wiles, Trump’s incoming chief of staff said the transition team “has an existing ethics plan”, which she said would be uploaded to the General Services Administration website.Warren called Trump’s use of private funds “nothing more than a ploy for well-connected Trump insiders to line their pockets while pretending to save taxpayers money.” She expressed “concerns of corruption”.There is a fresh flurry of Trump appointments. Among those announced last night were John Phelan, an investor and Trump campaign donor, as his pick for secretary of the Navy, and Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford University health researcher who opposed Covid-19 lockdowns, to head the National Institutes of Health. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:24:50
Trump backs adviser accused of pay-to-play scheme as ouster attempt backfires
President-elect defends Boris Epshteyn, who was accused of asking potential nominees to pay fees, amid infightingUS politics – live updatesAn attempt to force the ouster of Boris Epshteyn, a top adviser to Donald Trump, over accusations that he asked potential administration nominees to pay monthly consulting fees in exchange for lobbying for them appeared to have failed as the president-elect came to his defense.Trump told aides at the Mar-a-Lago club, from where he is running the presidential transition, that he was irritated by what he viewed as an attempt to undercut “my people”, according to two people familiar with the matter. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 14:00:14
Trump’s promise to loosen crypto regulations may be boon for extremist groups
Trump’s policies could aid terrorist and far-right groups who use cryptocurrency to help quietly finance their endsThe return of Donald Trump in the White House is promising many things: mass deportations, an end to inflation, and perhaps the first cryptocurrency-friendly presidency, which is widely expected to loosen regulations on the emergent technology.While that is music to the ears of crypto investors and enthusiasts who poured money into his campaign, there are other unlikely winners for such policies, including far-right extremists and terrorist organizations who are using crypto to finance their ends. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 12:46:55
First Thing: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire in Lebanon takes effect
Reports of cars heading south inside Lebanon despite Israeli army warning. Plus, record South Korea snowfallDon’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.A highly anticipated ceasefire aimed at ending the 14-month-old war between Israel and Hezbollah officially came into effect early this morning, hours after Joe Biden hailed the “historic” moment. The ceasefire began at 4am in Lebanon after the heaviest day of raids on Beirut, including a series of strikes in the city’s centre, since Israel stepped up its air campaign in Lebanon in late September before sending in ground troops.What does the ceasefire stipulate? The resolution calls for the withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters north of the Litani River – about 18 miles from the Lebanon-Israel border – and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from south Lebanon.What other views does Bhattacharya hold? He has questioned the safety of vaccines, testified against the effectiveness of face masks, and argued that NIH officials should not be involved with scientific policy.Has Trump tapped people with direct ties to Project 2025? Many. For example, Trump’s nominee to chair the Federal Communications Commission wrote the chapter on the FCC in Project 2025. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 12:18:17
Polls underestimated Trump support for third election in a row
Chance, demographics or even people reluctant to voice support for Trump could all be reasons for discrepancyIn the weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Guardian polling averages showed Kamala Harris winning an incredibly close race. Still, Donald Trump won, showing that yet again his volume of support was underestimated.Though Guardian US averages had Harris winning, the final result was within the margin of errors for high-quality polls conducted this election cycle. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 12:00:01
Trump’s tariff plan will send prices ‘through the roof’, warn US firms
US manufacturers are bracing for disruption and sounding the alarm that customers will be hit by price increasesDonald Trump set the business and political world alight late on Monday. The incoming president said he would impose a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada and hit China with more levies on day one of his term.“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” he wrote on Truth Social. Continue reading...
Published: 2024-11-27 12:00:01
