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Projections show votes for Palestinian parties surged in a tight contest that saw the highest turnout in decadesIsrael election – live updatesIsrael election: what we know so farAnalysis: Rise of Palestinian parties in Knesset will redraw Israel’s political landscapeIsrael’s future hung in the balance on Wednesday as it became clear that Benjamin Netanyahu had lost his governing majority, and his political fate now depends on whether opposition Jewish parties are prepared to forge a common front

The chancellor is right to focus on pure affordability, but £100 handouts and delayed decisions won’t shield consumers from the next wave of price hikesAmid the myriad of small measures, virtually everything in John Healey’s budget came back to the cost of energy. The higher energy prices that have resulted from the Iran war have pushed up inflation, are eating into households’ incomes, are a drag on businesses – and are the main reason why the forecast for GDP growth next year was cut from 1.6%

Incumbent could turn defeat into another term in office as rival parties erect confected barrier to unseating himIsrael election results – live updatesFull report: Coalition talks loom in IsraelAnalysis: Rise of Palestinian parties will redraw political landscapeHours before the final results from Israel’s elections were in, several things were clear. Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition had lost its mandate, and the opposition had a firm majority.But most of Israel’s Jewish opposition ruled

Jury at Winchester crown court sees video evidence by Joanne Young in trial of four men accused of sexual assaultA woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted by men invited by her ex-husband into their family home described how she would wake in the middle of the night restrained and blindfolded and feeling “hazy”.Joanne Young said that on one occasion she managed to remove her blindfold and was shocked to glimpse a stranger in her bedroom whom her then husband, Philip Young, had allegedly arran

How the chancellor’s measures on tax, benefits and pensions will affect your personal financesHealey offers £100 payment to households to help navigate ‘global economic storms’Budget 2026: key points at a glanceBudget 2026 calculator: find out if you are better or worse offJosh graduated two years ago from an English university and is back home in London. He earns £28,500, out of which he pays £3,186 in income tax and £1,274 in national insurance (NI) contributions a year. This results in take-h

Passengers describe carriages full of seriously injured people after crash that has claimed at least 68 livesJosimar Medina woke a little before 9am on Wednesday to find himself airborne and hurtling through his carriage on the fast train from Madrid to Seville.“I remember flying through the air and looking for my girlfriend, who was also shooting through the air,” said Medina, a 37-year-old tourist from the northern Peruvian city of Chiclayo. Continue reading...

Even an elite coach would surely struggle at Old Trafford amid the executive chaos and with an unfit, uneven squadIn January 2014 the 13th series of Celebrity Big Brother aired in the UK, the show so popular that its run time was extended by five days before a public vote anointed Jim Davidson the winner. Then, two years later when Brexit happened, people wondered where their tolerant country had gone, lamenting the ephemeral spirit of London 2012 as though the 2011 riots were some kind of fever

Readers respond to an article in which the prime minister said the government’s gasfield approval was part of its commitment to a greener futureAndy Burnham writes that his determination to tackle the climate crisis is “unwavering” and that the transition must not leave communities behind (We will make the net-zero transition work for Britain – approving the Jackdaw gasfield is part of the plan, 22 October). Whatever one thinks of Jackdaw, the test of that pledge is whether people are also prote

The broadcaster’s decision speaks volumes about BBC priorities and the state of public dialogue, says David Blunkett. Plus a letter by Richard BourneCan I add my voice to the expression of considerable disquiet at the BBC’s proposal to eliminate the post of education editor, instead combining responsibility with that of social affairs (BBC News to axe education editor role in cost-cutting move, 22 October). These two distinct areas of public life are critical to our understanding – under the rem

Columnist’s relations with some senior editorial figures said to be strained over subjects she raised in her columnsThe controversial Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson is understood to be in negotiations about leaving the broadsheet as the newspaper’s new owner makes significant newsroom cuts.Sources told the Guardian that Pearson – firmly on the right of the Telegraph’s roster – is preparing to announce her exit imminently and is crafting a statement about her future plans. Continue rea

With almost half of parent-carers contemplating taking their lives, Dr Louise Lawson calls for urgent action by the government Reading the report on Matilda Davis’s death was heartbreaking (Burnham backs mandatory suicide prevention training for social workers after parent-carer Matilda Davis’s death, 21 October). That someone already under immense pressure could leave a meeting with social workers feeling so distressed, and that the professionals had received no suicide-prevention training, is

One prison officer says existing rules on offenders making court appearances should be enforced rather than introducing fresh sanctionsThe report on judges being given powers to punish prisoners who refuse to attend court raises a question about why we appear to have abandoned a straightforward approach that once worked (Criminals who refuse to attend sentencing face losing prison privileges under new rules, 22 October).When I joined the Prison Service as an officer more than 30 years ago, priso

It’s the canine equivalent of gentle v tough parenting – and there is no sign of a ceasefire. So what is the correct way to get man’s best friend to behave?Name: Dog training wars.Age: Puppy to 14 months, and beyond. Continue reading...

Call for urgent talks after gaming machines tax increaseBrant Dunshea: ‘thousands’ of betting shops may closeBrant Dunshea, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, said on Wednesday that the sport’s ruling body will “urgently engage with the government to establish how we can work together to reduce the impact” after John Healey, in his first budget as chancellor, raised the duty on the profits from fixed-odds gaming machines in betting shops from 20% to 25%.The widely expected ris

Report claimed two Welsh sides could join PremJoint statement said ‘resources focused on English clubs’Prem Rugby and the Rugby Football Union have stated they are committed to expanding the top flight with English clubs in response to a report claiming that two Welsh sides could soon join the competition.According to the report, the Welsh Rugby Union is in advanced discussions with Prem Rugby and the RFU over the possibility of turning the Prem into a cross-border competition. Continue reading.

Mohamed Amersi is suing over Panorama episode that made claims of his suspected involvement in corruptionA Conservative and Reform UK donor lost out on a knighthood and a peerage amid claims of his involvement in corruption, the high court has heard at the start of his defamation case against the BBC.An episode of Panorama in 2021 and a BBC article caused “very serious harm” to Mohamed Amersi, his barrister, Oliver Powell, said on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Use our interactive tool to see how you have been affected by John Healey’s tax and spending announcementsHealey keeps income tax thresholds frozen. How much more will you pay?Budget 2026: key points at a glance Continue reading...

Fishing town in disbelief the morning after its footballing minnows beat mighty Arsenal on penaltiesOn a wet and windy night on the north-west coast of England, a League Two side sensationally knocked the Premier League champions out of the Carabao Cup. But this is not just a fairytale story of giant-slaying: Fleetwood Town and Arsenal have an unlikely history that stretches back long before Tuesday night’s game.Arsenal played at their iconic Highbury stadium until 2006, and Fleetwood’s ground h

Payments to 20m homes part of package to cut energy bills and ease cost of living crisis, paid for by bank windfall tax‘A pretty grim picture’: outlook for UK living standards slashed despite Healey’s budgetBudget 2026: key points at a glanceJohn Healey promised to steer Britain through “global economic storms” as he announced an energy giveaway of £100 to 80% of households in England, funded by a smaller than expected windfall tax on banks.In his first budget, the chancellor said 20 million hou

Individual known in court as PPT is seeking a permanent injunction, with lawyers citing his risk of suicideTwo news organisations have a duty to the public and their sources to publish allegations of exploitative sexual behaviour by a well-known figure despite claims he is “highly likely” to attempt suicide, the high court has heard.The anonymous individual, known in court simply as PPT, is seeking an injunction against the Guardian and ITN to stop them publishing the allegations, which he denie