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New details have emerged in the death of a northern California man who was killed by a piece of excavating equipment during a city sweep of what officials have referred to as an illegal dumping site. James Edward Oakley, a 58-year-old man who lived on the streets of Vallejo, was found dead at the site … Read more

The S&P 500, a key US stock market index, closed in correction territory on Thursday as the volatility of Donald Trump’s trade wars rattled investors. The index closed more than 10% down from its 19 February peak as Wall Street approaches the end of a second week of pressure. The technology-focused Nasdaq Composite also closed … Read more

Syria’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has hailed the start of a “new history” for his country, after signing into force a constitutional declaration regulating its five-year transitional period and laying out rights for women and freedom of expression. The declaration comes three months after Islamist-led rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad’s repressive government, leading to calls for an … Read more

With tears in their eyes, mothers of children who died in Brazil’s worst environmental disaster – the 2015 Mariana dam collapse – demanded justice for their loved ones as submissions in their London lawsuit came to an end. Nineteen people were killed when the Mariana dam in south-eastern Brazil collapsed and unleashed a wave of … Read more

Police investigating the hospital where nurse Lucy Letby worked have widened their inquiries to include gross negligence manslaughter by senior staff. Cheshire constabulary says it has expanded its inquiry into the Countess of Chester hospital despite growing questions around Letby’s convictions. The former nurse is serving 15 whole-life prison terms after being convicted of murdering … Read more

Since Labour won power last July, Keir Starmer has repeatedly affirmed his deep affection for the NHS, close family ties to it, intention to “fix” it – and also his determination to change it. In a speech last September, he said the health service in England is in such dire straits that “it’s reform or … Read more

Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Welcome Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Catie McLeod will be at the controls. Kevin Rudd has vowed to keep fighting for exemptions from US tariffs, but told … Read more

Noel Clarke’s wife has said his accusers are liars who have deliberately fabricated sexual misconduct claims about him. Giving evidence in the actor’s libel case against the Guardian, Iris Clarke said her husband was generous and caring, and that people he had worked with and helped had taken advantage of him. Noel Clarke, 49, who … Read more

The former shadow chancellor Ed Balls has criticised plans for cuts to disability benefits, saying on his podcast that it was “not going to work”. George Osborne, the architect of welfare cuts during the coalition years, also told the same podcast that he had resisted freezing personal independence payments (Pip) – a move currently under … Read more

A US journalist has taken the Indian government to court after his Indian overseas citizenship was unilaterally cancelled, after the publication of a story critical of a prominent Indian businessman. Raphael Satter, who covers cybersecurity for the Reuters news agency in the US, received a letter from India’s ministry of home affairs in early December … Read more