Leader of Church of England had faced pressure since damning report on cover-up of John Smyth’s abuse

The archbishop of Canterbury is to step down amid intense pressure over his handling of one of the church’s worst abuse scandals.

Justin Welby’s decision, announced on Tuesday, comes after mounting demands from victims and members of the clergy for him to quit.

António Guterres says global heating is super-charging disasters, and Cop hears warning of ‘inflation on steroids’

This year has been “a masterclass in human destruction”, the UN secretary general has said as he reflected on extreme weather and record temperatures around the world fuelled by climate breakdown.

António Guterres painted a stark portrait of the consequences of climate breakdown that had arisen in recent months. “Families running for their lives before the next hurricane strikes; workers and pilgrims collapsing in insufferable heat; floods tearing through communities and tearing down infrastructure; children going to bed hungry as droughts ravage crops,” he said. “All these disasters, and more, are being supercharged by human-made climate change.”

King Felipe VI reportedly plans to revisit Valencia amid alerts for heavy rain, high waves and strong winds

People in flood-hit Spain stacked sandbags and braced for new storms on Tuesday as the political repercussions from last month’s deadly climate disaster rumbled on.

Amid fresh weather warnings, local media reported that King Felipe VI would soon return to the site of the flash floods, after he was pelted with mud and eggs on his first visit last week owing to local fury at the poor preparation and response of the authorities.

Georgian billionaire’s daughter and her husband say Notting Hill home has ‘vermin infestation’

The daughter of a Georgian billionaire and her husband are suing for more than £36m after claiming the London mansion they bought was “infested with millions of moths”, the high court heard.

Iya Patarkatsishvili and Dr Yevhen Hunyak bought the early Victorian seven-bedroom Notting Hill home in west London – with pool, spa, gym, wine room, library, cinema, and a “snoring room” designed for peaceful sleep – for £32.5m in May 2019.

US may soon impose sanctions as organisations say Israel has failed to help relieve dire humanitarian situation

A coalition of international aid organisations have accused Israel of ignoring a US ultimatum that threatened sanctions if Israel did not implement a series of measures to counter the acute humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The 30-day ultimatum– due to expire on Tuesday or Wednesday – was delivered on 13 October, and almost none of its demands have been met, the humanitarian groups say.

Emergency crews were unable to save Kate Mulcahy while her children escaped from a fire at her home in Manchester

Tributes have been paid to a 37-year-old woman who died in a house fire in Greater Manchester where her four children survived.

Kate Mulcahy was found dead inside her home in Middleton after a fire broke out early on Sunday morning. It is understood she had two sons – one-year-old twins – and two daughters, and that a number of the children were in the house and managed to escape the blaze.

Investigation into country’s largest cocaine bust reveals cash in home of former head of anti-money laundering

Spain has arrested one of its top police officers after €20m (£17m) was found hidden in the walls of his house, as part of an investigation into the country’s largest-ever cocaine bust.

Óscar Sánchez Gil was until recently the head of the fraud and anti-money laundering division of Spain’s national police force in Madrid.

Doctor involved in review of deaths and collapses at hospital says she was not ‘adequately briefed’

A neonatal expert who reviewed the deaths and collapses of babies harmed by Lucy Letby has said she feels misled over her commissioning by hospital bosses.

Dr Jane Hawdon, a consultant neonatologist, said she was not “adequately briefed” about the suspicions of senior doctors about Letby before she carried out her analysis.

Company seeking to shut or refranchise most of its crown post offices and cut up to 1,000 head office positions

The Post Office is expected to announce the closure of dozens of branches and cut up to 1,000 head office jobs as it seeks to reduce costs to secure its financial future.

There are about 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK, of which 115 are wholly centrally owned. The rest are operated by independent post office operators under contract and partners such as WH Smith and Tesco.

National Portrait Gallery announces £15,000-winning portrait that conveys atypical image of motherhood

A portrait documenting an unconventional and “imperfect” example of motherhood has won one of the world’s most prestigious photography prizes.

The National Portrait Gallery has named the British photographer Steph Wilson as winner of the 2024 Taylor Wessing photographic portrait prize for her portrait Sonam. The photographer, who works between London and Paris, wins £15,000.