Robert Jenrick has quit his post hours after Rishi Sunak tabled a bill to save the Rwanda deportation policy. The legislation did not allow for ministers to override international laws that have stopped the government from sending asylum seekers to central Africa. The home secretary, James Cleverly, paid tribute to Jenrick, saying he had done 'a huge amount of work on this and a number of other areas'.

• Robert Jenrick quits as immigration minister after Rwanda bill published

• Robert Jenrick resigns as immigration minister, James Cleverly confirms – UK politics live

• Sunak’s bill aims to block UK human rights law to save Rwanda scheme

The former British prime minister Boris Johnson has been giving evidence at the UK’s public inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic, where he was questioned on the decisions he made as prime minister during that time. The appearance of Johnson, who was PM for three years between 2019 and 2022, has been the most eagerly awaited moment so far in an inquiry overseen by a former judge. Johnson resigned in disgrace in September 2022 after a series of scandals including reports that he and other officials had been present at alcohol-fuelled gatherings during 2020 and 2021 at Downing Street, the official residences and offices of Britain’s prime minister.

• Boris Johnson says it is nonsense to claim he kept Matt Hancock in post so he could be ‘sacrifice’ for the UK Covid inquiry – live

• Is Johnson right that UK had fewer Covid deaths than much of Europe?

• Boris Johnson: I wasn’t properly warned about seriousness of Covid

Israeli forces and Hamas are fighting house-to-house battles along the length of the Gaza Strip, with devastating consequences for the civilian population amid a complete collapse in humanitarian relief. As the IDF fights its way through badly bombed urban areas in northern and southern Gaza, Hamas is increasingly relying on improvised bombs to inflict casualties and slow down the assault. Gaza's hospitals have reported many civilians dead and injured, with medical supplies dwindling since the collapse of the ceasefire

• Israel and Hamas fight house-to-house battles across Gaza

• Israel-Hamas war – latest updates

The former prime minister was booed as he left the Covid inquiry in London on Wednesday night. Johnson had begun the first of two days of testimony by saying he was sorry 'for the pain and the loss and the suffering of the Covid victims' – an apology that was interrupted as Heather Hallett, the inquiry chair, ordered four protesters to leave the room for holding up a sign reading 'The dead can’t hear your apologies'.

• Boris Johnson: I wasn’t properly warned about seriousness of Covid

• Is Boris Johnson right that UK had fewer Covid deaths than much of Europe?

• Boris Johnson at the Covid inquiry: key takeaways

The UN has heard accounts of sexual violence during the 7 October attacks by Hamas, in a meeting where speakers criticised women's rights activists and UN officials for not doing more to investigate or condemn these crimes. Israeli officials and frontline workers, senior US politicians and activists spoke at the meeting, organised in part by the former Meta executive Sheryl Sandberg. Hamas denies that its fighters carried out sexual violence against Israelis. Speakers at the meeting urged a full and fair investigation by the UN

• UN hears accounts of sexual violence during 7 October attacks by Hamas

• Israel-Hamas war - latest updates

Families who lost loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic gathered outside Dorland House in central London on Wednesday as the former prime minister Boris Johnson appeared as a witness at the UK's Covid inquiry. Johnson, PM for three years from 2019 to 2022, resigned in disgrace after a series of scandals including reports that he, and other officials, had been present at alcohol-fuelled gatherings in Downing Street in 2020 and 2021, when most people in Britain were required to stay at home. Johnson faces two days of questioning in what are likely to be the most emotionally charged sessions so far of the official investigation into why Britain ended up with one of the world's highest death tolls during the pandemic

• Boris Johnson rejects claims he could not make up his mind about lockdown – UK Covid inquiry live

In its long-delayed response to the 2017 report commissioned by the government from James Jones, the former bishop of Liverpool, the government has signed a "Hillsborough charter", that states a commitment by departments to openness and transparency after public tragedies. The call for police and public authorities to adopt a charter committing them to act in the public interest following a major incident was Jones’s central recommendation in his report. Lord Chancellor Alex Chalk announced that both the charter and the report 'will be embedded in public life'. When Jones’s report was released in 2017, bereaved families welcomed it but also called for a “Hillsborough law” to be the legacy of their campaign for justice. Ministers have rejected the law, arguing that it was covered now by the commitment to the charter.

• Government rejects Hillsborough law, but adopts charter

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have clashed over the Rwanda asylum deal during PMQs. The Labour leader referred to the plan as a 'gimmick' while the prime minister declared Starmer was 'once again on the side of the people smugglers'. The pair also used Margaret Thatcher and Brexit to mock one another with Starmer questioning how the Conservative party went from 'up yours to laws to take our money Kagame'. Sunak said Starmer could role play Thatcher all he wanted but when it came to Europe his answer was the same, 'yes, yes, yes'.

The former prime minister's opening statement at the Covid inquiry was interrupted by hecklers who shouted 'you're not sorry' as he issued an apology to bereaved families

• Boris Johnson faces tough questions at Covid inquiry over handling of pandemic

• UK politics live – latest updates

Sarina Wiegman said she 'didn’t know what to say' to England’s heartbroken stars as they stood in a huddle on hearing the news that the Netherlands had scored against Belgium to knock them out of the Nations League on goal difference and end any chance of Team GB qualifying for the Olympic Games. England looked to have done enough when Lucy Bronze’s late header capped a 6-0 victory against Scotland. But the Netherlands' finished top of League A Group 1 after Damaris Egurrola’s 95th‑minute goal earned them a 4-0 win minutes after England’s game had ended.

• ‘I didn’t know what to say’: Wiegman praises England despite Olympic blow

Mark Dreyfus and home affairs minister Clare O'Neil give heated responses after a reporter from Sky News asks whether or not the government owes an apology to Australians who have allegedly been subjected to misdeeds by some of the detainees released under last month's high court decision. Dreyfus, the attorney general, says at the press conference in Parliament House, Canberra, on Wednesday: 'I will not be apologising for upholding the law ... Your question is an absurd one!'

• Australian politics live

Cyclone Michaung has made landfall on the southern Indian coast with intense winds which reached 110 km per hour.

Its arrival was preceded by torrential rains and flooding that killed several people. Urban areas across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were submerged, as authorities evacuated thousands of people in affected communities.

The cyclone weakened to ‘cyclonic storm intensity’ after several hours on Tuesday

• Heavy flooding in southern India before Cyclone Michaung makes landfall – video

The British home secretary, James Cleverly, has said the UK government was not pursuing 'cheap and quick popularity' by signing an agreement with the Rwandan government in the hope of sending people seeking asylum to east Africa, as he became the third UK home secretary in 19 months to do so on Tuesday.

The Home Office says the latest treaty enhances the functions of a monitoring committee in Rwanda to ensure compliance with obligations, such as reception conditions, processing of asylum claims, and treatment and support for asylum seekers.

Rwanda’s foreign affairs minister, Vincent Biruta, said his country had been 'unfairly treated' by the courts, international organisations and the media. He invited critics to offer 'alternatives' to the plan and said now was the time to move forward with the partnership

• UK taxpayers to bear extra cost over Rwanda treaty

• UK politics live – latest updates

Erik ten Hag dismissed the idea of disorder at Manchester United amid reports of dressing room unrest that led to the banning of several media outlets. United received severe criticism for an insipid display in the 1-0 loss at St James’ Park. Stories then emerged of the manager having lost the confidence of several players. When pressed, Ten Hag said: 'we are together. You can’t play such great football as we did lately if there is no unity.'

• Erik ten Hag denies reports of disunity in Manchester United dressing room

An explosion destroyed a property in a Virginia suburb of Washington DC. Hours before the explosion, a suspect inside his home fired a flare gun 30 to 40 times into the neighbourhood, drawing a large police response. Arlington county police said all officers escaped serious injury in the blast and it was unclear what happened to the person inside the home. They said police had tried to make contact with the suspect by phone and loudspeakers but he had remained inside without responding

• Suspect inside house that exploded fired flare gun 30 to 40 times, US police say

Parts of southern India were hit by heavy rainfall and flooding on Tuesday before the arrival of Cyclone Michaung. Urban areas across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu were submerged, as authorities evacuated thousands of people in affected communities

At almost 4,000 sq km (1,500 square miles), the Antarctic iceberg called A23a is roughly three times the size of New York City. The iceberg calved off West Antarctica's Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in 1986 and has largely been stranded after its base became stuck on the floor of the Weddell Sea. British scientists on the icebreaking research vessel the RRS Sir David Attenborough have now been able able to inspect the iceberg in person. It was 'amazing to see this huge berg in person,' said Dr Andrew Meijers, the chief scientist on the ship, 'it stretches as far as the eye can see'

• World’s biggest iceberg moving beyond Antarctic waters

James Cleverly has announced new restrictions on immigration that will come into force in the spring. The foreign secretary told MPs the measures would reduce immigration by about 300,000 compared with last year’s figures.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, noted that only four months ago the government was expanding its shortage-occupation list

• UK politics: latest updates

• Five-point plan to cut UK immigration raises fears of more NHS staff shortages

The Cop28 president, Sultan Al Jaber, held a surprise press conference at which he said comments he made about the phasing out of fossil fuels were 'misrepresented'. The Guardian reported how Jaber had remarked that there was 'no scientific evidence' indicating a phase-out of fossil fuels was needed to restrict global heating to 1.5C. Jaber, who is CEO of the UAE's state oil company Adnoc, defended the comments he made during a virtual meeting on 21 November with the former Irish president and UN climate convoy Mary Robinson. Jaber said: 'Let’s just clarify where I stand on the science … I honestly think there is some confusion out there and misrepresentation.'

• Cop28 live – latest updates

• Cop28 president forced into defence of fossil fuel phaseout claims

An American daredevil, Brian Grubb, has combined wakeskating and BASE jumping to pull off a fearless stunt in Dubai. The two-time wakeskating world champion started on the sky bridge at the Address Beach Resort, scooting 94 metres (103 yards) across a rooftop infinity pool that is 294 metres (322 yards) above sea level. Grubb was towed across the water by a custom drone, before bailing off his board and BASE jumping 77 stories onto the beach below. The successful mix of wakeskating and BASE jumping has been dubbed 'WakeBASE'.