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Blackstone says it has agreed to buy popular Whitsundays island from Australian winemaking family

State department accuses group of pressuring tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints through regulation of disinformationThe state department has barred five Europeans from the US, accusing them of leading efforts to pressure tech firms to censor or suppress American viewpoints, in the latest attack on European regulations that target hate speech and misinformation.Secretary of state Marco Rubio said the five people targeted with visa bans - who include former European Commissioner Thierry Breton - have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to censor, demonetize, and suppress American viewpoints they oppose." Continue reading...

Known as Tea Tyme, Tynesha McCarty-Wroten arrested over 3 November death of Darren Lucas in Zion, IllinoisThe social media creator who allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian as she hosted a livestream while simultaneously driving through a Chicago suburb has been arrested, according to authorities.Known best to her online followers as Tea Tyme, Tynesha McCarty-Wroten was arrested Tuesday for her role in the 3 November death of 59-year-old Darren Lucas, said Lt Paul Kehrli of the Zion, Illinois, police department. Continue reading...

Prime minister calls on people to show kindness to friends or family as leaders broadcast their festive messagesKeir Starmer has called on Britons to show kindness to struggling friends or family this Christmas, saying being in touch with those in need can make a big difference.Starmer, whose brother died last Boxing Day, said people should channel the spirit of the many volunteers and public sector workers who are on duty this Christmas by resolving to get back in touch with those who might find the time of year difficult. Continue reading...

Libyan PM says Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad died after aircraft lost radio contact above AnkaraThe Libyan army's chief of staff, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, has been killed in a plane crash after leaving Turkey's capital, Ankara.The prime minister of Libya's internationally recognised government confirmed on Tuesday evening that Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad had died and that four others were on the jet with him. Continue reading...

Sydney can expect showers and a top of 23C, Melbourne a chilly 17C and Brisbane a balmy 34C

Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib, on remand at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, had refused food for almost 50 days in protest at the ban on Palestine ActionTwo Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners have paused their hunger strikes due to deteriorating health but have vowed to resume the protest next year.Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib have temporarily resumed eating, according to a statement released by Prisoners for Palestine group on Tuesday evening. Continue reading...

The family of the specialist doctor and former member for the Victorian seat of Higgins announced her death on Tuesday

Segment that Bari Weiss had removed provides in-depth look at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo prisonA 60 Minutes episode investigating a brutal prison in El Salvador, which CBS News's editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, pulled from the air on Sunday, appeared online on Monday after appearing on a Canadian TV app.The segment, which runs for nearly 14 minutes and was viewed by the Guardian, provides an in-depth look at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Cecot) prison in El Salvador. It opens with footage of the mega-prison and shows detainees being shackled upon arrival in El Salvador. Continue reading...

Avon and Somerset police says there is insufficient' evidence for realistic prospect of convictionAn investigation into chants by the rap duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury festival will not lead to any further action by prosecutors as there is insufficient" evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction, police said.Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster, led crowds on the festival's West Holts stage in chants of death, death to the IDF", referring to the Israel Defense Forces, during their performance in June. Continue reading...

Southern Water warns households may begin losing water from Christmas Eve as system rapidly loses supplyThousands of households in Hastings could face a Christmas with no water after a mains pipe burst.Southern Water has warned that households may begin losing water from the evening of Christmas Eve as the system is rapidly losing supply. Continue reading...

Leading human rights lawyer accuses government of dismissive approach' based on ludicrous' reasoningOne of the UK's leading human rights lawyers has criticised the government's refusal to engage with Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners who are on hunger strike as based on ludicrous" reasoning.In its strongest statement yet, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said that meeting with the hunger strikers risked creating perverse incentives" but this was roundly rejected by Michael Mansfield KC, known for his work on landmark cases such as the Grenfell Tower fire, Stephen Lawrence and the Birmingham Six. Continue reading...

The former entertainer, 50, faces one count of rape and one of sexual assault of two more alleged victimsRussell Brand has been charged with further sexual offences, including one count of rape, the Metropolitan police have said.The 50-year-old former entertainer has been charged with one count of rape and one of sexual assault of two further alleged victims. Continue reading...

Denise Coates's gambling empire reports turnover of 4bn in year to March 2025, up from 3.7bnDenise Coates, the billionaire boss of Bet365, a self-described ultimate gambler" and Britain's highest-paid woman, took home at least 280m in pay and dividends in 2025 despite a slump in pre-tax profits.Coates's Stoke-based gambling empire recorded turnover of 4bn in the year to March 2025, up from 3.7bn the year before. Pre-tax profits fell to 349m, from 627m in the previous year. Continue reading...

Border Force warns knock-off Labubu dolls and similar items can be dangerous, and sales fund criminal networksAt this time of year, with the big day looming and the north pole elves straining to meet their manufacturing quotas, it may be tempting for Santa to try outsourcing toy production to international organised crime gangs.But Father Christmas would do well to heed fresh warnings that counterfeit versions of one of this year's most popular toys can be dangerous to children. Continue reading...

Global sales fall by 3% in third consecutive year of decline as distilleries scale back production or expand storageThe Scottish whisky market has slipped into a supply glut as US tariffs and falling demand weigh on the country's distilleries.Global scotch sales fell 3% in the first half of 2025, marking the third consecutive year of decline after decades of growth, according to the alcohol data provider IWSR. Continue reading...

Epstein files reveal messages between his accomplice and a man who appears to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Big Cypress fox squirrels released as a pair to reduce stress and support natural behaviors during return to the wildTwo rare and elusive" juvenile squirrels have a new home for the holidays after they were injured falling from their nests and spent several weeks in a Florida wildlife rehab" facility.The pair of Big Cypress fox squirrels, a threatened species so uncommon that the Conservancy of Southwest Florida hasn't treated one in at least a decade, was released back into the wild at a carefully selected site rich in high-quality pine and cypress habitat" near the nest where one of them was originally found. Continue reading...

Review will request commonsense' system with most serious incidents recorded as antisocial behaviourThe category of non-crime hate incidents is no longer fit for purpose and could be scrapped under plans to be presented to the home secretary.A review by police leaders will call for non-crime hate incidents to be replaced with a new commonsense" system, the Telegraph reports. Under the new scheme, only the most serious incidents would be recorded as antisocial behaviour. Continue reading...

Son of jailed former Brazilian president says spokesperson for national symbol' sandals is openly leftwing'Leaderless since its figurehead was jailed for attempting a coup, Brazil's far right has found a new nemesis: the iconic flip-flop brand Havaianas, which has been cancelled" by Jair Bolsonaro's supporters over a television advert.The controversy stems from the actor Fernanda Torres - the star of I'm Still Here, the Brazilian film that won an Oscar for best international feature - saying in the ad that she hoped audiences would not start 2026 on the right foot", but with both feet". Continue reading...

Home affairs minister says the proposal would clamp down on groups like Hizb ut-Tahrir and the National Socialist Network

Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein thought zero hour' had finally arrived until undercover operative thwarted themWhen Walid Saadaoui recruited Amar Hussein to join him in a pogrom on the streets of Greater Manchester, Hussein wept with joy.For years, the two men had been sleeper agents for the Islamic State terrorist group. Each had lived quietly in Britain for years, waiting for the right moment to stage an attack, and for the right person to give them the support to make it happen. Continue reading...

Announcement after proposed sale falls through prompts backlash and union says more than 200 jobs at riskA Reform UK-led council plan to shut eight of its residential care homes has been condemned as a betrayal of local people".Days before Christmas, Derbyshire county council announced that the homes would have to close after a proposed sale fell through. Continue reading...

GDP rose at an annualized rate of 4.3% over the third quarter, far higher than expectedThe US economy surged over the summer, the commerce department announced on Tuesday in one of the final snapshots of the nation's finances to be released in 2025.Gross domestic product (GDP) - a broad measure of the value of goods and services - rose at an annualized rate of 4.3% over the third quarter, far higher than expected and its fastest rate in two years. Continue reading...

Five of the officers also facing charges of conspiracy to steal and misconduct in public officeSix immigration officers have been charged with offences after an investigation into alleged thefts from migrants and money laundering.Five of the officers are facing charges including conspiracy to steal and misconduct in public office, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Tuesday. All six have been charged with money laundering offences. Continue reading...

Administration has arrested 328,000 and deported 327,000 people. Plus, Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank celebrates Christmas againGood morning.The number of people in immigration detention in the US has hit an all-time high, according to data published by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).What are the demographics of people the administration is targeting for deportation? In one of the biggest changes in immigration enforcement policies, immigrants with no criminal record continue to make up the largest group in US immigration detention, despite the administration's rhetoric about focusing its anti-immigration efforts on the worst of the worst" criminals. (Being undocumented in the US is a civil not a criminal infraction.)How are ordinary people fighting back? As Trump carries out his mass deportation operation, Julia Carrie Wong reports on how residents are banding together to block raids and distribute groceries.What did Trump say about Clinton? I like Bill Clinton," Trump said after he featured prominently in Friday's cache of photos. I hate to see photos come out of him but this is what the Democrats - mostly Democrats and a couple of bad Republicans - are asking for, so they're giving their photos of me too."Meanwhile, what's happening on the Hill? The Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, said yesterday he will introduce a resolution directing the Senate to take legal action against the justice department - over its incomplete release of files. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester mayor acknowledges pain and suffering' after region's police chief declined to apologiseThe mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has apologised for past police failings towards LGBTQ+ people, acknowledging unacceptable discrimination and the pain and suffering it caused".Campaigners say the apology is in contrast to the stance of the chief constable of Greater Manchester police (GMP), Stephen Watson, who earlier this year declined to apologise on behalf of his force, saying that do so could be seen as superficial and merely performative". Continue reading...

The US press have suffered about as many assaults this year as in the previous three years combinedThe United States has seen a dramatic increase in violence against journalists since Donald Trump again took office.Most of the reporters and photographers who were allegedly attacked by law enforcement officials were covering protests over the Trump administration's efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, according to the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit that tracks such incidents. Continue reading...

Italy's competition authority says Irish airline implemented technical obstacles to force sales through its own website

Local government secretary writes to town halls warning them against part-time work for full-time pay'The secretary for local government has written to all councils to warn that adopting a four-day week for staff puts them at risk of being declared a failing authority, according to reports.Twenty-five councils have discussed a four-day week policy and one, South Cambridgeshire district council, has already moved to the pattern. Continue reading...

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Hope appeal is raising funds for five UK charities that build trust, hope and change at grassroots level

Exclusive: Campaigners say slashing overseas aid would leave UK unable to meet existing commitmentsPlans by Reform UK to slash the aid budget by 90% would not cover existing contributions to global bodies such as the UN and World Bank, shredding Britain's international influence and risking its standing within those organisations, charities and other parties have warned.Under cuts announced by Nigel Farage in November, overseas aid would be capped at 1bn a year, or about 0.03% of GDP. Keir Starmer's government is already set to reduce aid from 0.5% of GDP to 0.3% by 2027, but even that lower proportion would still amount to 9bn a year. Continue reading...

Decade-long jail term for Gregory John Walker who threw molotov cocktail into Arthur Haines' friend's houseWarning: this article contains names and images of Indigenous Australians who have died

Analysis finds those from most deprived backgrounds almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for respiratory conditionsPeople from the poorest backgrounds in England with serious lung conditions are more likely to be admitted to hospital for emergency care than their more affluent counterparts, according to research.Analysis of NHS admissions data for November by Asthma + Lung UK found people from the most deprived backgrounds in England were 56% more likely to be admitted for emergency care, while 62% were more likely to be readmitted within 39 days of an emergency admission, which is linked with an increased chance of dying. Continue reading...

Pro-Palestine and Indigenous activist groups say state government trying to strip away the right to peacefully protest for everyone' in wake of Bondi attack

City of Canterbury Bankstown issues a cease use', alleging building housing Al Madina centre was never approved to be a prayer hall

Under the new rules, parliamentarians will only be able to claim travel expenses for their partners between their home and Canberra

Trump again called for Venezuela's president to leave power and said the US would keep or sell the oil it had seizedChina and Russia have expressed support for Venezuela as it confronts a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers, while Donald Trump continues to ramp up his pressure campaign on the South American country's president, Nicolas Maduro.Amid reports of slowing activity at Venezuelan ports, the US president again called for Maduro to leave power, and reiterated that the US would keep or sell the oil it had seized off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks. Continue reading...

Chris Bowen criticises Liberal leader's attack on Penny Wong, saying, Sussan Ley is not the arbiter of grief or mourning'

Church leaders and members detained as government tightens controls on underground Christian gatheringsThe knocks came at 2am. Hiding out at a friend's house in a Beijing suburb, Gao Yingjia and his wife, Geng Pengpeng, rushed downstairs to meet the group of plain-clothed men who said they were police officers. Their son, nearly six, was sleeping upstairs, and Gao and Geng wanted to minimise the ruckus. They knew their time was up.Two months later, Gao is in a detention centre in Guangxi province, southern China, charged with illegal use of information networks". His arrest was part of the biggest crackdown on Christians in China since 2018. It has prompted alarm from the US government and human rights groups, with some analysts describing it as the death knell for unofficial churches in China. Continue reading...

Financier will assume the role on 15 February, ahead of US free trade negotiations, says prime minister Mark CarneyCanada's prime minister, Mark Carney, announced that financier Mark Wiseman will serve as the country's next ambassador to the US, an appointment that comes at a critical time in relations between the two major trading partners.Wiseman will assume the role on 15 February and will be involved in negotiations with the US regarding the review of their free trade agreement. Continue reading...

Scheme members will also receive lump sums averaging 5,500 after government hands over 2.3bn reserveSome former mineworkers who are receiving a 100-a-week boost to their pensions after a hard-fought battle say they will now no longer need to worry about money.The Guardian had reported that people were dying in abject poverty" and unable to afford to bury themselves" after the government raided billions from their pensions. Continue reading...

Document casts doubt on postal service claims it was unaware of bugs that could cause accounting shortfallsThe Post Office made a confidential deal with Fujitsu 19 years ago to fix errors in post office operators' accounts, a document has revealed.The document casts doubt on claims made by the postal service that they were not aware of bugs that could cause accounting shortfalls. Continue reading...

Seven prisoners have been taken to hospital since starting their strikes, with some claiming a lack of medical attention

Controversially appointed editor-in-chief Bari Weiss says: I held that story and I held it because it wasn't ready'CBS News was dealing with internal and external uproar on Monday after it pulled at the last minute an investigation for its flagship 60 Minutes show into the harsh prison in El Salvador where the Trump administration deported hundreds of Venezuelans from the US earlier this year.The episode about the Cecot mega-prison was due to air on Sunday night. However, in an editor's note" posted on X late that afternoon, the broadcaster's official account announced that the lineup for tonight's edition of 60 Minutes has been updated. Our report Inside Cecot' will air in a future broadcast."Additional reporting by Jeremy Barr Continue reading...

Move is part of a long-awaited Labour strategy including outlawing hen cages and ending puppy farmingBoiling lobsters alive will be banned under proposals to improve animal welfare in England.Government ministers say that live boiling is not an acceptable killing method" for crustaceans and alternative guidance will be published. Continue reading...

Wes Streeting's wish for deeper trade relations is shared by growing number of MPs looking to fight back against FarageWhen Keir Starmer stood on the Labour conference stage in 2018 and defied Jeremy Corbyn to call for a second Brexit referendum with remain as an option, it put him in pole position to become the next Labour leader.Starmer must now feel a sense of deja vu watching Wes Streeting, the most out-and-out pretender for the leadership, follow a similar playbook. In an interview over the weekend, the health secretary strayed from the official government line to call for a deeper trading relationship" with the EU. Continue reading...

Artist confirms image in Bayswater is by him, but gives no indication about another outside Centre Point towerA new Banksy mural that shows two children lying down and looking at the sky has appeared in west London.The artist revealed he was behind the artwork above a row of garages on Queen's Mews in Bayswater by posting a photo of it to his Instagram account on Monday afternoon. Continue reading...