Vaccine damage payment scheme inadequate and inefficient,' says Vaccine Injured spokespersonPeople who were severely harmed by Covid vaccines faced an inadequate and inefficient" process for obtaining a government payout, with many rejected and others waiting years for a decision, the Covid inquiry has heard.The vaccine damage payment scheme offers a one-off sum of 120,000 to people who have such serious adverse reactions to the vaccines that they are at least 60% disabled. But people affected by vaccine injuries told the inquiry they did not get the help and financial support they deserved. Continue reading...

US president-elect demanded a deal - while success against Iran and Hezbollah, and changed Israeli coalition arithmetic, gave Israeli PM room to make oneThe phone call from Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steven Witkoff, surprised the aides of Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.Calling from Doha in Qatar last Friday evening, after shabbat had already begun, Witkoff announced he was coming to Israel and would meet Netanyahu. Overruling the suggestion of Netanyahu's aides that they could meet once the Jewish day of rest was over, Witkoff, 67 - a billionaire lawyer and real estate developer - insisted brusquely that they meet in the morning. Continue reading...

Health secretary says treating patients in corridors because no beds available in wards is undignified' - but eradicating practice will take timeThe Mauritian government said talks will continue on the Chagos Islands deal, with attorney general Gavin Glover set to return to the UK for further negotiations, PA Media reports.A statement issued following a meeting of prime minister Navin Ramgoolam's cabinet said:The commitment and resolve of Mauritius to reach an agreement and end this long battle for the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago remains unshaken. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Man jailed for 17 years for rape he did not commit says CCRC is infected with a culture of denial'Andrew Malkinson has said the miscarriage of justice watchdog needs to be completely dissolved" as it has become infected with a culture of denial".Speaking to the Guardian after the resignation of the chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission, Helen Pitcher, Malkinson said the organisation should be dismantled. Continue reading...

Tory cheers were just a muted, half-arsed Pavlovian response as their leader failed to land a single punch on the PMIt's becoming existential. First the Tory MPs began to wonder if there was any point to them being in Westminster. Sure, the title impresses some people and gets them one or two freebies, but those minor thrills soon start to pall as reality kicks in. Just drifting in the liminal spaces. Out of power. Out of control. And next to nothing to look forward to. They are less popular than Reform and in any case the next election is at least four years away. Days, weeks, months and years of nothingness lie ahead.Now Conservatives are starting to have the same thoughts about Kemi Badenoch. At first they believed she was an exciting breath of fresh air. Someone ready to get stuck into any culture war. Continue reading...

Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin will be taoiseach for first three years with Fine Gael's Simon Harris taking over in November 2027Ireland's two main centre-right parties have clinched a deal with a group of independent lawmakers to form a coalition government, six weeks after an election that wiped out the Greens as a political force.In the deal, sealed on Wednesday, Fianna Fail's leader, Micheal Martin, will become taoiseach, or prime minister, for the first three years of the five-year government, with the incumbent Fine Gael leader, Simon Harris, taking over in November 2027. Continue reading...

The BMA wants physicians to be allowed to raise procedure with patients, but some MPs disagree

Deal with Hamas inches closer amid warnings from Israeli rightwingers against any hostages-for-prisoners agreement

Impeached president questioned over martial law declaration last month after standoff at his residence

Exclusive: Kai Shannon has always maintained his innocence. There is now growing pressure to re-examine evidence with a former police officer on his sideWhen 18-year-old Wahab Zaaki was found bleeding to death from five stab wounds on an east London estate, police were under immense pressure to find his killer.It was spring 2009 and knife crime in the capital had been branded an epidemic. Zaaki was one of four teenagers killed in separate incidents over just three days in London that March. Continue reading...

State considers legal action as RTBU accuses politicians of trying to sway public opinion' against them

Judge rules health board failed to provide a secure and relaxed' space for Robyn Gibbins at workA healthcare worker has won a claim of harassment against an NHS health board after she was not provided with a suitable private space to express breast milk.Robyn Gibbins told an employment tribunal she felt let down by the trust in Cardiff after she was not given a room that she could lock when she came back to work from maternity leave. Continue reading...

Will Conclave get the votes, or can best film be snatched by A Complete Unknown? Here's the final shortlist before the awards ceremony on 16 February

Healthcare workers among suspected cases of Ebola-like disease as WHO issues warning of high risk to the country and its neighboursA suspected outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Tanzania has killed eight people and poses a high risk to the country and its neighbours, global health leaders have said.The World Health Organization (WHO) said nine suspected cases of the Ebola-like virus had been reported as of 11 January, in two districts of the Kagera region in the north of the country, including the eight deaths. Continue reading...

Trio will present football highlights show after Gary Lineker steps down, BBC saysThe new hosts of Match of the Day have promised to evolve" the TV institution when they take the reins this summer, after the BBC confirmed that three people will replace Gary Lineker at the end of the current season.Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman are to share presenting duties on the football highlights show, which celebrated its 60 anniversary last year. The trio have all previously worked together on the BBC and are each established broadcasters with decades of experience between them. Continue reading...

Struggling water firm tells regulator for England and Wales proposals would make it hard to attract talent to sectorTroubled Thames Water has threatened to increase the salaries of its executives if the industry regulator sees through on plans to limit bonuses for the bosses of water companies.The company, which serves more than 16 million customers across London area and the Thames valley, is attempting to stabilise its debt-laden finances. It has told Ofwat that it intends to raise base executive pay. Continue reading...

Drake had alleged Universal Music Group and Spotify each manipulated the popularity of Lamar's track Not Like UsDrake has withdrawn a legal challenge he made against his own label, Universal Music Group (UMG), and Spotify, alleging they artificially inflated the popularity of a Kendrick Lamar diss track about him.UMG and Spotify were accused of trying to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves". Lawyers for the rapper had claimed that UMG paid influencers and radio stations to play the track, Not Like Us, which topped the US charts and proved to be the hammer blow in the Drake-Lamar feud between March and May last year. Continue reading...

Decision comes after alleged assault on 63-year-old Claudia Campomayor Watt on Monday

Law to stop armed groups profiting from trade in gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum is being breached, rights groups sayThe European Union has been urged to clamp down on illegal imports of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after evidence was found that current regulations had been breached.The advocacy group Global Witness (GW) said there remained a high risk" of the EU's mineral imports being used to fund militias and state repression in several countries. Continue reading...

Chancellor tells Tory MP to get real' and that UK bond market changes are similar to those in other countriesRachel Reeves has told the Conservatives to get real" as she blamed global economic volatility for the recent spike in UK borrowing rates, which has triggered calls for her resignation and left her contemplating further public sector cuts.The chancellor appeared in front of MPs on Tuesday for the first time since travelling to China and after several days of bond market turmoil that have taken the government's borrowing rates to their highest levels in decades. Continue reading...

Sum includes 5m to chief investment officer and is 10 times the remuneration for health research charity's governorsThe Wellcome Trust, the UK health research charity, has been criticised for paying its investment executives more than 11m last year, more than 10 times as much as its own governors.The pay packets, which included 5m for Wellcome's chief investment officer, Nick Moakes, were awarded after its investment portfolio rose in value, generating more funds for its mission of tackling health inequalities. Continue reading...

David Crisafulli's comments come after 63-year-old supermarket worker was allegedly attacked by teen with a knife in Ipswich on Monday evening

Exclusive: Costs of UK cleanup will reach 9.9bn a year in UK if emissions of forever chemicals' remain uncontrolled

Delays on Sydney-Johannesburg route after advice from US government over debris from SpaceX rocket re-entry in southern Indian Ocean

Exclusive: Sarah Crew of Avon and Somerset says early intervention is part of new national approach to rapistsA senior English police officer at the vanguard of a new national approach to catching rapists has put domestic abusers in her sights.The chief constable of Avon and Somerset police, Sarah Crew, said domestic abusers in her area should know we're coming for you" after launching a drive to target the most persistent offenders and overhaul how the force deals with domestic abuse. Continue reading...

Austerity affected courts, prisons and public services while rates of poverty surged, creating the conditions for more crime

Cash profit on a sale falls for second year in a row, to below 100,000, finds HamptonsSellers in England and Wales made less than 100,000 profit on the sale of their home last year, or just over 40% - the lowest return in a decade - according to the estate agent Hamptons.It was the second annual fall in a row in terms of cash profit after the market hit a peak in 2022 when the average gain hit almost 113,000 compared with 91,820 last year. The average cash return in London fell by the most - dropping below 200,000 for the first time since at least 2015. Continue reading...

UK chancellor made comments during visit to China where agreements were made worth 600m to UK economyRachel Reeves vowed to stand by her non-negotiable" fiscal rules as she arrived in China for a trip overshadowed by market turbulence at home.The UK chancellor declined to comment extensively on the financial markets in the UK during a visit to bicycle-maker Brompton's flagship Beijing store on Saturday, but said the rules she had set for herself in October were essential for economic stability. Continue reading...

Sites have until end of the month to tell HMRC how much money users have made but confusion surrounds systemA push by HMRC to uncover details of how much people are earning from selling goods and services online in side hustles" could cause confusion because of the way the UK's tax system operates, a charity has warned.Sites such as eBay, Vinted and Airbnb have until the end of this month to tell HMRC about the amount of money some users made in 2024, details that may lead to the sellers having to pay more tax. Continue reading...

NICs increase will add 140m to wage bill of supermarket, which has announced 5% pay rise for staff

Citizens Advice says it assisted 60,000 households in England and Wales with cost of gas and electricity in 2024The number of people in England and Wales who sought help with energy bills jumped by 20% last year, according to Citizens Advice, which assisted 60,000 households struggling with the soaring cost of gas and electricity.That number was double the figure for 2020, the national consumer advice charity said, with problems with billing being the single most common type of issue raised with its service providers. Continue reading...

Largest known deportation of people back to Niger to date comes as EU is accused of outsourcing cruelty to reduce Mediterranean crossingsMore than 600 people have been forcibly deported from Libya on a dangerous and traumatising" journey across the Sahara, in what is thought to be one of the largest expulsions from the north African country to date.The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) confirmed 613 people, all Nigerien nationals, arrived in the desert town of Dirkou in Niger last weekend in a convoy of trucks. They were among a large number of migrant workers rounded up by the authorities in Libya over the past month. Continue reading...

During traffic stop, officers fire at Edgar Welch, 2016 shooter at eatery mistakenly thought to be center of pedophile ringThe gunman involved in the 2016 Pizzagate" conspiracy theory attack on a Washington DC pizza restaurant that was mistakenly thought to be at the center of a pedophile ring has died after being shot by police in North Carolina during a traffic stop.In a news release issued on Thursday, North Carolina's Kannapolis police department announced that Edgar Maddison Welch died from his wounds caused by two police officers who fired at him after he pulled out a handgun during a traffic stop on Saturday. Continue reading...

Pro-independence Mute Egede says Greenland must stay unified after becoming centre of US-Denmark spatGreenland's prime minister has called for unity, urging citizens not to panic, after being thrown into a geopolitical battle between the US and Denmark by Donald Trump's interest in taking control of the territory.Mute Egede said he understood people may be concerned after the incoming US president declined to rule out using military and economic force to gain control of Greenland, but called on his fellow citizens to put aside differences and stand together". Continue reading...

YouTube channel apparently belonging to official at Clacton accommodation suggests support for EDL and Tommy RobinsonThe head of security at accommodation for vulnerable disabled asylum seekers has been removed from his duties over concerns about his alleged support for the far-right English Defence League and Tommy Robinson, the Guardian has learned.The asylum seekers, who have a range of disabilities, have been accommodated by the Home Office in a former care home in Nigel Farage's Clacton constituency in an area where officials from the local Tendring district council have recorded the area's highest level of hate crimes. Continue reading...

James Howells, 39, took council to court to try to force it to let him search site for hard drive thrown away by accidentA computer expert's decade-long battle to recover a 600m bitcoin fortune he says has been lost in a council dump has been halted by a judge.James Howells, 39, launched a legal case to force Newport city council to allow him to search the site to retrieve a lost hard drive containing the bitcoins. Continue reading...

This blog is now closedAn NHS trust is preparing to cancel operations, urgently discharge 140 patients and restrict admissions to help it cope with extreme winter pressures".The Gloucestershire acute trust declared a critical incident" on Wednesday as hospitals in England asked patients seeking medical help to come alone to reduce overcrowding in A&E. Continue reading...

Ministers condemn Conservative attempt to block child wellbeing and schools bill with shameful' amendmentCabinet ministers have ramped up attacks on Conservative bandwagon jumping" over child rape gangs during furious exchanges in the Commons as the government easily saw off a Tory attempt to force a new inquiry.Amid continued pressure, No 10 appeared to slightly soften its position on the idea of a second inquiry into grooming gangs, echoing the words of the safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, in saying Keir Starmer was open to hearing the views of victims. Continue reading...

Discovery comes almost a week after Aziz Ziriat and Sam Harris went missing in DolomitesA body has been found in the search for Aziz Ziriat and Sam Harris, two British hikers who have been missing in the Dolomites for nearly a week, Italy's alpine rescue service said.The body, which has not yet been identified, was found buried beneath snow at about 2,600-metres above sea level in the area of the Conca pass in the Adamello nature park. Continue reading...

Tens of thousands of people evacuated in southern California as winds whip blazes. Plus, the rise in flaking' out of social plansGood morning.California has deployed more than 1,400 firefighters in its attempts to quell the unprecedented" wildfires that have ripped through the state's south, said the California governor, Gavin Newsom. The fires, which have been fueled by a windstorm, have forced tens of thousands to evacuate their homes, including in affluent neighborhoods in Los Angeles.What are the Santa Ana winds? They're common during the winter months in southern California, and have driven many of the state's worst fires. They cause a drop in humidity, driving up fire risk, particularly as many areas already face drought. Continue reading...

Attitudes to North Korea are key to understanding President Yoon Suk Yeol's attempt to impose martial law and its aftermathAs South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol remains barricaded in his residence facing arrest, his descent from star prosecutor to isolated leader reveals a deeper story about a cold war-era ideology that continues to shape - and shake - South Korean politics.The scenes outside his residence might look familiar to audiences who followed Trump-era politics: supporters waving American flags claiming democracy is under threat, decrying fake news", rallying against alleged election fraud, and calls to make Korea great again". Continue reading...

Sales of fizzy drink from London hoped to raise money and send a message to big firms investing in armed trade'Gaza's healthcare is on the brink of total collapse", according to the UN, because of the targeting of hospitals by Israel. While it is still impossible to say how much time and money it will take to rebuild, one Palestinian activist has plans to piece one small part of it back with the help of a soft drink.Osama Qashoo, the creator of Gaza Cola, hopes to use profits from his Coca-Cola alternative, recently launched in London, to rebuild al Karama hospital, which used to stand in northern Gaza. It's been reduced to rubble for no just reason, like all of these hospitals in Gaza," according to the 43-year-old film-maker, human rights advocate and, now, fizzy-drink maker. Continue reading...

Spending on streaming subscriptions and physical sales hits 2.4bn as industry recovers from piracy and CD slump Analysis: The UK music industry is reporting record revenues. The reality is much gloomierMusic lovers spent a record 2.4bn on streaming subscriptions and physical music last year as the UK music industry finally recovers from the digital revolution that ushered in rampant online piracy and the slow death of the CD.Subscriptions to streaming services such as Spotify, Amazon and Apple, and the revival in the popularity of vinyl, with sales increasing for 17 consecutive years, fuelled a 7.4% rise in music revenues to 2.38bn last year, according to the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA). Continue reading...

Syrians are suspicious after allegations of complicity with the brutal Assad regime during 14 years of civil warThe UN special envoy for Syria will urge the security council to back a transition to a pluralist democratic Syria, but faces resistance within the country. The interim government fears the lifting of sanctions will be tied to excessive demands imposed by the west, with suspicion of the UN deeply embedded after what are seen as its failures during 14 years of civil war.Ahmed al-Sharaa, the country's de facto leader, has told Gulf and western states that his group, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), long ago transformed itself from a Salafi jihadi group in Idlib province to a technocratic force willing to accommodate all Syrians. Continue reading...

ASA acts on poster campaign by Wahed, urging people to join a money revolution', after receiving 75 complaintsThe UK's advertising watchdog has banned a campaign by an online investment company predominantly targeting Muslims that featured images of euros and US dollars and the words The United States of America" in flames alongside a call to join the money revolution".Wahed Invest Ltd, an online investment platform, ran six posters on various Transport for London (TfL) services, including the London Underground and on buses, last September and October. Continue reading...

Mark Zuckerberg says time to get back to our roots' around free expression but opponents argue ordinary citizens should be very concerned'

Alleged arsonist Travis Bird, 51, charged with nine offences over Tuesday's blaze and another three grassfires at nearby Attenborough park

Economists had predicted a November annual CPI inflation figure within the Reserve Bank of Australia's preferred 2% to 3% target range

Fire quickly consumed hundreds of acres in the Pacific Palisades, an affluent community north of Santa Monica

Privately owned Cessna 208 Caravan 675 plane was carrying seven people when it crashed off Western Australia coast