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Transport department secretary tells Senate estimates an investigation was unable to substantiate existence' of list but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist'

Police say how the Corio fire started is unclear but it is not being treated as suspicious

Detectives are appealing for public assistance to identify the dead woman found 57 years ago on the Mornington peninsula in Victoria

Choice of 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka as a vice-presidential candidate has fuelled criticism that Widodo is trying to create a political dynastyIndonesia's defence minister and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto said on Sunday he has chosen the eldest son of President Joko Widodo to be his running mate in next year's election.The choice of 36-year-old Gibran Rakabuming Raka, now the mayor of Surakarta city, as a vice-presidential candidate for the February vote has fuelled criticism that Widodo is trying to create a political dynasty in the world's third-largest democracy. Continue reading...

The Philippine coast guard claims that ships were bumped' by Chinese vessels in incidents close to outposts in the Spratly IslandsBeijing and Manila have traded blame for two separate collisions on Sunday between Chinese vessels and Philippine boats on a resupply mission to Filipino troops on a remote outpost in the disputed South China Sea.The incidents occurred near Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands - a hotly contested region where Beijing deploys ships to assert its claims over almost the entire sea. Continue reading...

Watchdog's report also has serious concerns' about conditions at Western Jet Foil and Kent Intake UnitConditions at a processing centre for asylum seekers who arrive on the Kent coast in small boats have been called unacceptable in a report from a watchdog that monitors the centre.Representatives from the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMB) made a total of 85 visits in 2022 to three Home Office processing centres for small boat arrivals - Manston, Western Jet Foil and Kent Intake Unit - for its 2022 annual report into short-term holding facilities on the Kent coast. All three centres hit the headlines last year due to a variety of scandals and serious incidents. Continue reading...

Groups urge government to introduce emergency family reunion scheme modelled on initiative for UkrainiansA blueprint setting out how Britain could provide refuge to thousands of Palestinians from Gaza has been drawn up by a coalition of charities and groups.Organisations including the Refugee Council, Safe Passage International, Doctors of the World, Helen Bamber Foundation and City of Sanctuary have raised concerns about the conflict worsening the Palestinian refugee crisis. Continue reading...

Party on track to win 29% of vote, an increase of almost 3.5 percentage points on 2019 after more than half of votes countedThe rightwing populist Swiss People's party (SVP) was set to further strengthen its position as the largest political force in parliament, an early projection suggested, as voters appeared to back the party's hardline stance against mass migration and what it called woke madness".The SVP was on track to receive 29% of the vote, an increase of nearly 3.5 percentage points over its 2019 results, pollsters GFS Bern predicted, with more than half of the results in. Continue reading...

Almost 350,000 additional households experienced food insecurity in the past year, according to latest Foodbank survey

Jewish and Arab Israelis detained, fired from jobs and even attacked for expressing sentiments interpreted as pro-Hamas

Britain's ex-head of counter-terrorism says government failed to act on a recommendation to change legislationGaps in UK law that would allow words such as jihad" to be shouted at rallies were known to the government but not acted upon, Britain's former head of counter-terrorism has revealed.The comments from Neil Basu come as some ministers condemned police for their handling of weekend demonstrations in London, with the home secretary, Suella Braverman, due to meet the Metropolitan police commissioner on Monday. Continue reading...

Noiya Sharabi confirmed dead along with sister, Yahel, and mother, Lianne, after raid on Israeli kibbutz

Families given glimmer of hope by release of two US citizens, but fear time is running out before ground invasion

Communities secretary calls for safe return of Israeli hostages during Trafalgar Square event

Strike on distribution centre in Kharkiv on Saturday left people fighting for their lives', said regional governor

Exclusive: HMRC investigation into peer Anthony Bamford and his brother focuses on offshore trusts that own business empireThe influential Tory donors behind the JCB digger empire could be hit with a bill for more than 500m to settle a longrunning investigation by HM Revenue and Customs, the Guardian can reveal.The investigation into Anthony Bamford, a Tory peer, and his brother Mark, the director of a subsidiary of the Conservative party, is understood to span a complex network of offshore tax havens and companies. Continue reading...

PM under pressure from Tory right for more tax cuts and moderates for policies to tackle cost of living crisisRishi Sunak is facing discontent among his backbenchers as he heads into the one-year anniversary of his time in No 10, with Jacob Rees-Mogg calling for the government to wake up from a torpor".The prime minister is under pressure from rightwingers for tax cuts and more Conservative policies, while moderates are pushing for more centre-ground policies that deal with the cost of living to stop votes being lost to Labour. Continue reading...

Israel says anyone in northern Gaza will be considered an accomplice in a terrorist organisation'

Policy reportedly includes sexual relationships and friendships, and launch follows Phillip Schofield's resignation over workplace affairITV has drawn up strict new rules requiring staff to declare all relationships with colleagues - which could even include friendships - in the wake of Phillip Schofield's resignation earlier this year over a workplace affair, according to a report.The This Morning presenter quit after admitting that he had lied about an unwise, but not illegal" affair, amid allegations that ITV bosses had turned a blind eye to the relationship. Continue reading...

Reported security breach may lead to questions for PM about messages sought by the Covid inquiryRishi Sunak's old phone number and a voicemail recording appear to have been leaked online by pranksters in a security breach, according to reports.The incident, first reported by the Sun, involved a longstanding phone number for Sunak that the government had told the Covid inquiry was no longer operational. Continue reading...

Tunisia had applied for extradition of Islamist gunman who shot dead two football fans but file got forgottenThe Islamist gunman who shot dead two Swedish football fans in Brussels last weekend had escaped from a Tunisian prison where he was serving a long sentence, which prompted Tunisian officials to seek his extradition from Belgium, prosecutors have said.Belgian authorities received the extradition request in August 2022 but it was not dealt with. Continue reading...

Israeli military offensive in Gaza offers opportunity to extremist groups in west and Middle East, experts sayAl-Qaida and Islamic State (IS) have called on followers to strike Israeli, US and Jewish targets, raising the prospect of new terrorist violence in the Middle East or the west.In a series of statements over the past two weeks, affiliates of al-Qaida congratulated Hamas on its invasion of Israel", a reference to the terrorist attacks that killed 1,400 people, mainly civilians on 7 October. Continue reading...

As well as risk of death and injury, psychiatrist says situation is leading to symptoms such as convulsions and bed-wettingChildren in Gaza are developing severe trauma systems alongside the risk of death and injury, according to a Palestinian psychiatrist.On Sunday, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said 1,750 children had been killed in the 16 days of bombardment by Israeli forces following Hamas's murderous onslaught on 7 October. That is an average of almost 110 children a day. Thousands more have been injured. Continue reading...

National Trust seeks to prevent Berlin Wall-like souvenirs after several people reportedly caught trying to take piecesThe tree that once graced and gave its name to Sycamore Gap has been cut up and its pieces held at a secret location because of fears it will go the way of the Berlin Wall - chunks of which were looted by trophy hunters, the National Trust has said.Police have reportedly caught several people trying to take pieces of the wood, while several legitimate attempts to reclaim it for purposes such as making artworks have also been made. Continue reading...

Every pound spent helping children get community support could save nearly twice as much in long term, says Barnardo's reportEvery pound spent on helping young people access activities and support in the community could save nearly twice as much in dealing with longer-term mental health problems, according to new analysis.The children's charity Barnardo's is urging the government to introduce a national strategy for social prescribing" for young people in England amid a youth mental health crisis that is placing unprecedented demand on child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs). Continue reading...

No items are for sale and nothing is quite what it seems at Rachel Maclean's shop' on Ayr high streetWith its grubby pastel paint and wonky signage, Rachel Maclean's shopfront on Ayr high street at first appears like any other in a town centre that has seen better days.But look more closely through the window and you will notice that familiar promotional entreaties are backwards: don't buy mi, don't let me, nothing must go. Continue reading...

Farming areas and central Scottish belt could be added to party's general election targetsLabour is to widen the number of parliamentary seats it will consider for inclusion on its key target list" to take in more that have rural and farming areas, and more in the central belt of Scotland, following its recent byelection victories.The move comes as party strategists analyse the extraordinary results last week in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth, both of which Labour took from the Tories by overturning huge majorities, and the Rutherglen and Hamilton West contest that it won earlier this month from the SNP. Continue reading...

UK PM steps up calls for humanitarian needs to be met in Israel-Hamas conflict

Barney Page rode almost 1,000 miles from John o'Groats to Land's End after his friend took his own lifeSkateboarding may be more usually associated with riders refining their tricks in urban parks or cruising along sun-dappled beachside promenades. But the British professional skateboarder Barney Page went for something very different - a gruelling road trip of almost 1,000 miles from John o'Groats in Scotland to Land's End in Cornwall.A film detailing Page's journey, called Land's End, is being screened across Europe and North America, attracting plaudits not only for Page's spirit of adventure but for the way it tackles the issue of mental health and suicide. Continue reading...

Yes supporters break week of silence by stating 14 October result was so mean-spirited it would remain unbelievable and appalling' for decades

Abuse and complaints taking their toll on reporters, as well as trauma of assignmentsThe BBC is offering extra support to staff who are facing abuse and attacks over the corporation's Israel-Hamas coverage.Some staff have reported being targeted online or verbally attacked for working for the BBC, while also dealing with distressing footage from the conflict. Continue reading...

Former military officers and politicians say prime minister bears responsibility for the failures that led to the Hamas incursionFormer Israeli military, political and intelligence officials have expressed doubts over the leadership of prime minister as debate rages inside the country about the response to the Hamas attacks on 7 October that killed 1,400 Israelis.Former prime minister Ehud Barak described the terrorist attack as the most severe blow Israel has suffered since its establishment to date". I don't believe that the people trust Netanyahu to lead when he is under the burden of such a devastating event that just happened under his term," he told the Observer. Continue reading...

After a crushing week, MPs fear they will need a miracle to hold on to powerAs Keir Starmer embarked on a triumphant victory dash, first to Bedfordshire then to Tamworth in Staffordshire on Friday morning, Tory MPs sitting at home digesting the bombshell byelection news had hit rock bottom.Having pulled off two sensational wins overnight in previously safe Tory-held seats, the Labour leader was rubbing salt into their wounds. Starmer was obviously ecstatic, though straining to strike the right balance between expressions of elation and the necessary caution. Continue reading...

The visits and diplomacy have been to one end: containment. Because if the conflict spills over, the consequences will be global

Award-winning journalist takes on new role of national affairs editor at Nine four months after being flabbergasted' by ABC decision

Preschoolers with severe burns airlifted to hospital in Melbourne, Ambulance Victoria says

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Swiss People's party believes its campaign focus on immigration and cost of living will increase its leadThe populist rightwing Swiss People's party (SVP) is expected to make gains as the country votes in federal elections, after a campaign season centred on the cost of living and immigration.Switzerland's leading political party is predicted to garner 28.1% of the vote in Sunday's election - an increase of 2.5 percentage points over its previous standing, according to polling by the Sotomo research institute. Continue reading...

NSW Labor says 20 hectares will be repurposed' to serve residents in what will become one of most densely populated areas in Australia

Central Land Council and Antar issue statements after week of silence, with latter claiming voice defeat an unparalleled act of racism by white Australia'

Six dead in Russian missile strike on Kharkiv postal distribution centre, says governor; Volodymyr Zelenskiy holds talks with Turkish counterpart ahead of peace summit next week

Great British Sewing Bee judge criticises government's shambolic' attempt to get protective gear into hospitals when Covid hitThe Scottish fashion designer Patrick Grant has said his father died very unnecessarily" due to personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages during the Covid pandemic.Grant's father, James, had been a manager of the Scottish pop rock band Marmalade as well as an accountant and rugby coach. Continue reading...

The Gulf state's role in the release of two American hostages by Hamas has burnished its reputation as a global mediatorIsrael and Hamas at war - live updatesAs news broke that two Americans held hostage in Gaza had been released by Hamas after talks brokered by Qatar, telephones started ringing in Doha.France's Emmanuel Macron, and the UK's Rishi Sunak were among the world leaders waiting at the end of the line, officially to congratulate the tiny Gulf state on its successful negotiations, but mostly to ask for help getting their own citizens home. Continue reading...

Protesters voice support for Palestinians and demand end to Israel's bombardment of Gaza

Hawks call for action after attacks on settlements in the north, while Rishi Sunak urges caution to prevent conflict spreading

City's character-zoning laws preserve prewar homes but prevent higher-density housing being built in areas with established infrastructurePlanning laws which preserve most prewar Brisbane homes are tantamount to exclusionary zoning", keeping poor people out of rich suburbs without substantially preserving the city's built heritage, according to new research.The lead author, Rachel Gallagher, said the city's character-zoning laws were justified as a means to preserve heritage - but in reality prevent higher-density housing being built in some of the city's most desirable suburbs such as Chelmer, Morningside, Ashgrove, Paddington, Bulimba and Bardon.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Warnings from both the Met Office and the Environment Agency come as storm continues to batter the UKIn North Wales, a sheepdog named Patsy rescued three ewes which had been cut off by floodwater on Friday afternoon.Farmer Llyr Derwydd, 44, went to check on his sheep in Flintshire when he saw the sheep stranded on this little spot on the field".So we thought we'd better get them off and make sure they're safe.I just thought, I'll see if the dog will go'. I gave her the command and she swam across. Continue reading...

The chancellor will stand down before the election as likelihood of defeat in new Surrey seat looms, senior Tories sayJeremy Hunt is expected to stand down as an MP before the next election, according to senior Conservatives, who say the chancellor is aware he could suffer a Michael Portillo" moment on polling day.Hunt has already put himself forward and been selected for the new Surrey constituency of Godalming and Ash, after his South West Surrey seat was dissolved and split into two under boundary changes. Continue reading...

Onboard speaker system was used to lead chant among passengers on day 100,000 attended pro-Palestinian march in LondonA Tube driver has been criticised for leading a chant of Free, free Palestine" on a London Underground train.The minister for London, Paul Scully, said staff should focus on the day job" and warned against stoking tensions in the capital. Continue reading...