Journey was paid for by The Phoenix Partnership, which has won 135m of contracts from NHS and governmentRishi Sunak took a 16,000 one-way trip to Leeds on a helicopter courtesy of a firm owned by Frank Hester, the Tory megadonor, taking the total for the prime minister's donor-funded air travel to more than 100,000 this year.The prime minister once again showed his fondness for short-haul air travel as he took a helicopter from Battersea to Leeds Bradford airport last month - a journey of about 90 minutes. The quickest train from London to Leeds takes about 2 hours and 13 minutes, and costs in the region of 60 off-peak. Continue reading...

Viktor Orban says extra money to Kyiv had been vetoed but talks would resume in the new year

I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this Larry David" persona and become the person God intended me to be,' star saysAfter almost 25 years playing Larry David, Larry David has announced that his award-winning comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm is ending with the next season.The Seinfeld co-creator has played a curmudgeonly version of himself in Curb Your Enthusiasm since 2000, making it HBO's longest-running comedy. Much like Seinfeld, the show draws on the humour in everyday life but the dialogue is mostly improvised around an outline written by David, who plays a semi-retired television writer. Continue reading...

Leaders recognise that an enlarged bloc will bring challenges including difficult budget and policy decisionsThe EU has made a historic decision to open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova but a tense summit in Brussels has underscored the difficulties ahead for the bloc as it plans to let more members join. Continue reading...

Russian leader conducts first end of year press conference since start of invasion

Criminal Cases Review Commission re-examines case of Wang Yam, who was convicted of 2006 murder of Allan Chappelow in LondonThe case of Wang Yam, a former MI6 informant convicted of the murder in 2006 of Allan Chappelow, a reclusive author and photographer, is being re-examined by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.The move comes after developments in forensic DNA analysis, which led to the successful appeal of Andrew Malkinson, whose 2004 conviction for rape was overturned in July. Continue reading...

Relatives of the abductees say they are shocked, as reports say David Barnea was stopped from visiting Qatar

Ban is the culmination of a years-long campaign, driven by doctors, trade unions and workers involved in its cutting and handling

Murder accused, 16, says he saw co-defendant stab girl and denied he was only one strong enough to cut through victim's boneA 16-year-old boy accused of killing Brianna Ghey was a skilled kickboxer who admired the craftsmanship" of the knife used to stab the transgender teenager, a court has heard.The boy, known as Y to protect his identity, told a jury that he saw his female co-defendant stab Brianna with his hunting knife in a Warrington park, denying that he was the only one strong enough to cut through her bone. Before killing Brianna, the girl was giddy", he claimed. Continue reading...

Ukrainian air defences shoot down all 10 missiles in early hours but there is extensive damage

Panel says it is not satisfied releasing child killer at this point would be safe for protection of the publicThe child killer Jon Venables has lost a Parole Board bid to be freed from jail.The 41-year-old tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993. Continue reading...

Developers say move is capitulation to Tory nimby faction' and could lead to fewer homes being builtMichael Gove will this week announce a relaxation of housing targets for local authorities in England, which developers worry will mean far fewer homes being built amid a housing crisis.The housing secretary will outline the government's new planning system as soon as Thursday, and sources briefed on the plans said they would confirm he was giving councils far more freedom to set lower housing targets. Continue reading...

BoM tracker map shows forecast path of category 2 cyclone with heavy rain, 140km/h winds and storm surge predicted. Follow the latest Australia news and weather updates today

Competition winner reflects growing anxiety about tax rises, while second place for word of the year went to hot' after a sweltering summerThe kanji character for tax" has been chosen as Japan's word of the year, in a reflection of growing public anxiety over the cost of living and impending tax rises.The single character - which can be read as zei or mitsugi - was unveiled this week at Kiyomizu Buddhist temple in Kyoto, whose head priest, Seihan Mori, reproduced it with a huge brush on a white washi paper canvas. Continue reading...

One Nation senator will argue freedom of political speech trumps the racial discrimination act over tweet directed at Faruqi

Labour leader to attack Tory psychodrama' and self-importance' in speech marking four years since last electionLabour will end the Conservative psychodrama" and return government to the mundane stuff", Keir Starmer will pledge, in a plea to the red wall" voters the party is targeting.His changed" party is committed to national security and careful management of taxpayer money, he will emphasise in a speech that has been moved to Buckinghamshire from a northern constituency in order for the Labour leader to stay close to Westminster as MPs prepare to vote on the government's Rwanda bill. Continue reading...

Chief justice says government did not overreach its powers when it revoked autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019India's supreme court has ruled that the government acted lawfully when it revoked the autonomy of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and brought it directly under control of the centre.Article 370, which for almost 70 years had enshrined special rights for Jammu and Kashmir outside the Indian constitution, was revoked by the government of Narendra Modi in August 2019 through a presidential order, with no consultation with the Kashmiri people. Continue reading...

A new way of identifying areas of deprivation in otherwise affluent areas has caught the attention of local politiciansMost of the 1,700 people who live in a wedge of housing between Iffley Road and Cowley Road in Oxford enjoy relative comfort. There are smart cafes, attic conversions and shops selling high-end bicycles to students and academics attending the world-famous university just over Magdalen Bridge.In the bald terms of the official 1-10 index of multiple deprivation, it scores a six when the most deprived areas of the country score one. But combing through the 2021 census among the people in this neighbourhood, the new ethnic group deprivation index (EGDI) reveals an otherwise hidden cluster of people who experience significant economic hardship. Continue reading...

Publisher of the Monthly and the Saturday Paper says he will no longer be involved in day-to-day operations

Nice guidelines for GPs placing CBT on a par with HRT' are criticised as patronising' and scaremongering'New official guidance on treating menopause will harm women's health, experts, MPs and campaigners have warned.Last month, new draft guidelines to GPs from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said that women experiencing hot flushes, night sweats, depression and sleep problems could be offered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) alongside or as an alternative to" hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help reduce their menopause symptoms. Continue reading...

Five patrons at the Royal Daylesford Hotel about an hour's drive from Melbourne were killed after a car crashed into the beer garden

Officers interviewed people who wished to remain silent despite court judgments finding practice was improper, law enforcement commission says

Proposed merger with smaller competitor Sigma and stock market listing would unlock billions of dollars for founders of discount pharmacy chain Chemist Warehouse

Voters shun district election after pro-democracy candidates were prevented from runningA patriots only" district election in Hong Kong that barred opposition democrats from the ballot sheet amid a national security crackdown had a record low voter turnout of 27.5% as many voters spurned what was seen as an undemocratic poll.The sharp slide in turnout since the last such election in 2019 comes after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law that has been used to clamp down on dissent, and overhauled the electoral system to shut out democrats and other liberals. Continue reading...

Ukrainian leader invited by Joe Biden, as US president pressures Republican senators to back aid billUS President Joe Biden has invited his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy to the White House, days after his administration warned it would run out of money for Ukraine aid in weeks unless feuding US lawmakers act.The meeting on Tuesday is intended to underscore the United States' unshakeable commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia's brutal invasion," the White House said in a statement Sunday. Continue reading...

Cyclone weakened to category 1 on Sunday night but is expected to intensify before crossing coast of far north Qld near Cairns

Former Ukip and Brexit party leader used airtime to speculate over a return to ConservativesNigel Farage has finished third in the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!The rightwing politician and commentator reached the final three of the long-running ITV series, in which celebrities subject themselves to trials such as eating kangaroo testicles. Continue reading...

Man, 58, arrested on suspicion of murder after recent police appeal over unsolved death near East Finchley tubeA 58-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the 1984 killing of Anthony Littler in East Finchley.Littler was found with head injuries in an alleyway known as The Causeway, near East Finchley tube station in north London at 12.15am on 1 May 1984. Littler, an executive officer at Customs and Excise, was single and lived a short distance from the station. Continue reading...

Action scheduled for 14, 15, 16 and 17 December postponed while members vote on dealOxfam's first strike in its 81-year history has been suspended, after the charity offered an improved pay deal to staff", the Unite union says.Unite has announced that strikes scheduled for 14, 15, 16 and 17 December have been postponed as an act of good faith, while its members are balloted on the revised offer. Continue reading...

Hotel dispels rumours of a targeted heist or an opportunistic theft with a more mundane realityThe questions began swirling soon after police were notified that a 750,000 (644,000) ring had gone missing from the Ritz hotel in Paris. Was it a meticulously planned and targeted robbery? An act of carelessness? Or simply a quick swipe, carried out when the opportunity presented itself?Two days after a Malaysian guest at the hotel reported the missing diamond ring to police, the hotel proffered an answer, albeit less exciting than many of the theories that had circulated online: the hotel said security had found the ring in the bag of a vacuum cleaner. Continue reading...

Shadow minister tells health service money is tight' and that it must provide better value for taxpayersThe shadow health secretary has accused the NHS of using every winter crisis and challenge it faces as an excuse to ask for more money.Speaking on a visit to Singapore, Wes Streeting said the health service needs to accept money is tight", and that it must rethink how the care it provides could be better value for money for the taxpayer. Continue reading...

Investors may sell shares to oil-rich state's Public Investment Fund, which already owns a stake, report saysSaudi Arabia could take effective majority control of London Heathrow, the UK's major airport, with other investors considering selling their stakes, according to reports.The oil-rich state's Public Investment Fund (PIF) allied with private equity investor Ardian to announce the purchase of a 25% stake in the airport last month from Ferrovial, the Spanish infrastructure giant that had been the primary owner of Heathrow for 17 years. Continue reading...

Ban comes as jailed Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi begins new hunger strike before award ceremonyIran has banned Mahsa Amini's family from travelling to France to receive the EU's top human rights prize on her behalf, as the family of the imprisoned Nobel peace prize winner Narges Mohammadi said she had begun a new hunger strike before Sunday's award ceremony in Oslo.In Mohammadi's absence, her 17-year-old twin children Ali and Kiana, will instead collect the award on her behalf, reading out a speech their mother smuggled out of her cell. Continue reading...

Former immigration minister says legislation will not work, as talk grows of Tory plot to oust PMThe former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said he will not vote for Rishi Sunak's bill aimed at deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda this week, in a blow to the prime minister.Jenrick, who resigned over the bill, said it would not work and needed to go further in setting aside human rights law if it was to have a chance of getting the Rwanda scheme to work. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Inquiry comes after discovery of body of Peter Mutuku Mutisya, 25, in a dam on the plantation

Number of under-18s living in temporary accommodation in England reaches 139,000 with most from families in the capitalMore than one in 10 children and teenagers from some areas of London are effectively homeless, according to analysis of government data by the Observer.Comparing the most recent homelessness statistics with official population estimates, 4.4% of under-18s from London - more than one in 25 - were living in temporary accommodation" at the end of June this year. Continue reading...

Families fear that James Cleverly's proposals, which more than double the earnings threshold, could force separation and exileThere was growing anger on Saturday night over the government's love only for the rich" plans that would force thousands of British families to choose whether to split or go into exile.James Cleverly, the home secretary, announced last week that a British citizen who wants to sponsor their foreign spouse to live with them in the UK will need to earn at least 38,700 a year to qualify for a family visa application. Continue reading...

James Cleverly's mother was a foreign-born NHS worker. Now he is making it harder for people in her situation to stay in BritainWould James Cleverly's parents have been forced to choose between separating or leaving the UK had they been subject to the new immigration rules the home secretary announced on Monday 4 December?Many of the millions of people in the UK whose partners or parents were born overseas have been asking themselves a similar question over the past few days. Continue reading...

While deputy premier is considered the frontrunner, suggestions his two rivals may team up would make vote incredibly close'

Report warns of urgent need to address severe structural failings' in roof of Westminster's parliamentary office buildingThe parliamentary office building Portcullis House requires a complete overhaul" of its roof and has severe structural failings" in its atrium glazing, warns an official parliamentary report obtained by the Observer.The new study, commissioned by the parliamentary authorities, warns that rain is leaking into MPs' offices and recommends roof works likely to cost tens of millions pounds. It suggests an interim measure of adding netting to the underside of the atrium roof to prevent glass from falling on to people" in the event of cracked panes. The House of Commons said this weekend that netting was being installed in the atrium. Continue reading...

Film starring Johnny Flynn and Anthony Hopkins and photographs of Holocaust survivors pay tribute to courage of UK Kindertransport heroThe achievements of Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved the lives of 669 Kindertransport children by setting up an escape route from Germany, will be celebrated anew on New Year's Day, with the release of the film One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins.Young actors will be playing the small escapees on screen, alongside Johnny Flynn, cast as the young Winton. But the stories of the children are not over. A number of them still clearly remember the journey, and their faces, now captured for the National Portrait Gallery, provide a fresh and clear testament not just of their childhood trauma, but of the varied lives they went on to live. Continue reading...

As Tuesday's crucial vote looms, MPs from both wings of the party say PM has tied his future to a bill that cannot succeed Read more: The UK's deal with Rwanda must stay within the rule of lawSenior Tories from across the party are warning that Rishi Sunak's emergency Rwanda plan will never become law in its current form, ahead of the most critical vote of his premiership.Liberal Tories confirmed last night that, despite their desire to back the PM against the right, serious concerns" remain about the plan and more reassurances will be required. Meanwhile, a self-styled star chamber" of legal figures examining the proposals for the Tory right is understood to have found problems that are extremely difficult to resolve". Continue reading...

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Southerly buster sweeps up the NSW coast bringing thunderstorms and dropping temperatures by up to 10C

Woman found in critical condition north of Brisbane later died at scene while 32-year-old man died in hospital following injuries sustained in nearby house fire

The Israeli military has launched a relentless bombardment of the city, which it claims is the Hamas command centre

Labor leader says state is in good shape' and now is the time for me to leave' following months of speculation about her future

This blog is now closed. See all our Israel-Gaza war coverage here Heavy fighting continued overnight in northern Gaza, both from the air and on the ground, the Israel Defense Forces said on Saturday.According to the IDF, fighters from the battle team of the Kafir brigade fought and killed a group in the area of a school in the Shejaiya neighbourhood. IDF forces later found a number of Kalashnikov weapons, grenades and ammunition inside the classrooms. Continue reading...

Research by centre-right thinktank says gap between the mainstream and poorest in society is wideningCovid lockdowns had a catastrophic effect" on the UK's social fabric and the most disadvantaged are no better off now than at the time of the financial crash, a new report claims.The country is in danger of sliding back into the divisions of the Victorian era, marked by a widening gap between the mainstream and the poorest in society, according to an inquiry by the centre-right thinktank the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). Continue reading...

Newspaper tycoon's son seeks meeting with foreign secretary as Briton, 76, faces trial and possible life sentenceForeign secretary David Cameron is being urged to demand the release of newspaper tycoon Jimmy Lai as the British national prepares for a high-profile trial in Hong Kong this month.Lai, 76, is facing a life sentence, accused of colluding with foreign forces under the draconian national security law introduced by Beijing in 2020 following mass protests. Continue reading...