Exclusive: children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland found watching or sharing the most abhorrent' images, Guardian investigation revealsSeveral thousand young people are being caught each year sharing or watching indecent images of children - including child abuse material - a Guardian investigation has revealed.Figures obtained through freedom of information (FoI) requests to police forces across England, Wales and Northern Ireland show that in some regions the majority of people identified by police as watching or sharing indecent images of children are under 18.

Report by Resolution Foundation and LSE calls for economic strategy rethink after 15 years of relative declineBritish workers are missing out on 10,700 a year after more than a decade of weak economic growth and high inequality, according to a major report warning that UK living standards are falling behind comparable rich nations.In a damning report on the economy, the Resolution Foundation and the London School of Economics' Centre for Economic Performance called for an urgent rethink of economic strategy after 15 years of relative decline. Continue reading...

Sian and Jeffrey Edwards regarded shell as old friend' after being told it had sat in courtyard for more than a centuryA couple who kept a live bomb as a garden ornament have said they were sorry that their old friend" had been detonated by a disposal unit.The missile, which had been outside the home of Sian and Jeffrey Edwards, is thought to date back to the late 19th century. Continue reading...

Efficiencies and savings have been made at the broadcaster after the government froze its fundingThe prime minister has said that cuts at the BBC are welcome" and that it is appropriate for the corporation to make savings when things are difficult.It comes amid reports that ministers are planning further curbs on the licence fee which has been frozen for two years. Continue reading...

Drama of grief and new romance starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal wins seven awards, while Mia McKenna Bruce wins best lead performance for How to Have SexAll of Us Strangers, Andrew Haigh's revolutionary romance starring Andrew Scott as a screenwriter grappling with the death of his parents when he was a child, has taken best picture, best director and best screenplay at the British Independent Film Awards.The film had already taken four prizes at the craft division of the Bifas last month, for editing, cinematography, music supervision and screenplay; it added three more at the ceremony at Old Billingsgate in London on Sunday. As well as the wins for Haigh, Paul Mescal took best supporting actor for his performance as a younger man who begins a relationship with Scott's character. Continue reading...

Company is expected to face further scrutiny over its debt when it publishes its results on TuesdayThe parent company of Thames Water has been warned by its auditors that it could run out of money by April if shareholders do not inject more cash into the debt-laden firm.In accounts signed off in July and published on the Companies House website last week, PricewaterhouseCoopers said there was material uncertainty" about whether the main company behind the water supplier can continue as a going concern. Continue reading...

Social workers scrambling to find places for children after net loss of 1,000 foster families in past yearChild protection experts have called for an urgent nationwide hunt for thousands of new foster carers after a net loss of 1,000 families in the past year and a record number of children being placed far from home.Social workers have described scrambling to find friends and family to take children in urgent need of safety, and reported that children are sometimes placed in hotels. Continue reading...

CEO of University Hospitals Sussex urges staff to have courage to raise concerns, despite whistleblowers previously being sackedThe boss of a hospital trust being investigated by police for alleged negligence over 40 patient deaths has been accused of sending a hypocritical email urging staff to have the courage to raise concerns despite the dismissal of whistleblowing doctors.Last week the Guardian revealed that the University Hospitals Sussex trust is under pressure to suspend surgeons whose cases are being reviewed by Sussex police in an investigation that involves more than 100 patients who either died or were seriously harmed between 2015 and 2021. Continue reading...

Ex-Express owner is expected to claim regulator made errors during bidding war for national lottery contractRichard Desmond, the Brexit-backing media tycoon, is invoking EU law to sue the gambling regulator after it rejected his fanciful" bid to run the national lottery, in a suit that could deprive good causes of millions of pounds.The former owner of the Daily Express has vowed previously to seek damages from the Gambling Commission after his company Northern & Shell missed out on a 10-year contract, worth 6.5bn, to run the lottery from next year. Continue reading...

Labor hopes to push new laws through parliament this week to allow courts to order the re-detention of migrants or refugees freed after the landmark NZYQ high court ruling

Man shot in the chest as residents confronted settlers and Israeli soldiers, say Palestinian authorities

Few rushed to buy the book, despite hype over claims two royals discussed skin colour of Prince Harry and Meghan's first childIn the last two centuries London's oldest bookshop, Hatchards on Piccadilly, has sold stories of royal scandals, ructions and rifts.The latest book in the royal genre, Endgame by journalist Omid Scobie, was at the centre of a media frenzy for most of last week, but was barely causing a ripple among shoppers this weekend. It was not on prominent display at the five-storey bookstore, which has royal warrants. The single copy had been put aside on order. At the nearby Waterstones, about 14 copies were stacked on a table near the entrance, but there was limited interest there too. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage hereAssociated Press have provided a little more detail of the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov's earlier comments in which he said Moscow saw no signs that Kyiv was ready to move towards a political resolution.Speaking at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe conference in North Macedonia, Lavrov also said Russia was not prepared to review its goals" in Ukraine.Russian authorities are attempting to quell dissent from the wives of soldiers deployed in Ukraine, the UK's Ministry of Defence has said. The MoD said in its daily intelligence briefing that some were being paid off while others have been discredited online.Ukraine has become progressively stronger over the past year and will soon be able to reopen Kyiv's international airport, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff said.Vladimir Putin has ordered the country's military to increase its number of troops by nearly 170,000, as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine continues into its 22nd month.Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said Ukraine needs to improve its mobilisation system, with the issue of recruitment under public discussion for some time. Questions of corruption in the military, particularly in procurement and recruiting, have periodically seized public attention as Ukraine tries to press on with a counteroffensive that has so far produced only incremental gains. Continue reading...

Top expert says bungled opening of Rozelle interchange is bad enough to warrant a formal inquiry into the $20bn WestConnex projectSydneysiders had been promised nirvana" would be delivered by the $20bn WestConnex motorway so they are rightly bemused - if not bitter - about how they seem to have ended up in the other place.The bungled opening of the final stage of WestConnex, the Rozelle interchange, is bad enough that veteran transport experts such as Michelle Zeibots at the University of Technology Sydney say only a royal commission can open the lid on how such debacles can happen.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Vox lays off at least 20 people in second round of cuts this year while Conde Nast to reduce staff by 5% over next few monthsVox Media and Conde Nast announced sweeping cuts this week in various departments, adding to a long list of recent upheaval within media organizations around the world.The two media powerhouses held layoffs on Thursday after losing a hard-fought battle against the declining ad market, which makes up a large portion of revenue for these companies. Continue reading...

Actor played Thelma Ferris, wife of Rodney Bewes' Bob, in popular BBC1 sitcom that aired from 1973-74Brigit Forsyth, who starred in Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, has died at the age of 83, her agent has confirmed.The Scottish actor played Thelma Ferris, the long-suffering wife of Rodney Bewes' character, Bob, in the 70s BBC sitcom. She died peacefully in her sleep surrounded by her family" in the early hours of Friday morning, her agent, Mark Pemberton, confirmed. Continue reading...

Christmas alumni episode had one blind entrant and another who was neurodivergent, both of whom say they did not get helpThe BBC has apologised and pulled a Christmas episode of University Challenge after two contestants complained about a lack of provision for their disabilities.The festive spin-off from the BBC Two quiz show, hosted by Amol Rajan, features teams of distinguished alumni who compete on behalf of their former universities. Continue reading...

Ex-Manchester United player pleaded guilty to using disabled person's parking permit he said he bought for 50 in Old TraffordRavel Morrison, the former Manchester United footballer, has been convicted of fraud after being caught using a deceased person's blue badge to park.During his interview under caution, the 30-year-old had claimed he had bought the badge from someone in Old Trafford" for 50. Morrison, of Westbrook, Warrington, was subsequently charged with one count of fraud. Continue reading...

Israel orders Palestinians to evacuate southern city of Khan Younis, where it says Hamas leadership is based

Actor called critics paedophiles' after they labelled him racist' following his call for boycott of Sainsbury's over Black History Month stanceThe actor and politician Laurence Fox has been accused of insulting the intelligence of everyone present" during a libel trial at the high court over an argument on social media.Fox had called for a boycott of Sainsbury's in October 2020 on X, then known as Twitter, in response to the supermarket chain saying it would provide a safe space for black employees during Black History Month. He was called a racist" by the drag artist Crystal, the former Stonewall trustee Simon Blake, and the broadcaster Nicola Thorp. Continue reading...

More than 170 Palestinians killed as Red Cross head warns nightmarish situation' for civilians has returned

Lead books stolen from artwork, representing loss of more than $1m, according to prosecutorThieves have stolen parts of a lead sculpture by the German contemporary artist Anselm Kiefer from a warehouse in France, representing a loss of more than $1m (785,000), a prosecutor said on Friday.Kiefer, 78, is renowned for his bleak sculptures and installations confronting his country's Nazi past, which sell for millions. Continue reading...

Friday night is expected to be cold and frosty, as Met Office warns of showers in coastal areasThe wintry weather, which has brought snowfall to parts of the UK and reduced overnight temperatures to nearly -10C (14F), is set to continue into the weekend.Many areas of the north of England and Scotland woke to freezing conditions on Friday morning, the start of the meteorological winter, as sleet and snow showers continued through Thursday night. Continue reading...

Girl, who was 15 at time of murder, told boy in message not to be anxious as police are shite here'A 16-year-old girl accused of murdering Brianna Ghey told her co-defendant not to worry about getting caught because the police are shite here", a court has heard.Both were arrested the day after the killing, shortly after the girl's mother rang Cheshire police to say the teenagers had been with Brianna on the afternoon she was killed, a jury at Manchester crown court was told on Friday. Continue reading...

Hearing into death of Caversham primary school head was also told she thought Ofsted inspections were inhumane'Ruth Perry told an NHS clinician she was amazed" that more headteachers did not take their own lives as a result of Ofsted inspections during a conversation a few weeks before her death, an inquest has heard.This is the most inhumane system. It's totally wrong that one person is made to feel like this. I'm amazed that there are not more heads killing themselves," Perry said during treatment she received for her mental health struggles following Ofsted's inspection of her school.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Health secretary during pandemic accepts that consequences of rule-breaking' may have affected public's propensity to adhere to rules'Matt Hancock has told the UK Covid inquiry that long Covid is an issue close to his heart".Inquiry counsel Hugo Keith said Hancock's witness statement to the inquiry makes plain" that from an early stage" he asked NHS England to consider the issue of long Covid.I was alive to it from before the infection reached our shores.Chris Whitty raised the concern about the potential of some kind of post-viral fatigue syndrome, which happens with other viruses as well.I'm sure you acknowledge the incredible offence and upset that was caused by that revelation.Well, what I'd say is that the lesson for the future is very clear. And it is important that those who make the rules abide by them, and I resigned in order to take accountability for my failure to do.Yes. Continue reading...

Shadow chancellor reveals Darling helped shape Labour party's current policies before his death this week

Labour leader says things will be done differently' if he wins the next election

In countries that criminalise gay sex, HIV infection rates are higher and access to lifesaving drugs and services are deniedAnti-homosexuality laws stop people from accessing lifesaving health services and seriously impede progress on eliminating HIV, a senior UN official has said.Sixty-seven countries have laws that criminalise gay sex, and nearly half are in Africa, the continent most affected by HIV. In those countries, prevalence rates are about five times higher among gay men than in countries where same-sex relations are not criminalised, according to figures from UNAids. Continue reading...

European Commission vice-president says there must be no role for Hamas in any post-conflict horizon' during visit to Australia

PM reaffirms stance after George Osborne suggests snub to Greek counterpart was result of petulance'

After months of legal challenges Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey registered their marriage, giving hope to other same-sex couples in the south Asian countryThe dancing continued until the early hours. Family and friends - and Suru the dog - gathered in western Nepal to mark the joyful end to what had been a historic day for Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey. On Wednesday, they became the first same-sex couple in south Asia to have their marriage legally recognised.Finally, we are completely together, finally we are completely each other's, finally we can perform each other's funeral if we die tomorrow," Gurung, 37, a transgender woman, says as the couple sit in the register office in rural Dordi municipality, where she was born. Continue reading...

Byrne was described as one of the most inventive and versatile of all Scotland's modern artists'The renowned artist and playwright John Byrne, whose parallel careers spanned the acclaimed BBC television series Tutti Frutti, the Slab Boys theatre trilogy and an album cover for the Beatles, has died at the age of 83.He died peacefully on Thursday with his wife, Jeanine, by his side, the Fine Art Society announced in a statement on Friday morning, describing Byrne as one of the most inventive and versatile of all Scotland's modern artists". Continue reading...

Former PM pays tribute to his then chancellor, who has died aged 70, but acknowledges complex relationship

Debt repayment will put group step closer to being controlled by consortium backed by UAEThe Barclay family is expected to close a deal on Friday to regain control of the Telegraph and Spectator temporarily, as part of plans that would ultimately put the titles under the control of a consortium backed by the United Arab Emirates.The Barclays have engineered a two-stage deal to control the future ownership of the titles, which were seized by Lloyds bank in June after the family failed to repay 1.16bn in debts. Continue reading...

Minnie Chan has reportedly been out of contact since travelling to Xiangshan Forum a month agoFriends and colleagues of a Hong Kong journalist have raised concerns after she failed to return from a defence and security forum in Beijing a month ago.Minnie Chan, a reporter for the South China Morning Post, has not been in contact since she went to the Xiangshan Forum, Japan's Kyodo News reported on Thursday. Chan filed several stories from the forum, the most recent of which was published on 2 November. Continue reading...

Holidaymakers affected will be contacted but it leaves customer plans for Christmas break in disarrayPontins is closing its resorts in Prestatyn, north Wales, and Camber Sands in East Sussex, throwing holidaymakers' plans for a Christmas break into disarray.The seaside resort group, which last year was rated among the worst holiday parks in the UK, said on its website that both sites would shut with immediate effect". Continue reading...

Nationwide says average property price was 258,557 in November, 5,231 down on same month last yearUK house prices rose for a third consecutive month in November as the market responded to hopes that mortgage rate costs had peaked.Nationwide, the UK's biggest building society, said prices rose 0.2% month on month in November, after a 0.9% rise in October and a 0.1% rise in September. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.4% fall in prices in November. Continue reading...

Thousands of towns and villages in Moldova, Ukraine and Bulgaria left without electricity as cold snap bitesHeavy snowfall and blizzards across eastern European countries this week have resulted in a number of deaths, and left thousands of towns and villages without electricity, after the first major cold snap of the season.In Moldova, four people were reported dead over the weekend, with two bodies being recovered from cars that had been buried in snowdrifts. In Ukraine, severe snowstorms left 10 people dead across the Odesa, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv and Kyiv regions. Fifteen hundred towns and villages were left without power, with one snowstorm in Odesa leaving 2,500 people in need of rescue and about 850 vehicles requiring towing. Southern Ukraine was the worst affected, as cars and buses slid off frozen roads, with local authorities battling strong winds to rescue vehicles. Bulgaria was also badly affected, declaring a state of emergency as winter storms left more than 1,000 villages without electricity. Continue reading...

Former Liberal staffer tells federal court defamation trial she initially thought she could disassociate' from the alleged rape

Derbyshire woman who bought item said she felt uneasy at find that raises concerns over possible prison labourAn ID card that appears to belong to a Chinese prisoner was found inside the lining of a coat from the British brand Regatta, raising concerns that the clothing was manufactured using prison labour.The waterproof women's coat was bought online by a woman in Derbyshire in the Black Friday sale. When it arrived on 22 November, she could feel a hard rectangular item in the right sleeve, which restricted the movement of her elbow. Continue reading...

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Independent monitor makes 40 recommendations to rules that allowed the shameful' secret imprisonment of a government official

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Video is designed to appear like A Current Affair interview and features altered versions of treasurer and rich listers

Judge laments tragic and impossibly sad case' while sentencing 20-year-old in NSW district court

Two men, reportedly brothers from East Jerusalem, shot dead at scene after attack that killed three people

It's just really sad that I don't think to this day... there is a willingness to change,' says former patientAn NHS Trust failed in its care of a man who had his surgery delayed at short notice because he was HIV positive, the health ombudsman has found.The 48-year-old man, who did not want to be named, was due to undergo surgery to remove a cyst from his prostate at Walsall Manor hospital, West Midlands, in March 2020. Continue reading...

Who has been released so far?

Charities and NGOs accuse government of changing how it calculates climate spending to claim it will exceed targetsRishi Sunak has been accused of sending out the wrong signals on tackling the climate emergency as he heads to the Cop28 summit in Dubai after saying his revised net zero targets show he is not in hock to the ideological zealots".The prime minister will allocate about 1.6bn of climate finance during the summit and claim that the UK will exceed its target of spending 11.6bn over the five years to 2026. Continue reading...