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Production in Norfolk due to restart in early September but sportscar maker announces restructuring proposal'Sportscar maker Lotus has confirmed it will cut 550 jobs in the UK as part of wider restructuring plans that will deliver a fresh blow to Britain's automotive industry.Lotus, which has been struggling with a drop in sales and cash shortages, said it was necessary to slash 42% of its 1,300-strong UK workforce to secure a sustainable future", amid uncertainty sparked by factors including Donald Trump's trade war. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy says Moscow chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table' after strikes on more than 20 locations Europe live - latest updatesRussian airstrikes on Kyiv have killed at least 18 people and wounded dozens in the most deadly night raid on the Ukrainian capital since the Alaska summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.Seventeen people were reported killed when a five-storey residential building in the eastern Darnytskyi district was struck in the middle of the night, said Svitlana Vodolaha, a spokesperson for the state rescue service. Continue reading...

Cellin Gluck alleged in lawsuit that he was subject to excessive force during protest against police brutalityA jury has awarded at least $2.2m to a protester who was shot in the face with a less-lethal munition by a Los Angeles sheriff's deputy during a demonstration against police brutality in 2020.In the verdict last week, the jury found LA county liable for the injuries sustained by the man, Cellin Gluck, and determined that he suffered $3.5m in damages. They also awarded his daughter, who was there with him that day, an additional $300,000 for emotional distress. Continue reading...

Investigation by UK watchdog relates to historical statements on wood pellets for power station from January 2022 to March 2024

Opposition councillor in Taiwanese capital accuses authorities of sending Trojan horse' into citizens' daily livesTaipei City council has come under fire after admitting that a robot dog it bought to help patrol city streets using surveillance cameras was made by a Chinese companylinked to the Chinese military.Hammer Lee, the deputy mayor of Taiwan's capital, introduced a new patrol partner" for the management and repair of pedestrian areas in a post on Facebook on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Government-picked judges consider verdict in high-profile case against pro-democracy media mogulFinal arguments have concluded in the national security trial of the pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong.Government-picked judges are retiring to consider their verdict in the case, seen internationally as a crucial test of the rule of law in the city. Continue reading...

Greens' David Shoebridge calls amendment one of the nastiest, meanest attacks' on multicultural Australia

Lehrmann's solicitor Zali Burrows claims alleged victim was sent messages by lead solicitor in Network 10's defence against an unrelated defamation case

Police to have power to issue on-the-spot' DV orders despite experts and advocacy groups warning victims could be misidentified as perpetrators

Police say heavily armed suspect has not been seen as they continue to scour bushland around rural property where two police officers were killed

Police officers allegedly shot dead on Tuesday identified as detective leading senior constable Neal Thompson and senior constable Vadim de Waart. Follow today's news live

Blowing the whistle can be a tough gig,' Adelaide judge says, while Rex Patrick declares Boyle a hero' for speaking out in 2018

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Queensland MP says he punches blokes in the mouth' for comments on his heritage as he backs anti-immigration March for Australia protests at Brisbane press conference

Former adviser to aged care royal commission says delays in expanded services will raise risk of falls, medication errors and malnutrition

Record ocean heat likely to increase storm severity while increased cloud cover expected to keep night-time temperatures above average over almost entire country

Australian cricketer says the normalisation of gambling in sport for young people is scary and dangerous' as government continues to sit on reforms

Victoria police say alleged shooter remains on the run and armed after two officers killed and a third injured

The Progressive Conservative party of Ontario reportedly paid C$278,910.71 on the viral hats during the province's election campaignDealing with the unprecedented threats from Donald Trump's threats to Canada's economy and sovereignty have required unconventional strategies from federal and provincial leaders, including barring liquor sales and cancelling contracts with Tesla.But among the more unorthodox strategies to hit back against the US is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on novelty hats. Continue reading...

Draft ordinance in Toyoake has triggered a backlash from locals, with some calling it an attack on individual freedomA town in Japan is to urge all residents to restrict their smartphone use to two hours a day in an attempt to tackle online addiction and sleep deprivation.Officials in Toyoake, Aichi prefecture, said the measure would target not only children but also adults, amid growing concern about the physical and psychological toll excessive smartphone use is taking on people of all ages. Continue reading...

Talk of the chancellor looking at a new levy on expensive homes or removing CGT exemption is making buyers warySpeculation that the chancellor could announce new property taxes in her autumn budget is likely to slow down an already price-sensitive housing market, estate agents have said.Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a tax on the sale of homes over 500,000 and the removal of the capital gains tax exemption on primary residences above 1.5m as ways to boost income for the government. Continue reading...

Former prime minister in Washington DC on Wednesday for talks that reportedly also included Jared KushnerThe former British prime minister Tony Blair has attended a White House meeting with Donald Trump to discuss plans for postwar Gaza, the Guardian understands.After stepping down as prime minister in 2007, Blair took on the role of Middle East envoy until 2015 and spent time in Jerusalem trying to formulate a plan for a two-state solution. Continue reading...

Former health secretary wants to see an overhaul of special educational needs and disabilities system in EnglandChildren and young people are being overdiagnosed with mental health conditions in a society that has lost sight of the reality that child development is messy and uneven", the former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said.He is the latest senior figure to add his voice to calls for a radical overhaul of the special educational needs and disabilities (Send) system in England. Continue reading...

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Lawsuit has most direct allegations of wrongdoing leveled against Aymond, who denies them, in court filing to dateA lawsuit newly filed against the Roman Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans and its top two officials alleges the city's archbishop, Gregory Aymond, personally covered up child sexual abuse by priests and deacons - and asks a judge to reject a guarantee on his future retirement benefits as punishment.The archdiocese responded by saying the allegations brought by the plaintiff, Argent Institutional Trust Co, are baseless. Continue reading...

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu denies sexually assaulting two teenagers and a woman in Epping last monthAn Ethiopian man who became the focus of far-right demonstrations outside a hotel in Epping after being accused of sexually assaulting two teenagers has told a court he did not touch the girls.I'm not a wild animal. I can't do these kind of things," Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an asylum seeker housed at the Bell hotel in Epping, told his trial at Colchester magistrates court on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Agency authorizes shots for those 65 and older, with young people eligible if they have underlying medical conditionsThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated Covid-19 vaccines but has placed new restrictions on who can get them.The agency has authorized Covid vaccines for people 65 and older, who are known to be more at risk from serious illnesses from Covid infections. Continue reading...

Likened to a trade embargo' and an earthquake', it could cut exports from affected sectors by as much as 70%Donald Trump's tariffs of 50% have come into force on most US imports from India. The US president followed through on his threat to punish one of the world's largest economies for its purchases of discounted Russian oil. Continue reading...

Latest deaths announced by Gaza health ministry bring starvation toll to 313, including 119 children

Spokesperson says government in fighting spirit' after PM called confidence vote he is expected to loseEmmanuel Macron has given his full support" to France's beleaguered prime minister, Francois Bayrou, who is expected to lose a confidence vote next month, which would be likely to cause the government to collapse.Macron chaired a cabinet meeting on Wednesday as France faces a fresh political crisis. The government spokesperson, Sophie Primas, said after the meeting that Macron fully supported Bayrou and the government was in a fighting spirit". Continue reading...

British Transport Police said alleged victim did not wish to provide a statement to the investigation'The far-right activist Tommy Robinson is to face no further action after he was arrested over an alleged assault at St Pancras station in London.British Transport Police (BTP) presented a file of evidence to prosecutors over the incident on 28 July, with footage of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, pacing around near a man lying face down on the floor, posted on social media. Continue reading...

Some Iranian officials say readmission breaches law passed after Israel and the US attacked the country in JuneThe partial return of UN inspectors to Iran for the first time since Israel and the US attacked Iran's nuclear sites has been met with protests by officials in Tehran, who claim the strict preconditions they set have been breached. Some even described the return as criminal.Abbas Araghchi, Iran's foreign minister, tried to quell the backlash by saying the inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) would not be visiting any of the bombed sites and that discussions about these were still to be had. Continue reading...

CBI polling of the sector shows most companies are downbeat about future and are reporting lower profitsBusiness confidence plunged this month across the UK's services sector as mounting cost pressures and weak demand hit profits and undermined the outlook for the rest of the year.The CBI's latest service sector poll found that a majority of companies were gloomy about their prospects and discounted the acceleration in activity that usually follows the return to work after the summer break. Continue reading...

Soldiers and armoured vehicles enter city in northern occupied West Bank, confirms Israeli military, as residents say soldiers are searching housesAl Jazeera reports that the prime minister of Belgium has begun a meeting with his deputies on the topic of recognising the state of Palestine.Bart De Wever said in a statement yesterday that it does not make sense to recognise the Palestinian state unless certain conditions are satisfied. Continue reading...

Motorists queue, petrol stations run dry and prices surge in country that is one of the world's top energy exportersRussia prides itself on being an energy superpower, but some of its citizens are suddenly struggling to fill their fuel tanks after weeks of Ukrainian drone strikes crippled refining capacity across the country.Petrol stations in several regions have run dry while prices have surged to record highs and motorists queue for hours. Continue reading...

Nick Thomas-Symonds also accused Nigel Farage of dividing communities and stoking anger'Responding to Ofgem announcing that the energy price cap will rise by 2% (see 8.47am BST), Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said:The last thing struggling families and pensioners need is higher energy bills this winter. The government should cancel this rise and take up our plan to halve energy bills instead.Ministers should be cutting bills by making sure energy firms pass on the benefits of cheap renewables, not putting up bills yet again. Continue reading...

Employees at two public bodies reported less work-related stress and one organisation had drop in sick daysIncreased productivity and improved staff wellbeing were among the results of a year-long trial of the four-day week by the Scottish government.Two public bodies, South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) and Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), took part in the pilot, which was launched by Holyrood in early 2024. Continue reading...

Nick Thomas-Symonds indicates closer ties with Europe in future and promises to agree agriculture deal

Younes Ali Younes, 20, will appear again in December with co-accused Giovanni Laulu although court heard no evidence of links to Iran

Typical annual bill to increase by just over 35 to 1,755 from October when Ofgem raises government price cap by 2%

Two such groups claim they persuaded Alberta to institute sweeping public school book banSocially conservative parents' rights" groups that have emerged as powerfully political lobbying groups in the US are quickly gaining ground in Canada, academics and free speech advocates say, after two such groups claimed they had persuaded Alberta to institute a sweeping public school book ban.Alberta recently directed schools to purge library books from shelves that fit its definition of explicit sexual content" by 1 October. If the policy is applied precisely as outlined, a host of books face being purged, including George Orwell's 1984 due to passages in the text that discuss sexual intercourse and rape. Continue reading...

Charities sound alarm over plan to give asylum seekers just 28 days to find new housing once they have a decision on their case

Market value of Woolworths, Australia's largest supermarket chain, slips from over $40bn to less than $35bn

Victoria police chief commissioner Mike Bush says suspect Dezi Freeman, 56, is heavily armed' and still at large. This blog is now closed

Climate 200 founder beats out at least six other bidders for meeting with opposition leader in charity auction for Parliament's Midwinter Ball

Mohammad A, 16, given 18-month suspended sentence for helping plan foiled attack in ViennaA Berlin court has convicted a Syrian teenager of contributing to an Islamic State-inspired plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.Three dates in the US pop star's record-breaking Eras tour were cancelled last summer after authorities learned of the plot. Continue reading...

Tehran rejects the accusation of orchestrating antisemitic attacks in Australia and says Anthony Albanese is weak'

Angela Eagle accuses other parties of offering fag packet plans' as ministers face mounting pressure on immigrationThe Home Office has promised a big surge" in asylum hotel closures in the new year, with five more to shut in the coming months, as ministers face mounting pressure over the government's record on immigration.Speaking after a weekend of protests and counter-protests over the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, Home Office minister Angela Eagle said the government had inherited a border security system in tatters" and accused opposition parties of offering the fag packet plans without the substance on delivery". Continue reading...

At least 20 people, including five journalists, died as they rushed to help those wounded in the first strikeIsrael bombed the main hospital in southern Gaza on Monday and then struck the same spot again as rescuers and journalists rushed to help the wounded, killing at least 20 people including five journalists, health officials said.The first strike hit the top floor of a building at the Nasser hospital, killing the Reuters journalist Hussam al-Masri and others. Journalists and rescuers then rushed to the scene to help the wounded, when a second bomb struck the same spot, 15 minutes later. Continue reading...

Ken Loach collaborator was allegedly wearing a T-shirt that referenced banned group Palestine ActionThe award-winning Scottish screenwriter Paul Laverty has been arrested in Edinburgh for wearing a T-shirt that allegedly referenced the proscribed protest group Palestine Action.Laverty was attending a protest outside St Leonard's police station in the city centre to support Moira McFarlane, a member of Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who was due to be charged under section 13 of the Terrorist Act for wearing a T-shirt with the words: Genocide in Palestine, time to take Action". Continue reading...