MP for Solihull and chair of DCMS committee has had Tory whip removed ‘with immediate effect’The Conservatives have removed the whip from Julian Knight after a complaint was made to the Metropolitan police.The chief whip, Simon Hart, removed the Tory whip, meaning Knight no longer sits in the Commons as a Conservative, after the complaint was made on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Former health secretary’s exit from politics may have been on the cards since he was snubbed day Rishi Sunak became PMHours after Rishi Sunak was declared Conservative leader, he arrived at the party’s headquarters in central London, where he was met by a crowd of beaming, cheering supporters.As he walked up the steps to the door, he stopped to shake hands and hug a waiting line of Tory MPs who had stood by his side throughout the summer leadership contest against Liz Truss and her disastrous early days in office. Continue reading...

Human rights ombudsman decries ‘alarming and unprecedented figure’ owing to attacked by illegal armed groups tied to drug tradeColombia will end the year with at least 199 killings of social leaders and human rights defenders – the highest level recorded – due to attacks by illegal armed groups in areas tied to the drug trade, the country’s human rights ombudsman has said.In the first eleven months of the year, 199 people were murdered, higher than the total number of social leaders and rights defenders killed in 2021 and 2020, when 145 people and 182 people were killed respectively, the ombudsman said. Continue reading...

PCS union announces action that will affect UK’s busiest airports including Heathrow and Gatwick

Former health secretary’s letter to PM prompts debate over whether he is going voluntarily or being forced out

Necrophiliac’s jail term increased after pleading guilty to sexually abusing bodies of 23 more women aged between 45 and 92A double killer who sexually abused the bodies of at least 101 women and girls in hospital mortuaries was described as “sick and twisted” by victims’ families as he was sentenced for further depraved acts.David Fuller, 68, is already serving a whole-life sentence for the sexually motivated murders of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in two separate attacks in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1987. Continue reading...

After cancelling in-person events for the 2022 edition, the Utah-based festival will return to physical screenings for the first time since 2020Next month’s Sundance film festival will see a return to in-person premieres with new films featuring Anne Hathaway, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.The Utah-based festival has been online only since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and while this year’s was set to be a physical-digital hybrid, the rise of the Omicron variant meant that it was cancelled at the last minute. There will still be a digital component to 2023’s edition but a large number of films will only be available to watch on the ground. Continue reading...

This live blog has now closed, you can read more on this story hereEveryone is hard up at the moment – including the Conservative party, it seems. According to Bloomberg’s Alex Wickham, the party is raising membership fees by 56%.This morning Steve Barclay said Rishi Sunak was taking “a very strong stand in terms of the priority of getting inflation down”. (See 10.02am.) But not for Tory members, it seems. Continue reading...

President says potential of nuclear war more likely but Russia has ‘not gone crazy’ and will not use nuclear weapons first

Transport secretary refuses to deny reports government stipulation may have scuppered pay dealRail strikes could go on another six months after an overwhelming vote from train drivers to continue industrial action, as controversy mounted over whether the government scuppered a deal with unions.The drivers’ union, Aslef, said they were “in it for the long haul” and the percentage of the vote in favour of strikes across 12 operating companies was higher than before. Continue reading...

The powerful – and polarising – vice-president was sentenced to six years for fraud and now will not seek the presidency next yearFor decades, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner dominated Argentina’s political landscape: as a senator, first lady, president and then vice-president. But on Tuesday she was sentenced to six years in prison in a verdict, which if upheld on appeal, will also ban her from holding public office for the rest of her life.Fernández immediately announced that she would not run for president, or any other kind of elected office, in the 2023 elections. The court’s ruling appeared to have abruptly sidelined the country’s most powerful – and most polarising – politician since Juan and Eva Perón, leaving many Argentinians wondering: what will come next? Continue reading...

Minor aristocrat, an ex-paratrooper and a former AfD MP among those detained in operation

Covid-19 resulted in a drop in chlamydia and gonorrhoea diagnoses, the Kirby Institute says, but worrying increase in syphilis

Health secretary says government ‘not aware’ of issue but some independent outlets say stocks running low

The company, which still owns stock in Russian oil, is being pressured to sever all ties with the countryBP should donate its “wartime profits” in Russia to the reconstruction of Ukraine or ministers should impose a special windfall tax on the oil company to force it to do so, MPs have told parliament.The British oil supermajor has a 19.75% stake in Rosneft, one of the Kremlin’s most important oil assets and signalled its intent to exit Russia nine months ago, after Russia invaded Ukraine. Continue reading...

Unnamed suspect, 28, bailed after incident during monarch’s visit to Luton on WednesdayA man has been charged with a public order offence after an egg was allegedly thrown at the king during a walkabout.Bedfordshire police refused to disclose the name of the suspect after the incident outside Luton town hall on Tuesday. Continue reading...

After Brittany Higgins alleged she was raped by a colleague in a minister’s office, a mistrial and media scrutiny have failed to answer key questionsIt is a case that has shaken Australian politics to its core. An allegation of rape in the nation’s parliament, levelled by a government staffer against a colleague, has led to senior ministers appearing before court, triggered a slew of internal reviews and forced a reckoning over the gendered dynamic and toxic atmosphere plaguing an ecosystem devoid of workplace protections.While Brittany Higgins’ story has become a mainstay of Australia’s political discourse, in recent days it has taken an extraordinary turn. Last week, before a retrial after the first was abandoned due to juror misconduct, the prosecution of the accused man, Bruce Lehrmann, was aborted out of concern for Higgins’ mental health. Continue reading...

Online card retailer expects revenues of £320m rather than £350m as Royal Mail strikes also have effectThe personalised card retailer Moonpig has warned sales will be lower than expected this year as cash-strapped shoppers shifted to lower-priced gifts and Royal Mail postal strikes hit its business.The British firm said trading conditions had become progressively more challenging in October and November because of “macroeconomic uncertainty” and the run of industrial action by postal workers. Continue reading...

Peak medical body says mask mandates should be considered and calls for ‘plan that relies on more than vaccination’

Laura Hand-Ross says party’s opposition to constitutional recognition is an ‘insult’ that has caused disquiet in the community

Poorly insulated Northern Territory houses that people can’t afford to cool can rise to dangerous temperatures

Pro-choice activists are focusing on expanding abortion access, voter registration and education, and shield laws for providersRenee Bracey Sherman answers the phone and apologizes – is it OK if we speak while she drives? Like many abortion advocates, she tends to keep a packed schedule and talk at lightning speed – the next initiative, the next law, the next policy on the horizon. Ask advocates how they felt in June after the Dobbs decision sharply curtailed reproductive rights across the US, or in November after wins in the midterm elections signaled strong public support for abortion, and they’ll answer immediately: We knew this was coming; but the fight’s not over.What Bracey Sherman – founder and executive director of We Testify, a group focused on the leadership and representation of people who have abortions – and her colleagues in the pro-choice movement don’t spend much time doing is elaborating on the past, or how they mourned or celebrated, because it’s already in the rear-view window. Their eyes are laser-focused on the future. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Gareth Quarry, who now donates to Labour, says Conservatives have trashed their reputation

Labour promises extra help and says rise is due to years of underinvestment in health and social careWorsening health in Britain has led the number of new disability benefit claims to double in the past year, according to a report.The Institute for Fiscal Studies said claims for the personal independence payment (Pip) benefit had doubled to 30,000 a month between the summer of 2021 and July this year, with no sign of slowing. Continue reading...

Plan will flood neighbourhoods subjected to extortion by criminal groups in two largest cities for next 30 daysAuthorities in Honduras will partially suspend constitutional rights as part of an effort to combat an apparent rise in extortion, raising fears of human rights violations and warnings of creeping authoritarianism in Central America.Under the plan, which will come into effect late on Tuesday and will be in effect for at least 30 days, thousands of security forces will be deployed to 162 gang-infested neighborhoods in the country’s two largest cities, San Pedro Sula and the capital, Tegucigalpa. Continue reading...

Campaigners seeking abolition of year 6 Sats staged event at which children invigilated tests on parliamentariansMPs and peers tasked with completing a year 6 Satss exam have scored lower results on average than the country’s 10-year-olds.MPs including Commons education select committee chair Robin Walker took part in the exams, invigilated by 11-year-olds, at a Westminster event organised by More Than A Score, who campaign for the tests to be scrapped. Continue reading...

Moscow accuses Ukraine of ‘nuclear terrorism’; Kremlin spokesperson says there is no prospect for negotiations with Kyiv at the moment

Eleanor Williams tells Preston jury she met Mohammed Ramzan at 12 and that he later became her ‘boyfriend’A woman accused of lying about being trafficked and sexually exploited by an Asian grooming gang has told a court she was in love with the alleged ringleader.Eleanor Williams, 22, from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, finally gave evidence at Preston crown court on Tuesday, two months into her trial for perverting the course of justice. Continue reading...

Hazim Mustafa says he paid $380,000 for cattle at South African president’s ranch in 2019A Sudanese businessman has confirmed that he made the payment of hundreds of thousands of dollars for cattle at the centre of the scandal threatening to unseat South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa.The embattled president launched legal action on Monday to challenge a report handed over last week by an independent panel appointed by parliament that accused him of serious misconduct after the theft from his private game ranch of a sum reported to be between $500,000 (£410,000) and $5m in cash almost three years ago. Continue reading...

Network files formal request against Israel over shooting of Palestinian-American journalist in West BankAl Jazeera television network has filed a formal request to the international criminal court against Israeli forces over the killing of the veteran Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.Abu Akleh was shot in the head during an Israeli raid in a refugee camp on the outskirts of the occupied West Bank city of Jenin in May, while wearing a helmet and flak jacket that clearly indicated she was a member of the press. Several investigations by human rights organisations, as well as international news outlets and the UN, have concluded that Abu Akleh, 51, was shot by an Israeli soldier. Her colleague Ali al-Samoudi survived after being shot in the shoulder. Continue reading...

Rights groups say amended criminal code underscores shift towards fundamentalismIndonesia’s parliament has overhauled the country’s criminal code to outlaw sex outside marriage and curtail free speech, in a dramatic setback to freedoms in the world’s third-largest democracy.Passed with support from all political parties, the draconian legislation has shocked not only rights activists but also the country’s booming tourism sector, which relies on a stream of visitors to its tropical islands. Continue reading...

Home affairs tells Ahmad Merhi’s lawyer the law used to strip him of Australian citizenship was invalid with almost 20 other cancellations also voided

Supermarket hopes to grab bigger share of burgeoning sector, possibly threatening Sainsbury’s second positionAsda is planning to open 300 convenience stores and create 10,000 new jobs in the next four years as it tries to grab a bigger share of the grocery market and potentially overtake rival Sainsbury’s to become the UK’s second largest supermarket.The retailer, which is controlled by the billionaire Issa brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital, currently has just two Asda Express stores – in Sutton Coldfield, near Birmingham, and Tottenham Hale, in north London. Continue reading...

GMB, Unison and Unite announce industrial action by ambulance staff and other NHS workers

Move comes after Guardian revealed she appeared to have received millions from the profits of PPE firm

Government ‘coordinating attack on working people’ and seeking to ‘ratchet up dispute’, says RMTThe RMT general secretary has defended rail strikes across the UK over Christmas and said unions have a “duty to coordinate what they do”, saying the government is sending a message that pay rises will only come with worse terms for workers.Mick Lynch said the government was “coordinating … an attack on working people” by changing working conditions and offering below-inflation pay rises. Continue reading...

No casualties reported as facility set on fire, one day after Russia blames Ukraine for two other drone strikes

Muriel Bamblett tells Victoria’s Yoorrook commission there is little oversight of cultural plans for Indigenous children in permanent care

Counsel for former PM says he should be able to refer to secret cabinet documents when giving evidence

ACCC says they will closely monitor companies to ensure they do not keep prices high through artificial scarcity

NSW treasurer says referendum is an ‘opportunity to unite the nation’ and the party’s backing would ensure broad support for yes vote

Labour-endorsed study finds initiative would save families thousands of pounds, cut benefits spending and raise tax revenuesFree universal preschool childcare and more funding for after-school clubs could increase government revenues and save a family with young children between £620 and £6,175 a year, a joint report endorsed by the Labour party has revealed.The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the charity Save the Children have called for a universal childcare guarantee for all families until the end of primary school to allow more women to get back into work and reduce the attainment gap between rich and poor children in their early years. Continue reading...

Accolade presented by Florence Pugh at London ceremony that Balenciaga creative head was absent from after ad controversyPierpaolo Piccioli, the creative director of Valentino, has won the designer of the year award at the 2022 Fashion Awards.Piccioli was presented with his award on Monday night by the actor Florence Pugh, who regularly wears the Italian brand for red carpet events. Continue reading...

Ruling party’s decision is a relief for the country’s president after doubts about his political futureSouth Africa’s ruling African National Congress party has said it will block attempts to impeach the country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, at a crucial vote in parliament on Tuesday, providing relief to the embattled leader after days of uncertainty about his political future.Ramaphosa launched legal action on Monday to challenge a report handed over last week by an independent panel appointed by parliament that accused him of serious misconduct after the theft from his private game ranch of somewhere between $500,000 (£410,000) and $5m in cash almost three years ago. Continue reading...

No reports of missile impacts in Kyiv but two killed in Zaporizhzhia and Odesa hit hard after Russian strike follows blasts at Russian airfields. This blog is now closed

Proposals, including abolishing House of Lords, aimed at moving power away from LondonKeir Starmer has vowed to undertake a root-and-branch reform of the UK constitution, moving political power out of London, banning second jobs for MPs and abolishing the House of Lords.The plans are a victory for the former prime minister Gordon Brown, who has pushed for Labour to set out a bold strategy that would hand new powers to local and regional government, including over transport and infrastructure, development funding, housing, training and jobcentres. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer had something for everyone in his speech, but the details were a little sketchyGo out on to the streets of Leeds, Keir Starmer told the BBC’s Chris Mason. And what you will hear is that people have a passion for constitutional reform. Not sure that’s exactly what I overhear when I’m out and about. The conversations I eavesdrop tend to be rather more mundane. Why the buses and trains aren’t running on time. Hospital appointments being cancelled. The cost of living. What they are planning on eating that night.But no one can accuse Labour of ducking the difficult issues. Where the Conservatives are out of ideas, running on fumes and trying not to collapse under the weight of the latest daily crisis – the political entropy of 12 years in government – Starmer is trying to think beyond daily survival. Continue reading...

Shopkeepers and truck drivers from almost 40 cities are participating in mass walkoutsIranian shopkeepers and truck drivers staged a walkout in nearly 40 cities and towns on Monday after calls for a three-day nationwide general strike from protesters as the government declined to confirm a claim by a senior official that the morality police had been abolished.Iranian newspapers instead reported an increase in patrols, especially in religious cities, requiring women to wear the hijab, and shop managers being directed by the police to reinforce hijab restrictions. Continue reading...

Family pays tribute to one of four Vietnamese men whose bodies were found at millThe family of one of four men whose bodies were found after a mill fire in Oldham earlier this year say they are devastated to learn of the “most terrible circumstances” of his death.An inquest into the deaths of Cuong Van Chu and three other Vietnamese men whose remains were found by demolition workers in August after a fire at the derelict Bismark House Mill in May, was opened and adjourned pending a criminal investigation. Continue reading...