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Warren Mundine criticises government for giving tax-free status to yes vehicle but not an equivalent no group

Ukraine’s foreign minister says 17 diplomatic missions have now received suspicious packages

39 of 197 unaccompanied children taken in between 1 January and 31 October this year are missingAlmost a fifth of lone Albanian child refugees have gone missing, an English council has revealed. Kent county council took in 197 unaccompanied children from Albania between 1 January and 31 October of this year and, of those, 39 are missing.The figures were revealed following a freedom of information request by the BBC. Continue reading...

Small farmers say reports of ‘shortage’ are driving customers to grab mass-produced poultry from supermarket freezer cabinetsFears over bird flu and the cost of living crisis could impact free-range turkey sales, farmers have warned, as growing numbers turn to supermarkets for frozen birds this Christmas.After months of worry for their flocks, which since last month have to be housed indoors, destroying livelihoods across the country, turkey farmers are facing significant pressure this holiday season. Continue reading...

Officials say they have met with George Osborne, and are keen to see the masterpieces back in AthensSenior Greek officials have been in “preliminary” talks with the British Museum in what could amount to a tectonic shift in resolving the world’s longest-running cultural dispute: the repatriation of the 5th-century Parthenon marbles to Athens.Revelations about the negotiations were first reported on Saturday by Ta Nea, which said that officials including the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, had met George Osborne, the chair of the British Museum, in a five-star London hotel as recently as Monday. Continue reading...

Asa Bennett told the BBC the ex-prime minister demanded the volume was ‘turned up to 11’ when she arrivedLiz Truss took a “Spinal Tap approach” to government, demanding the volume was “turned up to 11”, her former chief speech writer has said.Asa Bennett said the former prime minister had arrived in Downing Street determined to put “rocket boosters” under the economy and that it was a matter of “bitter regret” that her efforts had failed. Continue reading...

Police arrest 16-year-old boy on suspicion of supplying unknown substance in ExeterA 16-year-old girl has died after taking a drug at a Devon nightclub, police said. Officers said a boy of the same age was arrested on suspicion of supplying the unknown substance – thought to be a class A drug such as ecstasy or LSD – in pill form.Officers were called by paramedics to Move nightclub in Exeter at about 12.30am on Saturday over concerns for the girl, who was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital before she died. Continue reading...

The Kremlin says US refusal to recognise Moscow’s annexed territories in Ukraine is hindering any potential settlement and EU members agree on Russia oil price cap

The Guns N’ Roses singer made the announcement on Twitter after the incident at in Adelaide, AustraliaAxl Rose has promised to stop throwing his microphone into the audience after a fan was reportedly hurt during a recent show in Australia.The Guns N’ Roses singer, who celebrated his 60th birthday this year, has routinely ended their shows by offering attenders towards the front a chance to catch his mic. Continue reading...

Officers from the Combating Kleptocracy Cell, which investigates potential criminal activity by oligarchs, were part of the operationA wealthy Russian businessman has been arrested at his multimillion-pound London home by officers investigating potential criminal activity by oligarchs.The 58-year-old man, who has not been named, was held by the National Crime Agency (NCA) on Thursday on suspicion of offences including money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the Home Office and conspiracy to commit perjury. Continue reading...

Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, a 31-year-old from Iraq, who tested positive for diptheria, died in hospital on 19 NovemberA man who died after being held at Manston reception centre in Kent, where initial checks are carried out on small boat arrivals, has been named as Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, a 31-year-old from Iraq.Ahmed arrived in the UK on a small boat on 12 November and was being processed at Manston when he became ill and died in hospital on 19 November. Continue reading...

Observer investigation uncovers cases where people were told to sign up to a ‘zero deposit’ scheme as a condition of their tenancyLetting agencies are earning thousands of pounds in commission and in some cases flouting the ban on tenant fees by forcing renters to sign up to controversial “zero deposit” schemes.An Observer investigation has uncovered evidence of pressure-selling tactics by some agencies in England, including cases where people were told they were required to sign up as a condition of securing a tenancy. Continue reading...

Dean Burns, whose daughter, Camila Rose, is being treated in hospital, urges parents to look out for symptoms

No immediate reports of casualties or major damage after tremor shakes town of Cianjur that was devastated last monthA 5.7-magnitude earthquake has hit Indonesia’s main island of Java, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, shaking the same town devastated by another quake last month that left more than 330 people dead.The quake struck on land at a depth of 112km (70 miles) and the epicentre was located 18km south-east of city of Banjar, according to the USGS. There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage. Continue reading...

Eighteen diplomatic missions in 12 countries received packages, all sent from one unnamed European country

Presenter and comedian, who is being treated in Australian hospital, cancels New Zealand leg of tourSandi Toksvig has cancelled part of her latest tour after being admitted to hospital with bronchial pneumonia.Toksvig, a former Great British Bake Off co-host, is in hospital in Australia after playing dates in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide as part of her comedy tour, Sandi Toksvig Live. Continue reading...

Demna says using images of teddy bears in bondage gear held by two young girls was ‘wrong artistic choice’Balenciaga’s creative designer has apologised for a recent fashion campaign that was criticised by Kim Kardashian.Images for the campaign showed two young girls holding stuffed teddy bears, which were dressed in bondage clothing, while surrounded by an assortment of other items. Continue reading...

Harry Bolton discharged himself from hospital four days before being found dead at housing in October last year, inquest hearsTributes have been paid to a 19-year-old student who died of sepsis after a suspected spider bite at his flat.Harry Bolton, a student at the University of Hull, died on 7 October 2021, having complained of feeling unwell after a spider bit him on the back four days before his death. Continue reading...

Comedian appeared overwhelmed by reception as he took to stage at start of first comedy tour in 12 years

Beijing’s endless lockdowns are causing shortages for western firms such as Apple, and it may not be long before they move their supply chains elsewhereThe anti-lockdown unrest gripping China has forced the authorities in Beijing to respond by easing some restrictions in big manufacturing centres, as they map out a “new stage and mission” in the country’s deeply unpopular zero-Covid policy.There are concerns that more freedom of movement could allow the virus to rip through a population where immunity is lower than in the west. Those health risks mean the “world’s workshop” is heading for a difficult winter, casting a shadow over the prospects for international trade. Continue reading...

Labour demands government close loophole of pre-emptive cancellationsThe stark regional divide in railway reliability across Britain has been laid bare, with figures showing 20% of TransPennine Express (TPE) trains were cancelled in November, compared with 2.3% on one commuter line in and out of London and 4.5% on the London Overground.Exclusive figures obtained by the Guardian show the true level of disruption suffered by passengers because they include pre-emptive cancellations made by 10pm the night before, which are not counted in government statistics. Continue reading...

Testing booths removed in Beijing as cities across China ease commuter rules following unprecedented protestsCovid-19 testing booths were removed in Beijing on Friday, while Shenzhen followed other cities in announcing it would no longer require commuters to present their test results to travel, as an easing of Covid restrictions in China gathered pace.As daily cases hovered near all-time highs, some cities took steps to loosen coronavirus testing requirements and quarantine rules as China looks to make its zero-Covid policy more targeted amid an economic slowdown and public frustration that has boiled over into unrest. Continue reading...

Noongar woman Diane Miller and her unborn baby died in hospital three days after incident at Waterford Plaza shopping centreInstead of planning a baby shower, Diane Miller’s family is preparing for her funeral.The pregnant 30-year-old Noongar woman’s life support was switched off at 2am on Friday, three days after she was struck in the head with a concrete missile that was launched into her open passenger-side window at a Karawara shopping centre in Perth’s south-east. Continue reading...

The three men are employees of Qantas subcontractor Swissport, which says it is conducting an ‘urgent investigation’ into the incident

Over 10% of early years providers say they will close if energy bill relief scheme not extended, survey revealsSeven in 10 nurseries and preschools in England will have no option but to increase their fees without additional financial support from the government towards rising energy costs, according to a survey.The sector is warning the energy crisis could be “a nail in the coffin” for many settings, with more than one in 10 saying they will be forced to close permanently without an extension to the government’s energy bill relief scheme. Continue reading...

Four women at some of the biggest unions are on the frontline of the fight for better pay and conditionsChristina McAnea is the general secretary of Unison, the UK’s biggest union. Brought up on Glasgow’s Drumchapel estate, McAnea left school at 16 to join the civil service, before going to university at the age of 22 and earning a degree in English and history.A longtime union official, the no-nonsense McAnea has couched Unison’s demands for better pay and conditions for NHS workers, who include paramedics and ambulance staff, as a battle for the future of the health service. Continue reading...

As she steps down, outgoing TUC general secretary says female workers’ jobs are undervaluedThis winter’s wave of strike action will be powered by “a generation of women who are saying enough is enough” because the critical jobs they do are undervalued, the outgoing TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, has said.As she steps down after a decade as the TUC’s first female figurehead, O’Grady said on Friday that thousands of women who worked on the frontline during the pandemic were now saying to ministers, “don’t take us for granted”. Continue reading...

Lawyers for group including Prince Harry, Doreen Lawrence and Elton John filed claims two months agoThe Daily Mail has sought to delay the publication of potentially damaging court allegations about its journalism made by Prince Harry, Doreen Lawrence, Elton John and others.Lawyers acting for the group of high-profile individuals claim they have “compelling and highly distressing evidence” they have been the “victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy” by Associated Newspapers over many years.The hiring of private investigators to secretly place listening devices inside people’s cars and homes.The commissioning of individuals to surreptitiously listen in to, and record, people’s live, private telephone calls while they were taking place.The payment of police officials, with allegedly corrupt links to private investigators, for sensitive inside information.The impersonation of individuals to obtain medical information from private hospitals, clinics, and treatment centres by deception.The accessing of bank accounts, credit histories and financial transactions through illicit means and manipulation. Continue reading...

Police make arrests and secure image of gas-masked woman in dressing gown sprayed on Hostomel wallA group of people have tried to take a mural in Ukraine by the graffiti artist Banksy, by cutting away a section of war-damaged wall where it was sprayed.The group managed to slice off a section of board and plaster bearing the image of a woman in a gas mask and dressing gown holding a fire extinguisher on the side of a scorched building. Continue reading...

Ron Saunders admits he wishes he had not called Thames Valley police for help with acute behavioural disorder of his son Neal, 39A man whose son died following police restraint during a mental health crisis has said that he has to live with the guilt of knowing that his son might still be alive had he not called them for help.Neal Saunders, 39, died on 3 September 2020 after he was restrained by Thames Valley police officers at his father’s home in Langley in Berkshire. Continue reading...

‘Newly identified’ governance and management issues prompt Charity Commission statutory inquiryThe Charity Commission has escalated its investigations into Mermaids, the regulatory body announced on Friday, responding to “newly identified issues” about the governance and management of the transgender children’s charity.A statutory inquiry has been opened after an earlier lower-level regulatory compliance case launched in September in response to safeguarding allegations. Continue reading...

Dozens of women turn out on streets of provincial capital, where men have been protesting for monthsBlack-clad women in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province have joined nationwide protests on Friday sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, in what a rights group called a rare move in the staunchly conservative region.Videos online showed dozens of women on the streets of the provincial capital, Zahedan, holding banners that declared “Woman, life, freedom” – one of the main slogans of the protest movement that erupted in mid-September. Continue reading...

Poland, which was pushing for low cap, says deal will keep it at least 5% below market rateEuropean Union member states have agreed to put a $60 a barrel price cap on Russian oil after Poland, which was holding out, gave the green light to the deal.In an effort to reduce the Kremlin’s income from fossil fuels, the EU has agreed to limit the amount that can be paid for seaborne oil to curtail Moscow’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Trench warfare in Bakhmut; fears for nuclear plants after emergency shutdowns; letter bombs in Spain

Elon Musk intervenes after rapper posted image hours after airing antisemitic views in Alex Jones interviewYe, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, has been suspended from Twitter after he tweeted an image of a swastika blended with a star of David, less than two weeks after he returned to the platform.The suspension took place hours after Ye praised Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in an interview on InfoWars, a show hosted by the rightwing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Continue reading...

Tory colleagues have reported accusations against backbencher to the police and the partyThe Conservative party is facing calls to suspend an MP whom it is investigating over allegations of rape and sexual assault.Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson declined to comment on reports that the party had hired a law firm to look into the conduct of a Tory backbencher after complaints by colleagues. Continue reading...

Latest updates: byelection was first test at the ballot box since Rishi Sunak became prime ministerA Conservative MP leading a cross party delegation to Taiwan in the face of Chinese anger has said she and her colleagues are on the island “to listen and learn” and called on China to withdraw sanctions directed against named British parliamentarians who have criticised Beijing.China’s embassy in London on Thursday denounced the delegation’s trip as an interference in China’s internal affairs. Britain, like most countries, has no formal diplomatic ties with democratically governed Taiwan but has stepped up its support for the island in the face of a rising military threat from China, as have other Western nations.We cannot cut off relations with China. We need to cooperate with China and to coordinate with them but we also have to challenge them and make sure that they know what our red lines are when it comes to protecting our people. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Labour says ministers have been told repeatedly that people with prepayment meters are not getting enough support

Partnership firm predicted it will overspend on power by £18m without action such as supermarket chain going to ‘half lighting’John Lewis is to turn down the temperature in its department stores and Waitrose supermarkets will dim their lights in an attempt to get runaway energy bills under control.The staff-owned John Lewis Partnership, which includes Waitrose, said its energy bill is threatening to go nearly £20m over budget. Continue reading...

Boys, aged 15 and 16, appear in court over fatal stabbings of Charlie Bartolo and Kearne SolankeTwo teenagers, aged 15 and 16, have appeared in court charged with the murders of 16-year-olds Charlie Bartolo and Kearne Solanke in south-east London.Kearne was stabbed in Titmuss Avenue, Thamesmead, and Charlie was found a mile away in Sewell Road, Abbey Wood, on Saturday afternoon. Continue reading...

South African president cancels all official engagements and is reported to be close to resigningFarmgate scandal: what is it and why does it matter?The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, is fighting for his political life as rivals and supporters face off in a divisive battle for control of the ruling party, the African National Congress.The power struggle came after an independent panel appointed by parliament said there was evidence suggesting the South African president committed “serious misconduct” after millions of dollars in cash were reportedly stolen from his private game ranch almost three years ago. Continue reading...

On post-No 10 lecture circuit, former PM says there must be ‘measures to protect public from Ponzi schemes’Boris Johnson has given a speech to a conference on blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrency, as part of his lucrative post-No 10 lecture circuit, despite controversy around the industry following the multibillion-dollar collapse of the FTX exchange.In his speech, the former prime minister suggested the advent of blockchain was full of possibilities and appeared to compare it to major technological innovations such as the invention of fire, the railways, and the internet. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak’s first test ends brutally, with 14-point swing pollsters say would give Starmer comfortable majority at election

Service faces six days of strikes this month, as Ofcom says it should stop blaming pandemic for delaysRoyal Mail has brought its final posting dates for Christmas forward by about a week amid industrial action by its workers, as the regulator told it to stop blaming the Covid pandemic for failing to make deliveries on time.Royal Mail, which is facing six days of strikes this month running up until Christmas Eve, has told the public to send their cards and presents even earlier than usual if they want them to arrive in time. Continue reading...

Media and the Liberal party were enthralled by the ‘toxic Dan’ narrative in the face of evidence to the contrary

Former federal court judge says independent advocates needed to ‘hold the hand of the victim-survivor at the time of greatest trauma’

Official’s comments come after Ursula von der Leyen estimated 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died or been injured

Prince’s Earthshot prize ceremony will round off week in which royal family has again faced accusations of institutional racismThe Prince and Princess of Wales are due to end their three-day trip to Boston on a high note, having landed in the middle of a palace racism row and then been blindsided by a trailer for the Sussexes’ documentary.A meeting with the US president, Joe Biden, and a star-studded award ceremony for Prince William’s environmental Earthshot prize, were scheduled to round off what could be described as a bumpy few days. Continue reading...

MPs expected to pass new criminal code that will also make insulting the president a crimeIndonesia’s parliament is expected to pass a new criminal code this month that would criminalise sex outside marriage and outlaw insults against the president or state institutions, prompting alarm from human rights campaigners.The deputy justice minister, Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, said in an interview with Reuters that the new criminal code was expected to be passed on 15 December. “We’re proud to have a criminal code that’s in line with Indonesian values,” he said. Continue reading...

Backing down from existing policies remains a political problem of the first orderChina’s government looks to be starting to roll back its zero-Covid policy. But after three years of saying the resource-intensive, economically damaging elimination strategy is the only way to go, experts say it will be a medical and political challenge to end it.Much of China’s exit strategy is riding on vaccinations, but this is where Beijing has great challenges. China’s elderly population is disproportionately unvaccinated, leaving tens of millions of vulnerable people at far greater risk from the ravages of Covid-19. About 90% of China’s population is vaccinated, but among those over 60 only about 69% have had at least three doses. Above 80 years of age, the figure drops to about 40%. Continue reading...