Thinktank's report says Beijing has emerged from Covid-induced lull with a more competitive, politically targeted model' of engagement in the regionChina has renewed efforts to curry favour in Pacific island nations, a new report has found, after charting a resurgence" in Beijing-backed aid and infrastructure funding.Over the past decade, China has lavished billions of dollars on Pacific island nations, part of ongoing efforts to build influence in competition with the US and its allies. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6SCFJ)
Experts say UK lags behind' as OECD finds poor outcomes for many diagnosed with colon and lung cancersPeople in the UK who are diagnosed with the two most lethal forms of cancer die sooner than those in many other comparable countries, a new study has found.Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed the UK ranked a lowly 31st out of 43 countries for how many people survive at least five years after being diagnosed with lung cancer.UK spending on cancer will rise from 14.4bn to more than 23bn by 2050 because the ageing population will lead to more people being diagnosed.Cancer will cause one in four deaths of people under the age of 75 between now and 2050.170,000 people at any one time cannot work because they have cancer. Continue reading...
Poisoning can overload the body with acid, causing vomiting, abdominal pain, unconsciousness and vision lossTwo Australian teenagers are severely ill in hospital in Thailand after experiencing suspected methanol poisoning while travelling in Laos.The pair are among several foreign nationals to become ill after unknowingly consuming alcoholic drinks containing methanol in the south-east Asian country. Three deaths have reportedly been linked to the mass poisoning. Continue reading...
Randy Boissonnault to step away from cabinet' after being accused of pretendianism' and improper business dealingsCanada's employment minister has resigned from the cabinet after weeks of scrutiny over both his business dealings and his shifting claims of Indigenous ancestry.Moments before question period on Wednesday, prime minister Justin Trudeau's office said Randy Boissonnault would step away from cabinet effective immediately" and will focus on clearing the allegations made against him". Continue reading...
UN security council voted 14-1 in favor of resolution but it was not adopted because of the US vetoThe US has vetoed a UN security council push to call for a ceasefire in Gaza that Washington said would have emboldened Hamas.The resolution demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" in the war between Israel and the Palestinian group, along with the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages." Continue reading...
John Healey said some had already been decommissioned in practice and confirmed retirement of some helicoptersThe defence secretary, John Healey, has announced he will scrap 500m of British navy vessels and army drones as part of cost-saving measures in what was described as a black day" for the new government.Two former Royal Navy flagships, a frigate and two support tankers will be decommissioned, with the savings reinvested into the defence budget. Healey blamed the move on a dire inheritance" left by the previous Tory administration. Continue reading...
American applications would be fast-tracked although scheme is open to other nationalities, says mayor of OllolaiThe mayor of a small town in Sardinia has said thousands of Americans keen to escape Donald Trump have expressed an interest in moving there after he offered homes to them for as little as 1.Francesco Columbu, the mayor of Ollolai, has held similarly enticing initiatives in the past as a way to combat depopulation, but released more homes for sale after sensing he was on to winner when Trump clinched a second term as US president in elections earlier this month. Continue reading...
Moscow has rattled its nuclear sabres, but experts say an increase in hybrid, grey zone' warfare is more likelyMoscow has threatened to retaliate for the decision taken by the US and the UK to allow their long-range missiles to be used in strikes inside Russian territory, and warned that nothing is off the table. Earlier this week, the Kremlin announced a formal change in its nuclear doctrine which specifically envisages a possible nuclear response to Nato-assisted strikes on Russian soil. So, how far is Vladimir Putin prepared to go? Continue reading...
Defence secretary John Healey announced moves including decommissioning two Navy flagships as part of plans to save up to 500mAlex Burghart says he agrees with Rayner's remarks on Ukraine.He gets on to his question, and it is a short one. What is the government doing to cut inflation. Continue reading...
At summing up, lawyers say Gisele Pelicot wanted to show how people still defend rape in France in 2024Gisele Pelicot's decision to waive her anonymity and hold a public trial after her husband drugged her and invited dozens of men to rape her over a decade was made in the hope of ending rape culture and rape itself, her lawyers have argued.Summing up in court in Avignon, southern France, after more than two months of hearings, Stephane Babonneau, one of Gisele Pelicot's lawyers, said: We don't believe rape is an inevitability. This is a country of progress ... Rape is not part of the future of society that we want." Continue reading...
Al-Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud had been convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanityThe international criminal court has sentenced an al-Qaida-linked extremist leader to 10 years in prison for war crimes and crimes against humanity carried out when he headed the Islamic police in Timbuktu in Mali, west Africa.Al-Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud was convicted in June of torture, religious persecution and other inhumane acts. Judges found he was a key figure" in a reign of terror after Islamic extremist rebels overran the ancient desert city in 2012. Continue reading...
Lawyers argue throwing out case necessary to facilitate orderly transition of executive power' following electionDonald Trump's lawyers asked the judge overseeing his Manhattan hush-money criminal case for permission to make yet another play for dismissal, arguing that throwing out the case was necessary in order to facilitate the orderly transition of Executive power" following his victory over Kamala Harris.Todd Blanche, Trump's lead attorney and pick for deputy US attorney general, and Emil Bove, his choice for principal associate deputy attorney general, railed against the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, in their missive to Judge Juan Merchan, which was made public Wednesday. Continue reading...
UN inspectorate chief calls Tehran's move a concrete step in the right direction', amid threat of restored sanctionsIran has offered to keep its stock of uranium enriched up to 60% - below the purity levels required to make a nuclear bomb - the head of the UN nuclear inspectorate, Rafael Grossi, has confirmed amid the threat of restored European sanctions over Tehran's nuclear activities.I think this is ... a concrete step in the right direction. We have a fact which has been verified by us. It is the first time Iran has agreed to take a different path," Grossi said in Vienna on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Ancient beauty accessories, sarcophagi and urns recovered after illegal excavation in UmbriaItalian police have recovered a trove of funerary treasures, believed to have belonged to Etruscan princesses, that were illegally excavated from a vast underground tomb in the Umbria region.The finds, which included eight urns, two sarcophagi - one containing the remains of a woman aged between 40 and 45 - and beauty accessories, originated from a hypogeum that has been traced to an influential Etruscan family who lived between 300BC and 100BC. Continue reading...
Belgian artist's 1954 painting Empire of Light was valued at $95m yet broke new record at Christie's auction in New YorkA painting by Rene Magritte shattered an auction record for the surrealist artist on Tuesday, selling for more than $121m at Christie's in New York.The seminal 1954 painting had been valued at $95m, and the previous record for a work by Magritte was $79m, set in 2022. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6SBY2)
Dyer receives apology and undisclosed sum after MGN Limited admitted unlawful access of private informationThe former Newcastle United and England footballer, Kieron Dyer, has received an apology at the high court after settling his phone-hacking case against the Daily Mirror in return for a financial payout.The Mirror's owners, MGN Limited, admitted to unlawfully intercepting Dyer's voicemails between March 2003 and December 2004, and using private investigators to unlawfully obtain private information on eight occasions between 2003 and 2005. Continue reading...
Officers investigated over death of woman and her unborn baby after collision with unmarked police carTwo Metropolitan police officers are under investigation for allegedly causing death by dangerous driving after a heavily pregnant woman and her unborn baby were killed in a crash with an unmarked police vehicle.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the 38-year-old woman, who was in the full-term of her pregnancy, was killed in the collision in south-east London on 17 October. Continue reading...
Ryland Headley, from Ipswich, appeared via video link in Bristol magistrates court over killing of 75-year-old Louisa DunneA 92-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the rape and murder of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne, who died in Bristol almost 60 years ago.Ryland Headley, of Ipswich, appeared at Bristol magistrates court via video link from a police station on Wednesday morning. Continue reading...
Ryland Headley, 92, was arrested on Tuesday in connection with killing of 75-year-old Louisa DunneA 92-year-old man has been charged with the rape and murder of 75-year-old Louisa Dunne, who died in Bristol almost 60 years ago.Ryland Headley, of Ipswich, was due to appear at Bristol magistrates court via video link on Wednesday. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6SBT5)
Only 2.5% of more than 300,000 farms were inspected at least once in 2022 and 2023, researchers findThere is just one local authority inspector for every 878 farms in England, Scotland and Wales, according to a report, which says that the current welfare system is continuing to fail animals.Researchers for the Animal Law Foundation found that only 2.5% of the more than 300,000 UK farms were inspected at least once in 2022 and 2023, a marginal decrease from 2018-21 when Covid-19 might be expected to have affected inspection rates. Continue reading...
Founder of Apple Daily paper denies seeking to influence foreign policy against China and says advocating for the independence of Hong Kong was a reality too crazy to think about'Pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai has said he never" tried to influence foreign policy or ask foreign officials to take concrete action on Hong Kong, on his first day giving evidence at his national security trial.Lai has been charged with one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications and two counts of conspiracy to foreign collusion, under the city's punitive national security law (NSL), introduced in 2020. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: Governments are clashing with the agricultural sector across Europe - it's a complex battle that involves everything from the climate crisis to the far right Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.More than 10,000 of farmers descended on Westminster yesterday to protest against the Labour government's changes to inheritance tax, which they describe as a betrayal" that represents an existential threat to British family farming.Ukraine | Ukraine's power network is at heightened risk of catastrophic failure" after Russia's missile and drone attack on Sunday, Greenpeace has warned, raising fears about the safety of the country's three operational nuclear power stations. The strikes by Russia were aimed at electricity substations critical to the operation of Ukraine's nuclear plants" and there is a possibility that the reactors could lose power and become unsafe, according to a briefing note prepared for the Guardian.Social media | British MPs are to summon Elon Musk to testify about X's role in spreading disinformation, in a parliamentary inquiry into the UK riots and the rise of false and harmful AI content, the Guardian has learned.France | Gisele Pelicot, who was drugged by her husband and allegedly raped by dozens of men he invited into her bedroom for more than a decade, has told a court that macho" society must change its attitude to rape.Music | The value of the UK music industry has hit a record 7.6bn after superstar acts including Elton John, Beyonce, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran embarked on Covid-delayed tours to cash in on pent-up fan demand for live shows.Environment | England's national parks face a 12% real-terms cut to their budget, which would lead to mass redundancies of wardens and the closure of visitor centres and other facilities, park leaders have warned. Continue reading...
Hundreds of children have written to BBBC after watching The Fight, which tells story of boxer Cuthbert TaylorThe creators of a play telling the shameful story of how the black boxer Cuthbert Taylor was prevented from competing for a British title because of his colour hoped it would give audiences pause for thought.But they have been overwhelmed by the passionate reaction of young theatregoers who have launched a campaign demanding a formal apology from the sport's governing body. Continue reading...
by Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on (#6SBQP)
Shareholder accuses Aviva Investors of calamitous' investments as three sites expected to go bustOne of the UK's biggest pension funds has lost more than 350m on a series of calamitous" investments in incinerator power plants that are expected to go bust in the coming days.The Guardian understands that Aviva Investors will put three incinerators into administration this week after pouring millions of pounds into what has been described as the country's dirtiest form of power generation". Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6SBKK)
About 3,500 PAs work in England but there is growing alarm in medical profession about patient safetyWes Streeting has ordered a review of what physician associates (PAs) do in the NHS, amid growing alarm in the medical profession about patient safety.It will examine the safety of their roles and how patients should be made aware that, despite their titles and ability to diagnose illness, they are not doctors and can only perform certain tasks. Continue reading...
Strike with US-made missiles has prompted fears of Russian reprisal that would broaden the scope of a frontlineA Ukrainian strike using American-made missiles to hit targets deep inside Russia using American-made weaponry, has prompted renewed fears of reprisal through hybrid warfare" - a chaotic tool of conflict that muddies borders and broadens the scope of a frontline.Over recent years, European nations have witnessed a spate of incidents - cyber-attacks, arson, incendiary devices, sabotage and even murder plots. The aim of such episodes, security officials believe, is to sow chaos, exacerbate social tensions among Ukraine's allies and disrupt military supplies to Kyiv. Continue reading...
James Timpson, the prisons minister, will investigate scheme in Spain that gives option of real-time alertSurvivors of serious crimes such as rape in England and Wales could be given the option of being alerted in real-time if their perpetrator is nearby, under a scheme being considered by Labour.James Timpson, the prisons minister, is planning in two weeks to examine a similar scheme which has been established in Spain, he told MPs on Tuesday. It could be used as one of the measures courts can impose on criminals convicted of sexual and domestic-abuse offences. Continue reading...
Armed groups clash with residents and police after plans for attack on Petionville area announced on social mediaGangs have launched a fresh attack on Haiti's capital, targeting an upscale community in Port-au-Prince where people with guns clashed with residents who fought side by side with police.The attack on Petionville was led by the Viv Ansanm group, whose leader, former police officer Jimmy Cherizier, had announced the plan in a video posted on social media. Continue reading...
UK prime minister was condemned by Iain Duncan Smith, who is on Beijing's sanctions listKeir Starmer has twice declined to directly condemn the jailing of dozens of Hong Kong's most prominent pro-democracy figures, less than 24 hours after meeting China's president at the G20 summit.The UK prime minister was asked both during a BBC interview and at his press conference in Rio de Janeiro to respond to the jailing of the activists, including being asked if he would condemn the sentences directly, but he reiterated the importance of building bridges with China for the sake of economic growth. Continue reading...
The writer was also a renowned academic and poet as well as being one of the leading figures of second wave feminismSandra Gilbert, the American poet and literary critic who co-authored the landmark second wave feminist text The Madwoman in the Attic, has died aged 87.The 1979 book - written with Susan Gubar, who would become a longtime collaborator of Gilbert's - explored the way that female writers of the 19th century used images and characters embodying madness and rebellion, representing a rejection of oppression. Continue reading...
Senior SPD figures hold talks on candidate for chancellor amid speculation about switch to popular defence ministerGermany's chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is under mounting pressure to step aside as his party's candidate for the job in February's snap election in favour of his defence minister, Boris Pistorius, the most popular politician in the country.The top brass of the Social Democratic party (SPD) are planning crisis talks on their choice of chancellor candidate for the 23 February general election on Tuesday evening while Scholz is flying home from the G20 summit in Brazil, local media reported. Continue reading...
Severe weather alerts in northern Scotland, Northern Ireland, central and southern Wales and eastern English countiesLarge parts of the UK were blanketed with snow as the country got its first taste of winter", which brought school closures, train delays, difficult driving conditions and an appeal to check in on vulnerable people.Met Office yellow severe weather alerts for snow and ice were in place across northern Scotland, Northern Ireland, central and southern Wales, and eastern counties from the Scottish Borders to Norfolk, with forecasters warning of potential hazards through this week. Continue reading...
Rev Harry Nigh, who set up Circles in 1994 to support sex offenders, says it is easy for politicians to say lock them up'Public understanding of paedophilia has not improved over the past 30 years, according to the founder of the pioneering charity Circles, which offers support to some of society's most reviled offenders.While the Rev Harry Nigh says child protection must always be paramount, he stresses the importance of breaking the isolation and shame that often leads people who commit child sexual abuse to reoffend, arguing that anything that drives people underground even further endangers the community itself". Continue reading...
Death of Louisa Dunne, 75, who was found in her home, has remained unsolved for nearly six decadesA 92-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of raping and murdering a woman in Bristol almost 60 years ago.Louisa Dunne, 75, was found dead in her home in the Easton area of the city, by a neighbour on 28 June 1967. The cause of her death was determined to be strangulation and asphyxiation and she had also been raped. Continue reading...
People spent over two hours stranded, some sideways, after Sol Spin ride came to abrupt stop at Knott's Berry FarmA group of ride-goers at the Knott's Berry Farm park in California were stuck for hours in mid-air after the attraction they were enjoying came to a sudden halt mid-ride.CBS news reported that the Sol Spin ride suddenly halted at around 2pm, leaving 22 people stuck. Fortunately, none of them were upside down on the ride that markets itself as sending guests on a thrilling adventure over 6 stories high as they rotate in all directions on one of six spinning arms" but some were stuck sideways. Continue reading...
by Rachel Savage Southern Africa correspondent on (#6SAZF)
Police say 350-400 people have stayed in Stilfontein mine to avoid arrest after minister vowed to smoke them out'South African authorities are assessing whether it is safe to rescue potentially thousands of illegal miners who may be trapped underground, after police stopped food, water and medicine being delivered to them about two weeks ago to try to force the miners to the surface.A police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, insisted to reporters on Tuesday that the miners were not trapped in the abandoned goldmine in Stilfontein, a town about 100 miles south-west of Johannesburg, but rather staying underground to avoid being arrested. Continue reading...
Presenter to be replaced by Scott Mills after six years on show, with Trevor Nelson moving up to mid-afternoon slotThe BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball has announced she is stepping down from her breakfast show after six years to be replaced by Scott Mills.After six incredible years on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, it's time for me to step away from the very early mornings and focus on family," she told listeners on Tuesday. Continue reading...
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