Emails show how NSW premier Dominic Perrottet’s advisers, along with several other ministers, sought to fast-track bill after media furore

Chinese fashion retailer responds after Channel 4 documentary alleged 18-hour days with one day off a monthThe Chinese fashion retailer Shein has vowed to invest $15m (£12.2m) in improving standards at its supplier factories as it admitted working hours at two sites breached local regulations.The online brand said an independent investigation, launched after allegations over labour abuse made in a recent UK documentary, had uncovered that employees at two of its Chinese sites were working hours that were longer than allowed. Continue reading...

Former Conservative MP was jailed for 18 months in May for sexually assaulting teenage boy in 2008The former Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan has lost a court of appeal challenge against his conviction for sexual assault.Khan was sentenced to 18 months in jail in May, and expelled from the Conservative party, for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy after plying him with gin at a party in 2008. Continue reading...

Nick Read will be replaced as CEO by finance chief Margherita Della Valle during search for successorThe Vodafone chief executive, Nick Read, is to step down after failing to reverse a sharp fall in the company’s share price, as the telecoms company launches steep cost cuts and potential job losses.Read, a two-decade Vodafone veteran who has run the company since 2018, has been ousted after failing to get to grips with a more than 40% fall in the company’s share price during his four-year tenure. Continue reading...

Pilot scheme is under way in Cornwall, with hope that self-testing will ease pressure on NHSThe midlife health check with a GP, designed to spot some of the most common conditions that affect people as they age, is to be moved online in England, relying increasingly on self-testing, under plans announced by ministers.A pilot scheme is under way in Cornwall, with health officials saying they hope to capitalise on people’s increased familiarity with testing themselves at home and reporting the results online since the emergence of Covid, to ease the burden on the NHS. But, while some patients’ groups welcomed the move, they said self-testing would not be for everyone. Continue reading...

Big Brother Watch’s FoI request shows force rebuked by watchdog for recording 2019 school strike action in LondonPolice unlawfully spied on children as young as 10 taking part in a climate strike protest in London, documents have shown.The previously unseen papers reveal the Metropolitan police was rebuked by the information commissioner’s office (ICO) for video surveillance of the March 2019 protest, which was attended by up to 10,000 children and young people. Continue reading...

Activists are cautiously hopeful that the incoming president will bring relief to Bolsonaro’s forest-wrecking administrationIt was a hunting shotgun like to the one used to murder Dom Phillips and Bruno Pereira – and it was pointing straight at Julia Kanamari’s chest.“You’ll be next,” she remembers the bleary-eyed gunman snarling after being caught smuggling a boat-load of illegally poached river turtles out of the Javari Valley Indigenous territory in the Brazilian Amazon. Continue reading...

Matthew Jordan Lindner of Texas is alleged to have harassed and threatened to kill a doctor at Fenway Institute center in BostonA Texas man has been charged with threatening a Boston doctor for providing medical care to transgender patients and gender-nonconforming children.On Friday, the US attorney’s office in Massachusetts said Matthew Jordan Lindner, 38 and from Comfort, Texas, was arrested and charged with one count of transmitting interstate threats. Continue reading...

Term resonates with people feeling ‘overwhelmed’ with having to present their best selves“Goblin mode” has been chosen by the public as the 2022 Oxford word of the year. The term, which refers to “a type of behaviour which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations”, has become the first word of the year to have been decided by public vote.Given a choice of three words (or phrases/hashtags – “word” is defined fairly loosely), narrowed down by lexicographers from Oxford University Press (OUP), more than 340,000 English speakers around the world cast their vote. Continue reading...

Flavia Nascimento insists Brazilian footballing great ‘is not saying goodbye right now’The Brazilian footballing great Pelé has not been moved to palliative care, one of his daughters has said, downplaying reports that he was in end-of-life care after the 82-year-old was hospitalised last week to re-evaluate his treatment for colon cancer.One of the greatest players of all time, Pelé had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021 and has been receiving hospital care on a regular basis. Continue reading...

PM urges state and territory leaders to agree to cooperative intervention to halt climbing electricity prices

SNP MP follows Alison Thewliss in making bid to replace Ian Blackford, who resigned earlier in the weekStephen Flynn has launched a bid to become the SNP’s next leader in Westminster. Flynn, who has represented Aberdeen South since 2019, announced his candidacy on his Twitter account on Sunday evening.The news comes just two weeks after Flynn denied rumours he would be standing for the leadership position, following speculation in news articles he was “mounting a coup” against Ian Blackford, 61, who resigned as Westminster leader earlier this week. Continue reading...

Proposed changes include allowing retired staff to return to work – but not all nurses and doctors are willingPlans to overhaul NHS pension rules have been set out by the government in an attempt to retain more senior doctors in the health service.Launching an eight-week consultation, ministers said the proposed changes would also remove barriers to retired clinicians returning to work. Continue reading...

Union says offer would mean loss of thousands of jobs and implementation of unsafe practicesThe RMT has rejected an offer from rail employers aimed at heading off more strikes.The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) offered the union a pay rise of 8% over two years with a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies to April 2024, in an attempt to resolve a long-running dispute over jobs, pay and conditions. Continue reading...

British ministry of defence says it obtained official confidential survey that shows only 25% of Russians want war to go on

Washington focusing on protests and Tehran’s support of Russia in Ukraine rather than nuclear talks, envoy saysIran’s leadership has locked itself into a “vicious cycle” that has cut it off from its own people and the international community, the US special envoy has said, adding that Washington was more focused on Tehran’s decision to arm Russia in Ukraine and the repression of its internal protests than on talks to revive the nuclear deal.“The more Iran represses, the more there will be sanctions; the more there are sanctions, the more Iran feels isolated,” Rob Malley, the US special envoy on Iran, told a conference in Rome. Continue reading...

Dramatic U-turn following widespread unrest leaves country ill-prepared for OmicronThe portable PCR testing booth dangled in the air over a dark Beijing street, captured on camera as it was winched away by a crane in the middle of the night. The image spread rapidly across Chinese social media, the perfect symbol of the bewilderingly rapid end of a draconian era.In the face of the most widespread national protests since the bloody crackdown on Tiananmen Square demonstrators in 1989, the Chinese government has abruptly abandoned its flagship zero-Covid policy. Continue reading...

Raelene Cooper was giving evidence as an expert witness during the trial of three climate protesters when officers searched her property

Move has come as a relief to many families but also damaged the ‘already fragile trust’ communities had in government’s decisions

As fans crammed into the Darling Harbour park, many were frustrated it took the city so long to clue into the huge groundswell of support

Time is running out for a deal to send threat of disruption into the sidings and keep holiday travel plans on trackChristmas is, of course, a time to believe in miracles – but when the government is reduced to publicly imploring the RMT union to bring out its altruistic side, it seems more likely that the railway is teetering on the edge of a not very festive abyss.The new rail minister, Huw Merriman, got all sides together on Friday, in a statement of intent. But time is running out to avoid what will probably be the most damaging strike action yet: two 48-hour walkouts across Network Rail and train operators between 13-17 December, and an overtime ban that will bring more disruption to services throughout the Christmas period – right up to another planned week of strikes in early January. Continue reading...

Elders say community-led justice reinvestment programs are having a real impact on the Northern Territory island

Richard Sharp made remarks on coverage of lockdown drive while setting out his blueprint for improving broadcasterThe BBC’s chairman has said he believes Emily Maitlis was “wrong” in her Newsnight coverage of Dominic Cummings’ visit to Barnard Castle in 2020, as he set out his blueprint for improving the broadcaster.Richard Sharp criticised Maitlis, who has since left the broadcaster, for starting the programme by saying “the country” could see that Cummings had broken lockdown rules “and is shocked the government cannot”. Continue reading...

Whitehall sources reportedly say ‘rude’ peer lobbied Michael Gove and Lord Agnew to secure business for PPE MedproMichelle Mone has been accused of attempting to “bully and hector” ministers into awarding public PPE contracts worth more than £200m to a company that she appeared to profit from.The Guardian revealed last month that the Conservative peer and her children secretly received £29m originating from the profits of a PPE business that was awarded large government contracts after she recommended it to ministers. Continue reading...

Most cases not caused by decision to discharge patients from hospital without testing, says former health secretaryCare workers have hit back at claims by the former health secretary Matt Hancock that the Covid virus was brought into homes by infected staff.In his book, the Pandemic Diaries, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail, Hancock said only a small proportion of cases were caused by his decision to discharge patients from hospital without testing. Continue reading...

While health secretary Steve Barclay says he will not negotiate, unions suggest the compromise reached in Scotland could help avert strikesMinisters were under intense pressure last night to open new pay talks that could avert a devastating series of NHS strikes as health unions suggested a deal could be struck if both sides were willing to negotiate and compromise.Amid claims from Labour and from NHS sources that ministers appeared to be playing politics and deliberately “spoiling for a fight”, union leaders strongly suggested that an improved, but still sub-inflation, offer similar to that made to Scottish health unions at the end of last month by the Holyrood government – which has led to strike threats being lifted north of the border – could help break the deadlock elsewhere in the UK. Continue reading...

Duke of Sussex records video to comfort youngsters at Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity for military childrenThe Duke of Sussex dressed up as Spider-Man in a surprise video message to try to comfort bereaved military children.He donned the superhero outfit and only lifted his mask to reveal his true identity at the end of a specially recorded message for youngsters at Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity for bereaved British forces children and young people. Continue reading...

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...