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Author of sweeping historical novel Edenglassie continues run of wins with Mark and Evette Moran Nib award

Belinda Harvey, who had relationship with Bob Lambert, says it is beyond comprehension' that she had been usedAn undercover police officer who deceived at least four women into sexual relationships and fathered a child with one of them is a cruel and manipulative" liar, a public inquiry has been told.Belinda Harvey, one of the women who had an 18-month relationship with Bob Lambert without knowing his real identity, said it was beyond comprehension" how the undercover officer had used her. Continue reading...

Penny Wong says there have been multiple instances where Thorpe made inappropriate and sometimes abusive comments' towards other senators

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In today's newsletter: Our environment reporter on what went wrong following Storm Bert and whether widespread flooding might make the government to face up to the country's leaky defences Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Storm Bert brought heavy rain, gale-force winds and snow across the country last weekend, overwhelming flood defences already described as being in disrepair. Parts of south Wales and south-west England, where a month of rain pummelled sodden towns and villages, fared particularly badly.Middle East | A highly anticipated ceasefire aimed at ending the 14-month-old war between Israel and Hezbollah officially came into effect early on Wednesday morning, hours after Joe Biden hailed the historic" agreement. The ceasefire officially began at 4am in Lebanon after the heaviest day of raids on Beirut by Israel including a series of strikes in the city centre.Health | Plans to end the deepening crisis in access to NHS dental care are failing, leaving patients unable to get treatment, according to a warning from the National Audit Office. A pledge to provide an extra 1.5m treatments in England this year is in disarray amid falls in both the number of dentists doing NHS work and people receiving help from them.Russia | Russia said it was expelling a British diplomat for alleged spying as tensions between London and Moscow rose after Ukraine starting using British weapons to strike deeper into Russia. The Kremlin has also banned cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves from entering the country under sanctions announced by Moscow's foreign affairs ministry.World | Keir Starmer's national security adviser is to travel to Washington as the UK government tries to persuade Donald Trump not to rip up the Chagos Islands agreement.Business | The owner of Vauxhall has plans to close its van factory at Luton, in a decision that will put 1,100 jobs at risk of cuts or moving location. Stellantis will shift van production to another factory at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, blaming the UK's economic conditions and the government's zero-emission vehicle mandate. Continue reading...

Hanson alleges Payman, who was born in Afghanistan, has not shown evidence she has revoked that citizenship

Inaugural address from Leeroy Bilney, outlining racist history of Australia and future challenges, greeted with acclaim

Sales of Christmas pet lines up 964% year-on-year at Waitrose online as people spend more on pet careUnlike buying a present for a fussy father-in-law or an awkward aunt, a dog won't complain if their treats aren't the latest, and a cat is not likely to turn its nose up at a Christmas tree-shaped scratch tree.Perhaps that's why Britons are so happy to spend on their pets this Christmas, with sales of seasonal pet treats, toys and food booming. Continue reading...

Leading theatre figures warn drastic' reduction in funding will cause bankruptcy and harm city's tourism appealPlans to slash Berlin's culture budget by tens of millions of Euros have led to a huge backlash, with leading venues saying they have been forced to cut performances and others warning they will be pushed into bankruptcy.About 450 institutes that are reliant at least in part on state subsidies, from theatres and opera houses to nightclubs and galleries, have formed an alliance in an attempt to force a rethink over the 130m (108.6m) cuts. At around 12 to 13% of the current annual budget, they have been described even by those proposing them as brutal". Continue reading...

A jury has found Kristian White guilty of manslaughter over the death of the 95-year-old

Compulsory English subjects among those to have materials inadvertently released before students sat VCE exams

Queensland Health confirms child's death from highly contagious infection as vaccination rates plummet and cases spike across Australia

Gambling minister says measures will be instrumental' in helping those most at risk of addictionBookmakers and casinos will be forced to fund NHS services that tackle problem gambling, after Labour rubber-stamped the previous government's plans, which also include a cap of as little as 2 on the sums that can be staked on online slot machines.The Guardian revealed on Monday that the government was poised to approve the new statutory levy", using proceeds of around 100m a year to fund research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms. Continue reading...

More than 50,000 people had earlier forced their way into capital to demand former prime minister's releasePakistani security forces have launched a sweeping midnight raid on supporters of the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan who had earlier forced their way through security barriers and entered Islamabad.Thousands of protesters had gathered in the centre of the capital after a convoy, led by Khan's wife, broke through several lines of security all the way to the edge of the city's highly fortified red zone. Continue reading...

Company said Jane Rubens, in a coma after being hit by vehicle on holiday, must be repatriated this week, against advice of neurologistsThe daughter of a woman who suffered brain injuries while on holiday in the US has said she was told by her mother's insurer that she must return to the UK, against the advice of doctors, or face having funding for her medical care withdrawn.Jane Rubens, 73, from Edinburgh, is in a coma after being hit, as a pedestrian, by a large vehicle in St Louis, Missouri, at the start of November. The collision left her with severe brain injuries requiring multiple surgeries. Continue reading...

Legal action considered after dispersal notice reportedly led to children being transported 100 miles to GrimsbyRepresentatives from Gypsy and Traveller communities have said they want accountability not apologies" after children attending the Christmas markets were forced on to trains" by police.National charity the Traveller Movement held preliminary talks with lawyers on Monday, , and said it was considering taking legal action over the incident, and supporting affected families. Continue reading...

Manager and seven staff at Nana backpackers hostel detained after death of six touristsPolice in Laos have detained the manager of a backpacker hostel in Vang Vieng as well as seven of its staff after the deaths of six tourists in a suspected mass methanol poisoning.Two Danish citizens, an American, a Briton and two Australians died after becoming ill after a night out in the small riverside town.. A third Australian, a dual national, also fell ill, and is understood to be in a stable condition. Continue reading...

Members concerned over inappropriate' tactics from both sides, including billboards at Westminster stationMass advertising campaigns on assisted dying, including billboards at Westminster station and targeted Facebook adverts, have sparked anger among MPs.Amid an increasingly fractious debate on assisted dying ahead of a vote on Friday, MPs have raised concerns about inappropriate" tactics used by both camps. Continue reading...

Christina Plumb, 49, whose former husband was killed by the Taliban, attacked Adam Plumb in a drunk rageA woman who became a prominent campaigner for military personnel after her husband was killed by a Taliban bomb has been found guilty of assaulting her new partner.Christina Plumb whose husband Olaf Schmid was a bomb disposal expert, hit, kicked and bit Adam Plumb at their home in Devon, a judge heard. Continue reading...

Moscow bans Labour figures including Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves under new sanctionsRussia has banned cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves from entering the country under new sanctions announced by Moscow's foreign affairs ministry.More than a dozen other senior Labour politicians are among the 30 British citizens on the Russian stop list" after tensions between London and Moscow rose following Ukraine's recent use of British missiles to strike deeper into Russia. Continue reading...

Ministers reveal extent of damage as Met Office issues latest severe weather warning for parts of southern EnglandMore than 500 homes and businesses were flooded across Wales and England during Storm Bert, it has emerged, as forecasters issued another severe weather warning for rain in parts of southern Britain.In Wales, the first minister, Eluned Morgan, said 400 homes had been damaged as well as businesses and infrastructure, and reviews were being done to find out why some householders appeared not to have received warnings in time. Continue reading...

Move aims to tackle US's chronic obesity problem, but poses a challenge to Trump's incoming administrationThe Biden administration is proposing to make miracle" weight loss drugs free for low-income people and retirees, in a move aimed at tackling America's chronic obesity problem but which throws down a gauntlet to the incoming president, Donald Trump.The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday, would see expensive drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound covered by Medicaid and Medicare, the federal government programs for the poor and the elderly. Continue reading...

Airstrikes on Beirut and southern Lebanon some of the war's heaviest to date, killing at least three people

Ofwat CEO says rules must be changed so that customers left without water get compensation automaticallyWater companies in England are using loopholes in order to not pay people who are left for days without running water, the CEO of the regulator has said.Tens of thousands of homes across the country have been left without water for days this year as ageing pipes burst. Continue reading...

Moscow says it is preparing measures after Ukraine twice fired Atacms missiles into the Kursk region in past three daysClin Georgescu, a Moscow-friendly independent candidate with a nationalist background, has taken a surprise lead in the first round of Romania's presidential election.As my colleague Jon Henley notes in this report, with 99.98% of votes counted, Georgescu, who has praised Vladimir Putin as a man who loves his country", was on 22.9%, with the reformist Elena Lasconi, of the Save Romania Union (USR), second on 19.17%. Continue reading...

PRA and FCA propose changes to bonus deferrals in bid to drive growth and improve UK competitiveness

Spending shortfall has seen 500 of 2,000 new protection projects abandoned despite growing severity of disastersStorm Bert brought devastating flooding to the UK this week, taking lives and destroying homes and businesses, in what has become a frequent occurrence during autumns and winters.Climate breakdown is making these extreme weather events more probable. Extreme rainfall is more common and more intense because of human-caused global heating across most of the world, and particularly in Europe. This is because warmer air can hold more water vapour, and flooding has become more frequent and severe as a result. But floods are also hitting communities with more intensity because of inadequate, underfunded flood defences. Continue reading...

Moscow is pushing hard on eastern frontline amid uncertainty as to how Trump taking office will affect war

John Tinniswood, born in 1912 and the oldest surviving male second world war veteran, died surrounded by love'John Tinniswood, the world's oldest living man, has died at his care home on Merseyside surrounded by music and love", his family said. He was 112.The former accountant was born on 26 August 1912, the same year that the Titanic sank; the year the character Tarzan first appeared and the doomed Polar explorer Captain Robert Scott wrote his last lines: It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more - R. Scott - For God's sake look after our people." Continue reading...

Security service accuses diplomat of reconnaisance and subversive activities' amid rising tension

Exclusive: president-elect's team planning for background checks to occur only after administration takes over bureauDonald Trump's transition team is planning for all cabinet picks to receive sweeping security clearances from the president-elect and only face FBI background checks after the incoming administration takes over the bureau and its own officials are installed in key positions, according to people familiar with the matter.The move appears to mean that Trump's team will continue to skirt FBI vetting and may not receive classified briefings until Trump is sworn in on 20 January and unilaterally grant sweeping security clearances across the administration. Continue reading...

Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, a former lord chief justice, says details of the legal process have not been worked outA former lord chief justice has warned that assisted dying could have a major impact on the court system, saying no one has grappled with the detail" of the impact of the legislation on family courts.Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, who held the role between 2013 and 2017, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the process of the assisted dying requests coming before the courts needed working out precisely." Continue reading...

Girl, 17, given community service and driving suspension in state's first use of Sophie's Law

Michelle Rowland tells Labor party room platforms like Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit and X cannot compel people to submit personal documents

The 79-year-old pop veteran, fresh from UK No 1 album this year, will follow in the footsteps of Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie in much-loved Sunday teatime slotGlastonbury festival has announced its first act for 2025, with Rod Stewart booked to perform on the Pyramid stage in the Sunday teatime legends" slot.Stewart said he was proud and ready" to play at the festival, adding that - at the age of 79 - he was more than able to pleasure and titillate" the crowd. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Dual national understood to be in stable condition after tragedy which has claimed six lives

IDF would withdraw entirely from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah pull back its heavy weapons under agreementIsrael's security cabinet is due to meet on Tuesday to decide on a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon after more than a year of fighting between Israeli forces and the Shia militia Hezbollah.Under the deal being considered, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would reportedly withdraw entirely from southern Lebanon, Hezbollah would pull its heavy weapons north of the Litani River, about 16 miles (25km) north of the Israeli border, and the Lebanese army would move in to provide security in the border zone alongside an existing UN peacekeeping force, during an initial 60-day transition phase. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Victorian Greens confident of retaining inner Melbourne seat as former MP absolutely disputes' claims by intern

Risk of blackouts has receded in Sydney, while a WA bushfire has prompted emergency evacuation in parts of Shire of Dandaragan

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Thaw to continue despite points of contention over territory disputes in south-east Asia, Taiwan, China's ties to Russia and human rights abuses

Northern Territory domestic homicide rate seven times the national rate, with systemic failings contributing to deaths, coroner's report finds

Andrews-era reforms to be introduced in state parliament on Tuesday will cap load-up to $100, $400 less than in New South Wales

Detectives investigate death of two-year-old girl in Innisfail, where temperatures peaked above 30C on Monday

But SQM research report warns that prices in other Australian capitals are likely to surge, depending on interest rates and population growth rates

Labor has been at pains to say people won't need digital ID or to hand over their passport - but there's nothing in legislation preventing it

Magistrate yet to decide if teenager will stand trial for murder after White, 70, died during an alleged carjacking outside a shopping centre at Redbank Plains

Police say men over 35 were targeted by alleged scammers in the Philippines, where more than 250 people have been arrested

Worrying evaporation' in skills among professionals meant to protect victims of intrafamilial sexual abuse, report saysSafeguarding agencies are failing to listen to children who have been sexually abused by family members with devastating consequences, amid a worrying evaporation" of skills among the professionals meant to protect them, a report has found.A review of the experiences of 193 children in England who were victims of sexual abuse by a family member found seven went on to commit suicide, while 14 more - including a seven-year-old - either attempted suicide or talked about killing themselves. Continue reading...

The Royal Ballet and Opera have created a new role, allowing Jones to drive development and new commissionsThe Royal Ballet and Opera today announces that Netia Jones has been appointed to the newly created position of associate director of The Royal Opera.Over the past two decades the British-born Jones has carved a career spanning opera, theatre, concerts and immersive installation projects as a director, designer and video artist. Recently she directed the Royal Opera's first ever virtual reality opera Current, Rising, and her staging - as director and designer - of Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream for Garsington Opera this summer was hailed as stylish and very funny". Continue reading...