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Shadow finance minister backs Sussan Ley as Liberal leader, saying she has majority' party room backing. Follow the latest updates live

Move sets up clash with Republicans that could see government partially shut down in coming daysChuck Schumer, the Senate's top Democrat, on Wednesday demanded that legislation funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) include a ban on wearing masks and other reforms aimed at federal agents involved in immigration enforcement, setting up a clash with Republicans that could see the government partially shut down in the coming days.Congress is racing to head off a lapse in federal funding from beginning after Friday, and the Senate's Republican leaders plan to hold a key procedural vote Thursday on both the DHS funding measure and five bills that authorize spending by several other government departments. Continue reading...

Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, shares photo of boy who was detained by federal agents on his way home from preschool

Assailant, 80, said to have entered victim's property in Little Hulton on Tuesday and asked for cash and her purseAn 80-year-old man has been arrested after a 95-year-old woman was tied up and threatened during an attempted robbery in Salford after being asked about bin collection day, police said.It is understood an assailant entered the woman's property in Little Hulton in Salford on Tuesday, tied her hands together, and asked for cash and her purse. Continue reading...

High hopes for Optimus robot help company beat forecasts despite yearly revenue decline and flailing car businessIn the clearest sign yet that Tesla is pivoting away from its electric car business, CEO Elon Musk announced on Wednesday's investor call that the company would discontinue production of its Model X SUV and Model S full-size sedan.It's time to basically bring the Model S and X programs to an end," Musk said. We expect to wind down S and X production next quarter." Continue reading...

PM is first UK leader to visit China in eight years and hopes to strengthen bond with superpower amid uncertainty over US allianceKeir Starmer will meet the Chinese president Xi Jinping on Thursday for historic talks he hopes will deepen economic ties at a time when some inside government fear the US is no longer a reliable partner.The prime minister - the first UK leader to visit China in eight years - will hold a 40-minute meeting with Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing before a number of cultural and business receptions. Continue reading...

Tennessee officials report eight deaths as forecasters say another potentially major winter storm could hit east coastDozens of weather-related fatalities have been confirmed since the start of the powerful winter storm that swept across much of the US in recent days, with current estimates being as high as 60 so far.Tennessee officials have reported eight deaths as forecasters are now monitoring another potentially significant winter storm that could hit parts of the east coast this weekend. Continue reading...

Stranger allegedly threw Thermos of coffee on nine-month-old boy in Brisbane park in 2024

Exclusive: MPs backing bill to use nuclear option' of 1911 Parliament Act if it continues to be blocked by LordsSupporters of assisted dying will seek to force through the bill using an archaic parliamentary procedure if it continues to be blocked by the Lords.The high stakes move - described by some backers as the nuclear option" - would be the first time the 1911 Parliament Act has been invoked for a private member's bill. Continue reading...

Ali Akbar, 73, honoured by Emmanuel Macron with National Order of Merit for dedication he pours into workFor more than five decades he's pounded the pavements of Paris, becoming part of the city's cultural fabric as he strikes up conversations, greets longtime friends and offers parodies of daily news headlines.On Wednesday, the efforts of the man believed to be France's last newspaper hawker were recognised, as Ali Akbar, a 73-year-old originally from Pakistan, received one of France's most prestigious honours. Continue reading...

LA mayor calls order, which seeks to let people rebuild without permitting requirements, a political stunt'Donald Trump announced that he has signed an executive order to cut through bureaucratic red tape" and speed up reconstruction of tens of thousands of homes destroyed by the January 2025 Los Angeles-area wildfires.The US president's order, which he announced on Tuesday but signed on Friday, seeks to allow homeowners to rebuild without contending with unnecessary, duplicative or obstructive" permitting requirements, the White House said in a statement. Continue reading...

UK technology secretary also announced plans to train up to 10 million Britons in AI skills to help workforce adaptIncreasing deployment of artificial intelligence will cause job losses, the UK technology secretary has warned, saying: I want to level with the public. Some jobs will go."In a speech on government plans to handle the impact of AI on the British economy, Liz Kendall declined to say how many redundancies the technology might cause but said: We know people are worried about graduate entry jobs in places like law and finance." Continue reading...

Production company asked for full review after broadcaster completely unaware' of Levi Hodgetts-Hague's commentsOver 20 seasons, the Apprentice boardroom has not been short on drama - but one recurrent theme is the UK show's penchant for problematic contestants.This season, which airs its first episode on Thursday, is no different. Offensive tweets posted by contestant Levi Hodgetts-Hague from a decade ago have been unearthed since filming, prompting the BBC to urge the show's production company to carry out stricter background checks on contestants. Continue reading...

Sarah Mullally confirmed as 106th person to take up post as some African church leaders express dismay at appointmentThe first female archbishop of Canterbury has marked her confirmation in the role with a vow to speak out about misogyny while questions continue about her record on safeguarding.Sarah Mullally took part in a service at St Paul's Cathedral which legally confirmed her as the 106th person to take up the post and the first woman in the role. Some African church leaders have expressed dismay at the appointment. Continue reading...

Prime minister says move is crucial to delivering justice to victims of misogynist violence who wait so long'

Olivier award-winning West End production will follow US example and be trimmed to make it more accessible than ever before'For almost a decade it has been the most epic fixture in West End theatre: a two-part play that runs for five hours, including intervals. But later this year Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will only be staged in London as a shortened, single production running 175 minutes.The new format is in line with the other versions of the hit play presented in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan. Its producers announced on Monday that a one-part production would make it more accessible, allowing even more audiences to experience the story with one ticket and one visit to the theatre". Continue reading...

Starmer's control freakery' could end up leading Nigel Farage into No 10, Unison boss Andrea Egan saysBadenoch is now taking questions.Asked if she agreed with Reform UK that Britain is broken, Badneoch said she believed that it can be fixed.I was not elected to reheat the party with 1990s policies, and I was not elected to dismantle the party so that Nigel Farage can finally have a go.I was elected by Conservative party members to renew and rebuild. That is exactly what I am doing. Continue reading...

The White House's tone might be softening after outrage about the Minnesota ICE shootings, but there's no reason to expect a policy shift

Man arrested and charged with assault after spraying strong-smelling liquid at Minnesota Democrat from syringeCongresswoman Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unidentified substance by a man with a syringe on Tuesday as she gave her first in-person town hall of the year in Minneapolis, during which she called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished for good" and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, Kristi Noem, to resign.Omar had only been speaking for a few minutes when a man in the audience got up and began to shout while spraying her with the liquid. People at the meeting said the liquid had an acidic smell. Continue reading...

French president says Greenland is not for sale' at meeting with Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers in Parisin ParisIn other news, a former French senator has been found guilty of drugging a fellow politician in order to sexually assault her, in a case that has shaken French politics. Continue reading...

Campaigners pushing for 2030 deadline said deferral was denying renters the most basic standards in our homes'

Director in charge of investing in programming outside London will take over Tim Davie's role while corporation seeks permanent replacementThe BBC has named senior executive Rhodri Talfan Davies as its interim general director, as the corporation continues the search for a permanent replacement for Tim Davie.Davie, who resigned in November after the row over the BBC's editing of a Donald Trump speech, will remain in the role until the start of April. Talfan Davies will then take over. Continue reading...

Ex-first lady sentenced to 20 months for receiving gifts for political favours, as Yoon Suk Yeol awaits rebellion verdictThe wife of South Korea's ousted president Yoon Suk Yeol has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for corruption, as her husband awaits a verdict on a high-stakes rebellion charge that could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment.Kim Keon Hee was sentenced for receiving luxury gifts including a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from the Unification Church in return for promises of political favours. Continue reading...

Snap inspection of Brunel academy took place after it withdrew invitation to pro-Israel Labour MP Damien EganA snap inspection of a Bristol secondary school criticised for postponing a visit by an MP who is a member of a group that advocates for Israel has found no evidence of partisan political views".Ofsted inspectors arrived at Bristol Brunel academy earlier this month after reports that its leaders had called off a visit by Damien Egan, the Labour MP for Bristol North East, after opposition from a pro-Palestine group and members of staff belonging to the National Education Union (NEU). Continue reading...

NSW premier also said to be considering altering the form 1 system which protects protesters as polling shows increased support for strengthening police powers

Under the laws, which came in the wake of the Bondi terror attack, the states will be responsible for the collection and processing of surrendered guns

Decay of town centres a top issue among voters, especially Reform UK supporters, and is fuelling resentment against Westminster

Trump said he will not sack Kristi Noem over the DHS response to two fatal shootings. Plus, Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown substance in Minneapolis Don't already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported to Congress that two officers fired their guns at Alex Pretti during his fatal shooting.What did the report say? Obtained by CNN and CBS News, the report of the initial investigation by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) into the shooting of Pretti states: CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA [border patrol agent] yelled: He's got a gun!' multiple times. Approximately five seconds later, a BPA discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBPO [CBP officer] also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti."How has Trump been responding? Kristi Noem, the DHS secretary, has faced mounting calls from Democrats to resign or be impeached over her handling of immigration operations and the department's response to the killing of Pretti and Renee Good, but Trump said he would not fire her. I think she's doing a very good job. The border is totally secure," he said.What's the context of the attack? Omar has been the target of repeated xenophobic attacks from the president. Trump has said she should be sent back to Somalia" - despite Omar becoming a citizen more than 25 years ago after arriving in the US as a refugee aged 12. She told the Guardian last month about the increase in death threats since Trump was re-elected. Continue reading...

Referrals all relate to controversial imprisonment for public protection scheme or its equivalent for children

Joel Guerriau sentenced to four years in prison after spiking lawmaker's champagne with ecstasyA former French senator has been found guilty of drugging a fellow politician in order to sexually assault her, in a case that has shaken French politics.Joel Guerriau, 68, was sentenced on Tuesday evening to four years in prison of which 18 months must be behind bars. He has appealed against the verdict, which means he will not immediately serve his sentence and instead will face a fresh trial at a later date.In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support for rape and sexual abuse on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...

Bushfires still burning out of control in Victoria as temperatures reached the high 40s in the west of NSW

Former PM called for national register and accreditation for imams, sparking backlash from Muslim leaders

Liberal leader proposed meeting without any preconditions' to discuss two parties' relationship after last week's split

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The prime minister may also discuss the fate of the Uyghurs with the Chinese leader

Prime minister says Reform seeking to tear people apart' after Gorton and Denton candidate questions whether all UK-born people are BritishKeir Starmer has accused the Reform UK candidate in the Greater Manchester byelection of pursuing the politics of toxic division" after he refused to disown his claim that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British.The prime minister suggested that Matthew Goodwin, a hard-right activist, would try to tear people apart" in Gorton and Denton, and that voters wanting to stop Nigel Farage's party should coalesce around the Labour candidate. Continue reading...

Police say Celine Cremer's family was told of the discovery on Wednesday and that forensic testing was yet to take place

Rapidly rising consumer prices led to annual inflation growing from 3.4% to 3.8% in the year to December

Health Care Complaints Commission finds Victoria Worsley poses a significant and unacceptable risk'

Exclusive: the 613 most deprived areas will see higher crime rates and worse unemployment under current funding schemes, report saysThe country's most deprived neighbourhoods will have higher crime rates and worse unemployment by the end of the parliament, according to a report written at the request of N 10.The forecasts from the Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods (Icon) show crime rates and unemployment will rise until the next election in England's 613 most deprived neighbourhoods, despite the government's promises to invest in local communities. Continue reading...

Alt-rockers will score Hitler allegory The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, with Mark Gatiss in the title roleAlt-rockers Placebo are set to collaborate with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) by scoring a new production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui.Written in 1941, the play is about a Chicago mobster who seeks to control the city's vegetable trade through corruption, intimidation and violence: a clear allegory of how Adolf Hitler had swept to power during the 1930s. Continue reading...

Unable to get near Ukraine's main port, Moscow is pounding the city from afar with missiles and dronesOutside the Kadorr apartment complex in Ukraine's Black Sea city of Odesa, about 500 metres from the seafront, residents and rescue workers mill around in freezing temperatures.Above an office on the 25th floor, a block of wall has been blown out by a Russian drone. Below, rubble and glass have been moved quickly into piles as owners survey cars crushed by the falling masonry. Continue reading...

No light at the end of the tunnel for consumers' as 2025 figure is 50% higher than previous year, says Citizens AdviceRoyal Mail has been criticised for offering an unacceptable" performance over the crucial Christmas period after it failed to deliver letters and cards on time to about 16 million people, Citizens Advice found.The consumer watchdog, which carried out research into Christmas deliveries, said that figure was 50% higher than in 2024, and the highest level over the festive period in five years, excluding when Royal Mail was hit by strike action in the run-up to Christmas four years ago. Continue reading...

Queensland MP to challenge for the leadership next week, in move colleagues say is unlikely to succeed

Maduro's Sorbonne-educated successor is talking up an era of reform and opening up' modelled on China's post-Mao boomAfter years of political and social upheaval, hunger and despair, the Great Helmsman departs and is replaced by a francophile economic reformer who catapults a traumatised country into a new era of prosperity and growth.That is what happened in China half a century ago when the croissant-loving communist Deng Xiaoping became paramount leader after Chairman Mao Zedong's 1976 death and set in motion one of history's biggest economic booms. Continue reading...

As it grapples with two fatal tragedies, questions emerge over how to protect the country from more landslides - its deadliest natural hazardNew Zealand could experience an increase in landslides - its most deadly natural hazard - as global warming triggers more intense and frequent storms, experts have warned in the wake of two landslide tragedies in the North Island.New Zealand's landscapes are scarred with the evidence of landslides - they are responsible for more than 1,800 deaths since written records began - more than earthquakes and volcanoes combined. Continue reading...

Findings follow death of woman at Marlo Altitude music festival in 2023, with coroner recommending state urgently update 2013 code of practice

Singer's former assistant alleges he sexually assaulted her when she worked for Manson Records between 2010-2011A judge in Los Angeles has reinstated a lawsuit against heavy metal star Marilyn Manson under a new law enabling old sexual assault cases to be heard in court.The lawsuit, filed in May 2021 by a former assistant to the musician, had been dismissed in December because it exceeded the statute of limitations, a maximum time period for initiating legal proceedings after the related events took place. Continue reading...

Manchester toddler Jude Owens becomes youngest person to perform bank shot and double pot just weeks apartA two-year-old has become the holder of two Guinness World Records by becoming the youngest person to perform a pair of trick shots in snooker.Manchester toddler Jude Owens successfully performed a pool bank shot at two years and 302 days old on 12 October last year. Continue reading...

Effect of heavy rain and strong winds prompts calls for more investment in resilience to extreme weatherA major incident has been declared in Somerset after swathes of south-west England were left flooded and cut off by Storm Chandra.The heavy rain and strong winds prompted calls for more resources to be invested in making the region more resilient in extreme weather. Continue reading...