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On his first day on office the US president sought to undo much of Joe Biden's legacy, also vowing to unleash' oil and gas drilling

Humanitarian organisations express cautious hope truce deal will allow to scale up aid from 18 to 500 truckloads a dayDisplaced Palestinian people making their way home have spoken to the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency about their hopes and fears for the future.Ghadeer Abdul Rabbo, 30, told AFP she hopes that the ceasefire will hold with or without Trump"and world governments will help maintain this calm, because we are afraid". Continue reading...

PM says ministers would never have been forgiven if they had released information about the attack that led to the collapse of a future trialStarmer says nothing will be off the table in the inquiry.There are also questions about the accountability of the Whitehall and Westminster system - a system that is far too often driven by circling the institutional wagons, that does not react until justice is either hard won by campaigners, or until appalling tragedies like this [take place].Time and again we see this pattern, and people are right to be angry about it. I'm angry about it.There are also bigger questions, questions such as how we protect our children from the tidal wave of violence freely available online.Because you can't tell me that the material this individual viewed before committing these murders should be accessible on mainstream social media platforms, but with just a few clicks, people can watch video after horrific video - videos that, in some cases, are never taken down, Continue reading...

Europe's politicians spent the night sending carbon copy messages hailing their country's special' or strategic' relationship with the USSpeaking about Elon Musk's X and other social media platforms, the European Parliament has been discussing their impact on European democracy for the last hour at its plenary in Strasbourg, France.Opening the debate, Polish EU minister Adam Szapka said that he was troubled about increasing instances of interference in political processes in the EU that took place on social media," as he warned about rising geopolitical tensions, the erosion of rules-based order, and hybrid attacks on European democracy and security." Continue reading...

US dollar hits five-year highs against Canadian currency as Japan's Nikkei index swings between losses and gains

Doctor calls situation an absolute disaster' for public mental health system and vulnerable patients

Germany will elect a new Bundestag on 23 February. Find out who is ahead in opinion polls and what coalitions are possibleGermany is preparing for a general election to the Bundestag, the lower house of its parliament, on 23 February, after its traffic-light" coalition of social democrats, liberals and greens collapsed. The country's electoral system is highly proportional, so polls give a good indication of what shape of government might be possible after the election. Continue reading...

State and territory leaders also agree to set up new database tracking antisemitic crime after national cabinet meeting

Prime minister acknowledges US president's move would impact the globe' but says Australia remains a sovereign nation

Move is part of 300m investment that includes deepwater quay and building of hundreds of homes near city centreBelfast harbour is to invest 90m to upgrade its port to serve a wave of wind energy projects and cruise ships as part of a 300m investment plan.A new deepwater quay capable of supporting wind projects will be the largest part of an investment plan that also includes the construction of hundreds of homes at a site near the city centre. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Concerns raised that wording of law could result in people with eating disorders using it to end their livesMPs will look to close a potential anorexia loophole in the assisted dying bill that psychiatrists fear could result in people with severe eating disorders using it to end their lives.The Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney, who sits on the committee of MPs that will scrutinise the proposed law, is tabling an amendment to tighten the language around mental capacity. Continue reading...

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Andrew Cheung defends city's legal processes as transparent, fair and independent' despite mounting concerns from departing legal officersHong Kong's top judge has claimed the exodus of foreign judges from the judiciary's benches since the introduction of the national security law is due to escalating geopolitical tensions and orchestrated harassment".The city's chief justice, Andrew Cheung, made the remarks at the ceremonial opening of the city's legal year on Monday evening in a speech which acknowledged the changing political environment but otherwise stridently defended the judiciary. Hong Kong has a common law system separate from the Chinese mainland's, but observers say it is under growing political pressure. Continue reading...

Former NSW police officer is accused of killing TV presenter Jesse Baird and flight attendant Luke Davies with his service weapon in February 2024

This blog has closed. You can follow live coverage on our new liveblog hereMy colleague Joseph Gedeon in Washington DC also had this look at what Trump might have planned for day one:In the grand theatre of American politics, presidential inaugurations typically follow a familiar script: the oath, the speech, a few carefully chosen executive orders to satisfy campaign promises. Franklin D Roosevelt used his first day to tackle the banking crisis. Barack Obama moved to close Guantanamo Bay (though it remains open). Donald Trump's first term began with a single executive order targeting Obamacare. Joe Biden signed 17 executive orders on his first day in 2021. Continue reading...

Northern Beaches mayor hopes environment watchdog can identify source so they can stop this from happening at other beaches'

Exclusive: Timpson says government plans to reverse rise in female inmates and use alternative forms of punishmentA women's jail in England or Wales should be closed by diverting offenders to alternative forms of punishment and rehabilitation, the prisons minister, James Timpson has said.In an interview with the Guardian, the former head of the shoe repair chain said the government planned to reverse the rise in the number of women being sent to jail, around half of whom are mothers. Continue reading...

Exclusive: NGOs say safeguarding policies need improving, as victims tell of multiple assaults and incidents of race hateNGOs are calling for improvements in UK government safeguarding policies after multiple acts of violence and race hate incidents in Home Office accommodation.The incidents include 20 assaults of asylum seekers in one small area of Essex and a separate incident where another was attacked and threatened with a knife by a man recently released into shared asylum accommodation from prison on licence. Slices of bacon were also laid over food belonging to Muslim residents stored in a communal kitchen fridge. Continue reading...

Cheaper foodstuffs and being able to go out without fear of death or mutilation bring relief but conditions remain direOn the first morning of the first day after the ceasefire, the market of Asdaa camp, a sprawling area of tents and makeshift shelters on the central Gaza coast, was busy.Some shoppers had come because prices of the small range of basic necessities available had dropped since the ceasefire was declared, making once prohibitively expensive items just about affordable. Continue reading...

Dozens of children fall ill during rollout of program that was a centrepiece of President Prabowo Subianto's election campaignDozens of Indonesian schoolchildren have suffered food poisoning after consuming free meals offered through a new flagship program of President Prabowo Subianto, his office has confirmed.Rolled out this month, Prabowo's multi-billion dollar policy was a centrepiece of the former general's election campaign, with a pledge to reach 82.9 million children and pregnant women out of the country's population of 280 million by 2029. Continue reading...

Groups call for Benjamin Netanyahu's arrest and urge Australia to pressure Israel on Palestine just as South Africa was over apartheid

Zoe Conolan-Glen's discrimination case has now been referred to the federal court

President begins issuing flood of immigration-related executive orders after being sworn into office

Gulf of Mexico to be called Gulf of America, and Denali, highest North American peak, reverts to Mount McKinley

Trump's team has learned how to weaponize his power over the Republican party to achieve their political goals

President instructs US government to remove radical gender ideology guidance' and review diversity programsDonald Trump issued an executive order rescinding two orders that Biden signed on his first day in office four years ago, one advancing racial equity for under-served communities and another combating discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.One executive order, called Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government", instructs the federal government to remove all radical gender ideology guidance, communication, policies, and forms". Continue reading...

Authorities say agent was killed in line of duty and that one suspect is dead while another is in custodyA US border patrol agent was killed on Monday in northern Vermont south of the Canadian border, authorities said.The Department of Homeland Security's US Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that the agent was killed in the line of duty, although it did not provide details. Continue reading...

Executive order effectively reinstates Schedule F', which sought to categorize workers as political hires

Ninety-nine senators back confirmation of Rubio, 53, first member of Trump's cabinet to win Senate approvalThe Senate has confirmed one of its members, Republican Marco Rubio of Florida, as the next US secretary of state on Monday, giving Donald Trump the first permanent member of his cabinet just hours after the new president was sworn in for the second time.Rubio, 53, received overwhelming support from his former colleagues, with 99 senators backing his nomination. Rubio, who becomes the first Latino American to serve as secretary of state, was expected to be easily confirmed, as senators largely viewed him as one of the least controversial of Trump's cabinet picks. Continue reading...

Industry body says businesses and jobs at risk unless Rachel Reeves's tax changes delayed or alteredThe hospitality industry will incur an extra 1bn of costs for 774,000 of its workers who will be newly eligible for employer national insurance contributions from April, endangering jobs and businesses, a leading industry body has claimed.UKHospitality, which represents thousands of restaurants, hotels, pubs, cafes and nightclubs, is calling on the government to delay or alter changes to the tax announced in Rachel Reeves's October's budget in order to protect jobs. Continue reading...

On first day back as president, Trump signs letter giving notice to UN of US exit from treaty seeking to curb climate crisis effects

Family members, Gen Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, Liz Cheney and January 6 committee members pardoned

Desire to be unifier' rubs up against 47th US president's ambitions for territorial expansion

While the first lady seemed less than keen to pick up the traditional fashion baton, Ivanka was happy to step in

President plans to sign an order to change the name within the US - but other countries would not have to follow suitIn his inaugural speech, Donald Trump repeated his intention to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.The ocean basin - bounded by the US Gulf coast, Mexico's eastern states and the island of Cuba - is an an important centre of economic activity, including fishing, maritime transport, and oil and gas production, which perhaps offers an explanation for Trump's interest.Trump sworn in as 47th president - follow live inauguration updatesFactchecking Trump's speechA who's who of far-right leaders in WashingtonMigrant groups at US-Mexico border await mass deportationsDoge' violates federal transparency rules, lawsuit claims Continue reading...

Trump promises actions, from declaring a national emergency' at border to ending birthright citizenship

Palestinian prisoners describe being held in poor conditions after their release as part of ceasefire dealIn the dead of night on Sunday, after hours of waiting, a white bus carrying dozens of Palestinian prisoners, released in exchange for three Israeli hostages handed over by Hamas to Israel, arrived at Fawakeh square in the West Bank city of Ramallah.A group of young men had climbed on to the vehicle, waving Palestinian and Hamas flags. Disembarking from the coach were mostly women and many minors, the majority of whom were detained after 7 October 2023. Continue reading...

Despite tensions brewing with China, US president-elect is expected to clean house' with those who stray from agenda

Former footballer collects Crystal Award for work on children's rights, as World Economic Forum begins in DavosThe UK chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will travel to the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos this week in the hope of convincing some of the world's largest companies to invest, with allies saying she will use spending cuts rather than further tax increases to meet her own fiscal rules.At the same time, the Treasury is considering a push to cut the benefits bill, in a move that is causing nervousness among Labour MPs. Continue reading...

Protein found in Sydney rock oysters' haemolymph can kill bacteria and boost some antibiotics' effectiveness, scientists discoverAn antimicrobial protein found in the blood of an Australian oyster could help in the fight against superbugs, new research suggests.Australian scientists have discovered that a protein found in the haemolymph - the equivalent of blood - of the Sydney rock oyster, Saccostrea glomerata, can kill bacteria itself and increase the effectiveness of some conventional antibiotics. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer said state had failed in its duty' after Axel Rudakubana admitted murdering three girlsYvette Cooper has announced a public inquiry into the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance club in Southport after confirming the extremely violent" killer was known to the authorities.The home secretary said the inquiry would provide answers to the families of Axel Rudakubana, 18, who pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering the three girls. Continue reading...

Report uncovered sadistic' sect-like abuses of power at Sodalitium of Christian LifePope Francis has taken the remarkable step of dissolving a Peruvian-based Catholic movement, the Sodalitium of Christian Life (SCV), after years of attempts at reform and a Vatican investigation. The investigation uncovered sexual abuses by its founder, financial mismanagement by its leaders and spiritual abuses by its top members.The Sodalitium on Monday confirmed the dissolution, which was conveyed to an assembly of its members in Aparecida, Brazil, at the weekend by the pope's top legal adviser, Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda. In revealing the dissolution in a statement, the group lamented that news of Francis's decision had been leaked by two members attending the assembly, who were definitively expelled". Continue reading...

Hungary PM says US leader will bolster Europe's rightwing forces as nationalist politicians attend inauguration

Lawsuit filed moments after Trump's swearing-in challenges legality of department of government efficiency'

Reform UK leader, who is in the US for Trump's inauguration, says early election is not impossible'Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, thinks that his chances of becoming PM before Donald Trump leaves the White House in January could be as high as 25%. He made the comment in an interview with Dan Walker for 5 News being broadcast tonight. Farage told Walker he did genuinely believe he could be the next PM. And this is what he said when he was asked if that could happen during Trump's presidency.Look, Labour have got a whopping great big majority. The only thing that really brings an early election is if we get an economic meltdown.Now, that is not impossible for two reasons. One, the level of indebtedness is worse than it was in 2008 when we had the big meltdowns. And I think we've lived through rocketing stock markets for years. That can't go on.For Reform to replace the Tories three things would need to happen. First they would need to sustain their current momentum well into 2025, then there would need to be a tipping point moment when donors, right-wing media and a number of Tory MPs decided to shift support en masse, and then they would have to win more seats in the 2028/2029 election.The first of these seems fairly likely. The enthusiasm of Reform's voter base, the weakness of the Tory party, and the media need for narrative all point the same way. The biggest barrier is probably Farage's ability to manage the negative associations caused by Musk (who is not at all popular in the UK).It may take a long time but if - and it is a big if - Reform remain a major player in British politics, under the voting system we have, it will ultimately lead to the end of the Tory party as we know it. Continue reading...

The search for thousands of people buried under rubble has started as the ceasefire in Gaza enters its second day

Trump promises a blitz of executive orders, radical shake-up of the global order and revolution of common sense'

Security forces struggle to tamp down on rising leftwing violence as 11,000 people remain displacedColombia's security forces are struggling to contain a surge in leftwing guerrilla violence that has now killed more than 100 people in five days and threatens to derail the country's troubled peace process.Even as thousands of soldiers rushed to quell violence near the north-eastern border with Venezuela - where more than 80 people have been killed and 11,000 displaced by days of fighting - the defense ministry reported a similar outbreak of fighting in a remote Amazon region. Continue reading...

Human rights bodies have long criticised the tests as culturally unsuitable for Greenlandic peopleDenmark has announced it is abandoning the use of highly controversial parenting competency" tests on Greenlandic families, amid fury over the way that they have been routinely used on people with Inuit backgrounds, often resulting in the separation of children from their parents.Campaigners have been warning about the discriminatory impact of the psychometric tests used in Danish child protection investigations - known as FKU (foraeldrekompetenceundersogelse) - for years. Human rights bodies have long criticised them as being culturally unsuitable for Greenlandic people and other minorities living in Denmark, which once ruled the Arctic island as a colony and continues to control its foreign and security policy. Continue reading...

Ceasefire celebrations replaced by shock and sorrow as people begin to assess the scale of devastation