Ex-nurse's lawyer announces move after witness changed his mind on some key evidence about baby deathsLucy Letby's lawyer has announced he is seeking to reopen her appeal because the prosecution's lead medical expert witness, Dr Dewi Evans, has changed his mind on some key evidence.At a press conference held at the Royal Society of Medicine on Monday, Mark McDonald said Evans was not a reliable expert, and that all the convictions were not safe. Continue reading...
Former Post Office CEO has maintained her innocence in a closing submission to the inquiry, saying executives did not share crucial information with herPaula Vennells, the former Post Office chief executive, has continued to maintain her innocence, saying she remains devastated" that other executives did not share crucial information about the faulty Horizon IT system.Lawyers for Vennells, writing on her behalf in closing submissions to the inquiry into the Post Office scandal, said no evidence has emerged to show she acted in bad faith". Continue reading...
A stretch of the river in West Yorkshire was the first to be given bathing water status in 2020 but has since recorded poor water qualityThe first river to be given bathing water status in England is in limbo waiting for the Environment Agency (EA) to approve crucial nature-based solutions that are part of 43m in improvements to cut sewage pollution.In the West Yorkshire town of Ilkley, campaigners were the first to use the EU-derived bathing water regulations to drive a cleanup of their river. But since part of the River Wharfe was granted bathing water status in 2020, water quality has persistently been recorded as poor, most recently in the latest classifications last month. If it remains poor next year, when the status is up for renewal, it could lose its bathing water designation. Continue reading...
Church of England crisis deepens as second archbishop faces calls to resign over response to abuseThe archbishop of York has said he acted as soon as legally possible against a priest repeatedly accused of sexual misconduct and abuse after facing calls to resign over his handling of the case.Stephen Cottrell is due to take over temporary leadership of the church in three weeks when the resignation of the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, over his failures to deal properly with abuse takes effect. Continue reading...
Berlinale head, Tricia Tuttle, says some artists fear criticism of Israeli actions will be condemned as antisemitismA polarised debate about Gaza in Germany is leading some artists to shun one of the world's top film festivals, its new director has said.Tricia Tuttle, the head of the Berlin international film festival, said a perception that Germany had been overzealous in its policing of speech about the Middle East conflict, and controversy over this year's awards ceremony, were having an impact as she planned her first edition. Continue reading...
Kohli died in hospital after being injured in Leicestershire park in SeptemberA 12-year-old girl has been charged with manslaughter over the death of Bhim Kohli, 80, who died in hospital after being injured in a park in Braunstone Town in September, Leicestershire police said.More details soon ... Continue reading...
Advanced mobile forensics products being used to illegally extract data from mobile devices, Amnesty findsPolice and intelligence services in Serbia are using advanced mobile forensics products and previously unknown spyware to illegally surveil journalists, environmental campaigners and civil rights activists, according to a report.The report shows how mobile forensic products from the Israeli firm Cellebrite are used to unlock and extract data from individuals' mobile devices, which are being infected with a new Android spyware system, NoviSpy. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#6SYY1)
UK ministers face pressure over Chinese spy scandal as MPs consider naming banned businessmanAn alleged Chinese spy who forged a close relationship with Prince Andrew is just the tip of the iceberg" of Beijing's attempts to infiltrate the UK, a leading China-sceptic MP has said.Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative leader, who is seeking an urgent Commons question on Monday to quiz ministers about the issue, said Keir Starmer's efforts to create better links with Beijing had involved the UK showing a massive amount of weakness to China". Continue reading...
by Raphael Rashid in Seoul with agencies on (#6SYV9)
President Yoon Suk Yeol and senior officials face potential charges of insurrection and abuse of authoritySouth Korea's constitutional court has begun reviewing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his attempt to impose martial law on 3 December, a process that will decide if he is removed from office.The court will hold the first public hearing on 27 December, spokesperson Lee Jean told a news conference, after the court's six justices met on Saturday to discuss plans for reviewing the impeachment by the opposition-controlled parliament. Continue reading...
by Catie McLeod (now) and Emily Wind (earlier) on (#6SYPF)
This blog is now closedA second person has died following a fatal crash in Armidale at the weekend.A car and several cyclists collided about 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon, before the car continued and hit a tree, NSW police said. One of the cyclists, a man in his 60s, died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.About 110,000 new EVs are expected to be sold this year, a major milestone for the Australian market;There are now 122 EV models, and more than 220 variants - a 50% increase in variants compared to 2023.The number of fast and ultra-fast charging locations across Australia has nearly doubled within a year, surpassing 1,059 sites nationwide. At these locations there are more than 1,849 high power public chargers. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey Political correspondent on (#6SYXF)
Exclusive: FoI requests reveal 2.5bn was spent out of 10.6bn fund for three main local regeneration schemesThe Conservatives spent only a quarter of the money they allocated to levelling up, according to freedom of information requests that underline how Michael Gove's flagship regional spending scheme failed to live up to expectations.The previous government allocated 10.6bn to the three main schemes under the levelling up programme, which provided funding for regeneration projects as diverse as leisure centres and local transport networks. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: Many questions remain unanswered about the person known only as H6, but the complex relationship between China and the UK is sure to be put under the spotlightGood morning. Espionage is an obviously mysterious business, but there can be fewer greater puzzles in the annals of national security than the one that has arisen in the last few days. If you were the mighty Chinese state, and making a list of British public figures who might hold useful intelligence or influence, what would make you put Prince Andrew on it?I can't answer that one. But many other questions besides have arisen since it emerged that a businessman and alleged Chinese spy with links to Andrew has been barred from entering the UK on national security grounds - and last night, MPs raised fears that the case shows that the UK has been too eager to strengthen UK-China relations. Today's newsletter explains what we know. Here are the headlines.Ireland | Israel has announced it will close its embassy in Ireland, citing Dublin's decision last week to support a petition at the international court of justice accusing Israel of genocide. Irish taoiseach Simon Harris called the move deeply regrettable".Economy | Fifty economists and policy experts have issued a warning to Rachel Reeves that encouraging the city to expand could threaten financial stability and jeopardise growth. The chancellor has claimed that regulations imposed after the global financial crisis have gone too far".Extreme weather | At least several hundred people are feared to have been killed after the worst cyclone in almost a century ripped through the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte on Saturday. Officials said the final toll would be hard to ascertain but could be in the thousands.Immigration and asylum | Syrian asylum seekers left in limbo after the UK home secretary said the government was pausing their claims have called the decision cruel" and urged officials to resume processing their cases. About 6,500 cases are now in the system.Guardian and Observer charity appeal | Guardian and Observer readers gave 57,000 over the phones during our annual charity appeal telethon for charities supporting the victims of war and conflict, with the overall total hitting more than 500,000. You can still donate here. Continue reading...
The classical musician, who performed with George Harrison and Van Morrison, died in a San Francisco hospital on SundayZakir Hussain, one of India's most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, has died aged 73.The Indian classical music icon died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco on Sunday, his family said in a statement. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6SYVW)
Increase due to a growing number of complex births caused by rising obesity rates and women having children later in lifeOne in four babies born in NHS hospitals in England last year were delivered by caesarean section, official figures show.The gradual increase in the number of caesarean births over the past decade is due to a growing number of complex pregnancies and births, caused by factors including rising obesity rates and women waiting until they are older to have children. The proportion of spontaneous deliveries that do not involve drugs or other medical interventions has steadily declined in the last 10 years. Continue reading...
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#6SYVZ)
Former first minister marks 10th anniversary of legislation in Scotland with call for vigilance over polarisationThe civilised" debate that led to the legalisation of equal marriage in Scotland would not be possible 10 years on amid a global trend towards polarisation and the increasing inability to find common ground, Nicola Sturgeon has said.Sturgeon, who led the Scottish government's drive for equal marriage rights when she was deputy first minister, said she believed the outcome would probably be the same, but the nature of the debate would be much more toxic, divisive and unpleasant than it was 10 years ago". Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6SYVY)
Some solicitors in England and Wales are not taking on loss-making cases such as burglary amid MoJ dispute over legal aid, Law Society saysLawyers are refusing to represent people charged with certain crimes amid a crisis over solicitors' pay, with one burglary suspect turned away by 12 legal firms, the Law Society president has said.Richard Atkinson, who leads the organisation representing more than 200,000 solicitors in England and Wales, said its members lost money if they took such cases and warned that other crimes, including lower level sexual offences, also risked becoming uneconomic for practitioners. Continue reading...
Rachel Reeves wants to drive efficiency savings as part of spending review - departments are used to the challengeExperienced Whitehall officials would have been forgiven for experiencing a sense of deja vu when listening to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, this month as she laid out her plans to drive efficiencies from the civil service as part of her spending review.The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to go to waste on poor value for money projects," she said, as she told departments to draw up plans for 5% efficiency savings across their budgets. Continue reading...
Almost half of those surveyed by Bristol academics said increases were necessary' to improve public servicesVoters have broadly accepted that the 40bn in tax rises in Rachel Reeves's first budget are necessary" to improve public services, despite the majority expecting to be worse off as a result, according toresearch.The chancellor announced in October a package of tax increases in order to fund investment in public services, particularly the NHS and schools - with the largest revenue-raiser a 25bn increase in employer national insurance contributions (NICs). Continue reading...
Israeli PM spoke of warm' discussion with US president-elect amid pressure from Trump camp for progress on hostage releasesBenjamin Netanyahu has said he spoke to Donald Trump over the weekend about his plans in Syria and efforts to secure the release of hostages in Gaza amid a wave of strikes in the territory.The Israeli prime minister said in an address on Sunday night: We had a very friendly, warm and important discussion. We discussed the need to complete Israel's victory and we spoke at length about the efforts we are making to free our hostages." Continue reading...
Ukraine accuses Moscow of recklessness due to risk of ecological damage as second tanker runs agroundA Russian tanker carrying more than 4,000 tonnes of oil products has sunk in the Black Sea amid stormy conditions while a second has run aground, threatening an ecological disaster.The cargo ship Volgoneft-212 snapped in half on Sunday after being hit by a large wave. Video showed its bow end sticking vertically out of the water. The boat got into difficulties off the east coast of occupied Crimea, 5 miles (8km) from the Kerch strait, Russian media reported. Continue reading...
Benjamin Netanyahu approved plan to double Israeli population in occupied Golan Heights after night of strikes that came despite Syria rebel leader's pledge of peaceIsrael struck dozens of sites in Syria overnight with airstrikes, despite the Syrian rebel leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, saying his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group was not interested in conflict with Israel.Jolani's comments came as Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Sunday that he had approved a plan to expand settlement building in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Continue reading...
Muhammed Sharif goes to high court in Lahore and says safest place' for his other grandchildren is with himSara Sharif's grandfather said he will fight to keep her siblings in Pakistan, calling it the safest place for them", as a vigil was held for the murdered 10-year-old in Surrey.Muhammad Sharif said he would appeal to the high court in Pakistan to stop Sara's five siblings from being returned to the UK. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#6SYPG)
Allegations raise calls for caution in UK over bid to re-establish China linksMPs fear the government is moving too fast to re-establish UK-China relations as some consider naming the alleged spy who used his relationship with Prince Andrew to get access to the heart of the British establishmentMinisters will come under pressure this week to set a timeline to revive the foreign influence registration scheme (FIRS), which had been delayed until next year, and to put China on the enhanced category for threats. Continue reading...
Incident occurred on Friday evening as complex was about to close and the man was pronounced dead at sceneA man has died after falling from a balcony at the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham, police said.The incident occurred at the city centre site at about 9pm on Friday, just as the complex was about to close. The centre was closed after emergency services were dispatched to the scene after reports by witnesses of a man falling from an upper level. Continue reading...
Royal sources say Charles is still considering whether to ban his brother from family's Christmas Day walkThe royal family's Christmas Day walk from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene church in Norfolk is a longstanding tradition. But it has also become a barometer of internal pressures.So, all eyes will be on whether the Duke of York is among family members walking alongside the king and queen this Christmas after the alleged Chinese spy controversy. Continue reading...
Laila Soueif to sit outside Foreign Office over Cairo's extended detention of her British-Egyptian dissident sonA woman on hunger strike to secure the release of her son, the British-Egyptian dissident Alaa Abd el-Fattah, is to protest outside the Foreign Office each day to remind diplomats of his plight.Laila Soueif is on the 77th day of a hunger strike in which she drinks only tea and has led to her to lose 22kg. The start of her daily protest came as more than 100 MPs and peers wrote to the foreign secretary, David Lammy, expressing their alarm about Abd el-Fattah's continued imprisonment. The letter is the largest intervention by MPs about his fate since Labour came to power. Continue reading...
Asylum seekers say they are in limbo and charities have expressed deep concern' as claims paused after Assad regime's fallSyrian asylum seekers left in limbo after the home secretary said the government was pausing their claims have called the decision cruel" and urged officials to resume processing their cases.More than 700 refugee organisations, including Care4Calais and Refugee Action along with many UK-based Syrian groups, have expressed deep concern and opposition" to the pause on the 6,500 claims currently in the system, the Independent has reported. Continue reading...
Presenter will leave Sky Sports to join a revamped team including Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan for next seasonThe football presenter Kelly Cates is understood to be leaving Sky Sports to replace Gary Lineker on the BBC's Match of the Day.Cates, a popular broadcaster and the daughter of the former Liverpool footballer Kenny Dalglish, is understood to be joining a new presenting team including the Match of the Day 2 presenter Mark Chapman and the BBC sports broadcaster Gabby Logan for next season. Continue reading...
What do we know about former civil servant who some claim is regarded as a close confidante of the Duke of York?A Chinese businessman who some have claimed is regarded as a close confidante of the Duke of York lost his appeal against a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. Known only as H6, who is he and what are his links to Prince Andrew? Continue reading...
Activist tells public inquiry Andy Coles lied about his age and manipulated her into relationship when she was 19A creepy" undercover police officer in his 30s formed a sexual relationship with a teenage activist without disclosing his true identity to her, a public inquiry has been told.The activist, known as Jessica, said the deception by Andy Coles, the undercover officer, was disgusting and gross". Continue reading...
Police investigating whether suspect had workplace dispute with firms where three of victims workedFrench police are still trying to establish the motive for five murders that were committed in the space of less than two hours near the northern port city of Dunkirk on Saturday afternoon.A man who handed himself into police later the same day, claiming to be responsible for all five fatal shootings, has no criminal record and was not known to police or the courts, prosecutors said on Sunday. Continue reading...
President delivers emotional address wearing a panama hat - so you don't see the dressing on my head'Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has been discharged from hospital after spending six days recovering from emergency surgery to drain a haematoma in his brain.The announcement - made on Sunday by the medical team at the Sirio-Libanes hospital in Sao Paulo - was interrupted near the end by the president himself, who entered the room walking alongside the first lady, Rosangela da Silva, known as Janja. Continue reading...
TV channel spun off from France's Vivendi could climb to 5bn in biggest new listing in London for two yearsCanal+, the international pay-TV company and owner of the studio behind the Paddington film franchise, is to make its multibillion-pound stock market debut in London on Monday, providing a much-needed shot in the arm for the capital's stock exchange.The flotation, which the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has said is a vote of confidence" in the UK's capital markets, is set to be the largest new listing in London in two years with some projecting its market value will climb to about 6bn (4.99bn). Continue reading...
by Sam Jones in Madrid and Nadeem Badshah on (#6SYK9)
Spanish PM praises Andic's great work and entrepreneurial vision' after his death in hiking accident in CataloniaTributes have been paid to Isak Andic, the billionaire founder of the Spanish high-street fashion chain Mango, after his death in a hiking accident in Catalonia on Saturday.According to media reports, Andic, who was 71, died after slipping and falling 100 metres down a ravine while hiking in the Montserrat caves near Barcelona with several family members. Continue reading...
Israeli foreign minister says move was prompted by Irish government's extreme anti-Israeli policies'Israel has announced it will close its embassy in Ireland, citing Dublin's decision last week to support a petition at the international court of justice accusing Israel of genocide".The move was announced by the Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, who said it was prompted by the Irish government's extreme anti-Israeli policies", noting its decision to join the ICJ petition last week. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6SYJ1)
Four adults hospitalised after their Toyota was involved in crash with stolen grey SUV in SmethwickA two-year-old boy has died and two adults have been left in a critical condition after a hit-and-run involving a stolen Porsche in the West Midlands.Police said four adults and a child were taken to hospital after a collision in Smethwick shortly before 11pm on Saturday night. Continue reading...
by Ben Smee Queensland state correspondent on (#6SYJ4)
When asked to plead, teenager with mental age of an eight-year-old responded yeah', judge says as he sets aside Kuranda magistrate's rulingsA 14-year-old north Queensland boy with a severe intellectual disability was wrongly convicted and sentenced to nine months' detention by a magistrate who recorded guilty pleas to a series of charges, despite the child being incapable of instructing his lawyers and not verbalising a plea in court.The boy - who has an IQ of 54 - spent 136 days in custody in 2023 and was convicted of 19 offences, mostly related to breaking and entering properties.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...
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