Lib Dem leader, Ed Davey, says US president is trying to destroy' broadcaster. This live blog is closedResponding to UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy's refusal to review the BBC board membership of Robbie Gibb, Liberal Democrat culture, media and sports spokesperson Anna Sabine said on Tuesday evening:This is the wrong choice by Lisa Nandy. Robbie Gibb isn't fit to serve on the BBC board, and the BBC charter gives the government the power to sack him.
Country explores taking part in the glitzy song contest as it distances from the US and seeks to deepen ties with EuropeWhen Canada released its federal budget this month, much of it was standard fare, from the plans to downsize the public service to the boost in defence spending.But one line tucked in the nearly 500-page document has captured imaginations on both sides of the Atlantic: a mention that the government is working with Canada's national broadcaster to explore participation in the Eurovision song contest. Continue reading...
by Katherine Butler, associate editor, Europe on (#71DS5)
Zelenskyy wants admission before 2030, but with a growing far-right, anti-enlargement contingent and budgetary fears mounting, some countries are hiding behind a Hungarian veto Don't get This Is Europe delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereVolodymyr Zelenskyy may be a wartime leader, but he is fighting to deliver peacetime ambitions, too: he wants Ukraine to become an EU country - soon.Ukraine's tireless president is ramping up pressure on EU governments to accelerate the slow process of joining: he sees the collective sacrifice of his people as a struggle for the Ukrainian future, the future of Ukraine in the European Union". Continue reading...
Lady Newlove, a campaigner for victims of crime, was a committed and passionate advocate', her office has saidHelen Newlove, the victims' commissioner for England and Wales, has died after a short illness, her office has said.Lady Newlove, a Conservative life peer, was reappointed commissioner in October 2023 after two earlier terms in the role, and was due to serve until the end of this year. Continue reading...
Fears rise for displaced civilians as UN reports deteriorating situation and MSF warns of staggering' malnutritionThere are grave fears for civilians who survived the capture of El Fasher by a Sudanese paramilitary group last month, as the UN warned relief operations were on the brink of collapse and an aid group said malnutrition in displacement camps had reached staggering" levels.The Rapid Support Forces captured El Fasher - the capital of North Darfur state and the last urban centre outside of its grasp in the wider Darfur region - on 26 October. Survivor accounts and video and satellite evidence suggest more than 1,500 people were killed in ethnically-targeted massacres in the immediate aftermath. Continue reading...
No casualties reported after section of 758-metre structure helping to link Sichuan province to Tibet falls to piecesA newly opened bridge in south-west China collapsed on Tuesday, sending slabs of concrete and plumes of dust into the mountainside and water below. No casualties were reported.Videos of the collapse of part of Hongqi Bridge, in the mountainous Sichuan province, were shared widely on Chinese social media. Authorities had closed the 758-metre-long bridge on Monday after cracks appeared on nearby roads. A landslide on Tuesday caused part of the bridge to collapse completely. Continue reading...
by Hannah Ellis-Petersen South Asia correspondent on (#71DMA)
Pakistani ministers attribute deadly suicide attack to Indian state terrorism but India denies claimPakistan has opened an investigation into the suicide attack that killed 12 people outside district court buildings in Islamabad, after the prime minister made unsubstantiated claims that Indian state terrorism" was behind the blast.The attack took place in the middle of the day on Tuesday as the area was thrumming with people. The bomber made several attempts to get inside the buildings before detonating a device next to a police car, killing 12 people and injuring 27. Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent on (#71DK6)
UK's statistics agency announces recovery' plan after concerns raised over reliability of its dataThe UK's statistics agency has announced plans to scrap some of its publications on health, crime and the regions of Britain as part of its recovery" plan to boost the reliability of its core data.Under pressure over the quality of its data, the Office for National Statistics, said it would reduce the number of reports it produces each year by about 10% in 2026 to help it prioritise resources. Continue reading...
In effort to tackle severe backlog and end resale market, only learner drivers will be able to make bookingsBots and third parties will be banned from booking driving tests as part of a government shake-up to tackle a severe backlog of almost 670,000 learners booked in for a practical assessment.The Department for Transport (DfT), which recently consulted on how to crack down on touts reselling test slots at inflated prices, said that only learner drivers themselves and not their instructors would be able to make bookings. Continue reading...
by Australian Associated Press, Adeshola Ore and Andr on (#71DDC)
In a move akin to Queensland's youth crime laws, Jacinta Allan's proposal could see children as young as 14 face 20-year jail terms in alarming race to the bottom', human rights expert says
European Sleeper will operate the new service from March 2026, replacing the Nightjet train that is being axed next monthThe resurgence of sleeper trains on the continent hit a kink in the tracks in September, when the Austrian state operator OBB announced that it would be axing its two Nightjet services - Paris to Vienna and Paris to Berlin - from 14 December. OBB cited the French government's ending of subsidies, dealing a blow to the night-train renaissance.However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. European Sleeper has told the Guardian that it will be taking over the route from Paris to Berlin, with the first train to run on 26 March 2026. The train will operate three times a week with departures likely to be from Paris Gare du Nord on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and the return service from Berlin Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The current Nightjet service departs Paris Gare de l'Est just after 7pm and winds east via Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Erfurt and Halle before arriving in Berlin around 8.30am. European Sleeper intends to make the journey via Brussels, with precise route details and timings currently being confirmed with infrastructure managers in France, Belgium and Germany. Continue reading...
Investor home borrowing surges nearly 18% in the September quarter compared with previous three months, prompting calls to urgently rein in overheated credit market'
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#71DDD)
Exclusive: Ivan Balhatchet, Northamptonshire's chief constable, could face up to two years in jail or a fine for repeated failure to obey rulingsA police chief constable has been found guilty of contempt of court with judges set to consider whether he should be punished by imprisonment or a fine.The court of appeal ruled on Tuesday that Northamptonshire police were in contempt and had been willfully disobedient" for repeatedly failing to obey rulings to hand over video to a woman who complained she had been wrongly arrested by three officers. Continue reading...
by Nino Bucci Justice and courts reporter on (#71DCG)
Kyle Sandilands said just lock that bitch up' on air during the high profile mushroom murder trial, which prompted the referralThe Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions will not charge Kyle and Jackie O and Mamamia with contempt for potentially prejudicial comments made during the trial of mushroom murderer Erin Patterson.In July, Patterson was found guilty of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth with a deadly beef wellington lunch laced with death cap mushrooms that she had served in 2023. Continue reading...
Inspector general will be inaugurated to oversee service after report on how top officers steered investigation of Jevon McSkimming, who went on to become deputy commissionerNew Zealand's government will take the unprecedented move of appointing an inspector general of police after a damning report found significant failings" in the way senior police officers handled serious sexual complaints against a former high-ranking officer.The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) released a 135-page report on Tuesday detailing allegations made against the former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming and the police's response to them. Continue reading...
by Eromo Egbejule and Ely Cheikh Mohamed Vadel in Chi on (#71DCK)
Desert settlement of Chinguetti faces rising sands, dwindling tourism and insecurity due to conflict in neighbouring MaliOn a recent afternoon, 67-year-old Saif Islam made his way into the courtyard of a library in Chinguetti, a tiny desert settlement nestled in the Sahara in Mauritania.Decked in a flowing boubou gown striped in two shades of blue, his steps unsteady but his presence still commanding, he sat on a handwoven mat stroking his grey beard, with his black croc sandals neatly placed to the side. Continue reading...
Women are banned from entering the sacred' dohyo. Sanae Takaichi is undecided on whether to attend a trophy presentation later this monthAnticipation is building among sumo fans in Japan as they wait to discover if the country's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, will defy centuries of tradition and step into the sumo ring to present a trophy later this month.With 11 days of the current 15-day tournament in Fukuoka, south-west Japan, remaining, government officials have left the sport's devotees guessing with vague comments over the likelihood of clash between Takaichi and the Japan sumo association. Continue reading...
The tech giant has released a statement acknowledging the use of different border displays between Western Sahara and MoroccoThe dotted lines illustrating the border between Western Sahara and Morocco, indicating the former's disputed territory status, have never been visible to people using Google Maps in the latter.After media reports last week highlighted the discrepancy, tying it to the UN security council endorsing the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara, the tech company released a statement acknowledging it has always displayed the border differently depending on the search region. Continue reading...
A series of statements, articles, photos and even a new national holiday indicate a shift in Beijing's stance over the island, analysts sayIn recent weeks China has released a series of statements, articles and photos, that analysts say signal an escalation in the ruling Chinese Communist Party's approach to Taiwan.Beijing claims Taiwan as a province and has vowed to annex it under what it terms reunification". China's military is not believed to be capable of a full invasion yet, but senior officials have recently started using sharper language. Continue reading...
Taylor Swift's Eras tour among the big events driving spending, as British artists perform well overseas and job numbers riseThe music industry contributed a record total of 8bn to the UK economy in 2024, powered in part by Taylor Swift's Eras tour and Take That's stadium run.According to figures in the annual report from UK Music, the umbrella organisation encompassing a range of bodies including the BPI and PRS for Music, the figure is a 5% rise from the 7.6bn contributed to UK GDP in 2023. As well as tours generating revenue through ticket sales, tourism and more, the 8bn figure also factors in revenue from recorded music, whether via sales, streaming, commercial deals and other sources. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#71D8H)
Unions decry move, saying it will put more pressure on headteachers without tackling absence from classroomsEvery school in England is to be issued with an AI-generated target for minimum pupil attendance, the government has announced, as part of its continuing efforts to tackle absence in the country's classrooms.Headteachers will be given the targets this month in an effort to boost attendance rates, which remain stubbornly below pre-pandemic levels. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Social affairs correspondent on (#71D8G)
More than third of profits analysed went to firms owned by private equity or based in tax havens, research findsPrivate companies operating care services in just three regions of England have taken more than 250m in profits in three years, with more than a third going to providers owned by private equity firms or companies based in tax havens.New analysis by Reclaiming Our Regional Economies warned that public money is being rapidly funnelled out of the care system into the hands of private companies, rather than reinvested to improve services. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#71D6S)
Health secretary Wes Streeting lobbied behind the scenes for emergency funds to pay off 18,000 staff losing their jobsRachel Reeves has rebuffed a plea from Wes Streeting for an emergency injection of 1bn into the NHS's budget to cover the cost of mass redundancies.The chancellor's decision is a setback for the health secretary, who had been lobbying behind the scenes in Whitehall for extra money to pay off 18,000 personnel who are losing their jobs. Continue reading...
Mike Burgess points to successful infiltration in the US by units known as Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon working for the Chinese government'Australia's intelligence agency has accused Chinese hackers" of seeking to gain access to critical infrastructure assets, including telecommunications networks.In a speech to a business forum in Melbourne, the director-general of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, Mike Burgess, said the nation now faced a threat of high-impact sabotage". Continue reading...
Medical examiner says Kiss founding member's death was accidental, caused by blunt force injuries from a fallAce Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam rock band Kiss, died from blunt force injuries to the head that he suffered in a fall earlier this year, an autopsy has determined.Frehley died peacefully on 16 October surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, a few weeks after the fall occurred, according to his agent. Continue reading...
Agent said woman was following and filming him, but officer said he couldn't assist if no crime was committedA US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent briefly held at gunpoint a woman whom he claimed was following him, prompting a southern California police officer to intervene, authorities said.The police department in Fullerton, a city in Orange county almost 30 miles (48km) from Los Angeles, said that on Sunday one of its officers had just finished taking an incarcerated person to a county jail when he saw two vehicles stopped in an intersection in Santa Ana. Continue reading...
Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack are joined by Past Lives star Greta Lee in Disney's highly anticipated sequelThe first trailer for Toy Story 5 has provided a brief glimpse at the highly anticipated animated sequel out next summer.The teaser introduces a new arrival and all-new threat to playtime" with the tagline the age of toys is over". The latest character is a smart tablet called Lilypad, voiced by Past Lives and Tron: Ares star Greta Lee, bringing new tech to the old toys. Continue reading...
Gavin Burrows says signature on alleged statement is not mine' and denies carrying out illegal activity on behalf of Associated NewspapersA private investigator central to the legal action by the Duke of Sussex and others against the publisher of the Daily Mail has claimed that his signature on an earlier witness statement was a forgery", the high court has heard.Gavin Burrows, linked to the most serious allegations of unlawful information gathering made by seven prominent individuals including Elton John and Doreen Lawrence, retracted his alleged confession, saying it was completely false". Continue reading...
Cross-party group wants environment secretary to urgently examine moving the birds to a facility better aligned with their needs'A group of 75 MPs are calling for the release of 15 penguins trapped" in a small enclosure without sunlight or fresh air" at the Sea Life London Aquarium.Housing the 15 gentoo penguins at the attraction on the South Bank was un-British", said the leader of the campaign. Continue reading...
Experts including children's laureate lament low quality of entertainment and call for more funding for children's TVLots of children's programming made for YouTube is not entertainment, it's sedation", the UK children's laureate has warned.Frank Cottrell-Boyce said frictionless" programming in which children are bombarded with information", such as CoCoMelon, a YouTube Kids channel with 180 million subscribers, failed to offer the stimulation and nourishment" that previous generations had enjoyed. Continue reading...
Oklahoma archbishop seen as culture warrior but also likely to endorse push for more human treatment of immigrantsUS Catholic bishops elected Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City as their new president on Tuesday, choosing a conservative culture warrior to lead during Donald Trump's second term as president.The vote acts as a barometer for the bishops' priorities. In choosing Coakley, they are doubling down on their conservative bent, even as they push for more humane immigration policies from the Trump administration. Continue reading...
Millions born in 50s lost out because of government failings over changes to state retirement age, campaigners sayMillions of Waspi women" have been given fresh hope that they might receive compensation after the UK government announced it would revisit a decision to deny them payouts.As many as 3.6 million women born in the 1950s are said to have lost out because of government failings in the way changes to the state pension age were made, prompting the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi) campaign to launch in 2015. Continue reading...
Alice Figueiredo, 22, died in 2015 after 18 similar attempts to self-harm on the Hepworth ward at Goodmayes hospitalA woman whose daughter killed herself on a death trap" mental health ward in London has called for urgent change after an NHS trust was fined more than half a million pounds.Alice Figueiredo, 22, took her own life at Goodmayes hospital, Redbridge, after 18 similar attempts. Continue reading...
Zhimin Qian cheated 128,000 victims in China through a Ponzi scheme before going on the run for six yearsThe trail had been cold for five years - ever since Zhimin Qian narrowly escaped the police days after they raided her six-bedroom house in London. Then, in February 2024, detectives noticed a long-dormant bitcoin wallet flicker to life, and a manhunt began.For over a month, police tracked the mastermind of one of the UK's largest money-laundering cases - from a lonely bungalow on the shores of Loch Tay to a red-tiled house outside Glasgow, and finally to a quiet Airbnb in suburban York, where the 46-year-old was arrested in late April alongside four Malaysian nationals working illegally as her domestic staff. Continue reading...
Tens of thousands of people attend event organised primarily by nationalist and far-right groups to mark 107th anniversary of independenceYou can watch the live stream of the Irish presidential inauguration here:Irish president-elect Catherine Connolly has just arrived at the Dublin Castle for her presidential inauguration. Continue reading...
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