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Police say active crime scenes remain at houses and dwellings' in Koolewong on the Central Coast after devastating weekend blaze

Defeated Tory and Labour rivals describe force of Reform machine' as police assess claims of overspendingThe Tory and Labour candidates who Nigel Farage beat to win his Westminster seat of Clacton have described a Reform campaign that felt like a juggernaut", as police began assessing claims of overspending by the Reform UK leader.The candidates spoke after a former aide alleged that Reform UK falsely reported election expenses in Clacton, where Farage won in last year's general election. On Monday, Essex police said they were assessing a report of alleged misreported expenditure by a political party" after a referral from the Metropolitan police. Continue reading...

Jacinta Allan's apology for the actions and inactions of the state' arose from Victoria's treaty negotiation process

Exclusive: Charity Commission chief condemns public hostility towards staff helping women and refugees and at places of worshipA surge in death and rape threats and harassment has created a culture of fear" at charities serving women and refugees, and at mosques, churches and synagogues, the head of the Charity Commission has warned.Mark Simms said he feared growing hostility towards charity staff, volunteers and beneficiaries, both online and on the streets, was becoming normalised and risked eroding civilised values and norms British society once took for granted. Continue reading...

President accuses neighbor of violating treaty governing water-sharing and urges water to be released immediately'Donald Trump has threatened to impose an additional 5% tariff on Mexico if it does not immediately provide additional water to help US farmers, accusing the country of violating a treaty that outlines water-sharing between the neighbors.Under the treaty, which dates back to 1944, Mexico must send 1.75m acre-feet of water to the US from the Rio Grande through a network of interconnected dams and reservoirs every five years. The agreement also stipulates that the United States must annually allocate 1.5m acre-feet of water from the Colorado River to Mexico. Continue reading...

The group were at a popular seawater pool when the wave struck, prompting a major rescue operationFour people are dead and one is missing after a powerful wave dragged a group of swimmers out to sea while they were in a popular seawater pool along the rocky, western coastline of the Spanish island of Tenerife, Spanish authorities said on Monday.Crews recovered three bodies on Sunday - a 35-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman and another man about whom no information was given - during a major rescue operation that used jet skis and helicopters to locate and pick up people dragged out to sea. The fourth victim, a woman, died on Monday, a day after being revived at the scene and airlifted to a hospital. Continue reading...

Livery for renationalised railway features red, white and blue alongside familiar double arrow symbolNo matter how much train fares cost under Great British Railways, no one can accuse the government of wasting money on an expensive redesign.The logo, branding and livery for the impending renationalised and reformed railway will be unveiled by ministers at London Bridge on Tuesday. It is red, white and, yes, blue. Continue reading...

UK foreign secretary urges action against information warfare' made easier by advances in technologyForeign countries are flooding social media with AI-manipulated videos to undermine western support for Ukraine, Yvette Cooper will warn on Tuesday.The UK foreign secretary will urge other countries to help Britain fight what she calls information warfare", as officials warn Russia is using forged documents and deepfake material to advance its geopolitical goals. Continue reading...

Extension comes after Kimmel's late-night show was suspended in September over comments on Charlie KirkJimmy Kimmel has signed a one-year extension with Disney's ABC Network and will continue to host Jimmy Kimmel Live! through at least 2027, the Guardian has confirmed.Bloomberg first reported the news on Monday, noting that Kimmel and Disney struck a new one year extension. His current contract had been set to expire in May 2026. Continue reading...

Eyal Zamir said Israel would hold on to current positions, giving it control of more than half of the territoryThe yellow line" that divides Gaza under Donald Trump's ceasefire plan is a new border" for Israel, the country's military chief told soldiers deployed in the territory.The chief of the general staff, Eyal Zamir, said Israel would hold on to its current military positions. These give Israel control of more than half of Gaza, including most agricultural land and the border crossing with Egypt. Continue reading...

Former UK leader loses out on key role in transitional authority after objections from Arab and Muslim nationsTony Blair will not occupy a key position on Donald Trump's Gaza peace council" after Arab and Muslim nations were reported to have objected to the involvement of the former UK prime minister.According to the Financial Times (FT), Blair has been quietly dropped from consideration for Trump's board of peace", which Trump has said he would chair himself. Continue reading...

Hopes rise of a breakthrough in using 78bn of frozen Russian assets to bankroll KyivEuropean leaders rallied behind Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday night amid hopes they might finally achieve a breakthrough to allow Ukraine access to billions of pounds of frozen Russian assets.Despite vociferous support for the Ukrainian president, who has come under heavy pressure from Donald Trump to cede territory in order to bring the war to a speedy end, there was still no agreement on the thorny question of turning immobilised assets into a loan for Kyiv. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy says talks with Starmer, Macron and Merz were a small progress towards peace'

Sandie Peggie wins harassment claim but tribunal dismisses allegations of discrimination and victimisationA nurse who complained about sharing a women's changing room with a transgender doctor has won part of her employment tribunal against NHS Fife but her claim against the doctor in question was dismissed.Sandie Peggie, who has worked as a nurse for more than 30 years, contended she was subject to unlawful harassment under the Equality Act when she was expected to share a changing room with Dr Beth Upton. Continue reading...

MPs, media and supporter groups accuse club of attacking press freedom with bar after reporting on ownerBrighton & Hove Albion has been accused of setting a dangerous precedent", as it faced criticism for banning Guardian reporters and photographers from home matches after reports on allegations concerning the club's owner.MPs, media and football supporter groups accused the Premier League club of attacking press freedom after its decision to bar the Guardian from the Amex Stadium, after coverage of allegations relating to Tony Bloom. Continue reading...

US national security strategy takes aim at EU and other bodies over issues including migration, free speech and falling birthratesBadenoch is now taking questions.Q: [From Sky News] You said you did not want to leave any stones unturned. That is what Sajid Javid said when he ordered an inquiry into this in 2018. The found that most perpetrators were white. Are you saying that was a whitewash?-Investigate the prevalence and nature of organised grooming networks, with a focus on extra-familial abuse.-Consider whether offenders display shared religious, ethnic, national, family, or clan characteristics. Continue reading...

Cyril Ramaphosa says theories, promoted by Donald Trump, conveniently align with wider notions of white supremacy'White supremacist ideology and false claims that South Africa's Afrikaner minority is being racially persecuted pose a threat to the country's sovereignty and national security, the country's president, Cyril Ramaphosa, has warned.Since taking office for his second US presidential term in January, Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that South Africa's government is seizing land and encouraging violence against white farmers. Continue reading...

Receiver of wrecks says finds of perishables do not have to be flagged, but council asks for space for clean-up operationIt isn't quite Whisky Galore! - the classic British film in which residents of a Scottish island attempt to pilfer 50,000 cases of spirit from a shipwreck.Rather than the prospect of finding a warming dram or two, people on the south coast of England have been coming across bunches of bananas after containers fell off the back of a ship and washed up on beaches in West Sussex. Continue reading...

Artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, pleads guilty at Old Bailey over hit-and-run death of Yubin Tamang, 20The rapper Ghetts has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a student in a hit-and-run while driving dangerously.The award-winning artist, whose real name is Justin Clarke-Samuel, appeared at the Old Bailey in London by video link from Pentonville prison and admitted causing the death of 20-year-old Nepali student Yubin Tamang on 18 October. Continue reading...

Pamela Smith, first Black woman to lead the department, quits amid battle with Trump over control of police

Juan Orlando Hernandez thanked the Lord for being a free man' and then Trump for changing my life'Former Honduras president Juan Orlando Hernandez recently thanked God and Donald Trump - in that order - for being pardoned by the latter of a drug trafficking conviction won by federal US prosecutors less than two years earlier.Speaking in a video posted to social media and referring to the US president, Hernandez eventually said Trump changed my life, and I'll never forget that". But first he praised God, saying in Spanish, You saw the injustice and suffering, and in your infinite mercy you helped us. Continue reading...

Forecasters say flooding and travel disruption possible amid warnings for Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and western EnglandStorm Bram will lead to strong winds and heavy rain in the UK later on Monday and throughout Tuesday, forecasters have warned.Named by Met Eireann, Ireland's equivalent of the Met Office, Storm Bram will move north and to the west of the UK on Monday, bringing heavy rain and winds to parts of the country. Continue reading...

Benefit claimants having applications denied for being deemed too risky by housing associations, says CrisisThe poorest people in England are being denied access to social housing owing to their low income, in a catch-22" situation that is pushing more people into homelessness, research has found.A new report from Crisis said that an ever depleting supply of social homes meant that housing associations were using strict criteria to choose new tenants, and people on low incomes and in receipt of benefits were having applications denied due to being deemed too risky. Continue reading...

Ex-footballer was convicted last month over posts targeting pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko, and broadcaster Jeremy VineFormer footballer Joey Barton has been sentenced to six months in custody, suspended for 18 months, over a series of offensive social media posts between January and March 2024.Barton, 43, was found guilty last month at Liverpool crown court of six counts of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety for posts he made targeting football pundits Lucy Ward and Eni Aluko, and broadcaster Jeremy Vine. Continue reading...

Former Radio 1 DJ pleads not guilty to a total of 15 charges at Southwark crown courtTim Westwood has pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault.The former DJ stood in the glass dock with his hands clasped in front of him as he was arraigned on all 15 counts, at Southwark crown court. Continue reading...

Inspector releases scathing report on hospital facilities and support services for elderly inmates

While country's return to global stage has filled many Syrians with pride, domestically old grievances threaten efforts to rebuild the state

President promises to get involved personally in controversial takeover called unprecedented' by ex-regulator boss

Concerns over recording of meetings at coordination centre excluding Palestinians that was set up to provide support for Trump's Gaza planIsraeli operatives are conducting widespread surveillance of US forces and allies stationed at a new US base in the country's south, according to sources briefed on disputes about open and covert recordings of meetings and discussions.The scale of intelligence gathering at the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) prompted the US commander of the base, Lt Gen Patrick Frank, to summon an Israeli counterpart for a meeting to tell him that recording has to stop here". Continue reading...

Home Office has reportedly ordered threat assessment amid long-running row into Duke of Sussex's safetyPrince Harry's security arrangements while in the UK are being reviewed by the government, according to reports.Harry wrote to the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, shortly after her appointment and submitted a formal request for a risk assessment to the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which is overseen by the Home Office, a source close to the prince said in October. Continue reading...

Chalmers flags pressure on national finances as Reserve Bank contemplates possibility of interest rate rises next year

Exclusive: Labor's minister for communications and sport has stood by her use of family travel expenses as within the rules

More councils expected to fall into bankruptcy in near future as they face nervous wait over government fundingLocal authorities in England and Wales have warned their finances are at breaking point" with more councils expected to fall into bankruptcy in future, as they face a nervous wait to discover their government funding this month.Council leaders expect changes to annual funding arrangements will result in steep cuts for many local authorities, preventing many from balancing their books and providing basic services to citizens. Continue reading...

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Sunday's patriots only' Legislative Council elections took place in the shadow of the Tai Po fire that killed at least 159 peopleHong Kong saw a near-record low turnout in Sunday's patriots only" Legislative Council elections, with fewer than 32% of voters turning out, as the number of registered voters fell for the fourth consecutive year.At 31.9%, Sunday's turnout is marginally higher than 2021's record low of 30.2%. But fewer people overall voted this year: 1.3 million compared to 1.4 million in 2021. Hong Kong's population is about 7.5 million. Continue reading...

Officials say the Birch nightclub had contravened multiple safety regulations and that the basement had no fire safety exitFour members of the same family on their first holiday to Goa were among the 25 killed in a deadly fire at a nightclub in the popular Indian tourist state on Saturday night.The massive blaze broke out at just before midnight at Birch by Romeo Lane, a buzzing bar, restaurant and nightclub in north Goa's Aporna district. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Ministers face pushback over potential changes to asylum seekers' rights before Council of Europe meetingHuman rights groups have warned UK ministers against weakening protections against torture or other mistreatment for asylum seekers before a crucial European summit this week on how to respond to migration.David Lammy, the justice secretary, is expected to help lead arguments at the Council of Europe meeting on Wednesday on how the European convention on human rights (ECHR) could be reinterpreted to limit the scope of rights under article 3, which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment". Continue reading...

From digging trenches and building walls, to learning survival skills, Poland is increasingly aware of risks posed by its eastern neighboursCezary Pruszko still remembers the civil defence training of his Communist-era schooldays - map reading, survival skills, and a sense that the danger of war was real and ever present.My generation grew up with those threats. You didn't have to explain why this mattered," said the 60-year-old Pruszko, as he refreshed those skills at an army base outside Warsaw on a recent frosty Saturday morning. With dozens of other Polish civilians, he toured a bomb shelter, fitted gas masks and practised striking sparks from a flint to start a fire. Continue reading...

Painting of Enlightenment figure, whose constitution for the island inspired revolutionaries in US, is up for auctionThirty years ago, a painting by the British artist Sir William Beechey was sold as portrait of a man".The anonymous buyer, however, knew precisely who the unnamed man in the picture was: Pascal Paoli, the 18th-century Corsican independence leader and icon of the Enlightenment. Continue reading...

China's ambassador summoned over alleged weekend incident that saw Chinese J-15 fighter aircraft twice train their radar on Japanese F-15sThe diplomatic dispute between Japan and China appeared to deepen over the weekend after Chinese military planes were accused of locking their radar on to Japanese fighter jets near the Okinawa islands.Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, vowed to respond calmly and resolutely" to the alleged incident, saying her country would take all possible measures to strengthen maritime and airspace surveillance and closely monitor Chinese military activities. The country's foreign ministry also summoned China's ambassador on Sunday. China's government has roundly rejected Japan's accusations, instead lodging its own counterprotests. Continue reading...

The singer posted a photo of the pair smiling cheek to cheek and a video of them eating sushi together while in JapanKaty Perry and Justin Trudeau have launched their relationship on Instagram, after the singer posted a photo of the pair smiling cheek to cheek and a video of them eating sushi together while in Japan.Perry's post appeared to confirm the pair are in a relationship, after months of speculation about a possible romance between her and the former Canadian prime minister. Continue reading...

UN committee raised concerns over government policies including scrapping the Mori Health Authority and funding cuts for Indigenous servicesA United Nations committee has warned New Zealand is at serious risk of weakening Mori rights and entrenching disparities for the Indigenous population, in its most critical review of the country's record on racial discrimination.Last month, the UN's committee for the convention on the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination (CERD) examined New Zealand's record as part of its eight year review cycle for signatories to the convention. Continue reading...

Two of the men will face retrial while third has been acquitted after successfully arguing trial judge erred in directions to jury

Home Office drive to stop small boats crossing Channel is handing more power to people smugglers, report findsThe UK's policy to stop asylum seekers from crossing the Channel in small boats has led to an increase in violence, deaths and smuggler control, but has not deterred arrivals, according to a report by human rights organisations.The 176-page report from Humans for Rights Network, includes contributions from 17 refugee and human rights organisations operating in northern France and six in the UK. Continue reading...

Benny Zable worries Victoria police powers will target mask wearers, while Tarneen Onus Browne warns it will supercharge the harassment' of Indigenous people

Exclusive: Justice secretary to announce measures aimed at countering illicit finance as well as bribery in public servicesThe UK will no longer be a haven for dirty money and dictators' laundered assets, David Lammy is to promise as he announces a new anti-corruption strategy also aimed at tackling bribery and other misconduct across government and public services.Setting out the plan in a speech in London on Monday, Lammy, the justice secretary and deputy prime minister, will announce a series of initiatives including extra funding for an elite anti-corruption police unit. Continue reading...

Gunmen abducted 315 pupils and staff last month from St Mary's school in Niger state as part of spate of kidnappingsNigerian authorities have secured the release of 100 kidnapped schoolchildren taken by gunmen from a Catholic school last month, a UN source and local media said on Sunday, though the fate of another 165 students and staff thought to remain in captivity remained unclear.In November 315 students and staff were kidnapped from St Mary's co-educational boarding school in north-central Niger state, as the country buckled under a wave of mass abductions reminiscent of the infamous 2014 Boko Haram abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok. Continue reading...

Member of national parks firefighting team killed by tree at Bulahdelah in deeply distressing turn of events'

Disaster payments announced after 16 homes destroyed in Koolewong and four at Bulahdelah in NSW. Nineteen homes were lost in Tasmania