World news | The Guardian

Majority of 19,162 penalties issued by private enforcement companies contracted by councilsOn-the-spot penalties issued for offences including swearing, shouting, idling, loitering and begging, known as busybody" fines, jumped 42% in 2023, according to a new report.The majority of the 19,162 penalties in England and Wales - up from the previous record high of 13,433 in 2022 - were issued by private enforcement companies contracted by councils, the research found.Harrow issued 3,919 penalties, with fines for amplification, feeding the birds, failing to produce a dog fouling bag, drinking and handing out leaflets.Redbridge issued 3,550 penalties, including 3,016 penalties for spitting, 142 for drinking alcohol in public, eight for leaflet distribution and three for gambling.Hillingdon issued 3,060 penalties, including 2,335 penalties for idling" (leaving the engine running for more than two minutes), 342 for spitting and 115 for motorised electric vehicles. Continue reading...

Prime minister says problems in health, housing and education will take years to rebuild UK politics live - latest updatesKeir Starmer has told voters not to expect rapid public service improvements as he seeks to relaunch his faltering government with long-term targets on housebuilding, living standards, energy, policing, education and the NHS.In interviews broadcast on Friday morning, the prime minister said he could not promise immediate change, blaming the previous Conservative government for leaving behind problems which could take years to solve. Continue reading...

Scott Trust will become a key shareholder and take a seat on both the editorial and commercial boards of the companyThe sale of the Observer, the world's oldest Sunday newspaper, to Tortoise Media has been agreed in principle.The announcement by the Scott Trust, the ultimate owner of the Guardian and Observer, came as it also revealed that it would invest in Tortoise to become a key shareholder and take a seat on both the editorial and commercial boards of the media company. Continue reading...

Search teams suspect two Americans and one Canadian fell while trying to climb 3,724m-high Mount AorakiThree mountain climbers - two from the US and one from Canada - missing for five days on Aoraki, New Zealand's tallest mountain, are believed to have died in a fall.The bodies of the men have not been found. But based on footprints seen in the snow on Aoraki during an aerial survey, and items believed to belong to them retrieved from the slopes this week, the search for them has ended, police area commander inspector Vicki Walker told reporters. Continue reading...

Leanne McDonnell, 32, of Stratford, charged over death of 42-year-old man on WednesdayA woman has been charged over the death of a 42-year-old man fatally injured by a dog in east London.Officers were called to Shirley Road in Stratford at 4.53am on Wednesday, after reports that the man had been seriously wounded, Scotland Yard said. Continue reading...

Fair Work finds United Workers Union's industrial action had affected employees who wanted to return to the work site

BoM issues warning over severe slow-moving thunderstorms set to reach just north of Sydney. Follow today's news headlines live

Front-page campaign, paid for by the gas industry, has been labelled propaganda'. Plus: InDaily layoffs delivered to staff in fancy dress

Supermarkets slash the cost of vegetables to lure Christmas shoppers - but are low prices taking too great a toll on Britain's farmers?Ten years ago, marketing executives at Britain's biggest supermarket had a brainwave: might slashing the price of basic vegetables tempt shoppers to do their Christmas shop with them?Tesco, under chief executive Dave Lewis, was trying to revive a business reeling after falling sales, five profit warnings and an accounting scandal. That promotion in December 2014, dubbed its Festive Five, offered bags of carrots, potatoes, brussels sprouts, parsnips and a cauliflower for 49p each. Continue reading...

Tabberer's family said they would dearly miss their beautiful mother and Nanna'

Adelaide city councillor Henry Davis, who parodied the lord mayor this week by dressing in drag, to challenge Alex Antic-installed frontrunner

Comedians go public over money owed by Junkyard Artist Management, which they say has gone to ground

Official blast Trump's national intelligence director pick for lack of experience and for embracing conspiracy theories

A choice will be announced within days'. Here are five possible candidates whose names are circulating in French mediaFrance's president, Emmanuel Macron, has said that he will name a new prime minister within days" to replace Michel Barnier, who officially resigned on Thursday, a day after opposition lawmakers voted to topple his government.Here are some of the possible candidates: Continue reading...

Incident comes after indictment of senior police officers on drug trafficking charges sparks debate over corruptionChaotic scenes have broken out in the Bahamas parliament after the indictment of senior police officers on drug trafficking charges sparked a heated debate over corruption, in which the deputy opposition leader tossed a ceremonial mace out a window.During the incident, Shanendon Cartwright of the opposition Free National Movement approached the speaker, Patricia Deveaux, after she did not allow him to speak, grabbed the parliamentary mace, and tossed it out of a nearby window. Continue reading...

French president says he intends to stay on until his term ends in 2027 in televised address to the nation

President says he will remain in power until 2027, amid political turmoil following collapse of governmentThe French president, Emmanuel Macron, has ruled out resigning, saying he will stay in power until the end of his term in 2027 and will appoint a new prime minister in the coming days, after the government's historic collapse plunged France into political turmoil.You have given me a democratic mandate of five years and I'll carry it out fully until its term," he said in a televised speech to the French people late on Thursday. Continue reading...

The popular hospital-set sitcom is set to return with the original cast being targeted for rolesHit sitcom Scrubs is scheduled to return with a reboot in early development at ABC.Series creator Bill Lawrence is working on a new version of the hospital-set comedy with the original cast being targeted for a return. The show starred Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke and John C McGinley. Continue reading...

But local branch of rights group says serious crimes' were potentially taking place that needed investigationAmnesty International's Israel branch has distanced itself from the rights group's allegation that Israel was committing genocide" in Gaza, but said serious crimes" were potentially taking place that needed investigation.While the Israeli section of Amnesty International does not accept the accusation that Israel is committing genocide, based on the information available to us, we are concerned that serious crimes are being committed in Gaza, that must be investigated," it said in a statement. Continue reading...

Five sets of ancestral remains seized in 19th century handed over by museums in Berlin and Lower SaxonyFive sets of ancestral remains from Australia that had been held in German museum collections since the 19th century were handed back at a ceremony on Thursday that a community representative described as a sad but very joyful" moment.The restitution is part of efforts by German museums and authorities to return human remains and cultural artefacts that were taken during the colonial era. Continue reading...

Approval for Marks & Spencer to rebuild flagship London store ends three-year planning battle over art deco buildingMarks & Spencer has been given the green light to demolish its flagship Oxford Street store, ending a fierce three-year planning battle over the art deco building.The housing secretary, Angela Rayner, ruled on Thursday that the plans could go ahead. Continue reading...

They might have sounded a tad familiar, but the prime minister is hoping these pledges will win back trustSir Keir Starmer's speech on Thursday mentioned the word milestone" eight times and missions" 13 times. There were also three promises" and a pledge".This all added up to one big thing: the prime minister attempting to turn the tide after a difficult start in government, by setting targets it must reach by the end of this parliament. Continue reading...

President-elect reportedly plans to send people to countries they have no ties to as part of his attack on immigration

Images of suspect in shooting of Brian Thompson were taken by security cameras at a New York City hostel

Gangs charging 8,000 for illegal travel packages that avoid crossing Channel on small boatsHundreds of people have been detained in Northern Ireland trying to get into Great Britain by crossing the border from Ireland in an operation aimed at cracking down on people smugglers.Criminal gangs are charging up to 8,000 for the illegal travel package they present as a safer route to crossing the Channel on small boats , say immigration officials. Continue reading...

Mandy Damari gives first news conference pleading for help to bring her daughter Emily and the 100 remaining hostages homeThe mother of the last remaining British hostage in Gaza has said she wants solutions, not sympathy" as she appealed to the government to help keep her daughter alive.

Eddie Ratcliffe, who was 15 when he and a friend murdered the schoolgirl, wanted 20-year minimum jail term to be cutOne of the two teenagers convicted of the murder of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey has failed in his attempt to reduce the length of his sentence after claiming a judge failed to take into account his immaturity".Eddie Ratcliffe was detained for life with a minimum term of 20 years in February for the murder, along with Scarlett Jenkinson, who received a minimum term of 22 years. Continue reading...

Prime minister sets out milestones for delivery but faces claims of watering down targets and ignoring immigrationKeir Starmer accused Whitehall of becoming comfortable with failure as he challenged civil servants to hit a series of policy targets and deliver on 150 major infrastructure projects".Ushering in the next phase" for the five-month-old Labour government, the prime minister urged a profound cultural shift away from a declinist mentality" and a relentless focus on getting things done.Higher real household disposable income and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita by the end of this parliament, as part of a long-term aim to make the UK the fastest-growing G7 economy.Building 1.5m homes in England and fast-tracking planning decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure projects.Putting the UK on track" to achieve at least 95% clean power by 2030.Meeting the NHS standard of 92% of patients in England waiting no longer than 18 weeks for elective care.Getting a record 75% of five-year-olds ready to learn when they start school.A named police officer for every beat, and 13,000 extra neighbourhood police officers for England and Wales. Continue reading...

Emmanuel Macron appears to have few good options after Michel Barnier's government became the first to fall from a no-confidence vote in more than 60 yearsThe French prime minister, Michel Barnier, resigned on Thursday morning, after far-right and leftist lawmakers joined forces to topple his government only three months after it took office.Barnier and his government will stay on in a caretaker capacity, taking care of day-to-day business until the appointment of a new government, the Elysee said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...

Michel Barnier resigns as prime minister but will stay on in caretaker role until new government is appointmentThe French president Emmanuel Macron has held meetings with parliament and senate leaders before a speech to the nation on Thursday evening, as pressure grows for him to swiftly appoint a new prime minister in the wake of the French government's historic collapse.The rightwing prime minister, Michel Barnier, met Macron for just over an hour in order to hand in his resignation letter, a day after his minority coalition became the first to be toppled by a no-confidence vote in more than 60 years and only three months after it took office. Continue reading...

Agencies urge parents, teachers and healthcare workers to be vigilant, paying particular attention to gaming sites and messaging platforms

Guardian Australia was told firm disclosed its private sector work, but it is not known which clients were listed

Prime minister makes speech intended to to show Labour government is delivering change'Starmer says there is record dissatisfaction with the NHS. The public insititutions but that they are not beyond repair.

Sports Direct owner reports weaker consumer confidence before and after the budget as it cuts profit expectationsThe chief executive of the high street retail giant Frasers said that we felt we'd been kicked in the face" after Rachel Reeves' autumn budget.Frasers said it had witnessed weaker confidence among shoppers leading up to and since the budget, as the company reduced its profit forecasts for the year. Continue reading...

Richard Reyes has delivered Christmas gifts to low-income children in Houston area for decades in his red zoot suitA heart attack and subsequent surgery are preventing the Mexican-American version of Santa known to generations of Texas children as Pancho Claus from suiting up this Christmas.Yet members of Richard Reyes's community have taken it upon themselves to organize toy drives - and even don his iconic look - to keep his spirit alive for his scores of believers. Continue reading...

Race for state house seat, which will determine whether Republicans win control of chamber, separated by 14 votesTwenty ballots went missing in a Minnesota precinct this November, the type of error that would typically result in an internal investigation but not receive much public attention. But the implications are much greater right now, as the race for the district's state house seat is separated by 14 votes, and that seat will determine whether Republicans win control of the chamber.The missing ballots, which were probably the result of human error, were never counted. Officials tried to track them down, only to learn that they had been sent to the shredder. Continue reading...

Skipping Fridays appears to be part of unorthodox schooling' trend in England since pandemic, says reportParents who have been working from home since the pandemic are keeping their children off school with them, the chief inspector of Ofsted has suggested.Sir Martyn Oliver, who has launched his first annual report on education and children's social care in England, said the trend could be seen in lower attendance figures on Fridays. Continue reading...

NHS winter report reveals norovirus and RSV are also leaving thousands in hospitalThe NHS is facing a quad-demic" of health emergencies as it heads into winter, with hospitals busier than ever" for this time of year, the health service's most senior doctor has said.The number of people in hospital with flu in England has more than quadrupled compared with last year, while cases of Covid, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are also on the rise. Continue reading...

The nun is alleged to have been the conduit between the gang and its associates in prisonA nun was among 25 people arrested in Italy on suspicion of being part of a criminal gang with links to the country's most powerful mafia network, the 'Ndrangheta.The nun is alleged to have been the conduit between the gang and its associates in prison, according to reports in the Italian press citing the anti-mafia unit of the prosecutor's office in Brescia, northern Italy. Continue reading...

Construction firms say high borrowing costs and weak consumer confidence hitting housebuilding demandActivity in Britain's construction industry picked up in November but housebuilding weakened, throwing the government's new homes targets into further doubt.The S&P Global/CIPS UK Purchasing Managers' Index for the construction industry came in at 55.2 last month, up from October's 54.3. Continue reading...

Reece Galbraith charged with manslaughter and cannabis production over explosion that left seven-year-old boy and 35-year-old man deadA man has been charged with manslaughter and cannabis production after a house explosion in Newcastle that killed two people including a seven-year-old boy.The blast happened in Violet Close, in the Benwell and Elswick area of the city, in the early hours of 16 October. Continue reading...

TV presenter denies fresh claims of incidents that Shannon Kyle alleges happened when she was working on his 2012 autobiographyThe ghostwriter of Gregg Wallace's 2012 autobiography has claimed he sexually harassed her when she was working on the book.Shannon Kyle told BBC Newsnight that Wallace touched her thigh inappropriately while she was sitting in the passenger seat of his sports car and touched her bottom during an appearance at the Good Food Show. Continue reading...

Donna Nelson sentenced to six years in prison after court finds her guilty of bringing methamphetamine into country

His company Xclusive Tech Pty Ltd, which operates under the name LMCT+, is facing a further 10 charges

Finance, women's and public services minister says Coalition's promised cuts means failures of systems'

Notes found in cell of 19-year-old detained after FBI tip-off allegedly included further plans for attacks, court hears

Health officials say they are prioritising people with the highest needs for King Kong of weight-loss drugs'Fewer than 10% of patients in England who are eligible for what has been dubbed the King Kong of weight loss drugs" will initially be able to access it on the NHS after officials said they would prioritise people with the highest needs.The difficult decision" to roll out Mounjaro slowly over 12 years was made in order to protect other vital NHS services", the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said. Continue reading...

Some 16% of women and 8% of men will suffer from financial abuse in their lifetimes, an annual toll estimated at $5.7bn

People Power party says it will vote against impeachment bill brought by opposition amid outrage over Yoon's attempt to declare martial lawSouth Korea's ruling party says it will block a move by the opposition to impeach the beleaguered president, Yoon Suk Yeol, as police said they were investigating Yoon for alleged insurrection over his botched attempt to impose martial law.The floor leader of the People Power party vowed on Thursday that its lawmakers would unite" to defeat the opposition-led motion to impeach the deeply unpopular leader. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: Yoon Suk Yeol's shock declaration - and subsequent reversal - has sent South Korea into political chaos, and left their president facing impeachmentGood morning. South Korea's president, Yoon Suk Yeol, is facing impeachment after he sent heavily armed forces into Seoul's streets with his baffling and sudden declaration of martial law on Tuesday. The move stirred memories of past dictatorships in the country, moving thousands to come out on to the streets and protest, with the military powerless, or unwilling, to do anything about it.Opposition parties submitted an impeachment motion hours after parliament unanimously voted to cancel Yoon's declaration, forcing him to lift martial law just six hours after it began. Impeaching Yoon requires the support of two-thirds of the national assembly and at least six of the nine constitutional court justices. The liberal opposition Democratic party holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament and has called for Yoon's resignation. A vote on his impeachment could come as early as tomorrow. Today we'll look at what happened and why. But first, here are the headlines. Continue reading...