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Inga Ruginien says no hybrid attack will be tolerated' and pledges to shoot down balloons after 66 objects spotted by radar overnightMeanwhile over in the Czech Republic, the country's president Petr Pavel has tasked the populist billionaire Andrej Babi with leading talks on forming the new government after recent parliamentary election.Babi told the president - who defeated him in the 2023 presidential elections - that the coalition talks were already under way, and promised to hand over the text of the coalition agreement and programme priorities" later this week, according to a readout issued by the presidential office. Continue reading...

Protesters say selling building to local college could end a trade dating back to middle ages, if new premises not foundCampaigners protesting against the sale of Walsall Leather Museum have said the institution is the town's last remaining heritage asset".The museum tells the story of the town's leather industry and those who worked in it. The local council agreed plans in September to sell the museum building to a local college to provide support for students with special educational needs and disabilities (Send). Continue reading...

Paul Biya, 92, said to have won 53.66% of vote after volatile two weeks since election when opponent claimed victoryPaul Biya, the world's oldest serving head of state, has been declared the winner of Cameroon's election, granting him an eighth term that could keep him in office until he is nearly 100.The country's constitutional council said Biya had won 53.66% of the vote, while his former ally turned challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, got 35.19%. Continue reading...

Record-breaking hurricane expected to make landfall on Tuesday with 160mph winds, while New Zealand reels from storm damage

PM blames Alexander Lukashenko for not stopping hybrid attacks', which closed Vilnius airport four times last week

Presidents are constitutionally limited to two elected terms but some had suggested unorthodox gambit to stay in office

North Sea contractor says move applies only to its ultimate holding company and it will continue to trade

US president says Vladimir Putin should focus on ending war with Ukraine rather than testing missilesDonald Trump has described Vladimir Putin's announcement of a nuclear-powered cruise missile test as not appropriate" amid growing tensions between Moscow and Washington.Putin said on Sunday that Russia had successfully tested its unique" nuclear-capable Burevestnik cruise missile, which the Kremlin described as part of efforts to ensure the country's national security". Continue reading...

Radio host removed from morning show after what broadcaster reported as a conduct complaint'The award-winning broadcaster Kaye Adams has spoken of her distress after she was taken off air by BBC Radio Scotland as a result of an unspecified conduct complaint", resulting in relentless media speculation.In her first public comment on the matter, Adams said: After three of the most distressing weeks of my professional life and seeing my previously untarnished name publicly dragged through the mud, BBC Scotland has still not provided me with any details of the allegations which have been made against me." Continue reading...

RSF says it has seized control of army's main base in Darfur, home to famine-stricken displacement campFears are growing for hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in El Fasher after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces said it had captured the city, which it has been besieging for more than a year in Sudan's civil war.The group said on Sunday that it had seized control of the army's main base in the city in Darfur, where famine was declared in a displacement camp last year. It then released a statement saying it had extended control over the city of El Fasher from the grip of mercenaries and militias". Continue reading...

Justice secretary David Lammy to announce series of measures after Hadush Kebatu was wrongly freedPrisons are expected to begin enhanced checks before inmates are released after a man who sexually assaulted a young girl was mistakenly freed from jail.The justice secretary, David Lammy, will set out a series of measures aimed at strengthening the system in England and Wales as he faces questions from MPs in parliament about the error. Continue reading...

The poll is seen as a litmus test for the Netherlands and its democratic ideals, as activists decry a hardening of political discourse driven by Geert WildersThe drawing depicted two women; a young blonde with a friendly expression and a scowling older woman wearing a headscarf. On top of the image was a nod to this month's general election in the Netherlands, along with the phrase The choice is yours."The social media post, made by the far-right, anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders, prompted a record 14,000 complaints to the country's anti-discrimination hotline. Many of those who called to report the image compared it to Nazi propaganda from the second world war," the hotline said in a statement, adding that the 19 anti-discrimination agencies associated with the hotline had flagged the post to police, amid concerns that it could be an incitement to hatred. Continue reading...

New legal duties follow case of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who died after exposure to mould in his homeThe first phase of Awaab's law, which promises to protect tenants from dangerous social housing conditions, comes into force in England on Monday, in memory of a two-year-old boy who died after exposure to mould in his home.The new legal duties compel landlords to fix emergency health and safety hazards within 24 hours of reporting, investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified, make properties safe in five working days after inspection and write the findings to tenants within three working days of inspection completing. Continue reading...

The former deputy prime minister staying out of the Nationals party room is the latest sign some in the Coalition are in no rush to finish their ugly airing of grievances

Sanae Takaichi leads a minority government and needs a successful meeting with the US president on Tuesday. Thankfully her mentor, Shinzo Abe, is one of Trump's favourites'Japan's new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, faces the first real test of her diplomatic and personal skills when she meets Donald Trump for talks in Tokyo that are expected to focus on trade and security.Takaichi, who this month became Japan's first female leader after winning a vote to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic party (LDP), made her international debut at this weekend's Asean summit. Continue reading...

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Family members of young woman strangled to death by her former boyfriend in her own home have confronted killer Lachlan Young in court

Exclusive: Excavation, overseen by the US Department of Defense, will feature in More 4's Hidden Wonders TV seriesOn 26 January 1944, a 23-year-old US pilot was flying a mighty P-47 Thunderbolt on a wartime training exercise when it crashed in Essex.Locals witnessed the horror of 2nd Lt Lester Lowry's aircraft diving to the ground and bursting into flames. Lowry was not seen to bail out and he has remained missing in action (MIA) for more than 80 years. Ironically, his plane was named Lucky Boy". Continue reading...

Actor who also starred in Midsommar and became a musician was nicknamed the most beautiful boy in the world' - a title he struggled with all his lifeBjorn Andresen, the Swedish actor best known for his breakout role in the 1971 film Death in Venice, has died aged 70.At 15, Andresen was cast in Italian director Luchino Visconti's Death in Venice, based on Thomas Mann's novella, in which he played Tadzio, a beautiful boy with whom an older man, played by Dirk Bogarde, becomes obsessed. Continue reading...

Tech giant faces hefty fines from consumer watchdog for allegedly trying to convince customers to pay more than needed for their Microsoft 365 subscription

Singer says he will not perform in Israel while Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power, eight years after Radiohead defied criticism to perform in Tel AvivRadiohead frontman Thom Yorke has said he would not now perform in Israel, eight years after the band defied pro-Palestinian activists to play a show in Tel Aviv.Absolutely not. I wouldn't want to be 5,000 miles anywhere near the Netanyahu regime," he told the Sunday Times magazine, referring to prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Continue reading...

Experts publish letter as peers prepare to scrutinise draft legislation six months after its second Commons readingMore than 1,200 public health leaders have called for the tobacco and vapes bill to be passed swiftly through parliament to protect future generations".They said in a cross-party letter that the gamechanging" measures outlined were far too important to let it slip off the agenda". Continue reading...

Key Labour pledge under threat as health service faces costs from redundancies, strikes and rising drug pricesNHS bosses are seeking an emergency injection of 3bn to cover unexpected costs and have warned ministers that without it patients will wait longer for treatment and hospitals will start rationing care.Their move presents a fresh problem for Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, as she tries to find ways to fill an estimated 30bn hole in the nation's finances in her budget next month. Continue reading...

Royal College of Nursing calls on government to stop using anti-migrant rhetoric, which it says emboldens racist behaviourThe number of reports by nurses of racist incidents at work has risen by 55% over three years, according to analysis by the nursing union.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) expects to receive more than 1,000 calls this year from nurses seeking advice and support after racist incidents in the workplace, compared with almost 700 cases in 2022. Continue reading...

Monthly cost jumps to record 1,385 outside London, and 2,736 in the capital, with hotspots showing hefty rises

Ministers hope to secure a deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council that could add 1.6bn to the UK economyRachel Reeves will lead a delegation of senior business leaders to Saudi Arabia on Monday as she hopes to deepen the UK's relationship with a state that has been widely criticised for human rights abuses.She is the first UK chancellor to visit the Gulf in six years and is expected to meet senior Saudi royals, US administration representatives and global business figures. Continue reading...

Judge of prestigious award says two best collection winners address the urgent challenges of our time'

Police release CCTV footage after man described as white and in his 30s attacked woman in her 20s in Park Hall areaAn urgent police appeal has been launched to identify a man believed to have raped a woman in a racially aggravated attack.West Midlands police were called to the Park Hall area of Walsall just after 7.15pm on Saturday after a woman was reported to be distressed in the street. Continue reading...

Exclusive: new anti-fraud system fails to account for fact many return to country via airport in Irish capitalParents in Northern Ireland have had their child support payments stopped as part of the UK government's crackdown on alleged benefit fraud simply because they flew into Dublin airport when returning to Northern Ireland from a holiday in England.So far 346 families have had their benefits frozen, an investigation by NI online newspaper, the Detail, shared with the Guardian, has discovered. Continue reading...

Health secretary urges party to take Caerphilly result to heart as Lucy Powell gets to work as deputy leaderSenior Labour figures including Wes Streeting have said the government must show optimism and that it is bringing about change after losing a Welsh Senedd byelection amid rising concern about midterm fatigue and a loss of momentum.The health secretary warned that the party must counter a growing sense of despair" and show voters tangible proof of change after its defeat last week in Caerphilly, a town that had been Labour for more than 100 years. Continue reading...

French child, who was six years old at the time of the incident in 2019, suffered life-changing injuriesA boy who was thrown from the 10th floor of Tate Modern in London six years ago can now run and swim limited distances, his family has revealed.The unnamed French boy, who his parents call their little knight", suffered life-changing injuries in the attack in August 2019. Jonty Bravery is serving a minimum 15-year jail term for his attempt to murder the boy. Continue reading...

Liberal Democrats are exploring options while calling for crown estate and prince to give evidence under oathPrince Andrew could face a parliamentary debate on his conduct despite the government so far refusing to allocate time in the House of Commons, as the Liberal Democrats indicated they were exploring ways of raising the issue including in an opposition day debate.Andrew is reportedly in advanced talks with the king's representatives over moving out of the 30-room Grade II-listed Royal Lodge at Windsor, despite his cast-iron" lease running until 2078. Continue reading...

Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, whose case led to summer protests in Essex, detained again and faces deportation

Rev Clive Foster says rhetoric targeting legal migrants makes some wonder if history is repeating itselfBlack Britons are asking if the UK is going backwards", the Windrush commissioner has warned in an interview marking his 100th day in office.The Rev Clive Foster said Windrush scandal survivors were questioning whether history is repeating itself" as UK politicians target legal migrants. Continue reading...

Prime minister praises Scottish band Orange Juice and shares details about his family life in Radio 3 interviewKeir Starmer has said he is a fan of the Scottish post-punk band Orange Juice and northern soul, in a deep dive of his musical tastes and personal life.On BBC Radio 3's Private Passions, Starmer chose a selection of his favourite music including works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Elgar, and reflected on his own musical journey, which included learning to play violin alongside Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim, at school. Continue reading...

Households would inevitably feel the impact' of a surtax on business rates, say retailers in letter to chancellorFood prices in the UK could climb even further if the chancellor raises taxes on supermarkets at the next budget, the industry has warned.Supermarket bosses, including those at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons, have said in a letter to Rachel Reeves that households would inevitably feel the impact" of potential tax rises on the sector. Continue reading...

Yellow markers installed by IDF entrench divide that cuts strip in two, as hopes of moving to next phase of truce fadeA supposedly temporary yellow line marking Gaza's ceasefire is taking an increasingly physical form as the precarious truce shows signs of stalling, with potentially dramatic consequences for Palestine's future.Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops have started installing yellow concrete markers every 200 metres to delineate the area remaining under Israeli control during the first phase of the ceasefire. Continue reading...

Judge intervenes in case, disapplying government rule that charities say drives refugees into homelessnessA high court judge has overruled the government by halting the eviction of a refugee from his asylum accommodation in an emergency case in the early hours of the morning.Mr Justice Johnson made an order in the out-of-hours case just before 2am on Wednesday, disapplying a Home Office policy that requires new refugees to move on from their asylum accommodation within 28 days. Continue reading...

Trump administration altering program that was a lifeline for pioneering non-profits helping reduce gun violenceThe Trump administration has released solicitations for a grant program meant to stop gun violence in underserved communities. But this year, the non-profits the grant was built around are disqualified from applying, according to an application notice released by the Department of Justice (DoJ) in September.The Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI), was created in 2022, to support groups working in rural and urban communities struggling to address violence and fund research studying the programs' efficacy. Continue reading...

Trump has begun a five-day trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, his first visit to the region since taking office in JanuaryDonald Trump has overseen the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on the first day of an Asia tour where he will seal new trade agreements and hold a crucial meeting with Xi Jinping.The US president arrived in Malaysia on Sunday ahead of the Asean summit in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. At a ceasefire ceremony in front of a sign that read Delivering Peace", the Thai prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Manet, signed an expanded ceasefire deal related to a deadly five-day conflict in July. Continue reading...

Lord Strathcarron says he and an in-law high up' at British American Tobacco discussed bill, which he aims to weakenA member of the House of Lords who is trying to derail the generational ban on tobacco sales discussed the legislation with a family member who is very high up" at British American Tobacco (BAT).Lord Strathcarron is proposing amendments that would scrap the central provision of the tobacco and vapes bill, originally proposed by Rishi Sunak's government. Continue reading...

Vitali Klitschko says six children hurt in overnight attack that sparked fires in apartment buildingsAn overnight Russian drone attack on Kyiv killed three people and wounded dozens, the mayor of the Ukrainian capital has said.The head of Kyiv's military administration said early on Sunday that several" Russian drones were operating over the city, and warned people to remain in shelters". Continue reading...

Report raises fresh concerns about the link between political donations and public spendingCompanies that have recently donated to Labour were awarded contracts worth almost 138m during the party's first year in government, according to new research that raises fresh concerns about the relationship between political donations and public spending.A report by the thinktank Autonomy Institute has identified more than 100 companies that have given money to political parties and then won government contracts, under both Conservative and Labour administrations. Continue reading...

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Police were called to a fight among a large group of men armed with machetes on Saturday evening

Former home affairs minister Bob Debus, who served in the Rudd government, throws his support behind Clairvaux in Katoomba

Attacks come after Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeals to US for long-range missiles and urges allies to expand sanctions on Russian oilRussian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine overnight into Saturday killed at least four people and wounded 20, officials said, and prompted fresh pleas from Ukraine's president for western air defence systems.In the capital, Kyiv, two people were killed and 13 were wounded in a ballistic missile attack in the early hours of Saturday, Kyiv's police said. Continue reading...

Airline says singer's defiant interview breached its policy on politically sensitive or controversial subjectsBritish Airways has halted its sponsorship of Louis Theroux's podcast over an interview with the frontman of Bob Vylan.The airline has withdrawn its adverts from the journalist's podcast after he interviewed Bobby Vylan - whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster. Continue reading...

Former asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu has been missing since being released from prison in errorPolice searching in London for a former asylum seeker and convicted sex offender who was released from prison in error have urged him to hand himself in.The Ethiopian national Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was jailed for 12 months in September for sexually assaulting a woman and a 14-year-old girl and made the subject of a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Continue reading...

Another man in critical condition after railing reportedly breaks off in Costa TeguiseA British tourist has died after a 20ft fall from a hotel balcony in the Canary Islands.Another Briton was left with serious injuries after the balcony railing reportedly broke off in the Lanzarote resort town of Costa Teguise. Continue reading...