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Opponents say proposal, designed to tackle employee skiving, would fill up doctors' waiting rooms unnecessarilyA German proposal to eliminate the possibility to get short-term sick leave from a doctor over the telephone as a means of cracking down on skiving has met with an outcry from labour groups and the medical profession.Germans enjoy some of the most generous employee illness policies in Europe, a fact which the conservative chancellor, Friedrich Merz, says is undermining efforts to kickstart the EU's biggest economy whose growth has largely stalled since 2022. Continue reading...

In an emergency filing, party asked for an injunction for new maps aimed at countering Texas's gerrymanderThe California Republican party has asked the US supreme court to block a redistricting measure voters approved in November that would flip up to five House seats in Democrats' favor.In an emergency filing, the party asked Justice Elena Kagan, who is assigned to the ninth circuit in a supervisory capacity to oversee emergency filings, to issue an injunction before 9 February, the beginning of California's candidate filing period for the June 2026 primaries.This article and headline were amended on 21 January 2026. California Republicans filed the appeal to the US supreme court, not to the state supreme court as an earlier version stated.Associated Press contributed reporting Continue reading...

Carl Crowther says his feline has heart problem and needs medication, after delivery driver seen making off with itA concerned pet owner has pleaded for the safe return of his family's ill cat after an Amazon delivery driver was caught on video picking the animal up and walking away.Carl Crowther, 53, said that he had been expecting a package on Monday 19 January, but had been forced to leave to go to his job as a maintenance man about an hour before it arrived at approximately 2.30pm. Continue reading...

Prime minister surprisingly forceful at PMQs over US president's volte face on Chagos and refusal to drop tariffs threat on Greenland

PM also accuses Kemi Badenoch of supporting efforts by Trump to undermine the government's position'

Trainee driver killed in accident near Barcelona just days after 43 died in collision between two high-speed trainsSpain's rail network is under scrutiny after a commuter train crashed near Barcelona just days after at least 43 people died and 152 were injured in a collision between two high-speed trains.The second crash in as many days occurred at approximately 9pm on Tuesday when a retaining wall collapsed on to the track near Gelida in the region of Catalonia in north-east Spain, derailing a local train. Continue reading...

Retailer buys chain from administration for 3.8m adding to brand portfolio ranging from FatFace to Made.comNext has rescued the Russell & Bromley footwear retailer out of administration for 3.8m but about 400 jobs are likely to go at 33 shops not included in the deal.The British brand, founded in 1879 in Eastbourne, East Sussex, trades from 36 stores and nine concessions across the UK and Ireland. But Next will only take on three stores - in Chelsea, Mayfair and the Bluewater Shopping Centre - and about 48 store staff, it is understood. Continue reading...

Departure of all eight remaining frontbenchers was not sparked by principled policy differences, but by ego, ideology and arrogance

Han Duck-soo verdict marks first judicial ruling stemming from ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 martial law decreeSouth Korea's former prime minister Han Duck-soo has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in an insurrection stemming from the former president Yoon Suk Yeol's failed martial law declaration.The judge, Lee Jin-kwan, ordered Han's immediate detention. Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister accepts position on US-proposed body with initial remit to oversee Gaza ceasefireIsrael's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Wednesday that he had agreed to join a US-backed board of peace" proposed by Donald Trump, despite his office having earlier criticised the composition of its executive committee.The body, chaired by the US president, was initially presented as a limited forum of world leaders tasked with overseeing a ceasefire in Gaza. More recently, however, the initiative appears to have expanded well beyond that remit, with the Trump camp extending invitations to dozens of countries and suggesting the board could evolve into a vehicle for brokering conflicts far beyond the Middle East. Continue reading...

Prime minister's reported trip follows approval by UK government for Beijing to build new embassy in London

DVSA says increase in recorded cases - 2,844 in the year to September - down to more cheating and better detectionAttempts to cheat on driving tests in England, Scotland and Wales increased by 47% in a year, figures show, raising concerns about road safety.There were 2,844 cases recorded in the year to the end of September 2025, according to figures by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), up from 1,940 during the previous 12 months, and 1,274 in 2018/19. Continue reading...

Britain's position would be much worse' if PM took stronger line on US threats over Greenland, says energy secretary

Reform UK leader fails to declare 380,000 on time, saying he is computer-illiterate oddball'

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Anthony Albanese and Tony Burke say the laws are needed to protect Australians - particularly the Jewish community

Amnesty International deeply concerned for scores of people walking around in search of assistance'Thousands of people, including suspected victims of human trafficking, are estimated to have been released or escaped from scam compounds across Cambodia over recent days, after growing international pressure to crackdown on the multibillion-dollar industry.The Indonesian embassy in Phnom Penh said it had received reports from 1,440 of its nationals who had been released from scam centres, while large queues of Chinese nationals were also seen outside the Chinese embassy. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: Music spaces are welcoming bigger crowds again, but the industry remains fragile as rising costs and shrinking local circuits threaten the next generation of talentGood morning. The music industry has long been one of the UK's successful export stories, whether it was the British invasion of the US spearheaded by the Beatles and the Stones in the 1960s or the contemporary success of the likes of Adele and Ed Sheeran.In recent years, however, there has been a steady drumbeat of doom in the background. Artists have concerns about artificial intelligence slop replacing them, they face dwindling earning power due to paltry streaming royalty rates, and crucially, there has been a contraction in the number of venues where musicians can hone their craft and build a fanbase.UK news | The government has approved the construction of a vast new Chinese embassy complex in east London despite concerns about security and its impact on political exiles in the capital.Chagos Island | Donald Trump has suggested Britain's decision to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius is among the reasons he wants to take over Greenland.Social trends | Rightwing movements are struggling to gain support among graduates as education emerges as the most important dividing line in British attitudes towards politics, diversity and immigration.Middle East | Israeli crews have started bulldozing the Jerusalem headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and fired teargas at a UN vocational school in Qalandia in the West Bank.US news | An Indiana state court judge and his wife were in stable condition on Monday as authorities continued to search for suspects who shot the couple the day before at their Lafayette home. Continue reading...

Regime appears to have turned to digital currency issued by Tether in the face of sanctionsIran's central bank appears to have been using vast quantities of a cryptocurrency championed by Nigel Farage, according to a new report.Elliptic, a crypto analytics company, said it had traced at least $507m (377m) of cryptocurrency issued by Tether - a company touted by the Reform UK leader - passing through accounts that appear to be controlled by Iran's central bank. Continue reading...

Aldi triumphed in the consumer watchdog's laundry showdown, while some name brands failed to come out in the wash

Gelsenkirchen savings bank was raided over Christmas by criminals who used huge drill to access vaultFaqir Malyar, a carpet trader from the western German city of Gelsenkirchen, was on his way to visit one of his customers during the Christmas holidays when he heard news on the radio of an astonishing bank heist. Thieves had drilled a hole in the wall of the vault of a local Sparkasse - savings bank - and made off with the contents of almost 3,250 deposit boxes.The robbery, likened by a police spokesperson to the Hollywood film Ocean's Eleven, made international headlines: it is estimated that the thieves' haul could have been worth as much as 300m (260m), a sum that would make it the one of the biggest bank heists in a country wearily familiar with them. Continue reading...

The 85-year-old bestselling author's final novel, Adam and Eve, will be published in English in OctoberBestselling novelist Jeffrey Archer has announced his next novel, Adam and Eve, will be his last, coming out 50 years after his debut was published.The 85-year-old author has sold more than 300m books around the world since his first novel, Not a Penny More Not a Penny Less, was published in 1976, according to his publishers. His 1979 novel, Kane and Abel, was his biggest hit, selling more than 34m copies in 119 countries and 47 languages, and being reprinted more than 130 times. Continue reading...

Coroner to examine if 19-year-old drowned off Australian tourist island or was killed by wild dingoesI'm 18, and you can't stop me!" Piper James told her father before she set off backpacking on the other side of the Pacific Ocean - but the young Canadian woman's trip to Australia ended in tragedy and trauma.Early on Monday, the now-19-year-old was found dead on a beach on the world heritage-listed sand island and tourist destination of K'gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) off the Queensland coast, surrounded by a pack of dingoes near the Maheno shipwreck. Continue reading...

Carney warns US-led global system of governance is enduring a rupture' as US president flies in for showdown with European leaders over GreenlandCanadian prime minister Mark Carney has said that the US-led global system of governance is enduring a rupture," defined by great power competition and a fading" rules-based order.His speech to political and financial elites at the World Economic Forum comes a day before US President Donald Trump was set to address the gathering in Davos, Switzerland. Continue reading...

State environmental regulator says Valhalla project, set to drill up to 20 gas wells in Canning basin, can proceed subject to conditions

Cost of living likely to dominate the agenda ahead of 7 November poll as centre-right National party battles to retain powerThe prime minister, Christopher Luxon, has announced New Zealand's next general election will be held on 7 November, kickstarting a campaign cycle that could become one of the country's most contested in years.On Wednesday, Luxon told reporters the National party would continue its agenda to fix the basics and build the future". Continue reading...

Families call for end to political bickering' as David Crisafulli confirms the state LNP will not back the program

For years, Beijing has struggled to gain a foothold in Greenland, in part because of US and Danish unity. Trump's fraying of that alliance could create the opening it needsAccording to Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign affairs chief, China and Russia must be having a field day" about Donald Trump's plans for Greenland, which Kallas says will divide Nato.But according to Trump, his plans are motivated by a desire to counter the very threat that Kallas identified. World peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. Continue reading...

Close family friend says Nico Antic had devastating injuries' and was fighting for his life after more than 60 hours in hospital

Actor and mother of Brianna Ghey among signatories of letter to three party leaders ahead of Lords voteThe actor Hugh Grant is among the signatories of a letter urging Westminster party leaders to ban social media for children under 16.The letter to Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey calls on them to back amendment 94a to the children's wellbeing and schools bill, ahead of peers voting on amendments on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Sharp increase in leading cause of irreversible but preventable blindness driven by ageing population and shows need for early diagnosisNew estimates predict at least 1.6 million people in the UK will be living with glaucoma, the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, by 2060.The figure is much higher than the current 1.1 million people estimated to have the condition, research published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology suggests. Continue reading...

Incident in Spain took place days after collision between two high-speed trains in Andalucia that killed at least 42A commuter train has hit a collapsed retaining wall near Barcelona, killing the driver and injuring 37 people, four of them seriously, firefighters have said.Four people are believed to be in a critical condition after the incident in the Catalonia region of north-eastern Spain, a spokesperson for the region's fire service, Claudi Gallardo, told reporters. Continue reading...

Cost-cutting' announcement comes amid uncertainty over deal struck with Saudi Arabia to perform in RiyadhNew York's Metropolitan Opera has announced a round of layoffs, pay cuts and program reductions as it grapples with financial strain.The organization cited problems left over from the Covid pandemic, which drastically affected performing arts shows across the US and internationally. Continue reading...

Guy Hochman says he was interrogated for six hours after legal group filed complaint accusing him of war crimesAn Israeli comedian and former combat soldier was detained and interrogated for six hours while traveling to Canada on Monday after a pro-Palestinian legal group filed a complaint against him accusing him of war crimes and incitement to genocide".The comedian, Guy Hochman, was detained upon arrival at Toronto Pearson international airport and only released after the intervention of the Israeli consulate, according to the Times of Israel. His detention came after the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Belgium-based group that aims to hold Israeli military personnel accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, filed a 40-page dossier about him with Canadian authorities. The groups Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights and the Legal Centre for Palestine also joined the complaint. Continue reading...

Prime minister hopes for pragmatic' solutions, while US president drops one diplomatic bomb after anotherIn his account of Tony Blair's years in power, The New Machiavelli, Jonathan Powell sets out two opposing strategies for any British prime minister in dealing with their counterpart in the White House.The first, he says, is cutting a bella figura" - parading for show - by openly criticising the US president, for which he gives the example of the French. The other, and the approach preferred by Powell, is to do diplomacy in private and build a close relationship, in the hope of having greater influence. Continue reading...

PM's spokesperson insists government's position is unchanged and that the US still supports the dealThe UK will press ahead with plans to hand the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius despite Donald Trump calling it an act of great stupidity" and suggesting it was among the reasons he wants to take over Greenland.The US president said ceding sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, which includes the Diego Garcia military base, was a sign of total weakness" by the UK. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Northern towns are unfairly penalised by new three-year council settlements, say members with Liverpool seatsKeir Starmer is facing another potentially damaging rebellion, as Labour MPs from north-west towns urge the government to give their local councils more money over the next three years.Labour MPs from the Liverpool city region have written to the local government secretary, Steve Reed, urging him to change the recent three-year local funding settlement, which they say unfairly penalises northern towns. Continue reading...

Louisiana congresswoman is challenging Cassidy, who voted to convict the US president after 2021 Capitol attackLouisiana congresswoman Julia Letlow officially announced her bid for Senate on Tuesday after receiving a complete and total" social media endorsement from Donald Trump over the weekend.Letlow, a Republican, is issuing a primary challenge to two-term GOP incumbent Bill Cassidy, a former physician who once voted to convict the president of inciting an insurrection during his second impeachment trial after the 2021 Capitol riots. Continue reading...

The US president's global club was endorsed by the security council on a false prospectus and seems aimed at displacing the United NationsLike many punters who have tried to do business with Donald Trump in the past, the UN has found itself a victim of a classic bait-and-switch, thinking it was buying one thing, but getting quite another.When they voted to endorse the board of peace in November, other members of the UN security council hoped they were binding Trump into a Gaza peace process, but it now appears they were hoodwinked into backing a Trump-dominated pay-to-play club: a global version of his Mar-a-Lago court aimed at supplanting the UN itself. Continue reading...

Dan Jarvis answers questions in the Commons over the decision to approve a new super-embassy'

US president says there is no going back' on goal of controlling Arctic territory, while Emmanuel Macron condemns new colonialism'

French far-right leader denies existence of fake jobs system' in effort to overturn ban on running for presidentThe French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has told a Paris appeals court there was no system" set up by her party to misuse European parliament funds, as she gave evidence in a fresh embezzlement trial that will determine whether she can run in the 2027 presidential election.The word system' bothers me because [it gives] the impression of a manipulation," Le Pen said on Tuesday, denying she had told members of the European parliament to hire assistants who instead worked for the party headquarters in Paris. Continue reading...

Ex-nurse, who is serving 15 whole-life prison terms, was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven moreThe former nurse Lucy Letby will face no new charges on suspicion of murdering or harming babies, prosecutors have announced.Letby, 36, is serving 15 whole-life prison terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others in the year to June 2016. Continue reading...

Keelman's hospital, which housed dockers in 1700s, awarded 4.6m lottery grant after lying empty for 16 yearsIt was built 300 years ago as an almshouse for men who did some of the most backbreaking and dangerous work on the River Tyne.Most recently it provided fun, if chilly, accommodation for students. Now a new chapter is to be written in the history of a building considered the most at-risk structure in Newcastle, with the announcement of 4.6m lottery money to convert it into affordable housing. Continue reading...

Palestinian refugee agency compound is demolished, while teargas is fired at UN vocational school in West BankIsraeli crews have started bulldozing the Jerusalem headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Jerusalem and fired teargas at a UN vocational school in Qalandia, in the West Bank.Israel accuses the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unwra) of collaborating with Hamas - a charge the agency denies - and last year banned it from operating on its territory. The demolition marks Israel's latest step against Unrwa, which provides aid to millions of Palestinian refugees. Continue reading...

Gonzalo Sanchez, armed with tools and a quad bike, ferried rescuers and victims after rail collision near CordobaA lottery ticket seller in southern Spain has been hailed as a hero after he spent about six hours ferrying rescuers and victims around on his quad bike after the train collision that killed at least 41 people and injured dozens of others.Gonzalo Sanchez, 43, was at home in the small town of Adamuz when the town's WhatsApp group alerted to reports of a train that had derailed nearby. Continue reading...

Chief secretary to prime minister will also bring in small, risk-taking task forces to target specific problemsKeir Starmer's chief enforcer Darren Jones says he is going to bust the sludge" in Whitehall by bringing in risk-taking task forces to deal with problems and the ability to sack senior civil servants who do not deliver.Jones, who is chief secretary to the prime minister, said civil servants should feel jeopardy" if they are underperforming - highlighting that only seven out of 7,000 senior civil servants are on improvement plans. Continue reading...

Church leaders cite Greenland threats, Venezuela action and aid cuts as undermining human dignity and peaceThree cardinals in the US Catholic church have criticized the Trump administration's foreign policy, saying its push to obtain or otherwise seize Greenland, recent military action in Venezuela, and cuts to humanitarian aid risk destroying international relations and plunging the world into incalculable suffering".Our country's moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination," said a joint statement from Blase Cupich, Robert McElroy and Joseph Tobin, respectively the archbishops of Chicago, Washington DC, and Newark, New Jersey.The Associated Press contributed Continue reading...

Increasingly unpopular at home, a president obsessed by his legacy has turned his scattergun on the world stageOne year into the second Trump administration, an actual US foreign policy remains just a nice idea. Instead, the world has been forced to adapt to the world according to Donald Trump: one increasingly shaped by his erratic shifts and unpredictable decisions, his fury at perceived slights and his growing desire to stamp his legacy in the model of an imperial leader from centuries past.Think of it as the mad king's court, where every day is a carnival. Continue reading...