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Two-year-old's sepsis death would likely have been prevented if necessary treatment had occurred 12-18 hours earlier, doctor tells coronial inquest

Experts believe songbird is suffering from Usutu virus, first detected in UK in 2020Beloved by Shakespeare and the Beatles, the blackbird and its sweet song have captured the imagination of Britons for centuries.But now the songbird is facing decline, and the British public has been asked to contribute to a survey by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to find out why. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: The Labour leader has kept details about his wife and children private, but that could prove difficult with a move to Downing Street Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. By this time on Friday we are likely to see the first images of Sir Keir Starmer moving into 10 Downing Street, but he's unlikely to pose for a family portrait outside the famous black door as other prime ministers traditionally do.In stark contrast to other wannabe leaders in the UK and across the world, Starmer has gone to great lengths to keep his family life separate from his public and political one. To the extent that many members of the public are unaware how many children he has, or what his wife's name is (it's Vic, short for Victoria). Several journalists have even published articles with her age wrong - by a decade.General election 2024 | Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of desperate tactics amid claims that Tory criticism of his defence of family time was insensitive and had antisemitic undertones.India | At least 116 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in a crowd crush at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India, and more than 80 others were injured, local police have said.UK news | Lucy Letby has been found guilty of trying to kill a two-hour-old baby girl on the hospital ward where she murdered seven other infants. The former neonatal nurse, who is serving 14 whole-life prison terms, was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to murder the extremely premature" infant after a retrial at Manchester crown court.Ukraine | Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, an outspoken critic of western aid to Ukraine, has held talks with president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv, after a surprise visit by Europe's most pro-Russian leader to the Ukrainian capital. Elsewhere, a major poll of 15 European countries showed that a negotiated outcome with Russia, as opposed to an outright Ukrainian military victory, is now seen as the most likely end to the war.Politics | A charity for visually impaired people, Devon in Sight, has accused Tory canvassers of stooping to an all-time low" by allegedly suggesting that the Liberal Democrat candidate for Torbay, Steve Darling, is not actually blind. The comments were said to have been made by a Tory doorknocker calling at the house of an unnamed elderly couple in recent days. Continue reading...

Police arrest man, 19, and woman, 20, after allegedly seizing numerous items related to extreme rightwing ideology' while searching house

Mere existence of a reputation' not enough to justify Geelong grammar trademarking Timbertot', agency finds

Department of Homeland Security says it plans more such large charter flights', sparking concerns for safety of migrants escaping poverty or repressionThe US has sent back 116 Chinese migrants in the first such large charter flight" in five years, the Department of Homeland Security has said.We will continue to enforce our immigration laws and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States," homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. Continue reading...

Yasmin Catley says 14-year-old had been through government program run by NSW's department of community and justice

Beloved by residents of the Leith Park retirement village, the statue is set to be returned a month after being taken

The 12-year-old was last seen swimming at Mango Creek on Tuesday evening, near the remote Northern Territory community of Palumpa

Most of the dead are women or children, say officials, with suggestions a dust storm created panic as thousands were leaving a prayer meeting in Hathras, south-east of DelhiAt least 116 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in a crowd crush at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India, and more than 80 others were injured, local police have said.The crush happened when thousands of devotees tried to leave a prayer meeting, or satsang, with a local religious leader in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh state. The attendees were exiting the venue when a dust storm blinded their vision, leading to a melee and the subsequent tragic incident," Chaitra V, a divisional commissioner of Aligarh city in Uttar Pradesh, told Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...

BoM forecasts more frosty mornings ahead and says a ridge of high pressure is causing the run of cold' weather

The fire at Anglo American's Grosvenor coalmine in Moranbah broke out after methane ignited

Millar, who has been with the ABC's news division for more than three decades, will work full-time on Muster Dogs and Back Roads

Human Rights Watch found links to 190 photos of kids that were scraped off internet without families' consent

Conservatives push out final warnings' amid backlash over targeting of Labour leader's Friday night protected time'Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of desperate tactics amid claims that Tory criticism of his defence of family time was insensitive and had antisemitic undertones.With Rishi Sunak embarking on a marathon day of campaigning, beginning with a pre-dawn visit to a distribution centre and closing with a late-night rally, Tory ministers and aides sought to contrast these efforts with what they termed Starmer's part-time" approach. Continue reading...

Agreement would have shortened prison term but exposed alleged attacker to a federal terrorism-related chargeThe man charged with stabbing author Salman Rushdie in 2022 rejected a plea deal on Tuesday that would have shortened his state prison term but exposed him to a federal terrorism-related charge, the suspect's lawyer said.Hadi Matar, 26, has been held without bail since Rushdie's attack, in which he is accused of stabbing the acclaimed author more than a dozen times and blinding him as he was onstage, about to give a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York. Continue reading...

Eleven arrested after holding placards outside court that judge said could be interpreted as influencing a juryA group of 11 activists have been arrested on suspicion of contempt of court after they held up placards outside a crown court.Police officers began detaining the protesters, who were standing on the pavement at English Grounds outside Southwark crown court in central London, on Tuesday morning after being given directions by a judge. Continue reading...

CSIS calls site near Guantanamo a powerful tool' that will be able to monitor air and maritime activity of US militarySatellite images appear to show that Cuba is building a new radar site likely to be capable of spying on the US's nearby Guantanamo Bay naval base, in the latest upgrade to the country's surveillance capabilities long thought to be linked to China.The base, under construction since 2021 but previously not publicly reported, is east of the city of Santiago de Cuba near the El Salao neighborhood, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said in a report published on Monday and later referenced by the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading...

Former DUP leader to appear before Newry magistrates for preliminary hearingThe number of historical sexual offences being faced by former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has increased before his latest court appearance.Donaldson, 61, is expected to appear at Newry magistrates court on Wednesday for a preliminary enquiry hearing to establish if there is sufficient evidence to send him for trial. Continue reading...

Labour donor and green energy businessman given permission to serve papers to Paul Staines' home in IrelandThe Labour donor Dale Vince has employed a new legal approach to sue the political blog Guido Fawkes for libel, despite the website being hosted overseas.Vince, who has given millions of pounds to Labour in the run-up to the general election, says the Westminster-focused blog falsely suggested that he supports Hamas, a proscribed terrorist group. Continue reading...

Anne Hidalgo says Paris stands up for freedom' amid Marine Le Pen success in first round of voting

Rise in sales of ranges in six to 10 suggests retailer has been successful in appealing to younger demographicMarks & Spencer is increasing its stocks of smaller sizes in womenswear after a surge in demand left gaps on shelves.Stuart Machin, the chief executive of the high street stalwart, said that three years ago about a fifth (21%) of the items sold from its main seasonal collection were size six to 10 and that had now risen to 35% as its fashion and style ranges [were] resonating with a different customer group". Continue reading...

Marianne Smyth is accused of stealing more than $170,000 from people she met through her work at UK-based mortgage companiesA US-born woman who posed as an Irish heiress to scam thousands of dollars from several victims was flown on Tuesday to the UK to face additional charges there.Marianne Smyth is accused of stealing more than $170,000 from five people whom she met through her jobs at UK-based mortgage companies between 2008 and 2010. For years, Smyth feigned being a witch, psychic and friend of A-list celebrities to deceive others into giving her money. Continue reading...

Last time a Labor MP voted against the party position was 2005 when Tasmanian MP Harry Quick opposed anti-terrorism legislation

Finance minister Katy Gallagher says people who felt intimidated into paying back ATO debts so old they are impossible to verify will not get their money back

Health ombudsman says thousands' of sperm samples at fertility clinics are at risk of potentially devastating identification mix-ups

Labour is almost certain to retain Nottingham East but many plan to stay away or spoil their ballot

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Prime minister describes the 79-year-old politician as an institution in his own right'

Service offers more than 20,000 films and TV shows on-demand to compete with popular streaming platformsRupert Murdoch's Fox Corporation has launched its ad-supported streaming service, Tubi, in the UK.The platform will compete with services such as Netflix, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4's streaming platform as well as BBC iPlayer. Continue reading...

BoM forecasts daily showers to continue along east coast until next week while Melbourne should brace for near freezing weather

Authorities in talks with Instagram and Facebook about taking part in $6.5m test of online safety measures

New president Jose Raul Mulino has vowed to close the route through which thousands of migrants travel to the US every yearThe US will cover the costs of repatriating migrants who enter Panama illegally, under a deal agreed with the Central American country's new president who has vowed to shut down the treacherous Darien Gap used by people travelling north to the United States.In his first address as president, Jose Raul Mulino promised to seek international assistance to find solutions to what he described as a costly humanitarian and environmental crisis". Continue reading...

University confirms police operation under way with 22-year-old man taken to Royal Prince Alfred hospital

Sources say Hungary's pro-Russia PM planning to visit president Volodymyr Zelenskiy one day after assuming EU presidencyHungary's Viktor Orban is expected to travel to Kyiv on Tuesday, according to three sources with knowledge of the plans, in a surprise visit for one of Europe's most pro-Russian leaders, which comes as Hungary takes over the rotating presidency of the EU.Two sources in Budapest said Orban was expected to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv, in the Hungarian prime minister's first trip to neighbouring Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion more than two years ago. Continue reading...

Peter Fouche set up Project Konstantin, which provides supplies and delivers aid to frontlineA British man who founded a charity providing support to Ukraine soldiers has died while fighting in the country, the organisation said.Peter Fouche died last Thursday in the battlefield" after getting badly injured in combat against Russian forces", Halyna Zhuk, commercial director and co-founder of Project Konstantin, said in a video message. Continue reading...

About 40 passengers taken to hospitals after flight from Madrid to Montevideo forced to make emergency landingAn Air Europa flight from Madrid to Montevideo has been forced to make an emergency landing at a Brazilian airport due to severe turbulence", the airline said.About 40 passengers, mostly with minor injuries, were taken to hospitals in Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte state after the plane was diverted early on Monday. Continue reading...

PM says he loves this party dearly' and would always put himself at the service of it'Rishi Sunak is speaking at a campaign event in Staffordshire. As the advance briefing predicted, he has just told his audience.I tell you this: once you have handed Keir Starmer and Labour a blank cheque, you won't be able to get it back.We've had a strategy in place and we'll try to keep to it, which is to carve out really protected time for the kids, so on a Friday - I've been doing this for years - I will not do a work-related thing after six o'clock, pretty well come what may.There are a few exceptions, but that's what we do.[In politics] some people think, if you fill your diary 24/7 and don't do anything else, that makes you a much better decision maker. I don't agree with that, I think you've got to make space, so we do it ...Actually, it helps me, it takes me away from the pressure, it relaxes me, and I think, actually, not only is it what I want to do as a dad, it is better. Continue reading...

Marine Tondelier urges National Rally leader to take part in TV debate before second-round parliamentary electionMarine Tondelier, the head of the French Green party, has called on the far-right National Rally (RN) leader, Jordan Bardella, to take part in a TV debate with her before Sunday's second-round parliamentary election, accusing him of only wanting to debate with men.Tondelier, known for her trademark green jacket, has emerged as one of the main figures of the New Popular Front left alliance, which is positioning itself as a clear alternative to the far-right National Rally (RN) in many constituencies in the final runoff. Continue reading...

The federal government has banned tobacconists, vape shops, and convenience stores from selling vapes. But are they sticking to the rules?

The 45-year-old has the perfect CV for the role, with experience at the Bank of England and in private finance - but how has her background shaped her tough stance on public finances?

Both men deny claims by actor Judith Godreche, who has formally accused them of abusing her as a teenagerFrench authorities detained leading film directors Benoit Jacquot and Jacques Doillon on Monday for questioning over accusations of sexual abuse, sources close to the case said.An AFP journalist saw both men, who have denied the allegations, arrive at a police station in Paris on Monday morning, accompanied by their lawyers. Continue reading...

Minister says sale could disturb stability in the region and potentially threaten Norwegian interests'The Norwegian government has called off a plan to sell the last privately owned piece of land on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard in order to prevent its acquisition by China.The remote Sore Fagerfjord property in south-west Svalbard - 60 sq miles (sq km) of mountains, plains and a glacier - was on sale for 300m (277m). Continue reading...

Study reveals support for measures to maintain public services, regardless of impact on household financesTwice as many Britons support tax increases to pay for public services as those who believe they should be reduced even if it means further public service cuts, according to new a report.A study released by abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, a research body set up by the fund manager, said the public are willing to support policies that they don't think will benefit their own finances, despite almost two in five (39%) of households now classed as having serious financial difficulties. The number of households with finances in distress has increased by 2.9 million since the last election in 2019, when 28% were in that situation. Continue reading...

Reset with Europe is priority for man who is on course to be foreign secretary, amid two wars and crisis in FranceDavid Lammy will be the first Labour foreign secretary succeeding a Conservative government since Robin Cook in 1997, if his party triumphs in the general election. On his arrival in office, Cook's first two acts were to expand the Foreign Office newspaper subscription list to include the Racing Post, and, perhaps more momentously, give an interview to the Observer hailing an end to xenophobia".Lammy will be less bothered about racing tips, but he is tempted to send a broadly similar signal to Cook's about how the UK under Labour is going to reconnect with the world. Continue reading...

Kaspersky, Moscow-based company deemed security risk in US, has been dropped from Australian consumer watchdog website partner list

Exclusive: Alan Milburn, Jacqui Smith and Sally Morgan would be contenders to take over from Richard MeddingsLabour is poised to axe the chair of NHS England if it wins the election and replace him with a party loyalist to help implement its plans to revive the broken" health service.The party is considering replacing Richard Meddings with the former health secretary Alan Milburn, the ex-home secretary Jacqui Smith, or Sally Morgan, who served as Tony Blair's political secretary. Continue reading...

Some 68,000 people are expected to die alone and unnoticed in Japan this year, police say, as the population continues to ageWe occasionally greet each other, but that's all. If one of my neighbours died, I'm not sure I would notice," says Noriko Shikama, 76. She lives alone in a flat Tokiwadaira, in Tokyo's commuter belt and has come to the Iki Iki drop-in centre to catch up with residents over cups of coffee served by volunteers.Here, amid the everyday discussions about the merits or otherwise of dyeing grey hair, people also share news about the latest lonely death, or kodokushi - officially defined as one in which a person dies without being cared for by anyone, and whose body is found after a certain period". Continue reading...

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