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Plibersek said those victims - Hannah Clarke and her children, Kardell Lomas and her unborn child, and Gail Karran - should have been kept safe'

Simon Case says voters will look elsewhere if chancellor cannot find solutions to tax, spending and debt problemsVoters will look elsewhere if Rachel Reeves does not use next week's pivotal budget to show that centre-ground" politicians can fix the UK's entrenched economic problems, the former head of the civil service, Simon Case, has said.Case told the Guardian that at the time of last year's general election, when he was still cabinet secretary, he believed Labour would be forced to break its manifesto promise to not raise taxes because of the state of the public finances. Continue reading...

The 52-episode Christian podcast was announced with a number of actors involved yet many claim they had no idea about itThe Fox News announcement of a new podcast series on Jesus Christ has turned into a bizarre holiday tale in Hollywood, as several actors attached to massive, 52-episode project claim their recordings date back 15 years and are being released without their prior knowledge.The new audiobook titled The Life of Jesus Christ Podcast, announced on Wednesday as part of a splashy rollout for the network's new Christian vertical called Fox Faith, purports to guide listeners through the life, teachings, and miracles of Jesus Christ", with each episode introduced by Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt. Continue reading...

As most government business halted during the shutdown, immigration agents continued their raidsUS immigration officials arrested, detained and deported tens of thousands of people in operations nationwide during the federal government shutdown, new data reveals.The arrests have led to a marked increase in the number of people held in immigration jails, with more than 65,000 currently detained nationwide - the highest number of people in immigration detention ever. Continue reading...

Mohamed says decision to leave was after many false allegations and smears' against him and othersA second MP within a week has quit Your Party in acrimonious circumstances, throwing yet more doubt on the viability of the leftwing group co-led by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.In a statement on X, Iqbal Mohamed, who was elected as the independent MP for Dewsbury and Batley last year, said his decision to leave was after many false allegations and smears" against him and others, which he did not explain. Continue reading...

Party's former leader in Wales admitted taking payments to make statements in favour of RussiaNigel Farage is facing calls to investigate and root out links between Reform UK and Russia after one of his party's former senior politicians was jailed for 10 years for accepting bribes from a pro-Kremlin agent.Keir Starmer said Farage had questions to answer about how this happened in his party. Nathan Gill, a former leader of Reform UK in Wales, admitted taking payments to make statements in favour of Russia. Continue reading...

Home Office ordered to reconsider case of Jeanell Hippolyte, whose father and brother were granted right to remainThe case of a woman who was denied indefinite leave to remain in the UK even though her father and brothers were granted the status under the Windrush scheme must be reconsidered by the Home Office, the court of appeal has said.Jeanell Hippolyte, a Saint Lucian national, originally came to the UK at the age of 17 in 2000, but left two years later to comply with immigration rules after her student visa expired. Continue reading...

PM says Burnham doing really good job' as Manchester mayor and urges colleagues not to brief against each otherKeir Starmer has attempted to dampen the latest round of speculation about his leadership, insisting that one of his potential rivals, Andy Burnham, is doing a really good job as mayor of Manchester" and warning colleagues not to waste their time briefing against each other.The prime minister gave his backing to Burnham on Thursday night as he travelled to the G20 summit in Johannesburg, after the Greater Manchester mayor repeatedly failed to rule out challenging Starmer for his party's leadership during interviews on Thursday. Continue reading...

It would be expedient for Reform to take Labour's advice and disavow Putin talking points'

Viktoriia Roshchyna died aged 27 after a year in extrajudicial detention at a jail notorious for torture

Chancellor says We can't just carry on like this and muddle through. We have to make some decisions to get on a different path'Prime minister Keir Starmer had a bilateral meeting with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Friday.The two leaders discussed the 11-hour flight from London to Johannesburg in brief remarks in front of reporters, according to the PA news agency.Energy bills are still far higher than five years ago, on top of sky-high mortgages and rents and prices in the shops.

Just one in 13 early career GPs work full-time, NHS figures show, with job stress and childcare significant factorsMuch of the health secretary's plans to reinvent the NHS hinge on moving services from bed-blocked, overstretched hospitals to neighbourhood health centres" where possible, and to general practice.However, while Wes Streeting hopes to make it easier for patients to see their doctor, thousands of GPs have been dramatically cutting back their surgery hours in recent years. Continue reading...

The EPBC Act has emerged as a key test, with the government hoping to score a political milestone while the Liberal leader needs to prove her authority

Campaign group says it will pursue all legal means to ensure personal accountability for grave betrayal'Covid-bereaved families have called for Boris Johnson to lose access to public funds and said they will pursue all legal options for personal accountability after a damning report into his handling of the pandemic.The families said they want all privileges Johnson receives as a former prime minister, including his ministerial pension, his place on the privy council and access to the public duty costs allowance, to be withdrawn. Continue reading...

Ahmad Mulakhil changed his plea at Warwick crown court, admitting to the single charge of rape of a child under 13A man has pleaded guilty to the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Warwickshire, in a case that prompted anti-asylum protests in Nuneaton.Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, of no fixed abode, changed his plea at Warwick crown court on Friday, admitting to the single charge of rape of a child under 13 on 22 July. Continue reading...

Texans planned to utilize unhoused US people to take over Gonave and fulfill rape fantasies', justice department saysThe Department of Justice has alleged that two Texas men plotted a murderous coup d'etat on the island of Gonave, the largest in Haiti, for the purpose of carrying out their rape fantasies".The two men, 21-year-old Gavin Rivers Weisenburg and 20-year-old Tanner Christopher Thomas, have been accused of plotting to take the island by force, utilizing the homeless population of Washington DC, then killing all the men on the island and using the women and children as sex slaves", according to an announcement by the US attorney's office of the eastern district of Texas on Thursday. Continue reading...

Energy price cap for average dual fuel bill will increase to 1,758 a year, from 1,755 in the current quarter

Thinktank says internet flooded with disinformation by Russia-aligned Pravda network, which many websites treat as credibleHundreds of English-language websites - from mainstream news outlets to fringe blogs - are linking to articles from a pro-Kremlin network flooding the internet with disinformation, according to a study released by a London-based thinktank.The study by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) found that in more than 80% of citations it analysed, the websites treated the network as a credible source, legitimising its narratives and increasing its visibility. The disinformation operation - known as the Pravda network - was identified by the French government last year. Continue reading...

As she prepares to deliver her budget next week, Reeves speaks of pressure of being UK's first female chancellor

Morale is completely lost,' say workers as Trump administration strips some programs and transfers othersDonald Trump's bid to gut the US Department of Education makes no sense", according to workers inside the federal agency, who accuse the administration of trying to make their lives as difficult and traumatic as possible".Three employees inside the department spoke to the Guardian, with one warning that morale has been completely lost", 10 months after Trump returned to the White House. All requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. Continue reading...

Shawny Williams, who tried to reform Vallejo police department, says threats to his safety led him to resignThe embattled former police chief of Vallejo, a San Francisco Bay Area city that has attracted national attention over police violence, has said that he endured a steady procession of racist remarks from colleagues and online harassment and threats that ultimately led him to resign.By the time Chief Shawny Williams tendered his resignation in 2022, he said he had received a slew of threats - at his office, at his home, and in his email inbox. Most demanded he step down. But even after resigning, the threats still came by mail to his home and a second property he owned outside the state. Continue reading...

California faced evacuation warnings over flood risk, while Japan experienced heavy early season snowfallEvacuation warnings were issued last week in California as heavy rain brought the risk of flooding and landslides. The storms in the US were linked to a phenomenon known as an atmospheric river" - a long filament of moisture-laden air that originates above the Pacific Ocean and provides vital replenishment of reservoirs and snowpack along the western coast of the US. However, they can also bring destructive volumes of rain, particularly along coastal areas.Elsewhere in the US, parts of Colorado experienced some of their longest stretches of snowless days ever this year, with Denver surpassing its third-latest snowfall date this week after recording its highest ever November temperature of 28C earlier in the month. The warm temperatures and lack of snowfall have also forced ski resorts to delay opening until December. Continue reading...

Third man charged for allegedly harassing Australian high-office holder' as police target people causing high levels of harm to Australia's social cohesion'

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Chancellor told PFI-style schemes familiar from New Labour era are fiscal illusion' offering no value for moneyRachel Reeves has been urged by 40 Labour MPs to drop plans to fund NHS buildings with private finance initiatives (PFI) that would saddle the health service with debt.The Labour MPs, including Cat Eccles, Clive Lewis and Rebecca Long-Bailey, pressed the chancellor to commit to investment in the NHS without the use of private capital and warned that a return to the New Labour era of private funding for public projects would be damaging for trust in the government. Continue reading...

The pristine copy of Superman No 1, the character's first solo title from 1939, was discovered in an attic in California last yearA copy of Superman No 1 that was discovered in an attic in California last year has become the world's most expensive comic book after selling for US$9.12m (6.96m, A$14.14m).Superman No 1 was published in 1939 and was the Man of Steel's first solo title. It marked the first time a character that debuted in a comic book had their own title devoted entirely to them. Continue reading...

Milan allegations link Aleksandar Vui to 1990s shootings of civilians in Bosnian capital by Italians and others

Tether tokens found to facilitate scheme that enables sanctions evasion and launders money for the KremlinA cryptocurrency backed by one of Nigel Farage's biggest donors has been used to help Russia fight its war against Ukraine, British investigators say.The National Crime Agency has spent four years trying to crack a multibillion-dollar scheme that exchanges cash from drug and gun sales in the UK for crypto, digital tokens that are designed to hide their users' identities. Continue reading...

The world thinks Palestinians don't need help any more,' aid organiser says, despite desperate need as winter nearsFundraisers collecting for Palestinian civilians in Gaza are seeing a catastrophic" drop-off in donations since the ceasefire was announced in October.Donations collected by volunteers and funnelled to needy families living in temporary shelters and struggling with illness, hunger and malnutrition have been harder to raise since then, according to organisers, many of whom have been running volunteer initiatives for Palestinians in Gaza on third-party crowdfunding platforms over the past two years. Continue reading...

Mexican woman Ary Gisell Silva, 23, admitted she instigated robbery of Jake and Callum Robinson, as well as American Jack Carter RhoadA Mexican court sentenced a woman to 20 years in prison for her involvement in the April 2024 killings of two Australian surfers and an American at a surfing hotspot in Baja California, judicial authorities said Thursday.The victims were Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson, aged 30 and 33, respectively, and Jack Carter Rhoad, a 30-year-old US citizen. Continue reading...

Former television reporter and presenter, now the member for Vaucluse, praised for her enormous potential'

Coroner's report into deaths of Rachel McCrow, Matthew Arnold and Alan Dare released following five-day inquest

Man sentenced to community correction order after pleading guilty to threatening or inciting violence on grounds of gender identity

Former journalist and first-term MP has vowed to take the fight on energy, infrastructure and housing to the Minns Labor government

The 1940 painting of Kahlo asleep in bed has surpassed the record set by the $44.4m sale of Georgia O'Keeffe's Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 in 2014A 1940 self-portrait by famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo has sold for $54.7m (41.8m, A$84.7m) at a New York art auction, setting a new top sale price for a work by any female artist.El sueno (La cama), or The Dream (The Bed), which depicts Kahlo asleep in a bed with a smiling skeleton wrapped in dynamite on the canopy above her, sold on Thursday night at a Sotheby's auction of surrealist art after four minutes of bidding. Continue reading...

Prakazrel Pras' Michel was convicted in 2023 after a trial that included testimony from actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former US attorney general Jeff SessionsThe Grammy-winning rapper Prakazrel Pras" Michel of the Fugees has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for a case in which he was convicted of illegally funnelling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former US president Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign.Michel, 52, declined to address the court before US district judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly sentenced him on Thursday. Continue reading...

Medical bodies warn that hostility towards migrants is behind a 26% rise in departures that imperils NHSRecord numbers of overseas-trained doctors are quitting the UK, leaving the NHS at risk of huge gaps in its workforce, with hostility towards migrants blamed for the exodus.In all, 4,880 doctors who qualified in another country left the UK during 2024 - a rise of 26% on the 3,869 who did so the year before - figures from the General Medical Council reveal. Continue reading...

Public accounts committee calculates cost of households either evading the fee or saying they do not need TV licenceThe BBC is now losing more than 1bn a year from households either evading the licence fee or deciding they do not need one, according to a cross-party group of MPs who warned the corporation is under severe pressure".Attempts to enforce payment of the licence fee are also stalling. The number of visits to unlicensed homes increased by 50% last year, but it did not translate into either higher sales or successful prosecutions. BBC executives have said they face the increasing problem of householders simply refusing to answer the door. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Clinical guidelines should change to avoid exposing young people to potentially harmful side-effects, researchers sayClinical guidelines should no longer recommend Prozac for children, according to experts, after research showed it had no clinical benefit for treating depression in children and adolescents.Globally one in seven 10-19 year olds have a mental health condition, according to the World Health Organization. In the UK, about a quarter of older teenagers and up to a fifth of younger children have anxiety, depression or other mental health problems. Continue reading...

PM says he aims to secure investment to help deal with cost of living and shore up support for UkraineKeir Starmer has defended his decision to travel to South Africa for the G20 summit days before the budget and despite the planned absence of Donald Trump.The prime minister will arrive in South Africa on Friday morning for two days of summit discussions and bilateral talks on topics including sustainability and economic growth. Continue reading...

Trump calls group of lawmakers traitors' over X video of them urging US military members to refuse illegal orders

Report from inquiry's second module also says Johnson as PM at times actively encouraged' chaotic culture

Findings of inquiry into handling of pandemic by Boris Johnson's government paint picture of delay and inactionIn an interview with ITV, Keir Starmer also defended the decision to delay the publication of the government's review of educational provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilties (Send) in England until next year. He said the government needed to take time to get this right. He said:We do need to attend to Send provision. I think uniformly there's a sense that the system at the moment isn't working and needs reform.My strong view is we need to get that reform right and therefore we need to take the time to consult with parents and others.These breakfast clubs are a real gamechanger.They're free and you saw this morning how much the children enjoy them. They're getting a decent meal, and they're getting activity, and that sets them up for the day. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president's office issues statement after other officials condemn absurd' plan to end conflictThe Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said he will negotiate with Donald Trump on a US-backed peace plan that called on Kyiv to make painful concessions in order to end the Kremlin's invasion of his country.Zelenskyy's office on Thursday confirmed that he had received the draft peace plan, which was prepared by US and Russian officials, and that he would speak with Trump in the coming days about existing diplomatic opportunities and the main points that are necessary for peace". Continue reading...

Official report condemns handling of pandemic by leaders of the UK's devolved nationsNicola Sturgeon excluded senior advisers from decision-making during the pandemic by holding gold command meetings" with a small circle, reducing transparency and accountability, the Covid inquiry has found.In a damning report on how UK politicians handled Covid, former prime minister Boris Johnson was criticised for presiding over a toxic and chaotic" culture and making late decisions that cost lives. Continue reading...

The changes could see funding boosts for Reform-led councils in the north with high levels of deprivationDeprived towns and cities in the midlands and the north of England are the big winners in a major shake-up of local authority funding that will redirect cash from affluent rural areas to urban councils hit hardest by austerity.Ministers said the changes put in place a fairer system that recognised the extra needs and weaker council tax raising powers of councils in so-called left behind' areas. It guarantees them real-terms funding increases for the next three years. Continue reading...

Report on handling of pandemic contains stinging criticism of toxic and chaotic' culture inside Boris Johnson's No 10

Statement from Ukrainian president's office says country supports all meaningful proposals capable of bringing true peace closer'In the last hour, Ukraine said it had received from Russia the remains of 1,000 people that Moscow said were killed Ukrainian soldiers, in the latest repatriation - a rare area of cooperation between the warring sides, AFP reported.Today, repatriation measures took place. 1000 bodies, claimed by the Russian side to belong to Ukrainian servicemen, were returned to Ukraine," Kyiv's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said on social media. Continue reading...

Second pandemic report focuses on decision-making, organisation and messaging by senior politicians including Boris Johnson

Senior Security Service officers told Commons speaker in private meeting they can tackle espionage risksMI5 officers told the House of Commons speaker at a private meeting that they can tackle the risks of a proposed Chinese super-embassy in London, opening the door to its approval.The Guardian understands that in a meeting held with Lindsay Hoyle in the summer, senior figures from the Security Service indicated they were very relaxed" about the prospect of a 20,000 sq metre embassy being constructed at Royal Mint Court near Tower Bridge. Continue reading...