Former PM says past comments don't reflect his views as envoy, while foreign minister says she is confident of Australia's alliance with USAustralia's ambassador in Washington, Kevin Rudd, deleted comments he previously made about Donald Trump after the Republican's election win, saying on Thursday they did not reflect the view of the Australian government.Rudd, a former prime minister, had previously made the comments about Trump in his capacity as the head of a US-based thinktank, a statement on his personal website said. Continue reading...
Guidelines for England and Wales address criticism of earlier draft advising CBT alongside or as an alternative' to HRTWomen with menopause symptoms should be offered hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a first-line treatment, not therapy, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).Its final menopause guidelines for medics in England and Wales, published on Thursday, state that HRT is the preferred treatment for managing symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, depression and sleep problems, in what is seen as a climbdown from previous wording. Continue reading...
Victims of fiery crash near Phoenix airport include 12-year-old boy, with pilot hospitalized for serious burn injuriesA 12-year-old boy was among five people who died in the fiery crash of a small business jet near a suburban Phoenix airport, authorities said Wednesday.Preliminary information indicated the six-seater HondaJet HA-420 aircraft had been headed to Provo, Utah, when it aborted takeoff at the Falcon Field airport in Mesa on Tuesday afternoon. The plane crashed through the airport's metal fence before colliding with a vehicle that was traveling on a road west of the airport, according to authorities. Continue reading...
John Cannan was jailed for 35 years in 1989 for rape and murder of Shirley BanksA convicted murderer and rapist who was the prime suspect in the disappearance of the missing estate agent Suzy Lamplugh has died in prison aged 70.John Cannan was jailed for a minimum of 35 years in 1989 for the rape and murder of a Bristol factory manager, Shirley Banks, along with a further sexual offence, an attempted kidnapping and two offences of abduction with intent to engage in unlawful sexual intercourse. Continue reading...
by Hayden Vernon (now) and Martin Belam (earlier) on (#6S0VF)
Philippe Lazzarini, head of Unrwa, says aid agency will collapse without intervention by member states'Lebanon's army has issued a warning to residents in the Ghobeiry area of the southern suburbs of Beirut that today between 10.30am and 1.30pm it will detonate unexploded ordnance" in the area.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered his congratulations to Donald Trump, who appears on course for re-election in the US.Dear Donald and Melania Trump, congratulations on history's greatest comeback! Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu. Continue reading...
by Bethan McKernan in Jerusalem and William Christou on (#6S178)
Brig Gen Itzik Cohen said in a briefing that aid would only be allowed to enter south of Gaza Strip, not the northIsraeli ground forces are getting closer to the complete evacuation" of northern Gaza and residents will not be allowed to return home, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has said, in what appears to be the first official acknowledgment from Israel it is systematically removing Palestinians from the area.In a media briefing on Tuesday night, the IDF Brig Gen Itzik Cohen told Israeli reporters that since troops had been forced to enter some areas twice, such as Jabaliya camp, there is no intention of allowing the residents of the northern Gaza Strip to return to their homes". Continue reading...
MEPs express concern for EU climate leadership as commission head confirms she will miss Baku summitUrsula von der Leyen's decision to miss the Cop29 climate summit is a fatal signal" and raises questions about Europe's commitment to the climate crisis, observers have said.The European Commission confirmed on Tuesday that its president would not attend the UN climate talks in Baku, which start on Monday. The commission is in a transition phase and the president will therefore focus on her institutional duties," a spokesperson said. Continue reading...
Chancellor says UK's trading relationship with US is absolutely crucial' and promises not to be a passive actor'Another Labour politician who has criticised Donald Trump strongly in the past is Emily Thornberry, shadow foreign secretary when Jeremy Corbyn was Labour leader and now chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee. In an interview on the Today programme this morning she said Trump's victory (or apparent victory - he still has not officially hit 270 electoral college votes) was disappointing", and that it made the world unpredictable".When it was put to her that she described him as a racist, sexual predator" when he visited the UK during his first term as president, she replied:Well, he is. But he is the president of the United States, and we need to work with him.I know that many Londoners will be anxious about the outcome of the US presidential election. Many will be fearful about what it will mean for democracy and for women's rights, or how the result impacts the situation in the Middle East or the fate of Ukraine. Others will be worried about the future of NATO or tackling the climate crisis ...The lesson of today is that progress is not inevitable. But asserting our progressive values is more important than ever - re-committing to building a world where racism and hatred is rejected, the fundamental rights of women and girls are upheld, and where we continue to tackle the crisis of climate change head on. Continue reading...
Scarf made by First Nations women showed Pelicot that others around the world feel the same way', says lawyerGisele Pelicot, the French woman who has become a feminist hero after insisting that the rape trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men should be held in public, has said she was honoured to wear a scarf to court each day which was sent to her by an Australian organisation working to raise awareness of sexual assaults on older women.I'm very honoured to wear it," Gisele Pelicot said on leaving the courthouse in Avignon, southern France. In court on Wednesday, Gisele Pelicot reached for the scarf and clutched it to her during testimony by an accused man who denied raping her despite video evidence. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6S0YW)
Ex-Network Rail chair Lord Hendy vowed to withhold contracts from supplier whose engineer spoke out on rail safetyThe rail minister Peter Hendy has apologised for emails in which he threatened to withhold contracts from a supplier whose engineer had publicly raised safety concerns about overcrowding at Euston station.Lord Hendy told an industry conference in London that the tone of his messages sent in his previous role as chair of Network Rail fell well short of what should be expected, and for that I apologise". Continue reading...
Kevin Hollinrake tells Horizon IT scandal inquiry that Nick Read was unable to properly lead organisation Business live - latest updatesThe former postal minister Kevin Hollinrake has said that the outgoing Post Office chief executive, Nick Read, was paid lots whilst not doing a very good job", and that working with him was like drawing teeth", the inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal has heard.Hollinrake, who held ministerial responsibility for the Post Office from October 2022 until the general election, gave a scathing assessment of the culture and management of the Post Office, describing it as an inward looking, poorly led, dysfunctional organisation". Continue reading...
Impact of increase in NICs and minimum wage on customers and suppliers uncertain, says bossMarks & Spencer has reported a better than expected jump in profits but warned that measures in last week's budget could cost the company 120m next year.The British retail chain's pre-tax profits hit 407.8m for the six months up to October, up 17% on the same period last year, bolstered by sales rising 8.1% for food and 4.7% for clothing and homeware. Continue reading...
Tim Martin blamed increases to the minimum wage and employers' national insurance contributionsPubgoers should expect prices to go up as a result of Labour's first budget in 14 years, the politically outspoken boss of Wetherspoon's, Tim Martin, has said.Speaking as the hospitality chain announced record quarterly sales, Martin pinned the blame for an expected increase in pubs' costs on the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, whose economic pedigree" he has previously praised. Continue reading...
The entry of North Korean troops risks a dangerous escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It also puts Beijing in a tight spotIn October 1950, barely a year after the Chinese civil war ended, Mao Zedong sent the first Chinese soldiers to fight in the Korean war. Between 180,000 and 400,000 of Chairman Mao's troops would die in that conflict, including his own son. But it was important to defend North Korea in that battle, Mao reportedly said, because without the lips, the teeth are cold".That Chinese idiom has been used to described China and North Korea's close relationship for more than seven decades. China sees North Korea as a strategic security buffer in the region, while North Korea relies on its superpower neighbour for economic, political and military support. But that relationship is now under strain thanks to another war which is drawing Communist-rooted countries into a common battle. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: A bleak night for Kamala Harris is still developing, with the first swing states called for her opponent and others trending his way, while her party lost control of the Senate Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. The votes are still being counted, and it is not yet possible to call the winner of the race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. But the pattern of votes cast so far suggests that Trump is a very strong favourite to win. He has been called as the winner of key states North Carolina and Georgia. The remaining battlegrounds are not yet decided, but he currently appears on course to win all five of them, and could win the popular vote. While there is still a theoretical path for Harris, it looks very remote.Trump is expected to address his supporters soon. Harris did not appear at her HQ at Howard University, and her campaign told supporters that she would speak on Wednesday morning.Swing states go to Trump | Donald Trump won the key states of North Carolina and Georgia, leaving Kamala Harris needing wins in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to prevail.Live results | Follow along with our live tracker to get all the results as they come in across the day in every state, and for every House of Representatives seat.Harris HQ | The mood was sombre at Howard University, where Harris supporters gathered, as it was confirmed the vice-president would not be speaking - and with hopes that she could be the first president to graduate from a historically Black college diminishing.Senate | Republicans have retaken the Senate, achieving what was billed in advance as the most attainable goal for the party in this year's election. They picked up seats in West Virginia and Ohio, and are now in a position to confirm any potential Supreme Court picks in the event of a Trump victory.TV | Boris Johnson was fired for banging on about his book" during a guest appearance on Channel 4's coverage of the US election, according to the programme's co-host Krishnan Guru-Murthy. The former UK prime minister had repeatedly tried to turn conversation to his book during discussions of the US election. Continue reading...
It is hoped innovative' 24-hour design will also cut carbon emissions, as demand for delivery services soarsSix decades after the bullet train first whisked passengers between Tokyo and Osaka, authorities in Japan are planning to do the same for cargo, with the construction of a conveyor belt road".The automated cargo transport corridor, which will connect the capital with Osaka, 320 miles (515km) away, is seen as part of the solution to soaring demand for delivery services in the world's fourth-biggest economy. Continue reading...
by Adam Fulton (now), Donna Ferguson, Sarah Haque and on (#6RZWN)
This blog is now closed. See our latest full report here and all our Middle East crisis coverage hereAl Jazeera reports that the death toll from an Israeli strike on tents housing displaced people in central Gaza has risen to six, and includes a six-year-old and a four-year-old child.Lebanon's Nation News Agency has reported that the Israeli army, which has been staging incursions inside the south of the country, is booby-trapping and destroying entire neighbourhoods in cities and towns, such that more than 37 towns have been wiped out and their homes destroyed, and more than 40,000 housing units have been completely destroyed." Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6S0J8)
Many say they felt guilty until proven innocent' amid fears misconduct claims used to silence whistleblowersUK doctors are having suicidal thoughts because disciplinary proceedings against them by their NHS employer take so long to resolve, research has found.Medics who have been accused of misconduct say the current system of investigating allegations is brutal" and humiliating" to go through and can feel like a witch-hunt".In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is at 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...
Valencia authorities say search efforts continue as prime minister announces 10.6bn fund to help victims of disasterAt least 89 people remain missing after deadly floods in eastern Spain, regional judicial authorities in Valencia have confirmed, as the country's prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, said he was earmarking 10.6bn (8.9bn) to help victims.The number includes only those who have been reported missing by family members who have also provided personal information and biological samples to allow for their identification, the superior court of justice of the Valencia region said in a statement on Tuesday. It added that there could be more cases of people who have disappeared whose details have not yet been registered. Continue reading...
by Natricia Duncan and Chaneil Imhoff in St John on (#6S0DE)
Prime minister of Caribbean island expresses deep shock and sadness' at death of MP Asot MichaelThe prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda has expressed deep shock and sadness" after the suspected homicide of one of the country's most prominent MPs.Asot Michael, 54, was found unresponsive with what appeared to be multiple puncture wounds about his body" at his home just after 8am, according to police on the Caribbean island. The representative for the country's St Peter constituency was declared dead at the scene. Continue reading...
Report looked into donations to Nottingham universities by Jesse Boot, who expanded pharmacy chainThe high-street pharmacy Boots's links to the transatlantic slave trade have been revealed in new research that shows how the proceeds of enslavement became entangled with British capitalism.Jesse Boot, the son of the company's founder, expanded the chemist with the help of banks and premises linked to slavery. He was not identified as involved in the enslavement of people, the trade of enslaved people or trade in goods made by enslaved people. Continue reading...
Savannah Bentham, from the Malton area, killed by family pet in attack police said was out of characterAn XL bully dog has been put down after fatally attacking a 10-year-old girl in North Yorkshire last week.Savannah Bentham, from the Malton area, was fatally attacked by her family's pet dog at home on Friday. On Tuesday, the dog was identified as an XL bully and was euthanised by a vet, North Yorkshire police said. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker, Jessica Elgot and Pippa Crerar on (#6S0AK)
Leader names rival in shadow cabinet but announcement marred by leaks suggesting Jenrick wanted bigger jobSenior Conservatives have urged Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick to rapidly settle any differences after the unveiling of the full shadow cabinet was marred by briefings and concern over lingering rivalries.Badenoch, who became leader after defeating Jenrick in a vote of Tory members, held her first shadow cabinet meeting on Tuesday, having named a team including three rival candidates, Jenrick among them, and a series of party centrists. Continue reading...
Top Iranian officials previously referred to an execution when reacting to Jamshid Sharmahd's death on 28 OctoberIran has claimed that an Iranian-German duel national who had been sentenced to death died last week before his execution could be carried out.Jamshid Sharmahd was sentenced to death, his execution was imminent, but he died before it could be carried out," the judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir told reporters without elaborating. It is understood Tehran claims he suffered a stroke. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#6S0AN)
Saltburn actor tells Louis Theroux podcast about his difficult childhood and decision to keep his child offlineOscar nominee Barry Keoghan has hit back at disgusting" online trolls who he claimed use his relationship with his son as ammunition" against him.The 32-year-old Irish actor, who is dating US singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter, has a two-year-old son, Brando, with his former partner. Continue reading...
Pharmaceutical's weight loss pill described as underwhelming', also piling pressure on share priceAstraZeneca shares tumbled on Tuesday wiping 14bn off the value of Britain's biggest drug maker, after a report that dozens of senior executives at its China unit could be implicated in an insurance fraud case in the country's pharmaceutical sector.Also putting pressure on the share price, early data on AstraZeneca's experimental weight loss pill published on Monday was described as somewhat underwhelming" by analysts at Deutsche Bank, who reiterated their sell" rating on the stock. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian