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Khamenei says America and Zionists' masterminded collapse of Syrian regime that was backed by Tehran

Rail minister warns MPs about disruption as Avanti West Coast announces strike

Jay Feinman's book that exposes ways insurance companies avoid paying claims hit No 2 on Amazon's nonfiction listThe book criticizing the health insurance industry whose title resembles words etched on to shell casings found at the scene of the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week has soared towards the top of the Amazon bestseller list.Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It, is now No 3 on the site's nonfiction bestseller list. On Tuesday, it reached No 2, CNN noted. Continue reading...

Majority of students meeting reading and writing standards but 7% are failing to meet numeracy standards

Access to balanced diet also affected by inflation and Brexit, hitting most vulnerable households hardest

Parties also considering supporting single candidate in re-run of annulled presidential electionRomania's pro-EU parties have committed to forming a coalition government and, in a concerted attempt to head off a resurgent far right, could field a single candidate for the country's annulled presidential election when it is rerun next year.The Social Democratic party (PSD), their current coalition partners the centre-right National Liberal party (PNL), the opposition centrist Save Romania Union (USR) and the ethnic Hungarian party UDMR said they aimed to move fast. Continue reading...

Court of appeal rules Ibrahima Bah cannot challenge conviction and sentence for deaths of four asylum seekersA man convicted of manslaughter after four people died as he steered a boat across the Channel has lost his attempt to challenge his convictions and sentence.Ibrahima Bah was sentenced to nine and a half years in jail after the deaths as he piloted the unseaworthy" inflatable between France and the UK on 14 December 2022. Continue reading...

Rescuers gathered at first light to scour banks of river from ford between Bolton and Abberwick to sea at AlnmouthSearches are continuing for the missing former England wing Tom Voyce, who is believed to have died while driving across a flood-swollen river during Storm Darragh. The 43-year-old's car has been recovered from the River Aln, near Alnwick, Northumberland, which he had been trying to cross using a ford.Searchers gathered from first light on Wednesday and will scour the banks of the river from the ford between Bolton and Abberwick all the way to the sea at Alnmouth. Continue reading...

Justice secretary says lack of cells is of more concern' than people's worries about jails being built near their homes

Honeymoon period will be short as John Mahama tries to fix economy, seen as a huge factor in electionGhana's electoral commission had been due to announce the official results of Saturday's presidential election by Tuesday. But by Sunday morning Mahamudu Bawumia, the country's vice-president and the flag-bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), and his campaign team had seen enough to give up.The data from our own internal collation of the results indicates that ... John Mahama has won the presidential election decisively," he said at a press conference after calling his rival to concede. By Monday, the commission had confirmed the outcome: the former president Mahama, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), had indeed won with 56% of the vote to Bawumia's 41%. Continue reading...

Walking Dead star, who wrote first play to premiere on Broadway with all female and black cast and creatives, hopes writers' conference will bring on new talentA group of upcoming playwrights is gathering in the Zimbabwean capital Harare this week for an 11-day event organised by celebrated American-Zimbabwean actor Danai Gurira as part of her commitment to nurturing a new generation of dramatic artists in southern Africa.The Almasi African Playwrights conference is hosted by Almasi Collaborative Arts, the organisation Gurira co-founded in 2011, and offers writers a chance to develop their work with directors and actors. Running from 11 December at Harare's Reps theatre, it is part of Almasi's aim to promote and celebrate African storytelling. Gurira is expected to join the group. Continue reading...

News of raid comes as officials say Yoon's former defence minister attempted suicide while in custodySouth Korean police have raided the office of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his role in declaring martial law last week - a move that plunged Asia's fourth-biggest economy into crisis and caused alarm among its allies.

Authorities investigating after PFAS levels in water supply at Warialda, New England found to exceed guidelines

Experts tell inquest into Karl Bareham's 2019 death excessive drinking may have triggered cardiac arrest, seizure or pulmonary edema while underwater

The man, 35, was the subject of a current AVO and has been arrested after the woman was found dead at an apartment on Knox Street, BelmorePolice say they expect to charge a man who was the subject of an apprehended violence order with murder, after the body of a woman was found in a south-west Sydney apartment in a very violent scene".Emergency services were called to a unit on Knox Street in Belmore on Wednesday morning, where they found a 31-year-old woman dead. Continue reading...

Campaigners say NAO report shows impact of DWP staffing decisions and failure to address flaws in benefit's designHundreds of thousands of unpaid carers were hit with ruinous penalties for minor breaches of carer's allowance rules in the five years after senior welfare officials promised to fix the scandal-hit benefit, an official audit has revealed.Campaigners said the National Audit Office (NAO) report highlighted the scale of the misery and hardship inflicted on carers over the period as well as the extent of the failure by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to tackle overpayments. Continue reading...

Fan of Gladiator II star can choose from knitwear items, vintage T-shirt and Jimmy Choo bootsFirst the chain he wore in Normal People gained a cult following, then he went viral for the tiny shorts he'd been papped wearing while running through London and Dublin.Paul Mescal's latest fashion fixation is the cardigan, and fans will no longer have to admire them from afar or flock to buy the same pieces before they sell out, as he has started selling off clothes to raise money for charity. Continue reading...

Cavan Medlock found to have committed act of making a threat to kill and the preparation of terrorist actsA man planned a terrorist attack at a law firm in north London to intimidate" immigrants, the Metropolitan police said.Cavan Medlock, of Harrow, north-west London, was found to have committed the act of making a threat to kill and the preparation of terrorist acts at a fact-finding hearing at Kingston crown court on Tuesday. Continue reading...

BBC reports 30 current and former staff at LGBTQ+ website allege founder and his husband behaved inappropriately towards junior colleaguesDowning Street has described as very concerning" multiple allegations of sexual misconduct made against the couple who run PinkNews, the world's largest LGBTQ+ website.The BBC reported that more than 30 current and former staff of PinkNews have accused its founder and CEO, Benjamin Cohen, and his husband, Anthony James, of inappropriate behaviour towards younger male colleagues. Continue reading...

Prison officer and criminology lecturer give evidence in trial of Nasen Saadi, who denies murder of Amie GrayA criminology student accused of fatally stabbing a sports coach on a Dorset beach told a prison officer he was fascinated with knives, a jury has heard.Nasen Saadi, 20, is said to have told the officer that he liked the shape and look of knives and had a collection of about six at his home in south London. Continue reading...

Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro are in talks to reprise their characters for a new comedy follow-upRobert De Niro and Ben Stiller are in talks to reprise their roles in a new Meet the Parents sequel.According to Deadline, the actors, along with their fellow co-stars Blythe Danner and Teri Polo, are in discussions to return for an as yet untitled follow-up. Continue reading...

Minworth depot images show strength of incendiary devices thought to be part of Russian sabotage plotPhotographs of the fire caused by a suspected Russian incendiary device at a DHL facility in Birmingham in July have backed up intelligence assessments that the blast was strong enough to have brought down a cargo plane.One image appears to show when the booby-trapped item, hidden in a massage device, caught fire. A distinctive bright light emerges from the top of a crate of parcels being moved around the site on an electric vehicle. Continue reading...

UN agency and charities call on governments not to leave refugees in limbo after UK and Germany suspend claimsThe UN's refugee agency and the UK's biggest refugee charity have urged European countries not to turn their backs on the Syrians who are applying for asylum.Interventions from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Refugee Council follow the UK government's suspension of 6,500 asylum claims from Syrian nationals after the collapse of the Assad regime. Continue reading...

Turkey accuses Israel of displaying occupier mentality and UN envoy says airstrikes must cease

Tom Voyce, 43, is believed to have died after going into the River Aln in his car, Northumbria police have saidThe former England rugby union international Tom Voyce, 43, is believed to have died after going into the River Aln in his car, Northumbria police have said.The force said officers received a report on Sunday morning that Voyce, who played for clubs including Bath and Wasps, had not returned home following an evening with friends. Northumbria police said it is believed he attempted to cross Abberwick Ford in his car, which was then pulled along with the current of the river. The car has since been recovered but officers did not find Voyce and it is believed he was swept away while attempting to escape and has died. Continue reading...

Benito Aguas from President Claudia Sheinbaum's Morena party is latest victim of spate of political violenceA Mexican federal congressman has been assassinated, in the latest killing in an outbreak of political violence in the country.The Veracruz attorney general's office confirmed the death of Benito Aguas, a member of the leftist government's ruling coalition in the 500-member lower house of congress. Continue reading...

In longstanding pattern in the US, white killers are celebrated and Black victims denigrated, experts sayOn Monday, Daniel Penny, a 26-year-old white man, was acquitted of all charges related to the 1 May 2023 killing of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old unhoused Black man with severe mental illness, on a New York City subway train. Penny was charged with second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide after he choked Neely for nearly six minutes, causing his death. The Marine veteran claimed self-defense after an unarmed Neely made threats to passengers and complained of being hungry and thirsty, according to witness testimony.In a police interview following Neely's death, Penny referred to Neely as just a crackhead" who was acting like a lunatic". Experts say Penny's acquittal fits into a longstanding pattern of how white vigilante crime is treated in the US, with white killers celebrated and Black victims denigrated. Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister criticises media and investigators and describes himself and his family as victimsA combative Benjamin Netanyahu has become the first Israeli prime minister to take the stand as the defendant in a criminal trial for corruption as he assailed the charges against him as an ocean of absurdity".I have waited eight years for this moment, to say the truth as I remember it, which is important for justice," said Netanyahu, who was wearing a blue suit and white shirt, with a flag of Israel on one lapel and the yellow ribbon symbol of Israel's hostages in Gaza on the other. Continue reading...

Nigel Richards has also been champion in English and - after memorising dictionary in nine weeks - FrenchMore than 150 competitors representing 20 countries descended on a hotel on the outskirts of Granada last month to battle it out at the Spanish World Scrabble Championships.Now, weeks after the letter tiles were meticulously placed and the points tallied, news of the tournament's winner, Nigel Richards, has made waves across Spain, with many scratching their heads over the fact he does not speak Spanish. Continue reading...

Growth has slowed, but employment is up - could the new year bring mortgage repayment relief?

Shoppers will pay 32.57 for festive meal for four as potato and carrot prices leap, says Kantar

This blog is now closed

Reserve Bank leaves cash rate at 4.35% for ninth consecutive meeting

Labor MP Josh Burns says opposition leader prevented James Paterson from delivering his statement

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebels free prisoners of the former president, Bashar al-Assad, who has fled to Russia

Arrests announced on three-year anniversary of semi-trailer truck crash that killed more than 50 peopleSix Guatemalans were arrested in Guatemala and in Texas on Monday on human smuggling charges linked to a 2021 semi-trailer truck crash in Mexico that killed more than 50 people, authorities said.The truck had been packed with at least 160 migrants, many of them Guatemalans, when it crashed into a support for a pedestrian bridge in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of the southern state of Chiapas. The arrests were announced on the three-year anniversary of the accident. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. You can see our latest full report on Syria here and all our coverage from the region here.

Media mogul's three adult children will retain control despite attempt to give his son Lachlan complete controlRupert Murdoch's three adult children will retain control over their father's media empire upon his death, a Nevada court has ruled after Murdoch launched a campaign to wrest away their power and give it all to his oldest son.The New York Times reported on Murdoch's loss, citing a sealed court decision that was filed on Saturday. The family battle happened outside of the public's eye, despite attempts from the media to gain access to the trial. Continue reading...

While David Lammy lauded the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Keir Starmer was having a love-in with Mohammed bin SalmanNot that the foreign secretary was trying to take any of the credit for the collapse of the Assad regime, but without the UK standing firm then the dictator would have been around a lot longer. Just saying. Only maybe things weren't entirely that simple.Because David Lammy had given an interview to Laura Kuenssberg back in September in which he said he had been talking enthusiastically to the Italians about their deal to send refugees back to Syria. So not quite the same as talking directly to Assad. But nearly so. By such threads are reputations made.Taking the Lead by John Crace is published by Little, Brown (18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply. Continue reading...

Intelligence chiefs have to decisively analyse the risk posed by group once affiliated to islamists al-QaidaWhen Sir Richard Moore, the head of MI6, warned in a speech given 10 days ago that he had never seen the world in a more dangerous state" Syria was mentioned just once. The context was that jihadist terrorism was on the retreat in the country, but after the lightning success of the rebel offensive, questions will inevitably be asked again.Intelligence chiefs are now having to quickly reassess the triumphant Syrian rebels, and in particular, the leading group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), now designated as a terror organisation by the US and the UK. Once a Syrian offshoot of al-Qaida, HTS cut its affiliation in 2016 and under the leadership of Abu Mohammed al-Jolani the group has sought to project a moderate image as it has led the counter offensive from Idlib to Damascus, telling CNN in an interview with CNN he would respect Syrian minorities and no one has the right to erase another group". Early reports from Aleppo suggest the Christian minority in Aleppo was unaffected after the HTS capture of the city a week ago. Continue reading...

Austria prepares repatriation and deportation' programme to country where president has just been deposed

ISS reportedly tells fast-fashion firm that Frasers Group approach is superficial' and offers no plans for change'

Footage shows people looting expensive items after butcher of Damascus' fled to Moscow with family

Film studio behind Barbie and HBO shows including Succession is preparing its Max streaming service

Labour peer says she will combat corruption and the illicit finance that flows from it, both at home and abroad'

Director Rich Peppiatt said there is an irony in the best British film being Irish' as his Belfast-set film won seven prizes in totalIrish-language rap comedy Kneecap emerged as the big winner at the British independent film awards (Bifas), with seven prizes in total including the headline best British independent film award.Starring rappers Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh - AKA Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai - the Belfast-set film is directed by Rich Peppiatt and features an appearance from Michael Fassbender as a former republican paramilitary. The three leads won best joint lead performance, while Peppiatt also won best debut screenwriter. Kneecap had already won four craft awards, which were announced in November. Continue reading...

Killings overseen by powerful gang leader' convinced his son's illness was caused by followers of the religionAbout 200 people were killed in violence in Haiti's capital over the weekend, many in a massacre in which a gang boss reportedly targeted Voodoo practitioners.The killings of at least 110 people were overseen by a powerful gang leader" convinced that his son's illness was caused by followers of the religion, according to the civil organisation the Committee for Peace and Development (CPD). Continue reading...

Plane was diverted to Guadalajara, where the person - identified only as Mario - was handed over to authoritiesA passenger on a domestic flight in Mexico on Sunday tried to divert an aircraft to the US by force, Volaris airlines said in a statement on social media.The crew managed to detain the passenger, and all those aboard the Airbus A320 that had departed from Leon, Guanajuato, are safe, according to the company, which is one of the country's main airlines.The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse contributed reporting. Continue reading...

Having labelled Syrian rebels terrorists', Moscow is now making diplomatic efforts to protect its military assets in the countryMoscow is seeking to secure the future of its key military bases in Syria while making inroads with the country's new rebel leadership, after the dramatic collapse of the Assad regime threatened to erode Russia's influence in the Middle East.Russia has kept a sizeable airbase in north-west Syria and a naval facility at the Mediterranean port of Tartus since Moscow's military intervention helped President Bashar al-Assad reclaim most of the country after nationwide protests that began in 2011. Continue reading...