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Humanitarian groups say almost none of the US's demands that Israel improve conditions in Gaza have been metThe US wants real and extended pauses in fighting in Gaza so assistance can get to people who need it, US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told reporters on Wednesday.More details to follow ... Continue reading...

Star of Korean dramas Moon Embracing the Sun and Queen Woo was found dead at his home in SeoulSong Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in dramas Moon Embracing the Sun and Queen Woo, was found dead at his home in Seoul. He was 39.Officials at Seoul's Seongdong district police station didn't immediately comment on the cause of death. Continue reading...

Regulator deems posters offensive, though Elexir Pharma argues term is not loaded in the same way as in the UK'The Swedish advertising ombudsman has criticised a company for using the C-word in posters to promote vaginal health supplements, saying the use of the gross profanity" is offensive to consumers.The ads, displayed on public transport in Stockholm and Gothenburg, feature the phrase you can cunt on us" in pink writing. Continue reading...

Up to 30 nominees for vacant federal judgeships could be confirmed by 3 January but potential obstacles remainSenate Democrats are racing to confirm up to 30 federal judges nominated by Joe Biden to avoid leaving vacancies that could be filled by Donald Trump when he retakes the White House.The expected flurry of judicial approvals has been triggered by the Democrats' loss of their single-seat majority in last week's elections, in which Republicans took 53 of the Senate's 100 seats. Continue reading...

College views posters as antisemitism as activists say they highlight school's support of Israel's Gaza offensiveThe University of Rochester is investigating after hundreds of wanted" posters featuring members of the university community were discovered around campus late on Sunday night.The president of the University of Rochester in New York, Sarah Mangelsdorf, denounced the posters in a statement. Mangelsdorf said that they targeted senior university leaders as well as members of faculty, staff and Board of Trustees, adding that several of those depicted appear to have been targeted because they are members of our Jewish community". Continue reading...

German chancellor confirms vote of confidence date, giving path to 23 February election, as Friedrich Merz attempts to create distance between partiesThe German parliament is bracing itself for a showdown of its main players, following a week of political turmoil. Sparked by the collapse of the German coalition over a lengthy row focused on how to balance the books and fill a multi-billion Euro hole in next year's budget, Europe's biggest economy now faces weeks of political uncertainty as it gears up for snap elections. These are due to take place on February 23, following a vote of confidence on December 16, which Olaf Scholz, the chancellor is expected to lose, paving the way for the elections.The eyes of many European political observers are on the parliament this lunchtime. Scholz is due to speak for half an hour, and is expected to attempt to justify why he considered it necessary to oust his finance minister Christian Lindner, of the pro-business FDP, thus triggering the early election, particularly at a time of national crisis, inextricably linked with an array of unprecedented global challenges, not least events unfolding in Washington following the re-election there of president elect Donald Trump. Continue reading...

Valery Trankovsky had ordered missile strikes from Black Sea on civilian targets, a Ukrainian official saidA senior Russian naval officer was killed in a car bombing in Crimea on Wednesday, the latest in a series of targeted attacks on Russian military personnel and pro-Kremlin figures in occupied Ukrainian territories as well as inside Russia.An official in Ukraine's security services told the Ukrainian Pravda outlet that the agency had orchestrated the car bomb attack in the Russian-controlled port city of Sevastopol that killed Valery Trankovsky, the chief of staff of the 41st Missile Brigade of the Russian navy's Black Sea fleet. Continue reading...

Unions criticise decision that puts up to 2,000 jobs at risk and comes amid inquiry into Horizon IT scandalThe Post Office plans to close more than 100 branches and says about 2,000 jobs are at risk in a move that has been condemned by unions as tone deaf and immoral" after the Horizon IT scandal.The Post Office confirmed on Wednesday it was seeking to offload 115 branches, known as crown post offices, it centrally owns, but said it expected to maintain the total network at 11,500 branches across the UK.AldwychAntrimBaker StreetBangorBarnes GreenBarnetBelfast CityBexhill-on-SeaBidefordBirminghamBransholme, HullBreck Road, LiverpoolBridlingtonBrixton, LondonBroadwayCaernarfonCambridge CityCanning TownChester-le-StreetCity of LondonClapham CommonCoshamCricklewoodCrossgatesCroydon High StreetDerehamDidsbury VillageDunraven PlaceEast Dulwich, LondonEcclesEccleston StreetEdinburgh CityFurness HouseGlasgowGloucesterGolders GreenGreat Portland StreetGrimsbyHaddingtonHampsteadHarlesdenHarold HillHigh HolbornHoundsditchHydeInvernessIslingtonKendalKennington ParkKensingtonKetteringKilburnKingsburyKingsland High StreetKirkwallKnightsbridgeLeighLeighton BuzzardLiskeardLondon BridgeDerryLower EdmontonLupus StreetManchesterMatlockMelville RoadMerthyr TydfilMilton KeynesMorecambeMorleyMount PleasantMutleyNailseaNewquayNewtownardsNortholtOld SwanOswestryOxfordPaddington QuayPaigntonPort TalbotPortsmouthPoulton-le-FyldePrestwichRaynes ParkRedditchRoman RoadRomseyRotherhamSalford CitySaltcoatsSheffield CitySouth OckendonSouth ShieldsSouthallSpringburn WaySt JohnsSt Peters StreetStamfordStamford HillStockportStornowayStroudSunderland CityTeignmouthThe MarketsVauxhall Bridge roadWealdstoneWestbourneWester HailesWindsorWorlds EndYate Sodbury Continue reading...

Sam Rose warns of severe consequences amid weakened US stance and points to ICJ demand to protect aid efforts

Homeware retailer The Range reportedly interested in deal to buy 75 existing stores in pre-pack sale arrangementThousands of workers at the Homebase DIY chain face uncertainty over their future amid reports that the retailer is close to appointing administrators, with homeware specialist The Range poised to snap up some of its stores.Homebase is expected to appoint Teneo to handle an insolvency process for its UK arm, which has about 130 stores. Continue reading...

The actor, whose work ranged from Shakespeare to EastEnders and the TV series Great Canal Journeys, with his wife Prunella Scales, was a familiar face to audiences from the 1960s onwardsThe actor Timothy West, whose career ranged from Shakespeare, Ibsen and Pinter on stage to TV appearances in Brass, EastEnders and Great Canal Journeys (with his wife, Prunella Scales), has died aged 90.His children Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West said in a statement issued by his agent: After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Decision to reappoint Kishwer Falkner angers some staff at Equality and Human Rights Commission

Julie Conalty, bishop of Birkenhead, welcomes resignation of Justin Welby but says institutional changes neededA bishop and a cabinet minister have said more senior clergy in the Church of England may need to resign after a damning report into a sadistic abuser.Julie Conalty, bishop of Birkenhead and deputy lead bishop for safeguarding, said Justin Welby had done the right thing" on Tuesday by resigning as archbishop of Canterbury. Continue reading...

Utilities firm says 75% of class A bondholders back emergency package aimed at staving off collapse

American drummer who began in 1940s swing and bebop scenes played with Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and dozens moreRoy Haynes, a drummer who was one of the last remaining musicians of jazz's swing and bebop eras, has died aged 99. His daughter Leslie Haynes-Gilmore said he had died following a short illness.Haynes's energetic style, which also encompassed fusion and avant-garde jazz, earned him the respect of many contemporaries across a career that began in the mid-1940s. He played with artists including Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and dozens more. Continue reading...

TV chef and restaurateur says it is too soon' to watch high pressure depictions of kitchen life after diagnosis this yearHeston Blumenthal has said he fears that watching the high pressure depictions of kitchen life in the TV series The Bear could trigger a bipolar episode.The restaurateur and TV chef announced he was diagnosed with the mental health condition earlier this year, after previously receiving a positive assessment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 2017. Continue reading...

Det Sgt David Mackie says he believed Tobias Moran knew police were likely secretly recording him

Pete Hegseth tapped for key role and Kristi Noem for homeland security amid flurry of nominationsDonald Trump has chosen the former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee as the next US ambassador to Israel and a Fox News host to be his new defense secretary.Huckabee has a track record of hardline, occasionally provocative, pro-Israel rhetoric and previously said Israel has a rightful claim to the West Bank, which he refers to by its Hebrew and biblical name of Judea and Samaria. Continue reading...

Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Lismore forecast to receive worst of wild weather, BoM says

Smyth enjoyed opulent lifestyle' in Cape Town after he was barred from Zimbabwe, where he abused boys at summer campsThe evangelical Christian barrister John Smyth abused as many as 130 boys and young men in the UK, Zimbabwe and possibly other African countries but an independent review has said there remains little concrete information on his time in South Africa.The review into the Anglican church's handling of Smyth's abuses said he might have been brought to justice had Justin Welby, who on Tuesday announced he would step down as archbishop of Canterbury, formally reported him to the police when he found out in 2013. Continue reading...

Commuters can access round-the-clock trains from Thursday but light rail services will be limited on Friday and Saturday due to industrial action

High court rules Aboriginal woman Joanne Willmot can pursue damages for abuse allegedly suffered in state care more than 60 years ago

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It took authorities more than a day to release details of the incident, in which a man drove his car into a crowd, killing 35 peopleIn the hours since a 63-year-old man rammed his car into a sports centre in Zhuhai, killing 35 people and severely injuring 43 others, questions have swirled on Chinese social media about why it took authorities so long to reveal the details.The driver, identified by his family name of Fan, was discovered in the car with self-inflicted knife wounds to his neck. Police said their preliminary investigation suggested he was dissatisfied with the split of assets in his divorce. Continue reading...

Despicable Me 4 tie-in smells more like popcorn while a waddling duck and an interactive pet monkey also featureA fart blaster" with a repertoire of 15 sounds that blasts fog fart rings" and a waddling mother duck are among the toys destined to appear on Christmas lists as experts predict a record-breaking" year for sales.At 30, the Despicable Me 4 spin-off toy promises to be a talking point on Christmas Day. It comes with two scents: banana and fart". Mercifully, on a day when the nation eats brussels sprouts, the latter smells more like burnt popcorn. Continue reading...

Sen Const Kristian White's manslaughter trial also told 95-year-old displayed behaviour consistent with moderate to severe dementia which impended ability to comply with instructions

Review calls for independent child protection commission and a commissioner for Aboriginal children to hold government to account

Pilot successfully landed plane carrying two passengers at Newcastle in May after mechanical crunching noises' heard during initial climb

Union at loggerheads with Minns government over 10.5% pay rise offer after NSW police win deal for wage increase of up to 40%

Victorian Electoral Commission says high number of multiple returned votes detected in Knox and Whittlesea city councils

Driver, 30, charged with one count of dangerous operation of motor vehicle causing death or grievous bodily harm and will appear in court next month

Fringe news streaming channel ADH TV, which launched with Alan Jones at the helm, confirms offer for 93 regional free-to-air stations

The 26-year-old Snake Valley man remains in hospital with police expecting to charge him on Wednesday afternoon

Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin flights in and out of Australia were cancelled after Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki eruptedThree Australian airlines have cancelled flights to and from Bali after a volcanic eruption near the Indonesian holiday spot created a dangerous ash cloud.The groundings affected Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving passengers stranded. Continue reading...

Church wins case reversing 2023 decision of Victorian court that it was vicariously responsible for abuse suffered by five-year-old at hands of assistant priest

Health secretary says controversial scheme for trusts in England is necessary to raise standardsWes Streeting plans to publish a football-style league table of the best- and worst-performing hospitals in England, prompting fury from NHS bosses and staff at the prospect of struggling trusts being named and shamed".The health secretary will announce the controversial move on Wednesday to an audience of health service leaders and defend it as a tough" but necessary way of raising care standards. Continue reading...

Killing of Antonio Vinicius Lopes Gritzbach, 38, former First Capital Command member, spawns number of theoriesPolice investigating a brazen murder at the arrivals area of Brazil's main airport are pursuing at least three lines of inquiry in their attempt to track down the killers - and the possible masterminds of the shocking crime.Antonio Vinicius Lopes Gritzbach, 38, was leaving Sao Paulo international airport on Friday afternoon when two hooded men jumped out of a car and fired a hail of bullets. The brazen attack, captured on security cameras, marked a dramatic escalation of criminal violence in the country. Continue reading...

British Columbia teen had no underlying health conditions and had been exposed to dogs, cats and reptiles, officials sayA teenager is in critical condition in a British Columbia children's hospital, in what is believed to be Canada's first human case of bird flu.This was a healthy teenager prior to this, so no underlying conditions," said the provincial health officer Bonnie Henry in a news conference on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Move by US authorities comes after plane was shot at on Monday, injuring attendant and forcing airport shutdownThe US Federal Aviation Administration has banned civilian flights into Haiti for 30 days after a jetliner was shot at on approach to Port-au-Prince.Bullets hit the Spirit Airlines plane when it was about to land on Monday, injuring a flight attendant and forcing the airport to shut down. Continue reading...

Immigration minister Marc Miller's comments come as country braces for migrant rise when Trump takes officeCanada's immigration minister has said not everyone is welcome" in the country as officials brace for an increase of migrants when Donald Trump returns to the White House with a pledge to carry out mass deportations.The minister's warning, seven years after Justin Trudeau promised that Canadians will welcome" asylum seekers, reflects a stark shift in tone amid waning support for immigration and refugee resettlement in the country, according to migration experts. Continue reading...

Investigation into country's largest cocaine bust reveals cash in home of former head of anti-money launderingSpain has arrested one of its top police officers after 20m (17m) was found hidden in the walls of his house, as part of an investigation into the country's largest-ever cocaine bust.Oscar Sanchez Gil was until recently the head of the fraud and anti-money laundering division of Spain's national police force in Madrid. Continue reading...

Emergency crews were unable to save Kate Mulcahy while her children escaped from a fire at her home in ManchesterTributes have been paid to a 37-year-old woman who died in a house fire in Greater Manchester where her four children survived.Kate Mulcahy was found dead inside her home in Middleton after a fire broke out early on Sunday morning. It is understood she had two sons - one-year-old twins - and two daughters, and that a number of the children were in the house and managed to escape the blaze. Continue reading...

The Girls creator is set to adapt Michael Lewis's bestselling 2023 book on the controversial FTX founderLena Dunham has been tapped to write a new movie on the rise and fall of the FTX founder, Sam Bankman-Fried.According to Variety, the Girls creator will adapt Michael Lewis's 2023 bestseller Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon for Apple and A24. Bankman-Fried, once seen as the poster boy for crypto, was convicted of fraud last year and sentenced to 25 years. At one point, he was the 41st richest American, according to Forbes. Continue reading...

Failure to tackle Church of England's safeguarding issues and own knowledge of abuse reflect religions' denialIn earlier times it used to be more straightforward: archbishops of Canterbury such as Thomas Becket and William Laud used to get it in the neck from the king; or, in the case of Simon Sudbury, who was killed in the 14th-century Peasants' Revolt, at the hands of the mob.Now, it is more likely to be a politician. Justin Welby has resigned after having lost the confidence of the Church of England over his failure to tackle the institution's chaotic handling of safeguarding, and his own personal culpability in failing to spot his own vulnerability, arising from his links to and knowledge of the rapacious abuser John Smyth. Continue reading...

Ombudsman's report on death of Katie Simpson, 21, adds to concerns at levels of gender-based violence in Northern IrelandThe Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) failed" the family of a 21-year-old woman after her death two years ago in Derry, initially treating it as suicide rather than a suspected murder, the police watchdog has said.The report by the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland comes amid renewed concerns that gender-based violence is not being taken seriously enough in the region with the highest rate of femicide per capita of all nations in the UK and in the island of Ireland. Continue reading...

Leader of Church of England had faced pressure since damning report on cover-up of John Smyth's abuseThe archbishop of Canterbury is to step down amid intense pressure over his handling of one of the church's worst abuse scandals.Justin Welby's decision, announced on Tuesday, comes after mounting demands from victims and members of the clergy for him to quit. Continue reading...

Amir Safi, who said he was 16, was quiet and withdrawn' following social worker's assessment, inquest hearsA young asylum seeker from Afghanistan who died after being run over on a motorway slip road was upset that a social worker did not believe he was a child, an inquest has heard.Amir Safi, who said he was 16, was seen by a witness ambling" up an M1 slip road in Nottinghamshire before he was found with multiple bone fractures and a brain injury on 28 April last year. Continue reading...

This live blog is closedLeadbeater introduces the next speaker, Nat Dye, who has terminal cancer. She says she thinks his views are the most important for people to hear at this press conference.He says he has known positive" experiences of death. His fiance and his mother both had relatively peaceful deaths. He says palliative care can work for some people.Imagine I am dying and palliative care hasn't improved. Well, I have no choice whatsoever: I die in pain or I die in pain.I see this as a chance just to act with kindness and a choice for people at their darkest hour. Continue reading...

Some will think a woman should lead the C of E and age limitation will rule out a number of bishops Keir Starmer refuses to back Justin WelbyJustin Welby's resignation will trigger a search for the 106th archbishop of Canterbury, a role that combines moral and spiritual leadership, ceremonial duties, a seat in the House of Lords, oversight of Anglican churches in more than 160 countries, and the day-to-day management of a large but declining English institution.Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York, is expected to step up to the number one position in the Church of England until a new archbishop of Canterbury can be appointed - a process that will take several months. Many in the church and beyond will be hoping that the successful candidate is a woman or person of colour - or both. Continue reading...

Parliament votes to express deepest regret' over more than a century of Norwegianisation' of minoritiesThe Norwegian parliament has apologised unreservedly to minority groups and Indigenous people for more than a century of historical injustices committed against them as part of its Norwegianisation" policy.The forced assimilation policy - which included state-run boarding schools that banned minority languages and the forced relocation of whole villages - pursued by Norwegian authorities dated back to the 18th century and became official policy from 1851. Although parts were phased out in the 1960s, much of the policy continued into the 1980s. Continue reading...