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Fire and Rescue NSW believe battery went into thermal runaway', killing two of Teralba townhouse's occupants

The university held the lavish event at the NGV for Margaret Gardner, now the governor of Victoria

In today's newsletter: With gangs controlling Port-au-Prince and a UN-backed international force still not on the ground, is there any prospect of democratic control? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. It is seven years since Haiti held an election, almost three years since the president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated, and more than a year since the last elected officials left office - and the return of democracy to Port-au-Prince still appears to be a distance away.On Sunday, after gangs stormed the country's two biggest jails and freed more than 3,800 criminals, the Haitian government declared a 72-hour state of emergency and a night curfew. But with gangs now exerting de facto authority over about 80% of the capital, and senior figures including acting president Ariel Henry out of the country, the government's future appears increasingly uncertain. Yesterday, the Miami Herald reported that the gangs made a second attempt to take over the national airport.Budget | NHS funding faces the biggest cuts in real terms since the 1970s, an influential analysis shows, amid growing pressure on Jeremy Hunt to prioritise public service funding over tax cuts in the budget. Health spending in England is due to fall by 1.2% - worth 2bn - in the new financial year.US politics | Donald Trump was wrongly removed from Colorado's primary ballot last year, the US supreme court has ruled, clearing the way for Trump to appear on the ballot in all 50 states. Trump said the unanimous decision was very well crafted". Read Ed Pilkington's analysis.UK politics | George Galloway has said he will target more seats in the next general election, including deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner's, after his swearing-in at Westminster following last week's Rochdale byelection victory. Galloway told reporters that his Workers Party of Britain would put up candidates to either win or ... make sure that Keir Starmer doesn't."France | The French parliament has enshrined abortion as a constitutional right at a historic joint session at the Palace of Versailles. The change, agreed by an overwhelming margin of 780-72, was given impetus by the US supreme court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v Wade.Media | Ofcom has determined that GB News broke broadcasting rules when Laurence Fox, the leader of the rightwing Reclaim party, demeaned" a female journalist on an episode of Dan Wootton Tonight. Fox's comments, Ofcom says, were unambiguously misogynistic" and potentially highly offensive to viewers". Continue reading...

Analysis across four exam boards in England reveals white artists comprise 91.6% of all mentionsLess than 3% of artists named in GCSE art exam papers are from Black or south Asian backgrounds, research has found.Analysis of GCSE assessment materials from four big exam boards in England - AQA, Eduqas, OCR and Edexcel - showed only 8.4% of artists referenced across the 27 art exam papers were minority ethnic. Continue reading...

Workers receiving payments beyond two-and-a-half years to undergo another impairment test under changes expected to pass parliament

Philippines spokesperson says Chinese vessel carried out dangerous manoeuvres' during mission to resupply military outpostThe Philippines has accused China's coastguard of reckless and illegal actions" that resulted in a collision that caused minor structural damage to one of its vessels in the fiercely disputed South China Sea.Jay Tarriela, Philippine coastguard (PCG) spokesperson, said on social media that its vessels had faced dangerous manoeuvres and blocking" from Chinese coastguard and Chinese maritime militia as they supported a resupply mission to military troops. This led to a collision that caused minor structural damage to the PCG vessel", he said in a statement on X. Continue reading...

Rowan Ramsey says overturning ban on nuclear first is the most logical thing' to do as opposition leader prepares to nominate up to six locations

Economists say 5% target is ambitious, as premier Li Qiang tells annual gathering that global economy and problems at home are presenting hurdles to recoveryChina has set its target for GDP growth at 5%, in line with analysts' expectations for another year of historically modest ambitions for the economy, amid regional tensions and its demographic crisis.China's premier, Li Qiang, spoke of the challenges" facing China's leaders as he delivered his annual government work report on Tuesday. He cited the global economy and regional tensions as hurdles for China's recovery, as well as domestic issues such as low consumer demand in a challenging labour market. Continue reading...

LNP accuses Steven Miles in parliament of lying, while Labor claims an unnamed opposition MP was trying to intimidate Ali King

Defence force aircraft draws fresh criticism as Christopher Luxon joins Ardern and Key in list of leaders held up by ageing planesNew Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon was forced to travel on a last-minute commercial flight to Australia for a summit on Tuesday, after the country's beleaguered defence force plane was once again grounded over maintenance issues.The defence force loans planes to New Zealand leaders when they embark on international travel, but the ageing fleet has been plagued with problems in recent years - an issue that Luxon, the former chief executive of Air New Zealand, has previously labelled incredibly embarrassing". Continue reading...

There have been internal calls for the Coalition to announce more policy in the lead-up to the next election

Mark Butler says premiums will rise by 3.03% on average, as some providers outline larger increase

Report calls for overhaul of rules on loan affordability and repayment, and more flexible mortgage productsMortgage reforms introduced after the 2008 banking crisis have tilted too far" in support of financial stability to the point that first-time buyers are being excluded from the housing market, building societies have warned.A report commissioned by the Building Societies Association has called for an overhaul of affordability and repayment rules, which they say have contributed to a steady decline in first-time buyer mortgages since the mid-2000s. Continue reading...

Food Standards Agency advises consumers with dairy and fish allergies to check labels carefullyPeople with dairy and fish allergies are being advised not to buy vegan products without checking the label carefully as they may contain animal products due to cross-contamination.The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a campaign to make consumers aware of the dangers after research released by the regulatory body showed 62% of people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who have allergic reactions to animal-based products, or who buy for others who do, are confident that vegan products are always safe to eat. Continue reading...

Investigation deems poor housing contributed to deaths of 55 children - 42 less than a year old - over four-year periodTemporary accommodation has contributed to the deaths of dozens of babies in England, according to investigations into child deaths over a four-year period.In figures that MPs and the government called shocking", 55 children suffered unexpected deaths between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2023 in which living in temporary accommodation was deemed to be a factor by official reviewers. It found that 42 of those who died were less than a year old. Continue reading...

Jeremy Hunt to announce a doubling of funding for research at the Alan Turing InstituteJeremy Hunt is planning to provide a budget boost to Britain's growing artificial intelligence sector through a doubling of funding for the Alan Turing Institute - the national body for data science and artificial intelligence.Despite being restricted in his scope for pre-election giveaways by the weakness of the public finances, the chancellor is expected to announce a five-year package of funding worth 100m. Continue reading...

Peers, including senior Tories, vote by margins of about 100 votes for changes to legislation, which will have to go back to CommonsRishi Sunak has suffered his heaviest defeat in the House of Lords after the archbishop of Canterbury and former Conservative ministers joined forces with the opposition to force through five amendments to the Rwandan deportation bill.The string of government setbacks, most passed by unusually large margins of about 100 votes, means the legislation, which aims to clear the way to send asylum seekers on a one-way flight to Kigali, will have to go back to the Commons. Continue reading...

The 10-year-old was discovered at a property in the town of Rowley Regis, according to policeA woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 10-year-old girl was found dead at a property in the West Midlands, police have said.Officers attended an address in Robin Close in the town of Rowley Regis at about 12.10pm on Monday and found the child with injuries. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Continue reading...

Chelsea player and Matildas captain faces trial over January incident involving officer responding to taxi fare disputeSam Kerr, the Chelsea and Australia footballer, is to face trial in the UK accused of the racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.The 30-year-old appeared in court on Monday accused of using insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to an officer who was responding to a complaint over a taxi fare in Twickenham, south-west London, on 30 January 2023. Continue reading...

Health spending in England to suffer 1.2% cut, worth 2bn, despite extra costs, thinktank's analysis findsNHS funding faces the biggest cuts in real terms since the 1970s, an influential analysis shows, amid growing pressure on Jeremy Hunt to prioritise public service funding over tax cuts in the budget.It comes as the Guardian has learned that the chancellor is planning to clamp down on the NHS's annual 4.6bn bill for agency workers who cover for doctor and nurse shortages at the frontline. Continue reading...

Party now on course to field as many as 90 candidates in general election and looking to team up with independentsUntil George Galloway's Rochdale byelection win, few may have taken notice of the Workers party beyond those intrigued by the minutiae of the far left. Others may have flicked through some of its literature, such as Ukraine and the origins of the special military operation", a 44-page pamphlet using Vladimir Putin's term for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and echoing Kremlin talking points on the conflict.But the win last week has suddenly catapulted it to national prominence as a vehicle for challenges that could deprive Labour of votes in scores of constituencies where anger at Keir Starmer's stance on Gaza may now have a focus. Continue reading...

Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he will not give rockets that could strike at strategic Crimea bridge, as Russia seeks to exploit leak

Armed gangs attack international airport and free over 3,800 prisoners in seemingly coordinated effort to oust Ariel Henry

The hugely successful beach-set drama is returning to television after an underwhelming response to 2017 movieA reboot of the highly successful drama Baywatch is heading to television.The original series became one of the most watched shows in the world running for 11 seasons in the late 80s and 90s. The new version will again follow a group of Los Angeles county lifeguards as they deal with various emergencies. Continue reading...

Rachel Roberts and more than 900 photographers had signed petition about clergy obstructing their workA wedding photographer at the centre of a row with vicars that has sparked an intervention by a former archbishop has called for the two camps to put aside their differences and work in peaceful harmony.Last week more than 900 wedding photographers signed a petition started by photographer Rachel Roberts, who urged vicars to improve" their working conditions after complaints that some clergymen and women had been making it difficult to take photos inside church premises. Continue reading...

Only he can save the UK in its hour of need, and he'll start by taking out Angela Rayner at the general electionIt's a grubby job, but someone has to do it. There's a House of Commons resolution dating back to 1688 that requires a new MP to be introduced by two current MPs at their swearing in. So all eyes were on who had drawn the short straw to stand with George Galloway.One early contender had been the Tory MP David Davis, who takes his libertarian principles seriously. He may not like what you say, but he believes in your right to say it. But even he melted away after the prime minister's deranged rant outside Downing Street on Friday evening. These days you can be found guilty of crimes against humanity in Rishi Sunak's Conservative party for even thinking of observing parliamentary convention by coming to someone like Galloway's aid. Davis has now been sent to the gulags for 20 years re-education. Continue reading...

Trial drew attention to violence faced by sex workers in city, where the cases of four women killed in 1990s remain unresolvedPolice Scotland is examining several unsolved murders of women in Glasgow after the trial of the serial rapist and killer Iain Packer highlighted the horrific levels of violence facing sex workers in the city.Packer was sentenced to at least 36 years in prison last Wednesday for the murder of Emma Caldwell in 2005 and a catalogue of other sexual and violent offences, including 11 rapes. Continue reading...

Workers party leader says there are many places where it can win or make sure that Keir Starmer doesn't'George Galloway has said he will target more seats in the next general election including the deputy Labour leader's after his swearing-in at Westminster following last week's Rochdale byelection victory.Speaking outside parliament, Galloway singled out Angela Rayner's constituency of Ashton-under-Lyne, where she is defending a majority of 4,263, as an example of where his Workers Party of Britain, or a candidate backed by it, could cause havoc for her chances of re-election. Continue reading...

Officials say pressure is rising' on two fugitives after arrest of a third last week and raids at weekendAuthorities in Germany have called on two suspected leftwing terrorists to turn themselves in and said they were close on their tails.After the arrest a week ago of Daniela Klette, the last remaining female member of the Red Army Faction at large, officials said the net was closing in on her two alleged accomplices, Burkhard Garweg, 55, and Ernst-Volker Staub, 69. Continue reading...

Opposition wins vote by huge margin as government suffers first defeat on billThere will be one urgent question in the Commons today at 3.30pm, on the Home Office's decision to publish 13 reports from the former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration last week on Thursday afternoon.The former minister Paul Scully has announced he will stand down at the next election in a statement suggesting the Conservative party has lost its way" and is heading down an ideological cul-de-sac". Continue reading...

Group action demands compensation over alleged fitting of IUDs in women and children in late 1960sNearly 150 Greenlandic women have sued the Danish state, alleging that they were fitted with the contraceptive coil without their consent or knowledge.A group of 143 women took legal action on Monday, demanding a collective payment of close to 43m Danish kroner (4.9m) for what they describe as a violation of their human rights. Continue reading...

Attack on two prisons comes amid outbreak of violence as PM in Kenya trying to salvage UN-backed security forceHaiti has declared a three-day state of emergency and a night-time curfew after armed gangs stormed the country's two biggest jails, allowing more than 3,000 dangerous criminals, including murderers and kidnappers, to escape back on to the streets of the poor and violence-racked Caribbean nation.The finance minister, Patrick Boisvert - who is in charge while the embattled prime minister, Ariel Henry, is abroad trying to salvage support for a UN-backed security force to stabilise Haiti - said police would use all legal means at their disposal" to recapture the prisoners and enforce the curfew. Continue reading...

Special congress expected to approve irreversible' amendment with result expected on Monday eveningThe French parliament met in an historic joint session at the Palace of Versailles on Monday for a final vote on enshrining abortion as a constitutional right.The vote, which is expected to achieve the three-fifths majority necessary to pass, will give women the guaranteed freedom" to choose an abortion. Continue reading...

Move by Spanish regional government to tackle period poverty will benefit about 2.5m peopleThe Catalonia region in Spain has begun providing free reusable menstrual cups, period underwear and cloth pads at pharmacies, in one of the first initiatives of its kind in the world.The programme is part of a drive by the regional government to reduce period poverty after a survey found 44% of women using menstruation products in Catalonia could not afford their first-choice product and 23% said they had to reuse items designed for single use. Continue reading...

Penalty for breaching competition law is four times higher than forecast as Brussels looks to send message to tech firmsApple has been fined 1.8bn (1.5bn) by the EU after an investigation found it had limited competition from music streaming services such as Spotify.The fine is nearly four times higher than expected as the European Commission attempts to show it will act decisively on tech companies who abuse their dominant position in the market for online services. Continue reading...

German ambassador to Moscow summoned to Russian foreign ministry in order to explain leaked military discussion. This live blog is now closed

The acclaimed dancer, director and choreographer takes on ballet's favourite frosty Christmas show, with his Cuba-based company Acosta DanzaI want to make it snow in Havana," said Cuban ballet star Carlos Acosta as he announced a new version of ballet's favourite frosty Christmas show The Nutcracker on Monday. Nutcracker in Havana will weave traditional Cuban rhythms and dances together with classical ballet, all set to a revised version of Tchaikovsky's famous musical score by Cuban composer Pepe Gavilondo.Having grown up in Havana under Fidel Castro, who effectively banned Christmas, Acosta did not celebrate it until he left the island to join Houston Ballet in 1993, aged 20. He was staying with the company's director when he came home one day to find a giant tree in the living room. I said, this man has gone mad! What is he doing planting a tree in the living room?!" But over Acosta's 17 years dancing with the Royal Ballet in London, he came to love the annual festivities. It's a lovely period of bringing everyone together," he said. I want to give my nation that kind of experience." Continue reading...

Palestinian Authority ministry of health said the killing of Mustafa Abu Shalbak happened in the early morning hours. This live blog is closed

Met police seize vehicle, stolen in Italy in 1995 and worth 350,000, in London as it was about to be sold to a US buyerThe wheels of justice may move painfully slowly compared with the speed of Formula One, but Scotland Yard has recovered a special edition Ferrari belonging to the racing driver Gerhard Berger 28 years after it went missing.The red F512M Testarossa, worth 350,000, was stolen in Imola, Italy, in 1995 as crowds gathered for a grand prix. Continue reading...

Acclaimed British movie starring Morfydd Clark will be adapted for Live theatre in Newcastle by Jessica Andrews, with music by Gazelle TwinThe British horror film Saint Maud is to be adapted for the stage in a new production at Live theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne this autumn.Rose Glass's atmospheric debut feature, released to huge critical acclaim in 2020, starred Morfydd Clark as a troubled caregiver in Scarborough who develops a damaging obsession with her patient (Jennifer Ehle). The stage adaptation is by Jessica Andrews, whose novels include the award-winning Saltwater, and it will feature new music by Gazelle Twin. Continue reading...

Research into 220 Australian families over two years concludes exposure to television, phone and other screens hinders young children's language skills

Kremlin claims audio of officers discussing UK help with missiles shows involvement of collective west'

Campaigners say fully automated' approach risks repeat of Post Office Horizon scandal

Outgoing climate chief not ready' to give up on 1.5C goal. Plus, Nikki Haley wins her first Republican primary in Washington DC

Police killed Jason Maccani as he held a fork, one of many cases of confused Los Angeles officers rushing to use lethal forceThe first report from the Los Angeles police department about the killing of Jason Maccani on 3 February immediately drew scrutiny: an officer had fatally shot a man who had been armed with a stick" and threatening people in a building on Skid Row, the department said.LAPD's update a day later raised new concerns: the 36-year-old Maccani hadn't been holding any weapon, but rather a white plastic fork". Continue reading...

The party misses the chance to have a female candidate in the safe seat vacated by former prime minister Scott Morrison

ID3 tag on a track of his posted to SoundCloud in 2014 saying vaccines are poisonous' has been changed, said the musicianAphex Twin has clarified his stance on vaccines after anti-vax sentiments and other conspiracy theories appeared in the ID3 tag of a song posted to SoundCloud.A Reddit user found an ID3 tag on a song posted by the Cornish producer AKA Richard D James in 2014, reading vaccines are poisonous, mercury, aluminum can+ autism, cancer" and also referencing 9/11, Hamas and chemtrails. Continue reading...

As discontent with leader, John Pesutto, rises, the fractured party is casting around for a replacement that will unite them

Crash in Andhra Pradesh state in October took place as India played England during one-day World CupThe drivers of a train that missed a signal and ploughed into another train, killing 14 people, were distracted because they were watching cricket on a phone, India's railways minister has said.The fatal collision in Andhra Pradesh state in October took place as hosts India played England during the one-day World Cup. Continue reading...