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Pair identified as friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles in hospitals in neighbouring Thailand after incident last week

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The poet also wrote the lyrics for the Astro Boy theme song and translated Peanuts into JapaneseShuntaro Tanikawa, who pioneered modern Japanese poetry, poignant but conversational in its divergence from haiku and other traditions, has died aged 92.Tanikawa, who translated the Peanuts comic strip and penned the lyrics for the theme song of the animation series Astro Boy, died on 13 November, his son Kensaku Tanikawa said on Tuesday. The cause of death, at a Tokyo hospital, was old age. Continue reading...

Former Jetstar pilot seeks to overturn conviction and sentence over killing of 73-year-old in the Wonnangatta Valley

Campaigners want ministers to overhaul rules to outlaw snacks that contain up to 12 teaspoons of sugarSchools in England should be banned from giving pupils cakes or biscuits as part of their lunch because they contain so much sugar, food campaigners say.They want ministers to overhaul the rules that guide schools on the nutritional content of the meals they serve to outlaw such sugary snacks. Continue reading...

Italian government approves request for Perry Kouroumblis to be returned. He maintains his innocence

Tehran alleged to have targeted retired politician, 84, who is also human rights activist and critic of IranCanadian authorities foiled an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate a former justice minister and rights activist who has been a strong critic of Tehran, the Globe and Mail newspaper has reported.The 84-year-old was justice minister and attorney general from 2003 to 2006. He retired from politics in 2015 but has remained active with many associations that campaign for human rights around the world. Continue reading...

Hamas-run interior ministry says it carried out security operation after armed looters hijacked almost 100 trucksGaza's Hamas-run interior ministry has said that at least 20 people have been killed in an operation targeting gangs" accused of looting trucks bringing aid into the war-torn territory which is facing the threat of famine.Gunmen attacked and looted about 100 trucks carrying desperately needed supplies over the weekend, the biggest such attack during 13 months of war in the territory and new evidence of the growing power of Gaza's criminal gangs. Continue reading...

Whisky and migration thwarted earlier deal but UK PM hopeful of reaching agreement with Narendra ModiKeir Starmer is to restart the aborted UK-India trade talks in the new year after an agreement stalled amid disagreements over whisky tariffs and migration.No progress has been made on the deal since early this year after the last round of talks concluded. As prime minister, Boris Johnson promised a swift deal, but Rishi Sunak was said to be deeply uneasy with some of the provisions that had been negotiated by his predecessor. Talks were put on hold in March while both countries prepared for general elections. Continue reading...

Move follows US president Joe Biden's agreement to supply similar American long-range Atacms weaponBritain is expected to supply Storm Shadow missiles for use by Ukraine on targets inside Russia, now that US president Joe Biden has agreed to do the same for the similar American long-range Atacms weapon.Keir Starmer, the prime minister, said at the G20 summit that the UK recognised it needed to double down" on its support for Ukraine, while diplomatic sources briefed they expected other European countries to follow the US lead. Continue reading...

Contaminated feed inquest conclusions highlight concerns over lack of requirement for providers to report problemsMore babies in England could die from issues caused by unlicensed medicines if providers are not required to report problems, a coroner has warned.The conclusions were reached at the end of an inquest held after three infants died due to receiving contaminated feed. Continue reading...

Oral arguments in case of administrator Meagan Wolfe, focus of conspiracy-theory-fueled Republican campaignThe Wisconsin supreme court heard arguments on Monday in a case that could determine the fate of the state's top election administrator - a widely respected official who for the past four years has faced intense conspiracy-theory fueled backlash from Trump's base.The Wisconsin elections commission administrator, Meagan Wolfe, drew ire in the wake of the 2020 election when pro-Trump activists made her a scapegoat in their false claims of a stolen election. Activists who supported Trump and rejected the results of the election protested against her role on the commission and pressured Republican lawmakers - who had previously appointed Wolfe unanimously to head the WEC - to oust her. Continue reading...

Talmika Bates will get $967,000 in settlement after lawsuit alleged Brentwood police used excessive forceA northern California city has agreed to pay nearly $1m to settle a lawsuit alleging police used excessive force when a K-9 dog tore out a woman's scalp during her arrest.Talmika Bates will receive $967,000 from the city of Brentwood, located about 60 miles (100km) east of San Francisco in Contra Costa county, her attorneys announced on Friday. Continue reading...

Two men, 36 and 68, killed and woman critically injured in apparently unprovoked stabbings in ManhattanNew York City police have arrested a man who allegedly killed two people and badly wounded a third in an apparently unprovoked stabbing spree in Manhattan, authorities said.The attacks began early on Monday morning, when the first victim - a 36-year-old man - was fatally stabbed in the abdomen at 8.20am. The stabbing occurred at a construction site where the victim was working on West 19th Street, the New York police department (NYPD) said. Continue reading...

Governor Mike DeWine also denounces Columbus event after video showed masked neo-Nazi procession in all blackThe White House on Monday condemned a march of neo-Nazis in Columbus, Ohio, over the weekend, saying it was hostile to everything the United States stands for".Joe Biden abhors the hateful poison of Nazism, antisemitism, and racism - which are hostile to everything the United States stands for, including protecting the dignity of all our citizens and the freedom to worship", Andrew Bates, a spokesperson for the president, said in a statement sent to several news outlets on Monday. Hate directed against any of us is a threat to every single one of us." Continue reading...

Prime minister says he wants to be clear about issues we do not agree on' after meeting Chinese president Xi Jinping at G20Keir Starmer has held his bilateral with Xi Jinping in Rio at the G20, offering to meet his counterpart, the Chinese premier Li Qiang, in Beijing or London at the earliest opportunity.But the PM also raised human rights issues with Xi, including the sanctions on parliamentarians and the persecution of Hong Kong and British citizen Jimmy Lai.A strong UK China relationship is important for both of our countries and for the broader international community.The UK will be a predictable, consistent, sovereign actor committed to the rule of law. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Stephen Cottrell, archbishop of York, says church is in period of reflection after unprecedented crisis' over abuse cover-upThe Church of England may need to rethink the role of archbishop of Canterbury after its unprecedented crisis" over an abuse cover-up, Justin Welby's second-in-command has said.In an interview with the Guardian, Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York, said he would welcome a woman taking over from Welby. But he warned that the responsibilities of the job may need to be shared more widely in future. Continue reading...

President-elect plans to declare a national emergency for undocumented immigrants with help of hardline cabinetDonald Trump said on Monday that his administration would declare a national emergency and use the US military to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.In an early morning social media post, Trump responded TRUE!!!" to a post by Tom Fitton, the president of the conservative group Judicial Watch, who wrote on 8 November that the next administration will use military assets to reverse the Biden invasion through a mass deportation program". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Study finds almost quarter of UK population living in poverty, reaching the highest level this century Poverty figures render government numbers too little and action very lateMore than one in three children and a quarter of adults are living in poverty in the UK as deprivation levels rise to the highest in the 21st century, according to a landmark report.The study by the Social Metrics Commission (SMC), which uses measures recently adopted by the UK government, found the cost of living crisis had plunged 2 million more people into severe hardship since 2019. Continue reading...

Broadening definition of poverty reveals true numbers of people living in poverty and accelerates need to tackle crisis More than one in three children in poverty as UK deprivation hits record highThe news that more than one in three children in the UK are now living in poverty should shock everyone but surprise no one.Nearly three years into the cost of living crisis, we know that young families and disabled people have been among those hit hardest by the biggest fall in UK living standards in half a century. Continue reading...

Up to 20cm could hit worst-affected areas this week in Britain's first taste of winter' this seasonWeather forecasters have warned the UK to be prepared for disruptive snow" and plummeting temperatures after an Arctic blast brought the coldest night of the season so far.The Met Office said the early hours of Monday had been the chilliest night, with the lowest temperature, -7.8C, recorded at Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands. Continue reading...

Biggest US budget airline says it expects to operate as normal as it works its way through Chapter 11 processSpirit Airlines said on Monday that it had filed for bankruptcy protection and would attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused decrease in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue.Spirit, the biggest US budget airline, has lost more than $2.5bn since the start of 2020 and faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1bn over the next year. Continue reading...

Indian capital imposes emergency measures including closing of schools and offices and barring heavy vehiclesPollution levels in India's capital, Delhi, have soared to their highest levels this year, forcing schools and offices to close and cloaking the city in hazardous" thick brown smog.In some parts of the city, a live air quality ranking by IQAirput levels at more than 1,500 - more than 30 times the level deemed healthy. Continue reading...

Chair of National Police Chiefs' Council says major changes needed urgently to make service fit for modern age

No immediate arrests after two incidents in area where second line' celebration was taking place on SundayTwo people were killed and 10 others were wounded in a pair of separate shootings along a New Orleans parade route and celebration attended by thousands on Sunday, authorities said. There were no immediate arrests.Including Sunday's violence, there had been more than 460 mass shootings across the US so far this year, according to the non-partisan Gun Violence Archive.Guardian staff contributed to this report Continue reading...

Counter-terrorism commander says risk of contamination in Salisbury was not discussed with public health leadersPeople were not warned against picking up discarded objects after the 2018 novichok attack on the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal despite concerns that a container of the nerve agent had been left in Salisbury, a senior counter-terrorism police chief has said.Commander Dominic Murphy told an inquiry that he believed no warning was issued by public health leaders until after the poisoning of Dawn Sturgess three months later when she sprayed herself with a dose of nerve agent from a fake perfume bottle apparently found in a bin in the city. Continue reading...

Commonwealth Bank finds over-70s cohort spent 7.7% more from July to September than the same time last year

Survey also reveals concern about Trump's effect on economy and climate change - although 48% think hotter summers caused by normal fluctuations'

Exclusive: Group of more than 90 including writers Tim Winton and Charlotte Wood have paid for every federal senator and MP to receive curated package

Almost half of Australians think immigration is too high while financial pressures are stubbornly common', annual Mapping Social Cohesion survey finds

Donna Nelson arrested with 2kg of stimulants but daughters say she is innocent

Retailer's share price has crashed amid post-Covid high street recovery and competition from Shein and others

Jerome Beasley and Luke Robinson each accused of four counts of sexual assault on woman while off dutyTwo Metropolitan police officers have been charged with sexually assaulting a woman while off duty.Jerome Beasley, 41, and Luke Robinson, 39, who work in the central west command unit, are to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Price cap for Great Britain forecast to rise to 1,736 a year for average dual-fuel bill, according to Cornwall Insights

The Matildas captain announced the news in an Instagram post, revealing the baby is due next yearMatildas captain, Sam Kerr, and her partner have announced they are having a baby due next year.Kerr made the announcement on Instagram with her American partner and fellow footballer, Kristie Mewis. Continue reading...

Items up for auction from Eric Morecambe's family home show Ernie Wise had doubts about pair's futureThey became arguably the greatest comedy duo Britain has ever produced but if Eric Morecambe had listened to a young and despondent Ernie Wise they would have split up before ever getting properly started.A poignant 1950 letter from Wise to Morecambe is part of a remarkable treasure trove of memorabilia to be auctioned in the new year. Continue reading...

Senator rips up paper copy of motion against her and says she was denied my right' to be present during vote

Campaigners want anti-racist content to be embedded in curriculum and for Black history to be compulsory subjectSchools and colleges are failing in their legal duty to prevent and address racism, say campaigners who are calling for the national curriculum in England to include an explicit anti-racism focus with Black history as a compulsory subject.A coalition of organisations representing young people's voices has written to the prime minister, warning that racism is holding all young people back" and calling for urgent action to address the impacts of this growing crisis". Continue reading...

Practice banned in both countries but widespread among those displaced by Sudan's civil war, say aid workersWomen's rights campaigners have spoken of their concern over the spread of female genital mutilation among Sudanese refugees in camps across the border in Chad.Both countries have outlawed the practice but it continues in secret. The UN children's agency, Unicef, says that about 87% of Sudanese women aged 14-49 have been cut - one of the highest rates in the world. In Chad, the figure is 34.1%, though rates are higher in the south and east, which is where the camps for Sudanese people have been set up. Continue reading...

Education minister Jason Clare says never in my life' did he expect to see opposition and Greens take same stand on immigration

Former Sydney radio host - who has previously denied all allegations against him - charged over incidents that allegedly occurred between 2001 and 2019

Authorities refuse to rule out taking marks off students found to have used hidden text in exam guides in their answers

Vehicles damaged on Sydney Harbour Bridge by steel plate dislodged in downpour while heavy rains prompt emergency calls around the state

Royal College of Emergency Medicine warns of unacceptable risk' posed by lack of funding to NHSEmergency doctors have sounded the alarm over an approaching winter crisis that they say is already putting patients in overstretched A&E departments at risk.

Figures from audit of England, Wales and Northern Ireland show some basic care now worse than decade agoMinisters are being urged to improve declining care for stroke patients to lower the risk of death and disability as new figures show rising cases, especially among people in their 50s.Thousands of stroke patients are missing out on appropriate treatment and rehabilitation, the standards of which have worsened over the past decade, the Stroke Association has said as it publishes the latest figures from the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme (SSNAP), the nation's biggest stroke data audit covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Region's mayor to launch measures to cut unemployment, reduce cost of travel and help children in hardshipA 55m package of measures to tackle the staggering" levels of child poverty in north-east England is to be unveiled at a summit on Monday.The announcement includes an extension of a scheme that allows young people under 21 to travel on public transport for 1 and a 50m investment programme aimed at helping people to find and stay in work. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. Read today's full report hereA Lebanese soldier has been killed, with three wounded after Israel attacked an army post in a Lebanese town.The Lebanese Army posted on X that one of those injured was in a critical condition after the attack on Sunday. Continue reading...

Challenging finances and polarised political landscape blamed for closure after nearly decade of activismMembers of the Women's Equality party (WE) have voted to dissolve the organisation after nearly a decade of activism, with its leaders blaming challenging finances and a more polarised political landscape.The move, backed by the WE's leader, Mandu Reid, and the party co-founders Catherine Mayer and Sandi Toksvig, was supported by 78% of members at the special conference, narrowly above the three-quarters majority needed for it to pass. Continue reading...

Attack came without warning on day dozens killed in airstrikes in Gaza and Israel struck other targets in LebanonHezbollah's chief spokesman has been killed by an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, as Israel intensifies its air offensive in Lebanon despite ongoing indirect negotiations for a ceasefire.Mohammed Afif, who has been the public face of Hezbollah for months, was killed in a strike on offices of the Ba'ath party in Ras al-Nabaa, central Beirut. The attack in the busy residential area came without warning, and appeared to damage to neighbouring buildings. Continue reading...

UK prime minister to meet world leaders at summit in Brazil that Vladimir Putin has declined to attendUkraine will be top of the agenda" this week at a meeting of leaders from the world's most powerful economies, Keir Starmer has pledged, though he said he had no plans" to follow the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and speak directly to Vladimir Putin.Starmer will meet world leaders on Monday at the G20 summit in Brazil, which the Russian president has declined to attend, sending his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, in his place. Continue reading...