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Soldiers holding chunk of enemy territory in Kursk have been learning Korean phrases and are unconcerned by threat from reinforcementsVitalii Ovcharenko, a Ukrainian soldier, has been learning a new language: Korean. I've picked up a few phrases. They are: Hands up, drop your weapon and come to us slowly,'" he said. Also: Throw off your body armour and helmet.'"Ovcharenko has been mugging up with the help of a three-page printed guide. It lists words in Ukrainian, their Korean equivalent, and a helpful transliteration. Continue reading...

British foreign secretary says many politicians have said pretty ripe things' about US president-elect

Measure alongside bill to facilitate removal of non-citizens criticised as heavy-handed proposals that interfere with fundamental rights'

Noonan Real Estate Agency in Sydney forced to apologise after it disclosed renter's full name, occupation and financial circumstances to global audience

Protesters and political prisoners are being drugged, tortured and beaten in state-run institutions, say rights groupsHuman rights organisations say they are gravely concerned that a young Iranian woman arrested for stripping down to her underwear could be subjected to torture after she was transferred to a psychiatric hospital by the authorities.Amnesty International said it had found evidence that the Iranian regime used electric shocks, torture, beatings and chemical substances on protesters and political prisoners taken to state-run psychiatric institutions after being called mentally unstable. It said the situation facing the young woman was alarming". Continue reading...

Petition demands council hold binding referendum on issue after local people say they have been priced outHousing activists in Lisbon are to hand over a petition, signed by more than 6,600 residents, calling on city officials to agree to hold a binding referendum on banning tourist lets in residential blocks.The effort, months in the making, is aimed at prompting decisive action in a city where the cost of housing has drastically outpaced local salaries. Short-term rentals take most of the housing space in Lisbon's historic centre," said Raquel Antunes, a member the group Movement for a Housing Referendum. We need to put the brakes on this." Continue reading...

Alexis Jay says she is still pressing ministers to introduce mandatory reporting of allegations in England and WalesA once-in-a-lifetime" chance to protect children is at risk of being squandered by the UK government, a leading expert has warned.Prof Alexis Jay, the former chair of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) said she was still pressing Labour ministers for a commitment to introduce her recommendations made at the conclusion of the seven-year inquiry in 2022. Continue reading...

A passenger onboard QF520 to Brisbane says it was a real struggle to get airborne and it was clear to everyone ... that something was badly wrong'

Twenty-five-year-old the first Victorian convicted of intentionally performing the gesture in public

Jordan James Fineanganofo admitted stabbing Steven Tougher 55 times outside a McDonald's in Campbelltown in April 2023

Wealthy Democratic outsider unseats incumbent mayor London Breed in expensive raceAfter years of negative headlines and post-pandemic economic struggle, San Francisco has picked a wealthy Democratic outsider with no government experience to serve as the city's new mayor.Daniel Lurie, 47, is one of the heirs to the Levi Strauss jeans company fortune, and previously spent 15 years as the executive of a San Francisco non-profit he founded. He defeated several Democratic challengers, including the current mayor, London Breed, in an election that was expected to break local campaign spending records. Continue reading...

Independent David Pocock calls for disclosure reform while Liberal James Paterson says many politicians don't update the log fast enough

The historical series, Time in the Northwest, chronicles the life of Xi Zhongxun from peasant roots to Communist revolutionary in ChinaXi Jinping's father is the subject of a rousing new historical drama that premiered on Chinese state television on Tuesday.Funded by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist party (CCP), Time in the Northwest chronicles the life of Xi Zhongxun, the father of the Chinese president, who was himself a CCP elder and key figure in the party under Chairman Mao Zedong. Continue reading...

Prosecutors say they charged someone who was close to the singer, a hotel employee and a suspected drug dealerThree people have been charged in connection with Liam Payne's death in Argentina for supplying narcotics and the abandonment of a person followed by death.Toxicology tests found that when he died, Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine, a prescription drug and antidepressants in his body prosecutors said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...

Leon Panetta says he also expects US president-elect to favor letting Russia retain control of areas of UkraineDonald Trump will as president give Benjamin Netanyahu a blank check" in the Middle East, possibly opening the way for all-out war between Israel and Iran, the former CIA director and US defense secretary Leon Panetta predicted.With regards to the Middle East, I think he's basically going to give Netanyahu a blank check," Panetta said of Trump, who won the presidential election this week and will take office again in January. Continue reading...

President implored Americans to bring down' political temperature and hit note of optimism after bitter election

Judges suspend Dylan Willis's jail term on account of his ADHD and low IQ but uphold sentences of three other menA teenager jailed for smashing a restaurant window during rioting in Middlesbrough is to be freed after appeal judges ruled that a court had not considered his complex developmental and mental health background.Dylan Willis, 18, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder after repeatedly smashing the window with a brick, had his 14-month sentence suspended by court of appeal judges on Thursday. Continue reading...

Report says it is unlikely' Justin Welby knew nothing of concerns about Smyth, who abused schoolboys at Christian holiday campsThe Church of England covered up the actions of its worst and most brutal serial abuser, who subjected his victims to traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks, an independent review has concluded.John Smyth, a powerful and charismatic barrister, sadistically abused private schoolboys who attended evangelical Christian holiday camps in the late 1970s and early 80s. When the abuse was discovered, Smyth was allowed to move abroad with the full knowledge of church officials, where he continued to act with impunity. Continue reading...

Mildura's Powerhouse Place won for sustainable architecture and urban design, while Sydney renovation for Atlassian offices wins top award

Experienced envoy is considered best person to help guide Labour government during potentially fraught period

State has passed measures and pored over Project 2025 to establish guardrails to shield residents from a hostile White House

Event has brought new drama each week, and stars such as Robbie Coltrane, to city's West End since it began in 2004I couldn't imagine it not being here," says Diane Carroll, who has worked at the ticket desk for A Play, a Pie and a Pint at the Oran Mor in Glasgow since it opened its doors in 2004. As she assists those who are queueing for the show it becomes clear what they have come early for: a cart of fresh, steaming pies makes its way down to the venue with them.A Play, a Pie and a Pint, a lunchtime theatre event in the historic building in the city's West End, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Continue reading...

Taipei says it is paying close attention to reported request by Elon Musk's firmTaiwan's government says it is paying close attention to reports that Elon Musk's SpaceX asked Taiwanese suppliers to move manufacturing to other countries because of geopolitical" concerns.Reuters reported on Wednesday that SpaceX's request to suppliers in Taiwan's multibillion-dollar industry appeared to have prompted some to shift locations to Vietnam, Thailand and other places. In response, Taiwan's economic affairs minister, JW Kuo, said the industry was strong and should be able to cope", but that the government was monitoring the situation. Continue reading...

Many in Ramallah argue things cannot get any worse but some say US result could add unpredictability to despair

Attack on Ukrainian capital lasts eight hours with five districts hit and high-rise building set on fireRussia has carried out a massive drone attack on Kyiv, hours after Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election. The Kremlin also called on the west to stop backing the Ukrainian government in order to save its people.The moped-like whine of Iranian shahed drones could be heard at 6am local time on Wednesday above the Ukrainian capital. There was machine gunfire and explosions in the centre of Kyiv as air defence tried to shoot the missiles down. The attack lasted eight hours. Continue reading...

German opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, opposes timetable laid out by chancellor in news conferenceGermany's centre-right opposition leader has called for an immediate vote of confidence to be held in parliament, after Olaf Scholz's ruling coalition collapsed.Friedrich Merz, the chair of the former chancellor Angela Merkel's party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), stands to profit most from the bombshell developments in Berlin, one day after Donald Trump's election as US president upended the global political landscape. Continue reading...

Share surge increases Elon Musk's fortune by $26bn in a day as Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin and Bill Gates also benefitThe wealth of the 10 richest people in the world - a list dominated by US tech billionaires - increased by a record amount after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election, according to a widely cited index.The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated that the world's 10 wealthiest people gained nearly $64bn (about 49.5bn) on Wednesday, the largest daily increase since the index began in 2012. Continue reading...

Met inquiry looking into historical accusations against former Radio 1 hip-hop DJProsecutors are considering bringing charges against the former Radio 1 hip-hop DJ Tim Westwood, after detectives investigating allegations of non-recent sexual abuse submitted a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).The criminal inquiries began after a joint investigation by the Guardian and BBC News in 2022 heard from women who accused the DJ of sexual misconduct and misusing his position in the music industry to take advantage of them. Continue reading...

Unexpected move throws Europe's largest economy into political disarray and is likely to lead to snap elections in MarchThe German government has collapsed after the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, unexpectedly sacked his finance minister, plunging Europe's largest economy into political disarray.Christian Lindner was thrown out of the three-way coalition during a meeting of high-level government members on Wednesday evening, after months of bitter infighting that has contributed to the administration's growing unpopularity. Continue reading...

Robert F Kennedy Jr, vaccine skeptic and conspiracy theorist, says Trump promised him control of health policyDonald Trump will be propelled to the White House for a second term amid concerns about inflation kicked off by the pandemic, with a leading vaccine skeptic - Robert F Kennedy Jr - at his side, and proposals from conservative supporters to fundamentally restructure public health agencies central to pandemic-era ire.Covid-19 was never seen as the central issue of the 2024 presidential campaign season, but in the first post-pandemic presidential election, it reverberated as the anti-vaccine movement ascended to its greatest political heights ever. Continue reading...

The Crucifixion, painted in 1420s, was due to be sold to overseas buyer before deferral granted in JanuaryThe Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has raised 4.48m to prevent a rare Italian Renaissance painting from leaving the country after two centuries.Fra Angelico's The Crucifixion was going to be sold to an overseas buyer last year, but due to the work's value and importance to the UK, the culture secretary granted a deferral of nine months in January to keep the painting in the UK, giving the Oxford University institute time to raise the funds needed to acquire it. Continue reading...

Chair of Climate Change Authority says climate change waits for no one' as pressure mounts on Coalition to dump net zero commitment

Tony Burke introduces bill to facilitate removal of unlawful non-citizens and regulations to reimpose ankle bracelets and curfews on those released after high court's NZYQ decision

Former tax office employee who spoke publicly about the agency's pursuit of debts has pleaded not guilty to all charges

Woman questioned in minute detail about what happened on the morning of 14 September 2014

Exclusive: a UN report will accuse the military of imposing collective punishment' on Rakhine state, more than three years after seizing power in a coupTwo million people in Myanmar's Rakhine state could face starvation within months because fierce conflict and trade blockades have led to a total economic collapse" and the imminent risk of famine, a senior UN official has warned.Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh in the west, is on the brink of disaster, as people's incomes crater, rice cultivation plummets, and military-imposed trade restrictions lead to severe food shortages and hyperinflation, according to forthcoming research from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which accuses the military of inflicting collective punishment" on civilians. Continue reading...

Team led by Paralympic champion will work with aviation industry to break down barriers', says transport secretaryThe Paralympic champion Tanni Grey-Thompson is to lead a new taskforce created to improve air travel for disabled passengers, the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, has announced.The taskforce will spend nine months speaking to disabled passengers to establish what are the biggest barriers to air travel, and working with the aviation industry to find short- and long-term solutions. Continue reading...

Women have had to share bedrooms with unrelated men and some have faced further sexual violence, charities sayThe UK asylum system is retraumatising women and girls who have fled rape and sexual abuse and putting them at risk of further harm, leading charities have said.Sexual violence and abuse is often a major driver for women to leave their country of origin, as well as a common experience on their journey to the UK, but when they get here they are failed, according to Rape Crisis England and Wales (RCEW) and Imkaan. Continue reading...

Xiaozheng Lin could be eligible for parole in seven years after striking deal to plead guilty to manslaughter of Yuqi Luo and Hyun Sook Jeon in 2022

There will be change at Nine and individuals will be held to account for behaviour of this nature' acting CEO tells AGM

Regis Resources to seek costs, a declaration that the order was legally invalid' and that it be redetermined by a different minister

Banning political donations or restructuring firms to reduce conflict of interest are not part of recommendations

Actor and wife filmed promotional ad in UAE, a country which strives to present itself as tolerant while carrying out repression against dissent'Australian movie star Chris Hemsworth has been criticised for starring in a slick advertisement promoting Abu Dhabi as a tourism destination in partnership with the United Arab Emirates government, the latest celebrity to use their influence to promote the gulf state.Hemsworth features in the minute-long ad with his actor and model wife, Elsa Pataky, which they posted on their Instagram accounts on Wednesday. The ad was also shared by the Experience Abu Dhabi Instagram account.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

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...

The vice-president and Democratic nominee publicly concedes the election to Trump after stunning loss

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...

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...

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...