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Renowned drama school says unprecedented funding challenges' make degrees unviable from September 2025One of the UK's most celebrated drama schools, which counts the Oscar-winners Olivia Colman, Daniel Day-Lewis and Jeremy Irons among its alumni, is to scrap its undergraduate degrees due to a range of financial challenges.Bristol Old Vic theatre school, founded in 1946, said its undergraduate training model was now financially unsustainable". Continue reading...

Polar vortex chilled central US, downing trees, blasting snow, shuttering schools and causing traffic pile-upsThe next round of bitter cold enveloped the southern US on Tuesday, after the first significant winter storm of the year blasted a huge swath of the country with ice, snow and wind as far south as Florida and Texas.The immense storm system brought disruption over the weekend and on Monday to much of the mid-Atlantic region, triggering the announcement of states of emergency in several states. It even hit areas of the country that usually escape winter's wrath, downing trees in some southern states, threatening a freeze in Florida and causing people in Dallas to dip deep into their wardrobes for hats and gloves. Continue reading...

President-elect's son says visit is personal day trip' as Danish PM says autonomous territory is not for sale'Donald Trump Jr touched down in Greenland on Tuesday, hours after his father reiterated his interest in taking control of the Arctic autonomous territory, pledging to make Greenland great again".After arriving in the Greenlandic capital in a Trump-branded plane, he told a waiting crowd in the Nuuk airport arrivals hall - some wearing red Make America Great Again caps - that he was very excited to be here". It was, he said, a little colder here than it is in Florida", adding that the US president-elect says hello to everyone in Greenland". Continue reading...

Four pulled from the water - three with serious injuries - but the search goes on for three other people on board

Magistrate remands Kyle Shaw of Birkenhead on bail ahead of appearance in Liverpool crown courtA man has been charged with stalking the Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas.Kyle Shaw, 37, appeared at South Sefton magistrates court, Merseyside, on 3 January, the courts service confirmed. Continue reading...

Shadow justice minister backs up previous remarks on immigration by telling BBC not all cultures are equal'The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, should sack Robert Jenrick for divisive comments," the Lib Dems have said, after the shadow justice minister doubled down on his comments about immigrants with alien cultures".Jenrick was challenged repeatedly on Tuesday morning for having failed to act on the outcome of an inquiry into grooming gangs while he was in the Home Office, despite now demanding one, and for rarely mentioning the issue in the House of Commons until this year. Continue reading...

Chinese state media also say 130 injured as rescue efforts in remote high-altitude terrain underway in below-freezing conditions

Hundreds of UK restaurants cited in allegations of discrimination, homophobia and sexual harassment

Former paratrooper led National Front party for decades and courted controversy, being repeatedly fined for contesting crimes against humanityJean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France's far-right National Rally party, has died aged 96.The former paratrooper, who led the party from 1972 to 2011 when it was called the National Front, had been in a care facility for several weeks and died at midday on Tuesday surrounded by his loved ones", his family said in a statement. Continue reading...

Bruno Retailleau says threat has never been greater, as country marks decade since Charlie Hebdo attackThe threat of a terrorist attack on France is being fuelled by social media and has never been greater, the country's interior minister has said, 10 years after gunmen killed 12 people in an attack on Charlie Hebdo newspaper.Speaking on the anniversary of the massacre at the paper's offices, Bruno Retailleau said French intelligence had foiled nine planned attacks last year - three targeting the Olympic Games - and the country could be hit tomorrow". Continue reading...

Retailer says festive trading was better than expected but forecasts UK sales growth will slow this year

Britain's biggest mortgage lender says say affordability could hamper further rises in the months ahead

UK party takes post down after viewers point out misogynist Portuguese-language lyricsThe Labour party has apologised for using a soundtrack with completely inappropriate" lyrics in a promotional TikTok video.The video features AI-generated animals including a hare dressed as a nurse, a bulldog in a police uniform and a hedgehog wearing dungarees. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese says using shade structures to reserve space is not on' as local mayor urges beachgoers to be kind and considerate'

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Exclusive: Skinwear firm admits delivery services overstretched amid heavy criticism from customersThe luxury tights and lingerie brand Wolford has apologised after heavy criticism from customers over delays to orders and refunds, admitting its delivery services were overstretched.Shoppers have taken to the reviews site Trustpilot to warn others against making orders, with some saying they had waited for more than a month for their goods to arrive and had been unable to obtain a refund. Continue reading...

Legal claim alleged telecoms group benefited from government support intended for small businessesThe business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has been asked to refer Vodafone to the Covid corruption commissioner, after a legal claim alleged the 18bn telecoms group benefited from government pandemic support intended for small businesses.The request to examine the conduct of the FTSE 100 company follows last month's high court claim by current and former Vodafone franchisees, which alleged the company unjustly enriched" itself at the expense of scores of vulnerable small business owners who were running the group's high street stores. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Victims of male violence sign letter praising minister for devoting life to fighting for women and girls'A group of victims of gender-based violence has criticised Elon Musk for his remarks attacking Jess Phillips, saying the safeguarding minister had devoted her life to fighting for women and girls".In a letter shared with the Guardian the seven women, including three survivors of the Telford sexual abuse scandal, came to the Labour MP's defence and said that there was no one in public life who has done more to support victims and survivors and to advocate for their interests". Continue reading...

Police arrest 51-year-old in Mordialloc in relation to Tuesday morning blaze

In Liverpool Riverside and Tottenham, two constituencies with black MPs and large black communities, Labour's vote share dropped by more than 20 points at last year's election. The Guardian spoke to voters there to find out what they have made of the party's return to powerIn Toxteth, a fast-gentrifying area of Liverpool that has for decades been the nucleus of the city's 300-year-old black community, Saeed Olayiwola considered how the Labour government compared with the Conservatives. I don't see much that sets them apart at the moment," Olayiwola said.Since Keir Starmer's government took power six months ago, voters in two urban constituencies, both represented by black Labour MPs - Liverpool Riverside and Tottenham in north London - have been weighing up the party's decisions and talking to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Solicitor claims Kaine Thomson-Gleeson was acting in self-defence when 23-year-old was fatally shot

South Australian police commissioner says officers allegedly threatened by man at Craigburn Farm took action necessary to protect themselves'

Actor and her late partner's family issue joint statement thanking supporters and asking for privacyAubrey Plaza has released a statement after the death of her husband, Jeff Baena, who was found at his Los Angeles home on Friday after taking his own life.This is an unimaginable tragedy," the actor and Baena's family said in a joint statement shared with media on Monday. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has offered support. Please respect our privacy during this time."In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Ministers say predators could face two years in jail, and plan to include creating sexually explicit deepfakes in billPredators who take intimate images of unwitting victims or install cameras to do so could face up to two years' in jail under plans drawn up by Labour.Ministers have also confirmed that they plan to create a new offence for those who create sexually explicit deepfake images.Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent.Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent and with intent to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.Taking or recording an intimate photograph or film without consent or reasonable belief in it, and for the purpose of the sexual gratification of oneself or another. Continue reading...

Authorities now have access to cockpit dialogue from Azerbaijan Airlines plane that went down on Christmas DayBrazil's air force has extracted the data from two black box recorders belonging to a crashed Azerbaijan Airlines plane that Baku claims was downed by Russia on Christmas Day, killing 38 of the 67 people on board.The Brazilian-made Embraer 190 crash-landed in Kazakhstan after being diverted from a scheduled landing in the Chechen capital, Grozny, in southern Russia. Azerbaijan believes the plane was shot down by Russian air defences, which Moscow says were operational in the area at the time. Continue reading...

The outgoing vice-president presided over a January 6 without rancour as she formally certified the vote she lostShe had warned America that he is a fascist and now, in front of political colleagues, TV viewers and the watching world, she was the one who would have to officially put him back in power.Few would envy Kamala Harris, the outgoing US vice-president, having to maintain a cool, zen-like exterior on Monday as she formally announced Donald Trump's victory - and her own defeat - in the 2024 presidential election. Continue reading...

LGBTQ+ veterans who faced discrimination under policy can update paperwork to remove mention of their sexualityThe Department of Defense reached a historic settlement with more than 30,000 LGBTQ+ veterans who were discharged under the controversial don't ask, don't tell" (DADT) policy, which allowed LGBTQ+ members to serve only if they concealed their sexuality.As a part of the settlement, those discharged under DADT or similarly discriminatory policies will be able to easily update their paperwork to remove mention of their sexuality. Previously, veterans who wanted to update their discharge papers had to undergo a complicated, years-long legal process that most veterans just didn't want to put themselves through", said Jocelyn Larkin, one of the lawyers who represented the class-action group. Continue reading...

Most deprived areas suffer ten-fold bigger reduction, which in turn exacerbates deprivationPeople living in deprived areas of England have suffered disproportionately larger cuts to bus services, according research by a leading thinktank.The analysis by IPPR North found that cuts to services in England had been felt the most in left-behind neighbourhoods". Continue reading...

PM also criticises politicians jumping on the bandwagon' amid row over action on child sexual exploitationKeir Starmer has condemned Elon Musk's increasingly erratic attacks on the government, suggesting that his lies and misinformation" on grooming gangs was amplifying the poison" of the far right.The prime minister angrily criticised Tory politicians for jumping on the bandwagon" by calling for a national inquiry into the scandal when they failed to implement any of the recommendations of a major report while in power. He accused them of being more interested in themselves than supporting victims. Continue reading...

Home secretary tells MPs that three recommendations by independent inquiry into child sexual abuse are being acted on by the governmentStarmer is now summarising some of the measures in the elective reform plan.Here is the summary from the news release.Further measures include:Using the NHS app to give patients greater choice and control over their treatment. This includes making sure patients can get better access to information via the app, such as the details of their appointments, results and waiting times, and use it to book appointments in the location of their choice, with information about waiting times and patient satisfaction.It's about a shift in the balance of power away from passive deference to doctors and towards patients being able to get that second opinion, play a greater role in deciding their care and their treatment.The early results of Martha's rule are in, lives of some of the sickest patients in our care transformed, extended and saved and so it's a rule that's now being recognised as potentially groundbreaking in its innovation. Continue reading...

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Home secretary announces plans to implement key demand from Jay inquiry in EnglandProfessionals who work with children will face criminal sanctions if they fail to report claims of child sexual abuse under a law to be introduced this year, Yvette Cooper has told MPs.The home secretary has promised to implement a key demand from Prof Alexis Jay's child sexual abuse inquiry after Keir Starmer turned down demands from Elon Musk and Kemi Badenoch for a new investigation into paedophile gangs.Introduce a victims and survivors panel to oversee reforms.Make grooming an aggravating factor in child sexual offences.Establish a core dataset for child abuse and protection. Continue reading...

Sir Ben Elliot's Quintessentially says there is material uncertainty' over ability to operate beyond the next yearQuintessentially, the luxury concierge service for the super-wealthy co-founded by Queen Camilla's nephew Sir Ben Elliot, has reported a 2.1m loss despite cutting jobs and buying extra time to repay 15m worth of loans.The firm, which Elliot, a former co-chair of the Conservative party, founded in 2000, said there was still material uncertainty" about the company's ability to operate beyond the next year if sales slumped or it failed to get fresh funding. It came as the company reported a 2.1m loss for the year to April 2024. Continue reading...

David Ludford pays emotional tribute, while UK show's host RuPaul says the performer was a lovely human being'The ex-husband of the drag artist known as The Vivienne has said my heart is shattered" after the death of the RuPaul's Drag Race star, as the hit TV show's host paid tribute to a lovely human being".James Lee Williams, known professionally as The Vivienne and who won the 2019 first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, died at the weekend aged 32. Continue reading...

Seven states declare states of emergency as flights are cancelled, schools closed and drivers face treacherous road conditions

Ken Martin and Ben Wikler from the midwest are favorites as party aims to recapture Congress and White HouseAs Republicans prepare to seize the reins of power in Washington, a low-profile race to head the Democrats' national governing body is being flagged up as the first milestone on the party's agonising road to electoral recovery.Two middle-aged men from the northern midwest have been tipped as frontrunners to succeed the outgoing Jaime Harrison as chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), a post from which the groundwork for the recapture of Congress and the White House is expected to be undertaken. Continue reading...

Washington Post report said aides were aiming to target only critical imports but president-elect calls it fake news'President-elect Donald Trump on Monday denied a newspaper report that said his aides were exploring tariff plans that would only cover critical imports.The story in the Washington Post, quoting so-called anonymous sources, which don't exist, incorrectly states that my tariff policy will be pared back. That is wrong. The Washington Post knows it's wrong. It's just another example of Fake News," he wrote in a post on Truth Social. Continue reading...

President reiterates that Donald Trump threatened democracy by inciting supporters into attack in 2021

Scottish Labour leader sets out plan to revive party's flagging fortunes before Holyrood electionsAnas Sarwar has accused the Scottish government of weakening every institution in Scotland" as he set out plans to revive Labour's flagging fortunes before the Holyrood elections.The Scottish Labour leader said he would spend much of 2025 reminding the Scottish National party time and time again of their failures", while setting out what his party would do differently if it wins power in May next year. Continue reading...

Denise Coates paid herself 150m in salary and dividends last year - far below the 466m she collected in 2020Britain's highest-paid woman, the Bet365 billionaire Denise Coates, has given herself a 45% pay cut, receiving 150m in salary and dividends last year despite soaring profits at the online gambling company.The Stoke-based business reported an increase in turnover from 3.4bn to 3.7bn last year, while also cutting costs and benefiting from a one-off gain on the value of its investments. Continue reading...

Statement from UN agency strongly condemns horrifying incident' on Sunday which it says risked lives of staff

Warning for snow and ice in place across most of south-west, north-west and West Midlands in England, Wales, western and northern Scotland and Northern Ireland. This live blog is closed

Critics decry Keir Starmer's plan as feeding the parasite' rather than investing in the public health service

Design shows intent to keep control of Faroe Islands and Greenland - which Trump says he would like the US to buyThe Danish king has shocked some historians by changing the royal coat of arms to more prominently feature Greenland and the Faroe Islands - in what has also been seen as a rebuke to Donald Trump.Less than a year since succeeding his mother, Queen Margrethe, after she stood down on New Year's Eve 2023, King Frederik has made a clear statement of intent to keep the autonomous Danish territory and former colony within the kingdom of Denmark. Continue reading...

Heather Genusa, engaged to Brandon Taylor, calls decision not to place barriers on Bourbon Street a horrible disgrace'A woman who saw her fiance get run over and killed alongside 13 other victims of the Bourbon Street truck attack on New Year's Day in New Orleans says city officials need to pay" the consequences after evidently opting against using multiple types of vehicle barriers that could have protected the targeted crowd.He died for no reason," Heather Genusa, 38, said of 43-year-old Brandon Taylor, to whom she was engaged to be married. Continue reading...

Flooding closes main roads as cold air forecast to return from Monday - and possibility of more snow later in week

We're excited that we have our country back,' one convicted man said. Plus, Adrien Brody wins Golden Globe for The BrutalistGood morning.Once back in power, Donald Trump has promised he will pardon people prosecuted over the assault on the Capitol four years ago today. Carried out by a mob of Trump's supporters after he had addressed them outside the White House, the 6 January 2021 attack brought political violence into the halls of Congress and has been linked to nine deaths among police and rioters.How many have been charged? The justice department has charged more than 1,500 people, nearly 600 of whom have faced felony charges of assaulting or impeding law enforcement.How popular would the move be? For all the enthusiasm among Trump's supporters, a December poll from Monmouth University found that 61% of respondents would disapprove of Trump pardoning people convicted of attacking the Capitol.What do we know about the attack? Jabber's truck displayed an IS flag. A rifle he used in the shootout was bought privately from someone who did not know what he had planned. Officials said Jabbar - who wore body armor and a helmet - had fashioned a homemade device meant to suppress the noise of gunshots fired by the rifle.What do authorities believe about the motive? Indications suggest Jabbar fell into extremism after marital and financial woes. Continue reading...

Request comes after attempts to detain Yoon Suk Yeol were thwarted by presidential security service guards last weekSouth Korea's investigating authorities have requested an extension of a warrant to arrest the country's impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol.The corruption investigation office for high-ranking officials (CIO) made the application at Seoul western district court on Monday. Continue reading...

NSW centre to remain closed after serious issues aired, though operators dispute many of the allegations and plan to contest tribunal's finding

Learning and Work Institute says 71% of Londoners and 65% of adults in Scotland will have degree by 2035, compared with 29% in East YorkshireEconomic growth in the UK risks being held back by a skills chasm" between regions, as London and the south-east suck in highly qualified workers, according to a report by the Learning and Work Institute.The gap between high- and low-skilled areas of the UK is already wider than in many comparable countries and is forecast to widen, the thinktank says. Continue reading...