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Increase in syphilis also recorded in most council areas as sexual health services face greater demand, says LGA reportAlmost every council area in England and Wales has seen a rise in gonorrhoea diagnoses, figures show, as sexual health services face unprecedented increases in demand".With gonorrhoea, the rate of diagnosis has increased in 97% of council areas since 2017, while 71% have seen increases in cases of syphilis over the same period, according to figures based on analysis of data from the office for health disparities by the Local Government Association (LGA). Continue reading...

As pockets of war multiply across region so does the risk that conflict becomes more contagious and intractableOn Thursday morning the Iranian news website Entekhab ran, without irony, the headline: Taliban call on Pakistan and Iran to show restraint and urge both sides to settle differences through diplomatic means".If proof were needed that a new, more dangerous world order may be upon us, the Taliban cast in the role of advocates for restraint seems conclusive. Continue reading...

President accused of allowing country to become a target because of complicity in bloodshed of Gaza'The Cyprus government is facing growing criticism over British military bases on the island being used by UK and US forces to stage airstrikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.President Nicos Christodoulides has been accused by activists of turning a blind eye to the risks the EU's most easterly state might confront if the strategic facilities on the island continue to be deployed in military operations. Continue reading...

MEPs react to tragic' findings revealing UK falling behind EU in key environmental policies since Brexit

Kim Kwang-ho accused of negligence in failing to take necessary measures' to prevent 2022 disaster in capital's Itaewon nightlife districtSeoul's chief of police has been charged with professional negligence over the deadly Halloween crush in 2022 that killed nearly 160 people, prosecutors in the South Korean capital have said.Kim Kwang-ho, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA), was charged with professional negligence resulting in injury or death, Seoul's western district prosecutors' office said in a statement released on Friday. Continue reading...

Bom says it's still too early to say' how strong a potential cyclone may be and when it could reach land

According to a police spokesperson the same man was involved in both the attacks in Redfern

This blog is now closed. See all our coverage of the Middle East crisis hereThere can be no security and stability in the region" without a Palestinian state, said the spokesperson for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, reports Associated Press.The remarks come in response to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection on Thursday of calls by the US to take steps toward the establishment of a Palestinian state after the war. Continue reading...

Protesters denounce lack of jail time for officers who left Theodore Luhaka incontinent after beatingThree police officers have been given suspended jail sentences for assaulting a young footballer during an arrest in 2017 in a case that has thrown the spotlight on police violence and racism in France.The decision not to send the officers to prison sparked angry protests in Paris on Friday. Continue reading...

Ex-PM backs disgraced former US president ahead of election, saying he won't ditch the Ukrainians'Boris Johnson has backed Donald Trump ahead of November's US presidential election, saying his return to the White House could be just what the world needs".In his weekly Daily Mail column, the former prime minister argued that if Trump backs Ukraine in its war against Russia, his renewed leadership can be a big win for the world". Continue reading...

Treasury committee writes to 21 bodies including Bank of England and HMRC to demand details of post-2019 dealsFujitsu's receipt of lucrative government contracts despite its role in the Post Office Horizon scandal has come under greater scrutiny after the Treasury committee wrote to organisations including the Bank of England and HM Revenue and Customs to demand details of their contracts with the tech company.The influential group of MPs told 21 public bodies, including the Treasury itself, to provide information on work given to the Japanese-owned company since 2019, when the high court ruled there had been dozens of bugs and errors in its Horizon IT system. Continue reading...

Members of Congress express disagreement after Netanyahu says he opposes creation of Palestinian state after Gaza warLeading progressive and Jewish members of Congress have criticized the US's unconditional support" for Israel after Benjamin Netanyahu declared bluntly that he was opposed to a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza and directly rejected American policy.The Israeli prime minister declared on Thursday that Israel would forever maintain control over all land west of the River Jordan, making an independent Palestinian state there impossible. This is a necessary condition, and it conflicts with the idea of [Palestinian] sovereignty," Netanyahu said. What to do? I tell this truth to our American friends, and I also stopped the attempt to impose a reality on us that would harm Israel's security." Continue reading...

Julian Hill labels Israeli prime minister's position appalling' as he calls for financial consequences for Israeli settlers

Sarah Grochala's Intelligence follows Lovelace's attempts to be taken seriously as a scientist in 1840s LondonA play about the reincarnation of the Victorian computing pioneer Ada Lovelace has won this year's Women's prize for playwriting.Intelligence, by Sarah Grochala, follows Lovelace's attempts to forge a career for herself as a serious scientist in 1840s London and being continually obstructed by men. Continue reading...

Britain faces dangerous climate' as online propaganda and referrals to Prevent surge, says policing leaderThe conflict in the Middle East has led to a surge in Islamist activity, with online terrorist propaganda rocketing and new individuals feared to have been radicalised, the head of counter-terrorism policing has said.Metropolitan police assistant commissioner Matt Jukes, who is head of the UK Counter Terrorism Policing network, said the events had led to a dangerous climate" with indications of a rising threat, after Hamas's atrocity against Israel on 7 October last year led to a sustained Israeli assault on Gaza with heavy civilian casualties still continuing. Continue reading...

Labour leader says Israeli PM's comments are unacceptable and Palestinian statehood not in his gift

Officers find 45-year-old man, 36-year-old woman and two girls at home in Costessey near NorwichFour members of the same family have been found dead at a home in a Norfolk town, police have said.Officers forced their way into the home in Costessey near Norwich on Friday morning after a call from a member of the public, and found a 45-year-old man, a 36-year-old woman and two young girls whose ages officers have not released. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Britain is falling behind the bloc on almost every area of green regulation, analysis reveals

Campaigners say keeping higher EU standards post-Brexit will have little impact as existing rules are already being flouted

Duke of Sussex was suing Associated Newspapers over article published after decision to change his security arrangementsThe Duke of Sussex has withdrawn his high court libel claim against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, saying his focus is on the safety of his family" and his legal action against the Home Office.Prince Harry, 39, sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over a February 2022 article about his legal challenge against the Home Office after a decision to change his publicly funded security arrangements when visiting the UK.

Barclay primary in Leyton may switch to online learning after facing protests over ban on political symbolsAn east London school has warned parents it may switch to online learning for its pupils because of threats to the school and abuse of staff that have flared since its decision to ban political symbols including the Palestinian flag.Barclay primary school in Leyton, Waltham Forest, said it had sought help from the Metropolitan police to investigate harassment of staff, and also hired private security, installed CCTV cameras and restricted public access to the school. Continue reading...

Paul Patterson, CEO of Fujitsu Europe, also says editing of witness statements used to prosecute post office operators was shameful'Rishi Sunak has spoken to broadcasters while on a visit to Hampshire, and said he is determined" to get the Rwanda bill through parliament as quickly as possible".He told the media: I think it's really important that we stop the boats, it's one of the priorities I set out to the country last year. Continue reading...

Some music industry insiders think it's time artists were more respectful of fans' time and moneyShe once sang time goes by so slowly", so there's no excuse for Madonna's tardiness. So claim two of the queen of pop's fans, who are suing the singer for taking to the stage two hours late, saying they had to get up early to go to work" the next morning.In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden say they bought tickets to a 13 December show at New York's Barclays Center as part of Madonna's Celebration tour. The lawsuit says the show was advertised to start at 8.30pm, but the 65-year-old musician didn't appear until after 10.30pm. Continue reading...

Pay issues and low morale contribute to almost 12% of Whitehall staff changing department or leaving in year to March, report saysChurn in the UK's civil service is at its highest level since 2010 aside from its post-pandemic peak, with almost 12% of Whitehall staff changing department or leaving the government workforce in the year to the end of March, according to an analysis.The Institute for Government's annual Whitehall monitor found there had been a drop since 2022 when, after the worst of the Covid crisis, 13.6% of civil servants left their jobs - but it remained higher than at any point since the Conservatives took power 14 years ago. Continue reading...

Announcement comes less than a week after Denmark's longest serving monarch abdicated the throneHaving abdicated the Danish throne after 52 years on exactly the same date she became queen - and announced her surprise decision live on TV with just two weeks' notice - there's little doubt Margrethe II has a sense of drama.After signing the abdication declaration last weekend, she left the room with tears in her eyes and the words: God bless the king." Continue reading...

Gold-mounted dentures worn during We shall fight on the beaches' speech helped fix childhood lispA set of false teeth worn by Winston Churchill during his We shall fight on the beaches" speech are to be sold at auction next month.The gold-mounted dentures are expected to fetch between 5,000 and 8,000 when they go under the hammer in Cheltenham on 6 February. Continue reading...

Melanie Battersby, 37, welcomes rapid review' into death of toddler alongside father in SkegnessThe sister of Bronson Battersby, the two-year-old boy found dead alongside his father in Lincolnshire, has said police and social services did what they could" and she does not blame them.Speaking as Lincolnshire county council carried out a rapid review" into the death of the toddler, Melanie Battersby said she welcomed the local authority inquiry. Continue reading...

Kharkiv, only 25 miles from Russia, has been under constant attack since the start of the war in Ukraine. Now fragments of rockets from North Korea are being found among the debris

Parents advised to check vaccination status of children, with full uptake of MMR jab down to average of 85%Further outbreaks of measles could spread across Britain, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned, after declaring a national incident amid a surge in cases and low vaccine uptake.Recent figures from the agency revealed a sharp rise in the number of measles cases, with uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at its lowest level in more than a decade and well under" the recommended coverage, the UKHSA chief executive, Dame Jenny Harries, has said. Continue reading...

Lawsuit alleges that office of Jefferson parish district attorney is violating state public records laws by setting such a high priceA Louisiana state prosecutor who declined to file a murder charge in connection with a man's drugging and robbery death in 2017 has demanded more than $18,000 for the victim's grieving father to obtain public records related to the case.Robert G Arthur III - whose son, Shawn Arthur, died as a result of federal sex trafficking and theft crimes, according to a judge - responded to the demand by filing a lawsuit Wednesday which alleges that the office of Jefferson parish district attorney Paul Connick is violating state public records laws by setting such a high price. Continue reading...

At least 27 die in weather-related circumstances in Pacific north-west as freezing temperatures, sleet and snow hit several statesMore than 70 million people across the US were put under winter weather alerts this past week, from Oregon to Maine. Temperatures fell to -45C in some areas, and the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind chill warning across parts of Texas through last weekend, with warnings of hypothermia and frostbite from wind chills of -32C.Additionally, nearly 10in (25cm) of snow fell across parts of Iowa, and other states across the midwest received six to 10in of snow last weekend. Continue reading...

The former minister aims to apply order in France where her former staffer, whom she is suing for defamation, now lives

Staff say situation at Nasser hospital catastrophic' as Israeli airstrikes hit metres awayIsraeli forces have advanced further into southern Gaza, with airstrikes and close-combat fighting nearing areas crowded with more than a million people who have sought refuge from fighting and destruction across the rest of the territory.The prospect of major operations taking place in terrain with such a dense and vulnerable population is deeply concerning", say aid officials, who fear Gaza's largest remaining hospital may have to be closed or evacuated. Continue reading...

Temperatures to turn milder from Saturday, with wet and windy conditions expected through the weekendSnow and ice will be replaced by wind and rain as milder air returns to the UK.Yellow alerts for snow and ice remain in effect across Scotland on Friday, with the Met Office warning wintry showers could bring disruption to transport and travel. Continue reading...

December figures show biggest monthly fall since shops were forced to close during pandemic in 2021

Changes to imprisonment for public protection scheme in England and Wales do not tackle the cases of nearly 1,250 prisoners'A UN torture expert has said changes to the imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme in England and Wales do not go far enough and repeated her call for prisoners jailed under the indefinite sentencing regime to be granted release dates.The changes, announced by the government in November, will mean that IPP prisoners, who can be recalled at any time when released on licence, can apply to the Parole Board to have their sentence terminated three years after leaving jail, rather than the current 10 years. Continue reading...

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Mayor pledges 123m to keep prices down as opponents accuse him of trying to buy re-election votesLondoners will not pay anything more for single tube and bus fares until at least March 2025 after the mayor, Sadiq Khan, announced a fare freeze.Transport costs will however continue to rise for people making multiple journeys, as travelcards and daily and weekly fare caps for contactless pay-as-you-go journeys will rise in line with national fares, which are due to go up by 4.9% in the spring. Continue reading...

Exclusive: FoI request reveals Home Office paid 133,000 to charity for support for frontline staff amid surge in agency's absences

It was unfortunate this discovery was over a holiday period,' Howard Collins says while warning of further traffic delays at Rozelle interchangeThe head of Transport for New South Wales has admitted it wasn't good enough that it took a week for the department to respond to reports of potential asbestos in mulch at the Rozelle parklands.The TfNSW coordinator general, Howard Collins, said the department was so grateful" to the member of the public who alerted the agency to the asbestos contamination on 2 January.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Several people lucky to escape North Bondi blaze that has prompted a warning about lithium-ion batteries

Storm brewing in the Coral Sea could develop into a cyclone and hit the coast mid-next week, BoM weather update says

South Korea says backgrounds of recent defectors including some elite class' indicate growing discontent with regime of Kim Jong-unThe number of North Koreans who defected to South Korea tripled last year, as the easing of border closures imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic encouraged students, women and diplomats to make the perilous journey.At 196, the number was still well below the pre-pandemic average, but South Korean authorities said the backgrounds of many recent defectors pointed to growing discontent with the regime of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. Continue reading...

Businesses close, and water supply, internet and fuel affected as outback town swelters in temperatures forecast to hit 40C

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, is seeking class action status for attenders of all other Celebration tour shows in the US that started lateTwo Madonna fans in New York City are suing the pop star for starting her concert late, claiming that they had to get up early to go to work" the next morning.In a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden say they bought tickets to a 13 December show at Barclays Center as part of Madonna's Celebration tour. Continue reading...

Executives of Woolworths, Coles and Aldi have agreed to appear at hearings, Steven Miles said, amid concerns from farmers and consumers

Houthis launch new attack on the Chem Ranger ship in the Gulf of Aden; US officials say the missiles hit the water causing no damageWhile Iran has taken low-level action against Balochistan in the past, Tuesday's strikes were unusually heavy-handed and Thursday's retaliatory bombings were the first time that Pakistan has responded with comprehensive military action against its neighbour.Sources in Islamabad said the decision was taken after heavy political and military pressure on the top army leadership to show strength against Tehran. Continue reading...

Company sought arrest warrant for Keith Keef' Leech after he allegedly posted links to confidential documents on social media in defiance of court order

Victoria police confiscate more than 70 boxes of Lego as 45-year-old man arrested following searches across Melbourne

Anthony Albanese tells national broadcaster country singer sort of lives in' 14.5-metre bus during segment commemorating her 78th birthday