Bus and train initiative comes as government struggles to survive corruption and sexual harassment allegationsSpain's socialist-led government is to launch a national public transport pass that will allow people to travel anywhere in the country by bus or train for a flat monthly fee of 60 (52.70).The prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, unveiled the initiative on Monday, saying it would come into effect in the second half of January and was intended to change the way Spaniards understand and use public transport for ever". Continue reading...
Blaise Metreweli warns the world is more dangerous and contested now than for decades' as AI and new technologies emergeBritain is caught in a space between peace and war" complicated by the rise of artificial intelligence and other technologies dominated by powerful individuals and corporations, according to the new head of MI6.Blaise Metreweli, giving her first speech in the job, also accused Russia of being insincere about Ukraine peace negotiations but made minimal reference to China as the prime minister, Keir Starmer, seeks to arrange a visit to Beijing. Continue reading...
by Matthew Pearce (now) and Yohannes Lowe (earlier) on (#725TV)
Former chancellor and PM faces questions on the economic response to the pandemicSunak said speed was paramount" as one thing that was crystal clear that this was happening very quickly" and was to have an extraordinary impact" on millions of people across the country.A damning official report on the handling of the pandemic found the UK's response to Covid was too little, too late". It said the introduction of a lockdown even a week earlier than happened could have saved more than 20,000 lives.As it turned out, that was really the one of the easier things I had to do, given what then unfolded over the next few days, weeks, months, and at that moment things were moving very quickly. So even during the budget preparations, it was clear that what was happening with the pandemic was escalating. Continue reading...
Opposition leader and Nobel peace prize laureate's injury was reportedly sustained during high-risk sea crossingVenezuelan opposition leader and Nobel peace prize laureate Maria Corina Machado suffered a vertebra fracture during her secret journey from Venezuela to Norway last week, her spokesperson has confirmed.Machado previously said she feared for her life during the perilous voyage to receive her award in Oslo. Continue reading...
Four passengers died at the scene, police said, with three children seriously injuredA minivan carrying nine passengers has crashed into a tree, killing four people and leaving three children in hospital.Police say the vehicle was travelling along Chapel Road in Muckatah, in northern Victoria near the NSW border, when it crashed about 5pm on Monday. Continue reading...
Paul Thomas Anderson's counter-culture thriller scores nine nods, ahead of Hamnet and Ryan Coogler's Sinners, with Leonardo DiCaprio in contention for actor of the yearOne Battle After Another, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, has consolidated its place as the awards-season leader in emerging with the most nominations from the London Critics' Circle film awards.One Battle After Another, a counter-culture thriller loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's novel Vineland, picked up nine nominations, including film of the year, director and screenwriter of the year for Anderson, and actor of the year for DiCaprio. Co-stars Teyana Taylor, Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn were nominated in the supporting categories while Chase Infiniti was nominated for breakthrough performer. Continue reading...
Crisis-hit Paris institution still reeling from jewel heist is in dispute over staffing, renovations and ticket price risesThe crisis-hit Louvre museum in Paris was closed on Monday as workers began a strike to demand urgent renovations and staffing increases, and protested against a rise in ticket prices for most non-EU visitors, including British and American tourists.The world's most-visited museum - which has had a difficult few months after a jewel heist, a damaging water leak and safety fears over a gallery ceiling - could face days of partial or total closure at one of its busiest times of the year if many of its 2,100-strong workforce vote to continue striking this week. Continue reading...
Independent review into Dr Halima Begum's conduct was prompted by at least 100 staff writing to trusteesOxfam GB's chief executive has been forced out by the charity's trustees after an investigation into her leadership found serious issues", according to reports.The independent review was reportedly commissioned over concerns raised about the leadership, conduct and approach" of Dr Halima Begum, and was prompted by more than 100 current and former staff writing to trustees. Continue reading...
Former House speaker, 85, expects woman to assume Oval Office this generation but concedes she may not live to see itNancy Pelosi, the outgoing congresswoman and former House speaker, has conceded that she may not see a woman be elected US president in her lifetime.The California Democrat said as much in a USA Today interview published on Sunday with her retirement looming after four decades in Congress - and invoked a turn of phrase referring to a metaphorical barrier impeding advancement in a profession that often confronts women and racial minorities. Continue reading...
Singer, 85, says disease has gone at the moment' and hopes to join forces with King Charles to raise awarenessCliff Richard has revealed he has been treated for prostate cancer for the past year. The 85-year-old singer said his cancer had gone at the moment" and backed calls for a national screening test for men.In an interview with Good Morning Britain, he said: I don't know whether it's going to come back. We can't tell those sort of things but we need to - absolutely. I'm convinced: get there, get tested, get checked." Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#725RK)
Released under investigation' leads to uncertainty and distress for both victim and accused, say campaignersHundreds of suspected rapists in England and Wales are spending years released under investigation, under a system that the government has been urged to scrap as it doesn't serve anyone's interests apart from the police".Introduced under the Policing & Crime Act 2017, released under investigation (RUI) allows police an alternative to bail, without the set timeframes or conditions attached to police bail. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: On Sunday evening local time, two gunmen opened fire on a gathering at Sydney's famous beach - here's what we know so farGood morning. As you receive this email it is Monday evening in Sydney, where the Jewish community, the city and the country are grappling with grief after the deadliest terrorist attack in Australia in modern times.On Sunday evening, at least 15 people, including one child, were killed after two men, said by police to be a father and son armed with guns, opened fire on a Hanukah celebration at Bondi beach in Sydney. Dozens more were injured in what police have declared a targeted antisemitic terrorist attack. The older of the two men was shot by police and is dead.UK news | British police forces are stepping up security in Jewish communities after the antisemitic terror attack at Bondi beach in Australia.Jimmy Lai | The Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon is facing life in prison after being found guilty of national security and sedition offences, in one of the most closely watched rulings since the city's return to Chinese rule in 1997.Immigration | Human rights and refugee campaigners are calling on the Home Office to be transparent about the numbers of asylum seekers who die in its care by publishing quarterly data as other government departments do.Security | Assassination plots, sabotage, cyber-attacks and the manipulation of information by Russia and other hostile states mean that the frontline is everywhere", the new head of MI6 will warn on Monday.US news | A JetBlue flight from the small Caribbean nation of Curacao halted its ascent to avoid colliding with a US air force refuelling tanker on Friday, and the pilot blamed the military plane for crossing his path. Continue reading...
Resolution Foundation report comes in week when data is expected to show October unemployment riseYoung people are bearing the brunt of Britain's jobs downturn, according to a report, before official figures this week that are expected to show the UK unemployment rate rising to 5.1%.The Resolution Foundation thinktank said a jobs deficit" was pushing a growing number of graduates and non-graduates into unemployment as employers reduced hiring. Continue reading...
Emergency help should be available, but some being forced to travel 100 miles or go private, says Healthwatch EnglandPeople needing emergency dental care in England are being denied help from the NHS despite guidance saying that it should be available, in some cases resorting to risky self-treatment such as pulling out their own teeth, the patient watchdog has found.Patients who experience a sudden dental crisis such as a broken tooth, abscess or severe tooth pain are meant to be able to get help from their dentist or by calling NHS 111. Continue reading...
Shooting at world-famous beach in which 15 people, plus one alleged gunman, were killed reverberated around the world, with many headlines noting the actions of a hero bystander
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#725M0)
Two Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor gags make top 10 of public vote, along with jokes about Oasis and Nigel FarageIt's safe to say it's been a very bad year for the former Prince Andrew. Already stripped of his title and privileges, he is rounding off the year by becoming the punchline of the year's most popular Christmas cracker joke.The annual competition is commissioned by the comedy channel U&Gold (formerly Comedy Gold) and decided by the British public. It usually produces a topical winner that sends up one of the biggest stories of the year. Continue reading...
People able to buy homes previously beyond budget, aided by rising wages and looser affordability testsFirst-time buyers are taking out larger mortgages than ever before as rising wages and looser affordability tests allow them to buy properties that were previously beyond their budget.The average first-time buyer borrowed 210,800 in the year to September, a record high, according to analysis by Savills, the property agent. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor on (#725M2)
Blaise Metreweli expected to say UK faces new age of uncertainty' in speech identifying Kremlin as key threatAssassination plots, sabotage, cyber-attacks and the manipulation of information by Russia and other hostile states mean that the frontline is everywhere", the new head of MI6 will warn on Monday.Blaise Metreweli, giving her first speech in the job, is expected to say the UK faces a new age of uncertainty" where the rules of conflict are being rewritten, particularly in light of wider Kremlin aggression after the invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...
by Tiago Rogero South America correspondent on (#725KA)
The son of a Nazi party member and an admirer of Pinochet, Kast built his campaign on a promise to expel tens of thousands of undocumented migrantsThe ultra-conservative former congressman Jose Antonio Kast has been elected as Chile's next president.With more than 99% of polling stations counted, Kast took 58.17% of the vote, against 41.83% for the leftist Jeannette Jara, a former labour minister under the current president, Gabriel Boric. Continue reading...
There are now more guns in the community per capita than in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre, with at least 2,000 new firearms lawfully entering the community every weekFor almost three decades, Australia's gun laws have been recognised as among the most stringent - and effective - in the world.After the horror of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people in Tasmania, Australia's then conservative government stared down the gun lobby to introduce restrictions that led to a dramatic decrease in the number of guns. Continue reading...
by Guardian staff and Australian Associated Press on (#725H9)
Israeli prime minister claims the Australian government let the disease' of antisemitism spread and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today'
Move marks big shift for Ukraine, which has fought to join Nato as safeguard against Russian attacksVolodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to drop Ukraine's aspirations to join the Nato military alliance, as he held five hours of talks with US envoys in Berlin on Sunday to end the war with Russia.Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said a lot of progress was made" as he and the US president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, met Zelenskyy in the latest push to end Europe's bloodiest conflict since the second world war - though full details were not divulged. Continue reading...
Former senator's comments echo recent call from Erika Kirk that everyone has responsibility' to tone down hatredPoliticians should calm down" and stop approaching one another in attack mode" amid the US's climate of political violence, former US senator Joe Manchin said on Sunday.The West Virginia independent who generally caucused with Senate Democrats echoed similar comments made at a town hall Saturday by Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot to death in September. Continue reading...
by Nick Visser, Graham Readfearn, Charlie Moloney, an on (#7257A)
This blog is now closed. Our live coverage continues hereThe prime minister, Anthony Albanese, just released a statement. He said:The scenes in Bondi are shocking and distressing. Police and emergency responders are on the ground working to save lives. My thoughts are with every person affected.
End of subsidies after failed legislation will have serious and damaging impact on entire sector, policy experts sayWith subsidies for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance set to expire, Americans who rely on them will probably switch to plans with lower monthly premiums and high deductibles or decide not to purchase any coverage, which will have a serious and damaging impact on the entire sector, according to healthcare policy experts.The average amount ACA plan enrollees pay annually for premiums is estimated to more than double, from an average of $888 this year to $1,904 in 2026, according to a KFF analysis. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#725EN)
Exclusive: Analysis of NHS data shows rise in patients stranded' in beds as flu crisis hits and resident doctors' strikes loomHospitals in England face dangerous overcrowding this winter because even more patients than last year are stranded" in a bed, according to an analysis of NHS figures.The findings come as the health service struggles to cope with the early onset of its usual winter crisis driven by a crippling flu-nami" and the NHS in England is bracing itself for a five-day strike by resident doctors starting on Wednesday.The percentage of bed days used by patients whose discharge was delayed rose from 10.1% in 2024 to 11% this year, an increase of 9% or 19,000 bed days.That rise was driven by an 8% year-on-year rise in the number of discharges, equivalent to about 3,800 patients a month.The number of the NHS's overall stock of about 100,000 general and acute beds occupied last winter by delayed discharge patients hit a peak of 14%, but it is likely to be even higher this winter. Continue reading...
Details of financing structure to be reviewed by culture secretary and regulators before deal can proceedThe owner of the Daily Mail has secured funding for a 500m takeover of the Telegraph, in a crucial development that paves the way for the group to announce the terms of its acquisition on Monday.Lord Rothermere's Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) has agreed to pay the sum in two instalments, according to weekend reports. An initial payment of 400m will be funded by an increase in the group's debt with its longstanding lender NatWest and existing company cash. Continue reading...
Group asks Keir Starmer for help to persuade Ghanaian government to pay backlog of tuition fees and living allowancesStudents from Ghana at UK universities say they are in danger of being deported after being stranded by their own government without promised scholarships or tuition fee payments.The group representing more than 100 doctoral students has petitioned Downing Street and Keir Starmer asking for help to persuade the Ghanaian government to pay the backlog of tuition fees and living allowances running into millions of pounds. Continue reading...
Campaigners call for quarterly data to be published in line with other departments instead of FoI routeHuman rights and refugee campaigners are calling on the Home Office to be transparent about the numbers of asylum seekers who die in its care by publishing quarterly data as other government departments do.The only way to obtain data about asylum seeker deaths is via freedom of information (FoI) requests to the Home Office, which officials do not always comply with. However, the NHS produces regular figures about deaths in hospitals and the Ministry of Justice does so with deaths in custody. Continue reading...
Mass attacks have been rare in the wake of stringent gun controls brought in after the Port Arthur massacre of 1996Associated Press contributed reporting. Continue reading...
Investment Association, influential group of shareholders, urges pay committees to avoid benchmarking'The UK's largest listed companies have been warned against using boilerplate" arguments to justify big executive pay increases by an influential group of shareholders.The Investment Association (IA) - whose members manage 10tn of assets - has told pay committees to avoid benchmarking": where companies argue higher pay is needed in order to match rivals and avoid bosses jumping ship for larger salaries and bonuses elsewhere. Continue reading...
Hundreds of sausage dogs gather for annual festive parade that organiser started to help her puppy socialiseThe pitter-patter of tiny paws has brought joy - and more than a little chaos - to Hyde Park in London as hundreds of dachshunds and their owners gathered for the annual sausage dog Christmas walk.Now in its eighth year, the event was started by organiser Ana as a way to help her dachshund, Winston, socialise as a puppy. Meeting at noon by the Physical Energy statue in the centre of the park, the dogs - well, the owners really - competed in a best-dressed competition before enjoying an hour of play and socialising before the parade. Ana said previous years' events had ended up attracting as many as a thousand people and dogs. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#725AD)
Exclusive: MP dismisses as idle speculation' reports he could resign as part of coup' against Keir StarmerThe former health minister Andrew Gwynne has dismissed as idle speculation" reports he could resign his seat as part of an Andy Burnham coup" against Keir Starmer.Allies of Burnham were reported on Sunday to have identified a shortlist of seats to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to return to Westminster in the new year. Continue reading...
Senior DP members previously allege being told to disband or face severe consequences including possible arrestHong Kong's last major opposition party has disbanded after a vote by its members, the culmination of Chinese pressure on the city's remaining liberal voices in a years-long security crackdown.The Democratic party (DP) has been Hong Kong's main opposition since its founding three years before the financial hub's return to Chinese rule in 1997. The party used to sweep city-wide legislative elections and push China on democratic reforms and upholding freedoms. Continue reading...
Shabana Mahmood responds to claims that up to 50% of police officers on sexual violence and rape squads are traineesThe prime minister has commented on deeply distressing news" from Australia, where there have been multiple deaths after a shooting.Sir Keir Starmer posted on X: Deeply distressing news from Australia. The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi beach. I'm being kept updated on the developing situation." Continue reading...
Kourtney Stevenson was allegedly caught on camera spraying meal with chemical that later sickened customersA driver for the popular food delivery platform DoorDash has been arrested after allegations that she showered an order with pepper spray in plain view of a doorbell camera, sickening a customer and his wife, according to authorities in Indiana.Kourtney Stevenson faces counts of felony battery and consumer product tampering, the Vanderburgh county sheriff's office said in a statement on Friday, addressing a case that is bound to be of significant interest to DoorDash's 42 million or so users. Continue reading...
by Tiago Rogero South America correspondent on (#72595)
Trump-inspired former congressman expected to succeed Gabriel Boric but compulsory voting could create volatilityChileans will head to the polls on Sunday for a presidential runoff in which the favourite is a Donald Trump-inspired candidate who has pledged to build a wall along the country's borders to keep migrants out.Jose Antonio Kast, 59, an ultra-conservative former congressman who has built his campaign on a promise to expel tens of thousands of undocumented migrants, faces Jeannette Jara, 51, a former labour minister under the current centre-left president, Gabriel Boric, 39. Continue reading...
The HCDA, which sought to expose police corruption and violence, was secretly monitored for a decadeUndercover officers secretly monitored a community organisation that sought to expose wrongdoing and corruption in the Metropolitan police, the spycops public inquiry has heard.Previously secret reports show that the Hackney Community Defence Association (HCDA) in east London and its key organiser were monitored by police spies for a decade. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler Social policy editor on (#7256J)
Liz Sayce, who led inquiry into department's failures, distressed' at carers being blamed for running up huge overpaymentsThe Department of Work and Pensions needs a management and cultural overhaul if it is to restore public trust after the benefits scandal which left hundreds of thousands of unpaid carers in debt, a key government adviser has warned.Prof Liz Sayce led a scathing review of the carer's allowance scandal, which found the DWP system and leadership failures were responsible for carers unknowingly running up huge debts, some of which resulted in serious mental illness and, possibly, criminal convictions for fraud. Continue reading...
Over-the-top praise for an item should ring alarm bells, with fake feedback generated by AI, bots and humans on a mass scaleYou're doing a spot of online Christmas shopping and see an air fryer that is competitively priced. You don't recognise the brand, but the reviews are fantastic - five-star raves that say things such as this product changed my life" and this is the greatest air fryer ever".You buy it, but when it arrives it is clearly cheap and poor quality, and possibly dangerous, too. Continue reading...
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