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Prime minister tells MPs that strikes were in response to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red SeaIn his pooled TV clip this morning, Rishi Sunak refused to say whether he would sack Lee Anderson as the Tory deputy chair if he votes against the government on the Rwanda bill. Asked if Anderson and government frontbenchers might be sacked over this, Sunak claimed the Conservative party was united in wanting to stop the boats", but he avoided the question about potential disciplinary action.Asked a second time what might happen to Tory rebels, he replied:I'm talking to all my colleagues. I know everyone's frustrated, I'm frustrated about the situation, and they want to see an end to the legal merry go round. I'm confident that the bill we've got is the toughest that anyone has ever seen and it will resolve this issue once and for all.There have been lots of polls over the last year, there will be hundreds more polls.The choice at that election is clear, it's stick with our plan that is working, it's delivering change for people, ensuring they can have the peace of mind that there is a brighter future for their children and we can have renewed pride in our country.Absolutely. Look, the reason I think we can turn it around is because at least people know we have got a plan and we are working to it. There isn't a plan under Labour. Continue reading...

Two Palestinians arrested as police say suspects stole vehicles and ran over people in city of Raanana

Finance minister Christian Lindner met with jeers as he says he cannot promise more money at demonstration in Berlin

Departure of Alison Phillips adds to concerns about future of left-leaning paper as staff morale hits new low and more job cuts loomIn the space of a year, Reach, the owner of the Mirror, Express and hundreds of local newspapers, has parted ways with the two most senior members of its editorial leadership team and cut almost 800 roles in the biggest annual cull of jobs in the newspaper industry for decades.On Monday, Reach confirmed the departure by mutual agreement of Alison Phillips, a 26-year company veteran who was the Daily Mirror's first female editor since it was founded in 1903, re-igniting fears among staff that the pre-Christmas jobs cull will continue this year. Continue reading...

Firms risk falling short of EU's plans to impose mandatory quotas for women in corporate boardroomsMore men than women were appointed to the boards of large financial services firms in Europe last year, even as nearly a third of companies risked falling short of the EU's upcoming plans to impose mandatory quotas for women on corporate boards.A survey from the consultancy firm EY published on Monday reveals that 44% of non-executive appointments in 2023 were women, down from 51% a year earlier. Continue reading...

Aidarus al-Zoubaidi says government ground forces must supplement air attacks and urges west to helpThe US-led air campaign against Houthi will not be enough on its own to deter the threat to freedom of navigation along the Red Sea, a leading member of Yemen's UN-recognised government has told the Guardian.Aden-based Maj Gen Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, deputy head of the eight-strong Presidential Leadership Council, called on the west to supplement the air campaign by providing arms, training and intelligence sharing to government forces. The PLC is the executive body of the coalition of Yemeni parties opposing the Iran-backed Houthis, who in 2014 launched a revolt that drew in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on the side of the government in a civil war that up to a 2022 ceasefire had led to an estimated 377,000 deaths. Continue reading...

Alberto Fioletti, 31, murdered Stephanie Hodgkinson in May last year after she ended relationshipA vet who stabbed his former partner to death at her seaside home after she ended their relationship has been jailed for life and told he will serve at least 15 years before being considered for parole.Alberto Fioletti, 31, went to veterinary nurse Stephanie Hodgkinson's flat with flowers and a card apparently hoping to salvage their relationship. Continue reading...

The 3,800 inhabitants of south-western Icelandic town fear they may never be able to return homeResidents of the Icelandic town of Grindavik fear they may not be able to return to their homes after volcanic lava destroyed several houses and damaged water and electricity supplies.The Fagradalsfjall volcano erupted for the second time in less than a month on Sunday morning, hours after the authorities had instructed residents to leave the fishing town in the south-west of the island after a swarm" of mini-earthquakes suggested an eruption was imminent. Continue reading...

Christopher Nolan's drama continues its awards ascent with eight honours and Greta Gerwig's pink fantasia is back in contention on sixThe eternally yoked-together blockbusters Barbie and Oppenheimer have cleaned up at the Critics Choice awards, suggesting the momentum is with both films as the Academy awards loom. Together the films won a total of 14 awards - with Oppenheimer edging their personal competition by 8 to 6.Oppenheimer dominated the headline awards, winning best picture, best director for Christopher Nolan and best acting ensemble, with Robert Downey Jr also picking up best supporting actor for his role as Atomic Energy Commission member Lewis Strauss. The film also won a number of craft awards, including best cinematography, editing and visual effects. Continue reading...

YouGov poll appears to play down impact of tactical voting, and Telegraph's analysis assumes the party can win back Reform votes

Aslef members to stage rolling industrial action at operating companies on national railway

US Central Command says missile from Houthi-controlled area of Yemen was launched towards USS Laboon before being shot down by fighter jets

Former MP for Liverpool Wavertree, who left party for four years, to lead its mental health strategyLuciana Berger has been given a key role in Labour's mental health strategy, five years after she left the party over its handling of antisemitism cases.The former MP for Liverpool Wavertree has been appointed to lead a cross-government strategy focused on lowering suicide rates by appointing thousands of mental health professionals to support people who self-harm. Continue reading...

Julian Hill calls for visa bans for extremist settlers' as Penny Wong prepares for a trip to the Middle East

Supreme court ruling is latest setback for jailed leader before general electionPakistan's supreme court has rejected an attempt by the party of the former prime minister Imran Khan to retain its traditional electoral symbol of a cricket bat, in the latest setback for the jailed leader before a general election.Khan's party, at odds with powerful army generals, has been grappling with a military-backed crackdown that has gathered pace before the vote due on 8 February. The party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alleges the military is attempting to keep it out of the election race, a charge the army denies. Continue reading...

Improved oversight and a law to strip organisations of their power to take people to court are among measures gaining cross-party supportPlans to overhaul the growing cottage industry" of private prosecutions are already being urgently examined by ministers in the wake of the Post Office scandal, including measures that could see untrustworthy bodies barred from pursuing them.Labour is also understood to be drawing up its own reform package this weekend after the outcry prompted by the Post Office's use of private prosecutions against more than 700 post office subpostmasters. It means that there is growing scope for a cross-party commitment to complete any reforms after the election. Continue reading...

The cuts are already baked into the RBA's forecasts and economists say there is little point looking at alternativesCome 1 July, Australian taxpayers will have $20bn more to spend, a pulse of demand in the economy that will keep interest rates higher than they otherwise would be.That is courtesy of the controversial stage-three tax cuts that are legislated and, it seems, unlikely to be delayed or modified by the federal government.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Hidden from travellers, Sydney's airport workers operate intricate networks of conveyor belts, birdwatch with shotguns and sniff out contrabandFlying over the harbour and into Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, the dazzling view of blue ocean lapping at the city's heart makes the claustrophobia of a window seat tolerable.For the 100,000-odd travellers who must endure some hectic combination of snaking queues, overpriced cafes, overweight bags and violated personal space before either arriving into or departing the city each day, the fleeting vista of a glistening Sydney stands out. Continue reading...

Meir Baruchin, who was fired and jailed for criticising the military, says that many who agree with him are afraid to go publicAn unlikely charge of intent to commit treason landed Meir Baruchin, a grey-haired, softly spoken history and civics teacher, in the solitary confinement wing of Jerusalem's notorious Russian Compound" prison in early November.The evidence compiled by police who handcuffed him, then drove to his apartment and ransacked it as he watched, was a series of Facebook posts he'd made, mourning the civilians killed in Gaza, criticising the Israeli military, and warning against wars of revenge. Continue reading...

The show's journey, like the scandal itself, was long and full of setbacks - and very nearly didn't get madeAlan Bates's campaign against the Post Office over the Horizon scandal might never have got off the ground without a few moments of luck and the availability of Fenny Compton village hall in Warwickshire.But the journey to bring the story on to ITV for New Year as Mr Bates vs the Post Office was equally precarious and relied on a webinar, a bike rack and plenty more village halls. Continue reading...

Warning comes at a critical time as Republicans in Iowa will gather for caucuses that mark official start of 2024 presidential electionBernie Sanders, America's leading progressive politician, has issued a stark warning to Joe Biden at the start of presidential election year: be more aggressive in addressing the anxieties of millions of struggling voters or risk handing back the White House to the anti-democratic demagogue Donald Trump.In an interview with the Guardian from his home base in Burlington, Vermont, Sanders urged the Democratic president to inject more urgency into his bid for re-election. He said that unless the president was more direct in recognising the many crises faced by working-class families his Republican rival would win. Continue reading...

Police arrest four men and a boy alleged to be connected to the Finks motorcycle gang and a series of arson attacks on tobacco stores

This blog is now closed. See all our our coverage of the Middle East crisis here

Marius Gustavson, 46, known as eunuch maker', allegedly oversaw lucrative' UK body modifications groupThe ringleader of an extreme body modifications group who was known as the eunuch maker" claimed 18,500 in disability benefits after willingly having his leg amputated, a court heard.Marius Gustavson, 46, was the mastermind of a lucrative" and widespread" extreme body modifications enterprise in which procedures - including the removal of genitals - were filmed and streamed on his pay-per-view website, the Old Bailey was told. Continue reading...

Bar Council chair Sam Townend KC says parliament should consider formal regulation of growing practiceParliament should consider formal regulation of the growing practice of private prosecutions to ensure the power is not abused, the chair of the Bar Council has said.Sam Townend KC said a review of private prosecutions should be launched in response to the Post Office scandal, in which about 3,500 postmasters were accused of theft, fraud and false accounting, and more than 700 prosecuted in cases brought by the organisation.Gather evidence of the alleged crime, possibly using a private investigator.Hand over evidence to a lawyer, who will review whether there is sufficient evidence to bring a criminal prosecution.Make an application at a magistrates court to bring a private prosecution. This will be reviewed and either granted or rejected by a district judge.The CPS may review the case at any time if the case is referred by the defendant, the private prosecutor or the court. The CPS can take over cases, either to proceed or discontinue.If you proceed privately, the case will (eventually) be heard in court.At the end of the case your lawyers can apply for costs to be reimbursed from the defendant and/or the public purse. Continue reading...

With Palestinian plight supercharging movement, restraint may only come with regional pressure on resources

UK prime minister also signs multi-year security treaty with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, calling it a strong signal to Putin'Rishi Sunak made a 2.5bn commitment to Ukraine's defence on Friday during a visit to Kyiv, and pledged that the UK would not falter at a time when military aid from the US has stalled.Sunak met the country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, embracing him warmly, and addressed Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. The two leaders held talks and signed a new UK-Ukrainian security treaty. It guarantees that the UK will give swift and sustained" help should Russia attack Ukraine again. Continue reading...

Jade Robertson of Perth-based Little Lies was thrilled to discover the star's latest foray into affordable fashionTaylor Swift has filled a blank space in her wardrobe with a 58 dress from a Scottish fashion house, leaving its owner gobsmacked".Swift was spotted wearing the olive-green mini dress in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday night while out for dinner with actors Blake Lively and Zoe Kravitz at the pizzeria Lucali. Continue reading...

Reed Wischhusen targeted former classmates and work colleagues, as well as Avon and Somerset policeA warehouse worker obsessed with mass killings has been jailed for life after being found guilty of plotting to carry out revenge" attacks at his old school, a police headquarters and his workplace.Reed Wischhusen's targets included former classmates whom he believed had bullied him, colleagues who mocked him, and Avon and Somerset police officers after the force refused him a firearms licence. Continue reading...

State hit by blizzards three days before Republican caucus as candidates cancel events and schools and businesses closeCandidates and caucus-goers faced extra challenges in Iowa on Friday as a second major snow event in a week hit the state, three days before Republicans are due to kick off their presidential nomination process for the critical election year.According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, most of Iowa could expect significant, possibly record snowfall, high winds stoking blizzard conditions. Continue reading...

Attitude of organisation and its legal representatives is a disgrace', David Davis says, as Horizon IT inquiry continuesThe Post Office's leadership has been accused of showing contempt for victims after its lawyers informed a public inquiry into one of the nation's worst scandals that it was not reasonable to expect them to leave no stone unturned" in revealing its wrongdoing.The inquiry into the false convictions of 900 post office operators was further told that it was unrealistic for the lawyers representing the Post Office and responsible for handing over internal documents to continue to work during the evenings and over weekends". Continue reading...

House speaker had said he would recall parliament at weekend if necessary for update on Houthi-targeted attacks

With no recorded cases since 2017, the archipelago has had a long journey to become free of the disease, which killed 608,000 people globally in 2022Cape Verde has become the fourth country in Africa and the 44th in the world to eliminate malaria.Africa has the highest number of cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the world. In 2022, 94% of the 249 million cases globally and 95% of deaths were recorded on the continent. Continue reading...

Arienne Childrey is second trans woman accused of violating a rule requiring people disclose past legal names on election documentsA second transgender woman's attempt to run for public office in Ohio was challenged under a decades-old law that requires candidates to disclose previous legal names on election documents.Arienne Childrey, a Democrat vying for a seat in the Ohio house of representatives, learned late last week that the head of her county's Republican party, Robert Hibner, asked the local board of elections to reject her campaign petition. Continue reading...

The allies have launched strikes for the first time since the group began targeting shipping in the Red Sea. Plus, the European royals taking on the climate crisis

Storm Finn tracks north-east from Texas towards the east coast, while EU report confirms 2023 was warmest yearIncreasingly cold conditions have swept western parts of the US this week, while tornadoes and flooding have inundated eastern areas.An area of low pressure named Storm Finn tracked north-east from Texas towards the east coast early this week. As a result, tornadoes hit south-eastern states, at least 12 of which were in Florida and caused significant damage to many homes. Continue reading...

Investigator Stephen Bradshaw admits lawyers offered lesser charges as part of company's efforts to protect its court casesAn investigator accused of acting like a mafia gangster" when securing false convictions against post office operators has admitted softer charges were offered in exchange for silence over the culpability of the Horizon IT system.In several instances, the accused were told they could avoid a jail sentence if they kept quiet about the accounting system's faults, as part of an aggressive strategy by the Post Office to protect their cases as they pursued them in the courts. Continue reading...

Sadiq Khan says cardboard steering wheels could bring to life driverless train experience for childrenIt is already the most in-demand spot on the London transport network, but plans to install stickers and cardboard steering wheels in driverless Docklands Light Railway (DLR) trains could intensify the scramble for its front seats.London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, has said the trains, in which tens of thousands of Londoners have sat pretending to be the driver, could now include a steering wheel and stickers mimicking control panels to make the experience more realistic. Continue reading...

Film from Walk the Line producer will tell story of singer who became a rare successful woman in male-dominated 1970s rock scenePop singer and actor Selena Gomez is to portray the massively successful US singer Linda Ronstadt in a new biopic.Currently in pre-production, the film is being produced by James Keach, who has worked on a number of music-related film projects including producing Oscar-winning Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line and documentaries on Ronstadt, David Crosby and Glen Campbell. Also producing will be John Boylan, Ronstadt's manager. Continue reading...

Footage of a tiger shark caught in drum lines being euthanised renews debate about shark control measures used since the 1960s

Secret service agents allegedly beat up Nikola Sandulovi after he apologised for crimes against ethnic AlbaniansThe family of a Serbian opposition leader who was allegedly beaten up while in detention by the country's secret service say he has been left partly paralysed by the attack.In an assault that has fuelled fears about the future of democracy in the country, Nikola Sandulovi's family say he was taken from his home on 3 January after making an apology for crimes committed by Serbs against ethnic Albanians during the Kosovan war of independence in 1988 and 1989. Continue reading...

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Two men, including 26-year-old arrested in Cartwright, are expected to be charged with conspiracy to murder, drug and firearm offences

Separate study finds women who are depressed in pregnancy more likely to die prematurelyThe number of women who have died during pregnancy or soon after has risen sharply to its highest levels for 20 years, prompting concern from experts.The maternal death rate increased to 13.41 deaths per 100,000 pregnancies between 2020 and 2022, according to figures published by the MBRRACE-UK investigation into maternal deaths in the UK. The figure was 8.79 in the period 2017 to 2019.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...

Police called to Haverfordwest address on Wednesday morningA person has been arrested following the death of a child in west Wales.Officers were called to an address on Upper Market Street in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, on Wednesday morning, Dyfed-Powys police said. Continue reading...

Move is designed to draw line under scandal but legal experts say it must never be seen as a precedent'Hundreds of post office operators are to have their convictions quashed by parliament within months in an unprecedented move designed to draw a line under one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British history.Senior lawyers said, however, that the decision to pass a bill overturning so many court verdicts was constitutionally extraordinary and risked undermining the independence of the judiciary if it was seen as a precedent for future cases. Continue reading...

Fulton county district attorney ordered to testify in case involving her top prosecutor Nathan Wade and his wife Jocelyn WadeFani Willis, Georgia's Fulton county district attorney who brought election interference charges against Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants, has been subpoenaed in a divorce case involving a special prosecutor she hired in the Trump case.A process server delivered the subpoena to Willis's office on Monday, according to a court filing reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the subpoena. The subpoena requests Willis to testify in the divorce case involving her top prosecutor Nathan Wade and his wife Joycelyn Wade. Continue reading...

Stars including Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr, Brian Cox, Sarah Snook and Ayo Edebiri will all be in competitionOppenheimer, Succession and The Bear lead this year's Screen Actors Guild nominations, recognising the best performances on the big and small screen.Christopher Nolan's hit biopic scored nominations for Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr and the larger cast up for best ensemble. Often seen as the biggest award of the night, the latter category also includes American Fiction, The Color Purple, Killers of the Flower Moon and Barbie. Continue reading...

Martin Sellner, member of the Identitarian Movement, reportedly spoke of re-migration' ideasPoliticians from Germany's far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party, including a personal aide to its leader Alice Weidel, met the head of the rightwing extremist Identitarian Movement and neo-Nazi activists to discuss a masterplan" for mass deportations in the event of the party coming to power, it has been reported.The meeting, which was first reported on Wednesday by the investigative outlet Correctiv, took place last November at a countryside hotel on the outskirts of Potsdam. It is likely to feed a fraught debate over whether the AfD should be banned due to growing concerns that it poses a fundamental threat to German democracy. Continue reading...

Yarl was shot in the head and arm last year after he rang the doorbell to the wrong house while trying to pick up his brothersA Black teenager who was shot by an elderly white man after ringing the wrong doorbell when picking up his siblings has secured a spot on Missouri's all-state band, less than a year after suffering a traumatic brain injury from the shooting.Ralph Yarl, who is 17, was shot in the head and arm by Andrew Lester, an 84-year-old homeowner in Kansas City, Missouri, in April last year after going to the wrong house to pick up his twin brothers. The case reignited debate in the US over race and gun violence issues. Continue reading...