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Four shadow ministers prepared to quit in coming days and up to 10 others on resignation watch'Keir Starmer is battling to reassert his authority within the Labour party over the conflict in Gaza, with four shadow ministers prepared to quit in the coming days and up to 10 others on resignation watch".The Labour leader is facing a rebellion by as many as a dozen shadow ministers, who sources say are ready to resign rather than vote against calling for a ceasefire in the Middle East, which Starmer has refused to back. Continue reading...

Ministers give NHS England just a tenth of sum, forcing leaders to scale back drive to tackle hospital waiting list of 7 millionHospitals will reduce the number of operations they perform over the next few months after ministers rejected an NHS plea for 1bn to cover the cost of strikes by staff.The move makes it even more unlikely that Rishi Sunak will be able to deliver his promise to cut NHS waiting lists, one of the five key pledges he said voters should judge him by. Continue reading...

Invasion of Ukraine has fast-tracked timetable for the countries to join bloc after years of economic warfare'

National security council spokesperson says US has used majority of funds it has allocated for UkraineThe Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, hosted a top Chinese general and defence delegation in Moscow on Wednesday for talks to deepen" military cooperation with Beijing as Russia's troops fight on in Ukraine.Shoigu welcomed Zhang Youxia, a high-ranking general and vice-chair of Beijing's central military commission, in a red carpet ceremony in Moscow.We, unlike some aggressive western countries, are not creating a military bloc. Relations between Russia and China are an example of strategic cooperation, based on trust and respect.I am sure that today's meeting will be another step to deepen the multi-profile links between our countries and military departments.Patrushev is the secretary of the security council. He is part of the Kremlin. And his statements are statements from the Kremlin.As for the Russian Federation, we have a doctrine where everything is clearly spelled out. There are no changes. This is confirmed by the president. Continue reading...

Mark Sedwill says there was sometimes gallows humour' in a very stressful period' in 2020Keith is only now asking about Covid. All the questions so far have been about process.Sedwill says, when concerns about Covid arose, he did not agree to a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee taking place immediately. He wanted to ensure that the meeting was prepared for. And he was concerned that having a Cobra meeting might alarm people.I felt that a Cobra which might have been convened primarily for communications purposes wasn't wise. Two days later I was advised there was a genuine cross-government basis for it and I agreed.May we be plain please as to what you mean by communications purposes. Were you concerned that the Cobra was being called by the DHSC [the Department of Health and Social Care] for presentation purposes, that is to say to make a splash about the role of DHSC, perhaps its secretary of state [Matt Hancock], and that's why you initially hesitated. Continue reading...

Republican Sue Finkam gains Carmel mayor's seat after decrying Hitler quote but refusing to denounce Moms for LibertyA Republican candidate who refused to denounce a local chapter of Moms for Liberty that used a quote by Adolf Hitler in a newsletter has won her election as mayor of Carmel, Indiana, a wealthy suburb of Indianapolis.City councilwoman Sue Finkam defeated Democratic candidate and fellow city councilman Miles Nelson in Tuesday's municipal election, according to unofficial returns from the Hamilton county election office. The election closed a contentious and at times bitter race to lead the city of about 102,000 people and succeed its longtime mayor. Continue reading...

The teenager was attacked in the Horsforth area of city and a 14-year-old is in police custodyThe family of a boy stabbed to death near a school in Leeds have said the 15-year-old had the biggest heart" and was one in a million".Alfie Lewis was attacked in the Horsforth area of the city on Tuesday afternoon as children were leaving two nearby schools. Continue reading...

Former civil service chief also says he did not trusted Matt Hancock, the over-promising' health secretary

EU Commission president says there is sense of urgency to unite European family' as Ukraine and Moldova take first step towards joiningThe neighbourhood, our neighbourhood has to choose where they want to go," the commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said in her press conference.And the western Balkans, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine chose very clearly where they want to go," she added.If you look into the report and you see the list of reforms, it shows determination, the steadfastness and the political will of the population the people.I'm very confident that Moldova will move on because your track record is impressive under very difficult circumstances. Continue reading...

Veteran adviser criticises Tasmanian rightwing powerbroker's factional warfare' to blast Bridget out of the party'

Panel chair says provision of key medical supplies will be considered as part of inquiry into country's pandemic response

Exclusive: Between 1 January 2013 and 30 June this year, 94,535 general and strip-searches were prompted by the dogs but nearly 75% of these searches yielded no illicit drugs

Decision will end more than 60 years of production of confectionery that has gained dedicated UK following

Human rights groups demand Kenyan government halt forced evictions of Ogiek community from Mau forestHuman rights groups are calling for the Kenyan government to halt forced evictions of the Indigenous Ogiek community from their ancestral land in the Rift Valley.We are calling for an immediate cessation of ongoing demolitions and the evictions," said Cyrus Maweu, deputy director of Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). Continue reading...

In report on enlargement of bloc, EU says talks should formally be launched once Kyiv satisfies remaining conditions

Marks & Spencer will pay out almost 20m to shareholders in January in first dividend since 2019

Music producer caused outrage with language used to describe Spears, who wrote at length about ex-boyfriend Timberlake in The Woman in MeMusic producer Timbaland has apologised for saying his frequent collaborator Justin Timberlake should muzzle" his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears after the publication of her memoir The Woman in Me.Timbaland made the comments on 29 October in conversation with fellow producer 9th Wonder at a talk event at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, with the comments later circulating online. When an audience member mentioned the memoir, Timbaland said: She's going crazy, right? I wanted to call and say, JT, man, you gotta put a muzzle on that girl.'" He used a jocular tone, but demeaning language caused outrage among Spears fans. Continue reading...

Insurance market's honesty is welcome, as is 12m programme to increase ethnic diversity in workplace, but more must be done

World's biggest insurance market played significant role' in transatlantic trade, research finds

Shadow minister says his position on Gaza is at odds with Keir Starmer's call for humanitarian pauses

Virginia Democrats frustrated the Republican agenda as Philadelphia got its first female mayorVoters across the US went to the polls on Tuesday for an array of key races that may set the tone for the general election next year.The night delivered some historic wins and some surprise outcomes. Here's a roundup of the notable races that have been call so far. Continue reading...

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Ex-ministers and backbenchers suggest home secretary's stream of provocative comments may be part of a future leadership strategySuella Braverman has been accused of daring No 10 to sack her with provocative comments designed to cement her position as the rightwing frontrunner to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader.Former ministers and Tory insiders claim that the home secretary is deliberately making unauthorised statements on homelessness, demonstrations and multiculturalism to woo the party's hard-right base. Continue reading...

Hospitals, homes, businesses and transport services hit by Australia-wide internet, mobile and landline network blackout; CEO says service is now back

In today's newsletter: The Metropolitan police has resisted calls to ban a march in support of a ceasefire in Gaza - but that may not be the end of the story Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. Claims that a pro-Palestine march planned in London for Armistice Day this weekend poses a threat to the Cenotaph just won't go away. Yesterday, the justice secretary, Alex Chalk, said that even those with no malicious intent risked supporting extremists at an extremely important time in our calendar", and called for the march to be postponed. The police must stop any odious behaviour at the Cenotaph," the Conservative MP James Sunderland said. But far better for the government to ensure that no protest goes near it in the first place."Sunderland's demand may be perplexing to the protesters: the march on Saturday is intended to run from Hyde Park to the US embassy, nowhere near the war memorial in Whitehall.Israel-Hamas war | Israeli forces are in the heart of Gaza City", Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant said, as Palestinian families waving white flags streamed away from the capital on Tuesday. Meanwhile, after Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would take indefinite security responsibility" for the territory, the White House said that it would oppose any reoccupation of Gaza. For the latest, head to the live blog.Fossil fuels | The world's fossil fuel producers are planning expansions that would blow the planet's carbon budget twice over, a UN report has found. Petrostates' plans would lead to 460% more coal production, 83% more gas, and 29% more oil in 2030 than would be possible under the internationally agreed 1.5C target, the report said.Vaping | UK ministers are considering a new tax on vapes in a significant expansion of moves to create a smoke-free generation" that also includes the gradual introduction of a total ban on smoking for children. The move to tax vapes was one of the few surprise measures in a king's speech that appeared largely designed to create dividing lines with Labour. Read a summary of measures in the bill.Covid inquiry | The government body set up to coordinate Covid policy had no warning about Rishi Sunak's eat out to help out" scheme and felt blindsided" by the Treasury over it, the inquiry into the pandemic has been told.Childcare | Poorer families are being locked out" of expanded free nursery hours, experts have warned, as Guardian analysis reveals that the number of not-for-profit nurseries in England's most-deprived areas has fallen sharply. Close to a third of not-for-profit nurseries closed their doors or were taken over by private companies, including private equity firms, in the poorest parts of the country from 2018-2022. Continue reading...

Plans by nations including Saudi Arabia, the US and UAE would blow climate targets and throw humanity's future into question'The world's fossil fuel producers are planning expansions that would blow the planet's carbon budget twice over, a UN report has found. Experts called the plans insanity" which throw humanity's future into question".The energy plans of the petrostates contradicted their climate policies and pledges, the report said. The plans would lead to 460% more coal production, 83% more gas, and 29% more oil in 2030 than it was possible to burn if global temperature rise was to be kept to the internationally agreed 1.5C. The plans would also produce 69% more fossil fuels than is compatible with the riskier 2C target. Continue reading...

Exclusive: DS Victoria Teagle only given a final written warning despite disciplinary panel finding her guilty of gross misconductA Metropolitan police detective who was found guilty of sending racist messages via WhatsApp has been allowed to keep her job, the Guardian has learned.DS Victoria Teagle was investigated over the messages sent to her then partner, who eventually reported them to police professional standards' investigators. Continue reading...

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Survivors in the Philippines hold prayers and light candles to remember the more than 7,000 dead or missing in one of the strongest storms ever recordedSurvivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan will hold prayers and light candles in the Philippines to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the storm that left more than 7,000 people dead or missing.Haiyan was one of the strongest storms ever recorded and unleashed winds of up to 315km (195 miles) an hour. It whipped up tsunami-like waves that devastated central islands of the archipelago nation. Continue reading...

We should remember how many lives were saved ... but we need to learn and do better,' former AMA chief says

Five Victorians - including two children - died after the crash outside the Royal Daylesford hotel on Sunday

Telecommunications company says engineers investigating a network fault affecting mobile and internet services

Plateauing salary structures and high workloads cited as two key reasons teachers may be driven from the profession

Exclusive: Meta suspended RMIT FactLab from Facebook's fact-checking program after no campaigners claimed it was biased

Consultancy giant will close skilled service hub' in South Australia with more redundancies across national workforce

Polls close in Ohio, where voters are deciding whether to protect access to abortion; Virginia polls close as governor hopes Republicans take state legislatureUS supreme court justices on today appeared inclined to uphold the legality of a federal law that makes it a crime for people under domestic violence restraining orders to have guns in the latest major case to test the willingness of its conservative majority to further expand gun rights, Reuters reports.The justices heard arguments in an appeal by Joe Biden's administration of a lower court's ruling striking down the law - intended to protect victims of domestic abuse - as a violation of the US constitution's second amendment right to keep and bear arms".I mean, not taking your recycling to the curb on Thursdays, if it's a serious problem it's irresponsible," Roberts said.What seems irresponsible to some people might seem like, well, it's not a big deal to others."And the reason that we use the term not responsible' is because it is the standard this court has articulated" in its three major gun rights rulings in the past 15 years, Prelogar said. Continue reading...

It's been a very anxious morning for many Australians,' communications minister says

Exclusive: Robyn Kruk says incredibly broad' investigation won't be adversarial' but premiers have already been contacted to participate

Sir Mark Rowley says there is insufficient intelligence pointing to a risk of serious public disorderIsrael-Hamas war latestThe Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has defied calls for a ban on a pro-Palestinian march through London on Armistice Day as he insisted on the independence of his force amid intense government pressure to act.In a statement in which he acknowledged the demands for him to stop Saturday's procession, Rowley insisted there was currently insufficient intelligence that there would be a risk of serious public disorder. Continue reading...

Draft, which some observers consider a step backwards, could threaten rights to abortion and collective strike actionChile's radical right wing have presented their conservative vision for the future in a draft constitution which some observers consider a step backwards for the country.The new draft, which could replace the current Pinochet-era charter, was drawn up by a council led by the far-right Republican party and could threaten access to abortion, curb the right to collective strike action, and would reduce the number of deputies elected to Chile's congress. Continue reading...

Teenager arrested after police were called to a report of an assault in Horsforth on Tuesday afternoonPolice have launched a murder investigation after a 15-year-old boy was fatally stabbed near a school in Leeds.Police and paramedics were called to the Town Street area in Horsforth shortly before 3pm on Tuesday following reports that a teenager had been seriously assaulted. Continue reading...

Key report will be first official stocktake of progress of nations in aligning themselves with the blocThe EU is expected to fire the starting gun on the process of Ukraine and Moldova becoming member states with a report expected to recommend formal negotiations on accession.Moldova's deputy prime minister, Nicolae Popescu, said such a move would be a big milestone for his country. It will be a truly historical achievement and a truly historical chance to make sure that Moldova consolidates its place in the EU," he said. Continue reading...

Open letter from offspring of officials convicted of crimes against humanity warns that democracy is at risk in presidential electionThe offspring of military officials convicted of crimes against humanity and genocide during Argentina's dictatorship have urged voters not to back the far-right candidate Javier Milei in the imminent election, warning that the country's very democracy is in danger.In an open letter published ahead of the 19 November run-off between Milei and his centrist rival, Sergio Massa, the Historias Desobedientes (Disobedient Stories) collective voiced great concern" that the rightwing radical and his running mate Victoria Villarruel had a chance of winning power. Continue reading...

Fiona the ewe, who was rescued in Scotland on Saturday, has been given a new look by a shearer and the wool will be made into souvenirsThe fleece of Britain's loneliest sheep is set to be sold with the money going to charity, after she was given a new look by a shearer.The ewe, known as Fiona, was rescued on Saturday after spending more than two years separated from her flock at the foot of a cliff and had grown a huge fleece which was dragging on the ground. Continue reading...

Documents published alongside Rishi Sunak's first king's speech show that a new duty is being considered by ministersMinisters are considering a new tax on vapes in a significant expansion of moves to create a smokefree generation" that also includes the gradual introduction of a total ban on smoking for children.Documents published alongside Rishi Sunak's first king's speech revealed that an eight-week consultation on smoking and vaping would explore a new duty" on vapes as about 40 other countries have already introduced. Continue reading...

Russia withdraws from treaty of conventional armed forces in Europe, which was aimed at preventing cold war rivals from massing forces at borders

Outpouring of grief, anger and community as vigils held to remember the 1,400 killed and the hostages still held in Gaza

Civilians given four-hour window to leave encircled capital but fears many are still trapped

PM's once unthinkable assertion Israel will reclaim security in territory would come with responsibilities towards Palestinians

Labour party leader criticises speech as admission that government has no faith in Britain's ability to avert decline'Here is Ben Quinn's guide to what will be in the king's speech.In a statement about the king's speech issued overnight, Keir Starmer said:Britain is crying out for the long-term change that harnesses the ambition of our young people, the innovative drive of our businesses, and the ordinary hope and optimism that exists around every kitchen table.A government acting in the national interest would deliver a big build programme to kickstart growth in every region and begin to turn around 13 years of decline with a plan for a decade of national renewal. Continue reading...