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Community groups say Labor government's incentive for short-term accommodation owners could double state's rental housing supply

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In today's newsletter: Alongside Moldova, Ukraine is officially on the path to EU accession - what does that mean for the future of both countries and the continent? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. Ukraine has been hoping for EU membership for decades, but the prospect of it actually happening only became likely after Russia's invasion posed an existential threat to Europe for the first time since the second world war. Weeks after the war erupted in February last year, Ukraine and Moldova applied for membership of the EU; in June they were both granted candidate status.After waiting just under 18 months, the European Commission announced yesterday that it was recommending that formal talks begin on Moldova and Ukraine joining the European Union.Conservatives | Suella Braverman has launched a full-throated attack on policing double standards" after the head of the Metropolitan police gave the go-ahead for a pro-Palestine march on Saturday, Armistice Day.Israel-Hamas war | The US, for the second time in recent weeks, has carried out strikes against a weapons storage facility in eastern Syria that the Pentagon said was used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and affiliated groups, as fears grow that the Gaza war could spread in the region.Strikes | The RMT union has reached a possible deal with train operators to resolve their long-running national rail dispute, allaying fears of a repeat of last year's Christmas strikes.Environment | Japan has gained another island to add to its already impressive collection, after an undersea volcanic eruption 1,200km south of Tokyo created a new landmass.US news | Hollywood actors are set to end their nearly four-month strike, the Sag-Aftra union announced on Wednesday, bringing to a close a historic work stoppage that had brought the film and television industry to a standstill for months. Continue reading...

UK and Taiwan sign trade agreement they hailed as a first in fostering bilateral trade between Taiwan and EuropeChina's government has accused the UK of using trade cooperation as an excuse" to enhance its ties with Taiwan, after the announcement of a bilateral trade talks agreement.On Wednesday Taiwan's representative to the UK, Kelly Hsieh, and his British counterpart based in Taipei, John Dennis, signed an enhanced trade partnership (ETP). The agreement paves the way for future talks on green energy, digital trade and investment, among other trade-based issues. The UK is Taiwan's third-biggest trading partner in Europe and 21st largest overall. Continue reading...

Former officer says course of his life changed forever after incident which made him lose trust in police force

Communications minister Michelle Rowland says it is critical' to examine Wednesday's blackout that impacted nearly 10 million Australians, given no network is immune'

Eighty-five years after the brutal prelude' to Nazi crimes, the emphasis falls on contemplating its influence on the present dayIt has long been the most delicate day in the German calendar, 9 November. It brings a balancing act of remembrance for the state-sanctioned murderous devastation of the Nazi pogroms across the country in 1938, and, 51 years later, the overnight collapse of the most famous barrier in the world, the Berlin Wall.Both had international repercussions which are still felt today. The former dominates the nation's collective memory. Continue reading...

More than 33,550 cases of diarrhoea reported since mid-October, most among children under five, says WHO; US launches airstrike in response to attacks on bases housing US troops as Syrian state media reports strikes in south by Israel

One Nation leader, who is also being sued by Faruqi for similar comments she made in a tweet, said she would take the Greens senator to the airport and put you on a plane'

Optus customers left without phone and internet could be looking to switch to rival carriers like Telstra or Vodafone for better deals or savings, and may be about to seek refunds, though it's not straightforward

Optus hit with another disaster barely a year after it copped the worst cyber breach in Australian history

Body found beside road near Pacific Highway outside Port Macquarie but detectives don't yet know if it is linked to ute shootings

Strong competition for mortgage customers is putting pressure on its margins, NAB says

Extremist organisations and football hooligans have been urged to gather at Cenotaph in central London

Opposition spokesperson says government should have had a plan B' after ruling that means many held in indefinite detention will be released

Rivalry with US and current of antisemitism are running up against Beijing's increasing closeness to Israel

City editor Anna Isaac, political editor Pippa Crerar and columnist Marina Hyde honoured at ceremony in LondonThe Guardian has won three awards at the Society of Editors' Media Freedom Awards at a ceremony in London.Anna Isaac, the Guardian's city editor, was named the Media Freedom Awards National Journalist of the Year and was praised by the judges for her stories exposing a culture of sexual misconduct at the Confederation of British Industry. Continue reading...

Unverified footage from state media shows captured soldiers swearing allegiance to Russia as part of new battalionRussia is sending Ukrainian prisoners of war to the frontlines of their homeland to fight on Moscow's side in the war, the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti has reported.Video from RIA Novosti released on Tuesday showed the Ukrainians swearing allegiance to Russia, holding rifles and dressed in military fatigues to fight in a battalion named for medieval nobleman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, seen as a national hero in Russia for bringing parts of Ukraine under Moscow's control in the 15th century. Continue reading...

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