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Friend and fellow broadcaster says former England cricketer will be OK after ‘pretty serious crash’Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff is recovering from an accident while filming for Top Gear, according to his friend and fellow broadcaster Piers Morgan.The former England cricketer, 45, received medical care at the scene before being airlifted to a hospital on Tuesday after a crash at a Surrey aerodrome. Continue reading...

The beloved dancer-DJ was also a former contestant on So You Think You Can Dance and appeared in films like Step Up: All InStephen “tWitch” Boss, the longtime, beloved dancing DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and a former contestant on So You Think You Can Dance, has died. He was 40.His wife, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed his death in a statement to People.com. Continue reading...

Eva Kaili awaits bail decision as lawyer says prison strike stopped her attending courtThe Greek MEP at the centre of a corruption scandal engulfing the European parliament will have to wait in prison until next week to find out whether she will be released on bail pending a trial.The Greek Socialist MEP Eva Kaili is one of four suspects arrested last week in connection with a major police investigation into cash for influence involving Qatar’s government. Continue reading...

The supermodel also discusses changing the fashion industry and resisting ageing clichesThe supermodel Iman has opened up about her grief over the loss of her husband, David Bowie, saying she refuses to refer to him as “late”.The couple were married in 1992. Appearing on the cover of January’s issue of Vogue magazine for the first time, the model, activist and entrepreneur talked about her enduring love for the musician, who died of cancer in 2016. Continue reading...

MPs demand new pathways to apply for refugee status as four people die during small boat crossing

Death toll from blast on Saturday rises, with one remaining missing personAn eighth victim of a suspected gas explosion at apartments in Jersey has been confirmed dead, the island’s police have said, with the body of one missing person still to be recovered.A delicate recovery operation that will also seek to uncover the cause of the deadly blast at the Haut du Mont flats in St Helier, Jersey’s capital, was continuing, the Jersey police chief, Robin Smith, said. Continue reading...

Watchdog to monitor force closely after damning report revealed deep-seated behavioural problemsLondon fire brigade (LFB) has been placed into special measures by the chief fire inspector after a report revealing incidents of misogyny, racism and bullying.

Indigenous children routinely subjected to racist slurs and excessive force, including use of stun guns, Yoorrook Justice Commission told

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Fears an increase in allegations, particularly against mothers, of deliberately alienating a child against the other parent in domestic abuse cases may put victims at further riskThe UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls is to investigate how family courts around the world approach “parental alienation” (PA) and how this may lead to the double victimisation of those who have suffered domestic abuse.There is no single agreed definition of parental alienation but a generally accepted description is a child’s rejection of one parent as a result of psychological manipulation by their preferred parent. Continue reading...

Authorities concerned that death toll from people being hit by cars while sleeping on roads will increase further as end-of-year party season beginsThe end of Covid-19 restrictions on Japan’s nighttime economy has brought more people out on to the streets of Tokyo – but it could also be contributing to a spate of deaths among people who are struck by cars as they sleep on the road.The number of deaths among people who sleep where they drop on the capital’s roads has nearly doubled from last year, from seven to 13, according to police. Continue reading...

Health officials cease recording asymptomatic cases as shortages of medical supplies and testing kits reported in wake of sudden end to strict Covid policy

Three people were captured on covertly-installed cameras using an electronic prod, poly pipe and blinkers on three racehorses in 2018

A wave of industrial action is expected to disrupt rail services for four weeks around ChristmasPassengers around Britain are set for another day of disrupted trains and curtailed services on the railway as a 48-hour RMT strike continues on Wednesday.The two-day strike, the first in a wave of industrial action that will affect the railway for four weeks around Christmas, involves about 40,000 members of the RMT union in Network Rail and at 14 train operators. Continue reading...

In lead-up to second batch of three episodes, streaming service reveals first part racked up 81.55m viewing hours around the worldHarry & Meghan, Netflix’s documentary series about Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, racked up more viewing time on the streaming service than any other documentary during its first week, the company said on Tuesday.The first three episodes of Harry & Meghan recorded 81.55m viewing hours around the world after its debut last Thursday, Netflix said, “the highest view hours of any documentary title in a premiere week”. More than 28m households watched at least part of the series. Continue reading...

The character, chosen by public vote, reflected feelings about the state of the world and anxiety over living cost pressuresPeople in Japan have chosen the kanji character for “war” as the symbol that sums up 2022 – a year marked by conflict in Ukraine and the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe.The character, chosen in a public vote, reflected Japanese sentiment about the state of the world, as well as heightened anxiety over the weak yen and high cost of living, according to the annual contest’s organisers, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation. Continue reading...

Ship’s visit to Kangaroo Island cancelled after body of 23-year-old woman found off South Australian coast

Constable thanks ‘everyone from the prime minister down’ for their support as he recovers from surgery to remove shrapnel

The signals intelligence agency has sent out a challenge aimed at secondary school children on its Christmas cardGCHQ has released seven “fiendish puzzles” for Christmas aimed at secondary school children keen on science, technology and engineering, which it hopes will stimulate interest in its intelligence work and similar careers.The normally secretive signals intelligence agency said completing the seven puzzles, sent out on its Christmas card, would require secondary school classes to work as a team. The successful completion of all seven questions will unlock a final challenge to complete. Continue reading...

Harry Dunn’s family want to know if Chris Pincher was distracted by misconduct claims at time of immunity rowLabour has written to the foreign secretary to press for answers about the involvement of the disgraced MP Chris Pincher in the government’s botched handling of the case of Anne Sacoolas, the US citizen who killed the British teenager Harry Dunn.The shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, called for the publication of any correspondence between US authorities and Pincher – who was minister for the Americas at the time – over the decision not to object to Anne Sacoolas being flown out of the UK after the crash that killed Dunn in August 2019. Continue reading...

PM says he has signed deal with Albania and will resume ‘hostile environment’ checks on bank accountsRishi Sunak has insisted he can clear a backlog of nearly 100,000 asylum claims by the end of next year as part of a set of policies that include resuming “hostile environment” checks on bank accounts suspended after the Windrush scandal.The prime minister outlined a five-point plan in the Commons including law changes to criminalise and then remove tens of thousands of people who claim asylum after travelling to the UK by small boats, and a deal with Albania to aid removals to the Balkan state.A small boats command, with an extra 700 staff from Border Force, the National Crime Agency and other agencies, to combat people smugglers and the surge in arrivals across the Channel.An end to the use of hotels for more than 40,000 asylum seekers. They will be sent to disused former military bases, holiday camps and student accommodation. Continue reading...

Adrian Trevor Moore described as a ‘depraved misogynist’ who used his position in the Western Australia police force to facilitate his offending

Atlanta writer Stefani Robinson is taking charge of another effort to remake the British comedy but with two female leadsThe long-running British comedy series Peep Show is set to be remade in the US.The Emmy-nominated Atlanta writer Stefani Robinson will act as writer and exec producer for the series which will air on FX. It will use the same narrative format as the original, which showed events through the eyes of its two leads, but will be headed up by two female characters. Continue reading...

Immigration and asylum now poll third among issues facing the UK, and PM knows he needs to rise to the challengeHow does Rishi Sunak avoid the impression sinking in that Britain is broken, when that is the very word his home secretary recently used to describe the handling of one of the country’s biggest challenges?While pulling the NHS back from the brink and rescuing the Conservatives’ reputation for economic security remain two of the prime minister’s top priorities, he is nervously keeping an eye on a third. Continue reading...

Chair of Police Federation says request to drive ambulances comes as forces already overstretchedRank and file police officers have expressed “grave concern” at being asked to cover ambulance workers during strikes this month, at a time when they say law enforcement is already facing unprecedented pressure.Steve Hartshorn, the chair of the Police Federation, has issued a strongly worded warning to the government that requiring police to drive ambulances would push over-burdened officers “closer towards a tipping point”. Continue reading...

Third nation in conservative Caribbean region to do so this year, in pivotal moment for those who have long fought against such lawsA top court in Barbados has struck down colonial-era laws that criminalize gay sex, becoming the third nation in the conservative Caribbean region to do so this year.The ruling issued Monday by the Barbados high court is a pivotal moment for activists and nonprofit organizations who have long fought against such laws on the eastern Caribbean island, including one that demands up to a life sentence for gay men found guilty of having sex. Continue reading...

Chokri Chafroud and Mohamed Ghraieb among eight convicted of links to terrorist who drove truck into Nice crowds, killing 86Eight people have been found guilty over their links to the terrorist who drove a heavy lorry into Bastille Day crowds in Nice in 2016, killing 86 people and injuring 450 others.Survivors of the attack described how the seafront in the Riviera city resembled a “war zone” after Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel zig-zagged down it at high speed, deliberately aiming at those celebrating France’s national day. Continue reading...

Accused had a gynaecological condition and was unaware she was pregnant, court told, as verdict hailed a victory by women’s rights activistsA woman in Argentina accused of killing her baby after suffering an obstetric emergency has had her case dismissed.A court in Buenos Aires, cleared La China*, 43, after the prosecution withdrew its charge of aggravated homicide. Continue reading...

Guidance that extends definition of ‘woman’ to transgender women with gender recognition certificate is lawful, court rulesScotland’s highest court has ruled that transgender women should be included in legislation aimed at improving gender balance on public boards.The court of session found that Scottish government guidance that extends the definition of “woman” to transgender women with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) is lawful. Continue reading...

Large parts of national rail network grind to halt as RMT union members strike for increased pay

Exclusive: Cabinet Office to extend contract with law firm to defend claims ex-PM misled parliament, sources say• UK politics live – latest news updatesMinisters have been accused of writing a “blank cheque” for Boris Johnson’s legal bills, as it emerged taxpayer-funded support was being extended to help defend him against claims he misled parliament over Partygate.With just days left until a contract expires with the law firm Peters and Peters, which Johnson and the government have relied on to disparage an investigation by the privileges committee, the Guardian has learned the Cabinet Office intends to renew it. Continue reading...

Emergency services continue search after incident in which three children died in West MidlandsA six-year-old boy who fell through the ice into a lake in Solihull is fighting for his life in hospital, as emergency services continue searching the waters after the tragedy that claimed the lives of three children.The community of Kingshurst was still reeling in shock after three boys, 11, 10 and eight, died after falling through ice into the lake on Sunday. Continue reading...

North West Ambulance Service issues appeal after hundreds of patients left waiting outside hospitals due to delaysAmbulance bosses have pleaded with people to call 999 only in “life-threatening emergencies” after many patients were left waiting outside hospitals in freezing conditions.Emergency teams in north-west England said 100 ambulances were being held outside hospitals on Monday night as a result of delays in handing over patients. Continue reading...

Cars and buses torched after violence erupts following ratification of Lula’s election victoryFanatical supporters of Brazil’s outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, have torched cars and buses and tried to storm the federal police headquarters in the country’s capital in what one commentator called a botched attempt to spark a January 6-style turmoil.The violence erupted on Monday evening after the leftwing politician who defeated Bolsonaro in October’s historic election – former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva – had his victory officially ratified by Brazil’s electoral court. Continue reading...

Family of Melvyn Ryan say he could have died if they had not driven him in a van as no ambulances availableThe family of an 89-year-old man with a broken hip and shoulder and a cut head who they had to take to hospital strapped to a plank in the back of a van because there were no ambulances have said he could have died had they not found a makeshift way of getting him to safety.Melvyn Ryan’s granddaughter, Nicole Lea, found him lying on the floor of his home in Cwmbran, south Wales, in the early hours but when she dialled 999 a call handler told her no ambulances were available and advised her to book a taxi before ringing off. Continue reading...

Conspiracy theories and any prior planning will be central to an investigation in Wieambilla

Bristol, Leeds Bradford and Luton airports also criticised by CAA for poor accessibility performanceMany disabled and less mobile passengers missed summer flights at Heathrow – one of the busiest airports in the world – due to its poor accessibility performance, the aviation watchdog has found.Bristol, Leeds Bradford and Luton airports were also criticised along with Britain’s biggest airport by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in its interim airport accessibility report. Continue reading...

Sewell pleads not guilty to assault and claims he acted in self-defence and was defending his cameraman outside Nine offices

The 30-year-old begins five weeks of training amid questions over future of the global phenomenon bandJin, the oldest member of the K-pop phenomenon BTS, was due to begin his mandatory military service on Tuesday at a base close to the border with North Korea, amid growing speculation about the band’s future.The 30-year-old, now sporting a buzzcut, will be followed into the military by younger members of the band in the coming years, after their impending enlistment sparked a debate among South Koreans over whether the band, and other successful entertainers, should be granted exemptions. Continue reading...

Law Enforcement Conduct Commission report says Fuller’s failure to disclose potential conflict of interest warrants criticism but not a serious misconduct finding

Man eligible for parole within days after he hired an undercover police officer to target pastor his wife had used as a confidant about domestic violence

The rapper’s attorneys confirmed the fellow music star would present testimony on WednesdayOpening statements in the trial of Tory Lanez, the rapper accused of shooting fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion in the foot, began on Monday in Los Angeles. Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, faces more than 22 years in prison if he is convicted on all three felony counts he is currently charged with.Los Angeles county prosecutors Kathy Ta and Alexander Bott allege Peterson shot the rapper, whose real name is Megan Pete, with a semi-automatic firearm during an argument that began inside a vehicle in Hollywood Hills. Peterson has pleaded not guilty to three separate felony charges stemming from the alleged shooting including assault and having a concealed gun in a vehicle. Continue reading...

Police commissioner Katarina Carroll says it’s a miracle two officers survived after being confronted by a ‘hail of gunshots’

Labour highlights issue to back up pledge to invest heavily in addressing shortagesThe number of operations cancelled by the NHS in England because of staff shortages may have doubled in three years, with an estimated 30,000 not proceeding because no staff were available to perform them.At least a third of cancelled operations were those that were deemed urgent, according to the analysis by Labour. It suggested at least 2,500 cancelled operations for cancer patients and 8,000 on children. Continue reading...

Dr Kajal Sharma was only one of 12 senior academics not to be reappointed to her postA university has been found to have discriminated against an Indian lecturer on the grounds of race after it failed to reappoint her for a job she had been doing for five years, replacing her with a white candidate with no experience of the role.Dr Kajal Sharma was one of only two senior lecturers at the University of Portsmouth who were not reappointed to their jobs when their contract came to an end, while 11 out of 12 white colleagues were successful, an employment tribunal heard. Continue reading...

Human rights group warns death of Majidreza Rahnavard ‘a significant escalation of violence against protesters’Fears are growing that Iran is preparing to execute scores more protesters after authorities hanged a 23-year-old man from a crane, in a public killing carried out less than a month after he was arrested and following a secretive trial.Majidreza Rahnavard was sentenced to death by a court in the city of Mashhad, a centre of the protests, for allegedly killing two members of the paramilitary Basij force and wounding four others. The Basij, affiliated with the country’s feared Revolutionary Guards, has been at the forefront of the state crackdown. Continue reading...

Belgian prosecutors say 20 searches conducted since Friday, prompting warning that EU’s credibility at stakeBelgian police have searched European parliament offices as part of a growing investigation into alleged bribery and corruption, as senior EU leaders warned the credibility of the European Union was at stake.Belgium’s federal prosecutor announced on Monday it had carried out 20 searches since Friday, including 19 at private homes and one at the offices at the European parliament. Continue reading...

Barry and Honey Sherman found dead in Toronto home five years ago but family frustration mounts as crime remains unsolvedThe son of a billionaire couple murdered five years ago has tripled a cash reward for information about the unsolved crime amid frustration over a lack of progress in the investigation and deep rifts within the family.Barry Sherman, the founder of drug giant Apotex, and his wife Honey, are believed to have been killed in their Toronto home on 13 December 2017. A realtor found the couple in the basement pool area of their home two days later, with belts looped around their necks and attached to a pool railing. Continue reading...

Russell Causley claims at hearing in Lewes that his lover was responsible for 1985 murder of Carole PackmanA man convicted of his wife’s 1985 murder has claimed his lover was responsible for the crime at the first ever public Parole Board hearing in England and Wales.Russell Causley’s hearing was the first that the public have been granted access to since new rules, brought in after the ultimately quashed decision to release the “black-cab rapist” John Worboys, came into effect in July. Continue reading...

Beira’s Place will add to Edinburgh’s existing rape crisis centre, which is run by a trans womanJK Rowling is funding a new support and counselling service for survivors of sexual violence in Edinburgh.The author, who has written about her own experience as a survivor of sexual assault, is setting up the new centre, called Beira’s Place, because she believes there is an “unmet need for women” in the Lothians area. Continue reading...