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Party leader declares himself a yimby' in his drive to get an extra 300,000 homes built each yearKeir Starmer has declared himself a yimby", as he promises to ensure developers can overcome local planning objections to get more houses built.The Labour leader reiterated his pledge that Labour would oversee an extra 300,000 new homes every year if elected to government, as experts warned he would need to face down local opposition to do so. Continue reading...

Brazil president calls for humanitarian aid to protect Israeli and Palestinian citizens, while Latin Americans also taken hostageThe Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has called for an end to the insanity of war" as it emerged that more than a dozen Latin Americans were killed during Hamas's assault, with citizens of Brazil and Argentina taken captive in the Gaza Strip.By Wednesday morning, Latin American government and media reports had confirmed the deaths of seven Argentinians, two Brazilians, two Peruvians, one Colombian and one Paraguayan. At least 15 Argentinians, three Peruvians, two Mexicans and one Brazilian remain missing. Continue reading...

Scheduled services resume following all-night effort by fire service to extinguish blaze

Actor says she and husband - banned from Oscars after hitting Chris Rock - are not romantically together although they have not divorcedJada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have been living separate lives since 2016, the actor revealed in an excerpt of her memoir and in a clip from a Today interview with Hoda Kotb.Pinkett Smith discussed the status of their high-profile marriage in her new book Worthy, saying that though the pair have not technically divorced, she and Smith are no longer romantically together. In an interview with Hoda Kotb on Wednesday's Today Show, the 52-year-old star said she and Smith have no plans to legally divorce. Continue reading...

Robert Fico in agreement with moderate breakaway party and ultra-nationalists to return to office for fourth timeSlovakia's populist former prime minister, Robert Fico, has said he has reached agreement with centre-left and nationalist parties to form a three-party coalition government that could return him to office for a fourth time.We have agreed that we want to form a government together," Fico said on Wednesday of the deal, which includes Hlas, a moderate breakaway party from his own Smer-SD party, and the ultra-nationalist Slovak National party (SNS). Continue reading...

FTSE 100 fashion chain has been buying up rivals since pandemic and could reach deal by end of weekThe clothing brand FatFace is set to become the latest high street fashion retailer to be taken over by Next in a deal thought to be worth more than 100m.FatFace, which sells clothes, footwear and accessories, is expected to be bought by the FTSE 100 high street fashion chain, and a deal could be announced by the end of the week, according to Sky News, which first reported it. Continue reading...

Belgian backing for Russian diamond embargo critical as about 90% of world's diamonds pass through AntwerpWestern countries are very close" to finalising a ban on Russian diamonds from retail markets in countries that are already sanctioning Kremlin assets, the Belgian prime minister has said.In a move that will cut off another vital source of revenue for Vladimir Putin in his war against Ukraine, Alexander de Croo said a year-long attempt by the European Union and G7 countries to reliably trace diamonds coming from Russia was almost complete. Continue reading...

Ingrained car culture is causing nuisance on city's roads leaving pedestrians and traffic wardens fearing for their safetyIt was once proudly known as motor city, the UK's home of postwar construction labeled carchitecture" for embracing the booming automobile market that fuelled the city's economy.But now Birmingham is waging a battle against an ingrained car culture that is causing a nuisance on the streets and has left pedestrians fearing for their safety. Continue reading...

Israel says death toll from Hamas attack is 1,200, while Palestinians say 974 killed after Israeli retaliation

Paul Durietz, 76, started job in Chicago suburb in 1970 and stages US civil war-themed days and mock political school electionsWhen Paul Durietz taught his first social studies class, Richard Nixon had yet to resign as US president and the American military was at war in Vietnam. The Beatles had also not split, and 29-year-old Pele had just captured his third soccer World Cup title.Durietz has educated students through a lot of history since then, and now he has the Guinness world record for longest career as a social studies teacher to show for it. Continue reading...

Remain in Mexico' policy, which forces people seeking asylum to wait in Mexico while US claims are processed, set to be revivedThe Mexican supreme court is poised to give new life to a controversial US-Mexico border policy at a time when both countries are looking for ways to slow the flow of migrants heading north.The Remain in Mexico" policy, officially called the Migrant Protection Protocols, is a Trump-era policy that forced people seeking asylum in the US to wait out their legal proceedings in Mexico for months or even years. The government of Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador accepted the arrangement and allowed thousands of asylum seekers to be sent back to the country from the US. Continue reading...

Judge says there was insufficient evidence to convict Sean Hogg, whose 270-hour community sentence prompted anger in AprilA man who prompted a row about lenient sentencing for young offenders when he avoided jail after his conviction for raping a 13-year-old girl has had that conviction quashed.Campaigners and politicians reacted with outrage in April when 22-year-old Sean Hogg was given a 270-hour community payback order by a judge, Lord Lake, who said that had he been older than 25 when he committed the offence he would have faced a four- or five-year custodial sentence. Continue reading...

Hospitals are at capacity since the quakes occurred around the city of Herat, and the Taliban are ill-equipped to respond effectivelyAnother powerful earthquake struck western Afghanistan on Wednesday morning, days after a series of quakes in the same region killed thousands of people.The 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit an area 28km (17 miles) south of Herat's regional capital at 5.11am local time, injuring at least 80 people. Continue reading...

Yotam Kipnis does not know if his parents and other family members were killed or taken hostage in Be'eri kibbutz assault

Beddau RFC says it is heartbroken' after death of wonderful wife, mother and daughter' at fundraiserA Welsh rugby club has paid tribute to a 37-year-old woman who choked to death after eating marshmallows at a fundraising event.Natalie Buss collapsed and died on Saturday night at the event at Beddau RFC in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Continue reading...

Council begins security review after incident during pro-Palestine rally in city centre

Rising inflation and global instability also blamed for drop in revenue growth in third quarterRising inflation, growing global instability and falling demand for high-end drinks have been blamed for a slowdown in growth at the luxury goods multinational LVMH, owner of Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Moet & Chandon.The group, whose brands also include Stella McCartney, Tag Heuer watches and Bulgari and Tiffany jewellery, reported revenue of 20bn (17.25bn) between July and September - a 9% rise. That compares with a 17% increase in the previous quarter. Continue reading...

Leader defends lack of new announcements but says another bit of policy wasn't what was needed'Keir Starmer has said he is bomb-proofing" all of his policy pledges to ensure a Labour government does not break promises, as he defended the lack of new announcements in his speech to the party conference.On a broadcast round the day after his speech in Liverpool appealed to disgruntled Conservative voters to switch support, the Labour leader said his main feeling was defiance when a protester invaded the stage at the start of the address and sprinkled him with glitter. Continue reading...

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Julian Hill has warned the National Employment Services Association the era of massive multibillion-dollar set and forget" tenders' is over

Report into Maribyrnong floods says it is still unclear if construction of wall contributed to damage of residents' homes

Anthony Albanese announces Cheng has been freed and is back in Australia after being detained in August 2020 over national security-related accusations

Kyoto to sell its obsolete manhole covers in a bid to cash in on the public's fascination with the decorated piecesThey are heavy disks of wrought iron that separate us from our subterranean sewage, but in Japan, they are also highly coveted works of art, symbols of regional pride, and now, sources of revenue.Local authorities are cashing in on the public's fascination with the country's decorated manhole covers, with Kyoto now joining a list of locations that are putting obsolete lids up for sale. Continue reading...

The Sydney-born 66-year-old is the first Australian victim known to have died amid the conflict

Countries including Canada, Germany and Australia organise evacuation flights while the US and UK insist commercial options still available as Israeli forces gather near Gaza

Long at forefront of reconciliation, Labor senator warns of draconian agenda' of Coalition and increased sense of national shame' if no vote wins

Nearby states didn't see similar increases, suggesting those denied abortions in the state are self-managing, or going withoutAbortions in North Carolina fell by more than 30% after the state enacted new abortion restrictions on 1 July, including a 12-week abortion ban, new data released on Wednesday by the Guttmacher Institute shows.North Carolina abortion clinics performed more than 4,200 abortions in June, but just 2,920 abortions in July. Nearby states did not see a comparable surge in abortions, suggesting that patients denied abortions in North Carolina had to self-manage their own - or simply went without. Continue reading...

Former Afghan spymaster, convicted millionaire and former Libyan colonel among those who became Dominican citizensThe Caribbean state of Dominica has sold citizenship to thousands of individuals including a former Afghan spymaster, a Turkish millionaire convicted of fraud and a former Libyan colonel under Muammar Gaddafi, the first detailed examination of the country's controversial golden passports" scheme has found.The findings are from Dominica: Passports of the Caribbean, an investigation by the Guardian and 14 other international news organisations, in partnership with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Continue reading...

Total expected to surpass 600,000 as polls suggest close-run race with PiS seeking third term in powerMore than half a million people have registered abroad to vote in Poland's election on Sunday, as the ruling Law & Justice party hopes for an unprecedented third consecutive term in power.The Polish foreign minister, Zbigniew Rau, said on Tuesday he expected the number of overseas voters to surpass 600,000 before a midnight deadline, a record number in the country's history. Continue reading...

Former Afghan spy chief among those to gain citizenship though investment in Caribbean islandNestled in a valley formed by an extinct volcano on the Caribbean island of Dominica, the InterContinental Cabrits resort has 101 luxurious rooms overlooking an emerald bay. Its website invites guests to explore and unwind in paradise while discovering the pristine island".But waterfront views and a swim-up rum bar are not the hotel's only attraction: for the wealthy investors who helped fund the project, it was also a route to another nationality. Continue reading...

Cybersecurity organisation CyberCX says groups previously focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine are refocusing on Israel-Hamas war

IAF says it will continue to target Gaza; Biden says Israel has a duty to respond' to attacks

Prime minister Anthony Albanese and leading yes campaigner Noel Pearson joined Farmer at base of Uluru for final leg of tour across Australia

Increase compares favourably with New Zealand and the US, Reserve Bank assistant governor says

Maureen Boyce was stabbed five times while in her bed, with lover Thomas Chris Lang claiming the wounds were self-inflicted

Two dozen former winners back yes vote as a step to a more united and cohesive nation' and say referendum an opportunity to right some wrongs'

Gas pipeline and communications cable connecting Finland and Estonia deliberately damaged, says Helsinki; Russia defeated in bid to return to UN human rights council

Former prime minister appealed to voters in Facebook video after being noticeably absent in lead up to 14 October election

Researchers' analysis of DNA suggests housing circumstances get under the skin' and are associated with significant health consequencesLiving in a privately rented home is linked to more rapid biological ageing, according to researchers who tested DNA and found the tenure is associated with twice the ageing effect of obesity and half that of smoking.The peer-reviewed study of 1,420 UK householders found housing circumstances can get under the skin" with significant consequences for health, said academics at the University of Essex and the University of Adelaide . Their findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Continue reading...

Australians struggle to stay connected as area hit by electricity and telecommunications blackouts

Maths is the language of the universe' says shadow education secretary, promising real world' numeracy lessonsLabour says it will replace Rishi Sunak's demand for compulsory maths classes until 18 with improved maths teaching for younger children and real world" numeracy lessons for pupils in England.The proposal would see a new phonics for maths" programme for early years and primary school classes, aiming to replicate the focus on literacy in primary schools pioneered by the previous Labour government. Continue reading...

Scottish first minister revealed that wife's parents are trapped in besieged enclave after Hamas attack

EU foreign ministers back continued support after European commissioner declared suspension of payments

Albania and Bulgaria receive more votes at general assembly, after Russia was suspended from body last year

As Nathanel Young, 20, was buried, the streets of the divided city remained uneasily empty with both sides fearing reprisals

Home secretary also suggests clampdown on pro-Arab chants in letter that will concern free speech advocates

Man sprinkles Labour leader with glitter, shouting true democracy is citizen-led' before being hauled offKeir Starmer's speech to his party's conference was disrupted by a lone protester who sprinkled the Labour leader with glitter before being hauled off stage.Merseyside police said a 28-year-old man from Surrey had been arrested on suspicion of assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance. Continue reading...

Former cabinet secretary Lord Gus O'Donnell also says breaches of Covid rules by those in power destroyed public trustPolitical inexperience and cabinet-level turmoil at the heart of Boris Johnson's government were key reasons why the UK coped poorly with challenges brought by the pandemic compared with peer countries, the Covid inquiry has heard.Giving evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday, the former cabinet secretary Lord Gus O'Donnell also said the breaching of Covid rules by those in power destroyed the [public's] trust". Continue reading...

Despite it being taboo and illegal to kill critically endangered primate, 30% of villages have evidence of killing in last five to 10 years'Orangutans on the island of Borneo continue to be illegally killed, likely in large numbers, even when there are nearby projects to save the critically endangered primate, according to new research.Despite the taboo and illegal nature of killing orangutans, researchers heard evidence of a direct killing from at least one person in 30% of 79 villages surveyed in Indonesia's Kalimantan region. Continue reading...

Rural Aid charity says requests for mental health support, financial counselling and emergency livestock feed doubles in a month