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Latest world report by Human Rights Watch describes Australia as a vibrant democracy ... marred by some key human rights concerns'

Proposal follows loss of constitutional payment given to opposition parties

Hamas said it was committed to the terms of the deal announced on Wednesday. Plus, the climate crisis could cause economic growth to fall 50% over 20 years'

Boys aged 15 and 16 to appear in youth court over fatal stabbing on bus in Woolwich last weekTwo boys aged 15 and 16 have been charged with the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, who was fatally stabbed on a bus in Woolwich, south-east London, the Metropolitan police have said.The teenagers will appear at Bromley youth court later on Thursday. Continue reading...

After a tough start to the year, the chancellor's desire to kickstart growth' is unlikely to happen quickly

Woman, 62, suffered traumatic shock and died shortly after collision with British man, 35, on black run in Les ArcsAn investigation is under way after a British woman died after a violent collision" on a ski slope in south-east France.The woman, 62, experienced traumatic shock and died shortly after the collision, according to the French news outlet Le Dauphine Libere. Ski patrollers, an emergency doctor and teams from Courchevel ski resort were unable to resuscitate her. Continue reading...

Fair Work Commission puts interim pause on approval for industrial action after second day of delays for commuters

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Online advertisement by PIA is called stupidity' by finance minister, who said PM Shehbaz Sharif had ordered an investigationPakistan's prime minister has ordered an investigation after the country's national airline released an advert that drew accusations that it evoked imagery of the 9/11 attacks.The advert was released by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last week to celebrate the resumption of flights to Paris, which had been suspended for four years over safety concerns about its pilots. Continue reading...

Police allege woman, 34, filmed girl in immense distress' and used videos to entice monetary donations and online followers'

Two countries to sign deal to deepen existing defence relationship and boost economic links in non-military areasKeir Starmer has travelled to Ukraine to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since he entered Downing Street, hailing a closer than ever" partnership days before Donald Trump returns to the White House.The two countries will sign a partnership deal to deepen the existing defence relationship, with further military assistance to Kyiv on offer amid concerns the US could start to wind down its support. Continue reading...

Thinktank's report details decline in trading position and also calls for new strategy as Trump takes power in USA slump in trade with the EU should spur ministers to negotiate a fundamental rewrite of post-Brexit rules to more closely align the UK with Brussels, a leading left-of-centre thinktank has said.Donald Trump's arrival in the White House next week should also encourage the government to get on the front foot in trade agreement talks with the US to support the growth of UK exports, said the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). Continue reading...

People should not be punished for honest mistakes, says watchdog, amid concern at fare evasion measuresTrain firms have been urged by the rail passenger watchdog to give a yellow card" to people travelling without the correct ticket rather than rush to fines or prosecution.Transport Focus said a new system was needed to ensure that passengers who had made an honest mistake were not punished unfairly, amid growing concern at measures being taken to tackle fare evasion. Continue reading...

The island's private drinking water supplies were polluted by use of firefighting foams containing forever chemicals'

Former childcare worker, 46, given a non-parole period of 27 years in October after pleading guilty to hundreds of sexual offences, will argue jail time is manifestly excessive'

Prime minister promotes Amanda Rishworth, Anne Aly, Katy Gallagher and Anika Wells, as Peter Dutton also prepares reshuffle before election

The jobless rate in December was 4%, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Leader Ed Davey to call for talks to begin immediately, urging ministers to be far more positive, far more ambitious'The Liberal Democrats are to call for the government to seek a formal customs union with the EU to boost growth and insulate the UK from the impacts of a Trump presidency, a move that will place new pressure on Keir Starmer over Europe.The changed Lib Dem stance - the party's election manifesto argued only for closer links with Europe - will be made by its leader, Ed Davey, in a speech in London on Thursday. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese said he hoped the deal would allow the Palestinian people the opportunity to rebuild

A woman claimed her drink was spiked on 7 January in Stranger's Bar, within Palace of WestminsterPolice are investigating an alleged spiking in a bar on the Westminster parliamentary estate.A woman, believed to be a parliamentary researcher, told police and staff at parliament's Strangers' Bar that her drink had been spiked, according to Politico. Continue reading...

Journalists say in letter trust has been lost' and seek in-person meeting with billionaire owner over paper's futureOver 400 staff members at the Washington Post have sent a letter to Jeff Bezos asking for a meeting with him during a time of widespread concern about the future of the newspaper.The letter, signed by top journalists and correspondents and sent on Tuesday evening, pleads for Bezos, who is known to rarely visit the Post's office in Washington, to meet in person with leaders at the office. Continue reading...

Donald Tusk claimed Warsaw had been involved in countering acts of sabotage', referencing incendiary parcel attacks in Poland and the UKRussia planned to conduct acts of terrorism in the air", Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday, by plotting a wave of fire bomb attacks that could have brought down planes mid flight around the world.Warsaw had been involved in countering acts of sabotage" conducted by Russia, Tusk added, before he referred to incendiary parcel attacks that took place in the UK, Germany and Poland during the summer. Continue reading...

PM says he aims to stop former Sinn Fein leader claiming damages for his internment as ministers ditch Troubles law

Contentious liability clause that could have exposed institutions to being sued by Holocaust deniers is scrappedThe government is to overhaul legislation imposing free speech duties on higher education in England, scrapping a controversial civil liability that potentially exposed universities to being sued by Holocaust deniers.Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, told parliament that while the government intended to retain key parts of the law passed by the previous Conservative administration, she planned to revoke the statutory tort" that allowed legal action by anyone claiming their freedom of speech had been restricted, and to largely exempt student unions from the legislation. Continue reading...

Exclusive: First show of figurative painter's work to be displayed in city he fled in 1939 to escape Nazi regimeFrank Auerbach is to be the subject of what has been billed as a homecoming show in Berlin, at which some of his final paintings will be displayed in the city he fled as a child.Auerbach, who died in November last year, never had a show in the city of his birth, which he left due to persecution by the Nazis. Both of his parents were later killed in Auschwitz. Continue reading...

Woolwich crown court told American Joshua Michals, 25, killed Zhe Wang, 31, a Chinese student, in her bedroomAn American student murdered his Chinese partner in a brutal and savage attack" in her bedroom, a court has heard.Joshua Michals, 25, is on trial at Woolwich crown court for the murder of Zhe Wang, 31, who was a fellow student at Goldsmiths, University of London, on 20 March 2024. Continue reading...

Future of Diego Garcia military base should be considered before handover to Mauritius signed off, No 10 saysThe UK government will not sign off a deal to hand back the Chagos Islands to Mauritius until Donald Trump's administration has had a chance to consider the future of the joint military base, Downing Street has confirmed.Allies of the US president-elect have been critical of the deal because of the implications for the strategically important Diego Garcia base, with concerns that it could bolster Chinese interests in the Indian Ocean. Continue reading...

President-elect complained about possibility of flags remaining at half-mast for swearing-in despite US traditionAmerican flags at the US Capitol will fly at full-staff for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC on Monday, despite a White House order for flags to remain at half-staff for 30 days after the death of former president Jimmy Carter last month.The House speaker, Mike Johnson, first announced the change on Tuesday.In a post on social media he wrote: On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump." He added: The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter." Continue reading...

CEO says electrical goods chain has no plans to cut jobs and that retail market perked up' over festive period

Mayor's office and police won't comment on whether city will adopt plans to use 700lb steel barriersThe creators of steel, mobile 700lb barriers designed to prevent intentional vehicle rammings that New Orleans' local government bought in late 2017 but left in storage on the night of the deadly Bourbon Street truck attack have provided the city with plans to safeguard Carnival parades as well as prominent landmarks.But it remains to be seen whether New Orleans' ultimately adopt those plans, said the Meridian Rapid Defense Group chief executive officer, Peter Whitford, whose group manufactures the so-called Archer barriers that have generated much civic discussion in the wake of an Islamic State terror group-inspired attack that killed 14 people and injured nearly 60 more. Continue reading...

Union warns jobs are at risk if plans including museum closures go ahead in bid to ward off council bankruptcyThe country's largest performing arts and entertainment union has urged Bristol city council to drop plans to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds from the arts and culture budget including by closing a number of museums.Equity members have written to the council warning that cuts would do significant damage to jobs and cultural activities in Bristol, a Unesco City of Film.The reduction and closure of the Cultural Investment Programme (CIP), with the intention to seek alternative funding, to save 635,000 between now and 2027.The closure of Blaise Museum, an 18th-century mansion highlighting social history with displays of dolls' houses, toys, costume and domestic tools, to save 39,000 by 2027.The closure of Georgian House Museum, an 18th-century townhouse displayed in the style of the original period, to save 29,000 by 2027.The closure of Red Lodge Museum, a historic Elizabethan house, to save 64,000 by 2027.Reducing the opening hours of the Bristol Archives search room to save 35,000 by 2027. Continue reading...

Adventure centre projects will promote interest in natural world, boosting young people's wellbeingA 150,000 initiative to tackle the teenage dip" in nature connectedness will involve the Scout Association introducing rewilding to its adventure centres across the UK.The funding, announced on Wednesday by the environmental charity Rewilding Britain, will support 11 projects aimed at putting young people at the heart of nature restoration. Several focus explicitly on reversing the sharp decline in young people's engagement with the natural world during adolescence. Continue reading...

Owner highlights parcel deliveries performance as 3.6bn takeover by Czech billionaire nears completion

More than 1,000 train services expected to be cancelled by end of Wednesday with warnings industrial action could cause further chaos on Thursday

George Brewster, youngest to get plaque, died aged 11 in 1875 after getting stuck in flue, leading to law banning climbing boys'An 11-year-old chimney sweep whose death after getting stuck in a flue led to a change in Victorian child labour laws is to become the youngest British person to be honoured with an official blue plaque.George Brewster, a climbing boy", died in 1875 after getting jammed while cleaning the inside of a chimney at the County Pauper Lunatic Asylum in Fulbourn near Cambridge. Continue reading...

Child, whose death is being treated as unexplained, died at nursery in Bootle on Tuesday, police saidPolice are investigating after a two-year-old boy died at a nursery.The child had a fatal medical episode" at the nursery in Bootle, Merseyside police said. Continue reading...

World Economic Forum says responses from experts in business, politics and academia also highlight climate crisisGlobal leaders have said that escalating armed conflict is the most urgent threat in 2025 but the climate emergency is expected to cause the greatest concern over the next decade, according to the World Economic Forum.Ahead of its yearly gathering in the Swiss ski resort of Davos next week, the WEF asked more than 900 leaders from business, politics and academia about the risks that most concern them. Continue reading...

UK firm in vanguard of companies arguing SMRs are quicker and cheaper option than large Hinkley-sized nuclear plantsThe Hinkley Point C power plant in Somerset is gargantuan. The 176-hectare (435-acre) plant will provide 3.2 gigawatts of power, enough for 6m homes. It is not just the project that is huge: the cost is as well. With a price tag that has ballooned to a reported 48bn, and delayed by at least five years, it has become a symbol of the pitfalls of nuclear power.But a clutch of companies argue they have a quicker, cheaper option than large Hinkley-sized plants in the form of small modular reactors (SMRs), which can be built in a factory and then slotted together on site. Continue reading...

One expert says women's bodies and attire has long been a source for public debate in a way that doesn't happen with menA council in Greater Sydney has announced it is banning g-string bikinis at its public pools without providing further details about how the rule will be policed, sparking debate about gender standards.Earlier this month, Blue Mountains Leisure Centres (BMLC) posted on Facebook that it had noticed some confusion" about appropriate swimwear" when visiting one of their pools. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: With reports of a breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations, a look at what the detail includes - and what its obstacles areGood morning. After months of false starts, Israel and Hamas are close to agreeing a ceasefire that would involve the release of hostages and a major influx of aid into Gaza. Last night, both sides appeared to have accepted the outlines of a deal, with Reuters reporting that once Israel delivers maps showing how its forces will withdraw from Gaza, Hamas will give its response.It's closer than it's ever been before," US secretary of state Antony Blinken said yesterday. But, right now, as we sit here, we await final word from Hamas on its acceptance, and until we get that word, we'll remain on the brink."Economy | UK inflation unexpectedly fell in December, handing some breathing space to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, after a week of turbulence in financial markets. Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the consumer prices index eased to 2.5%, below a reading of 2.6% in November.UK politics | Tulip Siddiq has resigned as a Treasury minister after accepting the furore over her close ties to her aunt, the ousted prime minister of Bangladesh now accused of corruption, had become a distraction. An investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing but said a lack of records meant that it was not possible to obtain comprehensive comfort" over properties linked to Sheikh Hasina.South Korea | South Korea's impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has been arrested and is being questioned over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month, anti-corruption investigators said on Wednesday, bringing to an end an early-morning standoff outside his official residence in Seoul.Health | Doctors are proposing a radical overhaul" of how obesity is diagnosed worldwide amid concerns that a reliance on body mass index may be causing millions of people to be misdiagnosed. Relying only on BMI is ineffective" because it is not a direct measure of fat and does not provide information about a person's health, a report by the Lancet commission said.Comedy | The comedian and actor Tony Slattery has died aged 65 after a heart attack, his partner has announced. Slattery was known for his improvisations on the popular comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, as well as his appearances on Just a Minute and Have I Got News for You. Continue reading...

Many local authorities facing bankruptcy as government criticised for lack of urgencyThe crisis in special educational needs and disabilities (Send) in England risks creating a lost generation" of children, while putting almost half" of all councils with an education remit in danger of bankruptcy within 15 months, parliament's spending watchdog has warned.MPs on the public accounts committee (PAC) expressed frustration with the government's lack of progress in resolving the crisis, and complained their inquiry had found no sense of urgency" among officials. Continue reading...

Margaret Thatcher's 1980s policy turbocharged the sale of council homes, contributing to worst housing crisis in living memory'Margaret Thatcher's right-to-buy scheme has left Britain with the legacy of a social housing shortfall that would cost the government 50bn to return the number of affordable homes back to 2010 levels.In a report issued as Labour pushes to reform the Conservative policy introduced in the 1980s, the Resolution Foundation said Keir Starmer's government faced a huge task to replenish the UK's affordable housing stock. Continue reading...

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Exclusive: Sampling results show extremely concerning' concentrations of PFOS and PFOA at sites across UK

British arm of Heartland, which has taken oil and Republican funding, to be led by ex-Ukip head Lois PerryClimate science deniers are lining up a political offensive in Britain after a US lobby group opened a UK branch which is already working with Nigel Farage.The Reform UK leader was the guest of honour at the launch of Heartland UK/Europe, which is to be headed by a former leader of Ukip and climate denier. Continue reading...

Latest SunLife study shows average total funeral cost at 9,797 with many selling off possessions to help payThe cost of dying" has hit a record high, prompting growing numbers of grieving UK families to turn to crowdfunding or sell possessions to help pay for a funeral, according to a report.The average cost of a basic funeral has increased by 3.5% in a year to hit an all-time high" of 4,285, according to the insurer SunLife, which has been monitoring UK funeral costs for two decades. Continue reading...

Public service cuts and stark impact of poverty' are causing worse outcomes for children, according to surveyPoor parental mental health has overtaken domestic violence as the most commonly reported factor in social worker assessments into whether a child is at risk of serious harm or neglect, according to new research.Growing rates of mental illness - in both parents and children - were an increasingly important driver of child safeguarding interventions in England, the latest comprehensive survey of children's social care pressures found.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 counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Labor MP says parties must not squabble over discrimination' as Jillian Segal urges prime minister to convene meeting

Urgent reform called for as patient care, hospital infrastructure and cybersecurity worsens

Portelli and his company will contest charges over giveaways of properties from The Block TV show as well as other prizes