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The national jobless rate remains at a near 50-year-low as rebounding economy faces labor shortages from lack of migration

Number of people unable to afford prepayment meter top-up is higher this year than in past six years combinedThe monthly number of people that Citizens Advice helped with energy-related problems and issues rose to a record high in November, underlining the scale of the struggle with soaring costs of gas and electricity.The charity said it was continuing to exceed its forecasts for the numbers of cash-strapped households turning to it for help because they cannot afford to top up their energy prepayment meter and therefore cannot perform basic tasks such as heating food. Continue reading...

OfS expected to gain new powers to regulate freedom of speech issues in EnglandThe Office for Students will make freedom of speech and “off-limits” subjects on university campuses one of its top priorities for next year, despite the regulator receiving only around 60 complaints over the last four years.Susan Lapworth, the OfS’s chief regulator, said students’ experience of higher education in England was “not just measured through statistics,” and could be affected by the attitudes towards issues such as freedom of speech at the institutions they attend. Continue reading...

Passengers at most airports to be allowed two-litre containers of liquid, in major relaxation of 2006 rulesRules around taking liquids and laptops through airport security will be eased from June 2024, the government has said.The announcement of the biggest relaxation of aviation security regulations in decades confirms reports last month that the change would come in the year after next. Continue reading...

Study finds exposing inequalities in applications for employment ‘catches racism red-handed’Researchers believe they may have found the best way to convince the public that racism is a real problem and requires major change: tell them about an Oxford University study exposing discrimination faced by job applicants.A groundbreaking project exploring how better to boost public support for action against systemic racism tested which messages best move people towards a more anti-racist position. Continue reading...

Grattan Institute says government should target permanent skilled visas at younger, higher-skilled migrants

Investigation launched after complaint from Mohammed Abouagela Masud’s family that his extradition was not lawfulLibya’s chief prosecutor has opened an investigation into the extradition of a Libyan national accused of making the bomb that downed Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, to the United States.US authorities announced on Sunday that they had arrested former intelligence officer Mohammed Abouagela Masud. The following day he appeared in federal court in Washington DC. and was charged with an act of international terrorism. Continue reading...

Skipper of fishing vessel tells how his crew spent two hours pulling 31 people from the freezing waterFour people died and more than 40 were rescued after a desperate call to a charity warned that a boat carrying asylum seekers including children had capsized in the Channel on Wednesday morning.An unidentified man on the sinking vessel, in a recording obtained by the Guardian, asked at 2.53am for the alarm to be raised to save his family who were in the icy waters. Continue reading...

WHO director-general says he is ‘not in good shape’ after learning Eritrean troops killed his uncle in TigrayThe head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday that Eritrean troops “murdered” his uncle in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.The WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a former Ethiopian minister who comes from Tigray, has previously been a vocal critic of Ethiopia’s role in the conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. Continue reading...

Many flats in Cheshire House on the Shires estate have had no heating or hot water for two weeksResidents in an Enfield tower block that has been without heating and hot water for two weeks are resorting to sleeping in the same room, taking showers outside in sub-zero temperatures and putting the oven on for warmth.At least two-thirds of flats in Cheshire House on the Shires Estate in Edmonton have had their gas cut off since the evening of 28 November after a leak was discovered. Those affected have been offered a single electric heater and portable showers located outside the block as temperatures fall below freezing. Continue reading...

President calls on Puerto Rican reggaeton star to perform after fans turned away from sold-out show on FridayMexico’s president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has called on Bad Bunny to give a free concert in the capital’s central Zócalo plaza after hundreds of fans were locked out of the Puerto Rican rapper’s sold-out show last weekend thanks to a Ticketmaster debacle.During his regular morning news conference, López Obrador, or Amlo as he’s commonly known, said Bad Bunny was a “supportive” and “sensitive” person, adding that, although the government couldn’t pay the artist, it would fund limited production costs for the concert. Continue reading...

White House spokesperson says war in Ukraine will continue ‘for some time’; no one reported hurt as two floors of central building damaged

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