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Gamblers who placed bets totalling $10.5m angered after capture of Nicolas Maduro deemed not to qualifyThe online wager platform Polymarket has angered some gamblers by declaring it will not pay out yet on millions of dollars' worth of bets on a US invasion of Venezuela, arguing that the capture of the then president, Nicolas Maduro, does not qualify.Before Donald Trump's forces captured Maduro on Saturday morning, some traders appeared to have anticipated the shock move by placing bets on prediction markets". Continue reading...

Hot conditions for NSW, Victoria, South Australia, the ACT, Tasmania and WA as authorities warn of high fire danger

Friends of Palestine has criticised the decision to invite Israel's head of state to Australia in a sign of further strain within the Labor movement

In today's newsletter: Leaders' refusal to condemn the US's intervention in Caracas shows a desperation to keep the White House on side - but a red line might not be far awayGood morning. The dramatic seizure of Nicolas Maduro from Caracas by US forces, to face trial in New York, has sent diplomatic shock waves around the world. For European leaders, it has exposed an uncomfortable dilemma: how to welcome the removal of an authoritarian ruler without endorsing an action that many legal experts say tramples over international law.Politicians in opposition, of course, are freer to speak their minds. In the UK, the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, said that where the legal certainty is not yet clear, morally I do think it was the right thing to do", while Liberal Democrat Ed Davey demanded that Keir Starmer condemn what he unequivocally described as an illegal action in Venezuela".Greenland | Donald Trump and his advisers are looking into a range of options" in an effort to acquire Greenland, noting in a White House statement on Tuesday that using the US military to do so is always an option".UK politics | The government must find ways to reconnect emotionally with voters, Keir Starmer's chief of staff is said to have warned cabinet ministers, in a meeting where the prime minister said they were in the fight of our lives".Crans-Montana fire | Authorities in Crans-Montana have said the bar that caught fire in the Swiss ski resort on New Year's Eve, killing 40 mainly young partygoers, had not been inspected by safety officers for the past five years.Spain | A foundation representing Princess Leonor, the 20-year-old heir to the Spanish throne, has warned that scammers are using AI-generated videos of the princess posted by fake profile pages to cheat social media users out of money.US politics | The Trump administration has abandoned efforts to combat child exploitation, human trafficking and cartels as it diverts thousands of law enforcement personnel to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Democratic senators said in a letter to the White House. Continue reading...

Bobbi Lockyer says she sent the item express post with tracking as the national postal service says the search continues

Groups are coming together across the country to help refugee families settle and integrate into local lifeOur children correct us when we don't pronounce some words with the proper Derbyshire accent," says Samir*, an Afghan refugee whose family have settled into their new lives in the north of England.Initially, he says, it was difficult for the family to get used to rural life in Derbyshire, but after a while they had integrated into the local community so well that his children, who have adopted the Derbyshire accent, tease him about his. Continue reading...

MPs criticise 10-year deal struck in blind panic' to rent Dartmoor prison, where high levels of radon had been detectedA catastrophic" decision by the Ministry of Justice to sign a 10-year lease on a prison where high levels of a poisonous gas had been detected is expected to cost the UK taxpayer more than 100m, parliament's spending watchdog has concluded.The public accounts committee said the 2022 deal to rent HMP Dartmoor from the Duchy of Cornwall was signed in a blind panic" by senior civil servants looking to guarantee prison places. Continue reading...

Seven men have been charged with more than 300 offences, after police found allegedly stolen vehicles in shipping containers in Brisbane and Melbourne

eSafety Australia says it has received several reports relating to the use of Grok to generate sexualised images without consent' since late 2025

Exclusive: Dr Eric Descheemaeker sued the university over his attempted sacking after an email he sent was leaked and posted around campus

Democrats held hearing to examine impact of January 6, while protesters commemorated attack on Capitol groundsCongressional Republicans were largely silent on the fifth anniversary of the January 6 insurrection on Tuesday, even as Democrats sought to use the occasion to blast Donald Trump and a small group of protesters convened on the grounds of the US Capitol in solidarity with those who carried out the attack.Democrats, who are in the minority in Congress after fruitlessly hoping that the well-documented violence would cause voters to reject Trump for good, seized on the anniversary to decry the president as a threat to democracy, and accuse Republicans of acting as his accomplices. Continue reading...

Meera Naran, whose son inspired Dev's Law', said the measures proposed by the government would save lives

Starmer and Macron sign declaration of intent' following Paris meetingTheir statement also says they will not stop defending" the UN Charter principles, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders".Nato has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority and European allies are stepping up." Continue reading...

Trilateral declaration of intent signed after coalition of the willing' summit in Paris with plan to establish military hubsBritain and France have declared they are ready to deploy troops to Ukraine in the aftermath of a peace deal, a major new commitment that has been under discussion for months, although one which Russia is likely to block forcefully.The announcement came after a summit in Paris hosted by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and attended by more than two dozen leaders of the states that make up the coalition of the willing" of Ukrainian allies, plus the US envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who said the US president strongly stands" behind the security protocols. Continue reading...

Police leaders defend position after being recalled to give further evidence in second hearing to home affairs committeePolice chiefs facing scrutiny over a decision to ban fans of an Israeli football team from attending a match in Birmingham have insisted the move was not politically influenced.West Midlands police (WMP) leaders defended their position at the home affairs committee on Tuesday after being recalled to give further evidence over the decision to ban fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending a Europa League match against Aston Villa on 6 November. Continue reading...

More seriously, US president claims ousted Venezuelan leader has killed millions of people' in remarks to congressional RepublicansAs if his humiliation was not complete, Nicolas Maduro is facing a new charge: copying Donald Trump's dance moves.The US president on Tuesday accused the ousted Venezuelan leader, who faces terrorism and drug trafficking charges, of imitating Trump's signature hip-swaying and stiff arm-waving. Continue reading...

Paramilitary groups known as colectivos patrol streets with assault rifles, stop and search cars and people's phones

Morgan McSweeney says Labour needs three Es' of emotion, empathy and evidence, sources sayUK politics live - latest updatesThe government must find ways to reconnect emotionally with voters, Keir Starmer's chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, is said to have warned cabinet ministers, in a meeting where the prime minister said they were in the fight of our lives".The prime minister sought to rally his cabinet on Tuesday, telling them to ignore the polls and to prepare to take on Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Continue reading...

Fresh warnings across parts of England and Wales will follow days of delays and closures from Oxford to OrkneyThe UK is braced for further disruption as heavy snow and strong winds are forecast to hit swathes of England and Wales on Thursday, with the arrival of Storm Goretti.Many parts of the country are already reeling from days of travel chaos and school closures, although Tuesday night was not expected to be as chilly as Monday, when temperatures fell to minus 12.5C in Norfolk, making it coldest night of winter so far. Continue reading...

Both families will be offered support from specialist services after mix-up in mid-DecemberThe family of a teenager badly injured in a car crash were told that he had died following a mistake in identifying him and another victim, police have said.South Yorkshire police said it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over the mis-identification, which happened after a serious collision on Todwick Road in Rotherham on 13 December. Continue reading...

Science secretary says the deepfake content being produced on the platform is unacceptable in decent society'In her Today programme interview this morning Kemi Badenoch tried to outflank Nigel Farage on net zero scepticism by claiming (wrongly) that she started talking out this before he did.Asked by the presenter, Nick Robinson, to give an example of a single policy that the Conservatives would implement to boost economic growth, Badenoch said that they would allow more drilling for oil in the North Sea.There wasn't a Reform party then ...I have always been a net zero sceptic, even in government. I was the one who argued that we need to bring back some of these targets ... I've been consistent. Nigel Farage is following me.Keir Starmer doesn't have a plan, doesn't have an agenda. He's weak.Nigel Farage is a one-man band who is all about himself and would make a mess of things. [He] doesn't do detail.More trucks are entering Gaza, and this is very welcome, but right now, key crossings remain closed, convoys are being turned back, medical and shelter supplies are blocked, and NGOs are being banned.We joined nine other countries in stating that this is not acceptable, over the recess. The peace plan cannot work if NGOs are shut out. Israel's decision to ban 37 of them is unjustifiable. Continue reading...

Paul Patterson questioned by MPs as firm continues to make millions from UK government contractsFujitsu's European boss has told MPs the company is not a parasite", after being criticised for continuing to make hundreds of millions of pounds from UK government contracts while refusing to give a compensation figure for victims of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal.Two years ago Paul Patterson said Fujitsu had a moral obligation" to pay financial redress to the victims of Horizon - admitting it had known the accounting IT system was faulty since the 1990s - with the government estimating the final cost to taxpayers of payouts to be 1.8bn. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Tender posted for construction of 3,401 homes in settlement designed to bury idea of a Palestinian state'Israel is moving to start construction on a vast illegal settlement in the heart of the West Bank, designed to bury the idea of a Palestinian state".The Israel Land Authority in mid-December quietly posted a tender for construction of 3,401 homes in the E1" project, which will effectively sever the north and south of the occupied West Bank for Palestinians, and further cut off East Jerusalem. Continue reading...

Heba Muraisi having muscle spasms and Kamran Ahmed losing hearing, with both well into critical phase'Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners taking part in a hunger strike have shown an alarming deterioration in their health as one of them has entered the third month of refusing food, supporters have said.Heba Muraisi, 31, who is on day 65 of her hunger strike, is said to be suffering from muscle spasms and breathing problems, while Kamran Ahmed, on day 58, has reported intermittent hearing loss. Continue reading...

Statement of support comes after presidential aide says no one will fight US militarily over future of Greenland'

Opposition leader says her movement is ready to win a fair election and praises Trump for toppling the president

The internationally acclaimed film-maker was renowned for beautifully shot cinematic epicsBela Tarr, the Hungarian film-maker renowned for lengthy, challenging and beautifully shot films including Satantango, Werckmeister Harmonies and The Man from London, has died aged 70. The Hungarian Film Artists Association said in a statement that Tarr died on Tuesday after a long and serious illness" and that the grieving family asks for the understanding of the press and the public, and that they not be contacted for a statement during these difficult days".Tarr became renowned internationally in the 90s and 00s as his films were shown more widely - partly because of their inordinate length (including the seven-and-a-half-hour Satantango), and partly because of what appeared to be his definitive expression of middle-European black and white miserablism. But in an interview with the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw in 2024, well after Tarr had retired from active film directing in 2011, he said his films had been misunderstood: My opinion is that we were doing comedies. You can laugh a lot." He added that they were not pessimistic. I only ask this - how did you feel when you came out of the movie theatre after watching my film? Did you feel stronger or weaker? That's the main question. I want you to be stronger." Continue reading...

Songsmith's comments come after his brother Liam stoked rumours Oasis had been courted for the roleNoel Gallagher has said that he would absolutely" write the theme song for the next James Bond film if asked, saying that doing so would be an honour.Speaking to TalkSport, the Oasis songwriter revealed that while there had not been any contact between himself and the producers of the franchise, he would leap at the opportunity to contribute music for the film, adding that he thought the theme songs the series is known for should be made by British artists. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Western metropolitan region MP to battle Dinesh Gourisetty ahead of November state election as Ann-Marie Hermans also challenged

Princess of Asturias Foundation issues warning about fraud using fake profiles and videos purporting to show heir to Spanish throneA foundation representing Princess Leonor, the 20-year-old heir to the Spanish throne, has warned that scammers are using AI-generated videos of the princess posted by fake profile pages to cheat social media users out of money.In the posts on TikTok Leonor" promises users payments running to thousands of dollars in return for an upfront fee" of a few hundred dollars. Once this fee" has been paid, the fraudster typically keeps demanding more before disappearing from sight. Continue reading...

Nobel winner's supporters disappointed by US refusal to back her but remain hopeful that in time she can win powerThere was unbridled joy among members of Venezuela's opposition on Saturday morning as their country's president, Nicolas Maduro, was dragged into US custody after an audacious raid on his compound. The military strategy was brilliant," said Ricardo Hausmann, a former minister and opposition supporter, said of the deadly nocturnal assault during which dozens of Maduro's guards - but not a single US soldier - were reportedly killed.That elation was short-lived. Hours after Donald Trump announced Maduro's capture during Operation Absolute Resolve, the US president dashed opposition hopes that their leader, the conservative activist Maria Corina Machado, would now be able to return home to inaugurate a new democratic era. Continue reading...

John Argento, 47, appeared in court charged with Christmas Day attack on car with a billboard reading Happy Chanukah'

Retailer warns that growth this year will be slower amid continuing pressures on UK employment

President says a tremendous amount of money' will need to be spent repairing country's infrastructure

Aim to permit' rule places legal duty on licensing authorities to err on the side of allowing new bookmakers or 24-hour slot machine shopsKeir Starmer has been urged to abolish an outdated" rule that limits the power of communities to prevent bookmakers and 24-hour slot machine shops from opening on high streets.In a letter to the prime minister, nearly 300 politicians and campaigners called for an end to the aim to permit" policy, introduced when Tony Blair's Labour government liberalised gambling laws in 2005. Continue reading...

President wants to placate demonstrators calling for political change, action on corruption and help with cost of livingThe Iranian government is attempting risky economic concessions as it tries to meet the escalating demands of protesters seeking fundamental political change, a clampdown on corruption and an easing of the squeeze on living standards of the poor.Now entering their ninth day, the protests have spread to 27 of Iran's 31 provinces, with a human rights group claiming that the death toll has passed 35 with more than 1,200 arrested. Continue reading...

Police were responding to reports of alleged domestic violence incident when 52-year-old suffered medical episode at Homebush property

Party will also teach MPs how to be community leaders' and take credit for government's work, Lucy Powell saysLabour will switch to an incumbency first" model to protect MPs at the next election rather than targeting seats, the deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has told Labour MPs.Powell said the party would support MPs to become leaders in their communities" and learn how to benefit politically from changes made by the government, which MPs have so far gained little credit for. Continue reading...

In a letter to Keir Starmer, they say MI5 failed them and the Security Service must be included in a law to stop cover-upsFamilies affected by the Manchester Arena bombing have said MI5 failed them and must be more open to scrutiny.In a letter sent to the prime minister seen by the BBC, the families demanded the Security Service be fully included in a new law designed to stop cover-ups in public life. Continue reading...

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Law Council of Australia joined calls from families of victims, business community, sporting identities and some former Labor MPs to launch inquiry

Appeal - entering its last few days - is fundraising for five charities that promote tolerance and hope

Practice where companies are liquidated and reacquired, free of debts, thought to cost taxpayers about 800m a yearInsolvent recruitment businesses shorn of their debts then reacquired from administration by the directors or shareholders that presided over their demise are costing the exchequer tens of millions of pounds in lost taxes, a Guardian analysis suggests.The practice of phoenixism" - the art of liquidating a company and allowing the directors to rise from the ashes with a new entity, free of debts - is estimated by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to have cost taxpayers about 800m a year. Continue reading...

Planned legislation could hand ministers significant powers to forge closer regulatory ties with BrusselsKeir Starmer is set to face fresh battles over his EU reset" with his plans to lay a bill that could lead to closer regulatory ties with Brussels.The legislation aims to introduce an alignment mechanism for the agrifoods and electricity trading deals agreed with EU leaders but still under negotiation. Continue reading...

Venezuelan opposition leader says she plans to return to her country as soon as possible

Former Liberal staffer alleges initial findings against him were compromised' in latest chapter of high-profile legal case

In mid-December PNG said the company did not have a licence to operate in the country and ordered it to halt operationsFrustration is growing in Papua New Guinea weeks after the government ordered Starlink to shut down operations in the country as businesses, health providers and communities struggle without access to internet services.Starlink, owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is a satellite internet company that provides internet to remote places. In mid-December, the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (Nicta) ordered the company to halt operations because it was not licensed in PNG. Continue reading...

Perception that Chinese-made weapons could not stop a decapitation strike' may give Beijing pause for thoughtThe sight of a hostile regional superpower launching an overnight raid to depose the leader of a smaller neighbouring country could easily have sent pulses in Taiwan racing.The US on Saturday revealed the details of a surprise raid to capture Venezuela's leader, Nicolas Maduro, who was whisked away to the US, where he was frogmarched into a court in New York on Monday. Continue reading...

Mette Frederiksen criticises Donald Trump's unacceptable pressure' as Greenland counterpart condemns fantasies'

Campaigners call for action to make manufacturers reduce salt in food, which can contribute to high blood pressure and deathsAdults in England eat the same amount of salt every week as is found in 155 bags of crisps, according to analysis by a leading health charity.The British Heart Foundation, which carried out the study, said this also equated to 22 bags a day of ready salted, lightly salted or sea salt crisps. Continue reading...