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Lisa Nandy defends Yvette Cooper’s decision to order urgent review following pressure driven by Elon MuskLisa Nandy has said government ministers are considering a “whole range of alternatives” to the BBC licence fee, criticising it as “regressive” but also saying it raises “insufficient money to support the BBC.”Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Nandy appeared to rule out raising money for the BBC from general taxation....

Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says that security cabinet will meet on Friday following earlier delays in talks to release hostages in return for ceasefireAnalysis: Islamist groups will emerge from Gaza war weakenedDuring his final press conference earlier on Thursday, US secretary of state Antony Blinken was heckled by two journalists who criticised him for his support for the war in Gaza.That includes providing Israel with...

Negative stereotypes linked to some accents raise serious concerns of bias in justice system, warn researchersResearchers have said a study that found people who speak with accents perceived as working class are more likely to be suspected of committing a crime raises “serious concerns” about bias in the UK criminal justice system.People with accents from Liverpool, Newcastle, Bradford and London risked being stereotyped, according...

Region hit by strong winds, flash flooding and giant hailstones, causing one death and widespread power cutsSevere thunderstorms have been wreaking havoc across eastern Australia this week, unleashing heavy rain, strong winds, flash flooding and giant hailstones.In some regions there were wind gusts of more than 100mph (160km/h) and strong winds caused operational disruptions at Sydney airport as well as extensive damage nearby, including...

Ukrainian police said officers were conducting 200 searches nationwide amid probe into illegal exit of military-aged men from the countryGerman foreign minister Annalena Baerbock indirectly criticised chancellor Olaf Scholz for his reluctance to approve a further 3 billion euros ($3.09bn) in additional military aid for Ukraine.“To be honest, it hurts me a lot,” she said without mentioning the chancellor’s name in an interview with...

Trump’s second term will be marked by a rare level of influence in Congress and the highest courtDonald Trump will come in to power with a “trifecta” of governmental control after his Republican party won the House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency in the 2024 US election.Control of both chambers of Congress is not uncommon for US presidents. Trump achieved a trifecta...

Charities and experts call for national conversation to move away from sensationalism after Musk criticismKeir Starmer must move the conversation on child sexual exploitation away from sensationalism to support for victims who have had help and protection reduced in recent years, charities, campaigners and experts have said.A joint statement, whose signatories include government services contractors such as the Salvation Army and the Snowdrop Project,...

More than 1,000 trees have fallen in Sydney as wild weather causes problems around cityFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAt least two people have been hit after a huge fig tree fell in Sydney’s centre amid strong winds.The large tree in Hyde Park crashed to the ground across a footpath and...

Latest setback, after talks with Treasury, blamed on lack of clarity about implementation in USBusiness live – latest updatesThe Bank of England has delayed the introduction of tougher global banking capital rules by a further year to prevent another 2008-style crash, blaming the second delay on a lack of clarity about its implementation in the US.The Bank’s regulator, which made the decision after consultation...

Overall retail sales volumes fall by 0.3% in December amid weak ‘golden quarter’ of tradingBusiness live – latest updatesRetailers in Great Britain experienced a surprise fall in sales last month, as supermarkets and food stores had their worst Christmas since 2013, according to official figures.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said sales volumes fell 0.3% month on month in December, as the crucial retailing...

Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool were jailed for life last month, with minimum terms of 40 years and 33 years respectivelyThe father and stepmother of Sara Sharif are seeking to appeal against the sentences they received for the 10-year-old’s murder.Sara suffered a “daily living hell” as she was tortured to death over many months by Urfan Sharif, who was described in court as a...

House in Dover Heights doused with red paint in what NSW premier labels a ‘targeted’ and ‘disgusting and dangerous act of violence’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA prominent Jewish leader has said “there is an evil at work in this country” after his former home in Sydney was vandalised.The incident is...

This blog is now closedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAlleged attack in Dover Heights ‘disgusting and dangerous’, NSW premier saysThe NSW premier Chris Minns has labelled the alleged attack at Dover Heights overnight as a “disgusting and dangerous act of violence”. In a statement issued this morning, he said:This is a disgusting and dangerous act of violence that is...

Former vice-president makes surprise visit to Taipei and predicts that if China annexes its neighbour other Asia-Pacific countries will build nuclear arsenalsMike Pence called on Donald Trump’s incoming administration to maintain support for Taiwan against the threat of Chinese annexation during a surprise visit to the capital, Taipei, on Friday.On the eve of Trump’s inauguration for his second term as president, his estranged former...

Cheonggyecheon stream in the South Korean capital has become an attraction – and helps with flood management, fighting air pollution and cooling the cityOn a crisp December morning, office workers and tourists stroll along a tree-lined stream in central Seoul, pausing on stepping stones that cross its flowing waters. It’s difficult to imagine that just over 20 years ago, this was a vast elevated...

Police believe 27-year-old Katie Tangey’s death was a case of mistaken identity as friends rally to raise funds for her familyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA popular performer, killed by fire in what police say is a case of mistaken identity, has been remembered as “an icon” as friends rally to...

Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says security cabinet will convene on Friday amid concerns the delay could push back the start of the ceasefireIsrael-Gaza war: live updatesIsrael’s security cabinet will meet on Friday after negotiators reached a deal for the release of hostages as part of a Gaza ceasefire with Hamas, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said.In Gaza itself, Israeli warplanes kept up intense strikes,...

After 15 months of war, a ceasefire deal in Gaza has been reached. In his farewell address to the nation, Joe Biden tried to convince the US public that it was just one of many successes he’d had in the White House. But is that how his time in office will be remembered? Jonathan Freedland speaks to the author Franklin Foer about Biden’s legacyArchive:...

If Herbert Kickl becomes chancellor, Vienna will join list of disruptive member states, putting EU policies in perilWhen Austria’s Freedom party (FPÖ) entered government 25 years ago, shock waves reverberated around Europe. Punitive measures were imposed, diplomatic visits cancelled and Belgium even suggested the EU could do without the Alpine country.That was when the far-right party was only a junior coalition partner. This time,...

Scientists say frog’s journey shows difficulty of spotting insects or fungi spread by global plant tradeA tiny tree frog hitchhiking in a bunch of roses to Sheffield from Colombia has inspired a study into invasive species reaching the UK’s shores.Dr Silviu Petrovan, a researcher in the University of Cambridge’s zoology department and a senior author of a paper published today in the journal BioScience,...

Exclusive: Majority polled by YouGov viewed billionaire negatively – except among Reform UK and AfD votersMost people in the UK and Germany consider Elon Musk’s efforts to influence their national politics unacceptable and believe the US tech magnate does not know much about either country or the issues they face, a poll has shown.The survey, by YouGov, follows a spate of hostile statements by...

Olivier Grondeau was arrested in 2022 and has accused Iran of using him for ‘political blackmail’ against FranceThe mother of a French traveller detained in Iran for two years has said authorities “know he is innocent” but continue to hold him in the country’s notorious Evin prison.Olivier Grondeau, 33, was arrested from his hotel room in Shiraz, in the south of Iran, on 12...

Lawyers say impeached president will not attend questioning, with investigators expected to seek warrant to extend his detentionSouth Korea’s arrested president, Yoon Suk Yeol, will not attend a new round of questioning by investigators on Friday, his lawyer said, as authorities face an imminent deadline to obtain a warrant to extend his detention or release the embattled leader.In order to hold Yoon in custody...

Neighbours told to stay inside as police seek information on stabbing deaths of two men from same familyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo men died in a brawl at a birthday party on that spilled on to the streets in Melbourne’s outer south-eastern suburbs, police say.Detectives said the two men, aged...

National Weather Service says ‘wind siege has finally ended’ and forecasts higher humidity but warns high winds could return next weekAs the battle against the deadly fires in Los Angeles county enters its 10th day, officials are warning evacuees against returning to their homes due to the presence of toxic, hazardous waste and exposed power and gas lines.During a Thursday press conference, Yonah Halpern,...

Indictment comes seven months after FBI raided her home, with formal announcement scheduled to happen on FridaySheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, California has been indicted by a federal grand jury, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.The indictment comes seven months after an FBI raid on Thao’s home and two months after she was recalled by voters in Oakland. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. You can read more of our coverage of the California wildfires here Easing of extreme winds expected to strengthen efforts to put out blazesAs officials answered reporters’ questions, the Los Angeles county fire chief Anthony Marrone, said that it is still unsafe for people to return to their homes, even for those who want to view the conditions of...

Experts say climate crisis was likely responsible for a quarter of the dryness that fueled the fires’ rapid spreadAs Los Angeles’s deadly wildfires continue to burn, a group of survivors is taking aim at the industry most responsible for fueling climate disasters: fossil fuels.Residents impacted by the blazes lamented during a Thursday conference call losing their homes and communities and called for litigation and...

Measures come a week after Washington also sanctioned Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s rival, Mohamed Hamdan DagaloThe United States has imposed sanctions on Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes.The US treasury department said in a statement that under...

Israeli prime minister’s demand before expected cabinet meeting threatens to derail peace negotiationsMiddle East crisis – live updatesBenjamin Netanyahu has said his cabinet will not meet to vote on the ceasefire deal intended to pause the war in Gaza until “Hamas accepts all elements of the agreement”, in a move that threatens to derail months of work to end the brutal 15-month conflict.The unexpected...

PM visits Kyiv to agree partnership and says Putin shows no signs of wanting to stop ‘unrelenting aggression’Keir Starmer has announced a “historic” 100-year partnership with Ukraine, saying the UK would support the country “beyond this terrible war” and into a future where it is “free and thriving again”.Speaking during his first trip to Kyiv as prime minister, Starmer said the unprecedented agreement reflected...

Anne, 53, was scammed out of hundreds of thousands after believing she was in a long-term relationship with the actorA spokesperson for Brad Pitt has addressed the viral story about a French woman who believed she was in a long-term relationship with the actor and was scammed out of €830,000 ($855,000, £700,000) by someone posing as him.“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of the...

Relatives of some of 98 still believed held by Hamas describe being in limbo but remain ‘cautiously optimistic’Middle East crisis – live updatesFamilies of hostages being held in Gaza have said delays to the ceasefire and hostage deal have left them in limbo and agony.Relatives of some of the 98 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas reacted with “guarded optimism” to the...

Palestinians describe grief and anxiety as they seek news that the ceasefire is going ahead, and airstrikes continueMiddle East crisis – live updatesAmid continuing airstrikes, bitter cold and news of delays, millions in Gaza were waiting anxiously on Thursday for confirmation that the ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Hamas and Israel was going ahead.Many spoke of their fear that hopes of a new beginning after a...

President-elect ‘has warm spot’ for platform and wants political solution to ‘preserve app but protect data’Sophia Smith Galer: TikTok is the only truly democratic social platformDonald Trump is considering suspending a TikTok ban in the US with an executive order when he enters the White House on 20 January, according to a report.The president-elect is exploring an executive order that would postpone enforcement of...

Judge rules former president’s passport will not be returned in case he uses it to flee abroad amid coup investigationBrazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro – who is under investigation for allegedly plotting a coup – has seen his hopes of attending Donald Trump’s inauguration dashed after a judge ruled his confiscated passport would not be returned in case the disgraced politician used it to...

The director of the award-winning musical about a trans cartel boss has said the film isn’t intended to be realistic, but he is sorry if things in it ‘seem shocking’Emilia Pérez director Jacques Audiard has apologised after the film was engulfed in a wave of criticism over its depiction of Mexico.A Spanish-language musical about a cartel boss who transitions to a woman, starring transgender...

Experts say the flood of users to the Chinese app highlights flaws in the Albanese government’s social media banFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAs the TikTok ban looms in the United States, users have flocked to RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, a China-based app that looks similar to Instagram.But in Australia,...

Eron Kiiza, who was representing regime opponent Dr Kizza Besigye, was assaulted and sentenced to nine months’ jail, say colleaguesA human rights lawyer involved in a case featuring a prominent Ugandan opposition leader has been tortured after he was arrested and detained without trial, according to colleagues who have visited him.Eron Kiiza was assaulted and arrested by soldiers on 7 January while entering a...

Actor repeatedly stabbed during 2am attack at Mumbai flat he shares with Kareena Kapoor and their two childrenSaif Ali Khan, one of Bollywood’s most popular actors, is recovering in hospital after a knife became lodged in his spine during an attack by an intruder in his Mumbai home.Medical officials said Khan sustained six stab wounds in the attack, which took place during a 2am...

Final sign-off for ceasefire deal delayed after Benjamin Netanyahu accuses Hamas of ‘reneging’ on parts of agreementThe devastating impact of 15 months of war on GazaHow Trump loomed over Gaza ceasefire negotiationsRelatives of hostages welcome ceasefirePalestinians express joy over ceasefire dealKey mediator Qatar said that 33 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza would be released in the first stage of a ceasefire deal aimed...

Tory leader to condemn predecessors’ Brexit, climate and migration failings amid rising popularity of Reform UKKemi Badenoch will attack the Conservative party’s record under Boris Johnson and Theresa May on Brexit, the economy, net zero and immigration in a speech aimed at “rebuilding trust”.The Tory leader, who is competing with the sharp rise in popularity of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, will “acknowledge the...

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 pair will appear at Bromley youth court later on Thursday. Continue reading...

UK prime minister in Ukrainian capital to sign security and trade pact in first official visitStarmer hails ‘closer than ever’ partnership with Ukraine on visitAs we mentioned in the opening post, Ukraine’s air force has said the country’s forces downed 34 out of 55 drones launched by Russia overnight. Local authorities are now saying that the falling drone debris damaged energy infrastructure in the...

Trade secretary says UK’s ‘globally oriented’ economy means it is vulnerable – but it is better positioned than China and EUUK economy – live business updatesThe UK government is worried a “tariff war” between the US and other countries could lead to higher inflation and unemployment, the trade secretary has said.Jonathan Reynolds, the business and trade secretary, warned the UK was particularly vulnerable to...

Eastern NSW, particularly northern rivers, and Gold Coast at high risk for severe thunderstorms and winds on Thursday, BoM forecastsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPersistent rain and strong winds will sweep across New South Wales into the weekend, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts, with Sydney on the “southern cusp” of the...

Chancellor wants ‘check-in’ to review pro-growth proposals from regulators, including road and rail, water, energy, aviation and markets Business live – latest updatesRachel Reeves is expected to pile pressure on UK regulators to do more to support growth when she summons bosses to No 11 on Thursday.The chief executives of watchdogs including the Competition and Markets Authority, communications regulator Ofcom, water regulator Ofwat, and...

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 62-year-old woman experienced traumatic shock and died shortly after the collision, according to the French news outlet Le Dauphiné Liberé. Ski patrollers, an emergency...

Launch of Amazon founder’s New Glenn craft on second attempt ramps up rivalry between tech billionairesBlue Origin’s huge New Glenn rocket has blasted off from Florida on its first mission to space, an inaugural step into Earth’s orbit for Jeff Bezos’s space company as it aims to rival Elon Musk’s SpaceX in the satellite launch business.Thirty storeys high with a reusable first stage filled...

Fair Work Commission puts interim pause on approval for industrial action after second day of delays for commutersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales trains will return to normal scheduling for now after the Fair Work Commission placed an interim pause on its approval for rail unions to undertake industrial...