Woolworths to sell Australia Day holiday merchandise in reversal of 2024 policy

Supermarket chain says it will help customers ‘celebrate the day’ by selling flag-themed items

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Woolworths says it will mark the Australia Day holiday in-store this year, after it stopped stocking themed merchandise last year amid a “broader discussion” of what 26 January meant to the community.

The supermarket chain, which also owns department store Big W, said it would offer Australian flag-themed merchandise such as hats, sunglasses, bunting and a “clip-on ribbon” through its online stores.

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Ecuador confirms incinerated bodies belong to missing ‘Guayaquil Four’ boys

Sixteen air force personnel who apprehended boys are being held in custody as inquiry into deaths continues

Ecuador’s attorney general’s office has confirmed that incinerated bodies found on Christmas Eve belong to the four children missing since early December, in a case posing a severe challenge to President Daniel Noboa’s “war on drugs”.

The four boys – all black, aged between 11 and 15, and residents of Las Malvinas, a poor area in the country’s largest city, Guayaquil – were returning from a football game on 8 December when they were apprehended by 16 air force soldiers.

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Ukraine to end transit of Russian gas into Europe

President Zelensky said his country would not allow Russia to "earn additional billions on our blood".

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Police identify woman set on fire in deadly New York City attack

Authorities identified Debrina Kawam, 61, of New Jersey as the victim of the 22 December attack.

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Havana syndrome patients reportedly promised healthcare that never came

Letter allegedly written by US official shows contradictions in how government handled mysterious health incidents

A leaked letter purportedly written by a senior US military official and published on social media on Monday highlights stark contradictions in the government’s approach to victims of Havana syndrome – a mysterious series of health incidents affecting personnel at embassies and consulates overseas.

The letter, dated 24 March 2024 and signed by air force Brig Gen Shannon O’Harren, reassures victims of the “anomalous health incidents” (AHIs) that the defense department believed that their experiences and symptoms were real while promising them quality healthcare that never came.

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Russia and Ukraine swap at least 300 prisoners in exchange deal

Some of Ukrainians had been held since early days of war, while Russians were captured in Ukraine’s Kursk offensive

Russia and Ukraine have carried out a major prisoner exchange, with at least 150 people from each side returning home before New Year’s Eve, in a swap partly brokered by the United Arab Emirates.

“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us. And today is one of such days: our team managed to bring 189 Ukrainians home,” the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a message posted on Telegram on Monday.

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Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist

Cecilia Sala could be used as "political leverage" after an Iranian citizen was detained by Italy, a US state department spokesman has said.

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US sends investigators to help establish cause of South Korea plane crash

Team from NTSB, FAA and manufacturer Boeing to assist investigation of Jeju Air crash that killed 179

The US is sending air accident investigators to South Korea to help determine what went wrong with the Jeju Air plane that crash-landed at Muan airport and skidded in a barrier early on Sunday, killing 179.

The team of investigators includes the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing, which manufactured the 17-year-old aircraft.

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Tourist killed in shark attack off Egyptian coast

Egypt's environment ministry says the attack occurred in "deep waters outside of the designated swimming area".

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Burning car linked to fatal shooting of man in western Sydney

Man in 30s dies from gunshot wounds in Canley Heights in Sydney’s west and car set on fire in neighbouring suburb

Police are hunting for a gunman after a man was shot dead in a suburban street in western Sydney.

Emergency services found the man in his 30s in Canley Heights in Sydney’s west on Sunday night after reports of shots being fired just before 7pm.

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Nigerians take to the streets for Calabar Carnival

Pictures of revellers from the Calabar Carnival marking Christmas in the southern Nigeria.

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Man dies after shark bite while fishing with family off Queensland coast

The 40-year-old was bitten by the shark in waters off Keppel Islands

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A man has died after he was bitten by a shark while fishing with his family.

Emergency services were called to Humpy Island in the Keppel Bay Islands national park, about 18km off the central Queensland coast, on Saturday following reports a man had been attacked.

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Beaches, beer and a rare suspended lake … why can’t Nigeria attract more tourists?

Visitor numbers to the African country lag far behind its neighbours due to lack of infrastructure and national planning. Now some are starting to demand changes

At the top of the Ado-Awaye hills lies a lake suspended 433 metres above sea level. Local people say the lake is named Iyake (Yoruba for “crying woman”) after a weeping, barren woman who fell in the water hundreds of years ago, conferring on it powers of fertility.

This belief in the divine is evident in the foothills, where a huge boulder is emblazoned with the words, written in golden letters: “Here we come: African Jerusalem.”

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Model Dayle Haddon dies in carbon monoxide leak

The 76-year-old appeared on the front of magazines including Sports Illustrated and Vogue Paris.

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S Korean president accused of ordering use of guns to stop martial law vote

Yoon Suk Yeol told authorised soldiers to break down doors and drag politicians out of parliament, prosecutors say.

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Cracks appear in Maga world over US foreign worker visas

Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk argue for skilled visas - but Trump and other supporters disagree.

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Man charged with murder, arson in NYC subway killing

Sebastian Zapeta is accused of setting a woman on fire and fanning the flames.

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Houthis vow to continue attacking Israel despite strikes on Yemen

An official says the Yemeni group will not stop until the war in Gaza ends, as Israel's PM says it is "just getting started".

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US sanctions billionaire founder of Georgia Dream party

State secretary Antony Blinken accuses Bidzina Ivanishvili of undermining democracy to Russia's benefit.

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Cool change slows Grampians bushfire in Victoria as NSW braces for windy day of extreme fire danger

Temperatures plunged overnight in Victoria’s west as gusty winds swept over blazes that have scorched more than 70,000 hectares of bushland

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A cool change has eased conditions for firefighters battling an out-of-control blaze in Victoria’s Grampians following the worst bushfire conditions since 2019’s Black Summer.

Temperatures plunged on Thursday as gusty westerly winds swept over the blazes in the state’s west that have raged for more than a week and scorched more than 70,000 hectares of bushland.

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Trump tells 37 people on death row with commuted sentences to ‘go to hell’

On Truth Social, president-elect also lashes out at Chinese troops in Panama Canal and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau

Donald Trump has told 37 people on death row who had their sentences commuted by Joe Biden to “go to hell” in a lacerating Christmas Day social media post.

The president-elect – long a vocal advocate of capital punishment – lashed out at Biden’s decision on his Truth Social platform, after wishing a merry Christmas to political opponents he addressed as “Radical Left Lunatics”.

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Bird flu kills 20 big cats at US animal sanctuary

The animals - including a Bengal tiger, cougars and bobcats - have died of the virus over the past several weeks.

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Eastern Australian states brace for extreme fire threat amid soaring temperatures and high winds

Dangerous fire conditions set to sweep across south-east as Victoria, NSW and SA prepare for Boxing Day scorcher

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Dangerous fire conditions are set to sweep across several states as the south-east braces for a Boxing Day scorcher.

Damaging winds will fan extreme fire danger on Thursday as hot and dry weather envelops large parts of Victoria, south-west New South Wales and much of eastern South Australia.

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Hundreds escape Mozambique prison amid election protests

The prisoners took advantage of ongoing political unrest triggered by disputed poll results, police say.

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Dozens killed in Mozambique prison riot on Christmas Day

Unrest at maximum security prison in the capital Maputo, reportedly left 33 people dead and 15 injured

Dozens of people have been killed in a prison riot in Mozambique on Christmas Day, authorities have said.

The riot, reportedly at the maximum security prison in the capital Maputo, left 33 people dead and 15 injured, according to police general commander Bernardino Rafael.

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Ex-drug lord Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia after 20 years in US prisons

Victims of Medellín cartel demand justice as some express dismay former mob boss faces no charges in Colombia

The return of former drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia following his deportation from the United States has reopened old wounds among victims of the Medellín cartel, with some expressing dismay at the Colombian authorities’ decision to let Ochoa walk free.

Some of the cartel victims said they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning.

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Pope opens Holy Door to kick off special jubilee year

More than 30 million Catholic pilgrims are expected to head to Rome for the jubilee, which takes place once every 25 years.

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French PM names new government, hoping to avoid another no-confidence vote

Centrist prime minister François Bayrou appoints cabinet from middle political ground, excluding far-right and far-left

French prime minister François Bayrou has announced his new government – the country’s fourth since the beginning of the year – in the hope his administration can see off another vote of no confidence from a bitterly divided parliament.

There is a mix of old and new in the latest government, which includes several familiar faces: former interior minister Gérald Darmanin has been appointed justice minister; former prime minister Elisabeth Borne, a technocrat, returns to government as education secretary, while another prime minister Manuel Valls, who served under the socialist president François Hollande, has been appointed overseas minister.

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Mozambique’s top court confirms election result after months of protest

Opposition claimed ruling Frelimo party rigged 9 October vote, leading to months of civil unrest

Mozambique’s top court has confirmed the ruling party’s victory in October’s presidential elections, potentially triggering more protests after more than two months of unrest over allegations that the results were rigged.

Daniel Chapo, of the ruling Frelimo party, won the 9 October presidential election with 65.2% of the vote, Lúcia Ribeiro, the chair of Mozambique’s constitutional council, told a press conference on Monday.

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EPA prosecuting three companies over Sydney asbestos mulch

Prosecutions encompass a total of 102 alleged offences relating to 26 sites, including Rozelle parklands

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The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is prosecuting three companies and one individual in response to its investigation into Sydney’s asbestos in mulch scandal.

The prosecutions encompass 102 alleged offences relating to 26 sites, including Rozelle parklands.

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Scientists unveil 50,000-year-old baby mammoth remains

"Yana" is the latest pre-historic discovery in a crater in a remote region of Russia.

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Heroism attributed to suspect Luigi Mangione alarming - Mayorkas

The US Homeland Security Secretary says rhetoric about the murder suspect is concerning.

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Immediate fire threat moves to NSW as Victoria continues to battle Grampians blaze

Authorities warn travellers and tourists to be alert to emergency warnings with extreme fire danger forecast over much of NSW, Victoria, WA and SA

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Millions of residents and travellers across several states have been warned to stay alert as the risk of Christmas week bushfires intensify.

Several states entered Monday battling dangerous blazes or warning of potential outbreaks, including NSW, with hot, dry and windy conditions expected to pose extreme fire danger in Sydney.

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Watch: Police officer dressed as the Grinch leads drug raid

An officer in Peru smashed a suspected drug dealer's door in, while clad as Dr Seuss' famous character.

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Blake Lively accuses co-star Justin Baldoni of smear campaign

Mr Baldoni's lawyer says the allegations are "categorically false" and a "desperate attempt to 'fix' her negative reputation".

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Magdeburg mourns Christmas market dead

Saudi national, alleged to have killed five and injured more than 200, had issued a warning on social media

A Saudi national alleged to have carried out a deadly attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, which killed five and injured more than 200, had warned on social media that “something big will happen”.

The 50-year-old doctor is in police custody after a black BMW SUV ploughed 400 metres through a crowded market at speed, driving over some people and flinging others up into the air. A nine-year-old girl is among the dead.

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Watch: Germany grapples with another Christmas market attack

The BBC's Bethany Bell reports from the empty Magdeburg market, on what should be one of the busiest nights of the season.

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Volkswagen agrees deal to avoid German plant closures

VW and a union have, however, agreed to cut more than 35,000 jobs across the country by 2030.

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One killed and scores reportedly injured after car drives into German Christmas market – latest updates

Driver arrested after incident in Magdeburg, west of Berlin, according to media reports

• Full report: car ploughs into crowd at Christmas market

Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said “the news suggests something bad” and that his thoughts are with “the victims and their families”.

On December 19th 2016, a truck driven by Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links, crashed into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring dozens of others. The attacker was killed days later in a shootout in Milan.

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Car driven into crowd at German Christmas market, reports say

At least one person has been killed, Magdeburg's local public broadcaster reports, citing police.

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Cheers, chants and hope for change: supporters thank Gisèle Pelicot for her bravery as rape trial ends

Gisèle Pelicot was greeted by applause as she left court after her ex-husband and 50 other men were sentenced

• Gisèle Pelicot rape trial: husband jailed for 20 years as all 51 men found guilty

As Gisèle Pelicot walked down the steps of the Avignon courthouse at the end of the biggest rape trial in French history, hundreds of supporters who had travelled from across France and Europe burst into cheers and applause, chanting: “Thank you, Gisèle.”

Others stood with placards that read “shame has changed sides” in honour of her words, back in October, to explain why she was waiving her anonymity and facing down her rapists in court: “It’s not for us to have shame,” she said then. “It’s for them.”

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Congress in disarray and shutdown looms as Trump, Musk slam spending deal

The president-elect and Elon Musk rejected the bipartisan spending plan that would prevent a government shutdown.

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Independent TD Verona Murphy voted in as Ireland’s first female speaker

Her election is first action in moves to form new coalition government after no party won majority in general election

Verona Murphy has become the first female speaker of the Irish parliament as part of attempts to form a coalition government.

Murphy, an independent TD for Wexford, defeated two Fianna Fáil candidates and one from Sinn Féin to win the €255,000 (£210,000) a year position of Ceann Comhairle.

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Syria not a threat to world, rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa tells BBC

In an interview with Jeremy Bowen, the leader of the rebel group HTS says sanctions on Syria should be lifted.

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Embattled Liberian speaker questioned by police over parliament fire

A huge fire breaks out at Liberia's Capitol building a day after it was the scene of a bitter dispute.

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Ros Atkins On... Igor Kirillov's death

The BBC's Analysis Editor, along with BBC Verify, takes a look at material from the scene to assess what we know.

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Mother of Filipina who spent 15 years on death row in Indonesia calls for pardon

Mother of Mary Jane Veloso urges Philippine president to act so family can be reunited for Christmas

The mother of Mary Jane Veloso, the Filipino domestic helper who spent almost 15 years on death row in Indonesia, has urged her government to grant a pardon after she is repatriated so their family can be reunited for Christmas.

Veloso, 39, who was sentenced to death in 2010 for drug trafficking, was handed over to Philippine officials in Jakarta on Tuesday night, after the Indonesian and Philippine governments reached a deal to allow her to return.

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Investment in film and TV made in Australia plummets by almost 30%, report finds

Global streaming platforms biggest investors but Australian company Stan contributed the most locally produced titles

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Investment in feature films and television dramas made in Australia has tanked, according to the latest report by the government’s funding body for the screen production industry.

In the 2023-2024 financial year, spending dropped by almost 30%, Screen Australia’s annual drama report released on Tuesday shows – 10% below a five-year average which included a massive slump in production in 2020 due to Covid-19.

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Fear of a reckoning simmers in Assad's Alawite heartland

Quentin Sommerville is on patrol with HTS in Latakia, as they pledge to protect minorities.

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Several hundred feared dead after Mayotte cyclone

A local official warns the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, with entire communities devastated.

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Australia says 'Bali Nine' drug smugglers have returned home

The five remaining members of the drug ring have returned home after almost 20 years in Indonesian prison.

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All eyes on Prince Andrew after alleged Chinese spy controversy

Royal sources say Charles is still considering whether to ban his brother from family’s Christmas Day walk

The royal family’s Christmas Day walk from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene church in Norfolk is a longstanding tradition. But it has also become a barometer of internal pressures.

So, all eyes will be on whether the Duke of York is among family members walking alongside the king and queen this Christmas after the alleged Chinese spy controversy.

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Hundreds feared dead as Cyclone Chido devastates French island of Mayotte

Witnesses tell of ‘apocalyptic scenes’ after worst storm to hit the Indian Ocean territory in almost a century

At least several hundred people are feared to have been killed after the worst cyclone in almost a century ripped through the French Indian Ocean territory of Mayotte on Saturday, uprooting trees, tearing houses apart and pounding the impoverished archipelago’s already weak infrastructure.

Rescuers have been dispatched to the islands, which lie between the coast of Mozambique and Madagascar, but their efforts are likely to be hindered by damage to airports and electricity distribution in an area where clean drinking water is subject to chronic shortages.

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Watch: BBC sees "anger and frustration" on streets of Tbilisi

Large crowds of protesters gather outside the Georgian parliament to object to the appointment of a new president.

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Isak Andic, founder of fashion chain Mango, dies in accident, aged 71

Billionaire slipped and fell from a 150-metre cliff while hiking with relatives near Barcelona, according to reports

Isak Andic, the founder of high street fashion chain Mango, has died after a hiking accident in Spain on Saturday, the company said.

The 71-year-old billionaire slipped and fell from a 150-metre cliff while hiking with relatives in the Montserrat caves near Barcelona, according to local media reports.

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Ukraine demands Fifa apology over Crimea map

The country criticises a map shown at a Fifa presentation that appeared to exclude Crimea.

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Nancy Pelosi in hospital after injury on overseas trip

The former House speaker suffered an unspecified injury while on an official trip to Luxembourg, her office says.

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Macron to name new French PM on Friday in bid to restore stability

Macron had been expected to appoint a PM on Thursday, after Michel Barnier was ousted eight days ago.

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Children as young as 10 will face adult jail time in Australian state

Queensland's new laws will see children found guilty of serious crimes given harsher penalties.

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Ex-members of Eta jailed over flowerpot bomb intended to kill journalist couple

Four men given almost 75 years each for attempted murder of Aurora Intxausti, Juan Palomo and infant son in 2000

Four former members of the Basque terrorist group Eta have been jailed for almost 75 years each for attempting to murder two journalists and their toddler son by stuffing a plant pot outside the family’s home with explosives and shrapnel.

Aurora Intxausti, a journalist for El País, her husband, Juan Palomo, a reporter for Antena 3 TV, and 18-month-old son, Íñigo, were targeted as part of Eta’s “socialisation of suffering” terror campaign, which sought to inflict the maximum possible pain across Basque society in order to achieve independence from Spain.

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S Korea ex-minister linked to martial law move attempts to take his life

Former South Korean defence minister Kim Yong-hyun has attempted to take his life, an official said.

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Woman arrested on suspicion of murder of Irish boy Kyran Durnin

Eight-year-old boy believed to have disappeared two years ago but only reported missing in August

A woman has been arrested in Ireland on suspicion of the murder of an eight-year-old boy who disappeared two years ago.

Gardai investigating the suspected murder of Kyran Durnin said on Tuesday the woman, whose name has not been made public, was being detained at a police station in the east of the country.

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Jamie Foxx reveals he had a stroke in 2023

The Hollywood star said he cannot remember the first 20 days following the stroke in April last year.

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Jay-Z accused with Diddy in lawsuit of raping girl, 13, in 2000

Jay-Z has dismissed the action as a "blackmail attempt", while Diddy has denied the claims against him.

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Footage shows people emerging from Assad's notorious prisons

Rebels have freed thousands of detainees from jails as they swept across the country.

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Sydney hit by serious train delays after last-minute court ruling blocks industrial action

Train network workers had planned to strike after pay deal negotiations collapsed

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There were widespread delays expected on Sydney’s train network on Monday, despite a court’s last-minute injunction against a planned strike after negotiations over a new pay deal collapsed.

Sydney commuters had hoped to be spared disruption after a court sided with the state government in granting the injunction late on Sunday.

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CSIRO refutes Coalition case nuclear is cheaper than renewable energy due to operating life

National science agency dismisses argument nuclear’s economics have not been adequately considered in new draft report

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The CSIRO has rejected Coalition arguments that nuclear power plants could be developed in Australia in less than 15 years and that their long operating life would make them cheaper than other options.

Instead, it has again found that “firmed” solar and wind are the cheapest new electricity options.

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Where is Bashar? Rumours swirl despite official denials

Rumours surround the whereabouts of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as rebels make advances into the capital city's suburbs.

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Prince William meets Trump at Notre-Dame reopening

William joins other world leaders in Paris for the ceremonial reopening of the world-famous cathedral.

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Dorothy's ruby slippers to be auctioned off

The shoes, which could fetch as much as $3m, were worn by actress Judy Garland in the classic 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.

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Vote counting begins in Ghana as new president awaits

The West African nation is guaranteed a new leader as Nana Akufo-Addo steps down after serving two terms.

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Romania's cancelled presidential election and why it matters

A court ruling follows intelligence allegations of Russian interference promoting a far-right candidate.

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Protest planned over Dutch parliament motion to keep records on migrants

Public petition calls for motion by VVD party in ruling rightwing coalition to be withdrawn

Protests are planned in the Netherlands in response to a motion accepted by the Dutch parliament to “keep records on cultural and religious norms and values of Dutch people with a migration background”.

A public petition is calling for the motion to be withdrawn and anti-racism campaigners are planning to demonstrate next Saturday against the move by the government, in which the largest party is run by the anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders.

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Iran's uranium enrichment 'worrisome' - nuclear watchdog

The IAEA agency says Tehran’s nuclear programme has "spawned in every direction" over the last decade.

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S Korea president ordered arrest of own party leader

The head of President Yoon's party called for his suspension in a sign it may back moves to impeach him.

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Ivory Coast’s beloved staple food gains UN cultural heritage status

Attiéké is made from fermented cassava flour and has become popular across West Africa.

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France in political crisis after no-confidence vote topples government

Minority coalition of PM Michel Barnier falls after three months, the shortest of any administration of France’s Fifth Republic

France has been plunged into political crisis after a no-confidence vote brought down the government, ending the beleaguered minority coalition of the rightwing prime minister Michel Barnier after only three months.

The no-confidence motion brought by an alliance of left-wing parties was supported by MPs from Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration, far-right, National Rally. A total of 331 lawmakers — a clear majority — voted on Wednesday night to bring down the government.

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From freedom fighter to Namibia's first female president

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has experienced exile, detention and a quarter of a century in top government posts.

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Musk's record $56bn pay deal rejected for second time

The judge upheld her previous decision, saying board members who set the pay were too heavily influenced by Mr Musk.

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Police officer uses child's bike to chase suspect on scooter

The suspect, wanted for felony theft, was later apprehended and charged.

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Bowen: Syria's rebel offensive is astonishing - but don't write off Assad

The country's president has already shown he is prepared to go to brutal lengths to save his regime.

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Taiwan president's Hawaii trip draws Chinese anger

Lai Ching-te's trip to the US state is being billed as a stopover, but has been condemned by Beijing.

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Romanian elections: ruling Social Democrats on course for most votes

Exit poll suggests leftwing PSD poised to defeat resurgent far-right movement in parliamentary election

Romania’s main centre-left party was on track to finish first in parliamentary elections, according to early exit polls, seemingly beating an advancing far right boosted by the shock victory of an ultranationalist in last week’s presidential first-round ballot.

The ruling Social Democratic party (PSD) was forecast to receive 26% of the vote, ahead of the far-right nationalist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) on 19%, while the National Liberal party (PNL) and centre-right Save Romania Union (USR) were vying for third on 15-16%.

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Snoop Dogg helps Kai Cenat reclaim Twitch subscriber record

The American has been streaming continuously for 30 days to try reclaim the record he set last year.

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Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in pole position to form new Irish government

Despite trailing incumbent Sinn Féin in a close three-way result, outgoing coalition parties are best place to secure governing majority

Ireland has bucked the European trend of elections going against incumbent governments, with two of the parties in its ruling coalition in pole position to lead the next parliament.

An exit poll showed an appetite for change, with 60% backing opposition parties. But the prospect of an alternative left-leaning government still looks unlikely to materialise.

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World Beekeeping Awards axe honey prize due to fraud

A report found that 46% of sampled honey products had likely been bulked out with cheaper sugar syrups.

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Zelenskyy says Ukrainian territory should be under ‘Nato umbrella’ to stop war

President suggests bringing Kyiv-controlled land into western military pact could stop ‘hot stage’ of war

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has suggested that Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia.

Speaking to Sky News, the Ukrainian president said that such a proposal has “never been considered” by Ukraine because it has never “officially” been offered.

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Kremlin critic jailed for three more years over Ukraine war opposition

Former Moscow councillor Alexei Gorinov had already been serving a seven-year sentence.

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Malian singer detained in Belgium in child custody row

The 50-year-old is being held after being extradited from Italy, according to reports.

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Why has France’s austerity budget caused a political storm?

Country is at risk of fresh turmoil with its government on the brink amid soaring sovereign borrowing costs

France is at risk of being plunged into fresh political turmoil as its minority government teeters on the brink of collapse amid opposition anger over a planned austerity budget.

Reflecting growing unease in financial markets, French sovereign borrowing costs have risen sharply, reaching the highest premium over German bonds since the height of the eurozone debt crisis in 2012.

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Liberia's notorious rebel-turned-senator Johnson dies

Prince Johnson oversaw the torture and killing of the then-president but was later elected to the senate.

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French sovereign borrowing costs rise to highest premium in 12 years

Government faces risk of collapse over planned austerity budget

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French sovereign borrowing costs have soared to the highest premium since the eurozone debt crisis amid political turmoil as the government faces the risk of collapse over a planned austerity budget.

The gap between French 10-year government bond yields and their German equivalent ballooned to as much as 90 basis points on Wednesday, the widest level in 12 years, while shares listed on the Paris stock exchange also tumbled.

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Numerous bomb threats made against Trump cabinet nominees

Police are investigating a wave of incidents which happened on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

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Watch: Netanyahu explains why Israel agreed ceasefire deal

His announcement comes after more than a year of conflict between Israeli and Hezbollah forces.

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UK cabinet ministers barred from visiting Russia amid missile row

Moscow bans Labour figures including Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves under new sanctions

Russia has banned cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner, Yvette Cooper and Rachel Reeves from entering the country under new sanctions announced by Moscow’s foreign affairs ministry.

More than a dozen other senior Labour politicians are among the 30 British citizens on the Russian “stop list” after tensions between London and Moscow rose following Ukraine’s recent use of British missiles to strike deeper into Russia.

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Key Russian air defence system hit in Ukraine Atacms strike

In a rare admission, Russia's defence ministry says its equivalent of the US Patriot system was damaged.

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Ireland prices corporation tax loss from Trump policies at €10bn

Figure costed for three multinationals repatriating to US after nomination for commerce secretary hits out at Ireland’s tax regime

Ireland’s prime minister has said the country could lose €10bn (£8.35bn) in corporate tax if just three US multinationals were repatriated to America under a hostile Donald Trump administration.

His remarks come just days after Trump nominated the Wall Street investor Howard Lutnick to lead the Department of Commerce with direct responsibility for trade.

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One dead and three injured in Lithuania cargo-jet crash

The Boeing 737 crashed near a house as it was making its final approach for landing, local authorities say.

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'Don't drink the spirits': Laos backpackers avoid shots after suspected poisonings

The deaths of six tourists sent shock waves through the backpacker scene in Vang Vieng.

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China unnerved by Russia’s growing ties with North Korea, claims US official

Comments part of debate over whether Beijing backs Kim Jong-un’s decision to send troops to fight in Ukraine

China is increasingly uncomfortable about North Korea’s engagement with Russia and finds the growing cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow unnerving, Kurt Campbell, the US deputy secretary of state has said.

He was leaning into a growing debate among the US’s security partners in Asia on whether China supports the decision of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un to send 10,000 troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine. It is said the North Korean troops are now inside Russia.

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Australia urged to do more on climate crisis after playing role in trillion-dollar Cop29 shortfall

Wealthy nations agree to take the lead in helping developing countries shift to a low-carbon economy

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The Australian government has been urged to “step up” and do more to address the climate crisis after it played a role in a contentious deal on global finance to help poor countries deal with the problem.

The Cop29 UN climate summit in the Azerbaijan capital of Baku ended at 4am on Sunday with a consensus agreement that developing countries would be paid at least US$300bn (A$460bn) a year in global climate finance by 2035 to help them shift to a low-carbon economy and adapt to the impacts of extreme weather.

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Romania votes in presidential poll with nationalist and leftist vying for runoff

Sunday’s election could lead to a battle between far-right’s George Simion and Marcel Ciolacu of Social Democrats

Romanians are casting ballots on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that could pit a far-right nationalist against the incumbent leftist prime minister in the runoff.

Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency in the EU and Nato member country and the vote is expected to go to a second round on 8 December. Polls opened at 7am local time (05.00 GMT) and will close at 9pm. Romanians abroad have been able to vote since Friday.

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'Are we not humans?': Anger in Beirut as massive Israeli strike kills 20

The death toll from the strike on a multi-storey building in central Beirut's Basta district is expected to rise.

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Meta is ‘reckless’ in ‘need-to-know situations’, Canada warns Australia as it braces for early bushfire season

Heritage minister says Facebook made ‘room for misinformation’ after turning news off in 2023 as Australia mulls actions that could lead to Meta doing the same

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Twelve months on from Canada’s worst-ever wildfire season unfolding during a news blackout on Facebook, the nation has warned Australia about Meta’s “reckless” behaviour during “need-to-know situations”.

An early start to Australia’s bushfire season is looming for swaths of the country, with large parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, the south-west of Victoria and south-east corner of South Australia facing higher risk, according to an official assessment in September.

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Hamas says female hostage killed in northern Gaza

The woman's identity has not been revealed and it is unclear how or when she is said to have died.

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Putin says Russia will use experimental missile again after Ukraine strike

Ukrainian president calls testing of nuclear-capable weapon on his country’s territory an ‘international crime’

• Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updates

Vladimir Putin has vowed to launch more strikes using an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile as Ukraine decried the testing of the nuclear-capable weapon on its territory as an “international crime”.

Speaking at a defence conference on Friday, Putin contested US claims that Russia possessed only a “handful” of the high-speed ballistic missiles, saying that the military had enough to continue to test them in “combat conditions”.

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Putin says Russia will use new missile again in 'combat conditions'

Ukraine's President Zelensky has urged a "serious response" to Moscow's use of its Oreshnik ballistic missile

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People smugglers who promoted Tripadvisor-style video reviews caught

The smugglers offered the migrants bronze, silver, gold and platinum packages, depending on risk.

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Thousands rush to US border before Trump takes office

Migrants from Central America are making their way to the US to avoid new immigration controls.

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‘What can we do to make this better?’ Alec Baldwin film Rust finally premieres in Poland

First screening for troubled western whose cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on set takes place at niche film festival, boycotted by high-profile figures over a separate sexism row

Rust, the western whose production became notorious after the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, has been screened for the first time at the Camerimage cinematography festival in Torun, Poland.

Hutchins was shot by a prop gun held by the film’s star and producer Alec Baldwin on set in New Mexico. Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter but the case was dismissed for evidence withholding, while Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the film’s armourer, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on the same charge, and assistant director David Halls given six months probation for negligent use of a deadly weapon. The film’s closing credits now contain a tribute to Hutchins, with the words “For Halyna” and a quote: “What can we do to make this better?” The festival’s CEO Marek Żydowicz said that Baldwin, who is credited as one of Rust’s producers, was not invited.

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Australia politics live: record number of GPs in training; Chalmers says ‘optimism is warranted’ on economy

More doctors will be trained next year than ever before, according to the GPs’ peak body. Follow the day’s news live

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Coalition continues attack on government regarding nuclear deal decision

Nationals senator Matt Canavan was up on the Today Show earlier this morning, continuing to criticise the government for not signing up to a civil nuclear deal signed between the US and UK.

I don’t want to concern you, Karl [Stefanovic], but you’re sitting only 30km from a nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney. We have some of the best nuclear scientists in the world. And sure, it doesn’t produce nuclear energy, but it produces some of the world’s best nuclear medicines. And because of that expertise, we have always been involved in these international developments to look at new nuclear technologies which might help us make better nuclear medicines in the future.

And of course, the current government is buying eight nuclear submarines. And so why shouldn’t we be involved in a in an international discussion about nuclear technologies? What the hell is going on?

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Brazilian police arrest five over plot to assassinate Lula after 2022 election win

Four military personnel and a police agent held on suspicion of plan to prevent inauguration of president

Brazil’s federal police have arrested four special forces military personnel and one of their own agents on suspicion of planning the assassination of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 15 December 2022 to prevent his inauguration after his victory over the then president, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro.

According to the police, the plot also included plans to assassinate the vice-president, Geraldo Alckmin, and the supreme court justice, Alexandre de Moraes, who at the time was already leading investigations into the so-called “hate cabinet,” as Bolsonaro mobs had become known.

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Gisèle Pelicot condemns rape accused and says French society must change

She has waived her right to anonymity so the entire trial can be heard in public.

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Fury in Russia at 'serious escalation' of missile move

What really counts is what President Putin does next, writes the BBC's Steve Rosenberg.

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Letting Ukraine fire missiles into Russia unlikely to have decisive effect

Military and political consequences of allowing Kyiv to use Atacms missiles remain uncertain

It has taken an election defeat in the US and the arrival of 10,000 North Koreans in Ukraine for Joe Biden to finally relent. After two years of asking, Ukraine’s army has been given permission to use US long-range Atacms missiles to strike against targets inside Russia. The military and political consequences remain uncertain.

Russia has been able to bomb targets across all of Ukraine throughout the war. On Sunday it attacked key sites across the country’s power network, forcing Kyiv to implement national electricity rationing as a result of the damage caused. Some missiles were aimed as far west as Lviv and at sites near the border with Moldova, and an energy crisis is closer as a result.

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Xi says he will work with Trump in last meeting with Biden

The incoming Trump administration loomed over Chinese President Jinping Xi's final meeting with outgoing US president Joe Biden.

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Australia politics live: Albanese lands in Rio for G20; Greens push Labor to bring forward student debt relief

The prime minister is expected to meet Xi Jinping in the wings of the international gathering. Follow today’s news live

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Happy Monday, and welcome back to the Australian politics live blog as we enter the final two sitting weeks of this year’s parliament. There are more than 30 pieces of legislation set to be considered this fortnight, which could shape the looming election, just months away.

Questions remain as to whether – or how – the government will negotiate its bills that remain stalled in the Senate, with the prime minister declaring the government’s position “is final” on key legislation. This includes the Help to Buy, mis- and disinformation, Future Made in Australia, Nature Positive and aged care bills. Overnight, the Greens signalled they were prepared to pass the Nature Positive legislation in return for an Australia-wide ban on native-forest logging alone – the second concession on stalled legislation from the party in less than a week.

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Australia accused of ‘exporting climate destruction’ on tiny Pacific neighbours with massive gas expansion plans

Labor government ‘not acting in good faith’ when it stands on global stage and promotes its climate credentials, special envoy at Cop29 says

Pacific governments at a UN climate summit are criticising Australia’s plans for a massive gas industry expansion in Western Australia, saying it could result in 125 times more greenhouse gas emissions than their island nations release in a year.

As the Cop29 summit in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku begins its second week, representatives from Vanuatu and Tuvalu have called on Australia to stop approving new fossil fuel developments, including a proposal to extend the life of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas facility until 2070.

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Former Greek PM expelled from ruling New Democracy party

Hardline nationalist Antonis Samaras ousted over persistent criticism of government policies

Former Greek prime minister and lawmaker Antonis Samaras was expelled from the ruling New Democracy party over his persistent criticism of government policies.

Samaras, 73, a hardline nationalist, had criticised Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ approach to negotiations with Turkey, which he has likened to appeasement. He also strongly disapproved of government policy that he considered too “centrist” or “woke”, especially the decision to legislate in favour of same-sex marriage earlier this year.

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Senators call for federal probe into Musk's contact with Russia

Musk’s reported relations with Russia “pose serious questions” about US national security, the Democratic senators argue.

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Ten dead in fire at Spanish care home

The fire broke out in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in north-eastern Spain.

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Man suspected of supplying boats to people smugglers arrested in Amsterdam

Turkish national accused of supplying engines and boats to cross-Channel smugglers in Belgium and northern France

A suspected supplier of “hundreds” of small boat engines used by people smugglers to transport asylum seekers across the Channel has been arrested in Amsterdam, officials said.

A 44-year-old Turkish national was arrested on Wednesday after arriving at Schiphol airport, the UK’s National Crime Agency said. The suspect was due to be extradited to Belgium to face charges of being involved in human trafficking as part of a criminal organisation.

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Bosnian Serb general Krstić says he ‘aided and abetted’ Srebrenica genocide

Confession met with scepticism after other war criminals made similar statements to win early release from prison

A Bosnian Serb general jailed by the Hague war crimes tribunal for the 1995 Srebrenica massacre has confessed to having “aided and abetted the genocide”.

Survivors and families of the more than 8,300 who died in the mass killing reacted with scepticism to the confession by Radislav Krstić, a corps commander who led the assault on the Muslim enclave of Srebrenica, and oversaw the execution of captured men and boys.

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Suspects nabbed for 'man in bear suit' insurance scam

Four people are accused of using footage of a fake bear damaging luxury cars to file false insurance claims in California.

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What a Republican trifecta means for Trump's second term

Republicans have won control of both chambers of Congress, yielding Trump limited congressional oversight for at least 2 years.

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Australia’s first public vending machines offering free pads and tampons launch in Melbourne

Libraries, Tafes and hospitals among first 30 locations to have period product dispensers installed in Victorian government initiative

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Vending machines offering free pads and tampons will begin operating at the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne Museum and the Royal Exhibition Building, as well as hospitals, libraries and Tafes, as part of an Australian-first government initiative aimed at ending period poverty.

On Thursday, the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, will announce the first 30 locations where 50 vending machines will be installed as part of the pilot program, which also includes the Melbourne Immigration Museum, three Northern Health campuses, the Royal Women’s hospital in Parkville and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

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Australia news live: average age for first porn viewing reduces by two years; NSW nurses to begin strike

Girls now see porn for the first time before they are 14, on average. Follow today’s news live

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The Greens will announce a $100m a year plan to ensure public hospitals across the country will be able to provide abortion services.

The party’s spokesperson for women, Larissa Waters, said access to affordable abortion services should not be a “postcode lottery” or “culture war” debate after it was raised as an issue by some in the Coalition.

Reproductive healthcare must not be a culture war or a postcode lottery. No one should fall through the cracks when it comes to accessing vital healthcare ... We’ve seen conservatives in Queensland, South Australia and the USA open the culture war again and it’s critical Labor take this opportunity to make sure every person in the country can access the reproductive healthcare they need.

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Israel has missed US deadline to boost Gaza aid, UN agency says

But Israel says it has greatly increased deliveries since being warned of cuts to military assistance.

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AstraZeneca’s numbers are good, but trouble in China could drag it down | Nils Pratley

Profits beat forecasts, but a 17% fall in share price since executives were detained by Beijing may be hard to shake

In the world of two weeks ago, AstraZeneca’s share price would have probably enjoyed a strong day on the release of Tuesday’s third-quarter numbers. The profit figure beat forecasts and the UK pharmaceutical company raised its guidance for growth in full-year revenues and earnings from “mid-teens” to “high teens”.

Meanwhile, Pascal Soriot, the chief executive, unveiled a $3.5bn (£2.7bn) investment programme in the US and talked bullishly about prospects in AstraZeneca’s biggest market. It all sounded like another confident step in the march to take global revenues from $46bn in 2023 to $80bn by 2030.

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Italian judges strike another blow against Meloni’s Albania asylum deal

Far-right government angrily condemns ruling that seven men detained in Albania must be transferred to Italy

Italian judges have ordered seven men detained in a migration hub in Albania to be transferred to Italy, in another blow to a controversial deal between the far-right Rome government and Tirana aimed at curbing the arrival of asylum seekers.

The men arrived at the Albanian port of Shëngjin aboard a military vessel on Saturday after being rescued in international waters while trying to make their way to Europe.

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Optimism and uncertainty at summit as Middle East awaits Trump’s return

As heads of Arab and Islamic states meet in Riyadh, Trump's victory raises questions for the region.

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Massive sex tape leak could be a ploy for power in Equatorial Guinea

Dozens of videos involving a senior civil servant in Equatorial Guinea have flooded social media, shocking people in the country.

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British man killed fighting for Ukraine’s foreign volunteer platoon

Family of Callum Tindal-Draper, 22, say he died following his ‘heart, soul and morals’ and was ‘as brave as they come’

A British man has been killed while fighting in Ukraine for the country’s foreign volunteer platoon.

Callum Tindal-Draper, 22, had travelled to the country to join the fight against Russia despite his family’s pleas for him not to. His father, Steven Draper, paid tribute to his son, a former NHS worker from Gunnislake in Cornwall, in an interview with BBC News.

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Power in the Palms: Inside the pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago

Political hopefuls flock to Donald Trump's Florida home as the president-elect assembles his cabinet.

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US tourist killed while on vacation in Hungary as suspect taken into custody

Mackenzie Michalski, 31, from Portland, Oregon, met 37-year-old man from Ireland at nightclub in Budapest

Family members of a 31-year-old American tourist who was killed while on vacation in Hungary’s capital mourned their loss while a 37-year-old suspect was in custody Saturday.

The victim, Mackenzie Michalski from Portland, Oregon, was reported missing on 5 November after she was last seen at a nightclub in central Budapest. Police launched a missing person investigation and reviewed security footage from local nightclubs, where they observed Michalski with a man later identified as the suspect in several of the clubs the night of her disappearance.

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Trump ally: Ukraine focus is to achieve ‘peace and stop the killing’

‘Crimea is gone,’ adviser says, and Trump administration will not help Ukraine regain territory lost to Russia

• US elections 2024 – live updates

A senior adviser to Donald Trump said that the incoming US administration’s priority for Ukraine will be about achieving peace rather than it regaining territory captured by Russia in the almost three years of the war.

In an interview with the BBC, broadcast on Saturday, Bryan Lanza, who has been a political adviser to Trump since his 2016 presidential campaign, began to elaborate on the strong signals the now president-elect had been sending to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the campaign trail.

Trump wins the presidency – how did it happen?

With Trump re-elected, this is what’s at stake

Abortion ballot measure results by state

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Elon Musk reportedly makes surprise appearance on Trump-Zelenskyy call

X chief, who campaigned hard for Trump, spoke to Ukraine leader after being handed phone by president-elect

Elon Musk reportedly made a surprise guest appearance on a call between Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, solidifying the Tesla chief executive’s role as the most influential civilian in the country come January.

Musk was present with Trump during the call for roughly 25 minutes, according to Axios, which first reported the call. Trump handed Musk the phone and Musk and Zelenskyy spoke briefly. On the call, Zelenskyy thanked Musk for the satellites he had been providing Ukraine through his company, Starlink, according to AFP. Musk said he would continue to provide satellite internet connection, the report said.

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Susie Wiles: Who is Trump's new chief of staff?

The 67-year-old - whose father was an American football star - will be the first woman in the job.

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Winner of Paul Mescal lookalike contest in Dublin receives €20 ‘or three pints’

Competition to resemble Normal People star is markedly lower-stakes than chaotic Timothée Chalamet event in New York last month

Two weeks ago, a mobbed competition to find a Timothée Chalamet lookalike in New York led to one arrest, a $500 fine for an “unpermitted costume contest” and a surprise appearance by the real-life Chalamet, fuelling further chaos.

But a similar event in Dublin on Thursday, this time to find a doppelganger for Paul Mescal, the star of Normal People and the upcoming Gladiator II, unfolded rather more sedately.

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Three charged in connection with Liam Payne's death

Argentinian prosecutors say three people have been charged in connection with the singer's death.

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French minister scraps holy site visit after Israeli police arrest gendarmes

France summons Israeli ambassador over incident at Eleona domain in Jerusalem which is under French control

The French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot has abandoned a visit to a holy site in Jerusalem under French control after armed Israeli police entered the site and briefly arrested two French gendarmes.

France has summoned the Israeli ambassador over the incident, the latest of several controversies involving the Eleona sanctuary on the Mount of Olives, which along with three other sites make up the French national domain in the Holy Land.

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US cuts interest rates as Trump election raises uncertainty

Donald Trump's plans for tax cuts and tariffs raise questions about much further the Fed might cut.

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Post-Brexit border scheme to simplify trade put on pause again

Single Trade Window designed to reduce friction on imports and exports will be halted until at least 2026 amid cost fears

A key part of the UK’s post-Brexit border strategy has been put on pause for more than a year amid government concerns over the cost of implementing the scheme.

The introduction of the Single Trade Window (STW), which is designed to reduce friction for traders moving goods in and out of Britain, had already been delayed from late October to January next year, but will now be halted until at least 2026.

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Algeria silent after civil war book wins top French award

Algerian Kamel Daoud wins the Prix Goncourt for his novel Houris, a searing account of his country’s 1990s conflict.

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Mozambique presidential runner-up escapes alleged assassination attempt

Venâncio Mondlane says people tried to kill him after he went into hiding in South Africa.

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Russia-friendly candidate ahead in Moldovan vote amid claims of Kremlin meddling

Alexandr Stoianoglo, backed by the pro-Russian Party of Socialists, has promised a closer relationship with Moscow.

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‘After three days we found her alive’: the ‘miracle’ rescues after Spanish floods

Media reported stories of survivors including the woman trapped in her car in a flooded underpass for 72 hours

Her car was among the scores that were swept up in Spain’s deadly floods, tossed about by the mud-coloured waters that surged on to streets. But after 72 hours spent trapped in an underpass, the woman was hailed as one of the lucky ones.

“After three days, we found someone alive in their car,” Martín Pérez, the head of Valencia’s civil protection service, told volunteers on Saturday. The announcement prompted hearty applause.

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Watch as crowd chant 'murderer' and throw objects at Spanish king

Spain's King Felipe VI is visiting the Valencia region, which has been hit by unprecedented floods.

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Australia news live: Albanese announces plan to wipe fifth of all student debt if re-elected; two men arrested after grass fire in Adelaide’s north

The PM is expected to outline the details of the change at a campaign rally in Adelaide on Sunday. Follow today’s news live

Hockey, speaking to ABC Insiders which is being broadcast from Detroit, Michigan, says he expects the election will be close and the result will not be known for “four or five days”.

He says North Carolina will be a key seat with the former federal Treasurer expecting it will be won easily by Trump.

I think North Carolina will come in early if it is a strong result for Trump and it will be a precursor to a - an overall victory for Trump. But if it’s close, then obviously it’s going to make it a very interesting night.

It is a result that no-one is able to predict and it’s going to come as a surprise to Australians, given there are so many polls that were in a position where we can’t pick the winner, but the fact is no-one knows how big the turnout is going to be. Unlike Australia where we have compulsory turnouts in elections, here it is a mystery how many new voters will come out and how they’re going to vote.

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'This is my city, I have to help' - huge volunteer response in flood-hit Valencia

There has been a growing outpouring of solidarity in and around Valencia to help those affected by catastrophic flooding.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges allies to stop just ‘watching’ amid North Korea threat

Ukrainian president calls on countries to step in before troops sent to Russia by Pyongyang reach battlefield

Ukraine’s president urged allies to stop “watching” and take steps before North Korean troops deployed in Russia reach the battlefield, while the army chief said his troops were facing “one of the most powerful offensives” by Moscow since the full-scale war began.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the prospect of a pre-emptive Ukrainian strike on camps where the North Korean troops are being trained and said Kyiv knows their location. But he said Ukraine can’t do it without permission from allies to use western-made long-range weapons to hit targets deep inside Russia.

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Outpouring of unity in Spain as anger grows over slow response to floods

Hundreds of volunteers take up buckets and brooms in Valencia as the government bolsters its response to the devastating floods.

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Moment police tackle teen accused of deadly Halloween shooting

Video shows the chaotic aftermath of the shooting on an Orlando street packed with revellers.

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Man jailed for claiming he had fought for Wagner group in Ukraine

Piotr Kucharski wore insignia for proscribed terror group on combat clothing at Suffolk Viking re-enactment

A builder has been jailed for claiming at a Viking re-enactment that he had fought for the Wagner group in Ukraine.

Piotr Kucharski, 49, wore combat clothing bearing badges with insignia for the proscribed terror organisation to an event in Stonham Aspal, in Suffolk.

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Search for Spain flooding survivors continues

More than 200 people are dead and dozens more still missing after torrential rain earlier this week.

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Israel strikes historic Lebanese city of Baalbek after ordering evacuation

Tens of thousands flee as the Israeli military says it struck fuel depots belonging to Hezbollah.

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About 8,000 North Korean soldiers at Ukraine border, says US

Antony Blinken warns that Russia is preparing to deploy the troops into combat ‘in the coming days’

About 8,000 North Korean soldiers are stationed in Russia on the border with Ukraine, the US secretary of state has said, warning that Moscow is preparing to deploy those troops into combat “in the coming days”.

Antony Blinken said the US believed that North Korea had sent 10,000 troops to Russia in total, deploying them first to training bases in the far east before sending the vast majority to the Kursk region on the border with Ukraine.

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Spain mourns as death toll passes 150 in catastrophic floods

At least 158 people have died in Spain's worst flooding disaster in decades as rescuers race to find victims.

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Georgia must change course to open EU membership talks, says European Commission

Western powers call for investigation into Georgian Dream party election win amid reports of voter intimidation and fraud

The European Commission has said it will not recommend opening EU membership talks with Georgia unless the country changes course, days after the increasingly anti-western Georgian Dream (GD) party won pivotal parliamentary elections amid reports of irregularities and voter intimidation.

The commission recommended that Georgia be granted EU candidate status last year – something Ukraine and Moldova had already achieved – but made clear at the time that this could be withdrawn if the government in Tbilisi did not follow through on agreed reforms.

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Paramedic gave Sergei Skripal novichok antidote by chance, inquiry hears

Knocked-over bag led to unintended use of drug to counter nerve agents, which may have saved former Russian spy

A paramedic has described the extraordinary moment he knocked over a drugs bag as he treated the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and then by chance gave him a nerve agent antidote that may have saved his life.

Emergency services workers who went to help Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, after they were poisoned with the nerve agent novichok, initially suspected they may have been experiencing the effects of a recreational drugs overdose.

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China declares success as its youngest astronauts reach space

The BBC’s Laura Bicker sees the Shenzhou 19 spacecraft take off in a record year of space exploration.

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What is Unrwa and why has Israel banned it?

The agency provides aid for Palestinians in Gaza and elsewhere, and has long been criticised by Israel.

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Portuguese far-right leader criticised over police shooting comments

Complaint filed against André Ventura and two Chega colleagues for statements about fatal shooting of black man

Former politicians, musicians and lawyers from across Portugal have filed a criminal complaint against the leader of the far-right Chega party over “false or biased” statements made after a fatal police shooting of a black man.

For the past week, Portugal has been reeling from the death of Odair Moniz, a 43-year-old chef originally from Cape Verde. An official police statement initially said Moniz had fled, crashed a car and brandished a knife before an officer opened fire.

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Japan's ruling party loses its majority after snap election

The prime minister announced a snap election despite voter apathy and low approval ratings.

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Chaos and political drama rock Japan's snap election

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made a political gamble, and it backfired, leaving a weakened ruling party.

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Georgia’s pro-EU opposition calls for protest over ‘rigged’ election result

Pro-western president Salome Zourabichvili claims country has fallen victim to ‘Russian special operation’

Georgia’s pro-western opposition has called on the country to protest on Monday against the disputed parliamentary victory of the ruling, Russia-aligned Georgian Dream (GD) party.

GD retained power in Saturday’s pivotal election that dealt a significant blow to the country’s long-held aspirations for EU membership, amid allegations of voter intimidation and coercion.

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G7 vows to clamp down on Russia’s oil sanctions evasion

Group commits to unspecified measures to enforce price cap on Russian exports in response to Ukraine war

Finance ministers of the G7 nations vowed on Saturday to step up efforts to prevent Russia from evading sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine.

“We remain committed to taking further initiatives in response to oil price cap violations,” the group said in a statement after a meeting in Washington. Those further steps were not spelled out in detail.

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Mining giants sign $30bn settlement for 2015 Brazil dam collapse

The dam collapse released toxic waste and mud, which flooded nearby towns, rivers and forests.

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Georgia's ruling party leads pro-EU opposition in crucial vote - projection

A partial projection by Georgia's central election commission gives the ruling party almost 53% of the vote.

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Mafia cocaine trafficker arrested after posing by Escobar's grave

Luigi Belvedere has been arrested in Medellín after almost four years on the run in Colombia.

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Menendez brothers should be freed on parole, says top prosecutor

Erik and Lyle Menendez were convicted of killing their parents in a case that gained worldwide attention.

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Australia live news: Qantas say strike won’t cause delays; Queensland election race narrows

More walkouts by engineers are planned today as the company holds its AGM in Hobart; Steven Miles has closed the gap on David Crisafulli, poll shows

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Qantas has sought to reassure the travelling public that hundreds of its engineers putting down their tools today will not lead to delays or cancellations across the country, as the airline’s shareholders and executives meet in Hobart for the company’s annual general meeting.

Engineers from three unions voted in favour of taking industrial action, which will include two sets of four-hour stop works planned for today across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Hobart. Qantas has disputed the unions claim that the industrial action will cause disruptions for passengers during peak windows.

We had a number of meetings with the unions prior to the industrial action. We want to continue to engage with them to find a way forward but they have chosen to take action. Our preference is to reach an agreement that includes pay rises and other benefits.

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Putin does not deny North Korea has sent soldiers to Russia

President’s comments at Brics summit are ambiguous, however, US says it has evidence of movement of troops who could fight in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has sidestepped claims that North Korea has sent soldiers to Russia, insisting that it was up to Moscow how to run its mutual defence clause with Pyongyang.

Speaking at the close of the Brics summit in Kazan on Thursday, he accused the west of escalating the Ukraine war and said it was “living an illusion” if it thought it could inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.

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Resistance to daptomycin in near-untreatable superbug caused by a different antibiotic, study finds

‘Surprising’ finding by Australian-led study is first recorded instance of an antibiotic causing resistance to one in a different class

The rise of an almost untreatable superbug has been linked to a common antibiotic, an Australian-led study has found.

The study – published in Nature – found that rifaximin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat liver disease, causes resistance to another antibiotic, daptomycin.

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Liberation theology icon and champion of the poor Gutiérrez dies

Gustavo Gutiérrez founded liberation theology, both revered and reviled in the Catholic Church.

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McDonald's burgers linked to E. coli outbreak in the US

At least 49 people have been sickened and one person has died, according to the CDC.

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Even wealthy Australians avoiding GP visits as cost of living hurts access to healthcare

Exclusive: NSW Council of Social Services report finds ‘dramatic increase’ in number of people delaying or not seeing GP due to cost

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Even wealthy Australians are cutting back on doctor’s appointments due to the cost of living, with new data showing the proportion of people in New South Wales who put off a GP visit because it was too expensive increased by 246% over the past four years.

A new NSW Council of Social Services (Ncoss) report, based on modelling of Australian Bureau of Statistics data by researchers at the University of Canberra, found healthcare had become less accessible for more people.

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German police raid pizzeria serving side order of cocaine

The number 40 pizza was one of the Düsseldorf restaurant's most popular pizzas, police said.

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Guardian Essential poll: King Charles’s job approval rating eclipses Albanese and Dutton

Taken before monarch’s Australia visit, survey finds 50% of voters approve of how he is doing his job while PM records 44% and opposition leader 45%

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King Charles III has stronger approval among Australians for the way he is doing his job than either the prime minister or the man who wants to be PM, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll.

Taken just before the monarch’s arrival in Australia, the poll of 1,140 voters found that 50% approved of the job Charles was doing as Australia’s head of state, with 26% disapproving and 24% unsure.

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UN 'deeply concerned' Kenya returned Turkish refugees

The UN's statement follows reports that multiple Turkish nationals were abducted in Nairobi on Friday.

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Liam Payne fans hold vigils around the world

Thousands of the One Direction star's followers have gathered globally in memory of the singer who died last week.

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Protecting the Green Triangle: experts warn of ‘irreversible’ groundwater decline

The groundwater system in western Victoria and south-east South Australia has begun to show signs of collapse, threatening the water security of SA’s second biggest city

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Some of the best-quality groundwater in Australia underlies the upper and lower south-east of South Australia and parts of south-western Victoria.

But almost 200 years of draw down for agriculture, farming and domestic use has changed the surface drainage. Underground water in some areas has collapsed and water quality is deteriorating, putting at risk not only a fragile natural ecosystem but a $5bn regional economy.

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Farmers seen fleeing Nebraska wildfire during harvest

Video shows tractors being overwhelmed by tall plumes of smoke as firefighters battled the blaze.

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Indian diplomats put ‘on notice’ in Canada after links to anti-Sikh activity uncovered

Canada expelled six Indian diplomats as fallout continues from 2023 killing of Canadian Sikh Hardeep Singh Nijjar

Canada’s foreign minister has warned India’s remaining diplomats in the country that they are “clearly on notice” not to endanger Canadian lives after New Delhi’s top envoy in Canada was named a person of interest in the assassination of a Sikh activist.

India’s high commissioner was expelled on Monday along with five other diplomats, prompting the Canadian foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, to compare India to Russia, saying Canada’s national police force has linked Indian diplomats to homicides, death threats and intimidation in Canada.

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Israelis and Palestinians react to Hamas leader Sinwar's death

Relatives of the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza say now is the time to negotiate their release.

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Australia PM faces backlash over new A$4.3m beach pad

The purchase comes months out from an election in which the cost of living and housing are key issues.

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Australia news live: NT lowers age of criminal responsibility to 10; royals due to arrive on wet Sydney evening

The new Country Liberal government fulfils election pledge on ‘fighting crime’. Follow today’s news live

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NSW Police conducting Operation ‘Royal Visit’ throughout King Charles’ visit

As we flagged just earlier, King Charles and Queen Camilla are due to arrive into Sydney tonight.

[The NSW police force] has been working with partner agencies including the UK Royal and Specialist protection team, to provide an operational response.

… anyone who breaches no-fly zones will be dealt with appropriately.

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