Category: Word News

Former attorney general says it is ‘past time’ for another vote. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese will advance Australia’s interests at a global summit without the spectre of Donald Trump hovering over him, Australian Associated Press reports. Albanese will be the first Australian prime minister to visit South Africa since 2013 as he jets to the G20 leaders summit where climate change, trade and security are expected on the agenda. Continue reading… Source link

Forecasters warn more flooding, landslides expected as tens of thousands of people are evacuated from their homes. Source link

Cyril Ramaphosa says US has had ‘change of mind’ but does not confirm Trump’s attendance in Johannesburg The US has changed its mind about attending the G20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa’s president has said, without confirming whether Donald Trump, who had said the US would boycott the event, now wanted to come. Trump has claimed that South Africa racially discriminates against the minority white Afrikaner community, which led the country during the apartheid regime that ended in 1994. Continue reading… Source link

The unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent as the labour market cools. Source link

Refugee Council says plans would create ‘expensive bureaucracy’ and keep people in limbo UK politics live –latest updates People who migrate to the UK will be eligible for benefits and social housing only when they become British citizens and those who arrive by small boats could wait up to 30 years for long-term residency under new plans outlined by the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood. The plans could result in migrants only becoming eligible for benefits and social housing if they first become British citizens, rather than upon being granted settlement as is currently the case. Continue reading… Source link

Kashmir Times says raid in Indian-administered Kashmir marks 'yet another attempt to silence' its reporting. Source link

Musician says seeing national flags on recent visits to London and Dublin ‘doesn’t make me feel safe’ The UK and Ireland are entering a “dark time”, according to the singer Joy Crookes, who said the influence of far-right ideology on mainstream politics was comparable to the 1970s when the National Front was at its peak. Crookes, who has just played two sold-out shows at the O2 Academy in Brixton, said the recent wave of nationalism and the far-right march through central London in September made her feel unsafe in the UK. Continue reading… Source link

AFP allege the 30-year-old sent a ‘menacing message’ to an MP believed to be Allegra Spender after she condemned far-right protests Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A 30-year-old man has been arrested and charged by Australian police after allegedly harassing a politician who condemned a neo-Nazi protest outside the New South Wales parliament. The Australian federal police arrested the man in the Sydney suburb of Bondi and allege he sent a “menacing message” that encouraged abusive and hateful messages to be directed towards a federal politician as a result of the condemnation Continue…

At least 178 people, including climbers, porters, guides and tourism officials, were stranded on the 3,676m mountain. Source link

Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet Pentagon envoys amid fears proposed deal would hand Ukrainian territory to Russia Europe live – latest updates US and Russian officials have reportedly drafted a plan to end the war in Ukraine and Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet Pentagon officials in Kyiv on Thursday for discussions. The full details are not clear but the key tenets of the 28-point deal – reported first by Axios, the FT and the New York Times – are believed to include a demand for Ukraine to cede the rest of the Russian-occupied eastern Donbas region, cut its armed forces by…

President has previously criticised the New York City mayor-elect, labelling him a ‘communist’ and threatening to deport him Donald Trump has confirmed a long-awaited meeting with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will happen in Washington this week, setting up an in-person clash between the political opposites who for months have antagonised each other. The sit-down, which Trump said on social media would take place on Friday in the Oval Office, could possibly represent a detente of sorts between the Republican president and Democratic rising star. Continue reading… Source link

Guo, who pretended to be Filipina to become mayor, found guilty of human trafficking after raid on compound where more than 700 people were forced to run scams Alice Guo, a Chinese national who became a mayor in the Philippines while masquerading as a Filipina, has been sentenced to life in prison along with seven others on human trafficking charges, state prosecutors have said. Guo, who served as mayor of a town north of Manila, was found guilty of overseeing a Chinese-operated online gambling centre where hundreds of people were forced to run scams or risk torture. Continue reading……

Murray Hunter charged with offence which carries a potential penalty of two years in jail, or a 200,000 baht (AUD$9,500) fine An Australian academic and journalist faces up to two years in prison after being charged – in Thailand – with defaming the Malaysian government. Murray Hunter, a longtime resident of southern Thailand, will stand trial in Bangkok next month, charged with criminal defamation over articles critical of the Malaysian government’s internet regulator. Continue reading… Source link

Brazilian president underlines need to reduce emissions as Turkey set to host next year’s summit On Wednesday evening I joined a crowd of journalists, including my colleague Fiona Harvey, veteran of many Cops, to wait outside a plenary room in the artificially Baltic surroundings of the Cop30 conference centre. Rumour had it that the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who had earlier arrived at the UN climate summit, would soon emerge to speak to journalists. What exactly we would do if he did emerge was unclear. Continue reading… Source link

Samantha Johnson explores the side to Eusebio’s legacy that many may have missed out. Source link

Right to trial by jury seen as bedrock of justice system but Sir Brian Leveson says court backlogs could lead to ‘total system collapse’ The courts minister, Sarah Sackman, has said the government plans to press ahead with radical proposals by Sir Brian Leveson to take thousands of trials in England and Wales away from the jury system to be heard instead by judges and magistrates. What is the reason for these changes, how would they work and why are they controversial? Continue reading… Source link

Donald Trump has signed a law requiring the US Justice Department to release the remaining Epstein files within 30 days. Source link

Staffordshire students say signs material was AI-generated included suspicious file names and rogue voiceover accent Students at the University of Staffordshire have said they feel “robbed of knowledge and enjoyment” after a course they hoped would launch their digital careers turned out to be taught in large part by AI. James and Owen were among 41 students who took a coding module at Staffordshire last year, hoping to change careers through a government-funded apprenticeship programme designed to help them become cybersecurity experts or software engineers. Continue reading… Source link

It’s a climate-vulnerable nation, while also being the world’s sixth-largest greenhouse-gas emitter. Global investment in climate action is vital Continue reading… Source link

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko says Moscow is intensifying what he describes as a hybrid war against Europe. Source link

Experts fear plan, one of many attempts Trump’s made to dismantle wildlife protection, will speed up extinction crisis The Trump administration presented a new plan to roll back regulations in the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Wednesday, a move experts fear will accelerate the extinction crisis if adopted. The proposed changes would allow the federal government more power to weigh economic impact against habitat designations, remove safeguards against future events – including the impacts from the climate crisis – and rescind the “blanket rule” that automatically grants threatened species the same protections as those designated as endangered. Continue reading……

A fire erupted on Wednesday at an oil plant in Venezuela’s main oil producing region. Source link

Motown star denies allegations, in addition to four existing sets of allegations against him Two more former employees of the soul music star Smokey Robinson, both male and female, have alleged he sexually assaulted them, which he denies. Robinson is already facing similar allegations from four other former employees, who filed a joint lawsuit in May. This week, lawyers for the accusers filed a motion to have two further accusers added to the lawsuit, both anonymously. Continue reading… Source link

FBI Director Kash Patel described Canadian former snowboarder Ryan Wedding as a 'modern-day iteration of Pablo Escobar'. Source link

In today’s newsletter: With the Reform leader now a serious contender for PM, we look at the impact the allegations about his behaviour as a schoolboy could have on Britain • Don’t get First Edition delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Good morning. For more than 30 years, Nigel Farage has been one of the most disruptive figures in British politics, known for building a brand on outrage and polarisation. He presents himself as the everyman, cigarette hanging out of his mouth or a pint in hand. Now that several polls suggest he is a serious contender to…

EU leaders have struck a similar tone as reports indicate that a US-brokered peace deal would defer to Russian demands. Source link

Crossbenchers and gambling harm advocates criticise suggestion the long-delayed recommendation may not happen due to under-16s social media ban Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Crossbench politicians and gambling harm advocates have urged the Albanese government to follow through on the late MP Peta Murphy’s long-delayed recommendation to ban wagering ads, amid media reports Labor may baulk at putting major restrictions on television and online promotions. The Australian Financial Review reported on Thursday the government may not pursue a total ban on online gambling ads,…

After months of trading public barbs, the US president and New York City mayor-elect are set to meet in person. Source link

This blog is now closed Mark Speakman stands down as leader of NSW Liberals with Kellie Sloane expected to replace him Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Government reaffirms that best Cop outcome is one that elevates Pacific voices Pat Conroy, the minister for defence industry, said Australia is still seeking to host the UN climate summit in Adelaide next year, but is being frank with the Australian people that any one country can block a successful bid. We’re continuing to negotiate the best possible outcome for progress on climate action and to draw…

China makes more than 70 percent of the world's electric cars. But it's hard to find those vehicles in North America. Source link

Opposition leader says ‘brand damage’ from the federal Liberals had colleagues looking for generational change and endorses Sloane as replacement Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The New South Wales Liberals are expected to choose former journalist and first-term MP Kellie Sloane on Friday to replace Mark Speakman as the state’s opposition leader, after Speakman bowed to pressure on Thursday night and resigned. Speakman, who began the day defending his leadership in a round of media interviews, stepped down at 5pm saying he had been…

Al Jazeera’s Monica Yanakiew takes us inside the Amazon rainforest, where mining scars are impossible to ignore. Source link

Snow hits UK coasts with Met Office warning worst-affected regions could face travel disruption and power cuts Blizzard conditions are possible in parts of north-east England where an amber warning for snow has come into force, the Met Office has said. Sleet and snow showers continued to hit UK coasts overnight into Thursday, with the worst-affected areas facing disruption to travel and potential power cuts, the forecaster said. Continue reading… Source link

Bloc proposes delaying strict rules for 'high-risk' AI until 2027 in bid to address concerns about lagging innovation. Source link

Penny Wong says translation notes were ‘taken hastily’ by official who was not accredited translator and were ‘for internal purposes only’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A top secret translation of the Nauruan president’s public commentary on the NZYQ deal will remain suppressed for a decade after the Albanese government considered its release “inappropriate”. Nauru declined to endorse an informal translation by Australia’s High Commission of the 10-minute public interview uploaded to Facebook in February, nor did it provide its own translation, newly released…

The eruption of a volcano in East Java has left villages blanketed in ash and mud. Source link

Organisers look at other UK venues amid concerns over costs and industry’s lack of working-class voices For almost 50 years, the great and the good of British broadcasting have descended on Edinburgh each summer to discuss the trials and tribulations of the TV world. David Attenborough, Tina Fey, Emily Maitlis and Rupert Murdoch are among those to have previously given speeches at the city’s TV festival. Yet amid concerns about the industry’s lack of working-class voices and the high cost of a hotel room in the city, the event’s organisers are thinking the unthinkable: the Edinburgh TV festival could…

More than 3,350 people in Gaza have experienced major burns. Nine-year-old Elham Abu Hajjaj is among them. Source link

Sussan Ley’s offer allows a clear path to pass laws to rewrite Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in final sitting week Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Coalition has offered to help Labor rush through new nature laws if it agrees to gut environment protection, challenging Labor to side with business interests over green groups to implement the long-awaited changes. Environmental lawyers are urging the government against further weakening already flawed laws at the “behest of industry”. Continue reading… Source link

Trump attacks Democrats as he seeks to shape the narrative surrounding his links with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein Donald Trump has confirmed a long-awaited meeting with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani will happen in Washington this week. The sit-down, which Trump said on social media would take place on Friday in the Oval Office, could possibly represent a detente of sorts between the Republican president and Democratic rising star. Continue reading… Source link

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick accused of funneling money to family healthcare business for 2021 congressional campaign Democratic representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly funneling more than $5m worth of federal disaster funds from her company into her 2021 congressional campaign. The indictment states that Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, stole $5m in Fema overpayments that their family healthcare company received, moving the money through multiple accounts to hide its origins. The indictment alleges that the majority of the money was used for Cherfilus-McCormick’s congressional campaign, as well as for the personal benefit…

Australia had been pushing to host climate conference next year with south Pacific nations, which are increasingly threatened by rising seas and climate-fuelled disasters Papua New Guinea has voiced frustration after Australia ditched a bid to co-host next year’s UN climate talks with its Pacific island neighbours. “We are all not happy. And disappointed it’s ended up like this,” foreign minister Justin Tkatchenko told Agence France-Presse after Australia ceded hosting rights to Turkey. Continue reading… Source link

Decision comes after ex-treasury secretary said he would step back from public commitments over links to Epstein Larry Summers, the former president of Harvard University, will stop teaching at the school while it investigates his connection to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, a spokesman for Summers said on Wednesday. Emails recently released by the US House oversight committee reignited questions about Summers’ relationship with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges of sex-trafficking minors. Many of the messages indicated a friendship that lasted well into 2019. Contact only ceased shortly before Epstein was…

President attacks Democrats in post on Truth Social after US lawmakers swiftly move bill through Congress Donald Trump signed a bill Wednesday directing the justice department to release files from the investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, surrendering in the face of joint pressure from Democratic opponents and the president’s conservative base. The signature marked a sharp reversal for Trump, who had the authority as president to release the documents himself, but chose not to. Continue reading… Source link

True to his irreverent style, author of The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother) thanks his psychiatrist, his gastrointestinal doctors and his drug dealers Rabih Alameddine has won the National book award for fiction for The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother), a darkly comic saga spanning six decades in the life of a Lebanese family. The novel, which traverses a sprawling history of Lebanon including its civil war and economic collapse, is told through the eyes of its titular protagonist: a gay 63-year-old philosophy teacher confronting his past and his…

Prime minister has accused the Samoa Observer of inaccurate reporting during his eight-week medical stay in New Zealand Samoa’s only daily newspaper has been banned from attending press conferences with the Samoan prime minister, in a move that critics say threatens the democratic integrity of the Pacific nation. Relations between La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt and the Samoa Observer have deteriorated in recent weeks, with the prime minister accusing the newspaper of inaccurate reporting during his eight-week medical stay in New Zealand. Continue reading… Source link

European foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels as reports circulate about a secret plan between Moscow and Washington to end the war EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels this morning amid reported growing pressure on Ukraine to consider a secretive draft plan to end the war based on what effectively amounts to a capitulation from Kyiv. The draft plan, which was reportedly developed by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, would force draconian measures on Ukraine that would give Russia unprecedented control over the country’s military and political sovereignty. The plan is likely…

The home secretary’s plans ‘may leave people in a sense of limbo and unable to integrate’, Burnham said Good morning. On Monday Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, announced drastic changes to the asylum system. Today, in a statement to MPs, she will announce changes to the legal migration rules – in particular those affecting how long people have to wait until they are given a permanent right to stay in the UK. Mahmood strongly criticised by the Commons speaker over the amount of pre-breifing there was ahead of Monday’s announcement, and this morning the Home Office has been more…

MPs will tell ‘dad jokes’ in parliament to highlight ‘real joke’ of UK paternity leave, which is a class issue Toe-curlingly bad jokes (“I’m reading a book about anti-gravity, it’s impossible to put down”) are not the preserve of fathers, but as a demographic, dads are widely recognised for their unique comic talents. Which is why on Thursday, dozens of MPs, many of them dad-joke specialists, will tell groan-worthy gags in the House of Commons to highlight the “real joke” of paternity leave in the UK. Winner: I gave my handyman a to-do list, but he only finished items…