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Politics
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UK politics live: Tories accuse Burnham of being ‘dangerous and divisive’ after he confirms Russian interference in Brexit campaign
PM to give speech calling for ‘calm, clear-eyed look’ at possibility of new deal with EU as he says Brexit has done more harm than good Burnham to urge MPs to embrace closer ties with EU Good morning. The last time Andy Burnham gave a statement to MPs after a recess, it went on for more than three hours . This prompted Kemi Badenoch to make a lewd joke later about the PM’s stamina (which she repeated at a party conference reception with an additional line about how she just had to “sit back and lie there” .) Today we are getting another post-recess, potentially wide-ranging statement from the PM, but the mood might not be so cordial. Quite a lot has happened since MPs were last in the chamber almost a month ago, and they will want to ask the PM about issues like the cost of living, North Sea oil and gas, the Iran war and Ukraine. We have not been told yet exactly what Burnham’s statement will cover. But, as Aletha Adu reports, Burnham will talk about Brexit, restating what he told Labour’s conference about how he thinks it has done more harm than good and making the case for trying to find a better, closer relationship with the EU. The result is the result, and I think the prime minister has been very clear that he’s talking about attempts to interfere. The security minister has spoken about this before. I’m confident that both the British people and the British state are able to respond to and defend against these types of threats, but we need to be very honest that those threats exist. That Brexit referendum was a legitimate vote. People voted in this country in record numbers to leave the European Union. And I actually think it’s very dangerous and divisive of the prime minister to reopen this debate in such an explosive fashion. Continue reading...
ABC reporter could face disciplinary action over opinion piece, journalists’ union says
Opinion piece by head of union Michael Slezak sparks disagreement with new ABC director of news, Simon Robinson Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free weekly media newsletter here ABC management has refused to rule out disciplinary action against a journalist and union office-holder for writing an opinion piece for the Australian Financial Review, according to the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA). The award-winning ABC climate journalist, Michael Slezak, had an article published last week in Nine’s financial newspaper in his capacity as federal president of MEAA. Continue reading...
‘What planet is she on?’: Seekers take aim at CPAC over use of I am Australian
The carnival is over for use of Australian band’s song they say was played without permission at conservative conference Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast A member of legendary Australian band The Seekers has taken aim at a conference featuring Pauline Hanson for using a classic song, confirming no permission had been granted. Bruce Woodley said the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) featured I Am Australian without approval, while the song’s co-author revealed Hanson had been previously threatened with legal action over its potential use. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s Politics, really newsletter here Continue reading...
The Browns are still the Browns. And Deshaun Watson is still Deshaun Watson
After three straight game-winning drives, Cleveland’s quarterback was sacked eight times in a dismal defeat that punctured the hype surrounding his revival I guess the New York Jets didn’t get the memo. This was supposed to be a Deshaun Watson lovefest kind of day. A day where, much to the chagrin of those of us with a moral compass and a functional memory , football fans worldwide could declare Watson was “so back” and that the Browns were in some blinkered, alternate universe, a Super Bowl contender. No such luck, as the Browns looked like the Browns – reminding an otherwise jubilant city of Cleveland that they are trapped in the sports equivalent of the Backrooms. Limping along for 155 passing yards and one touchdown, Watson fell to Earth harder than David Bowie in a Nicolas Roeg film (yes, I just watched the Dennis Miller Monday Night Football documentary on HBO). He completed fewer than 50% of his passes and ended the day with a 69.6 QBR. I should also probably mention he got sacked eight times. Yes, eight times. EIGHT TIMES . He only completed seven more passes than he received punishing hits behind the line of scrimmage. It was a performance NBC NFL writer Patrick Daugherty called “ unspeakably bad .” Actually, I think the performance was very much speakable, as I’ve demonstrated here. Stick around for another 400 words. Continue reading...
Roman fort found in Wales could prove myth of emperor’s camp is real
Exclusive: Finds suggest account in medieval folklore of a camp near Frenni Fawr hill was rooted in reality Magnus Maximus, the Roman emperor who ruled Britain in the fourth century, led his troops against the Picts and Scots, but a theory that he also established a military camp near Frenni Fawr hill in Wales has so far been based on folklore. Now fourth-century coins, among other finds at a newly identified Roman fort in Pembrokeshire, suggest the medieval tale was rooted in reality, to the excitement of archaeologists. Continue reading...
Ukraine says Russia violated Trump’s ‘energy ceasefire’ – Europe live
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv power plant among the facilities hit after US president claims ‘energy ceasefire’, while Kremlin yet to confirm any deal Trump announces partial ceasefire in Ukraine war as Zelenskyy says deal is ‘news to me’ We are restarting our live coverage of the latest developments in Europe after Donald Trump’s announcement of what he called an energy ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy , said on Sunday evening that Russian strikes hit Ukrainian energy facilities despite the US president having claimed both sides had agreed to stop hitting each other’s energy infrastructure. Nato Supreme Allied Cmdr Europe Alexus Grynkewich is due to deliver a warning to Russia during a security conference in Warsaw over the alliance’s ability to counter any attack from Moscow. The Lithuanian foreign minister Kestutis Budrys said the EU should designate the Russian intelligence agency GRU as a terrorist organisation. The Nobel memorial prize in economics, the final award in this year’s cycle, will be announced at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm from 10.45am UK time. Trump’s ceasefire announcement came two days after he announced a controversial agreement to buy Russian diesel fuel – temporarily lifting US sanactions – prompting outrage from Ukraine and its European allies, who said it would embolden Moscow. The Trump administration is threatening to stop the procurement system that provides Ukraine with weapons in order to press Kyiv to halt its deep strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, the Financial Times has quoted officials in Europe as saying. They said the US was lobbying European capitals and Kyiv in an attempt to end the attacks on Russian oil refineries. Ukraine’s European allies pledged to increase pressure on Moscow in the wake of Trump’s Russian diesel announcement, with Canadian prime minister Mark Carney adding to the chorus on Sunday after a call with Zelenskyy, saying the diesel deal “is in direct opposition to the efforts of Ukraine, Canada and our allies to create peace and stability in Europe”. Germany foreign minister Johann Wadephul said Berlin continued to “fully support” Zelenskyy. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen also backed Ukraine’s president “as he leads the fight for his people’s freedom”. Trump earlier swiped at Zelenskyy when asked about criticism of the Russia diesel deal, saying it was “time for Ukraine to get a new president” who would finally settle the war. Zelenskyy pushed back , telling US ABC News: “First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader.” Oil prices slipped on Monday on expectations of more Russian supplies after Trump’s truce claim. Brent crude futures fell 1.47% to $103.18 a barrel by 0154 GMT while US West Texas Intermediate crude was down 1.68% to $90.31. Continue reading...
Teens at Sydney private religious school made to share beds with teachers, inquiry hears
Former student says nothing untoward happened to her during stays but tells NSW parliamentary inquiry culture of Redeemer Baptist School left much to ‘untangle’ as an adult Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Teens at a private religious school were made to share beds with teachers, while its principal once wandered through a common area naked, former students claim. A NSW parliamentary inquiry on Monday was told of the disturbing allegations from two former students of western Sydney’s Redeemer Baptist School. Continue reading...
Doctor warned Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe at home years before religious sect killed her by withdrawing medicine
Coronial inquest begins into death of eight-year-old after 14 members of Toowoomba sect the Saints, including her parents, were found guilty of her manslaughter Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A medical specialist at the Queensland Children’s hospital warned that Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe at home with her mother years before her parents allowed her to die by withdrawing lifesaving medicine, a coronial inquest has heard. Elizabeth, a type 1 diabetic, died at the age of eight from diabetic ketoacidosis on 7 January 2022, at her family home in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, after her parents and other members of a religious sect withdrew the insulin she needed to survive and sat around singing and praying while she slowly died over the course of several days. Continue reading...
UK van drivers face extra £2.5bn in diesel costs this year, figures show
Calls for planned fuel duty rise to be scrapped as analysis finds average fuel bill could hit £1,965, up from £1,294 Millions of British van drivers face a combined £2.5bn cost to cover the rising price of diesel this year, according to figures, fuelling calls for the government to scrap its planned fuel duty rise. The owners of diesel vans and pickups can expect to collectively spend almost £8.5bn at the pump this year, according to analysis for the Guardian, after diesel prices climbed to record highs due to a global fuel shortage caused by disruption to refineries in the Middle East and Russia. Continue reading...
The Gulf has entered a new era of instability. If its leaders think they can rely on old alliances, they are wrong | Nesrine Malik
The latest attack by Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia may prove to be more calamitous for the region than the world imagines On Saturday, Houthi rebels launched a shocking and deadly attack on Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh. At the time of writing, the missile strike on King Khalid international airport has killed at least 13 people and left 300 injured, marking a significant turn in a regional conflagration that is only getting more intense. It was the single most deadly attack on any Gulf country since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in February. In Saudi Arabia, a country that is unaccustomed to such fatalities, the death toll is bewilderingly high and likely to prompt a bloody response. Over the past year, the Gulf has entered a new era of instability that is not temporary and cannot be reversed. This may feel like an overstatement – casualties have been relatively low, after all, compared with Gaza and Iran – but the gradual erosion of peace and security in places such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE has changed the region more dramatically than its leaders would like to acknowledge. Nesrine Malik is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Mystery of 1950s wedding photo album found dumped in Wakefield solved
Online appeal and detective work by local historian help to return keepsake to couple’s sone after it had been stolen When Andrew Bedford discovered an old wedding album dumped outside his city centre cafe in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, he considered chucking it into a nearby wheelie bin. But when he opened the album, the vintage photographs of the happy couple on their wedding day in 1957 seemed too precious to throw away. Continue reading...
Drivers forced to use parking apps can pay up to 40% more
Council car parks have switched away from ticket machines to cut costs, leading to extra fees for users Drivers are unwittingly paying up to 40% more to park as more councils switch to app-only payments and force customers to pick up the tab. Many councils across England have removed pay and display machines and replaced them with app payments, including a number in London. Most local authorities encourage drivers to pay by app to beat queues, while apps are often the only way to pay when ticket machines are out of order. However, many car park signs fail to mention that app payments may incur an additional service fee. Continue reading...
Father was asked for DNA test to get a passport for his daughter
New post-Brexit rules mean that dual nationals cannot enter the UK unless they have a British passport My teenage daughter is unable to see her grandparents because of the UK’s new requirement for dual nationals to hold a UK passport. I’m a UK citizen, married to a French national, and we live in France. Our two older children have both French and UK passports. Our third child was born while we were living in Zimbabwe and only has a French passport. Continue reading...
Delhi police shut metro stations ahead of election protest march
India’s opposition parties and supporters of the ‘cockroach’ youth movement have been demonstrating against a controversial revision of election voter lists Authorities in India’s capital closed six metro stations and warned of traffic disruptions on Monday, as opposition parties planned to march to the supreme court in protest against a controversial revision of voter lists that has sparked days of unrest in Delhi. Opposition parties and supporters of the “cockroach” youth movement have taken to the streets almost daily this month to demand the resignation of chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the revision that critics say benefits prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party (BJP). Continue reading...
Ministers preparing to slash heat pump subsidies to fund defence spending
Exclusive: Some of £2bn savings needed from energy budget expected to come from boiler upgrade scheme, sources say Ministers are preparing to slash the amount of money available to subsidise heat pumps as they look for ways to fund higher defence spending, sources have told the Guardian. Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary, has been tasked with finding more than £2bn in savings from her budget to help pay for defence investment under a plan drawn up by the previous government. Continue reading...
Met chief says ‘toxicity’ around DEI will not stop him recruiting more black and Asian officers
Mark Rowley says inclusivity is crucial for the force and he refuses to be ‘blown off course’ by critics Sir Mark Rowley: I will have more police officers of colour in the UK capital – and the culture wars won’t stop me doing it Mark Rowley has said the Metropolitan police must recruit more black and Asian officers in order to gain the trust of minority ethnic communities in London, and vowed not to be “blown off course by the culture wars”. The right has criticised drives for diversity , claiming they lead to lower standards . Rowley, who is commissioner of the Met and Britain’s top police officer, said that as a leader of a major organisation he was prepared to take a stand against the “toxicity” surrounding the diversity debate and criticised other leaders for “running away from the subject”. Continue reading...
Burnham to urge MPs to embrace closer ties with EU
Post-recess statement will focus on damage caused by Brexit and the need to cooperate on immigration and trade Andy Burnham will put Brexit back on the Commons agenda as MPs return from recess, warning that failing to pursue a better deal with the EU would be a “major dereliction of duty”. The prime minister will use a statement to the Commons on the first day back after the party conference break to urge MPs to face up to the damage caused by Brexit, and embrace closer ties with the EU to increase economic growth and tackle illegal immigration. Continue reading...
Melbourne Islamic leader silent on centre’s alleged Flydubai hijacker links in Facebook video
MyCentre leader Samir Mohtadi, who also goes by Abu Hamza, refers to Islamic texts on the virtues of staying silent Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A leader of a Melbourne Islamic centre allegedly linked to the accused Flydubai hijacker has released a video extolling the virtues of staying silent, without directly commenting on the accusations from prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates. Dr Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, the attorney general of the UAE, on the weekend said that investigators had traced the ideological and professional background of the 29-year-old suspect and that their findings indicated his “drift towards extremism and terrorism” began while he was studying at RMIT University in Melbourne in 2017. Continue reading...
IFS: budget will be ‘work of fiction’ without clear plan to cover UK spending pressures
Thinktank’s influential pre-budget report urges key decisions to be made now and not put off until next year John Healey has been warned by Britain’s leading tax and spending experts that his budget risks being a “work of fiction” unless he sets out plans to cover £35bn in spending pressures. As the war in the Middle East rattles the public finances, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the damage from higher inflation meant the chancellor would need to either top up funds for his current government spending plans or impose deep real-terms cuts by the end of the decade. Continue reading...
Brewers edge Dodgers in NLCS opener as Turang homers and bullpen holds
Turang homers off Skubal as Brewers take Game 1 Lara’s fifth-inning single breaks 1-1 deadlock Milwaukee end seven-game playoff skid against LA Brice Turang homered off Tarik Skubal and Milwaukee’s bullpen shut down the Los Angeles Dodgers after Jacob Misiorowski’s taxing outing, sending the Brewers to a 2-1 victory in the National League Championship Series opener on Sunday night. Luis Lara hit a tiebreaking single off Skubal in the fifth inning as Milwaukee took Game 1 in the first NLCS matchup of 100-win teams since the Cincinnati Reds eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies in 1976. The Brewers had lost seven consecutive postseason games against the Dodgers, including a sweep in last year’s NLCS. Continue reading...
Australian Greens call for ‘barbaric’ US execution live stream to be blocked
Federal government urged to prevent Australians from viewing planned broadcast of Fort Hood mass murderer Nidal Hasan’s execution Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updates The Australian government should block the “barbaric” broadcast or live stream of a US military execution, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says, but it is unclear whether the commonwealth can or would be willing to do so. While the communications department warned media broadcasters must “act responsibly” in reporting on the scheduled execution by firing squad of Nidal Malik Hasan – which the Pentagon said would be livestreamed on 3 December – Australian federal government sources said there may be limitations in what it can do to order restrictions on an ally carrying out its own legal proceedings. Continue reading...
Robert Pether was detained in Iraq in 2021 and his family feared he would die in jail. Now he’s coming home
Australian foreign minister welcomes Iraqi government’s decision to allow engineer to leave Baghdad Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updates Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast Australian engineer Robert Pether has been allowed to leave Iraq after a four-year stint in a Baghdad jail cell that his family feared would kill him. Pether’s family say they have been “living in hell” since he was arrested without charge in April 2021 in connection to a business dispute between his firm – which was building a new headquarters for the central bank – and the Iraqi government. Continue reading...
Imran Khan’s party decries ‘coup’ after Pakistan suspends provincial government
Suspension of provincial government escalates standoff with Khan’s PTI party a week after his supporters began marching to demand his release Pakistan has declared a state of emergency in a province led by Imran Khan’s PTI party and suspended its government, a move a party spokesperson described as “more of a coup disguised as emergency”. President Asif Ali Zardari declared the emergency in the north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, after the federal government said authorities there had failed to tackle Islamist militancy in the province bordering Afghanistan. Continue reading...
Total fire ban for Sydney, with 37C temperatures and risk of bushfires from ‘dry lightning’
Thunderstorms coupled with hot and dry conditions mean ‘fire danger is going to be right up today’, Rural Fire Service says Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updates Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast A total fire ban is in place across greater Sydney, with temperatures forecast to reach 37C in the city’s west. The Bureau of Meteorology said Sydney faced extreme fire danger due to hot, dry conditions and the chance of thunderstorms, with little rainfall. Continue reading...