Category: News
UK government hires ‘nudge unit’ to help dispel heat pump myths
Behaviour experts say misinformation shared in media and by other stakeholders is impeding uptake Experts from a “nudge unit” have been hired to help ministers fight misinformation about heat pumps to try to encourage take-up of the devices. The appliances run on electricity instead of gas and are regarded as a way of decarbonising homes…
Ambulance pressures remain as critical incident ends
A critical incident declared by the Welsh ambulance service has been stood down. It comes after its boss urged people to “drink sensibly” at new year to help reduce demand, following a 340-call backlog on Monday. “While the critical incident is behind us, significant pressures remain, and it’s really important that the public play their…
Breakaway Moldovan region cuts heating and hot water as Russia stops gas flow
Supply to Transnistria halted as transit deal between Russia and Ukraine expires The breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria has cut heating and hot water supplies to households after Russia stopped supplying gas via Ukraine. “There is no heating or hot water,” an employee of local energy company Tirasteploenergo said by phone from Tiraspol, Moldova’s main…
Number of migrants crossing Channel in small boats rises to 36,816
Home Office figures released on New Year’s Day show 36,816 people crossed the English Channel in small boats throughout 2024, an increase on the previous year, but not as many as in 2022. The last group, made up of 291 people, arrived on 29 December. The year 2024 was the deadliest on record for the…
Keep Every Last Resolution With These Tips from Robin Arzon
From “exercise snacks” to positive self-talk, head Peleton instructor Robin Arzon broke down all of the must-know tips for sticking to your New Year’s resolutions. Robin Arzon doesn’t want you to drop the ball on your 2025 resolutions. While the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to set new goals, it can also…
Future fizzles: the promises and predictions for 2025 in Australia that came true (or didn’t)
From cheaper energy to recyclable packaging and phasing out Australia Post motorbikes – here’s what has and hasn’t been achieved An Australian republic, renewable-powered supermarkets, recyclable packaging and the phasing out of Australia Post motorbikes. These are just some of the promises, targets and predictions that years ago were set for 2025 – which is…
Scott Morrison rings in the New Year with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago resort
Former Australian prime minister posted a photograph with himself, his wife Jenny and Donald and Melania Trump on X Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has spent New Year’s Eve with US president-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Morrison posted a photo on X featuring himself and his wife, Jenny, alongside Trump and his…
Data extracted from first Jeju Air black box – ministry
Investigators have finished extracting data from one of the black boxes from the fated Jeju Air plane that crashed on Sunday, South Korea’s transport ministry has said. The data from the cockpit voice recorder will now be converted into an audio file, though authorities said it would take more time to access the data in…
South Korea plane crash investigators extract data from Jeju Air black box
Authorities hope for vital clues as contents of cockpit recorder are converted into audio format Investigators in South Korea have extracted data from one of two “black boxes” retrieved from a Jeju Air plane that crashed shortly after landing on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people aboard. The country’s deputy minister for…
The struggle to reunite children with families in war-torn Gaza
They are smiling now as they play together in the sand at al-Mawasi tent camp in southern Gaza, but the children of the Masri family have survived horrific events. “Their lives were in danger, they were exposed to so much killing and destruction,” says their grandmother, Kawther al-Masri. An Israeli bombing six weeks ago struck…
Top Venezuelan pianist urges music world to snub youth orchestra linked to Maduro
Gabriela Montero asks promoters to cut ties with El Sistema on 2025 Europe tour, after alleged theft of election One of Venezuela’s most celebrated musicians, the pianist Gabriela Montero, has called on concert halls and music promoters to cut ties with her country’s world-renowned youth orchestra as a result of Nicolás Maduro’s alleged theft of…
Former EU environment chief warns against backsliding on climate crisis
Virginijus Sinkevičius, a former environment commissioner, criticises bloc’s decision to delay deforestation law A former EU environment commissioner has warned against backsliding on the protection of nature and the battle against the climate crisis after the bloc decided to delay its landmark deforestation law. Virginijus Sinkevičius, the Lithuanian MEP and a vice-president of the European…
Adrian was ‘gutted’ to be underpaid by the Commonwealth Bank. He hopes new laws will protect workers
Criminal penalties for employers who deliberately underpay workers have come into effect, including up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $7.8m Commonwealth Bank call centre worker Adrian Thoen was devastated when he found out he was among thousands of workers at the nation’s biggest bank being underpaid to the tune of…
North Carolina governor commutes 15 death row sentences on last day in office
Roy Cooper’s historic clemency action comes a week after Biden’s resentencings shielded dozens from execution The governor of North Carolina has granted commutations to 15 people on death row on his final day in office, changing their sentences to life without the possibility of parole. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, announced his clemency action on New…
Woman dead in scuba accident at popular Queensland swimming spot on New Year’s Day
Emergency services were called to Wave Break Island on the Gold Coast after a woman was pulled unresponsive from the ocean A woman has died in a tragic New Year’s Day scuba diving accident at a popular Gold Coast swimming spot. Emergency services were called to Wave Break Island, in Biggera Waters, at 10.10am on…
Man pushed in front of New York City subway train injured but alive, police say
The incident occurred in the heart of Manhattan and a man has been taken into custody, but charges are yet to be filed A man waiting for the subway in Manhattan was pushed in front of an oncoming train on Tuesday afternoon, but survived with injuries to his leg and head, according to the New…
Why is VAT being added to private school fees?
VAT is now being added to private school fees after new rules came into force on 1 January. The government plans to spend the money raised on more teachers for state schools in England. Private schools say they have already seen a drop in secondary school pupil numbers because of higher fees. Value added tax…
Police praise mostly well-behaved NYE revellers despite firework-related blazes
Melbourne and Sydney fires brought under control, including in Tempe, and stabbings reported in Guildford and the Mornington Peninsula New Year’s Eve revellers have largely been praised for their behaviour at Australia’s biggest fireworks shows, while officers were kept busy with outbursts of trouble around local fireworks. More than a million people swarmed the main…
30 years ago Tomorrow’s World predicted 2025 – how did it do?
In 1995, the BBC’s Tomorrow’s World programme decided to predict what the world would look like 30 years later, in 2025. The show, which is no longer broadcast, featured one of the most famous scientists of the age, Prof Stephen Hawking, who predicted: “By 2025 we can expect big changes.” So, with the help of…
All the 1 January changes in Australia: Centrelink increases, import bans and pay rises
Bigger Austudy and carer allowance payments, higher Medicare safety net thresholds and mandatory corporate reporting on climate also in 1 Jan changes With the new year comes new policies, laws, taxes and reforms. Here’s everything to know about changes on 1 January, 2025 that could affect you. Centrelink payments, including youth allowance, Austudy and carer…
Bus passengers in England face £1 fare cap rise
Many bus passengers in England will face an increase in single fares from £2 to £3 from Wednesday. Leading campaign groups have said it would result in a “costly start” to 2025. The previous limit of £2 was introduced under the Conservative government to help with the rising cost of living. The Department for Transport…
Blurred battle lines: How the wars of 2024 brought together rivals – but created new enemies
This has been one of the most eventful years since I began covering global security for the BBC in the aftermath of the 11 September attacks in 2001. The sudden toppling of Syria’s President Assad, North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia. British and US missiles sent to Ukraine and fired at Russia, Iranian missiles shipped…
Energy prices rise with warnings of more pain to come
Domestic energy prices have risen with little respite expected for billpayers during the rest of the year. The second increase in Ofgem’s price cap this winter takes effect on Wednesday and means someone paying by direct debit and using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay £1,738 a year. That is £21 a…
Hospital admissions for lack of vitamins soaring in England, NHS figures show
Admissions for vitamin or iron deficiencies up by more than 10% year on year and as much as tenfold on 1998-99 The number of people admitted to hospital in England because of a lack of vitamins or minerals is soaring, according to analysis of NHS figures. In 2023-24 there were 191,927 admissions where the main…
Justin Baldoni Sues NYT for $250 Million Over Blake Lively Story
Justin Baldoni is responding after Blake Lively filed a legal complaint, accusing the New York Times of orchestrating a “strategic and manipulative” campaign centered on his It Ends With Us costar. Justin Baldoni is taking legal action. Days after his It Ends With Us costar Blake Lively filed a complaint accusing him of sexual harassment…
London welcomes new year with fireworks as weather cancels events across UK
Tens of thousands attend display in capital while much of the country faces issues with heavy rain and high winds The UK has welcomed 2025 with fireworks and celebrations in London, but many events across the country were cancelled due to bad weather. Tens of thousands of people attended the annual event in the capital,…
Ecuador confirms incinerated bodies belong to missing ‘Guayaquil Four’ boys
Sixteen air force personnel who apprehended boys 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…
Outgoing North Carolina governor commutes 15 death row sentences
By The Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. — In one of his final acts in office, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper commuted the death sentences of 15 men convicted of murder to life in prison without parole on Tuesday, reducing the state’s death row population by more than 10%. Cooper, who was barred from seeking a…
Republican support wavers for Mike Johnson’s re-election as House speaker
Despite Donald Trump’s endorsement, Johnson is facing criticism for his handling of the government budget battle A senior Texas Republican congressman has said that the House speaker, Mike Johnson, does not yet have the votes to be re-elected to the speakership ahead of an election to be held later this week. Representative Chip Roy told…
Woman fatally set on fire in New York subway car identified
It took nine days to identify Debrina Kawam, 57, of Toms River, New Jersey, after she burned to death in Brooklyn The woman who was set on fire in a subway car in New York on 22 December, horrifying New Yorkers and renewing a debate over city safety, has been identified as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam,…
Alabama Barker Sets Record Straight on Hospitalization for Nicotine
With reports that Alabama Barker was hospitalized burning up the Internet, Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler’s 19-year-old daughter addressed the situation on Instagram. For those still in need of a New Year’s resolution, allow Alabama Barker to make a suggestion. “Let’s please avoid spreading any rumors,” she wrote on her Instagram Story Dec. 31, “and…
Puerto Rico may enter new year in darkness after sudden blackout
Puerto Rico was plunged into darkness early Tuesday morning by a nearly island-wide blackout. The cause of the blackout is under investigation, but preliminary findings pointed to a fault in an underground line, according to Luma Energy, the island’s main power distributor. Fully restoring service could take between 24-48 hours, the company said on X.…
Syria’s U.S.-trained opposition fighters wait to learn of their role in a new Syria
By Jane Arraf AL-TANF GARRISON, Syria — When Salim Turki al-Anteri took his opposition forces into battle against regime troops in southern Syria this month, it was against his own former tank unit. Drawing on his past U.S. military training and his hopes for a united Syria, the commander ordered his forces to fire artillery…
California will require insurers to offer home coverage in wildfire-prone areas
Opponents say rule could hike premiums by 40% and does not require new policies to be written at fast enough pace Insurance companies that stopped providing home coverage to hundreds of thousands of Californians in recent years as wildfires became more destructive will have to again provide policies in fire-prone areas if they want to…
Ukraine to end transit of Russian gas into Europe
Russian gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine are to end on Wednesday, when a five-year deal between Ukraine’s gas transit operator Naftogaz and Russia’s Gazprom expires. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country would not allow Russia to “earn additional billions on our blood” and had given the EU a year to prepare. The EU…
Blackout in Puerto Rico after power grid collapses, leaving 1.3m in the dark
Nearly entire island without electricity as Luma Energy estimates it will take at least 24 hours to restore power Puerto Rico is experiencing a widespread power outage after the power grid collapsed, affecting nearly the entire island. Nearly 1.3 million people are without power. Luma Energy, the private energy company primarily supplying power to the…
Special forces troops face prosecution over alleged war crimes in Syria
MoD reveals incidents involving 10 soldiers are under investigation after trying to keep figures secret Nine special forces troops are facing prosecution over alleged war crimes committed in Syria, the government has revealed, with another member of the armed forces under investigation over their actions in Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defence has said the prosecuting…
UK special forces face possible Syria war crimes charges
Nine members of UK special forces could face prosecution over alleged war crimes linked to at least two separate incidents in Syria, according to Ministry of Defence (MoD) data seen by the BBC. The data, which was originally obtained via a Freedom of Information request by The Times newspaper, shows that two cases are being…
Burglar who stole £10m worth of jewellery from London mansion broke in through bathroom window
Police say ‘lone wolf’ in one of Britain’s biggest burglaries escaped with his haul in a rucksack on his back The burglar who stole £10m worth of jewellery in one of Britain’s biggest ever heists broke into a London mansion through a bathroom window and escaped with his haul in a rucksack on his back.…
Police identify woman set on fire in deadly New York City attack
Police in New York City have named the woman who was set on fire and burned to death on a subway train in Brooklyn. Authorities on Tuesday identified Debrina Kawam, 61, of New Jersey as the victim of the seemingly random 22 December attack that burned her body beyond recognition. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, is accused…
Israel’s hospital attacks have put Gaza healthcare on brink of collapse, says UN
Assaults on medical facilities could amount to war crimes in certain circumstances, human rights office report says Israel’s pattern of sustained attacks on Gaza’s hospitals and medical workers has brought the coastal strip’s healthcare system to the brink of “total collapse”, according to a report by the UN’s human rights office. The UN high commissioner…
India mourns former PM Manmohan Singh with Delhi state funeral
People line streets to pay tribute to man who steered India through some of its most turbulent economic times India bade farewell to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, the architect of the country’s economic transformation, with a state funeral in New Delhi, complete with full honours and a 21-gun salute. Sikh priests chanted hymns as…
UK weather warnings dampen New Year celebrations
New Year’s Eve events across the UK have been cancelled as the country braces for high winds, heavy rain and snow. Most parts of the UK are covered by at least one Met Office weather warning until Wednesday. Transport delays are “likely” as strong winds may reach speeds of up to 70mph in parts of…
UN says Israeli attacks pushing Gaza healthcare towards total collapse
The UN Human Rights Office says Israeli attacks on and around hospitals have pushed Gaza’s healthcare system to “the brink of total collapse” and raised serious concerns about war crimes and crimes against humanity. A new report describes a pattern in which Israeli forces struck, besieged and forcibly evacuated hospitals, leading to patients dying or…
BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker dies at 79
DJ Bob Harris, who took over BBC Radio 2’s Sounds of the 70s show after Walker’s retirement, announced his former colleague’s death live on the station on Tuesday. Walker had pulmonary fibrosis, which is scarring of the lungs, a condition which makes breathing difficult. He stepped down from presenting Sounds of the 70s and The…
Power outage hits nearly all of Puerto Rico on New Year’s Eve
By The Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A blackout hit nearly all of Puerto Rico early Tuesday as the U.S. territory prepared to celebrate New Year’s, leaving more than 1.3 million clients in the dark. Officials said it could take up to two days to restore power. The outage hit at dawn, plunging…
Documentos del gabinete muestran que se propusieron restricciones a los derechos de las personas transgénero en la Ley de Matrimonio de Australia de 2004
John Howard’s government legislated that marriage must be ‘the union of a man and a woman’, but excluded any reference to birth gender John Howard was given the option of adding extra words to his 2004 Marriage Act amendment that would have limited transgender people’s ability to marry by making eligibility based on gender at…
Fears Australia may face GP shortage as figures reveal almost 10% now aged over 70
GPs’ peak body is concerned a proposed new medical test for older doctors could force them from the system Almost 10% of Australia’s GPs are aged over 70, new figures have revealed, with concerns that a proposal to introduce health checks for older doctors may worsen workforce shortages. According to data from the Australian Health…
Jewel raid victims offer up to £1.5m in rewards
The victims of a recent £10m jewellery raid on a London mansion have offered rewards totalling £1.5m to help catch the thief and recover their stolen items. Some of the jewellery stolen from the house on exclusive Avenue Road, near Primrose Hill, is reported to belong to Shafira Huang. A spokesperson for the family told…
US releases one of longest-held Guantánamo Bay detainees to Tunisia
Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi was held without charge for more than 20 years as prison facilitates burst of transfers A Tunisian national who had become one of Guantánamo Bay’s longest-held detainees has been released from the US military compound, the Pentagon announced on Monday night. Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi was transferred to his home country…
More than 1m people flock to Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacular
Nine tonnes of fireworks are set off around the harbour, while Brisbane and melbourne also enjoyed shows Australians have bid farewell to 2024, ringing in the new year with one “world-famous” fireworks display and many others not so famous. More than a million people rushed to the shores of the Sydney Harbour and hundreds of…
Crypto fugitive Do Kwon extradited to US over $40bn crash
A South Korean man accused of being responsible for a cryptocurrency crisis which cost investors $40bn (£31.8bn) has finally been extradited to the United States. Do Kwon was the boss of Terraform, which operated two cryptocurrencies – TerraUSD and Luna – both of which collapsed in 2022, sparking a wider sell-off in the crypto market.…
Storm-hit Holyhead port to partially reopen in January
One of Britain’s busiest ports is on course for a partial reopening on 16 January after it was damaged by Storm Darragh, it has been announced. Stena Line, which owns Holyhead port as well as operating some of the crossings, confirmed only one of the two main ferry berths is due to reopen. The port…
Coroner says Turkey ‘won’t engage’ over lift shaft death of holidaymaker
A coroner has said she is “in the hands of the Turkish authorities” over the death of a British holidaymaker found in a hotel lift shaft. Last month, 20-year-old Tyler Kerry, from Basildon in Essex, was discovered fatally injured at the hotel he was staying at near Lara Beach in Antalya. His family claim he…
South Korea plane crash investigators turn to black boxes in search for vital clues
Experts hope flight recorders will provide answers to key questions surrounding crash in which 179 died As investigators set to work unpicking the cause of Sunday’s devastating plane crash in South Korea, the black boxes carried on the plane will be of prime importance. One hundred and 79 people out of the 181 onboard died…
Foreign fighters given senior Syrian army posts, reports say
Syria’s new leaders are reported to have given some foreign Islamist fighters senior official posts in the country’s armed forces. The army is being re-organised by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – the Islamist group that is now effectively in charge of the country – following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month. While there…
What Happens When Onscreen Kisses Go Really Wrong
This kiss, this kiss…can actually be kinda awful. Stars’ make-out sessions may be the stuff of movie magic, but offscreen, say Kate Hudson, Selena Gomez and more celebrities, they can be awkward AF. Sometimes bad kisses happen to good people. When you’ve got to worry about tongue placement, dry lips and the lingering effects of…
Examining Biden’s presidential legacy. And, north Gaza’s last key hospital shut down
By Brittney Melton here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. President Biden will finish his term and leave the White House soon in a way almost no other president has. He will be replaced by the president he once…
‘I hope she’d be proud,’ says mum of charity set up after daughter’s death
A woman who has helped tens of thousands of children after the death of her own daughter from cancer has been appointed an MBE. Wendy Tarplee-Morris set up the Little Princess Trust in Hereford, which makes wigs for children undergoing cancer treatment. It was set up in memory of her daughter Hannah, who died in…
Pre-flight checks found ‘no issues’ before S Korea air crash
A pre-flight inspection of a Jeju Air passenger plane hours before it crashed in South Korea, killing 179 people, found “no issues”, the airline has said. “Nothing abnormal was noted with the landing gear,” the airline’s CEO Kim Yi-bae told a news conference in Seoul, as investigations continue into why the wheels were not down…
Azerbaijan president blames Russia for shooting down plane on Christmas Day
President Aliyev says Moscow must ‘admit its guilt’ after downing plane, albeit unintentionally, with loss of 38 lives Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev said the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week was shot down by Russia, albeit unintentionally, and criticised Moscow for trying to “hush up” the issue for days. “We can say with complete clarity…
What to know about Finland, Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ and a severed undersea cable
By Rebecca Rosman Finnish authorities investigating a severed undersea power cable said over the weekend that they discovered a 60-mile-long anchor drag mark on the seafloor — which they say is linked to a Russia-affiliated vessel. The Baltic Sea power cable that runs between Finland and Estonia was damaged last week, along with multiple data…
Madoff fraud victims get $4.3bn as fund completes payouts
A fund created by the US government to help compensate victims of the late fraudster Bernard Madoff has begun making its final round of payments, according to a statement by the Department of Justice (DoJ). The payouts being made by the Madoff Victim Fund (MVF) are worth $131.4m (£104.6m) and will bring the total amount…
From Taylor Swift tickets to social media bans, here are new 2025 state laws
By Clay Masters , Megan Myscofski , Grant Gerlock , Acacia Squires Across the country, the new year will usher in thousands of new state laws. At least 20 states increase statewide minimum wage starting Jan. 1 — the highest in Washington state at $16.66 an hour, followed by California at $16.50. Kentucky becomes the…
Control, censorship and ‘penalties’: inside the Assad regime’s propaganda arm
For years reporters at Syria’s state news agency had to toe the line. As life in Syria grew harder, so did the their work After 21 years, the day Farouk feared had finally come. An envelope sealed with red wax made its way through the faded hallways of Syria’s national news agency, Sana, and landed…
8 questions for President Biden, if he’d take them
Domenico Montanaro President Biden may eschew an end-of-term press conference — he had relatively few during his four years in office. But as Biden’s presidency comes to a close, here’s what NPR’s White House correspondents would ask him if he did hold one: There has been lots of criticism from some corners of the Democratic…
Ambulance chief says ‘drink sensibly’ over New Year after critical incident
Jason Killens, chief executive of Welsh Ambulance Service, made the plea after the service declared a critical incident. In addition, more than half of the trust’s ambulance vehicles were waiting to handover patients outside hospitals. Mr Killens asked the public to use the service “wisely” and only call during a “genuine emergency”, adding it was…
Netherlands to open archive on people accused of wartime Nazi collaboration
Some descendants are apprehensive but a historian says making 30m pages of records public is ‘important step’ For 80 years, details of their ancestors’ collaboration with the Nazis have been buried in spotless rows of filing cabinets in The Hague. But thousands of Dutch families face having their relatives’ history laid bare later this week…
What we know about why Trump supporters are clashing over US visas
An immigration row has erupted between Donald Trump’s supporters over a long-standing US visa programme. The feud is about H-1B visas, which allow US-based companies to bring in skilled workers from abroad into certain industries. Some immigration hardliners say the scheme undercuts American workers – but proponents say the visas allow the US to attract…
Israel sets out case to UN security council for full assault on Yemen’s Houthis
Council tells Israeli ambassador it condemns air raids that have killed Yemeni civilians as well as Houthi attacks Israel has set out its case to the UN security council for a full assault on Houthi forces in Yemen, claiming the Iranian-backed group now represents a well-armed terrorist army that threatens not just the regional economy…
Record-breaking highs, storms and a cool summer – UK weather in 2024
Although the world is on track to experience its warmest year on record in 2024, surpassing the symbolic 1.5°C threshold set in the Paris Agreement, it didn’t feel that way in the UK which mostly escaped the extreme heat seen in recent years. However, signs of a changing climate were evident in other records and…
Advisers urged Tony Blair to rein in George W Bush over Iraq war ‘mission from God’
A senior US official said the president needed a ‘dose of reality’ to deal with Iraqi insurgents, documents reveal Tony Blair’s advisers privately questioned if the US had “proper political control” of military operations in Iraq after a senior US official confided that George W Bush believed he was on a “mission from God” against…
‘He’s frozen’: Babies dying in Gaza as cold weather compounds the impact of war
Sila was less than three weeks old when her mother Nariman realised she wasn’t moving. “I woke up in the morning and told my husband that the baby hadn’t stirred for a while. He uncovered her face and found her blue, biting her tongue, with blood coming out of her mouth,” says Nariman al-Najmeh. In…
Berlin accuses Elon Musk of trying to influence German election
Government spokesperson says freedom of speech ‘covers the greatest nonsense’ after Musk’s endorsements of AfD The German government has accused Elon Musk of trying to meddle in the country’s election campaign with repeated endorsements of the far-right party AfD. “It is indeed the case that Elon Musk is trying to influence the federal election,” said…
Serbian court jails parents of teenager who killed 10 in school attack
Trial conducted solely against teenager’s parents as their son could not be criminally prosecuted due to his age A Belgrade court has jailed the parents of a 13-year-old boy after he shot dead nine students and a security guard at an elementary school in Serbia’s capital last year. The killings, on 3 May 2023, deeply…
Why 2025 promises plenty of political fireworks
Politics in 2025 will be dominated by a single controlling thought: do things start feeling any better? The answer to that will drive much else in the political conversation: the fortunes, mood and demeanour of the government, the revival or otherwise of the Conservatives and the prominence or otherwise of everyone else. 2024 was a…
Man arrested after alleged bungled Sydney gangland ambush led to chase and shots fired at police car
Police rushed to Edensor Park after two armed men were seen trying to break into a home alleged to have gang-related affiliations A man has been arrested after an alleged bungled gangland shooting resulted in a high-speed chase through south-west Sydney. Police had attended a home in Edensor Park about 1.30am on Tuesday after two…
The Papers: ‘Arise Sir Gareth’ and ‘justice for our Liam’
There’s praise for Gareth Southgate’s knighthood across the front pages, accompanied by a number of different pictures of him while he was leading England’s men’s footballers. “Arise Sir Gareth,” declare the Daily Express and the Daily Star. “Southgate scores in new year honours,” says the Times. According to the Daily Mirror, he “lifted a nation…
Rebel Wilson and Ramona Agruma Are Now Legally Married
Three months after Rebel Wilson and Ramona Agruma’s wedding ceremony in Italy, the couple legally tied the knot in second celebration in Sydney, Australia surrounded by family. Rebel Wilson and Ramona Agruma‘s marriage is aca-official. Three months after have a wedding ceremony in Italy, the Pitch Perfect star and fashion designer legally tied the knot…
South Korea to inspect Boeing aircraft as it struggles to find cause of plane crash
By The Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea — South Korean officials said Monday they will conduct safety inspections of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country’s airlines, as they struggle to determine what caused a plane crash that killed 179 people a day earlier. Sunday’s crash, the country’s worst aviation disaster in decades, triggered…
Detectado un caso de encefalitis japonesa en Victoria genera advertencia de riesgo “alto” para las próximas semanas
People living near the Murray River or adjacent regions urged to take extra precautions to avoid disease transmitted by mosquitoes A potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus has been found in a person in regional Victoria, the first case in Australia since 2022. Japanese encephalitis, a flavivirus related to dengue and yellow fever, was detected in a…
Parents of women killed by ex-boyfriends receive honours
Two women whose daughters were murdered by their ex-partners have said a “bereaved mother is not to be messed with” after receiving honours for their campaign to strengthen domestic violence laws. Carole Gould and Julie Devey co-founded the group Killed Women after their daughters – Ellie Gould, 17, and Poppy Devey Waterhouse, 24 – were…
South Korea plane crash investigations intensify as questions raised over airport embankment
Families of the dead remain at Muan international airport to demand more information, as criticism of airport layout mounts The investigation into Sunday’s plane crash in South Korea, in which all but two of the 181 people aboard died, intensified on Tuesday as authorities came under pressure to explain how the jetliner lost control and…
Sadiq Khan and Emily Thornberry among politicians on honours list
Senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry and Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, are among a number of politicians named in the New Year Honours list. Thornberry said she was “both honoured and surprised” to have been made a dame. Khan said it was already the “honour of my life to serve the city I love”…
Melbourne doctor formed cult before using god-like status to rape members’ children
Pradeep Dissanayake forced members to give him money and send hourly messages of praise before he sexually abused two girls, court of appeal says A Melbourne skin doctor established a Buddhist-Christian cult and used his “godlike status” to rape his followers’ children while forcing them to give him money and send hourly text messages of…
‘Miscarriage not dark secret to hide’ says Klass as she becomes MBE
Myleene Klass has been recognised in this year’s New Year Honours for services to women’s health, miscarriage awareness and to charity. Speaking to the BBC, the musician and TV presenter said she was “utterly shocked and surprised” to be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). She added that she was…
New Year 2025 weather: Australia’s east could get stormy as wider heatwave persists
Risk of east coast showers to continue on New Year’s Day, BoM says, while parts of NSW and Queensland set to stay dry and Victoria temperatures easing Some Australians will welcome the new year with showers and storms while others will continue sweltering through heatwave conditions. The risk of severe thunderstorms will continue for parts…
10 Years After Obama’s Opening to Cuba, Despair Replaces Hope
A decade since the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations — which many believed would transform the island — Cuba is in its worst crisis since Fidel Castro took power. A decade since the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations — which many believed would transform the island — Cuba is in its…
Nearly 2,300 applicants died waiting for a parent visa to Australia with processing times of up to 31 years
‘Providing an opportunity for people to apply for a visa that will probably never come seems both cruel and unnecessary’, review says Wait times for visas to bring parents to Australia are so long that nearly 2,300 applicants died before receiving a visa in the last three years, according to the home affairs department. The…
Post Office campaigners vow to fight on as they get OBEs
Former sub-postmasters turned campaigners in the Post Office scandal have said they will fight on after being made OBEs in the New Year Honours list. Lee Castleton, Seema Misra, Chris Head and Jo Hamilton were honoured for services to justice. The group were thrust into the limelight after an ITV drama showed how hundreds of…
‘I pray to God he comes back’: sister concerned as search for missing hiker in Kosciuszko national park enters sixth day
Friends last saw missing man Hadi Nazari, 24, descending the Hannels Spur Trail on Thursday The search for a 24-year-old hiker missing in Kosciuszko national park since Boxing Day has entered its sixth day, with the man’s sister expressing fears about potential threats to his safety. Hadi Nazari, an experienced hiker whose birthday was on…
Migrants Arrested in Killing of Mexican Immigration Agent
Officials said the agent was attacked by a group of migrants at a checkpoint in the northern state of Chihuahua after asking to see their identification papers. At least two migrants were arrested. By Emiliano Rodríguez Mega and Annie Correal Reporting from Mexico City A federal immigration agent in Mexico was killed on Monday afternoon…
Liam Payne Death Investigation: 5 People Charged in Case of Fatal Fall
Two months after Liam Payne’s fatal fall in Argentina, five people have been charged in connection with his death—three being accused of negligent homicide and two being accused of drug supply. Several people are being held accountable for the death of Liam Payne. Two months after the One Direction alum suffered a fatal fall from the…
Blair was urged to delay work rights for eastern Europeans, files reveal
Senior ministers urged the then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to delay granting employment rights to eastern and central European workers when the EU expanded in 2004, newly-released files have revealed. In February that year, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw pointed out that Britain was alone amongst the bigger EU members in offering a “concession”. The concession meant…
‘Moving to the mountaintops’: rising seas displace tens of thousands in Papua New Guinea
Gulf province councillor says growing numbers are leaving, in what climate activist describes as a ‘humanitarian crisis’ Two years ago fisher Siri James lived on the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, in a small village near Pariva beach. But as the tides continued to rise, James was forced to move further in from the…
Israeli Military Forces Patients and Staff to Leave Hospital in Northern Gaza
Middle East Crisis The hospital, Kamal Adwan, has been caught in the middle of Israel’s monthslong offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza. By Adam Rasgon and Abu Bakr Bashir Reporting from Jerusalem The Israeli military forced patients and staff members to leave one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza on Friday, leaving…
Canadian Ministers Meet Trump Aides at Mar-a-Lago to Discuss Border, and Tariffs
Trump Transition President-elect Donald J. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian exports unless the country stops the flow of migrants and fentanyl to the U.S. By Ian Austen and Lisa Friedman Ian Austen reported from Ottawa, and Lisa Friedman from West Palm Beach, Fla. Two top Canadian ministers met on Friday with members…
South Korean court issues arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol
The warrant was sought over Yoon’s controversial and short-lived decision to impose martial law early in December A South Korean court has approved an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been impeached and suspended from power over his decision to impose martial law on 3 December, investigating authorities said. The Corruption Investigation…
New Year’s Eve fireworks 2024: the best places to watch NYE celebrations around Australia
Night skies will light up on New Year’s Eve to welcome in 2025. Here’s your guide to child-friendly shows plus what time and where to see the fireworks in Sydney, Melbourne and across the country Night skies across Australia will light up on New Year’s Eve to herald the beginning of 2025. Whether you are…
Russia and Ukraine swap at least 300 prisoners in exchange deal
Some of the freed Ukrainians had been held since war’s early days, 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…