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Trump writes blistering letter to House accusing leaders of 'war on democracy' Letter is a thinly veiled attempt to redirect back impeachment inquiry’s findings he abused power and obstructed CongressTrump impeachment – live newsDonald Trump has accused Democratic leaders in the House of declaring “open war on American democracy”, on the eve of a historic vote that is likely to make him only the third president in US history to be impeached.Trump issued the incendiary accusation in an intemperately-worded letter sent to the speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, on Tuesday. Continue reading... Go to Source

Fallon Sherrock becomes first woman to beat a man at PDC world darts Sherrock defeats Ted Evetts 3-2 at Alexandra Palace‘I’ve proved women can beat the men,’ says 25-year-old Fallon Sherrock has made darts history, beating Ted Evetts 3-2 to become the first woman to beat a man at the PDC world championship. The 25-year-old hit six 180s and landed a 91.12 average on her way to her first-round win, sealed with a nerveless double 18 that sent Alexandra Palace into raptures.“I’m speechless, I don’t know what to say,” an emotional Sherrock said on stage afterwards. “I feel really happy because I have proven something for women’s darts, that women can play the men and beat them, so fingers crossed this is a move in the right direction. I...

Calls to reform bail terms after lawyer stabbed to death Ewan Ireland, 17, had been released under investigation over an affray offence when he attacked Peter DuncanThe case of a teenager jailed for life after stabbing a lawyer to death has raised fresh alarm about the practice of releasing violent suspects without strict bail conditions.Ewan Ireland was 17 when he attacked Peter Duncan in August. The sentencing judge said on Tuesday that it was the 52-year-old’s bad luck to accidentally bump into Ireland while trying to get home after work in Newcastle city centre. Continue reading... Go to Source

John Worboys jailed for life over attacks on four more victims Old Bailey told black-cab rapist remains as dangerous as everThe black-cab rapist John Worboys has been jailed for life at the Old Bailey with a minimum term of six years for attacking four more victims, as the court heard he remained as dangerous as ever.Worboys had “fantasised” about attacking women since 1986, the court was told. Continue reading... Go to Source

Windrush victim rejects 'insulting' offer of £22,000 payout Glenda Caesar, who was out of work for a decade, says Home Office is offering ‘crumbs’ The recipient of one of the first Windrush compensation offers has said she plans to turn it down, describing the government’s offer as insultingly low because it covers only a year’s loss of earnings even though she was out of work for a decade.Glenda Caesar, 58, came to Britain legally as a three-month-old child in 1961 from Dominica, and has lived in the UK ever since. She was sacked from her job as an administrator in a GP’s practice in 2009 and was subsequently denied unemployment benefits. Continue reading... Go to Source

'You ain't seen nothing yet': Johnson quotes Reagan as he tells cabinet to work 'flat out' for change - live news Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including the cabinet, the House of Commons and the parliamentary Labour party all meeting for the first time since the general election 11.43am GMTAt least two bookmakers have sent out press releases today about the odds they are offering on the next Labour leader, with Rebecca Long-Bailey the favourite, followed by Lisa Nandy and then Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary.Starmer’s opponents, as well as criticising his stance on Brexit, have been arguing that the next leader should be a woman, as well as an MP from outside London.I spent the last couple of months talking to folks on ...

Pakistan sentences Pervez Musharraf to death for high treason Former ruler, who no longer lives in country, was tried for imposing state of emergency in 2007A Pakistani court has sentenced the country’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to death on charges of high treason and subverting the constitution.Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup and later ruled as president, is not in Pakistan and was not available for comment on the sentence, handed down by an anti-terrorism court hearing the high treason case. Continue reading... Go to Source

Australia heatwave: records forecast to be broken as temperatures surge past 40C Oodnadatta and Port Augusta forecast to reach 48C and Sydney’s western suburbs to hit 45CDecember heat records are expected to tumble in Australia from Wednesday as a heatwave moves across South Australia to Victoria and New South Wales.Temperatures are forecast to peak in Victoria and South Australia on Friday, with Oodnadatta and Port Augusta to reach 48C, and peak in NSW on Saturday. Continue reading... Go to Source

India protests: students condemn 'barbaric' police Anger grows across country at new law which denies citizenship to Muslim migrantsStudents in Delhi have condemned their “barbaric” treatment at the hands of police who stormed a peaceful protest against the new citizenship bill over the weekend, injuring dozens.Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, students who were caught up in Sunday’s protest at Delhi’s predominately Muslim Jamia Millia Islamia University – which turned violent after police descended on the campus firing teargas and rubber bullets and beating demonstrators with batons – said it had turned into a “battlefield”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Purdue payments to Sackler family surged after OxyContin fine Family started taking far more money out of firm after it was fined for misleading marketing of drugThe wealthy owners of OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma started taking far more money out of the company after it was fined for misleading marketing of the powerful prescription painkiller.Purdue made payments for the benefit of members of the Sackler family totalling $10.7bn (£8bn) from 2008 through to 2017, a court filing made by the company on Monday evening shows. Continue reading... Go to Source

Angela Rayner clears way for Rebecca Long-Bailey to run for Labour leader Shadow education secretary will focus instead on becoming deputy leaderThe shadow education secretary, Angela Rayner, has cleared the way for her friend Rebecca Long-Bailey to run as the leftwing successor to Jeremy Corbyn, deciding instead to focus on becoming deputy leader.After Labour’s catastrophic performance in last week’s general election, Corbyn said he would remain in place until March, while a leadership contest takes place. Continue reading... Go to Source

Boris Johnson will amend Brexit bill to outlaw extension Legal block on finalising deal after 2020 removes safety net below negotiations with EUBoris Johnson will attempt to mark his election promise to “get Brexit done” by writing into law that the UK will leave the EU in 2020 and will not extend the transition period.As MPs begin to be sworn in at Westminster on Tuesday, the prime minister’s team is working on amending the withdrawal agreement bill so that the transition, also known as the implementation period, must end on 31 December 2020 and there will be no request to the EU for a further extension. Continue reading... Go to Source

Corbyn to face angry Labour MPs on Tuesday evening Party leader is expected to be asked to apologise for last week’s historic lossJeremy Corbyn is likely to face calls to apologise for last week’s disastrous election results when he attends what is likely to be an angry parliamentary Labour party (PLP) meeting on Tuesday evening.Many Corbyn-sceptic MPs are incensed that the leader has not said sorry for the loss of 60 MPs across the north, Midlands, Scotland and Wales, although he has said he takes “full responsibility” and was “very sad”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Watch out, Whitehall. Dominic Cummings has some tough love in store for us | The civil servant After Boris Johnson’s win, civil servants know the axe is hovering over departments including the DExEU and DfIDThose who work for the government clearly are no better at predicting the future than any other group of ringside spectators at the UK’s political circus. Last Friday’s electoral earthquake was as remarkable to us as it was to you.But we’re professionals: sure, many on the civil service payroll will have voted for or against a Conservative majority. Some of us rather naughtily may even have taken part in election campaign activity. But back at our Whitehall offices we prepared for this blue tsunami no less than we prepared for the possibilities of Labour or ...

Boeing suspends production of 737 Max model involved in fatal crashes US air watchdog said last week it would not approve plane’s return to service before 2020Boeing is temporarily halting production of its grounded 737 Max after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said last week it would not approve the plane’s return to service before 2020.The decision came after the US planemaker’s board held a regular two-day meeting in Chicago, which started on Sunday. Continue reading... Go to Source