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Scott Morrison apologises for taking holiday during Australia's bushfire crisis Prime minister says he ‘deeply regrets’ any offence caused by him taking leave during fires, and he will return to Sydney Fire threat sweeps across NSW, Queensland and South Australia – follow live updatesScott Morrison has apologised for going on holiday while Australia is in the grip of an extended bushfire crisis and a record-breaking heatwave.In a statement on Friday morning the prime minister explained he had brought forward his leave with his family due to the need to travel to Japan and India in January. Continue reading... Go to Source

Democratic debate: Buttigieg becomes target as candidates clash in Los Angeles Klobuchar questions mayor’s political experience as Warren condemns his fundraising tacticsThe final Democratic presidential debate of the year brought together seven 2020 candidates in California on Thursday for an at times heated argument over their qualifications, policy proposals and paths to the White House.On the heels of Donald Trump’s impeachment, the debate, hosted by PBS NewsHour and Politico, opened with the historic events in Washington the day before but quickly pivoted to key issues for Democratic voters, such as social injustice and climate change. Facing repeated attacks was Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend, Indiana, mayor, who has been rising in the polls in early primary states. ...

Queen's speech: PM points to harder Brexit and 10-year rule Johnson government outlines tougher laws on sentencing and constitutional reformFollow all the latest political news – liveBoris Johnson has set out his vision for the Tories to govern for the next decade as he published a Queen’s speech that points the way towards a harder Brexit and sweeping constitutional reforms.The prime minister claimed that he wanted his programme for government to last for more than one parliament, describing it as a “blueprint for the future of Britain”. Continue reading... Go to Source

Ketamine-like drug for depression gets UK licence Psychiatrists divided on ‘game-changing’ esketamine due to potential for addictionA radical ketamine-like drug has been licensed for use in the UK for severe depression, a decision that offers hope to the millions of patients for whom conventional treatments have failed.Esketamine, taken as a nasal spray, is one of the first rapid-acting drugs for depression and the first in decades that is thought to work in a fundamentally different way in the brain. However, psychiatrists are divided on the benefits, with some hailing esketamine as a game-changer and others raising fears about the potential for addiction and abuse. Continue reading... Go to Source

Democratic debate: candidates face off in Los Angeles – live updates Candidates taking the stage at Loyola Marymount University will seek to break through as impeachment dominates the headlinesFull story: seven candidates seek their star momentAnalysis: why California is now a primary powerhouse 11.53pm GMTThe debate is taking place in Los Angeles, a city where the escalating homeless crisis has become a public health emergency. LA experienced a 16% increase in homelessness this year, with a total of 36,000 people now homeless across the city, including 27,000 without shelter. Related: Workers on frontlines of homeless crisis tell Trump: 'We don't need tough talk' 11.44pm GMTThose tuning in to watch tonight’s Democratic debate might have a question when the participants take t...

Clive Lewis joins race to be Labour leader pledging to 'unleash' party Shadow Treasury minister says he wants to go further than Jeremy Corbyn in giving power to Labour membersClive Lewis: ‘I’m standing to be leader so the truth can be heard’Clive Lewis has declared his candidacy for Labour leader, with a pledge to go further than Jeremy Corbyn in giving party members a say on policy and the selection of MPs. Related: I’m standing to be Labour leader so the truth can be heard | Clive Lewis Continue reading... Go to Source

NSW bushfires: RFS names two firefighters killed south-west of Sydney Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36, both fathers of young children, died when their truck overturned near Buxton while fighting the Green Wattle Creek blaze A “tight-knit” western Sydney volunteer firefighting brigade has been devastated after two firefighters were killed in the battle to contain a blaze that ripped through villages south-west of the city.Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’Dwyer, 36, from the Horsley Park brigade, were in a truck convoy near the town of Buxton late on Thursday when a tree fell into their path, causing the vehicle to roll off the road. Continue reading... Go to Source

Johnson revises EU bill to limit parliament's role in Brexit talks Protections for workers and child refugees also cut out of withdrawal agreement billLatest politics news – live updatesBoris Johnson’s EU withdrawal agreement bill has been published, with protections on workers’ rights, unaccompanied refugee children and parliament’s say over the future relationship stripped out.MPs are expecting to vote on the EU withdrawal agreement bill for the first time in this parliament on Friday, as Johnson aims to rush it through its first stage before Christmas. Continue reading... Go to Source

Deadly shooting at Russian intelligence agency in Moscow, reports say Unidentified man said to have attacked reception at Federal Security Service officeAt least one person has reportedly been shot dead after an unidentified gunman opened fire on the office of the Federal Security Service, the FSB, Russia’s main intelligence agency, in the heart of Moscow.According to Russian media reports, the man attacked the reception of the Lubyanka building, home to the FSB and its communist-era predecessor the KGB. The victims were described as federal security guards. Continue reading... Go to Source

McConnell and Pelosi set for showdown over next steps of Trump impeachment Not clear when articles of impeachment will reach SenatePelosi threatens delay until she receives assurances of fair trialAs Washington awoke on Thursday to the realisation that it had impeached the third US president in American history, the capital remained racked with uncertainty about what will come next in an impeachment process defined by almost total partisanship and rancor. Related: Trump impeachment charges 'absolutely made up', says Putin Continue reading... Go to Source

Family wins fight to delete child from Met's anti-radicalisation records Lawyers argued child’s entry on Prevent database could lead to discrimination when olderOnly 1 in 10 Prevent referrals need acute supportA primary school-aged child has had details of their referral to the government’s controversial anti-radicalisation Prevent programme deleted by the Metropolitan police following court action, the Guardian can reveal.Following a settlement that remains confidential, the child will see all relevant records deleted, including from the Prevent case management (PCM) database, the existence of which was revealed by the Guardian and Liberty in October. The referring authorities also agreed to correct and delete relevant records. Continue reading... Go to Source

Queen's speech sets out Boris Johnson's focus on Brexit, the NHS and terrorist sentencing – live news Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including the Queen’s speech and Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn speaking in the subsequent Commons debate 11.46am GMTFrom the Sun’s Tom Newton DunnThe most interesting part of the Queen's Speech: major new espionage legislation is coming, will include extraterritorial elements for terror offences. Could look like a new Treason Act / the US’s Foreign Agents Registration Act. My story from February:https://t.co/WGdXrgLrfj pic.twitter.com/zZQVzkWUqE 11.44am GMTThe Queen ends with two messages at the end of every Queen’s speech.Members of the House of Commons - estimates for the public serv...

High court says UK's £1,012 child citizenship fee is unlawful Landmark judgment finds ‘mass of evidence’ showing fee stops many children from registering UK citizenship In a landmark judgment the high court has found that the Home Office’s £1,012 child citizenship fee is unlawful. The fee has been described as “shameless profiteering” by Amnesty International.The current fee affect tens of thousands of children in the UK. The Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens, which brought the case, along with two children affected by the high fees, estimates there to be about 120,000 children in the UK without British citizenship, approximately 65,000 of whom were born here. In 2018, more than 40,000 children applied to be registered as ...

Donald Trump impeached by House of Representatives in historic vote Trump becomes third American president to be impeached as two articles approved, mostly along party linesHouse impeaches Trump – live updatesJust shy of the third anniversary of his presidency, Donald Trump was impeached in a mostly party-line vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening.Trump became the third president to be impeached in US history. Continue reading... Go to Source

'Doesn't feel like we're being impeached': Trump holds rally amid House vote President shrugs off process at a rally with thousands of supporters in Battle Creek, MichiganDonald Trump opened his remarks at a campaign rally in Michigan on Wednesday evening right as members of Congress moved to make him the third US president in history to be impeached.At the start of his rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, Trump shrugged off the historic vote taking place in Washington. “It doesn’t really feel like we’re being impeached,” the president said before a roaring crowd. Continue reading... Go to Source

Trump’s impeachment may be just another battle in the US's civil war Trump will be wounded, seething, hellbent on revenge – and turn the weight of impeachment against his foes in 2020After Donald Trump’s inaugural address, George W Bush turned to Hillary Clinton and said: “Well, that was some weird shit,” the former secretary of state confirmed earlier this month.For nearly three years since that chilly day here at the US Capitol in Washington, Democrats (and many others) have accused of Trump using and abusing the United States like his personal punchbag. On Wednesday, that slice of America finally punched back via impeachment. Continue reading... Go to Source

Australia fires: nation records hottest day ever for second day running as NSW fire crew injured – live All of New South Wales, South Australia, large parts of Queensland, and northern Victoria have been placed under a total fire ban on Thursday with extreme weather forecast. Follow the latest bushfires news and updates 5.40am GMT 5.18am GMTDespite the fire danger easing off tomorrow, it is still listed as “severe” for the Central Ranges and “very high” for the Southern Ranges, Northern Slopes and North Western and Southern Slopes.A Fire Weather Warning has been issued for Friday for Severe Fire Danger on the Central Ranges and Very High Fire Danger for theSthn Ranges, Nthn Slopes, Nth Western and Sthn Slopes. Fire info #NSWRFS: https://t.co/dXlyv2fIh1 NSW fore...