Question Time and Doctor Who among ‘most tweeted about’ BBC shows
News programmes prove popular on Twitter in 2018 - with Doctor Who and EastEnders also sparking discussion.
Colombia’s Gulf Clan crime gang declares holiday ceasefire
The Gulf Clan crime gang, considered Colombia's largest criminal organisation, has declared a month-long ceasefire for Christmas and New Year and invited other armed groups to also lay down their weapons for the festivities.
Mexico to invest $30 billion to boost growth, stem migration, foreign minister says
Mexico will invest more than $30 billion (23.57 billion pounds) in its poor southern states over the next five years, the foreign minister said on Monday, boosting the region economically as part of efforts to curb migration.
Allianz Stadium demolition could blanket Sydney with hazardous dust, NSW Labor says
Opposition leader Michael Daley condemns haste, citing risk of asbestos exposure
New South Wales Labor has ramped up its attack on the state government over its plan to knock down Allianz Stadium, citing environmental concerns including the risk of asbestos exposure.
The opposition leader, Michael Daley, says the government is rushing to demolish the Sydney stadium at Moore Park before the March election, despite warnings from the Environment Protection Authority and other public agencies.
Continue reading...Labour’s Brexit dilemma
Theresa May has postponed her crucial Brexit vote amid huge divisions in her party. But there is a dilemma, too, for Labour MPs whose constituencies voted overwhelmingly in favour of leaving the EU. How do they square their voters’ wishes with that of their party and their own conscience? Plus: Jonathan Freedland on why Labour should be backing a second referendum
Theresa May has finally admitted parliament will not back her Brexit deal, but the prime minister is not ready to give up. In a desperate plea to MPs, she asked: “Does this house still want to deliver Brexit?”
These appeals were aimed not just at the Tory MPs behind her but at Labour MPs opposite – and especially those whose constituencies voted heavily to leave the EU. One is Gloria De Piero, who holds a slim majority in the Nottinghamshire seat of Ashfield. The Guardian’s political editor Heather Stewart joined Gloria for a tour of her constituency and found voters mostly fed up with discussing Brexit and wishing that the situation would be resolved quickly.
Continue reading...‘Love knows no borders’: Agents arrest 32 as religious leaders gather at US border
More than 400 demonstrators, many religious leaders and activists, came together calling for an end to detention and deportation of migrants
Kneeling in front of riot police, 32 religious leaders and activists were arrested at the US border fence in San Diego on Monday during a protest in support of the Central American migrant caravan.
More than 400 demonstrators, many leaders of churches, mosques, synagogues and indigenous communities, called for an end to detention and deportation of migrants and for the United States to welcome the caravan that arrived in Tijuana, Mexico in November.
Continue reading...Magnitude 7.1 quake hits close to Antarctica – USGS
A magnitude 7.1 quake struck on Monday in the southern Atlantic Ocean, close to the South Sandwich Islands north of Antarctica, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Spurs can cause Barca upset, says Pochettino
Tottenham Hotspur can defeat group winners Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Tuesday to join them in the Champions League knockout stage, their upbeat coach Mauricio Pochettino has said.
No quick fix for Australia’s problems ahead of Perth test
Having gone down swinging in an enthralling Adelaide test, Australia barely have time to pick themselves up off the canvas before another potentially bruising contest against a confident India in Perth.
Barcelona back out of next month’s La Liga Miami match
La Liga’s plans to stage a match in the United States next month have been derailed after Barcelona, who were scheduled to play Girona in Miami, withdrew their support for the game on Monday following a board meeting.
Grace Millane: New Zealand detectives search for shovel in murder case
Auckland police appeal to public for help as they continue to piece together what happened to British backpacker
Police investigating the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane are looking for a shovel believed to be connected to the inquiry.
Millane, 22, went missing from a hostel in Auckland on 1 December and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday.
Continue reading...U.S. arrests religious leaders, activists at border protest
Kneeling in front of riot police, 32 religious leaders and activists were arrested at the U.S. border fence in San Diego on Monday during a protest in support of the Central American migrant caravan.
PM looks to Europe to throw her a lifeline
Theresa May has headed back to Europe in a desperate bid to win concessions from EU leaders after her Commons retreat over her big Brexit vote.
‘Smocking Gun’: Trump’s latest typo prompts derision and delight
A year after he gave the world ‘covfefe’, the president has coined a new phrase
Last year he gave us “covfefe”. This year – and just in time for Christmas –Donald Trump has bestowed upon the English language the phrase: “Smocking Gun”.
“Democrats can’t find a Smocking Gun tying the Trump campaign to Russia after James Comey’s testimony. No Smocking Gun… No Collusion,” Trump wrote on Twitter on Monday.
Continue reading...Carwyn Jones to resign as first minister
His nine years in the job will come to an end on Tuesday after a Labour contest elected Mark Drakeford.
Waste criticised in the aftermath of the Santa Dash
Glasgow's annual Santa Dash saw many leftover costumes being discarded in bins and on pavements around the city.
Sterling: Is football racism rising?
Raheem Sterling was allegedly racially abused by Chelsea fans.
Canadian court weighs bail for jailed CFO of China’s Huawei
A Canadian provincial court weighing whether to grant bail to a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies [HWT.UL], who is facing possible extradition to the United States, adjourned on Monday without deciding her fate.
Former altar boy sues church over rapes by priest
A former altar boy who claims he was raped dozens of times by a priest is suing the Catholic church.
Young highly sceptical of social mobility
Many young adults think your social background gets you further in life than talent, a survey says.
Trump considering several candidates for chief of staff – sources
President Donald Trump is considering Republican Representative Mark Meadows, former campaign adviser David Bossie, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for White House chief of staff, a source familiar with the search said on Monday.
Puzzle solving ‘won’t stop mental decline’
A new study suggests that doing intellectual activities throughout life is best.
U.S. agents arrest 32 at border protest in San Diego
U.S. authorities arrested 32 people at a migrants-rights protest on Monday organised by a Quaker group at a U.S. border fence in San Diego, California, the U.S. Border Patrol said.
Brexit: Theresa May to meet EU leaders in bid to rescue deal
Theresa May will speak to Angela Merkel, Mark Rutte and Donald Tusk after delaying UK vote on the deal.
St Dennis incinerator: ‘Ridiculous’ lorry trips to shredder criticised
Cornwall's only incinerator has to send any items larger than a bin bag 23 miles away to be shredded.
IOOF bosses step aside to fight action by financial regulator
Christopher Kelaher and George Venardos replaced on interim basis as shares sold off
The managing director and chairman of IOOF Holdings have stepped aside following moves by the prudential regulator to disqualify the beleaguered wealth manager’s top brass.
IOOF says the managing director, Christopher Kelaher, and chairman, George Venardos, have taken leave with immediate effect to focus on fighting the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s accusation they failed to act in their members’ interests.
Continue reading...Monkeys run amok in India’s corridors of power
India's government faces a tough re-election battle next year but first it must deal with an opponent as wily as any political rival, troops of monkeys that have become a big threat around its offices in New Delhi.
Monkeys run amok in India’s corridors of power
India's government faces a tough re-election battle next year but first it must deal with an opponent as wily as any political rival, troops of monkeys that have become a big threat around its offices in New Delhi.
Guardian’s Amelia Gentleman named journalist of the year
Work on Windrush scandal earns Press Gazette award while Observer’s Carole Cadwalladr also wins
The Guardian reporter Amelia Gentleman was named the journalist of the year at the Press Gazette awards in London for her work on the Windrush scandal.
The Observer journalist Carole Cadwalladr was also honoured at the ceremony in London on Monday night, winning in the technology journalism category for her investigations into Cambridge Analytica and the use of personal data in political campaigning.
Continue reading...Birstall blast widower ‘gets flashbacks of wife’s cries for help’
Janet Jasper died after a gas blast a year ago at the home she shared with husband John for 56 years.
Crispin Blunt sends letter of no confidence to ‘1922 Committee’ – The Times
British lawmaker Crispin Blunt has sent a letter of no confidence in Prime Minister Theresa May to the chairman of the committee in charge of Conservative Party leadership contests, the 26th MP in the party to do so, The Times reported on Monday.
China’s Huawei executive bail hearing adjourned to Tuesday
A Canadian provincial court on Monday adjourned without deciding the fate of a top executive of Huawei Technologies Co Ltd after she appeared in a Vancouver court in relation to an extradition case following her arrest at the request of the United States.
Google+ to shut down early after privacy flaw affects over 50m users
Service to be closed four months earlier than expected in light of lapse that exposed names, email addresses and other information
Google is still having trouble protecting the personal information on its Google+ service, prodding the company to accelerate its plans to shut down a little-used social network created to compete against Facebook.
A privacy flaw that inadvertently exposed the names, email addresses, ages and other personal information of 52.5 million Google+ users last month convinced Google to close the service in April instead of August, as previously announced. Google revealed the new closure date and its latest privacy lapse in a Monday blogpost.
Continue reading...NASA probe finds signs of water on nearby asteroid Bennu
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has discovered ingredients for water on a relatively nearby skyscraper-sized asteroid, a rocky acorn-shaped object that may hold clues to the origins of life on Earth, scientists said on Monday.
Maria Butina: ‘covert Russian agent’ will plead guilty over effort to infiltrate NRA
Deal reached between US prosecutors and Butina, who is accused of attempting to influence gun lobby on behalf of the Kremlin
Accused Russian agent Maria Butina, who is suspected of trying to infiltrate the National Rifle Association (NRA) and influence US policy toward Russia, is expected to plead guilty this week following a deal between her lawyers and US prosecutors, according to court filings on Monday.
Related: How Maria Butina, accused Russian spy, worked her way into top US circles
Continue reading...The pub where your cash is worthless
As more firms around the world refuse to take cash, does this mean the end for notes and coins?
Grace Millane: Solo backpacking didn’t kill her, say bloggers
Three women bloggers who have travelled the world share their experiences of solo backpacking.
Meghan Markle presents wedding dress designer with fashion award
Meghan Markle presented the designer of her wedding dress with a prize at the Fashion Awards in London on Monday, joining fashionistas at the ceremony where supermodel Cindy Crawford's daughter Kaia Gerber was also named Model of the Year.
North-south economic divide set to narrow as Brexit hits London growth
Capital no longer growing at a much faster pace than the rest of the UK, report says
Slowing growth in London since the Brexit vote has put the British economy on track to narrow the north-south economic divide over the coming three years, according to a report.
The accountancy firm EY, despite warning of a weaker outlook for almost every region through to 2021 amid continuing Brexit uncertainty, said London would no longer continue to grow at a much faster pace than the rest of the country.
Continue reading...E-receipts from leading retailers ‘may break data protection rules’
Some big high street names include unwanted marketing information, Which? says
Several large retailers may be breaking data protection rules with their e-receipts, according to an investigation by the consumer body Which?.
Many retailers offer to email receipts to shoppers but the rules in this area were tightened in May when the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force.
Continue reading...