'She's a superhero': The acts of bravery as Bondi horror unfolded
A father tells the BBC he owes the life of his child to a stranger forced into an impossible decision.
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Long waits and ‘unacceptable’ lack of data at NHS gender clinics in England, review finds
Impossible to judge safety or effectiveness as adult clinics not systematically recording outcomes, Dr David Levy findsDoctors treating vulnerable patients with gender dysphoria have no way of assessing whether the NHS treatment provided has worked because outcomes are not systematically recorded, a damning official inquiry into the clinics has found.Waiting times for a first appointment at NHS adult gender dysphoria clinics (GDCs) in England are projected to reach 15 years unless there are improvements, the review found. The number of people seeking treatment is rising significantly and on average patients are already waiting five years and seven months for a first assessment. Continue reading...
Angela Rayner to publish memoir amid talk of potential Labour leadership challenge
Exclusive: Book to detail life from child poverty and teenage pregnancy to unions and Labour deputy leadership before fall from graceUK politics live – latest updatesAngela Rayner is writing a memoir about her rise to become deputy prime minister and her subsequent fall from grace, the Guardian can confirm, in a move that will be seen as an attempt to set the narrative ahead of any leadership contest.The book, which will detail the Labour politician’s life story from her impoverished childhood and leaving school at 16 while pregnant through the union movement and the Labour party to the second highest office in the land, is to be published in the second half of 2026. Continue reading...
Journalists condemn surprise shake-up of No 10 lobby briefings
Scrapping of afternoon press conferences could limit scrutiny and transparency, say reportersSweeping changes to Downing Street’s press lobby system have been criticised by journalists.No 10 normally holds two briefings on most days that parliament sits to allow the lobby – political journalists that cover Westminster – to question the prime minister’s official spokesperson. Continue reading...
Deadline nears for release of Epstein files – what we know so far
Justice department must release most documents by Friday, and failure to do so would provoke a firestormIn less than 48 hours, Donald Trump’s justice department must release most of the files related to Jeffrey Epstein in its possession. Last month, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the release of those materials by 19 December, except in narrow cases where they would jeopardize current investigations, harm national security or foreign policy goals, or reveal information about Epstein’s victims.Since Trump signed the legislation, his administration has been silent on its progress. Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers asked Pam Bondi, the attorney general, for a briefing on the department of justice’s progress, but she did not provide one. Two Democratic senators among that group subsequently pledged to block some civilian nominees, because they were concerned the administration “is gearing up to disregard the law we led the fight in the Senate to pass, which overwhelmingly passed both chambers of Congress”. Continue reading...
New York Times columnist David Brooks appears in latest Epstein photos
Brooks, who dismissed Epstein scandal as ‘stupid story’, wrote column expressing lack of interest in developmentsThe New York Times columnist David Brooks appeared in multiple photos from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein that were released on Thursday by the House committee on oversight and government reform.The photos, which have been rolled out in batches by the minority Democrats in the committee, lack crucial context, including dates and locations. But the photos appear to show Brooks attending a lunch or dinner event. Brooks is shown seated next to Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google. Continue reading...
Trump administration unveils plans to end gender-affirming care for minors
Proposal would prohibit Medicaid funds from being used to cover puberty blockers, hormone treatments or surgical proceduresUS politics live – latest updatesThe Trump administration unveiled new actions aimed at eliminating transition-related medical care for minors across the US on Thursday, referring to such treatments as “sex-rejecting procedures”, a term used by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).As part of the effort, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will initiate a rule-making process that would prevent hospitals from offering puberty blockers, hormone treatments, or surgical procedures to minors if they wish to participate in Medicare or Medicaid. Continue reading...
Trump expands access to cannabis in a major shift in drug policy
The order to place cannabis in the same category as Tylenol with codeine marks the most significant change in US drug policy since 1971.
Putin’s Year-End News Conference Set for Friday
The annual news conference sets the Kremlin’s tone for the next year and highlights President Vladimir V. Putin’s grip over Russia.
Starmer appoints career diplomat Christian Turner as US ambassador
Current ambassador to UN replaces Peter Mandelson, who was forced to quit over his links to Jeffrey EpsteinKeir Starmer has appointed the career diplomat Christian Turner as the UK’s ambassador to Washington, replacing Peter Mandelson who was forced to quit over his links to Jeffrey Epstein.Turner, who was appointed ambassador to the UN in May, had previously been political director at the Foreign Office and had brokered a close relationship with the new Labour administration before taking up his UN role in New York. Continue reading...