Trump officials say second strike aimed to destroy drug boat instead of crew 03. December 2025 (12:00) Officials hew closely to secret memo which gives legal cover to firing on boats even if it would kill people on board Trump administration officials have defended carrying out a follow-up strike on a drug boat that killed survivors on 2 September by arguing that its objective was to ensure the complete destruction of the boat, an action the Pentagon had internal legal approval to conduct.The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a briefing on Monday that Adm Frank Bradley, who oversaw the operation and gave the order for the second strike, directed it to sink the boat. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
London’s Smithfield and Billingsgate markets find new home in Docklands 03. December 2025 (11:42) City of London corporation names Albert Island near City airport in Docklands for meat and fish marketsA former industrial site in London’s Docklands has been named as the new home for the capital’s ancient Smithfield meat market and Billingsgate fish market, under plans unveiled by their owner.The proposal by the City of London Corporation – the governing body that runs London’s Square Mile and also operates the markets – would relocate both to Albert Island. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Farage says deal with Tories ‘as they are’ would cost Reform UK votes, as he denies election pact – UK politics live 03. December 2025 (11:31) Reform UK leader says report of an election deal with Conservatives is ‘false’, but suggests only under their current leadershipOn Friday last week the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) released advice saying it did not think prostate cancer screening should not be made available to the vast majority of men across the UK.In an interview on BBC Breakfast this morning, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said that he was “surprised” by the decision. He also hinted that the recommendation might be ignored.I’m looking very carefully at why the national screening committee reached that decision.I’ve always said these things have got to be based on science and evidence, not on politics. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Women’s Institute will no longer accept trans women as members from April 03. December 2025 (11:30) Exclusive: CEO says decision taken with ‘utmost regret and sadness’ after supreme court ruling on definition of a womanThe Women’s Institute will no longer accept transgender women as members from April following the UK supreme court ruling on the legal definition of a woman, the Guardian can reveal.Melissa Green, the chief executive of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, said the organisation had taken the decision with the “utmost regret and sadness”, adding it had “no choice” but to exclude trans women from its membership. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Leaked memo reveals US veterans affairs officials vetting non-citizen workers 03. December 2025 (11:00) Exclusive: Compilation of data to be shared with ‘appropriate agencies’ prompts fears of immigration crackdownThe Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is in the process of creating an urgent and massive new internal database of non-US citizens who are “employed or affiliated” with the government department, a sensitive memo leaked to the Guardian has revealed – prompting alarm within the sprawling agency over a potential immigration crackdown.A VA spokesperson confirmed to the Guardian that the department would share some of the data it is now gathering with other federal agencies, including for immigration enforcement purposes. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Thames Water half-year profit leaps to more than £400m after it raises bills by third 03. December 2025 (10:58) Debt-ridden utility warns of ‘material uncertainty’ with potential for a rapid collapse despite profit riseThames Water has reported a leap in half-year profits to £414m after bills rose by nearly a third, even as it warned it faced huge funding uncertainties that could result in a rapid collapse into government control.Britain’s biggest water company on Wednesday said it had swung into profit for the six months to September, after losing £149m in the same period in 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Holy crap, this is insane’: mineworkers describe being caught in huge outback dust storm 03. December 2025 (10:13) Massive cloud over Tanami desert in Northern Territory reminiscent of Uluru, onlookers sayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLachlan Marchant and his colleagues were driving their golf buggies back to their shed when they saw the earth sweeping towards them.“It reminded us of Uluru, the sheer size and width of this thing,” Marchant said. “It was just rolling at us.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
More than 520 chemicals found in English soil, including long-banned medical substances 03. December 2025 (10:00) Fertilising arable land with human waste leaves array of toxins that could re-enter food chain, study findsMore than 520 chemicals have been found in English soils, including pharmaceutical products and toxins that were banned decades ago, because of the practice of spreading human waste to fertilise arable land.Research by scientists at the University of Leeds, published as a preprint in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, found a worrying array of chemicals in English soils. Close to half (46.4%) of the pharmaceutical substances detected had not been reported in previous global monitoring campaigns. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Farage tells donors he expects Reform to do election deal with Tories – report 03. December 2025 (08:52) One donor tells FT that Reform leader described an agreement as ‘inevitable’, despite denials from both sidesNigel Farage has told donors he expects a deal or merger between his Reform UK party and the Conservatives before the next general election.Reform donors told the Financial Times that the leader expected his party to join with or make a deal with the Tories. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Addiction to secrecy’: opposition and crossbench slam Labor’s ‘undemocratic’ changes to FoI – including charging fees 03. December 2025 (08:04) The proposed changes, which the government claims are needed to combat AI-generated requests, would also reduce what documents can be releasedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government’s proposal to introduce fees for freedom of information requests and reduce what documents can be released has been widely slammed by opposition and crossbench senators as “undemocratic” and evidence of Labor’s “addiction to secrecy”.The Labor-chaired Senate inquiry released its report on Wednesday recommending the bill be passed but the Coalition, the Greens, and senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie all submitted their own reports condemning the plans. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
