General news

• Patrick Mahomes, previously critical of Chiefs' tight schedule, will play despite ankle injury

  19-12-2024 23:51 via foxnews.com
  
  Earlier this week, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he didn't want to put himself in "harm's way" and wanted to "protect" himself after sustaining an apparent ankle sprain.Now, it seems Mahomes has nothing to be worried about.The two-time NFL MVP is off the Chiefs' injury report and is good to go for Saturday's game against the Houston Texans.Kansas City head coach Andy Reid told reporters on Thursday that Mahomes will "likely" play.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNE
  
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• Woman receives pig kidney transplant, walks out of hospital days later: ‘Second chance'

  19-12-2024 23:45 via foxnews.com
  
  An Alabama woman has successfully received a gene-edited pig kidney transplant at NYU Langone Health.This was the seventh pig organ transplant completed by NYU Langone surgeons.Towana Looney, 53, miraculously walked out of the hospital just a few days following the procedure.MASSACHUSETTS MAN, RECIPIENT OF FIRST SUCCESSFUL PIG KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, IS DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITALIn an NYU Langone press conference, Looney expressed feeling "overjoyed" and "blessed to have received this gift – a se
  
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• Jets star Garrett Wilson noncommittal on staying with Jets long term: 'I don't know'

  19-12-2024 23:35 via foxnews.com
  
  Garrett Wilson is clearly tired of losing.The New York Jets star receiver is having the best season of his young career from a statistical standpoint, but, from a team perspective, this year is without a doubt the biggest disappointment he's been a part of.Wilson is eligible for a contract extension after the season, but Wilson said he's unsure if he wants to stay with the Jets long term.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"I don't know, man. I just do whatever, go about my day how
  
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• 'Hell no': House Dems erupt over GOP spending deal

  19-12-2024 23:20 via foxnews.com
  
  House Democrats are balking at the latest iteration of a spending plan that was released on Thursday by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La."The Musk-Johnson proposal is not serious, it's laughable. Extreme MAGA Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., indicated Democratic leadership would whip their members to vote "no" on the deal.Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., lamented that the last deal had been blown up by op
  
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• The history of White House Christmas trees, including Theodore Roosevelt's 'ban' of the holiday tradition

  19-12-2024 22:55 via foxnews.com
  
  Presidents past and present have displayed breathtaking Christmas trees at the White House. Former President Benjamin Harrison is credited by the White House Historical Association as the first to display a Christmas tree in the White House, having placed one in the Second Floor Oval Room in 1889. That first known Christmas tree to be displayed in the White House was adorned with candles for Harrison's grandchildren, according to the White House Historical Association. PRESIDENT F
  
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• Pentagon says the number of US troops in Syria is much higher than previously reported

  19-12-2024 22:50 via foxnews.com
  
  The Pentagon says there are 2,000 U.S. troops deployed in Syria, more than double what officials with the Department of Defense have been telling reporters for months."We have been briefing you regularly that there are approximately 900 U.S. troops deployed to Syria," Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Ryder told reporters during a press briefing on Thursday. "In light of the situation in Syria, and in significant interest, we’ve recently learned that those numbers were higher."Ryder aske
  
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• Gov Abbott unveils new campaign exposing horrific dangers of illegal immigration

  19-12-2024 22:41 via foxnews.com
  
  Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new billboard campaign on Thursday to warn potential illegal immigrants about the "horrific" reality of human trafficking, violence and danger facing them if they attempt to illegally enter the U.S.Abbott said the state is placing dozens of billboards with warnings in several languages throughout Mexico and Central America."We’re here to expose the truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here, the truth about the traffickers who assault so many
  
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• Fox News Politics: Musing About a Speaker Musk

  19-12-2024 22:36 via foxnews.com
  
  Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump transition, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.Here's what's happening…-What to expect as Republicans try to salvage spending package, avoid government shutdown-Georgia appeals court disqualifies DA Fani Willis and her team from Trump election interference case-Paris Hilton-backed bill aimed at stopping abuse at child treatment facilities heads to Biden's deskThe chaotic collapse of the
  
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• ‘Harry Potter’ author marks five-year anniversary of first speaking out against trans activists: 'We will win'

  19-12-2024 22:34 via foxnews.com
  
  "Harry Potter" series creator J.K. Rowling marked the five-year anniversary of her first social media post calling out aggressive transgender activists.Rowling re-shared an old Twitter post (before it became X) from Dec. 19, 2019, in which she blasted those who fired a British woman after she claimed there were only two sexes. That tweet kicked off five years of Rowling being outspoken against those who insist there's no difference between trans women and biological women.She captioned her old p
  
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• NCAA president addresses parents' concerns about trans athlete inclusion: 'It's a small community'

  19-12-2024 22:32 via foxnews.com
  
  NCAA president Charlie Baker was the subject of harsh scrutiny after defending the organization's current policies that have allowed trans athletes to compete against women during a senate hearing on Tuesday. Baker addressed the issue again during an interview on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" Thursday. When McAfee asked Baker how the parents of daughters should feel about trans athletes in women's sports and the NCAA's record on it, the president made it a point to minimize the impact of the
  
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• Sydney Sweeney goes shirtless after slamming body-shamers

  19-12-2024 22:31 via foxnews.com
  
  Sydney Sweeney continues to be unbothered.Just days after she was mercilessly ridiculed online for bikini pictures captured by the paparazzi (and a subsequent fiery response of her own), the actress continued to show some skin, posting images on social media that showed off her svelte frame and highlighted her ambassadorship with Miu Miu.In photos (and a video), Sweeney wore a $7,500 cashmere cardigan from the designer. She somehow made her outfit work without a shirt despite the inclement weath
  
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• Cardinals’ Kyler Murray has priceless reaction to potential cold weather game vs. Panthers

  19-12-2024 22:27 via foxnews.com
  
  The Arizona Cardinals could be bracing for some cold weather as they head to Charlotte, North Carolina, this weekend amid a late push to make the playoffs, and Kyler Murray had a very relatable reaction when asked by reporters about it. Fresh off of snapping a three-game losing streak with a win over the New England Patriots, Murray sat down with the media on Wednesday to discuss the team’s next challenge: playing in the cold. Murray initially seemed indifferent about p
  
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• Bird flu leads to severe human illness and state of emergency; experts discuss risk

  19-12-2024 22:26 via foxnews.com
  
  Bird flu (H5N1) continues to spark warnings around the country.On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the country’s first severe case of bird flu in a human.The patient, who lives in southwestern Louisiana, is currently hospitalized, according to a release from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).BIRD FLU SURGES IN SEVERAL US STATES WITH REPORTS OF NEW OUTBREAKS: 'GETTING WORSE'The infected person is known to have been exposed to sick and dead birds
  
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• Last-minute gifts that'll arrive to your door in time for Christmas

  19-12-2024 22:14 via foxnews.com
  
  CLOCK IS TICKING – Check off last-minute gifts with these picks that will arrive in time for the holidays thanks to rush shipping and same-day pickup.FLIGHT FIGHT – As social media users share stories about "seat squatters," an etiquette expert weighs in on the new travel trend and offers some advice.WINGIN' IT – Grubhub has released its annual end-of-year report on the food trends of American consumers.EGG IT ON – Want to keep raw eggs fresh longer? Food scientists say t
  
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• New York plane crash at Bills star's property leaves 1 dead, police say

  19-12-2024 22:01 via foxnews.com
  
  A plane crash on property owned by Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Dion Dawkins Thursday left one person dead, officials in New York said.The Buffalo Niagara International Airport issued an alert at around 11:16 a.m. ET that the aircraft had mechanical issues as it tried to get to White Plains, East Aurora Police Chief Patrick Welch said. The plane originated from Lansing, Michigan.Around six minutes later, East Aurora dispatch received a phone call about a small plane crash in a wooded area, he
  
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• Fani Willis' reputation 'damaged' after disqualification from Trump case: Georgia reporter

  19-12-2024 22:00 via foxnews.com
  
  Atlanta Journal-Constitution reporter Greg Bluestein told MSNBC on Thursday that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's reputation was "damaged" after a court disqualified her and her office from prosecuting President-elect Donald Trump in the election interference case against him."Her reputation is damaged, right? This was an unforced error as we said earlier, and, you know, this was all of her own doing, and now it unravels or might unravel one of the signature cases, not just of her c
  
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• DNC fundraiser roasts party's 'delusions' about a Kamala Harris political comeback: 'Not what America wants'

  19-12-2024 22:00 via foxnews.com
  
  DNC fundraiser Lindy Li tore into Democrats' "delusions" about a Kamala Harris political comeback on Thursday, amid party buzz of the vice president staging a 2026 gubernatorial or 2028 presidential run."This is not what America wants. November 5th was a decisive defeat for the Democratic Party. She lost every single swing state. It wasn't a squeaker like it was in 2016. This was a resounding defeat and, right now, Kamala Harris is indulging in delusions of running for governor of California, po
  
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• Olympics chief hopeful vows to explore trans athletes ban amid global outrage

  19-12-2024 21:58 via foxnews.com
  
  Former Olympic gold medalist Sebastian Coe published his manifesto for his vision as International Olympics Committee (IOC) president, as he campaigns for the position going into 2025. Coe's manifesto stresses the importance of protecting female athletes, in a year that has been plagued by global outrage over trans athletes in women's sports. Unlike current IOC president Thomas Bach, Coe staunchly opposes trans inclusion in the women's category, and said he would explore a complete ban
  
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• 'Cascade of harm': Cuomo threatens defamation lawsuit against former aide who accused him of sexual harassment

  19-12-2024 21:54 via foxnews.com
  
  Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday submitted a notice that he would be filing a defamation lawsuit against a former aide, who previously filed a federal lawsuit against him for sexual harassment, claiming that she defamed him through the process."The nature of this action is to recover compensatory and punitive damages for the serious injuries and losses that Governor Cuomo has suffered and will continue to suffer as a result of the December 9, 2024 false statement by Bennett and her
  
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• House Republicans agree on Plan B government funding bill with Trump's debt limit increase

  19-12-2024 21:44 via foxnews.com
  
  House Republicans have struck a deal on a backup plan for averting a government shutdown by Friday's deadline.Multiple sources told Fox News Digital the deal would extend current government funding levels for three months and also suspend the debt limit for two years, something President-elect Trump has demanded.Trump praised the deal minutes after Fox News Digital reported its contents.The deal also includes aid for farmers and roughly $110 billion in disaster relief funding for Americans affec
  
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• Panama says 55 US-bound migrants have died crossing Darién Gap this year

  19-12-2024 21:36 via theguardian.com
  
  Officials also say 180 children have been abandoned crossing treacherous jungle from ColombiaFifty-five US-bound migrants have died and 180 children have been abandoned this year while crossing the treacherous Darién jungle from Colombia, according to Panama’s president, José Raúl Mulino.Despite dangers including fast-flowing rivers, wild animals and criminal gangs, the Darién is a key corridor for Venezuelan and other migrants traveling overland from South Amer
  
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• 13 die as an Indian navy speedboat crashes into a passenger ferry off Mumbai

  19-12-2024 20:57 via foxnews.com
  
  An Indian navy speedboat crashed into a ferry carrying over 100 people to a popular tourist destination off Mumbai on Wednesday, killing at least 13, the navy said.A navy statement said 99 ferry passengers were rescued. They were on their way to Elephanta Island when the speedboat circled and collided with the ferry "Neelkamal."DOUBLE-DECKER BOAT CARRYING CHILDREN ON VACATION CAPSIZES IN INDIA, LEAVING 22 DEADThe speedboat was undergoing engine tests and lost control, the statement said.The dead
  
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• At least 35 children killed in crowd crush at school fair in Nigeria

  19-12-2024 20:53 via theguardian.com
  
  Police arrest eight people after incident at Basorun Islamic high school in IbadanAt least 35 children have died and six others were seriously injured in a crowd crush at a school fair in Nigeria’s third largest city, Ibadan.Police said eight people had been arrested “for their various involvements” in the incident. Among those detained was the main sponsor of the event on Wednesday at the Basorun Islamic highschool, which was organised by the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM r
  
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• Putin ‘promises’ to ask Assad for help in finding Austin Tice following letter from mother

  19-12-2024 20:51 via foxnews.com
  
  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday promised to ask former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for help in locating American veteran and journalist Austin Tice following a letter from Tice’s mother pleading for assistance. "I haven’t seen President Assad yet, since he came to Moscow – but I plan to do so. I will have a conversation with him," Putin told NBC during a press conference according to a translator, though he appeared to cast doubt on the former president&r
  
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• Putin says Russia ready to compromise with Trump on Ukraine war

  19-12-2024 19:55 via foxnews.com
  
  Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on ending the war and had no conditions for starting talks with the Ukrainian authorities.Trump, a self-styled master of brokering agreements and author of the 1987 book "Trump: the Art of the Deal", has vowed to swiftly end the conflict, but has not yet given any details on how he might achieve that.Putin, fielding questions on state TV during h
  
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• Minister issues warning after British Sikhs report harassment by India

  19-12-2024 18:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Exclusive: Dan Jarvis has written to the Sikh Federation after allegations of people being stopped at UK airportsThe UK will not tolerate attempts by foreign countries to harass or intimidate British citizens, the security minister has warned, after a number of Sikhs complained they were being targeted either by or on behalf of the Indian government.Dan Jarvis has written to the Sikh Federation after reports of harassment involving British Sikhs, including people being stopped at UK airports and
  
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• Starmer backs minister accused of embezzling billions in Bangladesh

  19-12-2024 17:07 via theguardian.com
  
  Tulip Siddiq denies claims that she brokered corrupt deal with Russia to build nuclear power plant Keir Starmer has given his full support to Tulip Siddiq, the Treasury minister, after Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission accused her and family members of embezzling billions as part of a deal for a nuclear power plant.Siddiq’s role as economic secretary to the Treasury includes responsibility for tackling financial corruption. She has denied any involvement in the claims. Continue
  
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• US funding plan collapses as Trump makes demands days before shutdown

  19-12-2024 16:19 via theguardian.com
  Trump rejects bipartisan plan, causing Congress to spiral as lawmakers try to wrap up for holidays amid Friday deadlineUS politics – live updatesDonald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a government shutdown before the Friday deadline, instead telling Mike Johnson, the House speaker, and Republicans to essentially renegotiate.Federal funding runs out on Friday, so members of Congress are working against the clock before they head home for the holidays to renego
  
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• Starmer faces grilling over economy, public services and foreign policy – UK politics live

  19-12-2024 16:19 via theguardian.com
  PM to face liaison committee this afternoonIn her response to the statement from Karin Smyth, Caroline Johnson, the shadow health minister, suggested the extra money for hospices would not fully compensate the extra costs the sector is facing because of the national insurance increase and the rise in the living wage. She said:On October 30 the chancellor decided to break her election promise by increasing employers’ national insurance contributions and reducing the threshold at which emplo
  
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• Politicians hail courage of Gisèle Pelicot after historic ‘turning point’

  19-12-2024 16:19 via theguardian.com
  
  Leaders from France and around the world welcome guilty verdicts as feminists urge there is a long way to goPoliticians from France and beyond have hailed Gisèle Pelicot’s courage and called the trial of the men who abused her historic while feminist groups have stressed there is still a long way to go and demanded fundamental changes to France’s sexual abuse laws.“Thank you for your courage, Gisèle Pelicot,” the president of France’s national assembly
  
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• Middle East crisis live: Netanyahu says ‘whoever harms Israel will pay heavy price’ after Houthis claim attacks on Israel

  19-12-2024 16:09 via theguardian.com
  
  Israeli prime minister says air force attacked targets in Yemen ‘in response to Houthi attacks’ as Houthis say they have attacked Tel Aviv overnightAt least 45,129 Palestinians have been killed and 107,338 injured in Israel’s military offensive on Gaza since 7 October 2023, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Thursday.Iraq started on Thursday to send Syrian soldiers back to their homeland, state media reported. Continue reading...
  
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• Trump reportedly calls for eliminating debt ceiling amid chaos in Congress over his disapproval of spending deal – live

  19-12-2024 16:08 via theguardian.com
  President-elect torpedoes bipartisan plan with less than 48 hours remaining until government shuts down for holidaysA Georgia appeals court has ordered that the prosecutor Fani Willis is disqualified from the case she brought against Donald Trump and 18 other defendants for allegedly plotting to overturn the state’s election result in 2020, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.Attorneys for the defendants accused Willis, the district attorney of the Atlanta-area Fulton county, of havin
  
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• US Amazon workers go on ‘largest’ strike against company, Teamsters union says

  19-12-2024 16:00 via theguardian.com
  Employees at seven facilities including New York, Atlanta and San Francisco take action in demand of contract talksAmazon workers at seven US facilities walked off the job early on Thursday during the holiday shopping rush, aiming to pressure the retailer into contract talks with their union.Warehouse workers in cities including New York, Atlanta and San Francisco are taking part in the “largest” strike against Amazon, said the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents
  
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• Lawyer for Ecuadorian tribes fighting oil industry seeks Biden pardon

  19-12-2024 16:00 via theguardian.com
  Steven Donziger and 34 congressmembers urge action on case that saw debilitating counterattacks from ChevronSteven Donziger, the embattled human rights attorney, has urged Joe Biden to offer him a pardon for his role in defending Indigenous tribes in Ecuador against the oil industry, where his efforts ended with him being sued by Chevron and spending time in jail and hundreds of days under house arrest.In an interview with the Guardian from his Manhattan apartment, Donziger said a pardon would &
  
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• Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskyy calls Putin a ‘fantasiser’ over peace talks claim and says he wanted to ‘annihilate’ Ukraine’s army – as it happened

  19-12-2024 15:53 via theguardian.com
  
  This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage herePoland summoned the chargé d’affaires of Belarus (a diplomat of a lower rank acting in place of an ambassador), Alexei Ponkratiev, on Thursday to protest against what it called “aggressive actions” of the Belarusian KGB spy service towards Polish diplomats accredited in Belarus and other countries.The Polish foreign ministry did not specify what actions it was accusing the Belarus agency of h
  
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• UK arts and media reject plan to let AI firms use copyrighted material

  19-12-2024 15:38 via theguardian.com
  Exclusive: Coalition of musicians, photographers and newspapers insist existing copyright laws must be respectedWriters, publishers, musicians, photographers, movie producers and newspapers have rejected the Labour government’s plan to create a copyright exemption to help artificial intelligence companies train their algorithms.In a joint statement, bodies representing thousands of creatives dismissed the proposal made by ministers on Tuesday that would allow companies such as Open AI, Goo
  
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• Dominique Pelicot faces further investigation for rape and murder

  19-12-2024 15:31 via theguardian.com
  
  Husband of Gisèle Pelicot suspected of raping and murdering a Paris estate agent and attempting to rape anotherDominique Pelicot, who has been jailed for 20 years for drugging his then wife, Gisèle Pelicot, and inviting men to rape her, faces a further investigation for the rape and murder of an estate agent in Paris in 1991, and an attempted rape in 1999, amid questions over whether he could have been a serial offender for decades.Investigators in Nanterre outside Paris have reope
  
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• Drones banned in parts of New Jersey for one month unless issued permission

  19-12-2024 15:30 via theguardian.com
  
  Federal Aviation Administration issues ban following dozens of night-time drone sightings reported across the stateThe Federal Aviation Administration has issued a one-month ban on drone operations in certain areas of New Jersey, unless operators receive special permission from the government due to “special security reasons”.This comes as dozens of night-time drone sightings have been reported across New Jersey and other states along the eastern coast of the US over the last several
  
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• Minimum term increased for 13-year-olds over Wolverhampton murder

  19-12-2024 15:28 via theguardian.com
  
  Sentences for boys who killed Shawn Seesahai when they were 12, UK’s youngest knife murderers, raised to at least 10 yearsBritain’s youngest knife murderers, who killed a 19-year-old man with a machete when they were 12, have had their sentences increased to a 10-year-minimum prison term at the court of appeal.The two boys, now 13, were initially given life sentences with minimum terms of eight and a half years for the murder of Shawn Seesahai in Wolverhampton in November 2023. Conti
  
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• Surge in flu cases risks overwhelming hospitals in England, says NHS chief

  19-12-2024 15:18 via theguardian.com
  Health service concerned that early ‘flood’ of infections will be made worse by family gatherings at ChristmasA rise in flu cases is causing big problems for NHS hospitals in England and leaving a growing number of people in intensive care, amid warnings that festive gatherings will make things worse.The service is struggling to deal with a “flood” of flu cases that have arrived unusually early and left more than 2,500 patients needing hospital treatment, NHS England disc
  
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• Pelicot rape trial: ‘I never regretted my decision to go public,’ says Gisèle Pelicot as husband and 50 others found guilty – as it happened

  19-12-2024 15:17 via theguardian.com
  
  This blog is now closed, you can read our full report on this story here:Gisèle Pelicot rape trial: husband jailed for 20 years as all 51 men found guiltyAhead of the verdicts, the men charged alongside Dominique Pelicot were given the chance to make final statements on Monday. Around half of them simply said “nothing to add”.Around 15 of them, however, asked Gisèle Pelicot for forgiveness. Continue reading...
  
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• Israel launches deadly air raids against Yemen after missile attack

  19-12-2024 15:15 via theguardian.com
  
  Dozens of combat jets said to have been involved in strikes that killed at least nine people in port city of HodeidahMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsraeli jets have launched widespread air raids against Houthi targets in Yemen, killing at least nine people in the port city of Hodeidah.According to Israeli media, dozens of combat jets along with fuelling and intelligence aircraft took part in the raids. There had been reports beforehand that Israel was planning to hit Yemen with force af
  
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• Undocumented Chinese men say they're baffled by Trump's reported plans to deport them first

  19-12-2024 15:14 via nbcnews.com
  
  Having fled China because of political persecution or for better economic opportunities, many undocumented Chinese men reject the notion of being a threat to the U.S.
  
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• Trump calls for abolishing the debt ceiling

  19-12-2024 15:12 via nbcnews.com
  
  President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that Congress should get rid of the debt ceiling, a day after he came out against a deal reached by congressional lawmakers to fund the government before a shutdown occurs.
  
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• Teamsters announce strike against Amazon amid holiday delivery rush

  19-12-2024 15:09 via nbcnews.com
  
  The Teamsters union announced a strike against Amazon Thursday morning with workers joining picket lines in four states, in what they claim is the largest strike against the delivery giant in history.
  
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• Two California house cats die from bird flu as three more appear to be infected

  19-12-2024 15:08 via theguardian.com
  
  Los Angeles health officials investigate new cases after felines who had consumed raw milk found with H5 virusHealth officials in Los Angeles are investigating three household cats presumed to have bird flu, as officials confirmed the disease in two other cats who drank recalled raw milk and died.The Los Angeles county department of public health confirmed two fatal cases of H5 bird flu in cats on Wednesday. The two felines had consumed raw milk linked to Raw Farm, a dairy in Fresno, California,
  
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• Hospices in England to get £100m boost amid closure fears

  19-12-2024 15:03 via theguardian.com
  Hospices struggling with increases to wages and NICs say cash is ringfenced and will not ease day-to-day pressuresUK politics live – latest updatesHospices in England are to receive a £100m-plus boost to funding amid worries that some end-of-life services could close because of the impact of the national insurance increase and wage rises.However, the bulk of the money will be ringfenced for capital spending, and so cannot be used to help with day-to-day costs. The hospice sector said
  
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• Pregnant women and unborn babies face severe fatality risk in a bird flu pandemic, study finds

  19-12-2024 15:00 via theguardian.com
  
  While the risk of a H5N1 pandemic in humans is low, ‘it’s really important to think about vulnerable populations’, says Melbourne researcherGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMost pregnant women who contract bird flu will die, according to an Australian review of infections that found most unborn babies with the virus also die.Caused by influenza A viruses, a severe strain of bird flu known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) is spreading globa
  
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• ‘It would deflate our world’: how NDIS cuts to music therapy may silence Ava’s voice

  19-12-2024 15:00 via theguardian.com
  
  Ava communicates with her friends and family through music but a government policy change is threatening that vital human connectionGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAva Rinna communicates with friends and family through music but her weekly sessions could be cut if a review finds her therapy is not suitable for NDIS funding.The 19-year-old woman from the Gold Coast has been diagnosed with autism level 3 and is mostly non-verbal, apart from communicating through songs.Si
  
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• Average water bill in England and Wales to rise by 36% over five years

  19-12-2024 14:30 via theguardian.com
  
  Firms accused of forcing households to pay for years of underinvestment after Ofwat agrees to increases to help fix sector• Thames Water to pay £18m penalty after breaking dividend rulesWater bills in England and Wales will rise by 36% over the next five years, as suppliers were accused of forcing struggling households to pay for years of underinvestment to fix leaky pipes and cut pollution.The industry regulator Ofwat said on Thursday that, from next April, it would allow companies t
  
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