Author: News Desk

Thursday’s headlines are dominated by the conviction of a father and stepmother who killed 10-year-old Sara Sharif. Police said Urfan Sharif, 43, and Beinash Batool, 30, had subjected Sara to “horrific suffering” before her body was found at the family’s home in Surrey last year.

As more details emerge about the life and death of the young British girl, the newspapers react with horror at the brutality Sara lived – and died – under. Many of the newspapers pick up on the state’s failure to save her, pointing the finger at the courts, police, social services and teachers, who reportedly missed at least 15 chances to save her life.

Several domestic political stories also find space on the front pages with reports on Labour’s plans to build new houses, potential strikes this winter and ongoing reactions to the October Budget.

The back pages cover last night’s Champions League action – including yet another loss for Manchester City and the news that Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the 2030 World Cup hosts.

DWP benefits payments: December 2024 dates for Universal Credit and pensions Benefits and pensions going out as usual Universal Credit State pension Pension credit Child benefit Disability living allowance Personal independence payment Attendance allowance Carer’s allowance Employment support allowance Income support Jobseeker’s allowance Household support fund Other help may be available and you should ask the job centre representative to guide you. £348 if you’re single £464 if you’re part of a couple £812 if you have children. Will benefit rates be going up soon? Energy Price Cap: Will it go up or down again in 2024? DWP benefits payments:…

British energy firms told to offer zero standing charge Ofgem aims to provide choice as Martin Lewis describes daily fees as a ‘poll tax’ on gas and electricity bills as he has being championing on social media. Energy suppliers will have to offer customers a “zero” standing charge tariff by next winter to address criticism of the daily fees described by the consumer champion Martin Lewis as a “poll tax” on gas and electricity bills. Ofgem, the energy regulator for Great Britain, said the zero standing charge option will be offered by suppliers under its quarterly price cap, alongside existing…

The letter from the National Iwi Chairs Forum, representing over 80 tribal leaders, appeals to the King to ensure the New Zealand government upholds its commitments under the Treaty of Waitangi, the country’s founding document.  

Israel is forcing Palestinians from the Maghazi refugee camp to leave after (unverified claim) claiming that a rocket attack originated from the area in central Gaza. Israel’s objective is to displace the millions of Palestinians in Palestine and take over Gaza as Israeli territory. Israel has already killed over a 100 journalists, almost 3000 healthcare workers and 44,000 innocent civilians during its genocide in Gaza. Israel forces Palestinians in Maghazi camp to flee for their lives The Israeli military on Wednesday issued a forced evacuation threat to Palestinians for a five-block area in the refugee camp after it said Israel…

The outage began around 18:00 GMT, according to the tracking site Downdetector, and affected users in the UK, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and the US. Reports indicated over 18,000 issues with WhatsApp and more than 22,000 with Facebook.

At least 19 people were killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike on a residential building in northern Gaza, according to medical officials and Gaza’s Hamas-run Civil Defence agency. The strike targeted a three-story house near Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal told AFP.

Nine months after the searches, a huge seizure arrives for the volcanic professor Salvatore Messina, the director of a dramatic scam committed on the lives of hundreds of students enrolled in his Italian-Bosnian ghost university, a university never recognized, neither in Italy nor abroad. Ghost university, 3.5 million seized from professor Messina. The two sons are under investigation https://palermo.repubblica.it/cronaca/2024/12/12/news/bosnia_gate_universita_fantasma_sequestri-423881834/?rss

Ahmed al-Sharaa, widely known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, leader of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), declared that the former regime’s notorious security apparatus would be dismantled. The statement, reported by Reuters, came after the fall of Assad’s government.

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the devastated Gaza Strip. One hundred and fifty-eight members voted in favour of the resolution, nine voted against, with 13 abstentions.