Outgoing FCC chair rejects TV bias complaints that ‘curtail press freedom’

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Complaints accuse TV stations and networks of promotion of 2020 election falsehoods, bias and ‘news distortion’

The outgoing chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ordered it to reject four complaints and petitions against television stations, saying she believes the complaints “seek to curtail freedom of the press and undermine the First Amendment”.

In a statement on Thursday, just days before she is set to step down, Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat, said all four complaints were essentially political in nature. She described them as attempts to “weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC”.

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Labour’s pivot on grooming gangs may not be enough to silence critics

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Yvette Cooper’s unveiling of a rapid review of evidence, after week of arguments against new inquiry, has already been called inadequate

When is a U-turn not officially a U-turn? When it is less a change of direction than one of speed and extent. And on those terms, the announcement of a review into grooming gangs is Keir Starmer’s second such policy shuffle this week alone.

On Tuesday, the Treasury minister, Tulip Siddiq, departed over her links to much-disputed claims of family corruption centred on her aunt, the former president of Bangladesh. Downing Street had insisted for days that the facts must first be established.

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Brad Pitt reacts to ‘awful’ scammers who fooled French woman using his pictures

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Anne, 53, was scammed out of hundreds of thousands after believing she was in a long-term relationship with the actor

A spokesperson for Brad Pitt has addressed the viral story about a French woman who believed she was in a long-term relationship with the actor and was scammed out of €830,000 ($855,000, £700,000) by someone posing as him.

“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of the strong bond between fans and celebrities,” the spokesperson said in a statement obtained by E! News. “But this is an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.”

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‘She stood up for her friend’: caring teenager’s death shocked Croydon

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Elianne Andam was stabbed to death by friend’s ex-boyfriend Hassan Sentamu after dispute outside shopping centre

Elianne Andam was known, above all, for her caring nature. During her memorial service, her father recounted an evening when she found six snails flushed out on the pavement due to the rain. She picked up the “slimy creatures” and moved them out of harm’s way so they would not die prematurely. “Oh, the irony,” her father said.

On 27 September 2023, Andam stood up for her friend, who had recently broken up with her boyfriend. They met Hassan Sentamu, who was 17 at the time, to exchange items. Her friend handed a bag to Sentamu but he failed to hand over her items, including a teddy bear she wanted back.

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Standoff in South Africa ends with 87 miners dead and anger over police’s ‘smoke them out’ tactics – The Associated Press

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  1. Standoff in South Africa ends with 87 miners dead and anger over police's 'smoke them out' tactics  The Associated Press
  2. South African miner describes horrors for those who spent months underground  The Associated Press
  3. 'Mammoth task' to identify South Africa mine victims, police say  BBC.com
  4. South Africa mine rescue ends, anger rises over 78 deaths in police siege  Reuters
  5. ‘Massacre’: Did South Africa starve dozens of trapped miners to death?  Al Jazeera English
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Killer of teenager Jimmy Mizen is now rapper promoted by BBC, reports say

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Parents of murdered schoolboy say prison rehabilitation does not seem to have made any difference to Jake Fahri

The parents of murdered schoolboy Jimmy Mizen have said prison does not “seem to have made a blind bit of difference” to their son’s killer, who is reportedly now a rapper whose songs have been promoted by the BBC.

Jake Fahri, then 19, was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years for killing Mizen by throwing an oven dish at him. The glass dish shattered and severed blood vessels in the 16-year-old’s neck in a south London bakery.

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Britain must build own vaccine manufacturing capability, says Matt Hancock

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Former health secretary told Covid inquiry an onshore facility was ‘critical’ in preparation for future pandemic

Britain must build its own vaccine manufacturing capability as a “critical” part of preparing for a future pandemic, the former health secretary Matt Hancock has told the Covid inquiry.

Hancock, a central figure in the UK’s response to the crisis, said the pandemic demonstrated the “vital need” for a sovereign onshore facility to ensure the country was able to produce and distribute vaccine doses as soon as regulators gave the green light.

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KemiKaze’s ‘relaunch’ speech reveals a Tory leader already out of ideas | John Crace

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Kemi Badenoch says she’s sorry not sorry for the mess left by 14 years of the Tories, but offers no clue of how to dig us out of it

Seeing is not always believing. Fair to say that Kemi Badenoch’s time as leader of the Tory party has not got off to the best of starts. Hopeless at prime minister’s questions and seemingly already out of ideas, many in the party are already looking around for possible successors. Even Robert Jenrick. Things really are that desperate.

Even so, 10 weeks in feels a little premature for a relaunch. If that’s what it was. Hard to know really as no one was much the wiser after Kemi had finished what had been billed as an “important” speech at the Institute of Directors in central London. No one does pointlessness quite like KemiKaze. She is the queen of futility.

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David Lynch, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive director, dies aged 78

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Film-maker who specialised in surreal, noir style mysteries made a string of influential, critically acclaimed works including Wild at Heart and Eraserhead

David Lynch, the maverick American director who sustained a successful mainstream career while also probing the bizarre, the radical and the experimental, has died aged 78.

“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” read a Facebook post. “We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, “Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.” It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

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Arab states urge Israel and US to let Palestinian Authority oversee Gaza recovery

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Arab diplomats fear political vacuum and say PA should work in conjunction with UN relief agency Unrwa

Israel and the incoming Trump administration are being urged by Arab states to avoid a dangerous political vacuum in Gaza and allow the Palestinian Authority (PA), in conjunction with the UN Palestinian relief agency Unrwa, to oversee the territory’s recovery.

The future governance of Gaza is due to be discussed at the start of negotiations on the second stage of the deal 16 days after a ceasefire begins. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has refused to broach the subject since the war began, regarding any discussions on the “day after” as likely to open destabilising internal political divisions inside his coalition.

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UK leader Starmer signs ‘100-year partnership’ agreement with Ukraine during trip to Kyiv – The Associated Press

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  1. UK leader Starmer signs ‘100-year partnership’ agreement with Ukraine during trip to Kyiv  The Associated Press
  2. Ukraine war briefing: Gravehawk revealed as new air defence system pledged by Starmer  The Guardian
  3. What has the UK promised Ukraine in Starmer’s 100-year deal?  Al Jazeera English
  4. British PM caps a week of frenzied diplomacy, as Ukraine’s European allies try to strengthen its hand  CNN
  5. Starmer and Zelenskyy sign ‘100-year partnership’ agreement between UK and Ukraine  PBS NewsHour
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Donald Trump reportedly weighing up TikTok ban delay

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President-elect ‘has warm spot’ for platform and wants political solution to ‘preserve app but protect data’

Donald Trump is considering suspending a TikTok ban in the US with an executive order when he enters the White House on 20 January, according to a report.

The president-elect is exploring an executive order that would postpone enforcement of a sale-or-ban law due to come into force on 19 January, said the Washington Post. The report added, however, that Trump’s legal grounds for suspending a law passed by Congress are questionable.

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