WORLD NEWS
Morocco’s Safi counts the cost in aftermath of deadly flash floods | Floods News
Published On 16 Dec 2025
Click here to share on social media
share2
Search and rescue operations were continuing in the Moroccan town of Safi after flash floods killed at least 37 people.
Drought-hit Morocco often experiences severe weather, but Sunday’s flooding in the coastal town is the deadliest such disaster in at least a decade.
A muddy torrent swept cars and bins from the streets of Safi, which lies roughly 300km (190 miles) south of the capital, Rabat.
The General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM), Morocco’s national weather forecaster, has warned that further thunderstorms are likely over the next three days in several regions, including Safi.
Survivors are still receiving treatment at the town’s Mohammed V Hospital, with two remaining in intensive care, according to local officials.
Schools have been closed as mud and debris continue to clog the streets.
Safi is known as a centre for arts and crafts, particularly terracotta pottery, and its streets were left strewn with shattered bowls and tajines.
The Moroccan prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to determine whether anyone bears responsibility for the scale of the damage, according to the official news agency MAP.
Addressing parliament, Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch said: “Thirty-seven millimetres (1.5 inches) of rain fell in a short period, hitting the historic Bab Chabaa district of Safi, which is crossed by a river, and causing the deaths of numerous merchants and workers.”
As the waters receded, a landscape of mud and overturned cars was revealed. Civil Protection units and residents soon started clearing the debris.
Morocco is enduring its seventh consecutive year of severe drought, and last year was the North African kingdom’s hottest on record.
Climate change has made storms more intense, as a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture and warmer seas can spur weather systems.
NewsFeed
Saying the unedited video of a September 2 strike on a boat in the Caribbean is “top secret,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that its viewing will be restricted to select lawmakers, not the general public.
Published On 16 Dec 2025
Click here to share on social media
share2
WORLD NEWS
Bondi terror attack updates: Indian police say gunman Sajid Akram was from Hyderabad and family had ‘no knowledge’ of his radicalisation | Australia news
Sajid Akram was from Hyderabad in India, local police confirm
Sajid Akram, the alleged gunman shot dead by police during Sunday’s attack on Bondi beach, was originally from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad and his family did not know about his “radical mindset”, Indian police said overnight, as reported by Reuters news wire.
In a statement providing more details about the man alleged to have carried out the attack with his son, police in the southern Indian state of Telangana said Sajid Akram, 50, had got a degree in commerce in Hyderabad, the large and bustling tech and pharma hub that is the state capital.
Akram then moved to Australia in November 1998 to find work and married a woman described as of European origin, with whom he had a son and a daughter.
He went back to India six times for family-related reasons such as property matters and to visit his parents but did not return when his father died, the police statement said.
Share
Updated at 20.20 CET
Key events
Show key events only
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
A man will face Court over allegedly displaying a Nazi symbol in the state’s Lake Macquarie area.
On Saturday 6 December 2025, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District attended a home on Albert Street, Swansea, in relation to a prohibited nazi symbol displayed on a boat parked at the location.
NSW police said:
Following inquiries, on Tuesday 16 December 2025, detectives from Lake Macquarie Police District executed a search warrant at a house in Albert Street, Swansea, and arrested a 32-year-old man.
Police seized two marine vessels and other items which will be subject to further examination.
The man was taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with three offences – cause prohibited Nazi symbol to be displayed in a public place, offensive behaviour and breach of bail.
The man was refused bail and will appear in court later today.
Share
Good morning, everyone. This is Cait Kelly, and I will be with you until the afternoon.
I am just getting the latest on patient numbers and my colleague Penry will soon bring you the news about the paddle-out at Bondi this morning.
Share
Updated at 20.56 CET
Vigil in Bondi mourns Matilda
The heartbroken parents of attack victim Matilda pleased with Australia to “remember her name” as they addressed hundreds of mourners gathered at Bondi Pavilion last.
Kelly Burke was there and has delivered this moving report:
Share
Islamic State active in the Philippines
We have a full report on what we know about Sajid and Naveed Akram’s trip to the Philippines where it is claimed in reports this morning that they had “military training”.
There is no hard evidence yet that men met any Islamic State groups but Guardian Australia’s world terrorism expert, Jason Burke, has this analysis that although the reason for the Philippines trip remains unclear, Islamic State is active there.
Share
Sajid Akram’s family had ‘no knowledge’ of his radicalisation
The statement from Telangana police said Akram’s family seemed unaware of his “radicalisation” and it appeared unconnected with India, where police had no “adverse record” of him before he left in 1998, Reuters reports.
“The family members have expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances that led to his radicalisation,” the statement said.
“The factors that led to the radicalisation of Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed, appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana.”
When Reuters on Tuesday visited “Zehra Cottage”, Akram’s family home in the Al Hasnath colony of Hyderabad’s Tolichowki area, a middle-class Muslim neighbourhood, the three-storey building’s gates were shut. No family members were to be seen.
Most neighbours were unwilling to speak to reporters. One neighbour said a doctor lived in the house, referring to Akram’s brother. His elderly mother also stays with them, he said.
“We heard he [the brother] is a doctor,” said the neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“This is a silent and peaceful colony. We have never interacted with them or the family. No one in the colony has any criminal history or has attracted police attention before.”
Media in front of the house of the family of Sajid Akram, in Hyderabad, India, on Tuesday. Photograph: Almaas Masood/Reuters
Australian police said Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed, who was identified by Australian media as his alleged accomplice and is in critical condition in hospital after also being shot, had travelled to the Philippines last month.
The father travelled on an Indian passport and the son on an Australian one, and the purpose of the trip is under investigation, officials said, adding that it was not conclusive they were linked to any terrorist group or whether they received training in that country.
Share
Sajid Akram was from Hyderabad in India, local police confirm
Sajid Akram, the alleged gunman shot dead by police during Sunday’s attack on Bondi beach, was originally from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad and his family did not know about his “radical mindset”, Indian police said overnight, as reported by Reuters news wire.
In a statement providing more details about the man alleged to have carried out the attack with his son, police in the southern Indian state of Telangana said Sajid Akram, 50, had got a degree in commerce in Hyderabad, the large and bustling tech and pharma hub that is the state capital.
Akram then moved to Australia in November 1998 to find work and married a woman described as of European origin, with whom he had a son and a daughter.
He went back to India six times for family-related reasons such as property matters and to visit his parents but did not return when his father died, the police statement said.
Share
Updated at 20.20 CET
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be your morning blogger with the main action.
Police said overnight that Sajid Akram, the older of the two alleged Bondi gunmen, was originally from the southern Indian city of Hyderabad. However, police said Akram had limited contact with his family in India who “knew nothing” about his radicalisation. More in a moment.
It was another night of intense emotion in Bondi as hundreds gathered to mourn the victims, whose named were read out by a rabbi. The focal point was the grief of the parents of 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim. More to come.
Share
SOURCE PAGE
The United States on Tuesday designated Colombia’s largest armed drug-trafficking group, “Clan del Golfo,” as a terrorist organization.
Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has classified numerous gangs and cartels based in Latin America as terrorist organizations, as his administration seeks to broaden the legal means available to go after these groups.
“Clan del Golfo is a violent and powerful criminal organization with thousands of members,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement posted on the State Department website.
“The group’s primary source of income is cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its violent activities. Clan del Golfo is responsible for terrorist attacks against public officials, law enforcement and military personnel, and civilians in Colombia,” the statement said.
What does the designation mean?
Designating Clan del Golfo as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)” and a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT)” means that any level of US-based support for the group amounts to a federal crime based on terrorism charges. Any US financial institution must block funds connected with the group.
Fishers in Colombia worry as US strikes alleged drug boats
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The terrorist designation also serves as a warning for foreign or regional governments and financial institutions that choose to continue to support or do business with the group.
“The United States will continue to use all available tools to protect our nation and stop the campaigns of violence and terror committed by international cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” Rubio said.
Trump’s pressure on Colombian President Petro
The US National Security Strategy released earlier this month signaled that the Trump’s administration’s foreign policy priority is on the Western Hemisphere, and countering what it considers national security threats emerging out of Latin America.
This has included stationing naval assets in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Venezuela and controversially carrying out strikes on small boats against alleged drug traffickers. The Trump administration is also putting massive pressure on Venezuela’s strongman President Nicolas Maduro.
Although Colombia is considered a strong US ally in Latin America, Trump and his left-wing Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, do not have a good relationship.
Petro is a known critic of the US “war on drugs” and the Trump administration’s hardline migration policy. He has also characterized US strikes in the Caribbean as “extrajudicial executions” that “violate international law.”
Venezuelans on edge as Trump escalates rhetoric in Caribbean
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
The Trump administration has said Petro’s government is not doing enough to combat drug trafficking.
In October, the Trump administration sanctioned Petro, claiming he “allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity.”
US Secretary of State Rubio has publicly called Petro a “lunatic,” while Trump has also cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Colombia.
What is Clan del Golfo?
Also called the Gaitanist Army of Colombia, the Clan del Golfo emerged around 2006 out of a right-wing paramilitary coalition.
The group’s main source of income is drug trafficking, and Colombian military intelligence estimates it ships hundreds of tons of cocaine to the US and Europe every year.
The group also battles other gangs, such as the Venezuela-based syndicate “Tren de Aragua,” including for control of areas in the capital, Bogota.
Since Colombian President Gustavo Petro took office in 2022, he has sought to negotiate with Colombia’s various armed groups and bring an end to decades of violence.
The Clan del Golfo is currently in talks with Petro’s government, which signed an agreement after talks in Doha aimed at the group’s eventual disarmament and peace in territories under its control.
Colombia’s government is negotiating with Clan del Golfo, seen here during December 5th talks in Doha Image: Mahmud Hams/AFP
The group has tried in recent years to style itself more as a political movement, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which would grant it different conditions at peace talks. However, the group is not widely considered to have concrete political aims, and focuses mainly on criminal activity like drug trafficking, human trafficking and extortion.
And the US terrorist designation could complicate Petro’s attempts at negotiation, as Washington would now consider any talks between Petro’s government and Clan del Golfo as negotiating with a terrorist group.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox
Get our free View from Westminster email
Get our free View from Westminster email
Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the BBC has a “fundamental flaw” and would have to overcome a number of legal hurdles to be successful in the US, according to a leading media lawyer.
The US president has filed a $10bn defamation claim against the broadcaster over an edit of a Panorama documentary a week before the 2024 US election, which his lawyers argue “was false and defamatory”.
They also claimed “the BBC intentionally and maliciously sought to fully mislead its viewers around the world”. In a statement, the BBC said it will be defending the case.
The programme is accused of misleading viewers by editing a speech Trump delivered on 6 January 2021.
The broadcaster spliced two distinct clips from Trump’s speech that day, creating the impression that he instructed a crowd: “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol … and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell.”
The controversy, first revealed by The Telegraph last month, led to a full-blown crisis at the corporation and the resignations of the BBC’s director general Tim Davie and CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness.
The BBC said documents filed by Trump’s lawyers late on Monday in a federal court in Miami asked for $5bn (£3.7bn) in damages for defamation, as well as the same amount for a claim of violating trade practices, for a total of $10bn.
open image in gallery
The Panorama documentary edited two clips together so that Trump appeared to tell the crowd: ‘We’re going to walk down to the Capitol … and I’ll be there with you. And we fight. We fight like hell’ (AFP/Getty)
A BBC spokesperson said: “As we have made clear previously, we will be defending this case. We are not going to make further comment on ongoing legal proceedings.”
International media lawyer Mark Stephens from London firm Howard Kennedy believes there are aspects of the claim, which the president will struggle to prove.
‘Jurisdiction is the magic element here’
President Trump cannot sue the BBC in a British court as he missed the deadline to do so – defamation claims in the UK have a statute of limitations of one year.
The case has been filed in a Florida court, but Mr Stephens believes this creates the “fundamental flaw” of the president’s case – jurisdiction.
He told The Independent: “His lawyers missed the UK deadline by two weeks. So he then has to find somewhere else it was published – that’s why they spend the first few pages of the lawsuit talking about jurisdiction.
open image in gallery
Donald Trump is seeking damages into the billions of dollars (PA Wire)
“What they say is that American courts have jurisdiction when people are from those jurisdictions. President Trump lives in Florida, so he can bring a case.
“The problem you’ve got is they haven’t entertained whether the libel happened in Florida and they haven’t proved that.”
The Florida court does not have jurisdiction to hear a claim concerning material that was not broadcast in the US president Trump must prove that people in Florida could have viewed the Panorama episode.
Mr Stephens explained: “The jurisdiction is the magic element here. President Trump and his lawyers have to prove the libel of the Panorama programme was firstly published in the USA, ideally in Florida, secondly that somebody saw it and thirdly that the people who saw it think worse of him as a consequence of having seen the programme.
“They try to address this. They say that people on Britbox (streaming platform) in Florida might have been able to watch it and anyone in Florida using a VPN – because it was geo-blocked from the USA – might have been able to watch it.”
He added: “What is notable in its absence from the lawsuit, in all its 87 pages, is any evidence that it was published to anybody and anybody who watched it thought less of Donald Trump.
“That’s the burden that the claimant – Donald Trump – has and his lawyers haven’t discharged.”
open image in gallery
BBC director-general Tim Davie resigned over the scandal (PA Wire)
‘An absence of actual malice’
US libel law differs from that in the UK, as the burden is on the claimant rather than the defendant. The claimant must prove the claim is false, is defamatory and has been published or broadcast.
Mr Stephens believes this poses more hurdles for the president.
He said: “The second [flaw] is essentially there’s an absence of actual malice. In order to demonstrate that, President Trump’s lawyers have to show that the BBC acted, knowing the truth, and deliberately turned their eyes away from it, and put in a deliberate falsehood.
“That isn’t a conceivable element, I think. They haven’t discharged the burden of that in the complaint as far as I can see.
“The president is a public figure and he has to show (proof of) actual malice – that is that the BBC knew it was wrong and didn’t care.
“Practically speaking, you’re hunting for very specific evidence of demonstrable, material harm and the proof BBC knew it was wrong or didn’t care whether it was wrong.
“None of that appears in the claim, and they are essential elements for his lawyers to prove in a successful claim.”
The BBC is committed to fighting the case. As it has been filed, the next stage would it being served to the BBC, but Mr Stephens believes the corporation could have parts of it struck out, enabling it to save on legal costs.
He said: “If it’s struck out before trial, I think it [litigation] will cost the BBC around $200,000.
“If it goes to trial, it will cost around $1m, maybe a little bit more. I’ve seen estimates saying around tens of millions, but that’s rubbish – the evidence is quite straightforward.”
NEED TO KNOW
Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson are touring together this summer
They announced the news Tuesday, Dec. 16 on ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’
Groban described Hudson as “one of the greatest vocalists who’s ever lived”
Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson are finding perfect harmony on the road!
The singers announced on Tuesday, Dec. 16 that they’re set to tour together this summer, and will head to 16 arenas around North America in June and July.
Groban and Hudson, both 44, shared the news on an episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, teasing the audience with a special “secret” they were both keeping.
“We might have the same secret, which I think we should tell people, which is that this summer, this extraordinary, extraordinary, one of the greatest vocalists who’s ever lived, one of the most amazing people on the planet…has graciously agreed to come out on the road with me,” Groban said. “We’re gonna be touring!”
The “You Raise Me Up” singer added that he was “honored” to hit the road with Hudson, and even teased all of the “duet possibilities” between the two, who have a combined 14 Grammy nominations.
“This can’t be my life, but I am so excited. It is such an honor,” Hudson said. “One of the greatest vocalists in the world.”
Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson.
Stifel
The tour, which is billed as “two legendary voices, one unforgettable evening,” kicks off June 2 in Montreal, and will stop in major cities like New York City, Boston and Nashville before wrapping in July.
It comes following Groban’s previously announced dates on his GEMS World Tour, which will take him to Hawaii, Asia, Oceania and Europe from February through April.
“Performing live has always been one of the greatest joys of my life, and getting to share these nights with Jennifer, someone I admire so deeply, makes it all the more special,” Groban said in a statement. “These shows are going to be emotional, celebratory, and full of surprises. I can’t wait to see everyone this summer.”
Groban released the album Hidden Gems in November, a collection of rarities, deep cuts and previously unreleased tracks, including the song “The Constant.” Hudson, meanwhile, released her last album, the holiday record The Gift of Love, in 2024.
Ticket pre-sales will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. local, and the general on-sale starts Friday, Dec. 19 at 10 a.m. local. One dollar from every ticket sold will be donated to Groban’s Find Your Light Foundation, which he launched to support arts education for children in underserved communities.
See below for North American tour dates with Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson.
June 2 – Montreal, QC – Place Bell
June 4 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
June 6 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
June 7 – Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
June 10 – Hershey, PA – Giant Center
June 12 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
June 16 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
June 17 – Atlanta, GA – Gas South Arena
June 19 – Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
June 20 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
June 24 – Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
June 25 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
June 27 – Chicago, IL – Allstate Arena
June 28 – St Paul, MN – Grand Casino Arena
July 1 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
July 3 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
WORLD NEWS
Rob Reiner’s son Nick hires hotshot lawyer Alan Jackson to represent him after murder arrest
Rob Reiner’s embattled son Nick has hired a top lawyer to represent him, after he was arrested for the murder of his mother and father.
Nick Reiner has retained attorney Alan Jackson – whose former clients include Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein.
Jackson also made headlines for representing Karen Read in her Massachusetts murder trial over the death of her Boston cop boyfriend, as well as Malibu rich kid Fraser Bohm, 23, who is accused of killing four sorority sisters in a high-speed crash.
As of Tuesday afternoon, no charges have been filed against Reiner.
He was set to appear at the Superior Court of Los Angeles County today, but he was not medically cleared to do so, according to Jackson.
Jackson told reporters outside the courthouse that he did not know what the medical issue was, but he said Reiner will not appear before Wednesday.
Reiner, 32, was arrested and booked for the murder of his father, Hollywood legend Rob Reiner, and his mother Michele, who were found dead with their throats split at their home on Sunday.
He remains in custody at Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles.
Nick Reiner has retained attorney Alan Jackson (pictured today, outside the criminal courthouse in Los Angeles) whose former clients include Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein
Nick Reiner, 32, (pictured in September 2025) was arrested and booked for the murder of his father, Hollywood legend Rob Reiner, and his mother Michele, who were found dead with their throats split at their home on Sunday. No charges have been filed against Reiner yet
Reiner was arrested several hours after his parents were found dead in their home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Sunday.
Investigators believe the couple died from stab wounds, although they have not offered any potential motive for the killings.
Prosecutors are soon set to decide whether and how to charge the 32-year-old, whose court appearance Tuesday morning was cancelled.
‘He is not medically cleared to be transported to the court,’ Jackson said, adding that it was ‘just a procedural issue.’
His attorney has made a career of representing high-profile clients, including CEOs, celebrities, NBA players and foreign royals.
Among Jackson’s most famous clients was Harvey Weinstein, whom he represented during his sexual assault trial in Los Angeles. A jury convicted Weinstein in 2022.
He represented Kevin Spacey when he was accused of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man in Massachusetts.
Jackson, known for his assertive court-room style, challenged the accusations from the accuser and prosecution. The charges against Spacey were ultimately dropped.
Jackson made headlines for representing Karen Read (pictured together in 2024) in her Massachusetts murder trial over the death of her Boston cop boyfriend
Actor Kevin Spacey (left) attends his arraignment on sexual assault charges with his lawyer Alan Jackson (right) at Nantucket District Court on January 7, 2019 in Massachusetts
Harvey Weinstein (left) sits with his attorneys Mark Werksman (center) and Alan Jackson (right) during a pre-trial hearing in Los Angeles on July 29, 2021
Jackson Malibu rich kid Fraser Bohm, 23, (pictured together in November 2025) who is accused of killing four sorority sisters in a high-speed crash
Jackson most recently represented Karen Read, who this year was acquitted of murdering her boyfriend in Massachusetts after a mistrial and hung jury.
He was a central figure in the HBO documentary on the Read case.
Before becoming a powerhouse defense attorney, Jackson worked in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
He was the lead prosecutor in the murder case against music producer Phil Spector, who was convicted in 2009, and in 2006 prosecuted the killer of race car driver Mickey Thompson.
Jackson was named one of California’s Top 100 Lawyers and has earned a reputation for winning the ‘unwinnable’ cases, according to his biography on the Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP website.
He has tried more than 85 cases to jury verdict, has a 96 percent success rate, and is one of the ‘most sought-after criminal trial lawyers’ in the US, his firm boasted.
The claim is echoed by experts, including legal analyst Lou Shapiro who told the Daily Mail on Tuesday: ‘Alan Jackson has a great reputation in the legal community for being fearless, relentless and efficient.
‘It showed in his advocacy for Karen Read where he obtained an acquittal in her retrial. This case may call for a different approach, such as not guilty by reason of insanity. No matter what, he will be ready for it.’
Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 70 (pictured together in 2023), were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home on Sunday
Rob Reiner was the Emmy-winning star of the sitcom All in the Family who went on to direct films including When Harry Met Sally… and The Princess Bride. He was an outspoken liberal activist for decades.
Michele Singer Reiner was a photographer, movie producer and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. They had been married for 36 years.
Three months ago, Nick was photographed with his parents and siblings at the premiere of his father’s film Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues.
He had spoken publicly of his struggles with addiction, cycling in and out of treatment facilities with bouts of homelessness in between through his teen years.
The father and son explored – and seemed to improve – their relationship through the making of the 2016 film, Being Charlie.
Nick Reiner co-wrote and his father directed the film about the struggles of an addicted son and a famous father. It was not autobiographical but included several elements of their lives.
‘It forced us to understand ourselves better than we had,’ Rob Reiner told the AP in 2016. ‘I told Nick while we were making it, I said, “You know it doesn’t matter, whatever happens to this thing, we won already”.’
Jessica Picton tested positive for alcohol, cocaine and cannabis after being pulled over by police, less than two hours after leaving work at a school in Swansea
Jessica Picton was stopped by police less than two hours after leaving work at Clase Primary in Swansea(Image: Google Maps)
A teaching assistant drove under the influence of cocaine, cannabis and alcohol – less than two hours after she’d clocked off from work.
Jessica Picton was stopped by police at the roadside at 4.45pm due to a strong smell of cannabis coming from her car, an Education Workforce Council Wales fitness to practise committee heard. She had left work at Clase Primary in Swansea as usual at 3.10pm.
The level two teaching assistant, who worked with vulnerable additional learning needs, was breathalysed and drug tested. Alcohol, cocaine and cannabis were detected.
Picton was arrested, charged and later convicted of driving under the influence of controlled drugs and alcohol after being stopped by police on December 11, 2023, WalesOnline reports.
READ MORE: Man who ‘thought he got away with murder’ found GUILTY as new evidence revealedREAD MORE: Plane passenger ‘tries to open door in mid-air’ as police swoop in
Magistrates issued her with a curfew and electronic tag, a 17-month driving ban and a community order when she pleaded guilty on June 14, 2024. She was also required to do rehabilitation activities.
Clase Primary’s then headteacher Sharon Hope, who has since left the school, told the EWC committee, meeting remotely on December 16, that she had been contacted by the local authority telling her about Picton’s arrest. The TA was off work for a couple of days after her arrest, but when she returned Mrs Hope asked her if she had anything she wanted to tell her.
“There was no evidence she was intoxicated in work but there was such a small gap that it was possible she had been in work under the influence of drugs,” Mrs Hope told the committee. “I asked her if she had anything she wanted to tell me. She replied ‘anything in particular?’. I was taken aback.”
The headteacher said that when she advised Picton to be honest with her, the TA claimed her brother had been smoking cannabis in the car, which was why it smelled and why she was pulled over by police.
Mrs Hope felt Picton was not being entirely transparent about what had happened, was worried about whether she had been at work under the influence of drugs and told her to go home and work remotely for a period. She was then suspended on full pay while an investigation was launched.
“I asked Jessica Picton if she had taken cocaine to which she replied ‘not knowingly’,” Mrs Hope told the hearing. “There was a lack of transparency. I reminded her this was her opportunity to give me an honest account.”
Mrs Hope said Picton was liked by colleagues, was hard working and kind to the vulnerable ALN children she worked with. She had started her career at the school in 2012 and trained there. There had been no previous concerns about her.
Finding it proved that Picton was convicted of offences relevant to her registration, the EWC panel also found it proved that she had not notified the school, as she should have, about her arrest on December 11, 2023 until asked about it three days later by the head.
The committee also found the teaching assistant gave misleading and/or false information to Mrs Hope about the circumstances of her arrest and judged that her actions were dishonest, lacked integrity and amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.
As Picton was neither present nor represented at the hearing, and had offered no formal pleas, the allegations were taken as denied. The committee retired to decide on whether to impose any sanction on her registration to work. The hearing continues.
French football champions Paris Saint-Germain have been ordered to pay former player Kylian Mbappe 60 million euros (£52.6m) by a Paris court.
A Paris labour court found on Tuesday that Mbappe was due three months in unpaid wages, as well as an ethics bonus and a signing bonus, under his employment contract with PSG.
It was noted that the sums were recognised by the French Professional Football League (LFP) in September and October 2024, and that there was no evidence of an agreement showing that Mbappe had waived his entitlement to them.
Judges thus rejected the club’s argument that the 26-year-old French forward should forfeit unpaid wages entirely, but did dismiss his additional claims of concealed work, moral harassment and breach of the employer’s duty of safety.
Kylian Mbappe was PSG’s record goal scorer and won six league titles with the club. File pic: AP
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Mbappe’s lawyer Frederique Cassereau said: “We are satisfied with the ruling. This is what you could expect when salaries went unpaid.”
In a statement, his legal team also said: “This judgment confirms that commitments entered into must be honoured. It restores a simple truth: even in the professional football industry, labour law applies to everyone.”
PSG ‘reserving right to appeal’
PSG said in a statement that it “takes note of the ruling handed down by the Paris labour court, which it will comply with, while reserving the right to appeal”.
The statement added: “Paris Saint-Germain has always acted in good faith and with integrity, and will continue to do so.
“The club is now looking to the future, built on unity and collective success, and wishes the player all the best for the remainder of his career.”
Now playing for Real Madrid, Mbappe had taken PSG to court over earnings he said were withheld for April, May and June 2024 – before he left the club for Spain on a free transfer.
File pic: Reuters
Lawyers for the striker argued he was owed more than 260m euros (£227m), and that his fixed-term contract should be reclassified as a permanent one.
Judges on Tuesday did not view Mbappe’s contract with PSG as a permanent one, which limited the scale of possible compensation.
Read more from Sky News:
Passenger jet and US Air Force aircraft in near miss by Venezuela
Angry Messi fans rip up seats and invade pitch as India tour begins
PSG argued that Mbappe had acted disloyally by concealing for nearly a year his intention not to renew his contract, and sought 440m euros (£385m) over damages and a “loss of opportunity” after he left on a free transfer.
In the last year of his contract, he was linked with a world record transfer to Saudi Arabian football club Al Hilal, which Sky Sports News reported at the time to be worth £259m.
PSG signed Mbappe on loan with a mandatory purchase option of 180m euros (£165.7m) from AS Monaco in 2017, making him the second-most expensive player and most expensive teenage footballer in history.
While playing for the Parisians, he won six league titles and scored 256 goals in all competitions, making him the club’s all-time top goal scorer.
WORLD NEWS
US unemployment hits highest level since 2021 as labour market cools | Business and Economy News
The US economy gains jobs in healthcare and construction as other sectors stagnate, shrink.
The United States economy lost 41,000 jobs in October and November, and the unemployment rate has ticked up to its highest level since 2021 as the labour market cools amid ongoing economic uncertainty driven by tariffs and immigration policies.
In November, the US economy added 64,000 jobs after shedding 105,000 in October, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent, up from 4.4 percent in September. Because of the government shutdown in October and November, the US government was unable to gather key data used to gauge the state of the economy, including the unemployment rate for October.
October’s job losses reflected the 162,000 federal workers who lost their posts, a result of deferred buyouts of their contracts, which expired at the end of September.
In November, there was a loss of another 6,000 government jobs. Gains were seen in the healthcare, social assistance and construction sectors. Healthcare added 46,000 jobs – higher than the 39,000 jobs gained in the sector on average each month over the past 12 months.
Construction added 28,000, consistent with average gains over the past year. The social assistance sector added 18,000 jobs.
Transportation and warehousing lost 18,000. Manufacturing jobs are also on the decline. The sector shed 5,000 jobs in November after cutting 9,000 jobs in October following a 5,000-job loss in September.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told reporters on Tuesday to expect to see more manufacturing jobs in the next six months.
His assessment was driven by growth in construction jobs and manufacturing investments, which signal job growth is on the way.
People working part time for economic reasons also rose to 5.5 million, which is up 909,000 from September.
“Today’s long-awaited jobs report confirms what we already suspected: [President Donald] Trump’s economy is stalling out and American workers are paying the price,” Alex Jacquez, chief of policy and advocacy at the economic think tank Groundwork Collaborative, said in a statement.
“Far from sparking a manufacturing renaissance, Trump’s reckless trade agenda is bleeding working-class jobs, forcing layoffs, and raising prices for businesses and consumers alike.”
The data was released after the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 3.5-3.75 percent as labour conditions cool.
“The labour market has continued to cool gradually, … a touch more gradually than we thought,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said after the rate cut decision last week.
On Wall Street, markets fell slightly after the jobs report. In midday trading, the Nasdaq was down 0.4 percent, the S&P 500 was down 0.5 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.4 percent below its market open.
WORLD NEWS
Ministers ‘break word’ on protecting nature after weakening biodiversity planning rule | Planning policy
The government has broken its promise to protect nature by weakening planning rules for housing developers, groups have said.
While developers once had to create “biodiversity net gain” (BNG), meaning creating 10% more space for nature on site than there was before the building took place, housing minister Matthew Pennycook announced exemptions to this rule on Tuesday.
Under the new rules developments under 0.2 hectares are exempted from the policy. Analysis from the Wildlife Trusts has found that this means a combined area across England the size of Windsor forest will now not be restored for nature.
The move is part of a bigger package to help the government meet its target to build 1.5m homes by the end of this parliament. This includes a default “yes” to suitable homes being built around rail stations, and a possible exemption from the building safety levy for small and medium sized housebuilders.
Wildlife Trusts CEO, Craig Bennett, accused the housing secretary, Steve Reed, of breaking a promise to him. He said: “In January of this year when he was environment secretary, Steve Reed made a solemn promise that the government was ‘committed to biodiversity net gain’. Now, as housing secretary, he has broken his word.”
Nature groups have also complained the rule change puts private investment in nature at risk. Private firms have already generated £320m into habitat restoration since the BNG rules were put into place in February 2024.
Beccy Speight, the chief executive of the RSPB, said: “The decision to exempt sites under 0.2 hectares from BNG flies in the face of the UK government’s promise to be ‘the most nature-positive government this nation has ever had’. It’s a blow for nature, for local communities and for business confidence in the future of BNG.”
Wildlife and Countryside Link has warned that exempting so many small sites could still “wreck the policy altogether”, particularly when small developments dominate England’s planning system. About 95% of planning applications are for sites under 1 hectare, 88% under 0.5 hectares, and 77% under 0.2 hectares.
Reed said: “Right now we see a planning system that still isn’t working well enough. A system saying ‘no’ more often than it says ‘yes’ and that favours obstructing instead of building.
“It has real-world consequences for those aspiring to own a home of their own and those hoping to escape so-called temporary accommodation – we owe it to the people of this country to do everything within our power to build the homes they deserve.”
The plans could reduce the need for brownfield sites to deliver BNG. Pennycook announced the government would consult on how to ensure the system supports brownfield-first development, while making it easier and cheaper to deliver biodiverse habitats offsite through simplified rules.
The government is currently consulting on whether, and how, nationally significant infrastructure projects such as airports, roads and waste incineration plants, should achieve biodiversity net gain.
Nature campaigners have said ministers should hold these projects to a high standard in order to prevent mass habitat destruction.
Richard Benwell, the CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “To meet its electoral promise of halting wildlife decline, government should strengthen green economy rules, not shrink them. Rapidly applying net gain to all major infrastructure and stopping developers dodging their environmental responsibilities should be clear priorities, not more carveouts.
“So far, this has been a parliament of delay and relentless deregulatory threats to nature. The public outcry in support of net gain must be a last-chance wake-up call that environmental promises weren’t a ballot box bonus. Restoring nature and stopping pollution are a key test of the government’s credibility and it’s time for action.”