David Lammy under pressure as two more prisoners mistakenly freed

Algerian sex offender and a fraudster released by Wandsworth jail, days after new checks brought in David Lammy, the UK justice secretary, is under mounting pressure after two more prisoners, including a convicted foreign sex offender, were mistakenly freed, days after he introduced stringent checks for jails. Lammy had refused multiple times to say whether … Read more

Lancashire’s Reform-run council plans to close care homes and day centres

Questions about potential conflict of interest as council’s cabinet member for social care owns private care company Lancashire’s Reform-run council has been accused of “selling off the family silver” through its plans to save £4m a year by closing five council-run care homes and five day centres and moving residents into the private sector. One … Read more

Powerful Afghan earthquake leaves at least 20 dead and hundreds injured

Northern provinces of Balkh and Samangan worst hit by magnitude 6.3 quake, which also damaged Mazar-i-Sharif’s Blue Mosque A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook northern Afghanistan before dawn on Monday, killing at least 20 people and injuring more than 640 others, 25 critically, a disaster management official said. Health officials said the numbers could rise. … Read more

UN resolution on international stabilisation force for Gaza could be ready within two weeks

Resolution may be delayed without agreement over the force’s mandate and a timetable for Israeli withdrawal A UN security council resolution mandating the introduction of an international stabilisation force into Gaza is likely to be ready within two weeks, but may be delayed if disputes cannot be resolved over the force’s mandate, including the question … Read more

Australian homes could be $100k cheaper in 10 years with one change to zoning rules, report finds

Allowing three-storey townhouses and apartments to be built across all residential land would unlock more than 1m homes in Sydney alone, according to modelling Homes could be $100,000 cheaper over a decade if Australia’s capital cities dramatically overhaul their zoning rules to allow three-storey townhouses and apartments to be built on all residential land, according … Read more