Ministers call on Nigel Farage to address ‘repulsive’ teenage racism allegations

The first Test of the Ashes series between Australia and England commenced in Perth, marking the return of this historic cricket rivalry after a hiatus of 842 days. The match began at 10:20 AM local time, with various predictions and analyses from cricket writers highlighting the significance of this event. The anticipation surrounding the series has been palpable, with both teams eager to assert their dominance.

UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has expressed concern that Ofcom, the internet regulator, risks losing public trust due to its slow enforcement of the Online Safety Act. Kendall conveyed her disappointment to Ofcom's CEO, Melanie Dawes, highlighting the urgency of addressing online harms, particularly with the rise of AI chatbots.

Keir Starmer has defended his trip to South Africa for the G20 summit, which takes place just days before the budget announcement. The Prime Minister aims to secure investment to address the cost of living crisis and bolster support for Ukraine. His attendance comes despite the absence of Donald Trump, who has chosen to boycott the summit.

Chelsea is set to face Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League at Stamford Bridge, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm GMT. Fans are encouraged to engage during the match, sharing their thoughts and snacks as the game unfolds. Live updates and scores are available through The Guardian.

The Justice Department is investigating the handling of the mortgage fraud case involving California Senator Adam Schiff. The inquiry focuses on whether two allies of former President Trump influenced the investigation, as prosecutors face challenges in building their case. The investigation is overseen by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

An inquiry into the UK government's handling of the Covid pandemic has revealed significant delays and inaction under Boris Johnson's leadership. Bereaved families expressed devastation over the lives that could have been saved with different leadership. Keir Starmer defended the government's decision to delay a review of educational provisions for students with special needs, emphasizing the need for thorough consultation.

A fully digitised collection of the Nuremberg trial records has been launched online to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the legal efforts to bring Nazi leaders to justice. This initiative, which took 25 years to complete, provides open access to every official document from the trials, held by the Harvard Law School library, for researchers worldwide.

The US jobs market added 119,000 jobs in September, as reported in a monthly jobs report delayed by six weeks due to a federal government shutdown. The unemployment rate rose to 4.4%, the highest level since 2021, and the government has announced that no report for October will be issued. This figure exceeded analysts' expectations of 51,000 jobs for the month.