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Time is running out for Republicans searching for an alternative to former President Trump to coalesce around a single candidate as the Iowa caucuses rapidly approach. The departure of former Vice President Mike Pence was the latest shake-up to the primary and could up the pressure on other low-polling candidates to drop out as well, especially as former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley gains traction and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) popularity shows signs of slipping. But a new Iowa poll of the GOP field also highlights the challenges Republicans face if they want to beat Trump, who continues to dominate the race. The NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll released on Monday showed Trump with a 27-point lead over his next closest competitor in the Hawkeye State, which will be the first to vote in the Republican nominating process. That’s an increase from the 23-point lead he had in August. Haley and DeSantis were tied for second at 16 percent, with the former U.N. ambassador gaining 10 points since the same poll in August and the Florida governor slipping 3 points. The results come as the non-Trump candidates continue to jostle to become the main alternative to the former president, who has built up a substantial lead in key states and nationwide. “If you are one of the undercard candidates, the sooner you can go head-to-head with Trump, the better your chances are,” said Iowa-based Republican consultant Nicole Schlinger. Candidates have been dropping out throughout the month of October, but they have mostly been minor candidates. Former Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas), former Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton, businessman Perry Johnson and former radio host Larry Elder all quit the race within a couple weeks of each other. FULL STORY

The Biden administration is looking to avoid hiccups in the rollout of new COVID-19 vaccines as it begins shifting coverage of coronavirus treatments to the private market. Private insurance companies will need to start covering treatments beginning Wednesday, but the federal government’s supply will remain available for providers to order and distribute from until it runs out or expires. Distributors and health care providers may continue to order Pfizer’s Paxlovid from the U.S. government until Dec. 15, along with Merck’s Lagevrio through Nov. 10. Medicare and Medicaid will cover the drugs for free through the end of 2024, and the uninsured will also have access to free treatment through 2028 as part of an agreement with the manufacturers. Administration officials have acknowledged the problems when the vaccines moved to commercial payers but said ample supply plus a relatively long transition period for antivirals should make it so those same issues — delayed insurance coverage and lack of supply — don’t happen again. “The federal product will continue to be available for days to weeks. And that gives a chance for the insurers, the [pharmacy benefit managers], the pharmacies, providers, all to work through the system changes needed to distribute the product commercially and effectively,” a senior Health and Human Services (HHS) official told reporters during a recent briefing. FULL STORY

The carbon budget remaining to limit the climate crisis to 1.5C of global heating is now “tiny”, according to an analysis, sending a “dire” message about the adequacy of climate action. The carbon budget is the maximum amount of carbon emissions that can be released while restricting global temperature rise to the limits of the Paris agreement. The new figure is half the size of the budget estimated in 2020 and would be exhausted in six years at current levels of emissions. Temperature records have been obliterated in 2023, with extreme weather supercharged by global heating hitting lives and livelihoods across the world. At the imminent UN Cop28 climate summit in the United Arab Emirates there are likely to be disputes over calls for a phaseout of fossil fuels. The analysis found the carbon budget remaining for a 50% chance of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5C is about 250bn tonnes. Global emissions are expected to reach a record high this year of about 40bn tonnes. To retain the 50% chance of a 1.5C limit, emissions would have to plunge to net zero by 2034, far faster than even the most radical scenarios. The current UN ambition is to cut emissions by half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050, although existing policies are far from delivering this ambition. If it was achieved, however, it would mean only about a 40% chance of staying below 1.5C, the scientists said, so breaking the limit would be more likely than not. But, they warned, every 10th of a degree of extra heat caused more human suffering and therefore keeping as close as possible to 1.5C was crucial. FULL STORY

Police in India are investigating a series of explosions which killed three people at a Jehovah's Witnesses meeting in the southern state of Kerala. More than 50 others were injured in the blasts on Sunday at an event held by the Christian-based religious movement near the port city of Kochi (Cochin). A man was detained after he posted a video claiming responsibility for the attacks and surrendered to police. Police said they were still trying to verify his confession. "He is in our custody. He has also presented some pieces of evidence which we are verifying. The investigation is at its preliminary stage," additional director general of police MR Ajith Kumar told reporters. The incident took place during a prayer session organised by Jehovah's Witnesses in the town of Kalamassery, about 10km (six miles) north-east of Kochi. More than 2,000 people were attending the three-day event. Two women who'd been attending the meeting died on Sunday, while a 12-year-old girl with 95% burns succumbed to her injuries on Monday morning. Senior police official Shaik Darvesh Saheb said a preliminary investigation indicated that an improvised explosive device (IED) placed inside a tiffin box might have caused the blasts. Shortly after the incident, a man named Dominic Martin said he had carried out the attack. The 48-year-old posted his confession in a Facebook video, which has since been deleted, and handed himself in at a nearby police station. Mr Martin claimed he was a registered member of the religious group and was angry with its "anti-national" teachings. But TA Sreekumar, a regional spokesperson for the Jehovah's Witnesses, denied this and told Reuters news agency that he was unaware if Mr Martin had even been present at the event. "The explosions occurred seconds after the end of a prayer as part of the day's event. The first blast took place in the middle of the hall. Seconds later, two more explosions rocked simultaneously on either sides of the hall," Sreekumar had earlier told local media. FULL STORY

The US has dismissed as "absurd" claims by Russia that an anti-Israel riot at a Dagestan airport on Sunday was organised by Ukraine and the West. In a televised meeting on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the incident had been part of an attempt to spread "chaos" in Russia. Hundreds stormed the Makhachkala airport ahead of the arrival of a flight from Israeli capital Tel Aviv. Many waved Palestinian flags and chanted antisemitic slogans. Dagestan, a constituent republic of Russia, has a majority Muslim population, and the incident is thought to have been sparked by anger over the conflict in Gaza. Security forces eventually brought the situation under control, and more than 60 people have since been arrested, according to local authorities. "The events in Makhachkala last night were instigated through social networks, not least from Ukraine, by the hands of agents of Western special services," Mr Putin told a meeting of Russia's Security Council. "Who is organising the deadly chaos and who benefits from it today, in my opinion, has already become obvious. "It is the current ruling elites of the US and their satellites who are the main beneficiaries of world instability." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that "against the backdrop of TV footage showing the horrors of what is happening in the Gaza Strip - the deaths of people, children, old people - it is very easy for enemies to take advantage of and provoke the situation". The governor of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, also said the riots had been incited "from the territory of Ukraine by traitors" using a Telegram channel called Morning Dagestan. Morning Dagestan is an Islamist channel that opposes Russian control of the region and has been associated with Ilya Ponomarev, a former Russian MP who defected to Ukraine in 2016 and was granted Ukrainian citizenship. On Sunday, the channel posted the details of a flight arriving in Makhachkala from Tel Aviv and told its followers to "meet the unexpected visitors". Following Mr Melikov's comments, the channel posted a statement saying it had no connection to Mr Ponomarev or Ukraine. Mr Ponomarev has said he stopped supporting the channel last year, although his own statements in recent months contradict this claim. FULL STORY

Summary Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying it would amount to a "surrender to Hamas" Speaking in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu cites the Bible as he says "this is a time for war" Meanwhile, UN aid agencies repeated their calls for a humanitarian ceasefire at an emergency UN Security Council meeting Unicef says the situation in Gaza is growing worse by the hour, and the “true cost of this latest escalation will be measured in children’s lives” Earlier, the Israeli military said it had rescued a soldier in Gaza - Private Ori Megidish - who was taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October Separately, Hamas has released a video of three hostages being held in Gaza. The BBC isn't showing the video as we do not publish material which may have been filmed under duress Israel's PM described it as "cruel psychological propaganda", while the father of one of the women in the video said his heart "nearly stopped beating" when he saw her Israel has been bombing Gaza since the 7 October Hamas attacks that killed 1,400 people and saw at least 239 people kidnapped as hostages The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says more than 8,000 people have been killed since Israel's retaliatory bombing began FULL COVERAGE

The UK’s intelligence agencies are facing a fresh judicial investigation into allegations that British spies were complicit in the CIA’s post-9/11 secret torture and rendition programme. The investigatory powers tribunal (IPT) has said it will open a second investigation into allegations that the intelligence services were involved in the mistreatment of a prisoner detained by the US. In a ruling released on Friday, the secretive court said it would examine a complaint filed on behalf of Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi Arabian citizen held at the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. Nashiri, who is alleged by the US to have plotted al-Qaida’s bombing of an American naval ship in Yemen, was captured by the CIA in 2002 and transferred to Guantánamo in 2006. He has been held in indefinite detention ever since. Lawyers for Nashiri have argued that there is an “irresistible inference” that the UK’s intelligence agencies, including MI5, MI6 and GCHQ, participated in intelligence sharing relating to al-Nashiri and “were complicit in his torture and ill-treatment”. The IPT’s decision to investigate the claims comes after it agreed in May to examine a similar complaint by another man held at Guantánamo, Mustafa al-Hawsawi. In its latest ruling, the IPT – a specialist judicial body that hears complaints against the intelligence services – said the underlying issues in both cases “are of the gravest possible kind”. UK government lawyers had sought to persuade the tribunal that Nashiri was out of time to pursue the complaint, but a panel of judges said it was “in the public interest for these issues to be considered” in the same way Hawsawi’s case is being examined. The IPT has unique powers to obtain classified files from the intelligence agencies, which will now be required to share with the tribunal documents relating to the UK’s cooperation with the CIA. Together, the cases before the IPT illustrate how questions about the UK’s complicity in the CIA’s mistreatment of prisoners continue to weigh on British intelligence more than two decades after the secret detention programme began. FULL STORY

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Russian forces are believed to have suffered some of the country’s biggest casualty rates so far this year as a result of continued “heavy but inconclusive” fighting around the Donetsk oblast town of Avdiivka. According to the UK Ministry of Defence’s intelligence update on Saturday morning, Russia has probably committed elements of up to eight brigades to the sector where it initiated a “major offensive effort” in mid-October. Ukraine’s armed forces claimed on Saturday that Russia had lost 298,420 troops since the beginning of its full-scale invasion last year, including 740 casualties in the last day. These figures have not been independently verified. The intelligence update states that the nature of the operation in Avdiivka indicates that Russia’s “core military-political challenge remains the same as it has throughout most of the war”. “Political leaders demand more territory to be seized but the military cannot generate the effective operational level offensive action.” Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, claimed on Friday that Russian forces have lost at least a brigade’s worth of troops attempting to advance on Avdiivka. Zelenskiy has continued to stress the seriousness of the situation in Ukraine, which was first invaded by Russia in February last year. During a surprise visit to Nato’s Brussels headquarters after the Hamas attack on Israel earlier this month, he expressed fears that the escalating conflict could threaten military support for Ukraine. FULL STORY

Two people were killed and 18 others hospitalised after a shooting erupted on a crowded street during Halloween celebrations in Tampa, Florida. The gunfire allegedly erupted during a fight between two groups early Sunday morning, police said. One suspect is in custody and at least one more is being sought. At least two shooters opened fire just before 3am in the Ybor City area, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw told a press conference. The fight took place as “hundreds” of late-night revellers spilled out of closing bars and nightclubs in the area. Police were not immediately sure if the people involved in the fight were inside any of the bars before the shooting. Tampa police spokeswoman Jonee Lewis said one person was detained but no charges were immediately filed. “They’re being questioned and we’ll go from there,” she said. Video posted online shows people, many in Halloween costumes, drinking and talking on the street when about a dozen shots ring out followed seconds later by about eight more, creating a stampede. Some people topple over metal tables and take cover behind them. Video from the aftermath shows police officers treating several people lying wounded on the ground. “It was a disturbance or a fight between two groups. And in this fight between two groups we had hundreds of innocent people involved that were in the way,” Mr Bercaw said. Police are still investigating what sparked the fight. Officers were at the scene at the time of the shooting but none were injured, Bercaw said. On Sunday morning, the scene of the shooting was quiet — with few businesses open yet, as officers had the area blocked off. Roosters that roam the historic Ybor City streets wandered among empty cups, beer bottles and shoes left behind. A witch costume sat in the street. The Tampa tragedy was one of multiple mass shootings reported across the US over Halloween weekend, with a total of six people killed and more than 40 injured. In Chicago, 15 people were hurt in a mass shooting at a Halloween party. Police arrived at the scene and witnessed a gunman shooting into the gathering. The suspect, who has yet to be named, attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended and taken into custody. In Texarkana, Texas, three people were killed and three more injured during a party. The suspect in that shooting, identified by police as 20-year-old Breoskii Warren, is believed to be at large. Another shooting in Indianapolis left one woman dead and eight others injured during a party attended by more than 100 people. The victims ranged in age from 16 to 22, police said. FULL STORY

Thousands of desperate Gazans have broken into aid warehouses to obtain flour and basic survival items in what the UN has called a “worrying sign” that civil order is breaking down in the strip. Footage from Khan Younis in southern Gaza showed people carrying boxes and large bags out of a warehouse on Sunday, filled with food items like flour and basic hygiene supplies. The United Nations’ Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said people in Gaza are “scared, frustrated and desperate” after three weeks of Israel’s relentless bombing and siege on the enclave. “Tensions and fear are made worse by the cuts in the phones and internet communication lines,” UNRWA’s Gaza director Thomas White said. “They feel that they are on their own, cut off from their families inside Gaza and the rest of the world.” The UN has said that more aid is urgently needed, citing hunger, water-borne diseases and dehydration. “The needs of the communities are immense, if only for basic survival, while the aid we receive is meagre and inconsistent,” Mr White added. Juliette Toma, a spokesperson for UNRWA, which has lost 59 staffers in the bombardment, told The Independent the raided centres were located in the centre and south of Gaza, in areas where civilians have been ordered to evacuate to by Israel. The massive displacement of people from the north of the Gaza Strip to the south has placed enormous pressure on those communities, adding further burden on crumbling public services. Some families received up to 50 relatives taking shelter in one household. FULL STORY

Former President Trump said in Iowa that he has more than $100 million in legal fees as he faces a cascade of court battles. In a speech to supporters in Sioux City, Iowa, Trump claimed he lost billions of dollars going into politics and lamented the cost of his legal fees. Trump claimed he turned down multiple opportunities to make money during his presidency because, he said, it would be a conflict of interest, and “I have too much respect for the office.” “It’s cost me a couple of billion dollars to be a politician. Everyone else makes, they make [money]. I said, ‘No, we can’t do that.’ I could have made a fortune. The countries are coming [and saying,] ‘We’d like to build a job and we’d like to have you involved.’ Billions. I say, I tell my kids, ‘Sorry, kids, we can’t do it. I’m president.’ I respected the office,” Trump said. “And of course, then they made it much worse with legal fees. I have $100 million worth of legal fees,” Trump said. “And they’re doing good. At least I have good lawyers, because you can spend $100 million and have lousy lawyers too. It happens.” Trump’s comments come as he faces several civil and criminal cases. The cases have flooded his calendar as Trump presses on in his campaign for president. The four criminal cases against Trump include two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith, who charged Trump with 37 felony counts related to his retention of classified documents and refusal to hand them over. The second case charges Trump with four felonies stemming from his efforts to stay in power after the 2020 election. FULL STORY

Former President Trump said Sunday the federal indictments he faces will allow him to retaliate against President Biden if he beats the incumbent in the 2024 presidential election. Speaking to a crowd of supporters in Iowa on Sunday, Trump railed against the criminal justice system and accused the Justice Department under Biden of “cheating” and of targeting him for political purposes — an unsubstantiated claim Trump has made frequently. Trump compared the Biden administration to leaders of “banana republics.” “They brought our country to a new level, and, but that allows — think of this — that allows us to do it to Biden, when he gets out,” Trump said to roaring applause from the audience. “And that would be very easy.” Trump then tempered his threat, saying, “But I don’t want to do it. You know, once you, once you do that, you’ve set yourself on a very downward, very bad path. Very bad path, but a thing like this has never happened before.” Trump also suggested he could have gone after Biden when he was in office, but he said he didn’t because “I had too much respect for the office to hit Joe Biden,” even though Trump said Biden was “the most incompetent president, the most corrupt president, the worst president we’ve ever had. Those are tough words.” “And I would never have done that until they did something that’s never been done. They indicted a former president,” Trump added. “And the only reason they indicted me is that we’re leading him in the polls. We’re killing them.” Trump currently faces charges in two federal criminal cases, two state criminal cases and in civil suits. While Trump has claimed the investigations into his actions were a result of his entrance into the 2024 presidential election, he was already under investigation when he announced he would run for president again. FULL STORY

The actor, who was best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends, was found dead at a Los Angeles-area home on Saturday. TMZ reported that Perry was found in a jacuzzi at the home, and no drugs were found at the scene. Warner Bros. issued a statement about the beloved star: “We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans." Source

SHOOTER FOUND DEAD !

Palestinians, aid groups, journalists and civil society organisations have said they have lost touch with staff and families in Gaza, after Israel knocked out internet and communications, cutting off the territory’s residents from contact with the outside world. NetBlocks, a watchdog organisation that monitors cybersecurity and the internet, reported a collapse in connectivity in the Gaza Strip late on Friday. The Palestinian telecom provider, Paltel, said the bombardment caused “complete disruption” of internet, cellular and landline services. Shortly after reports of lost service, exceptionally heavy bombardment was heard in the territory and the Israel Defense Forces said their air and ground forces were intensifying their attacks in Gaza. Already in darkness after most electricity was cut off and fuel for generators ran out, Gaza’s 2.3 million people were thrown into isolation from the rest of the world. Explosions from continuous airstrikes lit up the sky over Gaza City for hours, but the communications cutoff meant that the number of casualties from strikes and details of ground incursions could not immediately be known. Al-Jazeera correspondent Tareq Abu Azzoum reported on the ground that Palestinians are “isolated in the territory” without “any access to the networks” at present. Palestinians outside of Gaza have been unable to reach their relatives. The poet and author Mohammed El-Kurd, tweeted: “No one I know in Gaza is answering my texts.” The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed alarm, saying the world “is losing a window into the reality” of the conflict. It warned that the information vacuum “can be filled with deadly propaganda, dis- and misinformation”. The loss of communication dealt a further blow to a medical and aid system which was already on the brink of collapse under Israel’s three-week siege. FULL STORY

A day after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its brutal attack on Israel, a curious video emerged out of Tehran’s Azadi stadium. Hundreds of soccer fans, gathered to watch a match between Perspolis FC and Gol Gohar Sirjan FC, chanted in unison: “Shove the Palestinian flag up your a**.” The vulgar protest came in response to officials attempting to raise a Palestinian flag in the stadium to show support for the October 7 attack. But for the fans, it was another unwelcome mixing of politics and soccer, and a stark reminder of the Iranian government’s involvement in proxy battles in far-flung arenas. Hamas’ attack, which killed 1,400 people according to Israeli authorities, prompted a fierce aerial campaign on Gaza that has so far killed more than 7,000 people, according to the health ministry in Hamas-controlled Gaza. And there are now concerns that more fronts will open in the war, including one with Iran. Experts say that while Iran is wary of being dragged into the Israel-Hamas war, it may not be in full control if the militias it backs in the region independently intervene as Hamas suffers heavy blows and the death toll in Gaza continues to mount. “What connects all these groups to Iran is their anti-Israel policies,” said Sima Shine, head of the Iran program at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv, noting that while Iran has varying levels of influence over the groups, it doesn’t dictate all their actions. In the early days after the October 7 attack, questions were raised about Iran’s potential involvement in the killings. Tehran at the time commended the operation but was quick to deny any hand in it . Initial US intelligence also suggested that Iranian officials were surprised by Hamas’ attack, and that Tehran was not directly involved in its planning, resourcing or approval, CNN has reported. FULL STORY

New House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Fox News on Thursday night that he sees a “cognitive decline” in President Biden, echoing one of the network’s frequent criticisms of the president. “Do you see in Joe Biden a cognitive decline? And if so, is that a danger to the country?” Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Johnson. “I do, I think most of us do,” the 51-year-old Speaker responded. “That’s reality. It’s not a personal slight to him, it has to do with age and acumen, and everyone’s different. Everyone ages differently.” “Clearly, if you look at a tape of Joe Biden making an argument in the Senate Judiciary Committee a few years ago, and you see a speech that he delivers now, there’s a difference,” Johnson continued. “Again, I mean, it’s not a personal insult to him. It’s just reality.” Johnson became Speaker of the House on Wednesday, after weeks of turmoil in the lower chamber, where Republicans nominated but failed to elect three other candidates. The President and Johnson met Thursday at the White House. “Jill and I congratulate Speaker Johnson on his election,” Biden said in a statement on Johnson’s election Wednesday. “As I said when this process began, whoever the Speaker is, I will seek to work with them in good faith on behalf of the American people.” “That’s a principle I have always held to, and that I’ve acted on – delivering major bipartisan legislation on infrastructure, outcompeting China, gun reform, and veterans care,” Biden’s statement continued. FULL STORY

President Biden’s approval rating among Democratic respondents saw a double-digit decline in the past month, resulting in one of the lowest in his presidency, according to a Gallup poll released Thursday. The survey found that 75 percent of Democrat respondents approve of the job Biden is doing as president, down 11 points from last month’s poll. Republican respondents’ views of Biden remain unchanged; 5 percent said they approve of the job Biden is doing as president, according to the poll. Biden also saw a drop in his overall approval rating to 37 percent; 59 percent of those surveyed think otherwise. The overall rating is a 4-point decrease from last month’s poll. The Gallup poll was released two weeks after Hamas’s surprise attack against Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people in Israel. About 200 others were taken hostage by the militant group. In response, Israel has launched a series of airstrikes in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of more than 7,000 people and injuries to more than 18,000 more, according to a Thursday update from the Gaza Health Ministry. Biden, along with other Western allies, has signaled support for Israel. The House approved a resolution Wednesday night that expressed support for Israel and condemned the Hamas attack. FULL STORY

Former President Trump said the judge in his New York civil trial “has gone crazy in his hatred,” after he fined the former president $10,000 for violating a gag order imposed in the case. “The judge in the New York State [attorney general (AG)] case refuses to accept the overturning of his decisions by the Appeals Court. This is a first in the history of the State! HE HAS GONE CRAZY IN HIS HATRED OF ‘TRUMP,'” Trump wrote Thursday in a Truth Social post. In an unexpected twist Wednesday, Trump took the witness stand to answer a series of questions from Judge Arthur Engoron about an apparent violation of a gag order in place that prohibits Trump and other parties in the case from speaking about the judge’s staff. The violation was in connection to a comment the former president made to reporters about a “very partisan judge with a person who is very partisan sitting alongside him, perhaps even more partisan than he is.” Engoron suggested Trump was referring to his principal law clerk, who sits to the right of the judge. Trump denied this and said he was instead referencing his ex-fixer Michael Cohen, who testified this week and is a key witness in New York Attorney General Letitia James’s (D) fraud case against Trump. Responding to Engoron’s questions, the former president said he thinks the judge’s clerk is “very biased against us.” Upon leaving the stand, Engoron issued an order fining Trump $10,000. “The Radical Left Judge who should not be handling the FAKE & FULLY DISCREDITED CASE brought against me by the New York State A.G. (It should be handled by the Commercial Division, but should never have been brought!), fined me $10,000 under his so-called gag order,” Trump wrote in a separate Truth Social post Thursday, adding he believes the judge found him guilty “before the trial even started.” FULL STORY

More than 50 years after The Beatles broke up, the band have announced the release of their "last song". Called Now And Then, it is based on a 1970s demo recording by John Lennon, and was completed last year by Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr. Sir Paul teased the song in a BBC interview this summer, saying AI technology had been used to "extricate" Lennon's vocals from an old cassette. The track will premiere at 14:00 GMT on Thursday, 2 November. It will also feature on newly-remastered versions of The Beatles' Red and Blue albums, due on 10 November. Originally released in 1973, the career-spanning compilations have been described by Rolling Stone magazine as "arguably the most influential greatest hits albums in history". Featuring everything from Love Me Do to The Long And Winding Road, the two volumes are essentially divided between the band's early mop-top days (the Red Album) and their more experimental and expansive late period (the Blue album). In a press release, the surviving Beatles said completing the song had been a surreal experience. "There it was, John's voice, crystal clear," said Sir Paul. "It's quite emotional. And we all play on it, it's a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven't heard, I think it's an exciting thing." "It was the closest we'll ever come to having him back in the room so it was very emotional for all of us," added Starr. "It was like John was there, you know. It's far out." 'Rubbish' recording Now And Then was originally written by John Lennon after the Beatles' split up in 1970, and has circulated as a bootleg for years. An apologetic love song, it is addressed to an old friend (or lover), to whom Lennon declares: "Now and then, I miss you / Now and then, I want you to return to me". After Lennon was fatally shot outside his New York apartment building in December 1980, his widow, Yoko Ono, gave the song to Sir Paul. FULL STORY

US President Joe Biden has warned China that the US will defend the Philippines in case of any attack in the disputed South China Sea. The comments come days after two collisions between Filipino and Chinese vessels in the contested waters. Mr Biden reiterated his "ironclad" defence commitment to the Philippines. Manila has contested Chinese claims to the waters, cutting floating barriers and inviting media to film what it calls Beijing's dangerous moves at sea. Mr Biden's statement on the South China Sea on Wednesday was his strongest since tensions between Beijing and Manila heated up in recent months. "I want to be clear — I want to be very clear: The United States' defence commitment to the Philippines is ironclad. The United States defence agreement with the Philippines is ironclad," he said. Signed in 1951, the Mutual Defense Treaty binds the US and the Philippines, its former colony, into defending each other in the event of an armed attack. "Any attack on the Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke our Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines," he added in his speech an the White House on Wednesday, as he welcomed Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Why the Philippines and China are on a collision course Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea What is the South China Sea dispute? Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the US had "no right to get involved in a problem between China and the Philippines". Should the US defend the Philippines, its actions "must not hurt China's sovereignty and maritime interests in the South China Sea", she told reporters in response to a question on the statement. FULL STORY

Police in China have rescued more than 1,000 cats from being slaughtered and sold as pork or mutton, state-affiliated media report. Acting on a tip from animal welfare activists, police intercepted the truck that was carrying the felines in the eastern city of Zhangjiagang. The cats were moved to a shelter, according to a report in The Paper. The rescue uncovered an illicit trade of cat meat and raised fresh concerns about food safety, the report said. Cat meat can fetch 4.5 yuan ($0.61; £0.51) per catty, a unit of measure in China that is roughly equivalent to 600g, activists said. One cat can yield four to five catties. It was unclear if the rescued cats were strays or pets. They were in transit to the country's south where they were to be served up as pork and lamb skewers and sausages. Chinese city bans the eating of cats and dogs Anger over Chinese theme park's pig bungee stunt According to The Paper, activists in Zhangjiagang had noticed a large number of cats being held in nailed-up wooden boxes in a cemetery and monitored it for six days. When the cats were loaded onto a truck on 12 October, they stopped the vehicle and called the police. The story on The Paper, published last Friday, got thousands of angry comments on China's social media platform Weibo. Some users called for tighter inspections of the food industry. "May these people die a horrible death," said one Weibo user. FULL STORY

Russia is executing soldiers who try to retreat from a bloody offensive in eastern Ukraine, the White House has said. According to the US, some of the casualties suffered by Russia near Avdiivka were "on the orders of their own leaders". Russian and Ukrainian troops have been locked into a fierce battle for the frontline town since mid-October. Russia is thought to have suffered "significant" losses in this time. Ukrainian estimates put the number of Russian casualties in Avdiivka at 5,000, while the US says that Russia lost "at least" 125 armoured vehicles and more than a battalion's worth of equipment. A Ukrainian army spokesperson said that Russian troops were refusing to attack Ukrainian positions near Avdiivka because of heavy losses and that there had been mutinies in some units. "Russia's mobilised forces remain under-trained, under-equipped and unprepared for combat, as was the case during their failed winter offensive last year," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a briefing on Thursday. He said that the Russian military "appears to be using what we would call 'human wave' tactics, just throwing masses of these poorly trained soldiers right into the fight." "No proper equipment, no leadership, no resourcing, no support. It is unsurprising that Russian forces are suffering from poor morale," Mr Kirby added. Taking Avdiivka - which lies near the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk - would allow Russian troops to push the front line back, making it harder for the Ukrainian forces to make further advances into Donetsk region. Avdiivka has been all but abandoned by its 30,000 residents as Russian forces continue to pummel it. Earlier this week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation as "particularly tough". On Thursday, the US announced a new $150m (£123.7m) military assistance package for Ukraine that includes artillery and small-arms ammunition, as well as anti-tank weapons. However, future aid to Ukraine is in doubt following the election of Republican Mike Johnson as speaker of the US House of Representatives earlier this week. Mr Johnson - who is on the right wing of the Republican Party - is against further US aid to Ukraine and has previously supported amendments to block it. FULL STORY