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Retailers including Marks & Spencer and Tesco promise to pass on savings to customers after VAT axedWomen can buy period pants for 2 cheaper than current prices after the government abolished a tax on the product.As of Monday, retailers including supermarkets Marks & Spencer and Tesco, as well as clothing shop Primark, have promised to pass on the savings (worth 16%) to customers. Continue reading...

BoM forecasts heavy rain for south-east Queensland and northern NSW, while across the far north temperatures will remain in the 40sParts of south-east Queensland are being battered by heavy rain in a soggy start to the new year, with dangerous flooding predicted.Intense falls in some areas could lead to life-threatening flash flooding, the Bureau of Meteorology warned on Monday afternoon. Continue reading...

Police say one man has serious injuries after terribly serious' fire in suburb of Mill ParkDetectives are investigating an explosion at a New Year's Even house party in Melbourne's north-east which left eleven people in hospital.Emergency services were called to a home on Development Boulevard in the suburb of Mill Park just after 11pm on Sunday, responding to reports of a fire burning in the garden. Continue reading...

Macron says Olympics will bring France a 2024 full of pride' and hope'; some UK New Year's Eve firework events cancelled due to weatherNew Year's Eve is a time of both looking forward, and of looking backward, so before it slips off into the distance, why not test your knowledge on what you can remember from 2023 with our news quiz? Probably best attempted earlier in the evening rather than later.Do the quiz set by Will Dean: Barbie, Beatles and Bankman-Fried: how well do you remember 2023? Continue reading...

Anna Meares among athletes paying tribute to former track cyclist who competed at world championships and Olympics Rohan Dennis charged over death of wife MelissaMelissa Dennis is being remembered as a popular and talented competitor as Australian cycling reels from her death.Olympic gold medallist Anna Meares paid tribute to Dennis on Monday morning, while AusCycling also released a statement. Continue reading...

Scottish singer says six-month hiatus from live shows after struggling during his performance at Glastonbury helped him cope better with my Tourette's and anxiety issues'Lewis Capaldi has said he is going to continue taking some time to carry on looking after myself" after his six-month hiatus from touring yielded an improvement in his health.The Scottish singer-songwriter announced in June he would be taking a break from touring for the foreseeable future" after he struggled with his voice during a Glastonbury set, during which the crowd stepped in to sing the lyrics to his final songs. Continue reading...

68-year-old held on suspicion of murder after two women found in house in CheadleA man has been arrested after two women were found dead at a house in Cheadle, Staffordshire, on New Year's Eve.The 68-year-old was arrested on suspicion of two counts of murder, Staffordshire police have said. Continue reading...

Nick McKim says national security committee documents used to justify the war may answer questions about momentous foreign policy decision

Heavy bombing continues, while Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel has shown unparalleled morality' in its conduct in Gaza

Plymouth winter wonderland and train services also scrapped as Met Office warns of gales along southern English and Welsh coastsInclement weather has caused several New Year's Eve firework displays to be cancelled, as heavy rain and high winds threatened to dampen the party spirit of thousands of revellers.In the south-west of England, a winter wonderland event in Plymouth and a Devon town's firework display were among those to be pulled due to the wet conditions on Sunday, and the Met Office warned that exposed coasts and hills on the southern coast of England and in south Wales would continue to be battered by strong winds. Continue reading...

Monarch will step down on 14 January, the 52nd anniversary of her accession, and leave the throne to her son FrederikThe queen of Denmark has announced that she is to abdicate after 52 years on the throne.Announcing the surprise news to the nation in her new year speech, Queen Marghrethe II said she would step down on 14 January, the 52nd anniversary of her accession, leaving the throne to her son, Crown Prince Frederik.Associated Press contributed to this report Continue reading...

Kate Vokes, 54, and Archie Vokes, 22, from Manchester, killed while skiing off-piste near Mont BlancThe family of a mother and son who died in an avalanche in the French Alps have said they are beyond heartbroken" by the tragedy.Kate Vokes, 54, and Archie Vokes, 22, from Manchester were killed when the avalanche swept through an off-piste section of the resort of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, near Mont Blanc, on 28 December. Continue reading...

Some Conservatives say PM's reported meetings with Boris Johnson's former chief aide show lack of judgmentConservative MPs have expressed anger and alarm at the claim that Rishi Sunak offered Dominic Cummings a secret deal to help him win the election, with one saying Boris Johnson's former chief aide should have no place in political life".Other Tory MPs have commented in WhatsApp groups to express opposition to the idea, first revealed in the Sunday Times, with some saying it showed a lack of judgment by Sunak. Another likened it to letting an arsonist into your home". Continue reading...

Marvin Rees says best way to tackle issues such as decaying infrastructure and the climate emergency is at a city levelMarvin Rees, the outgoing mayor of Bristol, has called for more power to be put in the hands of city leaders to help tackle issues such as decaying infrastructure and the climate emergency.Rees, who is nearing the end of an eight-year stint, argued that the concentration of power in London was a UK disease" that was curbing progress across the country. Continue reading...

Capt Harpreet Chandi so glad' after covering 1,130km of Antarctic ice in 31 days, 13 hours and 19 minutesA British army medical officer says she has become the fastest woman to ski solo across Antarctica, having previously beaten two other Guinness World Records for Antarctic trekking.Capt Harpreet Chandi, nicknamed Polar Preet, claims to have secured her third world record by covering 1,130km (702 miles) of Antarctic ice in 31 days, 13 hours and 19 minutes. Continue reading...

Wave of drone and missile strikes that wounded dozens was retaliation for terrorist attack', says Moscow

Those affected decry disgusting' lack of communication, while others had to pay 1,000 to travel the next dayWhat promised to be a romantic New Year's Eve in Paris ended in tears and travel trauma for Sean Winterbottom and his partner, Amy. The couple were among about 30,000 passengers to have their Eurostar journey cancelled on Saturday because of a flooded tunnel under the Thames.We were going to go for a flash dinner and ... we had bookings, hotel reservations and everything," Sean said of the trip they had been looking forward to for months. Continue reading...

Joining court would allow investigation of Xi Jinping if he were to order act of war against TaiwanTaiwan's government is considering joining the international criminal court, in part to increase deterrence of a Chinese attack or invasion.Supporters also say it would help universalise the international legal system, which has a low presence in Asia, and increase Taiwan's global participation at a time when Beijing works to keep it as isolated as possible. Continue reading...

Kristy Holmes always knew she could use her electric car for good things', but when storms caused a blackout, it proved life-savingAn electric vehicle owner has used her car's emergency power system to run her 11-year-old son's lifesaving dialysis machine and another has ridden to the rescue of his neighbours after devastating storms cut power in south-east Queensland.When the power went down following storms and flash flooding on Christmas Day, many residents immediately felt the consequences: electric gates did not work, septic tanks began to fill, air conditioners could not run and fridges began to warm as a heatwave followed. Continue reading...

Cabinet papers from 2003 show there was no formal submission before decision was taken to join US-led coalition of the willing'Australia joined the US-led invasion of Iraq, one of the most contentious decisions of John Howard's prime ministership, without a formal cabinet submission setting out a full analysis of the risks.Cabinet papers published by the National Archives on Monday show the full cabinet signed off on the decision on 18 March 2003 based on oral reports by the prime minister". Continue reading...

Woman came forward to Prospect trade union after feeling allegations were not sufficiently dealt withA Ministry of Defence civil servant has told of being subjected to three separate incidents of sexual assault by male colleagues, after allegations emerged of a hostile" and toxic" culture at the department.The woman came forward to Prospect, the trade union, after feeling that her allegations were not sufficiently investigated and dealt with by the Ministry of Defence. Continue reading...

As the singer prepares to host the BBC's new year special, it caps a stellar 2023 for the star who launched a meme phenomenonSome may think: why is the BBC welcoming in 2024 with Mr 1987"? Though that suggests they missed the memo about the spectacular revival of Rick Astley. On Sunday night, 1980s pop star Astley will host BBC One's New Year's Eve show from the Roundhouse in Camden, north-west London, following in the footsteps of Sam Ryder and Years & Years, fronted by Olly Alexander.Stars come back. It's what they do. But few manage to do it in a way that makes them look infinitely cooler than before. As Astley, 57, continues to ride the Rickrolling phenomenon (more of which anon), his 2023 has been stellar. Continue reading...

From Sunday it is illegal to rehome, sell or transfer ownership of the dogs in England and WalesA judicial review hearing has been granted for campaigners seeking to overturn the UK government's ban on XL bully dogs, with owners of the animals now subject to tight restrictions as the legislation comes into force.From Sunday, it is illegal to rehome, sell or transfer ownership of XL bully dogs in England and Wales, and they must be muzzled and kept on a leash when in public, with animal rescue centres fearing they could be forced to euthanise hundreds of dogs. Continue reading...

Javier Milei swept aside an anti-nepotism law to appoint his sister to a high-ranking position - but who is she?When Javier Milei first walked into Argentina's presidential palace earlier this month, the radical libertarian leader was not accompanied by his vice-president, Victoria Villarruel, nor his partner, the actor Fatima Florez.Milei's escort at this key political moment was a woman who many analysts describe as the true power behind his throne: his sister, Karina. Continue reading...

During the final years of his life, the former Italian premier amassed thousands of mostly worthless' works from late-night shopping channels. Lucas Vianini became their curatorLucas Vianini was presenting what he described as a very suggestive" painting of a grieving Virgin Mary on a late-night shopping channel when the art expert received a call from a keen buyer.It was not uncommon to receive prank calls when presenting paintings during the live TV auctions. So when the channel's telephone operator told him that the buyer was called Silvio Berlusconi, he thought it was a joke. Continue reading...

Archives reveal confidential letters exchanged by prime minister and SDP leader that shed light on a Kremlin espionage rowA confidential exchange of letters, released after 30 years of government secrecy, between former prime minister Margaret Thatcher and David Owen, then the leader of the the Social Democratic party (SDP), has shed new light on an enduring MI5 spy scandal.The real-life espionage drama, which began in 1983 with a mysterious Moscow death and was followed by the arrest in Britain of a would-be MI5 mole, led to a full-scale internal investigation into the security service and fuelled an escalating diplomatic feud with the Kremlin. Continue reading...

Residents say ministers have wasted six years and dodged' making plan for tower since fire claimed 72 livesResidents and bereaved families say they have been left in limbo" over the future of Grenfell Tower after a decision to award a new maintenance contract for the building until 2027.More than 100m has already been spent on tower maintenance and site management since the fire that claimed 72 lives in June 2017. Housing secretary Michael Gove is now under pressure to provide a timeline for deciding on demolition. Continue reading...

Displays expected in cities across country to ring in 2024 while predicted wild weather on east coast could disrupt revelryHeat and hail have been forecast across parts of the country as hundreds queue outside the Sydney Opera House to secure front-row seats for the New Year's Eve fireworks.Lines in Circular Quay began to form at 8am on Sunday as people sought to stake their claim to a view. By 11.24am, organisers announced the Sydney Opera House vantage point is full and advised members of the public to seek alternative options. Continue reading...

It's hot. It's just hot', says Wendy McWhirter Brooks a resident of the remote Western Australian town of Marble BarThere will be no fireworks in Marble Bar as residents of the hottest town in Australia" sweat through a scorching New Year's Eve.The mercury in the remote Western Australian towns of Marble Bar and Roebourne were expected to reach 48C on Sunday, with top temperatures expected to stay above 40C for the next six days. Continue reading...

An escalation could spark a conflagration that would bring Israel into open confrontation with Iran, and suck in the US tooThe Middle East has been slipping towards the precipice of a regional war ever since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October and the ferocious Israeli response in Gaza. The past week has shown how the cliff edge keeping it from that abyss could quickly crumble away.Within hours of the outbreak of the Gaza war, the Hezbollah Shia militia in Lebanon began to fire on northern Israeli towns and villages in solidarity with Palestinians, triggering Israeli air strikes in response, and Houthi forces in Yemen attacked ships in the Red Sea with real or perceived Israeli connections. Continue reading...

Exclusive: housing association payouts over failures to fix life-threatening mould and damp average only 445Leading private providers of social housing in Britain have been made to pay out only a few hundred pounds on average in financial penalties for severely mistreating tenants, the Observer can reveal.An analysis of every decision made by the housing ombudsman, the primary regulator of social housing in Britain, shows that across the 2,907 rulings it made in the past three years, the average financial penalty for housing associations was just 445. Continue reading...

An 18-hour Russian aerial barrage across Ukraine that killed 41 civilians has been followed up by further bombardment of Kharkiv on New Year's Eve

Trains, buses, trams and ferries: here's what you need to know, for your state or territoryAs revellers prepare for the trek home after New Year's Eve celebrations, most cities are offering free public transport, and more of it.Here is what you need to know, depending on your state or territory. Continue reading...

Ahmad, who fled Iran more than a decade ago, has finally been reunited with his his wife and children ... and the dog came too. Two charities proved crucialDonate to our charity appeal hereFor a dozen years after Ahmad fled Iran in fear of his life, he was sustained by his Christian faith and the hope that one day he would be reunited with his wife and two sons.Now the family is once again living under one roof - and with an additional member: a boisterous shih tzu terrier, who flew to the UK to complete the reunion. Continue reading...

Declassified files from John Major's private secretary reveal the extraordinary level of planning that goes into a handover of powerJohn and Norma Major were so resigned to a Conservative party defeat by Labour in the 1997 election that Norma discreetly" moved her clothes out of Downing Street in the weeks leading up to polling day, declassified files from the National Archives show.In an advisory note dated October 2000, Alex Allan, who had been principal private secretary to John Major and briefly to Tony Blair, wrote to Jeremy Heywood, who at the time was holding that role under Blair, advising on what ought to be done in the run-up to the next general election in 2001. Continue reading...

A historic trial, which will call on 61 witnesses worldwide, is expected to set a precedent for global corporations in foreign jurisdictionsBefore the arrival of Lundin Oil in the town of Leer, now part of South Sudan, life there was peaceful, says George Tai Kuony. His childhood was that of a typical village boy", driving cattle, helping his family and going to school. But in June 1998, when he was 15, armed forces entered the town and changed his life for ever.He fled, became separated from his family and hid for seven days before he was able to return. When we got there, Leer wasn't the town I had left seven days ago," says the 40-year-old lawyer and human rights defender. Everything was burned down, everything was destroyed. I could see the bodies of dead people lying in the street." As a result of the conflict, he lost his father, and later his mother and one sibling. Continue reading...

Beijing steps up its efforts to tighten control of what is taught in its classrooms, deterring western teachers from working in the countryA new patriotic" education law is set to put a squeeze on British schools in China as Beijing steps up its efforts to tighten control of what is taught in its classrooms.Less than five years ago, the Chinese and British media were full of reports about the boom years" of British education in China. Elite British schools had seized the commercial opportunity of opening campuses to cater to wealthy Chinese families and the children of expats, and were opening new branches at a rapid clip. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak told activist's sister in 2022 that government was totally committed' to resolving the caseThe family of the imprisoned British-Egyptian writer and activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah have said the British government has failed to act to free him, a year after the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, told his sister the government was totally committed to resolving your brother's case".A figurehead in Egypt's 2011 uprising, which overthrew Hosni Mubarak as president, Abd el-Fattah spent most of the past decade behind bars for his activism. He was rearrested in 2019 following a brief period out of prison but under police surveillance, and was sentenced in December 2021 to a further five years in detention for spreading false news undermining national security", after resharing a social media post about torture. Continue reading...

Tunnel under Thames near Ebbsfleet was closed not by weather, but burst pipe, with Southeastern Railway also affectedEurostar said services through the Channel tunnel would resume on Sunday but there were warnings of further delays and busy stations.Unprecedented" flooding was brought under control on Saturday, meaning at least one of the affected tunnels - under the Thames near Ebbsfleet, not under the Channel itself - could be used. Continue reading...

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Video shows airline staff and other passengers holding a man down after disturbance on flight on SundayFederal police are investigating after Qantas cabin crew were forced to pin down a disruptive passenger on a flight from Bali on Sunday.Video shows Qantas staff and other passengers holding the man down after a disturbance on a flight from Bali to Melbourne. Continue reading...

Two other men, thought to be Polish nationals, sustain life-threatening injuries as blaze destroys two-storey house in CroydonA third man has died after a house fire in south London, police have said.Another man sustained life-threatening injuries in the blaze that destroyed a two-storey end-of-terrace house on Friday night in Croydon, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Illegal use of fireworks can lead to thousands of dollars in fines and even jail. Here are the rules around the countryHefty fines and even jail time are on the cards for those who set off illegal fireworks this New Year's Eve.People right across the country used to partake in the annual cracker night" festival, setting off fireworks in their back yards, but most states and territories began banning this practice in the 1980s. Continue reading...

IDF bombs urban refugee camps, UN agency warns of famine risk and skirmishes on Lebanon border intensify

Shadow front bencher says Keir Starmer would not have resignation honours after appalling spectacle' of ex-prime minister rewarding cronies'Labour last night promised there would be no resignation honour's list issued by Keir Starmer if he were to become prime minister, as outrage grew over the list of peerages, knighthoods and other rewards showered by Liz Truss on those associated with her disastrous 49 days in office.Shadow leader of the House, Lucy Powell, told the Observer: The appalling spectacle of Truss rewarding her cronies for helping her crash the economy and cause mortgage misery for millions demeans politics. Continue reading...

Party historian MP Jon Cruddas questions readiness for power of leader with few ties to movement's roots or ideologyA key centre-left Labour MP says Keir Starmer appears to lack a clear sense of purpose due to his detachment from his party's traditions, and casts doubt on whether he can become one of its more successful prime ministers.In A Century of Labour, a book published to mark 100 years since the formation of the first Labour government on 22 January 1924 under Ramsay MacDonald, Jon Cruddas says that Starmer - while clearly a decent" and principled" man - remains an elusive leader, difficult to find". Continue reading...

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Police launch murder investigation after stabbing on Abbey estate near St John's Wood on Friday eveningA 29-year-old man has been stabbed to death in north-west London, police said.Officers were called by the London ambulance service to the scene at the Abbey estate near St John's Wood just after 7.30pm on Friday. Continue reading...

Former prime minister is barred from standing in elections after being jailed for unlawfully selling state gifts while in officePakistan's election body has rejected former prime minister Imran Khan's nomination to contest the 2024 national elections in two constituencies, officials and his party's media team said on Saturday.The 71-year-old former cricket star has been embroiled in a tangle of political and legal battles since he was ousted as prime minister in April 2022. He has not been seen in public since he was jailed for three years in August for unlawfully selling state gifts while in office from 2018 to 2022. Continue reading...

Early next year, the NatWest in the market town of Bakewell will close, leaving the whole area de-banked'It's midday on a Friday and a sizeable queue has formed inside the NatWest branch in Bakewell, the last remaining bank in the whole of the Peak District.The two staff members on duty are dealing with a stream of customers including elderly people with queries, people cashing cheques and business owners collecting change for their shops. Continue reading...