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Sean Dilley sustained cuts and injured elbow in incident during his night shift in central LondonA blind BBC reporter fought off and detained a mugger who snatched his mobile phone in London in the early hours of Tuesday morning.Sean Dilley sustained several cuts and injured his elbow during the incident, which happened just before 6am, while he was on a break during a night shift. Continue reading...

Mohammad Moradi posted video online saying he would kill himself to highlight Iran’s crackdown on protestsFrench authorities are investigating as suicide the drowning of an Iranian man in the south-eastern city of Lyon who had said on social media he was going to kill himself to draw attention to the protest crackdown in Iran.Mohammad Moradi, 38, was found in the River Rhône that flows through the centre of Lyon late on Monday, a police source told AFP. Continue reading...

Exclusive: only £18m has been retrieved by Department of Health, out of suspect Covid contracts potentially worth £630mMinisters have been accused of making a “pitiful attempt” to recoup taxpayers’ money wasted on fraudulent Covid contracts, after it emerged that only a fraction of the estimated total had been recovered so far.About £18m has been retrieved by the Department of Health and Social Care through checks on personal protective equipment (PPE) contracts identified as “high risk” and through “contract management”, the Guardian can reveal. Continue reading...

Country-wide air raid warning issued; heavy fighting near Kreminna according to head of Luhansk regional military

14-year-old boy died during celebrations of France’s win over Morocco in World Cup semi-finalsA suspect has been charged over the hit-and-run death of a teenage boy during celebrations of France’s win over Morocco in the World Cup semi-finals, French prosecutors said on Tuesday.The 14-year-old boy, Aymen, was killed on 15 December in the Paillade district of the southern city of Montpellier. Continue reading...

Lindsay Hoyle tells of divisiveness of EU vote and ‘bizarre’ revolving door of ministers in 2022People’s respect for democracy has struggled in the aftermath of Brexit and throughout a year of political turmoil in which the UK was governed by three prime ministers, Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons, has said.The Labour MP who keeps order in the Commons said Westminster had “never seen anything like it before” with the “disaster” of three prime ministers within three months. Continue reading...

Even oldest resident, aged 100, strips off in venture aimed at revitalising village in MurciaFor decades they’ve grappled with a steady exodus as residents set their sights on jobs and opportunities beyond the southern Spanish hamlet. But the dwindling population of Peña Zafra de Abajo may have found a singular strategy to fight back – in essence stripping down to save their town.“When I suggested the idea of a nude calendar, people said, ‘Are you crazy?’” said Lucía Nicolás, who leads the hamlet’s residents’ association. “But I saw it as a way to put ourselves on the map and show off our hamlet of 16 residents.” Continue reading...

China to lift quarantine requirement for inbound travellers and resume issuing visas for overseas travel from 8 JanuaryChinese people have rushed to book overseas travel as authorities scrapped the last big plank of the country’s zero-Covid policy despite reports of hospitals being overwhelmed nationwide.Late on Monday health authorities announced they would no longer require inbound travellers to go into quarantine, then on Tuesday the immigration authority said it would resume issuing visas for mainland residents to travel overseas from 8 January. Continue reading...

Luhansk city could be step towards launching offensives on Russian-held Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk• Russia-Ukraine war – latest news updatesUkrainian forces appear to have edged closer to recapturing the key-Russian controlled city of Kreminna in Luhansk province as heavy fighting continued in the east and south of the country.The regional governor of Luhansk, Serhiy Haidai, said fighters in part of the city controlled by Russian command were forced to retreat to Rubizhne, a town a few miles to the south-east, as a result of Ukrainian military pressure. Continue reading...

John Wilsher admits there were hurdles to overcome, but hopes his story will inspire others to get back into education“Time goes quickly,” according to septuagenarian John Wilsher, who failed his 11-plus but now at 74 has graduated from university with merit and is encouraging others to seize the chance to follow their passions.However, his return to higher education was not without its setbacks. It was not easy, Wilsher told PA Media news agency, concerned about taking exams for the first time in 35 years and aware his memory was not as sharp as it once was. Continue reading...

Council leader asks people to ‘do the right thing’ as Merseyside force investigates attack of Christmas EvePeople have been told they will be complicit in the “horrendous and abhorrent” killing of Elle Edwards if they fail to share what they know about the deadly shooting on Christmas Eve.Edwards, 26, was celebrating with friends at a pub in Wallasey village, Merseyside, when a gunman opened fire just before midnight on Saturday. Continue reading...

Aslam Farouh, believed to have carried out bus stop attacks last month, acted on ‘salafi-jihadi ideology’, officials sayIsraeli authorities say they have arrested a suspect in Jerusalem over twin bombings that killed two people last month and that he identifies with Islamic State.Aslam Farouh, 26, an Arab man with an Israeli residency card, lived between Ramallah and Kafr Akab, a neighbourhood of Jerusalem, the Shin Bet domestic security agency and Israel police said in a joint statement. Continue reading...

Tory ex-chancellor George Osborne also suggests free meals for ‘larger group of the population is the right way forward’Jamie Oliver has renewed pressure on the government to expand free school meals, with George Osborne suggesting widening the programme could be the right way forward and Tony Blair saying the money could be found if politicians wanted to do it.The television chef highlighted the issue as he was guest-editing BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday as part of his long-term campaign on free school meals. Continue reading...

The Russian-run camps were advertised as restorative breaks; parents say some children have been kept there for monthsKherson city was liberated by Ukrainian forces in November. But for some, the horrors of the Russian occupation are still not over. Nadia* sent her 14-year-old son to a Russian-run summer camp in Crimea – occupied by Moscow since 2014 – in October. He was meant to return after two weeks. It has now been more than two months.In late November, he forwarded her a series of chilling voice messages from his camp leader telling him he would not be allowed back to Kherson because of his pro-Ukraine views. Continue reading...

LGBTQ+ rights groups praise ex-Spice Girl for pulling out of New Year’s Eve appearance on state broadcasterThe former Spice Girl Melanie C says she has cancelled a performance in Poland on New Year’s Eve after being made aware of issues “that do not align with the communities I support”.She did not elaborate but was praised by allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Continue reading...

Queensland police say the boys, both 17, were charged with murder, attempted murder and break and enter after the alleged Boxing Day home invasion

From a Bond-themed party on a superyacht hotel to a £7,585 Gleneagles stay, money seems to be no objectFrom a James Bond-themed ball on a superyacht, to a champagne and jazz party up London’s Shard skyscraper and even dinner and magic on a 1920s train ride – the wealthy are planning some outlandish New Year’s Eve celebrations.Despite the cost of living crisis forcing many households to cut back this festive season, money – it seems – is no object for the wealthy wanting to wave goodbye to 2022 in style. Continue reading...

Contact lost for weeks with vessel that left camps in Bangladesh and was crossing Andaman Sea bound for MalaysiaAbout 180 Rohingya refugees are feared to have died after their boat went missing in the Andaman Sea, making 2022 one of the deadliest years for the refugees trying to flee the camps in Bangladesh.In a statement on Sunday, the United Nations said it was concerned that a boat carrying the refugees, which had left the camps in the Bangladeshi city of Cox’s Bazar on 2 December bound for Malaysia, had sunk with no survivors, which would make it one of the worst disasters for Rohingya sea crossings this year. Continue reading...

Controversial image of male Leiden University board members smoking cigars had long been topic of discussionA spur-of-the-moment decision by academic staff to take down a 1970s painting depicting male Leiden University board members smoking cigars has sparked a debate in the Netherlands over cancel culture.The artwork on the wall of a university meeting room had been a topic of discussion for years, with some students claiming that it both endorsed patriarchy and the act of smoking. Continue reading...

Belgrade has put the army on a heightened state of alert due to tensions with neighbouring Kosovo multiple times in recent yearsSerbian armed forces were on “the highest level” of alert, defence Minister Milos Vucevic said, highlighting the Balkan country’s increasingly strained relations with neighbouring Kosovo over recent shootings and blockades.Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade has refused to recognise it and encouraged Kosovo’s 120,000 ethnic Serbs to defy Pristina’s authority – especially in the north where ethnic Serbs make up the majority. Continue reading...

Adelaide stayed at 27.4C overnight while Victoria is forecast to dip no lower than 26C, the state’s hottest night in four years

Cause of blaze unknown, but an incorrectly recycled battery or vape has not been ruled out

Report warns homes keep getting less affordable, and Australia has one of the highest rates of people spending more than 40% of their income on housing

Campaign, originally blocked by Liz Truss, suggests actions such as turning down boiler flowHouseholds will be urged to take only 30 seconds out of their day to reduce their energy use as a UK government TV advertising campaign designed to cut bills finally launches.The advert, part of an £18m campaign originally blocked by Liz Truss, will air during festive schedules from 8.30am on Tuesday on terrestrial and satellite channels, including ITV, Channel 4 and Sky. Continue reading...

Three Victorians and a South Australian woman die, while two young girls rescued in near-drowning at St Kilda beach in Melbourne

Doctors, Coronation Street and EastEnders among credits of actor whose career included working with RSC and the National TheatreStephen Greif, who appeared in Blake’s 7 and The Crown, has died aged 78, his representatives said.The actor had an extensive career on stage and screen and appeared in other series including Doctors, Coronation Street, Tales of the Unexpected and EastEnders. Continue reading...

Man, 30, arrested on suspicion of murder and woman, 19, held on suspicion of conspiracy to murderTwo people have been arrested in connection with the “cold-blooded shooting” of Elle Edwards in Wallasey Village, Merseyside police said.A 30-year-old man from Tranmere has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Continue reading...

Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigating after two bodies found in aircraft wreckage at Appin

‘Every war ends in a diplomatic way,’ says Dmytro Kuleba

Better-than-expected numbers after 2021’s Covid-hit Christmas remain well below pre-pandemic levelsThe number of shoppers hitting the Boxing Day sales has bounced back after last year’s Covid-hit Christmas – but remained well below levels seen before the pandemic.The shopper tracking agency Springboard said there had been a 50% rise in shopper numbers out on Monday compared with Boxing Day last year, when the Omicron variant of Covid-19 prompted many to stay at home. However, footfall remained 30.5% down on 2019 levels. Continue reading...

Three Russian servicemen killed at Russia’s Engels air base hundreds of miles from Ukraine’s frontlines; Putin says west trying to ‘tear apart’ Russia

Railways closed because of RMT strike while 1,000 Border Force staff in PCS union continue action. This blog is now closedBarclaycard, the credit card firm, predicts that the average person will spend £229 in the post-Christmas sales, £18 less than last year, which can be partly attributed to the cost-of-living crisis.The AA also forecasts that 15.2m cars will be on the roads during the day. Continue reading...

Snowfall in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland on Christmas Day, becoming more widespread on Boxing DayIt was a “technical” white Christmas in the UK this year as the Met Office recorded snowfall in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, although most of the country did not have snow.The forecaster recorded either sleet or snow falling at five of its weather stations across the UK on 25 December, with Edinburgh one of three in Scotland and another two in Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Only 7% had undertaken right-to-work checks and just 11% handed out payslips, Nottingham Trent University research revealsMore than 90% of hand carwashes are likely to be employing workers illegally, without proper pay, records and first aid measures, three years after the government backed a voluntary scheme to tackle abuse in the sector.Surprise inspections of carwashes in Leicester, Suffolk and Norfolk found only 7% had undertaken right-to-work checks, a legal obligation, or could prove that legal employment rights were being upheld. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Foreign secretary urged to speed up efforts to help former staff and their families get to UKMinisters are putting endangered British Council staff and their families in Afghanistan at risk because of a “blockage of red tape” preventing them from coming to the UK, a cross-party group of dozens of MPs and peers says.John Baron, a senior Conservative backbencher, pioneered the cross-party call for the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, to ensure the country repays the “debt of gratitude and honour” he believed was owed to the roughly 200 people and their immediate relatives. Continue reading...

Vashini Jayakumar has spent the past four years fighting for her best friend, Priya Nadasalingam, to return to Biloela – but now her own visa has expiredTamil asylum seekers, Vashini Jayakumar and Priya Nadesalingam, are more like sisters than best friends.And now that Nadesalingam is finally safe, she is hoping the community that supported her will step up to protect Jayakumar from the same fate. Continue reading...

Kathy McGinness, who lived adjacent to flats that collapsed, died in hospital on Christmas DayA woman injured in an explosion at a block of flats in Jersey earlier this month died on Christmas Day, taking the death toll to 10.Kathleen (Kathy) McGinness, 73, who lived at Haut du Mont adjacent to the building that collapsed, died at Jersey general hospital. Continue reading...

Whitby crew urges people not to set off flares in non-emergencies after pyrotechnic was possibly ‘let off as a celebration’An RNLI crew has warned against setting off flares when there is no emergency, after it was called out on Christmas Day for the first time in living memory.Whitby’s all-weather lifeboat launched on Sunday after two members of its team spotted a red flare above the North Yorkshire town’s harbour. Continue reading...

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes’ relatives criticise local child protection service that ignored months of torture and abuseThe family of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, the six-year-old boy murdered by his stepmother after months of torture and abuse, have said they fear more children will die unless there is “total reform of social services”.Relatives added they were disappointed at the scale of intervention taken since Arthur’s death, particularly after a national review found failures in local child protection reflected national shortcomings. Continue reading...

De Morgan Museum reopened in Barnsley and gained accreditation status by Arts Council EnglandSixty years ago, they were so unfashionable they were in danger of being forgotten. Today the Victorian artists Evelyn and William De Morgan are having a renaissance with, supporters say, interest never higher.The De Morgan Museum recently reopened in Barnsley after a major refurbishment. In the last few weeks it has been given accreditation status by Arts Council England. This month it also joined the National Gallery in London and the Metropolitan Museum in New York on an app offering online tours. Plus, there are touring exhibitions in the US and UK and displays in Surrey and Wolverhampton. Continue reading...

Local authorities say they are short of space due to Victorian laws that are also causing rise in funeral costsCemeteries are running out of space to bury the dead, local authorities have warned, prompting calls for an overhaul of archaic legislation to prevent deepening funeral poverty for families.The disposal of human remains is governed by a complex set of legislation in England and Wales dating to the Victorian era, which prevents graves being reused. Continue reading...

Susan Moffat and Aida Haughton explain how their play My Thousand Year Old Land was given a universal humanity by using raw, real-life testimonyThree women – Pravda (meaning “justice”), Istina (“truth”), and Nada (“hope”) – sit around a table, grinding coffee and telling stories. Around them on stage are men’s boots, belts and a hat. The men are no longer here but killed in war.It’s what writer and director Susan Moffat calls “the presence of absence”. In the play My Thousand Year Old Land (A Song for BiH), which Moffat wrote alongside Bosnian war survivor Aida Haughton, we follow three women whose lives are changed by the deaths of their communities’ men in the 1990s conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They find themselves taking on the typically male roles in the family, from tilling the fields to feeding cockerels. Continue reading...

According to ONS data, there are now nearly 300,000 people aged 50 or over in insecure employmentZero-hours contracts among the over-50s have reached their highest level since records began, according to new analysis of official government statistics.There are nearly 300,000 people aged 50 and older with zero-hours contracts, the highest number for this age group since records began in 2013 and almost double the number 10 years ago, from 149,000 in October to December 2013 to 296,000 in July to September 2022. Continue reading...

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As figures show there have been 438 convictions since 2010, party says it wants to outlaw trail hunting ‘smokescreen’More than 430 convictions for hunting have been secured since 2010, figures reveal amid calls to strengthen the law before this year’s Boxing Day parades.Labour, which introduced legislation to tackle fox hunting in 2004, has vowed to toughen up the Hunting Act to close a “loophole”. Continue reading...

An estimated £3.8bn will be spent on 26 December, down almost 4% on last yearRetailers are preparing for a quieter Boxing Day this year despite freedom from pandemic restrictions as the cost of living crisis weighs on shoppers’ budgets.Spending is expected to hit almost £3.8bn on 26 December, according to research by GlobalData for Vouchercodes. Continue reading...

Beijing says drills also involving navy ships are a ‘firm response’ after US defence spending bill prioritised support for Taiwan

Consumers are ‘freedom spending’ after an intense year, but on essentials rather than big-ticket items

Up to 10 people had been feared buried after incident between Zuers and Lech am Arlberg on SundayTen people initially feared buried under snow after an avalanche swept across ski trails in western Austria have been found, according to authorities.Just before 1am on Monday, police confirmed all the missing had been accounted for, the Austria Press Agency reported. Continue reading...

Lifting age eligibility rules would help attract a wider range of skilled workers and professionals, Tourism and Transport Forum boss says