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Australian Defence Force planes now able to use the airstrip at Fitzroy Crossing as weather improves. This blog is now closed

Organisers plough on with plans after Brexit meant Leeds missed chance to be European capital of cultureWhen Leeds was denied its chance to become European capital of culture in 2023 due to Brexit, it should have been the killing blow to what it had been hoped would be a massive year-long cultural celebration.But, refusing to be beaten, cultural leaders ploughed ahead regardless, and now almost a decade of planning and ideating will culminate on Saturday in the launch of Leeds 2023, the city-wide cultural festival. Continue reading...

A man who was trapped in a lift during drone strikes is helping stock emergency boxes for people in the same situation

Industrial action over pay and working conditions has caused almost four weeks of disruptionThe last day in the latest stretch of railway strikes has begun, ending a run of almost four weeks of continuous disruption caused by industrial action over pay and working conditions.Only about one in five trains across Great Britain will run on Saturday as a 48-hour walkout by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union concludes, with no early morning or evening services and a pared-back schedule on main intercity and urban lines. Continue reading...

Defence minister Richard Marles says Australia will need to make its own industrial contribution for the US and UK deal

New $3.75bn US military aid package for Ukraine to include Bradley fighting vehicles for first time; reports of Russian shelling despite ceasefire declaration

American withdrew after recording guest vocals on the Mancunian’s yet-to-be-released new recordMorrissey has spoken out after Miley Cyrus dropped out of a guest spot on his upcoming album, denying the singer had done so over his political stances, which he said are “most certainly not far right”.In a lengthy statement posted on Thursday, the former frontman of the Smiths also attacked “cancel vultures” and alleged the existence of a campaign to “put [him] out of circulation”. Continue reading...

Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko says he is a victim of a ‘telephone harassment campaign’ but Simeon Boikov denies inciting followers

Waiting times for admission to A&E in last week of year likely to be highest recorded by the serviceMore than a quarter of ambulance patients in England waited more than an hour to be admitted to A&E in the last week of 2022, amid “one of the most difficult” winters in NHS history.Of all those arriving by ambulance in the week to 1 January, 26.3% waited with crews for more than 60 minutes. Continue reading...

State broadcaster’s staff held on suspicion of disseminating the clip of Salva Kiir at official eventSix journalists have been detained by South Sudan security forces over viral footage of the country’s president apparently urinating on himself, a press freedom watchdog has reported.The clip, filmed during an official event, shows South Sudanese leader Salva Kiir standing for the national anthem, initially oblivious as a stain spreads on his trousers and a pool forms at his feet. The camera abruptly turns away after Kiir and his entourage appear to notice what is happening. Continue reading...

The former running back was taken to a hospital by emergency helicopter after a swimming accident in Florida, a relative saidFormer National Football League running back Peyton Hillis is recovering at a hospital’s intensive care unit after jumping into Florida waters to save his children from drowning, according to media reports and his family.A relative of Hillis told the local television news station KNWA – which is based in the retired player’s home state of Arkansas – that an emergency helicopter crew flew him to a hospital after a swimming accident on Wednesday in the popular vacation destination Pensacola. Hillis’s children reportedly almost drowned after the accident, but their father rescued them and they were physically unhurt. Continue reading...

Fresh haul follows 11 cars already taken in investigation into social media influencer, who is due in court next weekRomanian authorities have seized four more luxury cars as part of an investigation into the controversial online influencer and misogynist Andrew Tate before a court appearance next week.The 36-year-old former professional kickboxer, who has been banned from a number of social media platforms for misogynistic comments and hate speech, was detained along with his brother Tristan in the country last week as part of a human trafficking and rape investigation. Continue reading...

Latest tranche of assistance will include for the first time Bradley armored vehicles

Largest assistance package Washington has provided marks Biden’s latest effort to help Ukraine beat back Russian forces. This live blog is now closed

Ukraine missile strike on Russian-held city kills 89 troops; Wagner counts costs in Bakhmut and new year on the frontline

Putin’s unilateral ceasefire comes into effect; reports of Russian attacks before and after start of truce

Kyiv’s deputy military intelligence chief says force will form part of new offensives over spring and summer

Exclusive: UK government set to implement hardline commitments to fast-track detention and removal of migrantsSuella Braverman is planning to abandon several of the key commitments made in the wake of the Windrush scandal as the UK government prepares to implement hardline promises to fast-track the detention and removal of migrants.Sources told the Guardian that the home secretary has dropped a pledge to create the post of a migrants’ commissioner, who was due to be responsible for speaking up for migrants and for identifying systemic problems within the UK immigration system. Continue reading...

Col Tim Collins says ‘we don’t do notches on rifle butt’ and kill-count talk could increase Harry’s personal security riskHigh-profile British veterans have criticised the Duke of Sussex’s claim he had killed 25 Taliban soldiers while serving with the British army in Afghanistan and warned the high-profile admission could increase the risk to his personal security.The retired army veteran Col Tim Collins, best known for delivering a rousing speech before the start of the Iraq war in 2003, said the prince’s kill-count talk was crass and “we don’t do notches on the rifle butt”. Continue reading...

More than 2,250 UK nationals ordered to leave bloc between January 2021 and September 2022

Information collected in 2021 is first that aims to show UK diversity, yet 7.5% of people did not fill in relevant questionsCensus 2021 was the first to collect information on the sexual orientation of residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales. Of those who completed the survey, 1.54% identified as gay or lesbian, and approximately 1.51% identified as bisexual or pansexual. A further 0.06% identified as asexual, and 0.03% as queer. This is almost certainly an underestimation of the actual national diversity of sexual orientation.The item on sexuality was introduced for equity monitoring. The Office for National Statistics conducted extensive research, including the 2017 census test, to determine the exact wording and location of the item. Continue reading...

Angela Crawley’s private member’s bill aims to grant three days of statutory paid leave to grieving parentsMinisters have been urged to back proposals that would grant paid leave to parents who have experienced miscarriage.Under current UK law, people are not granted maternity leave or pay if they have had a miscarriage. Continue reading...

Light armoured vehicles arriving in Ukraine are good fit for tactics Kyiv has been deploying against Russia

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says UK capital is a place to ‘live, work and enjoy yourself’

Exclusive: Files raise questions about whether oligarch’s children were made beneficiaries to protect fortune from possible asset freezesTrusts holding billions of dollars of assets for Roman Abramovich were amended to transfer beneficial ownership to his children shortly before sanctions were imposed on the Russian oligarch.Leaked files seen by the Guardian suggest 10 secretive offshore trusts established to benefit Abramovich were rapidly reorganised in early February 2022, three weeks before the start of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Continue reading...

Firm said in October it had not paid any UK windfall taxes because of heavy investment in North SeaShell has revealed it will pay about $2bn (£1.7bn) in UK and EU windfall taxes for the final quarter of 2022 – the first time it has paid UK tax for five years.The oil company had previously sparked anger in October when it said it had not paid any UK windfall taxes because of heavy investment in the North Sea. Continue reading...

All 30,000 BA staff to be re-kitted in Ozwald Boateng-designed workwear but no leeway to pick and mix gender-specific outfitsBritish Airways has announced its first change of uniform in almost two decades, with options including a tunic and hijab and jumpsuits for female cabin crew.The overhaul of the flag carrier’s work attire comes after a painstaking five-year rethink by the British fashion designer Ozwald Boateng. Continue reading...

Concerns raised over health of Pape Alé Niang, detained since 20 December on charges of revealing confidential government informationPressure is mounting on authorities in Senegal to release a journalist and human rights defender on hunger strike in detention, after reports of his deteriorating health.Pape Alé Niang, director of the Dakar Matin news website, has refused food since he was imprisoned on 20 December and has been in hospital since 24 December. A request for his immediate conditional release was turned down on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Pay package is drop of about £35m on previous year but she still ranks as one of world’s best-paid executivesThe Bet365 boss Denise Coates was paid more than £260m in salary and dividends in the year to March 2022, underlining her place as one of the world’s highest-paid executives.The best-paid Bet365 director, thought to be Coates, received remuneration of £213m for the year, about 15% lower than the £250m awarded in the previous year, according to the company accounts published on Friday. Continue reading...

Health department data shows deaths have progressively increased from October, with 738 outbreaks now active in facilities

Warning as cases of meningococcal disease and invasive group A streptococcus rise. This blog is now closed

Trucks normally travel direct from Perth to Fitzroy Crossing but new return trip halfway across Australia is ‘equal to a one-way trip from Paris to Vladivostok’

Users of Chinese social media have questioned the country’s official statistics after a surge in the number of public figures dyingA spate of deaths among celebrities and public figures across China has sparked concerns that the actual death toll from Covid-19 may be far higher than authorities are reporting.Many on Chinese social media have been mourning the death of actor Gong Jintang, who died aged 83 on New Year’s Day. He was known for his portrayal of Father Kang in the sitcom Kang’s Family, which first aired in 2000. Continue reading...

Bumper time for early bookings predicted as industry holds out for post-Covid return of foreign tripsUK travel firms are preparing for the busiest day of holiday bookings in years, as the traditional peak season arrives free of Covid restrictions and with demand fuelled by Britons hoping to escape strikes and constant crisis.The travel industry’s “Sunshine Saturday”, the first day off after the new year return to work, used to be the most popular time to book a foreign holiday before coronavirus. But foreign travel was largely off limits this time in 2021 and 2022, while hundreds of thousands of bookings made in January 2020 were postponed or refunded when the pandemic hit.SpainUSFranceItalyGreecePortugalGermanyAustraliaTurkeyCyprusAustriaThailandCanadaThe NetherlandsThe United Arab EmiratesIrelandCroatiaMexicoSwitzerlandNorwayEgyptIcelandBelgium Continue reading...

Jenny Green offers to exhibit her private collection at Museo Ruso, a Russian art museumA Russian art museum in Málaga has been saved from possible closure by a British enthusiast after she offered to exhibit her private collection of 76 works by Russian artists.The works, dating from 1876 to 1980, belong to Jenny Green, who began collecting Russian art 20 years ago. In the 1960s Green was one of a group of people behind Granny Takes a Trip, the trend-setting Kings Road boutique in London. Continue reading...

Remains of Todd Mooney and daughter Kirra found after shed fire at Biggenden on 20 DecemberA woman has been charged with murder over the deaths of a Queensland father and his 10-year-old daughter five days before Christmas.The remains of Todd Mooney, 54, and his 10-year-old daughter, Kirra, were found after a shed fire at Biggenden, about 78km south-west of Bundaberg, on 20 December. Continue reading...

Raad, who was repatriated from Syria to Australia in 2022, was forced to surrender her passport and will appear at court again in March

Southern Extremeties say four-city tour called off ‘for reasons beyond our control’, with two venues having pulled out prior to announcement

Road train rules eased to ensure supplies and three military planes join efforts to rescue communities in hard-hit Kimberley

The English Australian actor, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, died at home in Sydney in DecemberNeighbours and A Country Practice actor Joan Sydney has died at the age of 83.The English Australian actor, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, died at her Sydney home on 28 December. Her long-time friend and fellow actor Sally-Anne Upton confirmed the news on social media on Friday. Continue reading...

Legislation will allow bosses of key public services to sue unions and sack employees who refuse to workRishi Sunak’s new anti-strike legislation to enforce “minimum service levels” in key public sectors including the NHS and schools has drawn a furious reaction from unions as the prime minister scrambles to get a grip on industrial disputes.The law, which the government plans to introduce in the coming weeks, will allow bosses in health, education, fire, ambulance, rail and nuclear commissioning to sue unions and sack employees if minimum levels are not met. Continue reading...

Detainment of Navab Ebrahimi is speculated to be linked to post about cutlets, a possible taunt over general’s deathIran has detained a prominent chef and Instagram influencer, known for his videos promoting Persian cooking, in its crackdown on nationwide protests, human rights groups and supporters have said.Navab Ebrahimi was arrested in Tehran on Wednesday and taken to the city’s Evin prison, the Human Rights Activists News Agency said. Continue reading...

Robert Habeck says ‘half of our eggs were in the basket of Putin’ but Germany is now recovering capacity

New programme for primary school pupils will teach them about different jobs, training and skillsPrimary school pupils as young as five and six are to be the target of a new careers programme in England encouraging them to think about future jobs early, the government has announced.Children in years 1, 2 and 3, between the ages of five and eight, will be given age-appropriate lessons designed to introduce them to different careers, training and skills, and inspire them about the world of work. Continue reading...

Callum Baker-Osborne, 18, drowned after rescuing three young relatives caught in riptide and letting sister reach safety in 2021 incidentAn 18-year-old man sacrificed his own life by letting go of his older sister in the sea having just saved his two nephews and a niece from a fierce riptide off the Dorset coast, an inquest heard.Callum Baker-Osborne was exhausted after swimming to the rescue of the three young children and briefly clung on to his sister, Samantha Osborne-Ward, for help. Continue reading...

Bakery chain to pay shop staff at least £10.60 an hour after price of sausage rolls went up to £1.20Greggs has handed a 10% pay rise to workers as it warned of “material cost inflation” that prompted a third rise in the price of its sausage rolls in a year.The bakery chain said its shop workers would be paid at least £10.60 an hour from 1 January up from £9.62 brought in last year. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Harry writes in autobiography Spare of being told he was ‘living the life she couldn’t … the life she wanted for you’In his highly anticipated autobiography, Spare, Prince Harry describes how his sadness over the death of his mother, Princess Diana, led him to seek help from a woman who “claimed to have ‘powers’” and to be able to relay a message.“You’re living the life she couldn’t,” Harry says the woman told him. “You’re living the life she wanted for you.” Continue reading...

Regulator is looking into allegations of unlawful advertising of the drug amid huge demand

Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris says sorry after account posts ‘deeply unpleasant stuff’A second cabinet minister has said they fell victim to hackers and was forced to apologise after their Twitter account posted a series of offensive tweets about race, sexuality and gender identity.Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary, said others temporarily gained access to his account and posted some “deeply unpleasant stuff”. Continue reading...

Two drivers in hospital after alleged ‘high-speed accident’ at four-way intersection near Shepparton