World news | The Guardian

Advocates welcome ‘significant’ number of releases but raise questions over ‘bizarre’ process

US government says it will look into why the company’s recovery from winter storm chaos lags behind other carriersSouthwest Airlines scrubbed thousands of flights again on Tuesday in the aftermath of the massive winter storm that wrecked Christmas travel plans across the US, and the federal government said it would investigate why the company lagged so far behind other carriers.A day after most US airlines had recovered from the storm, Southwest called off about 2,600 more flights on the east coast by late afternoon. Those flights accounted for more than 80% of the 3,000 trips that got canceled nationwide on Tuesday, according to tracking service FlightAware. Continue reading...

Declassified documents suggest Johnson believed in 1996 that Britain could crush the IRABoris Johnson urged a “hard egg” approach to the Northern Ireland peace process in 1996 in the belief Britain could crush the IRA, according to declassified documents.The then deputy editor of the Daily Telegraph favoured a security-led policy over political talks that led two years later to the Good Friday agreement. Continue reading...

Collaborator Rory Bremner pays tribute to Bird, calling him ‘one of our greatest satirists’The actor and comedian John Bird has died aged 86, his representatives have said.Bird became known for sketches performed alongside John Fortune and Rory Bremner in Channel 4’s satirical show Bremner, Bird and Fortune. The show ran for 16 series, as well as one-off specials, between 1999 and 2008. Continue reading...

Many people trapped in vehicles after pile-up on Zhengxin Huanghe Bridge in ZhengzhouOne person has been killed after more than 200 vehicles were involved in a pile-up on a bridge in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou in heavy fog, according to rescuers and the CCTV state broadcaster.Cars and trucks could been seen crumpled and piled on top of each other on the Zhengxin Huanghe Bridge in pictures and videos posted on social media. One car was jack-knifed in the middle of a pile in a picture taken from CCTV footage. Continue reading...

Poor pay and working conditions are main reasons for wanting to find other work, says BMAFour in 10 junior doctors are actively planning to quit the NHS as soon as they can find another job, according to a survey by the British Medical Association.The survey, released as part of the BMA chair of council Prof Philip Banfield’s new year message, found poor pay and working conditions were among the main reasons for junior doctors wanting to leave. Continue reading...

Post-Christmas passengers affected, while driving examiners at 71 test centres begin five-day strike

Cheryl Scanlon says youth crime is ‘complex’ while police minister says number of young people denied bail is proof of tough stance

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‘We’re going to succeed with the referendum,’ Noel Pearson tells crowd ahead of 2023 vote

Man and two women assist police with inquiries after woman found in front yard of Werribee South home

Scottish police watchdog investigating incident in which man died on Boxing DayA 62-year-old man has died after being hit by a police car in Scotland on Boxing Day.Investigators are appealing for witnesses after the accident in Livingston, West Lothian. The victim was taken by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh but was pronounced dead a short time later. Continue reading...

Victim taken to hospital early on Tuesday after shooting near party in north London suburbA 24-year-old woman was in a serious condition in hospital on Tuesday after being shot near a party in Tottenham, north London.Police officers attended the scene at the junction of West Green Road and Grove Park Road at 6.28am on Tuesday following reports that someone had been shot. Continue reading...

Party insiders say manifesto was made up of fresh Starmer ideas and Corbyn-era commitmentsLabour drew up plans to govern in case of a snap election while Boris Johnson was struggling to thwart a mutiny by his own MPs over summer, party insiders have revealed.The “oven-ready” policies were a mixture of fresh commitments from Keir Starmer and ideas from the era of his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn. Sources said it was hoped it would appeal to the broadest base of voters possible and make Labour “the political wing of the British people”. Continue reading...

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...