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After an unseasonably cold start to summer, temperatures are set to hit the high 20s and 30s in most of mainland Australia for Christmas and Boxing Day

Three 2,500-year-old pieces will be ‘donated’ to Greece’s Archbishop Ieronymos II amid wider conversation about future of Parthenon marbles held by BritainPope Francis has decided to return to Greece three 2,500-year-old pieces of the Parthenon that have been in the papal collections of the Vatican Museums for two centuries.The Vatican said in a brief statement that the pope was giving them to Archbishop Ieronymos II, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church and Greece’s spiritual leader, as a “donation” and “a concrete sign of his sincere desire to follow in the ecumenical path of truth”. Continue reading...

Draft legislation to be published in spring after public consultation found support for measuresLegislation nicknamed Martyn’s law in memory of a victim of the Manchester Arena bombing is to be introduced to ensure stronger protections against terrorism in public places.Martyn Hett, 29, was one of 22 people killed in the attack at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017. His mother, Figen Murray, has campaigned for new measures. Continue reading...

Pressure on roads will be heightened by RMT strike at Network Rail from 6pm Christmas EveUK drivers are embarking on an estimated 20m car trips to see friends and family in the run-up to Christmas Day.The RAC said traffic will build steadily from Monday before peaking on Friday and Saturday, which is Christmas Eve. Continue reading...

UK prime minister joins Nordic and Baltic leaders at summit on countering Russian aggression

NSW police say the body of a woman, 31, has been found in a home in Cranebrook

One concertgoer claims security guards ‘kettled’ fans into a confined space outside Asake gigWitnesses to the deadly crush outside the O2 Academy Brixton last Thursday have insisted many fans in the crowd outside had tickets, rejecting reports of a ticketless mob storming the venue.After the death of 33-year-old Rebecca Ikumelo was announced on Saturday, fans criticised the security and organisation at the event. Continue reading...

RCN says talks must take place this week or more strikes will be tabled for new year, as ambulance staff prepare to walk outThe health secretary, Steve Barclay, is expected to contact unions to urge fresh talks aimed at averting further strikes, amid new warnings that more action could put patients in danger.It comes as No 10 rejected a proposal to give nurses a one-off lump-sum payment in an attempt to end the industrial action, one of the measures Barclay had suggested as a compromise in crunch Whitehall meetings last week. Continue reading...

British ministry of defence says Russian soldiers also troubled by lack of equipment and uncertainty over war’s objectives

Met Office issues amber warning for ice in north of England and says warmer weather also brings risks of floodingTemperatures could rise as high as 14C (57F) in parts of the UK on Monday, the Met Office has predicted, but the warmer weather will bring a risk of flooding.Most of south Wales, the south-west of England and some of the south-east is under a yellow warning for rain, with a chance of some flooding. Surface-level flooding may also occur in other parts of the UK as snow and ice on higher ground melt overnight. Continue reading...

Ibrahima Bah charged with facilitating attempted illegal entry into UK after incident this weekA teenager has been charged with people-smuggling after four people died while attempting to cross the Channel.Ibrahima Bah, 19, of no fixed address, has been charged with facilitating attempted illegal entry into the UK after four people died and 39 were rescued when a boat capsized in the Channel this week, Kent police have said. Continue reading...

Fall in votes follows President Kais Saied’s suspension of legislature and redrawing of country’s political mapTunisia has been plunged into political uncertainty after it recorded the lowest electoral turnout in its recent history following President Kais Saied’s suspension of parliament and subsequent redrawing of the country’s political map.Its main opposition alliance called on Saied to “leave immediately” as voters overwhelmingly snubbed the the legislative election in what officials at the country’s Instance Supérieure Indépendante pour les Élections (ISIE) said was a participation rate of 8.8%. Continue reading...

Moscow unveils plans to deploy musicians to frontline in bid to boost morale among Russian troops

Inquiry launched into ‘wilful damage leading to death’ after six adults and four children perished on FridayFrench prosecutors have opened an investigation into “wilful damage leading to death” after a pre-dawn blaze killed 10 people in a rundown seven-storey block of flats outside Lyon.The Lyon public prosecutor’s office said six adults and four children died in the fire on Friday in Vaulx-en-Velin and 24 people had been injured, four of whom remained in a serious condition in hospital. Initial reports said five adults and five children were killed. Continue reading...

Former Napalm Death drummer Mick Harris has sparked debate among musicians about how to tackle senior yearsThe world of rock is a dangerous place to stay, with veteran musicians either damaged by the lifestyle or growing more out of touch with every passing year. This is the view of some of Britain’s well-known performers, responding to a rightwing Twitter rant from a one-time rock radical.The drummer Mick Harris, an original member of Napalm Death, launched an angry attack last week on “dole scroungers” and “benefit cheats” in a short video, full of crude language. This led to a lively online debate among 90s rockers about the best way for ageing musicians to tackle their senior years. Continue reading...

Minister defends refusal to override pay offer despite threat of further industrial action in JanuaryOliver Dowden has said the UK government will remain “resolute” on pay for nurses despite the potential for further strikes in January, as the NHS confederation chief said it was inevitable patients would be harmed by the strikes.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said there will be “more hospitals and more nurses taking part than at present” in strikes throughout January, unless ministers back down by Thursday. Continue reading...

Newly discovered archive material shows former Beatle was always producers’ choice to sing during credits for Live and Let DieIt had always seemed inconceivable that the James Bond producers wanted to replace Paul McCartney with another singer for Live and Let Die, particularly as his title song for the 1973 Roger Moore classic became a massive hit.But the story told by Beatles record producer George Martin, and repeated by McCartney, was that the 007 producers thought McCartney’s recording with his band Wings was just a demo and they wanted a female voice. Continue reading...

Nimco Ali says Rishi Sunak should sack the home secretary, or risk losing the next electionAn outgoing government adviser has criticised Suella Braverman for allegedly encouraging an increase in racism in Britain and “normalising” the politics of Nigel Farage.Nimco Ali, who is stepping down from her role as the government’s adviser on tackling violence against women, added that Rishi Sunak should sack Braverman, warning that keeping her on as home secretary will see him lose the next election. Continue reading...

Military commander predicts ‘possible offensive from Belarus at the end of February’, as air raid sirens reported in several regions including Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv and VolynRockets launched by Ukrainian forces killed three civilians in the Russian-occupied town of Shchastia in Ukraine’s southern Luhansk province, according to pro-Moscow officials.In a statement on Telegram, Russian-installed Luhansk officials claimed US-made Himars rockets had wounded five others, and destroyed four houses. Continue reading...

Peer says Conservatives no longer party of centre right and are threatened by Reform UK, Brexit party successor, if Nigel Farage takes leadershipThe Conservative party is under threat from a rightwing insurgency after a “drag to the left” under Rishi Sunak, one of its biggest recent donors has warned, amid growing tensions on the Tory right.Peter Cruddas, the peer who has given the party more than £3.5m, said the Conservatives were “no longer a centre-right party” under Sunak, adding that he refused to back it financially until it changed course. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Some young detainees are so anxious about lockdowns they request anti-psychotic medicine, ex-employee claims

Dina Boluarte assumed the presidency after Pedro Castillo tried to illegally dissolve Congress and was arrestedThe Peruvian president, Dina Boluarte, who has said she is leading a transitional government, urged the country’s Congress to pass a proposal to bring forward general elections in a news conference from the presidential palace on Saturday.Boluarte, formerly Peru’s vice-president, assumed the presidency earlier this month after ex-president Pedro Castillo tried to illegally dissolve Congress and was arrested. Continue reading...

Observer poll shows 60% of public back strike, with some Conservatives urging PM to give ground to nurses while others demand he hold firmPublic support for striking nurses has increased over the past fortnight, a poll for the Observer has revealed, as ministers vow to stand firm against any increased pay offer ahead of further NHS walkouts.With pressure growing within the Conservative party and among NHS bosses for Rishi Sunak to find a compromise, the latest Opinium poll shows that after the strike by tens of thousands of nurses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Thursday - the first such action in NHS history - nurses retain significant public support. Three fifths (60%) of voters said they support nurses going on strike for two days in December, up three points on the last poll a fortnight ago. Some 29% were opposed, down one point. Continue reading...

Doctors warn that some services are ‘close to failure’ as tens of thousands endure delays beyond 13 weeksMedical teams have warned that some diagnostic services in the NHS are “close to failure”, with more than 184,000 patients in England waiting three months or longer for key tests.Children in some specialist hospitals are among those waiting several weeks for diagnostic procedures, in breach of government targets. Continue reading...

October fire blackened with soot monolithic human figures, of which there are more than 900, carved centuries agoThe hillside of Rano Raraku volcano on Rapa Nui feels like a place that froze in time.Embedded in grass and volcanic rock, almost 400 moai – the monolithic human figures carved centuries ago by this remote Pacific island’s Rapanui people – remained untouched until recently. Some are buried from the neck down, the heads seemingly observing their surroundings from the underground. Continue reading...

Help those struggling with the cost of living by calling writers like Marina Hyde, John Crace and Polly Toynbee with your donationReaders can grab the chance to talk to some of their favourite Guardian and Observer journalists on Saturday as part of the annual charity telethon in aid of people struggling with the cost of living crisis.Journalists including Marina Hyde, John Crace, Polly Toynbee, Owen Jones, Jonathan Freedland, Tim Dowling, Zoe Williams and many more will be on hand to take your calls and donations. Continue reading...

Supermarket warns over 11 own-brand products, following earlier recalls by Woolworths and Costco

The SA SES has told residents in low-lying areas along the river to prepare to evacuate. This blog is now closed

Victor Dominello says renters are at risk since there are ‘essentially no rules’, and enforceable guidelines will be in place early in the new year

People urged only to travel if absolutely necessary on last weekend before Christmas

Education and culture ministers resign following ongoing unrest that has seen at least 17 people killedPressure rose on Peru’s fledgling government as two cabinet members resigned following deadly protests that have rocked the country since former president Pedro Castillo’s removal from office and arrest last week.Education minister Patricia Correa and culture minister Jair Perez announced their resignations on Twitter on Friday, citing the deaths of individuals during the unrest. Continue reading...

Two men, alleged to be senior members of an international crime syndicate, face charges in Taiwan

Two of the dead found locked in an embrace, officials say, with 12 still missing after the disaster north of the capital Kuala LumpurA thunderous crush of soil and debris killed 21 people at a campground in Malaysia and rescuers dug through the mud in the night for another 12 who were feared buried in the landslide.More than 90 people were sleeping on an organic farm when the dirt tumbled from a road about 30 meters (100 feet) above the site and covered about 1 hectare (3 acres) on Friday. Two of the dead were found locked in an embrace, according to the state fire department chief. Continue reading...

Kharkiv left without power, heating and water after new wave of Russian missile strikes across country

NHS Providers boss says nurses’ strike had ‘significant impact’ as senior Tories urge government to negotiate

Met police begin investigation into ‘extremely distressing’ incident after large crowd gathered outside O2 AcademyThree people were still in a critical condition on Friday night after an apparent crowd crush at a concert at the O2 Academy Brixton in London on Thursday.The Metropolitan police launched an investigation into what they said was an “extremely distressing” incident at a performance by the Nigerian Afrobeats singer and songwriter Asake. Continue reading...

Payout awarded for period in which Avanti was UK’s worst train operator for delays, Labour analysis foundAvanti West Coast was handed millions of pounds of taxpayer-funded bonuses for a period in which it was Britain’s worst train operator for delays, according to Labour party analysis.The analysis, which used Department for Transport (DfT) figures published on Thursday, found the company was awarded the highest possible rating for “operational performance” and “customer satisfaction” between 1 April and 18 September last year. Those ratings contributed to a bonus payout of £4.1m. Continue reading...

Two-year-old and five-year-old found dead at home in east LondonA man and a woman have been arrested after two young boys were found dead at a home in east London, the Metropolitan police has said.Emergency services were called to an address in Cornwallis Road, Dagenham at 2pm on Friday, where the bodies of a two-year-old and a five-year-old were discovered. Continue reading...

The actor described feeling ‘blessed’ to cease chemotherapy treatments for non-Hodgkin’s lymphomaThree months after revealing that she’d been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Jane Fonda’s cancer is in remission, the US actor and activist has announced.In a blog post headlined “Best Birthday Present Ever”, Fonda wrote that her oncologist had told her she could “discontinue” the chemotherapy treatments she had received for her illness. Continue reading...

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna said the countries had returned to ‘full consular cooperation’ on visit to RabatFrance and Morocco have announced they were mending fences after months of tensions over visas, and said the French president, Emmanuel Macron, would visit the north African kingdom in early 2023.Speaking in Rabat alongside her Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita, the French foreign minister, Catherine Colonna, said it was time to “write a new page together”. Continue reading...

‘Colossal’ damage in Ukraine’s second largest city, mayor says, after Russian missile strikes lead to power emergency.This live blog is now closed“Do not ignore air raid alerts, remain in shelters,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Ukraine’s president’s office wrote a few moments ago on Telegram messaging app.Putin will visit Belarus on Monday, AFP is reporting, citing the Minsk presidential press service. Putin’s visit comes as the UK warns that Belarus is reportedly holding “readiness exercises”. Russia has also deployed extra units of mobilised reservists to Belarus. Continue reading...

Calls for extra winter help as ONS estimates 1.3m people with heart and breathing conditions living in povertyMore than a million people living with heart and breathing problems could be at greater risk of hospitalisation or death owing to poverty leaving them more likely to be exposed to the cold, figures suggest.The data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that there are 1.3 million people with cardiovascular and respiratory conditions living in poverty, and that they are more likely to be older people, prompting calls for extra help to deal with the cold weather. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Plan to recruit up to 10 people into senior roles seen as unusual and follows reports of bullying in the departmentDominic Raab’s department is carrying out a major recruitment drive for private office staff, the Guardian can reveal.A hiring spree has been launched that initially sought to recruit 10 private secretary jobs in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) – a figure Whitehall insiders and former cabinet ministers said they had never seen for a job of that nature. Continue reading...

General secretary of Unite says NHS strike will deepen next week unless ministers undertake ‘serious pay talks’ with health staff. This live blog is now closedIn his latest column, Simon Jenkins argues that instead of fighting for the centre ground, Keir Starmer should look to the radical changes pushed through under Harold Wilson.Wes Streeting has declined to say whether a Labour government would agree to a pay rise for nurses. Continue reading...

Dmitry Sytii is under US sanctions for links with mercenary group founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is close to Vladimir PutinA Russian businessman believed to be a close ally of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group founder, has been taken to hospital in Central African Republic (CAR) after an “assassination attempt”, the RIA Novosti news agency has reported, citing the local Russian embassy.Dmitry Sytii, who officially works as head of the “Russian House” culture centre in CAR’s capital, Bangui, had sanctions imposed on him by the US in September 2020 for his alleged links to Wagner Group, a private military group that has deployed more than 1,000 fighters in the unstable country to fight rebels. Continue reading...

Union hails ‘top-notch’ deal for 1,200 employees at Goodwood site, as Wincanton drivers agree increase of between 20% and 37%The luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce and the logistics company Wincanton have both given workers in the UK above-inflation pay rises, averting threatened industrial action.About 1,200 workers at the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars factory in Goodwood, West Sussex, will receive an increase of 10%, plus a £2,000 bonus. Together, the increase will be worth up to an extra 18% for 2023. Continue reading...

Former lady in waiting to queen Susan Hussey and black charity founder have ‘warm and understanding’ meetingA former lady in waiting to the late queen who resigned from the royal household after repeatedly asking the black charity founder Ngozi Fulani where she was from during a charity palace reception has apologised to her in person, Buckingham Palace has said.Susan Hussey, godmother to the Prince of Wales, met Fulani, the founder of Sistah Space, at the palace in a meeting described as “warm and understanding”, during which she apologised for comments including for asking “where she was really from” despite being told by Fulani she was British. Continue reading...

Actor facing seven sexual offence charges confirms name and date of birth ahead of trial next yearThe Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has appeared in a London court by video link facing seven sexual offence charges.In a short hearing at Westminster magistrates court in London, the 63-year-old US actor appeared by video link from the Middle East and spoke only to confirm his name – Kevin Spacey Fowler – date of birth and address. Continue reading...