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Pilots recovered alive - one with minor injuries - after ejecting from fighter jet as US military says its guided missile cruiser mistakenly' fired on the F/A-18Two US navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea on Sunday in an apparent case of friendly fire", the US military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in more than a year of the country targeting Yemen's Houthis.Both pilots were rescued alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries. But the incident underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become amid the ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite US and European military coalitions patrolling the area. Continue reading...

Disturbing discovery of animals cared for by students made at Corrimal high school, south of Sydney

Survivors claim to have been disengaged' by Labour government after token gesture' meetingsFurious victims of the infected blood scandal have said that just 10 out of 4,000 people have received compensation under a new scheme, despite pledges from the Conservatives and Labour to sort out payments this year.Campaigners say they have been disengaged" by the Labour government and that, by this month, just 17 people out of the thousands eligible had been invited to register for compensation. Continue reading...

The Thistle in Glasgow aims to save lives by providing a supervised environment in Europe's drug deaths capital'The UK's first official facility for consuming illegal drugs opens in Glasgow within a month, a move that experts and campaigners hope will bring major changes to drug policy.The pioneering safer drug consumption facility", named the Thistle, was due to open on Hunter Street, in the city's east end, earlier this year but was delayed by building tests. Continue reading...

Advertising regulator reprimands services that claim to offer unbiased advice but then direct people to partner facilitiesHelplines that claim to offer free" and impartial" addiction support have been reprimanded by the advertising watchdog for hiding the fact they are paid thousands in commission by private rehabilitation clinics.Amid record drug death rates and high demand for services, one website is promising free, impartial, expert" advice for those trying to find the best treatment. Continue reading...

Despite spy' scandal, Philip Hammond says Britain should now adopt a pragmatic approach to Beijing'China should be encouraged to build electric cars and renewable energy technology in the UK as part of a new pragmatic trading relationship that would benefit both countries, a former Tory chancellor has said ahead of a landmark visit by Rachel Reeves to Beijing early in the new year.Philip Hammond, who was chancellor from 2016 to 2019, and the last UK minister to take part in formal economic discussions with China before the process was abruptly ended, told the Observer that while Reeves should never compromise security for trade", there were vital economic sectors where deals could be struck. Continue reading...

Women are challenging the law that prevents them giving their kids both family names without father's consentWhen 43-year-old Rebecca Lee took her birth mother's Korean surname, it was a revelation. I was adopted and got a Dutch name but I never felt completely Dutch," she says. When, a few years ago, I first went to Korea, things fell into place. You don't just go one, two, three' and change your name, but now I feel more whole."The entrepreneur from Groningen split from her husband and wants to give her five-year-old daughter Lee" as part of a double-barrelled surname - but she cannot, under a Dutch law that some women, a leftwing MP and legal experts believe is unfair. Continue reading...

Automatic cameras in the Brazilian rainforest show images of the Massaco people, who are flourishing despite environmental threats

Opposition leader says there is now a definite absolute majority' of MPs who want Deeming to be welcomed back

Police search for two men after 23-year-old found dead on Railway Parade in Caboolture, north of Brisbane

The sinking comes less than four days after another boat capsized in the country's north-east, leaving 25 people deadA ferry overloaded with people returning home for Christmas capsized on the Busira River in north-eastern Congo, leaving 38 people confirmed dead and more than 100 others missing, officials and eyewitnesses said on Saturday.Twenty people have been rescued so far. Continue reading...

Magnitude 6.1 quake shakes country's main island as RAAF flights carrying 144 passengers land in Brisbane and Sydney

Firefighters battle to contain out-of-control blaze ahead of hotter conditions on Boxing Day

Military says the strikes aim to disrupt and degrade' Houthi operations such as attacks against US navy warships and merchant vesselsThe US military said it conducted precision airstrikes on Saturday against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen's capital, Sana'a.In a statement, the US military's Central Command said the strikes aimed to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against US navy warships and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden". Continue reading...

Albanese government bows to pressure from Qantas and other airlines and omits compensation scheme from aviation customer rights charter

Plan for pregnant royal go overseas for festive period scrapped after doctors advise against travelPrincess Beatrice will be joining the royal family at Sandringham this Christmas after changing her travel plans due to medical advice, it is understood.Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, are expecting their second child in early spring and were planning on spending the festive period overseas with his parents. Continue reading...

Travellers urged to allow more time for journeys amid perfect storm' of festive season and bad weatherSome flights and ferries were cancelled on Saturday amid a perfect storm" of the Christmas getaway and bad weather.The disruption has been caused by strong gusts after the Met Office announced yellow warnings for parts of the country. Continue reading...

Dawn of shortest day of year welcomed with drumming, chanting and singing at neolithic monument in WiltshireThousands of people greeted the dawn with cheers and applause at Stonehenge on Saturday as they marked the winter solstice.Those who observed the spectacle at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire encountered a windy morning as they marked the shortest day of the year. Continue reading...

Child among five dead while 40 people remain in critical conditionBild, German public-service broadcaster ARD and other media are reporting that four people were killed and 41 were seriously injured in the attack.In addition, 86 people were treated with significant injuries in hospital, while 78 people suffered light injuries. Continue reading...

Saudi national, alleged to have killed five and injured more than 200, had issued a warning on social mediaA Saudi national alleged to have carried out a deadly attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, which killed five and injured more than 200, had warned on social media that something big will happen".The 50-year-old doctor is in police custody after a black BMW SUV ploughed 400 metres through a crowded market at speed, driving over some people and flinging others up into the air. A nine-year-old girl is among the dead. Continue reading...

Prime minister announces move after meeting with parents' groups and teachers over social media fearsAlbania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok following the killing of a teenager last month that raised fears over the influence of social media on children.Edi Rama, the prime minister, confirmed the ban, part of a broader plan to make schools safer, after meeting parents' groups and teachers from across the country. Continue reading...

Singer says successful operation is best Christmas present I could've wished for'Max George, a member of the boyband the Wanted, has revealed he has had a pacemaker fitted after an operation to address a 2:1 heart block.George, 36, who announced he had been taken to hospital due to issues with my heart" earlier in the month, said the pacemaker was the best Christmas present". Continue reading...

Further 13 people taken to hospital after vehicle crashed into lorry then burst into flamesAt least 38 people have been killed in a tragic" traffic collision between a bus and truck in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, the Associated Press reported, citing fire department officials who attended the scene. The death toll had initially been put at 22.A further 13 people were taken to hospitals near the city of Teofilo Otoni. Continue reading...

Nigel Farage's party is building on the unpopularity of the government and is set to challenge it in next year's pollsFor many Labour and MPs and party officials, it was a nightmarish image that encapsulated the forces buffeting politics across the west.A gleeful Nigel Farage standing next to Elon Musk, the world's richest man, having discussed the possibility of a political donation big enough to bankroll any British party, with cash to spare. Continue reading...

Government fears moves to curb any potential cash from the tech titan could backfire and play into Reform UK's handsMinisters are resisting demands to rush through measures to block Elon Musk from handing millions to Nigel Farage, amid a growing clamour for an overhaul of Britain's political donation laws.The government is facing mounting calls this weekend for an urgent clampdown that would limit the amount a foreign national can donate via their UK-based companies. Continue reading...

Confirmation of role as ambassador to Washington drew attack by Trump campaign adviser on XSenior diplomats have dismissed insults aimed at Peter Mandelson by allies of Donald Trump, saying he has more than enough experience in the hard world of diplomacy to succeed as ambassador to Washington.Foreign Office sources rallied to Lord Mandelson's defence on Saturday after confirmation of his appointment, which prompted a Trump campaign adviser to call him an absolute moron". Continue reading...

Funding from property firms raises questions over loopholes in political finance rulesA secretive group that donated 130,000 to Labour and claimed to be merely a platform for people" is in fact funded by property developers, the Observer can reveal.The firm behind a 200m project to build a skyscraper in Birmingham and three other developers are behind the West Midlands Breakfast Club, which gave money to Labour in February. Continue reading...

Gemma Devonish died after being found with stab wounds at an address in Carshalton on ThursdayA man has been charged with the murder of a 42-year-old teacher who was found with stab wounds in south London.Police were called at about 10.30am on Thursday to reports of a woman found injured at an address in Nutfield Close, Carshalton, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Failing passenger service is a national embarrassment,' says Greater Manchester mayor Andy BurnhamJust 2% or fewer of trains on some of the busiest Avanti West Coast services between London and Manchester are leaving and arriving on time, analysis of National Rail figures reveals.The operator of West Coast Main Line services remains the worst rail company in the UK for delays despite its pledge of a laser focus" on improving performance. Continue reading...

The 72-year-old is relieved but takes no satisfaction' in seeing other families broken up, lawyer saysIt took just over four years, and 67 days in court, but Gisele Pelicot is said to feel relieved and appeased" about the judges' decision to convict all the men accused of raping or sexually assaulting her while she was drugged and unconscious.After a final declaration that she respected" the sentences handed down in Avignon, her lawyers said she was now absolutely exhausted" and glad the marathon trial was over. Continue reading...

Bridget Phillipson insists move to marking and class preparation out of school would help stem retention crisis

Judge dismisses challenge that argued development failed to provide housing and could damage London landmarksThe building of a controversial 25-storey office block nicknamed the Slab on London's South Bank is to go ahead after the high court upheld a decision by the former communities secretary Michael Gove to approve the development.Mr Justice Mould dismissed a legal challenge by the Save Our South Bank group, which has been fighting the development since planning permission was first submitted in 2021. Continue reading...

Avoiding animal products - and alcohol - at the start of the year makes lasting changes more likely, say researchersMeat-eaters who abstain to take part in Veganuary are more likely to think that meat is disgusting after giving it up for the month, researchers have found.Studies by psychologists at the University of Exeter also found that some people identify less as meat-eaters after trying to avoid animal products during January. Continue reading...

Rare autographed cache found by researcher at National Trust's Waddesdon ManorBaron Edmond de Rothschild was one of Europe's richest and best connected men. But his lifelong hobby - hunting the autographs of the famous - was more akin to that of an idolising youngster.Nine decades after his death, more than 220 letters he collected over 60 years have just been discovered at Waddesdon Manor, the former Rothschild home, now owned by the National Trust. Continue reading...

Woman jailed for M25 protest not allowed to continue home detention because electronic tags are too bigA 77-year-old environmental activist will spend Christmas in prison despite having been released on an electronic tag, because the authorities cannot find an electronic device small enough to fit her wrists.Gaie Delap, a retired teacher and a Quaker from Bristol, was jailed in August, along with four co-defendants, for her part in a campaign of disruptive Just Stop Oil protests on the M25 in November 2022. Continue reading...

The royal has bowed to pressure over residents' right to buy freeholds on parts of his hereditary landPrince William has agreed to end the last feudal restrictions on land ownership in parts of his hereditary Duchy of Cornwall estate after decades of complaints from residents.The Prince of Wales will allow tenants in two of the most environmentally sensitive areas of his 55,000-hectare (135,000 acres) estate the right to buy the freehold to their homes for the first time. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more coverage of the Middle East hereAn article on the Israeli news site Walla, owned by the Jerusalem Post, revealed Israel has used civilian contractors to demolish buildings and build military infrastructure in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.The story, written by a journalist embedded with the IDF, describes how the Israeli military operate in the Shaboura neighbourhood on the outskirts of the Rafah refugee camp. Continue reading...

TV presenter and Green party politician resign from animal-welfare charity over response to undercover abattoir videosThe BBC presenter Chris Packham and the former Green party leader Caroline Lucas have resigned from the RSPCA animal-welfare charity, accusing the organisation of legitimising cruelty".It comes after an undercover investigation from Animal Rising, which campaigns for a plant-based food system, used hidden cameras to reveal animal cruelty at RSPCA-approved abattoirs. Continue reading...

Mark-ups criticised by patients' charity for punishing those with ill health, but NHS defends fees amid financial pressuresA quarter of NHS trusts in England Hospital raised car parking fees during the cost of living crisis, data has revealed.Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show parking charges rose for at least 37 trusts - 25% of England's total - between April 2022 and March 2024. Requests were filed to the 147 NHS trusts in England by PA Media, but 25 did not reply, meaning the number that raised parking fees could be higher. Continue reading...

Rain and strong winds may cause delays in north and west of UK on Saturday, spreading to southern regions on SundayWeather warnings have come into force across much of the UK as millions of people set off for their Christmas getaway.Wet and windy weather this weekend could cause roads and public transport to be disrupted by strong gusts. The AA predicted that 22 million drivers would hit the road on Saturday. Continue reading...

Instagram release of tea towel featuring what the UK designer finds common' has become an annual ritualWhat is common" these days - and is it even OK to say it?Some might say it's a controversial term, but for Nicky Haslam, the 85-year-old English designer, socialite and self-appointed arbiter of taste, defining what is common is not something to shy away from - on the contrary, it has become an annual ritual. Continue reading...

The regional command at Ann would be the second regional military command to fall to ethnic rebels in five months, and a huge blow to the militaryA rebel army in Myanmar said it had captured a major military headquarters in the country's west, marking the fall of the junta's second regional command as it faces mounting setbacks against a nationwide armed resistance movement.The Arakan Army (AA) said the western military command in Rakhine state, which borders Bangladesh, fell on Friday after two weeks of intense fighting, according to a statement posted on Telegram late on Friday. Continue reading...

NSW minister renews calls for action to end as people are urged to avoid non-essential travel days out from Christmas

Ministry says historically pending matter' is being resolved as late king's relatives acknowledge government - but choice of surname ruffles feathersMembers of Greece's former royal family have applied for Greek citizenship and formally acknowledged the country's republican system of government, in a landmark move 50 years after the monarchy was abolished, officials have confirmed.The late king Constantine II and his family members were stripped of Greek citizenship in 1994 in a dispute with the government over formerly royal property and claims that he refused to renounce any right to the Greek throne for his descendants. Continue reading...

Increase in cases linked to Ascot Vale' leads health officials to warn the disease is spreading geographically'

Villagers say Israel's forces have sown fear and horror' as they continue to expand into Syria's territoryThe Israeli military said its forces shot a protester during a demonstration against the army's activities in a village in southern Syria on Friday, injuring him in the leg.Since Islamist-led rebels toppled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad on 8 December Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian military facilities in what it says is a bid to prevent them from falling into hostile hands. Continue reading...

Police arrest Saudi Arabian doctor as suspect for attack, according to German state premier. This blog is now closed. See our full report here:

Hugely popular show to get Disney feature film treatment but creator Joe Brumm will stop writing TV seriesBluey fan sites can be quite odd places. In normal times, adult enthusiasts of the wildly successful children's cartoon post pictures of prime merchandise - like Bluey-themed silky bra and short sets or plush dog-shaped armchairs - and start conversations about which cheery canine character they most resemble.But these are not normal times. This week Disney announced it would release the first full-length feature film based on the show, which features the eponymous anthropomorphic puppy and her family of Australian heelers, sparking widespread jubilation. The excited chatter was soon tempered with concern as the show's creator, Joe Brumm, revealed in a blogpost that while he would write and direct the film, he would be stepping away from writing the TV series. Continue reading...

Court finds Central American country violated rights of a pregnant woman who was denied an abortion in 2013The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has ruled that El Salvador violated the human rights of a Salvadoran woman who was denied an abortion despite her high-risk pregnancy in 2013.The court has ordered the Central American country to adopt all necessary regulatory measures" so that doctors are authorised to terminate pregnancies that pose a risk to the woman's life and health". Continue reading...

Paty, 47, was killed outside his school days after showing his class cartoons of the prophet MuhammadEight people have been convicted in a French anti-terrorism court of involvement in the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty outside his school four years ago.Paty, 47, was killed outside his school near Paris on 16 October 2020, days after showing his class cartoons of the prophet Muhammad during a debate on free expression. The assailant, an 18-year-old Russian of Chechen origin, was shot to death by police. Continue reading...