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Three states face dangerous fire conditions as a wave of hot and dry weather triggers total fire bans and warnings of power outages

Two friends of the 15-year-old who managed to swim to shore after being caught in same wave alerted authorities shortly after 3pm on Tuesday

DJ whose anything-goes spirit had a huge influence on British club culture had suffered a stroke in 2021DJ Alfredo, who had a significant influence on Ibiza becoming a global centre for dance music culture, has died aged 71.Amnesia, the club where he held a residency during the 1980s, announced the news, writing on Instagram: Thank you for the nights and beats we shared together. Your music and vision shaped the sound of Balearic Beat and the soul of Amnesia. So many memories were made through your energy, your legacy will live on our dancefloor forever. You will never be forgotten." Continue reading...

Christmas Eve footfall up 31% on last year across all retail destinations, after lacklustre start to seasonRetailers received a boost from a last-minute spree by shoppers on Christmas Eve, with an increase in footfall after a lacklustre festive season.Footfall was up by 31.1% across all UK retail destinations up until noon on Tuesday compared with Christmas Eve last year, although the date fell on a Sunday in 2023 and so suffered from shorter shopping hours. Continue reading...

Victims of Medellin cartel demand justice as some express dismay former mob boss faces no charges in ColombiaThe return of former drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia following his deportation from the United States has reopened old wounds among victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing dismay at the Colombian authorities' decision to let Ochoa walk free.Some of the cartel victims said they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia's history and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning. Continue reading...

UK government accused of nitpicking about compensation' after being told to pay more to retain military baseMauritius is holding out over a deal to gain control of the Chagos Islands from the UK, leaving ministers less than a month to rescue the agreement.The government in Mauritius, which took office last month, has made clear it is dissatisfied with the terms negotiated by the previous administration. Over the weekend the deputy prime minister accused the British government of nitpicking about the compensation". Continue reading...

Police appeal for information about a male driver and a blue car seen leaving the scene in LlanpumsaintPolice are seeking a male driver after a dog walker was killed in an apparent hit-and-run collision in Carmarthenshire.Dyfed-Powys police said the man was in a collision with a car while walking on a small country lane near Caer Salem Baptist chapel between 6.45pm and 7.45pm on Monday. The victim was left with unsurvivable injuries. Continue reading...

Brian Spencer, 40, was seen taunting police before incident that online commenters labelled instant karma'A total of 500 people will be spending Christmas in prison for their part in the summer riots, after a rioter who went viral in an instant karma" video when he was hit in the groin with a brick became the latest to be sentenced.Brian Spencer was seen on the clip taunting police and gyrating his hips, while he was at the centre of the riot in Southport on 30 July, which was triggered by the deaths of three girls in the seaside town. Continue reading...

Investigation launched after late-night trap and drag' incident on Elizabeth line in which man was freed by staffAn investigation has been launched after a rail passenger was forced to run several metres along the platform with his hand trapped inside the doors of a moving train in west London.The passenger, who was trying to board an Elizabeth line service just after midnight, had his hand caught in the door as it began to depart, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said on 24 December. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereThe National Farmers' Union has announced that it will hold a day of unity" on Saturday 25 January to allow people to show support for its campaign to stop the extension of inheritance tax to cover farms. Its sister organisations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are also involved. On that day, its says, towns in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, from Land's End to Shetland and from the Giant's Causeway to Dover, will see farmers gathering to thank the British public for their overwhelming support, and to underline to their parliamentarians that our campaign will not stop until the tax is finally subject to consultation and proper scrutiny."In its manifesto Labour said it would protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties". There has been renewed interest in what this might mean since Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and Trump ally, starting floating the prospect of giving to Reform UK - although, as Michael Savage reported in the Observer at the weekend, ministers are worried about acting too quickly in case it looks as if they are only bothered about stopping the Musk donation. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our coverage of the Middle East hereIsraeli forces have killed a Palestinian man in a dawn raid on a refugee camp near the city of Tulkarm in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian and Israeli officials said. The Israeli military said the man was killed in a counter-terrorism" operation that resulted in 18 arrests, Reuters reports. Palestinian news agency Wafa said that Fathi Saeed Odeh Salem died after snipers shot him and fired on ambulance crew. We have not yet been able to independently verify any of this information. Meanwhile, medics said at least nine Palestinians, including a member of the civil emergency service, were killed in four separate Israeli airstrikes across the territory today.At least 45,338 Palestinian people have been killed and 107,764 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since 7 October 2023, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The film-maker challenged mainstream Bollywood and pioneered a new wave cinema movement in the 1970s that tackled social issuesShyam Benegal, a renowned Indian film-maker known for pioneering a new wave cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died aged 90 after suffering from chronic kidney disease.Benegal passed away on Monday at Mumbai's Wockhardt hospital and his cremation took place on Tuesday, the Press Trust of India news agency reported, quoting his daughter Piya. Benegal had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That's the reason for his death," Piya said.

Demonstrations flare after video spread on social media showing hooded fighters setting fire to treeHundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Christian areas of Damascus early on Tuesday to protest against the burning of a Christmas tree near Hama in central Syria.We demand the rights of Christians," protesters chanted as they marched through the Syrian capital towards the headquarters of the Orthodox patriarchate in the Bab Sharqi neighbourhood. Continue reading...

Two crew members from Ursa Major are missing and 14 have been rescued, Russian foreign ministry saysAn engine room explosion sank a Russian cargo ship called Ursa Major in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria and two of its crew are missing, the Russian foreign ministry has said.The vessel, built in 2009, was controlled by Oboronlogistika, a company that is part of the Russian defence ministry's military construction operations, which had previously said it was en route to the Russian far-eastern port of Vladivostok with two giant port cranes lashed to its deck. Continue reading...

Decisions on fate of 6,500 Syrian asylum seekers suspended amid push to repatriate refugees after fall of regimeA Syrian family say they are fearing for their future" this Christmas after having an imminent decision on their asylum application stopped by the UK government.Bilal*, 39, worked as a bank manager in Damascus, and has been living in Sheffield with his wife and four children for the past year. He had his second interview about his asylum application in November and had been told by the Home Office that a decision on his case was very close". Continue reading...

Freedom of information request reveals 21 of 24 marches banned in last 30 years were proposed by far-right groupsThe bar is said to be appropriately high, but there have been 24 marches banned by a home secretary following a police request in the past 30 years under section 13 of the 1986 Public Order Act.Two of those prohibited had been organised by anti-capitalist groups" and one was recorded by the Home Office as being a religious march" planned by an unnamed group in Luton. But of those 24 banned marches, 21 were proposed by far-right groups: the BNP, National Front, English Defence League and the White Nationalist party, a now-defunct neo-Nazi outfit. Continue reading...

Emergency services called to North Avoca beach on the Central Coast at about 3pm on Tuesday

The singer said his daughter came into his life five years ago, and said she wanted to keep her family life privateJimmy Barnes has publicly acknowledged the existence of an eighth child, his adult daughter Katy Lee Carroll, for the first time.Christmas is all about family," the singer wrote in a statement on Instagram on Monday night, and we would like to introduce my daughter Katy Lee, who has been in our lives for the past five years. Katy is a wonderful woman and since discovering that I was her biological father, our family and extended family have loved getting to know her."Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

Most of Australia's capital cities expected to see clear skies ahead of extreme fire danger on 26th

Resolution Foundation says higher prices and cold weather will hit poorer households hardestMillions of vulnerable UK households on prepayment meters could see their energy bills consume almost a third of their incomes this winter.As temperatures drop across the country, the Resolution Foundation said a combination of higher gas and electricity prices and the typical seasonal increase in energy usage over the colder months would hit poorer families most. Continue reading...

Conditions to intensify in Victoria and South Australia, with temperatures forecast to climb towards 40C and strong wind gusts up to 100km/h

Activists alarmed at emirati companies' poor record on labour rights and fear projects may fail to address environmental concernsThe United Arab Emirates has become the largest backer of new business projects in Africa, raising hopes of a rush of much-needed money for green energy, but also concerns that the investments could compromise the rights of workers and environmental protections.Between 2019 and 2023, Emirati companies announced $110bn (88bn) of projects, $72bn of them in renewable energy, according to FT Locations, a data company owned by the Financial Times. Continue reading...

The new leader was chosen by secret ballot two weeks after the previous premier resigned abruptly amid a power struggle with the Pacific nation's royal familyTonga's government elected a new leader on Tuesday, two weeks after the previous premier resigned abruptly after a power struggle with the Pacific nation's royal family.Veteran politician 'Aisake Valu Eke was voted prime minister by secret ballot in parliament, securing 16 votes to his opponent Viliami Latu's eight. Continue reading...

Frank-Walter Steinmeier seeks to convey message of healing four days after the brutal attack in Magdeburg killed five people and injured more than 200A deadly car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in Germany has cast a dark shadow" over this year's celebrations, the nation's president said on Tuesday, as he urged people not to be driven apart by extremists.In his traditional Christmas address German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, sought to issue a message of healing four days after the brutal attack in the eastern city of Magdeburg killed five people and left more than 200 wounded. Continue reading...

Government and unions still in deadlock over pay as NSW opposition warns of chaos kicked down the road'

Actor filed sexual harassment complaint against director amid allegation he launched smear campaign against herBlake Lively is picking up broad support in her battle against her It Ends With Us co-star and director Justin Baldoni, days after the US actor filed a sexual harassment and retaliation complaint against him on Friday in what was rapidly becoming the most dynamic #MeToo event of the dying year.Never change. Never wilt," Colleen Hoover, author of the book that inspired and shares a title with the film, posted on Instagram. Hoover later added, Blake's ability to refuse to sit down and be buried' has been nothing short of inspiring." Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese wishes Australians a peaceful and joyful Christmas' while Peter Dutton says to spare a thought for those doing it tough'

Man, 56, died at scene and one-year-old boy was taken to hospital after collision on Sunday morningA man died and a toddler was critically injured in a collision involving a car in Barnsley, police said.Officers are appealing for information and witnesses to the crash, which occurred in the Worsbrough area at about 11.40am on Sunday. Continue reading...

Opposition claimed ruling Frelimo party rigged 9 October vote, leading to months of civil unrestMozambique's top court has confirmed the ruling party's victory in October's presidential elections, potentially triggering more protests after more than two months of unrest over allegations that the results were rigged.Daniel Chapo, of the ruling Frelimo party, won the 9 October presidential election with 65.2% of the vote, Lucia Ribeiro, the chair of Mozambique's constitutional council, told a press conference on Monday. Continue reading...

Riyadh warned Germany many times about danger posed by Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, source saysA source close to the Saudi government has told Agence France-Presse that Saudi authorities previously requested the extradition of the main suspect in Friday's Christmas market attack in Germany, as multiple agencies admitted they had received warnings about him.Echoing reporting from over the weekend, the source said Saudi Arabia warned Germany many times" about Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi citizen with a history of spreading anti-Islamic propaganda on social media. The source did not explain in what way he was considered potentially dangerous. Continue reading...

Station overlooking Liverpool hosted most pop stars coming through the city - except those with a fear of heightsIt is known across Liverpool as the Radio City tower but that moniker may not be around much longer as the structure hosts its final live broadcast on Christmas Eve.Microphone cables are being bundled up and heaving contacts books packed into boxes, leaving empty what is arguably the most famous building of the city's skyline - St Johns Beacon, to use its proper name. Continue reading...

Presenter who taught nation to love pigs in blankets says she is excited to put her feet upDelia Smith, the doyenne of Christmas dinners, is taking a year off from cooking the festive feast for the first time in more than 50 years.The 83-year-old has been dishing out Christmas dinners and advice on how to prepare them for more than half a century. Continue reading...

Hasina fled to India after student-led protests that ended her 15 years in powerBangladesh has submitted a formal request to India to extradite its former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to New Delhi in August amid student-led protests that ended her 15 years in power, according to the country's foreign affairs adviser.Ties between the south Asian neighbours, who have strong trade and cultural links, have become fraught since Hasina was ousted after violent protests against her rule, and she took refuge across the border. Continue reading...

Claims underline risks posed to North's untested armed forces amid reports regime could send reinforcementsMore than 1,000 North Korean soldiers have been killed or wounded since they were sent to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine, according to South Korean military officials.In a statement released on Monday, the South's joint chiefs of staff (JCS) said: We assess that North Korean troops, who have recently engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces, have suffered around 1,100 casualties." Continue reading...

Cardholders offered 10% off entire shop, as shoppers fear for Christmas food and drink ordersMorrisons shoppers have been left unsure whether their Christmas orders will arrive on time after the supermarket chain was hit by IT problems, prompting the retailer to offer discounts.The supermarket chain is giving loyalty card holders 10% off an entire shop on Monday and on Christmas Eve after a glitch hit the promotional scheme, and it discounted prices on some items for all shoppers. Continue reading...

Monarch, who is undergoing cancer treatment, sought venue with strong health connections and community presenceThe king's Christmas message will focus on the efforts of healthcare workers after a year in which Charles and the Princess of Wales were treated for cancer.Charles will also use his annual address to the nation to hail communities who came together in solidarity in the aftermath of rioting, following the fatal Southport stabbings of three young girls. Continue reading...

Victims reported to include six people escorting aid convoy, and eight in tent encampment in humanitarian zoneHealth authorities in Gaza said on Monday that 58 people had been killed in the Palestinian territory in the previous 24 hours, including a strike on a tent encampment in al-Mawasi, an Israel-declared humanitarian zone, that left eight dead.Two children were among the dead in the al-Mawasi strike, according to doctors at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, which received the bodies. Continue reading...

DIY brand will be used online and in some departments of new superstores opened from JanuaryHomebase is to live on as a brand online and within up to 70 former stores reopened next year as branches of the Range, its new owner has announced.CDS said it would open the first three converted outlets from the collapsed DIY retailer in January under the Range Superstores name, and then 10 a month from February. Continue reading...

Steinbeck's book removed after some pupils felt distressed during discussions about its racial slursDuring the Conservative leadership contest Kemi Badenoch wrote an article for the Sunday Telegraph about immigration in which she suggested the UK should not be admitting migrants who do not accept British values. She said:We cannot be naive and assume immigrants will automatically abandon ancestral ethnichostilities at the border, or that all cultures are equally valid. They are not. I am struck for example, by the number of recent immigrants to the UK who hate Israel. That sentiment has no place here ...Our country is not a dormitory for people to come here and make money. It is our home. Those we chose to welcome, we expect to share our values and contribute to our society.People assume that I'm always talking about Islam, but I'm not really. It's one of many variations of culture which we have in the country because of immigration, especially the more recent immigration which has been too high.To understand what I'm saying, you have to look at where I grew up [Nigeria], where there are 300 different languages and cultures, everybody looks the same, and people don't get on unless there is a unifying thing.One of the things that profoundly affected my view on the world was what happened 10 years ago when those 300 schoolgirls were abducted from their school by Boko Haram, a terrorist group in northern Nigeria. It has a lot of parallels with what happened on October 7.And this group had been indulged - you know, It's just Islam, they're just people who are poor and they're fighting for their rights', and then it moved into something really hideous and terrible, and it's now just a depraved group of people who assault Christians, women, destroy families.Remember, that steel plant was one I was helping to manage [when she was business secretary]. I didn't nationalise it then, did I?It depends. With many of these things, it depends.Aren't you tired of people who just tell you what you want to hear? I will not do that.And that's why I don't answer those questions, because the answer is always, and should always be, it depends. Continue reading...

The Oscar-winning actor has previously spoken about his religious beliefs saying it's not talked about in this town but that doesn't mean people in Hollywood don't believe'Denzel Washington has become a minister after being baptised shortly before his 70th birthday, in a ceremony at a church in New York.The Oscar-winning actor, now appearing in Gladiator II, was baptised on Saturday at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ in Harlem, New York City, affiliated to the Pentecostal Church of God in Christ denomination. The service was livestreamed on Facebook, showing Washington, wearing a white robe, being immersed in the church's ritual pool and being presented with a certificate of baptism. Continue reading...

Cold snap of past few days to give way to notably high temperatures', with travel expected to be disruption freeForecasters are predicting one of the mildest Christmases on record with temperatures potentially peaking at 15C and no chance of snow anywhere in the UK.The unseasonably clement weather means no major travel disruption is expected despite possibly the busiest Christmas on the roads for three years. Continue reading...

Troops and weapons, including suicide drones, to be shipped to Russia to support war against Ukraine, say Seoul's joint chiefs of staff Continue reading...

The vehicle was set alight and the blaze spread to flats above the premises, emergency services sayPolice are investigating a suspected arson attack in Birmingham that led to five people being evacuated in the early hours on Monday morning when a car was driven into the front of a shop and set on fire.Nobody was injured in the blaze, which police said began shortly before 4.50am on Stratford Road in Sparkhill in the south of the city. Continue reading...

Ras Desta Damtew's solid gold Imperial Order of the Star of Ethopia failed to sell on auction site this monthThe descendants of a hero of Ethiopia's resistance against European imperialism are seeking to retrieve a gold medal taken from him by Italian troops, after the artefact's current holder failed to sell it at an online auction earlier this month.The solid gold Imperial Order of the Star of Ethiopia used to be in the possession of Ras Desta Damtew, a son-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie and a guerrilla army commander whose capture and execution in 1937 spelled the end of Ethiopia's resistance to fascist Italy's occupation. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Artwork offering fresh perspective on queen's relationship with courtier to go on display at Kenilworth CastleThe intimate relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and her courtier Robert Dudley, the 1st Earl of Leicester, has fascinated people for centuries.Though she never married (and famously declared herself the Virgin Queen"), the last Tudor monarch maintained a close bond with the earl for decades - one that has inspired a score of literary and screen depictions including Elizabeth (starring Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes) and Elizabeth I (starring Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons). Continue reading...

Department stores saw a rise in sales of almost 7%, though clothing and accessories were down 2%

Foreign minister says China denied request for prosecutor to investigate onboard Yi Peng 3, which sailed over cablesSweden has accused China of denying a request for Swedish prosecutors to board a Chinese ship that has been linked to the cutting of two undersea cables in the Baltic despite Beijing pledging cooperation" with regional authorities.The Yi Peng 3 left the waters it had been anchored in since last month on Saturday - despite an ongoing investigation. Continue reading...

Anne Longfield urges government to act on early intervention and support for children with complex needs

Exclusive: Efforts to eradicate American mink help boost population of river-residing mammal in 11 areas of countryWater voles continue to decline in their distribution across Britain but there are signs of recovery in some regions, with populations bouncing back in 11 key areas, according to a report.The river-residing mammal, which inspired Ratty in the Wind in the Willows, has revived in number in parts of Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and East Anglia thanks to targeted conservation work. Continue reading...

Treasury minister denies claims by Bangladesh that she helped broker corrupt deal with Russia to build nuclear plantThe Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq has been questioned by the Cabinet Office's propriety and ethics team after Bangladesh's anti-corruption commission accused her and family members of embezzling billions for a nuclear power plant.The Labour MP, who denies allegations that she helped broker a deal with Russia to build the energy project, reportedly told a government official that she was the victim of a political hit job". Continue reading...