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Lab-grown diamonds sell for one-quarter of the price of traditional ones and an Australian wholesale broker says he can't tell the difference

Psychiatrists say higher salaries needed to retain doctors and attract new ones to care for mental health patients

Home Office official says data protection laws caused the cost of its forced removal programme to increaseThe Conservative government spent more than 130m on IT and data systems for the scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, which will never be used, the Observer can reveal.Digital tools needed to put the forced removal programme into effect made up the second-largest chunk of the 715m spent in little over two years, behind only the 290m handed directly to Paul Kagame's government. Continue reading...

Hundreds of thousands are now set to return to whatever remains of their houses or to claim bodies from the rubbleAid agencies in Gaza are bracing for chaotic scenes this week as hundreds of thousands of people try to return to homes in the territory after the expected implementation of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on Sunday.Before the ceasefire, which is due to begin at 8.30am local time, Israel has continued to carry out attacks inside Gaza. The local health ministry claimed on Saturday that 23 Palestinians had been killed in the previous 24 hours, while the Israeli army said it had conducted strikes on 50 terror targets" on Friday. Continue reading...

Those who died had scrambled to take the fuel, which has rocketed in price amid an economic crisisA fuel tanker exploded after flipping over in central Nigeria on Saturday, killing 70 people who had scrambled to take the fuel, which has rocketed in price amid an economic crisis.The death toll stands at 70 so far," Kumar Tsukwam, the head of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger State, said. Continue reading...

The digital option will be made available through a government app, but will not be mandatoryThe UK is to introduce digital driving licences this year as the government looks to use technology to transform public services".The digital version of driving licences will be available in a virtual wallet in a government app, instead of being added to existing Google or Apple wallets. It could be accepted as a form of ID when voting, purchasing alcohol or boarding domestic flights. Continue reading...

Emergency services say 30 people were involved, of whom 10 were taken to hospital, at Astun in the PyreneesTen people have been hurt, two of them seriously, after a ski lift collapsed at a resort in north-east Spain, hurling dozens of passengers into the snow below.Although initial reports said 35 people had been injured on Saturday at the Pyrenean resort of Astun, in the Aragon region, the figures were later revised down. Continue reading...

New drama, When Maggie Met Larry, reveals exactly how the world's most famous actor coached the fledgling Iron LadyIn 1972, a nervous Margaret Thatcher went to Laurence Olivier's London home for a lesson on presentational skills. The most famous actor of the 20th century told the then education secretary to put a book on her head and walk around to improve her deportment. He also advised her to take long confident strides, and to use her eyes to seduce and flirt.The future prime minister went on to visit Olivier's house for a further five lessons, details of which are revealed in a new Radio 4 play, When Maggie Met Larry. Starring Derek Jacobi, who joined Olivier's fledgling National Theatre when only 24, and Frances Barber as Thatcher, the drama tells of the previously unknown advice on style and voice offered to the Tory politician. Continue reading...

MP says he is totally committed to his constituency after Isabel Oakeshott moved to the EmiratesOne weekend, it will be the straightforward delights of Skegness seafront; the next, the flashy private beach clubs of Dubai.Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK and its MP for Boston and Skegness, is splitting his time not just between his Lincolnshire constituency and the House of Commons, but is also spending time 3,500 miles away in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We are spreading our international reach," he said. Continue reading...

Report cites low pay and overwork, and employees complain of receiving no warning before working on disturbing scenesIllegal or barely legal" working practices are rife in the UK's TV industry, new research has revealed.Workers in post-production roles, including editors, designers and special effects artists, are regularly being paid below the minimum wage and experiencing unacceptable" conditions, such as hours spent in dark, unventilated rooms and exposure to traumatic content with no warning. Continue reading...

Case was fast-tracked after crime in Kolkata sparked protests across India amid concern for women's safetyA police volunteer has been found guilty of the rape and murder of a trainee doctor who was on duty in Kolkata, a crime that sparked protests across India amid concern about violence against women and girls.The outcry over the killing of the 31-year-old physician in August led to the trial being fast-tracked through the legal system. Continue reading...

Italian PM's office confirms she will join foreign politicians including France's Eric Zemmour in WashingtonItaly's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will attend Donald Trump's inauguration as US president, joining other European far-right figures including Eric Zemmour, a one-time French presidential candidate known for his xenophobia.Meloni's attendance at the event in Washington DC on Monday was confirmed by her office and will be seen as further cementing relations with the US president-elect. Continue reading...

Hillsborough Family Support Group pays tribute to man whose 14-year-old son Philip was killed in the disasterA key figure in the fight for justice after the Hillsborough disaster has died, the campaign group has announced.Phil Hammond, whose teenage son was killed in the tragedy, was remembered as a very kind, fair, honest and humble man" by members of the Hillsborough Family Support Group (HFSG) which Hammond chaired, battling for truth and justice over how his son and 96 others died. Continue reading...

Michelle Sadio, 44, died after shots were fired towards mourners outside church in HarlesdenThree more people have been charged with murder after a woman was killed in a drive-by shooting outside a north-west London church.Michelle Sadio, 44, died after shots were fired in Harlesden at about 9pm on 14 December. She was standing with mourners outside the River of Life pentecostal church after a wake. Continue reading...

Diaries, believed to be genuine, chronicle 139 pre-war meetings between antisemitic British socialite Unity Mitford and the Nazi leaderThe diary of an antisemitic British socialite who was obsessed with Adolf Hitler and struck up a personal relationship with the Nazi leader has been discovered, according to the Daily Mail.The leather-bound journals, which had been lost to historians and unseen for eight decades, appear to reveal the extent of aristocrat Unity Mitford's relationship with the dictator. Continue reading...

FoI figures show Home Office apparently refusing to use biometrics waiver for people who have no way to submit themThe UK government's family reunification policy has been criticised by charities and MPs after data revealed how Home Office bureaucracy was making it impossible for people stranded in war zones, such as Gaza and Sudan, to reunite with family members in the UK.Existing policy is supposed to allow those in need of resettlement the opportunity to join relatives in the UK. In order to apply for family reunion visas, applicants must submit biometrics - usually a fingerprint and a photograph - at appointments at a visa application centre (VAC) in their country of residence. Continue reading...

Julie Su, acting labor secretary, fears many of Biden's pro-worker policies will be undone by the new administrationEven as Donald Trump says he will battle for America's workers, the acting secretary of labor, Julie Su, is voicing fears that Trump will undo many of Joe Biden's pro-worker policies, which include protecting workers from extreme heat and extending overtime pay to millions more workers.In an interview with the Guardian, Su said that Trump might fall far short on delivering for workers considering the first Trump administration's many anti-worker policies and in light of his having Elon Musk and other billionaires advising him. It's one thing to say you're pro-worker, and it's quite another thing to do it," Su said. You can't be pro-billionaire and pro-working class. You can't be pro-Elon Musk and pro-worker." Continue reading...

Macsween working to circumvent food regulations that have banned traditional recipe in US for more than 50 yearsScotland's largest haggis maker is creating a compliant" recipe of the nation's most famous dish to circumvent strict American food regulations after more than 50 years in exile.The decision by Macsween of Edinburgh comes after traditional haggis was banned by the US authorities in 1971, taking issue with the sheep's-lung component of the recipe, which was then prohibited for use as human food by federal regulation. Continue reading...

Charities say better guidance is needed over increasing number of sexual assaults in UK primary schoolsSchools must be given clearer guidance on how to handle peer-on-peer sexual abuse among pupils, charities have demanded.Rape Crisis and other charities wrote to England's education secretary Bridget Phillipson and Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, last week, calling on the government to step in with clearer statutory guidance on how schools in England and Wales should address sexual violence when both the victim and the alleged perpetrator are pupils. Continue reading...

Michael Whitbread, 75, is on trial in Lanciano for murder of fellow Briton Michele Faiers, 66, in October 2023A British man living in Italy has admitted stabbing his partner to death, claiming he did it after she accused him of cheating on her.Michael Whitbread, 75, told a court he could not remember how many times he stabbed fellow Briton Michele Faiers, 66, in October 2023. Continue reading...

Starmer open to second state visit for Donald Trump, amid worries about tariffs and recent setbacks to political relationshipDavid Lammy was visiting Washington last May when he realised Donald Trump was likely to win the presidential election. The soon-to-be foreign secretary held meetings with the Democrat and Republican campaigns - and found himself admiring the latter.The slickness and professionalism of Trump's 2024 operation, with its sharp messaging making inroads with black and Hispanic voters, seemed a far cry from his shambolic 2016 campaign. By comparison, Joe Biden's appeared backward-looking and focused on attacking Trump's record, while lacking a compelling narrative of its own. Continue reading...

Local people criticise council over decision to raze hut built in 1909 to make way for work on nearby pierAdmittedly, it looks a little shabby. A wooden slat next to the front door and a window pane are missing and a lick of paint would definitely not go amiss.But in the seaside town of Bournemouth there is disquiet at the prospect of the structure - beach hut number 2359 - being razed when structural work on the nearby pier begins. Continue reading...

Asylum seekers formally held at Manston will get funded legal representation after challenging Home Office decisionAsylum seekers will receive funded legal representation at an inquiry into a catalogue of failures at a centre in Kent where small boat arrivals are processed, after a legal challenge by detainees.Manston, a short-term holding facility outside Ramsgate, was established in January 2022 to deal with the increasing numbers of asylum seekers crossing the Channel to the UK in dinghies. Continue reading...

Controversial safety policy has helped drive down premiums to 18-month low, says Confused.comThey have proved hugely controversial, but 20mph speed limits appear to be making car insurance cheaper.This week a leading price comparison website reported the biggest annual drop in UK car insurance prices in more than 10 years, with the average cost of cover falling by 161 - or 16% - in the past 12 months. Continue reading...

British Transport Police say hiring freeze and 8.5m shortfall in funding will lead to a reduced presence'Dozens of British Transport Police (BTP) stations across Britain face possible closure, leaving fewer officers protecting the railway at a time when assaults on passengers have reached record levels.BTP officials have imposed a hiring freeze and warned that some bases will have to close, signalling possible job losses after failing to secure enough funding to meet current commitments. Continue reading...

Italian region comes surprise eighth place and has plenty of budget package deals available, according to Which?January is the best month to book a summer holiday - and this year there is a surprise budget option: Tuscany. According to Which?, the central Italian region is among the cheapest package holiday destinations for 2025.Researchers analysed almost 6,000 package holidays from three of the UK's biggest tour operators, Jet2holidays, Tui and easyJet Holidays. Tuscany, more usually associated with luxury villa holidays amid rolling hills and vineyards and the expensive hotels of Florence, made it into the top 10 cheapest package destinations, behind better-known budget areas such as Costa Brava in Spain and Corfu in Greece. Continue reading...

Yarmouk camp residents lived through fighting and starvation in the Syrian civil war and feel intimately connected to the suffering in the Gaza StripAfter 15 months of watching their relatives suffering in Gaza, residents of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Damascus finally breathed a sigh of relief. The war in the besieged Palestinian territory was soon to be over.Hearing that the fighting will finally stop, it raised our spirits. We don't have any work or money, but now we have something at least to make us happy, now you hear people laughing in the streets," said Rbeia Abu Hmeida, 45, a Palestinian refugee who lives in the Yarmouk camp. Continue reading...

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Man jumped on to bracket between carriages after doors closed and hung on as train sped along at 170mphA man survived unscathed after clinging to the outside of a German high-speed train as it barrelled along at up to 170mph (280km/h), police said on Friday.The 40-year-old Hungarian man was having a cigarette on a platform in Bavaria when the train doors shut, prompting him to jump on to the bracket between two carriages. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage hereRussian forces have retaken 63.2% of the territory captured by Ukraine in the Kursk region of western Russia, the Russian defence ministry said on Friday.Reuters could not independently verify the ministry's statement, which said Russia had recaptured four settlements in the first two weeks of January. Continue reading...

Survey finds younger generation seeking traditional decor amid backlash to hustle culture'We are a quarter of the way into the 21st century and just as the world feels more fractured and more online than ever before, here is some welcome news: put the kettle on, teapots are the new whimsy.Popularised by the cottagecore" trend beloved by celebrities including David Beckham, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, the desirability of domesticity is viewed by some as a yearning for life in simpler times. Continue reading...

Leader urged to clarify suggestion lock could be means-tested amid fears party will lose support among older voters

Actor's premiere entry shows how the electric rental bikes have shifted gear from everyday commuter transportWobbling along on a scuffed-up, muddy Lime bike is a journey that will be familiar to many commuters. But riding one to to the premiere of your new Oscar-tipped film? Less so.That Timothee Chalamet turned up to the London red carpet of A Complete Unknown on a Lime is a new high for the clunky electric bikes, which in recent years have shifted gear from quotidian to cool. Continue reading...

Benjamin Netanyahu's office has said the release of hostages will begin on Sunday if the deal passes. Plus, test flight by Elon Musk's SpaceX ends in failure

Overall retail sales volumes fall by 0.3% in December amid weak golden quarter' of trading

If Herbert Kickl becomes chancellor, Vienna will join list of disruptive member states, putting EU policies in perilWhen Austria's Freedom party (FPO) entered government 25 years ago, shock waves reverberated around Europe. Punitive measures were imposed, diplomatic visits cancelled and Belgium even suggested the EU could do without the Alpine country.That was when the far-right party was only a junior coalition partner. This time, the FPO - nativist, anti-immigration and fiercely critical of the EU - is in the driving seat. Its leader, Herbert Kickl, is in pole position to be Austria's next chancellor. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Majority polled by YouGov viewed billionaire negatively - except among Reform UK and AfD votersMost people in the UK and Germany consider Elon Musk's efforts to influence their national politics unacceptable and believe the US tech magnate does not know much about either country or the issues they face, a poll has shown.The survey, by YouGov, follows a spate of hostile statements by the billionaire owner of Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X attacking the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and their respective governments. Continue reading...

UK phone, broadband and pay-TV firms can no longer impose hikes linked to unknown future rates of inflationMillions of consumers will be protected from nasty surprises" from Friday as new rules take effect that mean telecoms firms must tell people upfront - in pounds and pence" - about any future price rises.It means mobile phone, broadband and pay-TV companies are now banned from imposing mid-contract price increases linked to unknown future rates of inflation. Continue reading...

Review of labelling's effectiveness finds average reduction is equivalent of 11 calories in a typical 600-calorie mealCalorie labels on menus and food packets encourage people to choose healthier options but only to the tune of 11 calories - the same as a single Pringle crisp.That is the finding of a study into how effective menu listings are at prompting consumers to select less calorific food. Continue reading...

Steven Spielberg, Nicolas Cage, Ron Howard and others share their respects for film-maker who died this week at 78

Police watchdog says suspension of Jason Hogg is neutral act' and should not be seen as indication of guiltThe head of Thames Valley police has been suspended with immediate effect amid allegations of gross misconduct.Chief constable Jason Hogg is being investigated by the Independent Office of Police Conduct, the police watchdog said on Thursday, after concerns were raised about the failure to investigate the conduct of a colleague. Continue reading...

James Clarkson, 20, hit the jackpot in first national lottery draw of 2025 but was back at work on Monday morningHis luck began on Christmas Day. After winning 120 in the Lotto Christmas Day Draw, 20-year-old James Clarkson decided to buy five lottery tickets for the first draw of 2025 - and won 7.5m.Clarkson, a trainee gas engineer from Carlisle, was staying over at his girlfriend's house when he discovered he had hit the jackpot on 4 January. Continue reading...

Joint project between Guardian and city's Science and Industry Museum will open in early 2027The role transatlantic enslavement played in shaping Manchester is at the heart of a new exhibition developed in partnership by the Guardian and the city's Science and Industry Museum.The exhibition is the first time the museum, which tells the story of Manchester's transformation into the world's first industrial city, has put the links between enslaved African people, cotton and the city at the centre of a display. Continue reading...

Yvette Cooper's unveiling of a rapid review of evidence, after week of arguments against new inquiry, has already been called inadequateWhen is a U-turn not a U-turn? When it is less a complete volte face and more of a change of direction. The question looms over Keir Starmer, whose announcement of a review into grooming gangs is his second such positional pivot this week alone.On Tuesday, the Treasury minister, Tulip Siddiq, departed over her links to much-disputed claims of family corruption centred on her aunt, the former president of Bangladesh. Downing Street had insisted for days that the facts must first be established. Continue reading...

Anne, 53, was scammed out of hundreds of thousands after believing she was in a long-term relationship with the actorA spokesperson for Brad Pitt has addressed the viral story about a French woman who believed she was in a long-term relationship with the actor and was scammed out of 830,000 ($854,940, 700,000) by someone posing as him.It's awful that scammers take advantage of the strong bond between fans and celebrities," the spokesperson said in a statement obtained by E! News. But this is an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence." Continue reading...

Elianne Andam was stabbed to death by friend's ex-boyfriend Hassan Sentamu after dispute outside Croydon shopping centreElianne Andam was known, above all, for her caring nature. During her memorial service, her father recounted an evening when she found six snails flushed out on the pavement due to the rain. She picked up the slimy creatures" and moved them out of harm's way so they would not die prematurely. Oh, the irony," her father said.On 27 September 2023, Andam stood up for her friend, who had recently broken up with her boyfriend. They met Hassan Sentamu, who was 17 at the time, to exchange items. Her friend handed a bag to Sentamu but he failed to hand over her items, including a teddy bear she wanted back. Continue reading...

Relatives of some of 98 still believed held by Hamas describe being in limbo but remain cautiously optimistic'

Judge rules former president's passport will not be returned in case he uses it to flee abroad amid coup investigationBrazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro - who is under investigation for allegedly plotting a coup - has seen his hopes of attending Donald Trump's inauguration dashed after a judge ruled his confiscated passport would not be returned in case the disgraced politician used it to flee abroad.Bolsonaro's travel document was seized by federal police last February as investigators deepened their inquiries into what they call a sprawling conspiracy to dismantle Brazil's 40-year-old democracy. Continue reading...

Summer Betts-Ramsey and three others given youth detention for attack on victim who had misled one of the defendants over gender identityA woman who carried out a transphobic stabbing attack motivated by a distorted notion of revenge" has been sentenced to more than eight years in youth detention.The victim, a transgender woman who was 18 at the time, was stabbed nine times in Harrow last February in an attack involving five young people wearing masks, the Old Bailey heard. Continue reading...

Hamas, Hezbollah and other militia are enfeebled - but Palestine is likely to stay at forefront of global politics