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Outgoing minister says combination of more medium-term housing and dedicated staff has dropped average discharge rate to a record low of 20 days

Secondhand tumble dryer and roast beef for vegetarian also in worst present ever received' pollA burial plot and a toilet seat top the list of the nation's all-time worst Christmas gifts, according to research that suggests one in five Britons receive an unwanted present in their annual haul.More than 2,000 members of the public were polled by Which? about what they were given at Christmas last year, with 21% saying they had received an unwanted or unsuitable gift. Continue reading...

Temperatures plunged overnight in Victoria's west as gusty winds swept over blazes that scorched bushland the size of Singapore

Yoon's legal team will attend the first hearing in impeachment review on Friday, the same day that the acting president also faces an impeachment voteSouth Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol's legal team are set to attend court on Friday as the constitutional court begins hearings into his impeachment by parliament over his short-lived imposition of martial law,The court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate Yoon or remove him. In the latter scenario, a new presidential election would be held within 60 days. Continue reading...

UN secretary general decries escalatory actions on both sides after WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says he was just metres from airport strikeThe United Nations chief has denounced the escalation" in hostilities between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Israel, calling IDF strikes on targets including at the airport in Sana'a especially alarming" after it came under attack while the head of the World Health Organization was about to board a plane.Israel struck multiple targets linked to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen on Thursday, including the international airport in the capital, Sana'a. Houthi media said at least six people were killed. Continue reading...

Newly released documents show senior official accepted that Rosemary Nelson should have been offered helpThe murdered solicitor Rosemary Nelson should have been offered protection by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), a senior official accepted, according to newly released documents.Nelson was killed by a loyalist car bomb outside her home in Lurgan, County Armagh in March 1999. Continue reading...

Seven fire engines and search and rescue team attended incident on Boxing Day morningThe body of a woman has been found in a property on the outskirts of Norwich after a house fire, police said.Officers were called to assist the fire service at 4.22am on Boxing Day after reports of the blaze at a residential property to the north of the East Anglia city. Continue reading...

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He may be in league of his own on social media, but can he convince the big money he leads a viable national party?On brand as ever, Nigel Farage got the news that Reform appears to have surpassed the Tories in membership numbers while attending a traditional Boxing Day hunt.He was filmed for TikTok and Instagram wearing tweeds and a flat-cap, getting the news on his phone. He said: We've done it. We're through. How about that? We're now the official opposition." Sticking out his tongue and smiling straight into the camera, he added: It's going to be a long day." Continue reading...

Only 25% of institution's students are from Scotland, and they are more likely to be from working-class backgroundsFrom the first day Shanley Breese started her law degree at the University of Edinburgh, she encountered demeaning comments about her accent. She was told she was hard to understand and was asked to repeat herself in tutorials when she used words from the Scots language.It was just a little thing to differentiate us and point it out ... It meant that I didn't participate in my tutorials," she says. Continue reading...

Aircraft carrying 62 passengers and five crew was en route from Baku to Grozny in ChechnyaTwenty-nine people have survived after a passenger plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines burst into flames as it crashed near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after veering hundreds of miles off its planned route.The flight was carrying 62 passengers and five crew members with 38 killed in the crash, according to Kazakhstan's deputy prime minister, Kanat Bozumbayev. Continue reading...

Ukraine official also says crash caused by Russian air defence fire, while Russia plays down involvementRussia and Kazakhstan have sought to play down speculation about the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, as a US official said there were early indications that a Russian anti-aircraft system may have struck the plane.The assertion comes after a Ukrainian national security official and several sources in Azerbaijan claimed that the crash, which killed 38 people on Christmas Day, was caused by Russian air defence fire. Continue reading...

Security personnel and three armed men killed in clashes in Tartus province, a former Assad stronghold, say monitors

Man, 49, arrested on suspicion of murder, with man in his late 20s and teenage boy suffering serious injuriesTwo women have died and a man and a teenage boy have suffered serious injuries after a reported stabbing in Milton Keynes on Christmas Day.A 49-year-old man from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and remained in police custody, Thames Valley police said. Continue reading...

Nigel Farage heralds historic moment' as figure surpasses that of Conservatives when Kemi Badenoch took overReform UK has said it believes it now has more members than the Conservatives, surpassing 131,000 on Boxing Day.The party said it had hit the milestone of 131,680, which is the number of members the Conservatives had when Kemi Badenoch won the leadership election in the autumn. Continue reading...

Waves towering up to 30 metres killed more than 220,000 people in 15 countries in deadliest tsunami in historyCeremonies have been held in countries across Asia to remember the more than 220,000 people who were killed two decades ago in the Indian Ocean tsunami, the most deadly tsunami in history.On 26 December 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sumatra island, triggering huge waves that slammed into coastal communities across the Indian Ocean. The waves, which towered as high as 30 metres, killed 227,899 people across 15 countries. Continue reading...

Book banned since 1988 is selling out' after import bar was overturned due to missing paperworkSalman Rushdie's 1988 novel The Satanic Verses - which led to a fatwa threatening his life, forcing him into hiding for a decade - has finally returned to bookshops in India, the land of his birth.The novel, inspired by the life of the prophet Muhammad, became the focus of a fierce global debate about freedom of speech when Iran's then-supreme leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, placed a bounty on Rushdie's head due to its supposed blasphemy. The book was banned in India by Rajiv Gandhi's government in 1988 after riots erupted over its contents. Continue reading...

Experts say disappointing' relationships with gambling industry, including funding for research, should be scrutinised

Exclusive: Gareth Thomas suggests company should have shown more remorse' since failings of Horizon IT system emergedA minister has spoken of his disappointment that Fujitsu, the Japanese company behind the Horizon computer system, has not done more for those whose lives were ruined in the Post Office scandal.After an intensive year of testimony and revelations at the public inquiry, the postal minister, Gareth Thomas, suggested the response of Fujitsu, which earned record profits in the last quarter of the year, had not been strong enough. Continue reading...

Last episode of long-running BBC sitcom had an average of 12.3m live viewersGavin and Stacey has won the festive TV ratings battle, with the show's final farewell becoming the most watched Christmas Day programme in 16 years.The final episode of the long-running BBC sitcom drew in an average of 12.3 million viewers on Wednesday, according to overnight viewing figures. These figures do not include views racked up on catch-up services during the rest of the festive period. Continue reading...

French authorities carry out 12 rescue operations off northern coast during intense' day of attempted crossingsFrench maritime authorities carried out 12 rescue operations along the coast of northern France on Christmas Day, rescuing 107 people in distress in small boats trying to cross to the UK.On Christmas morning, 30 passengers were rescued from a boat near Dunkirk, while the others onboard wished to continue their journey and were taken into British custody once they reached UK waters, said the French Channel and North Sea maritime prefect's office. Continue reading...

Police say postmortem being carried out to determine cause of death of man, in his 30s, in Norton CanesA woman is being questioned by police after she was arrested on suspicion of murdering a man on Christmas Day in a Staffordshire village.Staffordshire police said a postmortem was being carried out on Boxing Day to determine the cause of death of the man, in his 30s, who was thought to have died at a property in Norton Canes. Continue reading...

Sun Chanthy also barred from running for office, in latest case to target critics of governmentThe leader of a Cambodian opposition party has been sentenced to two years in jail and banned from running for office after he was found guilty of inciting social disorder, in the latest legal case to target government critics.Sun Chanthy, the president of the Nation Power party, was found guilty of the charge at a court in Phnom Penh. He also faces a fine of 4m riel (800) and has been stripped of his right to vote or stand for election.AFP contributed to this report Continue reading...

Residents in some areas warned it is too late to leave as authorities brace for dangerous winds overnight

YouGov survey finds negotiated end to war with Russia is preferred option in four out of seven countriesReadiness to support Ukraine until it wins" has fallen sharply across western Europe at a critical time for the country, a survey suggests, as Donald Trump's forthcoming return to the White House raises questions over the future of US military assistance to Kyiv.December polling by YouGov in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark and the UK found public desire to stand by Ukraine until victory - even if that meant prolonging the war - had slumped in all seven countries over the past 12 months. Continue reading...

More than 250 works from amateur and celebrated Welsh artists are on display at the National Library of Wales until September 2025An infamous declaration that there is no Welsh art" has been firmly rebutted by a groundbreaking exhibition at the country's national library amid growing calls for a permanent national art gallery for Wales to be created.More than 250 works from beloved Welsh painters such as Gwen John and Kyffin Williams have been hung alongside pieces by unknown and amateur artists at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth with the aim of telling the narrative of the nation through visual art - and debunking the no art" myth. Continue reading...

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Barrage of gambling adverts likely to exacerbate addiction, as NHS in England doubles number of clinics to meet demandThe barrage" of betting advertisements around Boxing Day sporting fixtures will exacerbate Britain's growing gambling problem, NHS bosses are warning.Promotional techniques by unscrupulous betting firms, including free Christmas bets, will increase gambling-related harm by encouraging punters to wager sums they cannot afford, they say.In the UK, support for problem gambling can be found through GamCare on 0808 8020 133. In the US, the National Council on Problem Gambling is on 800-522-4700. In Australia, Gambling Help Online is available on 1800 858 858 and the National Debt helpline is at 1800 007 007

Investigators appealing for information after blaze erupted around 3am on Boxing Day

High streets predicted to be less busy as people buy beauty and technology deals onlineShoppers are expected to spend 3.7bn, this Boxing Day, up only 1.3% on 2023, with high streets less busy as shoppers snap up beauty and technology bargains online.The ability to click for bargains from the sofa means post-Christmas discounts actually begin before most families have touched a sprout or a slice of turkey as it is now possible to begin spending in the sales from midnight on Christmas Eve. Continue reading...

A Central Park birdwatching incident went viral after Christian Cooper filmed a white woman threatening him. Now he is using his platform to share his passion for natureThis week we are revisiting some of our favourite episodes from 2024. This one was first broadcast on 01 April.In May 2020, Christian Cooper was in an area called the Ramble in Central Park in New York. It's a beautiful place, he says, and vital to the local bird population. So when he saw a dog off its leash, which is not permitted in the Ramble to protect the birds, he confronted the owner. Continue reading...

Family and friends hold grave fears for man identified as Oscar Jenkins who was reportedly captured by Russian soldiers in Donbas region

Three-week-old Sila is the third baby to die from the cold in Gaza's tent camps in recent days, according to doctorsA baby girl froze to death overnight in Gaza, while Israel and Hamas accused each other of complicating ceasefire efforts that could wind down the 14-month war.

Unrest at maximum security prison in the capital, Maputo, reportedly left 33 people dead and 15 injuredDozens of people were killed in a prison riot in Mozambique on Christmas Day, authorities have said.The riot, reportedly at the maximum security prison in the capital Maputo, left 33 people dead and 15 injured, according to police general commander Bernardino Rafael. Continue reading...

Police watchdog investigating shooting in residential area in Worcestershire on Christmas EvePolice fired Tasers during a stand-off with a knife-wielding man in Worcestershire before a firearms officer shot and killed him, the police watchdog said.Officers were called by West Midlands ambulance service to an address in Redditch at about 2pm on Christmas Eve after concerns were raised for the safety of a 39-year-old man with a knife. Continue reading...

Temperatures reached 11.9C in Kinloss, Moray, and peaked at 11C at Killowen, Co Down, according to Met OfficeThis year marks the mildest start to Christmas Day on record in Northern Ireland and Scotland.According to the Met Office, in Kinloss, Moray, temperatures reached 11.9C, while at Killowen, Co Down, it peaked at 11C for the 24-hour period ending at 9am on 25 December. A temperature of 14.2C was reached in Dyce, Aberdeen, meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said. Continue reading...

Odds of winning jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, compared with 1 in 24 for any Mega Millions prize, and tickets cost $2The Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed $1bn after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve. That means the estimated jackpot for Friday's drawing is $1.15bn, potentially the fifth-largest jackpot in the game's history.We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday's drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15bn jackpot," Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a Wednesday statement. Continue reading...

Three explosions caused Ursa Major to sink off Spanish coast, says company linked to Russian defence ministryA Russian cargo ship that sank on Tuesday in the Mediterranean Sea was the target of an act of terrorism", according to the vessel's owner.The Ursa Major sank while it was sailing through international waters between Spain and Algeria, leaving two crew members missing, Continue reading...

The Finnish electricity grid's head of operations says sabotage can't be ruled outAn undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia broke down on Wednesday, Finland's prime minister said, the latest in a series of incidents involving cables and energy pipelines in the Baltic Sea.The Finnish electricity grid's head of operations, Arto Pahkin, told the public broadcaster Yle that sabotage could not be ruled out. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy describes cruise and ballistic missile strikes, which caused blackouts in several regions, as inhuman'

Hundreds march on state prosecutor's office to demand justice after 15 people killed when renovated roof collapsedHundreds of university students have rallied in Belgrade to protest against the policies of Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vui, and his ruling Serbian Progressive party (SNS), which they blame for a railway disaster last month in which 15 people died.The concrete awning of the recently renovated roof of the train station in the northern city of Novi Sad caved in on 1 November, killing 14 people and injuring three. One of the injured died later. Continue reading...

Stephen Cottrell delivers Christmas sermon in place of Justin Welby, who will step down as de facto head of churchThe archbishop of York has highlighted the need for actions more than words in his Christmas sermon, as the Church of England faces criticism over failures in its handling of recent abuse scandals.Stephen Cottrell, who will become the temporary leader of the Church in England in early January in place of the outgoing archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said the church must kneel in penitence and adoration" this Christmas and be changed". Continue reading...

Once the apex of conspiracy theories, the influential group signals a shift by naming ex-Nato chief as new co-chairThe former head of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, has been named the new co-chair of the influential Bilderberg Group, which convenes a yearly transatlantic policy conference and has long been the subject of conspiracy theories around the extent of its power to shape global events.After a turbulent decade at the helm of the alliance's military, Stoltenberg now takes over at its pre-eminent discussion forum: a fiercely private four-day event frequented by prime minsters, EU commissioners, bank bosses, corporate CEOs and intelligence chiefs. Continue reading...

Study warns region's exponential rise in incarceration is fuelling the disease, with cases increasing by 19% between 2015 and 2022High incarceration rates in Latin America - the region with the world's fastest-growing prison population - are exacerbating tuberculosis in a region that is bucking the global trend for falling incidents of the disease, experts have warned.A study published in The Lancet Public Health journal has estimated that, contrary to previous assumptions, HIV/Aids is not the primary risk factor for tuberculosis in the region - as it remains in Africa, for example - but rather imprisonments. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Reducing rate of misogynistic killings is key to halving violence against women and girls, says Jess PhillipsTackling the scourge of femicide" in the UK will be a central part of the government's promise to drastically reduce violence against women and girls, the minister leading the policy has said.Revealing details of one of Labour's central missions in office for the first time, Jess Phillips said the success of the government's target to halve violence against women and girls had to include reducing the rate at which women are killed by men. Continue reading...

Research firm Omdia says dip to 931m due to Hollywood strikes but wave of blockbusters likely to renew recoveryThe UK box office is forecast to surpass 1bn next year for the first time in six years, but cinema bosses still say moviegoing will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2026.The pace of the hoped-for recovery at the box office was disrupted by the Hollywood actors' and writers' strikes last summer, which delayed the release of a number of blockbusters. Continue reading...

Ambulance service called armed officers to an address in Redditch over concerns for the safety of a man with a knifePolice shot a man dead in Worcestershire on Christmas Eve.West Midlands Ambulance Service called armed officers to an address in Redditch at about 2pm after concerns were raised for the safety of a man with a knife. Continue reading...

Lucy Powrie was 15 when she read Agnes Grey. Ten years on she is chair of the Bronte Parsonage MuseumLucy Powrie was 15 years old when she first read Anne Bronte's 1847 novel Agnes Grey and instantly, intensely, fell in love. There was just this moment of, I suppose, feeling like I'd come home. I'd found something that was just better than anything I had ever found in my life."Already a wildly enthusiastic reader, she had been blogging about books since the age of 12, and hosting a book review channel on YouTube since she was 13. Discovering Anne Bronte, followed immediately by her older sisters Emily and Charlotte, opened the door to a new world: They were everything that I didn't realise was out there." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Parliamentary committee set to endorse proposals to refer complaints about bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct by MPs to independent investigator

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