World news | The Guardian

Boxing Day weather warnings, with volatile conditions across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as more thunderstorms and rain forecast

We'll only get better at shooting you down, Zelenskiy warns Russian pilots; Adviivka facing third wave' of attacks

Australian Retail Association predicts $23.9bn in spending for sales period ending on 15 JanuaryRetailers are expecting Boxing Day shoppers to spend $1.25bn on Tuesday as the sector hopes for relief from a drop in discretionary spending.Retail sales have been sluggish throughout 2023 as cost-of-living pressures bite. Continue reading...

Monarch says in his second Christmas Day message that his coronation was a call to us all to serve and care'King Charles has praised the work of volunteers, calling them a selfless army of people" who form an essential backbone of our society".In his second Christmas speech, the king said he was delighted that hundreds of volunteers and their representatives attended his coronation in May, saying their presence emphasised the meaning of coronation itself, above all, a call to us all to serve one another, to love and care for all". Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. See all our Israel-Gaza war coverage here Here are more details of the Egyptian plan to end the conflict, as reported by the Associated Press:The call is for an initial ceasefire of up to two weeks during which Palestinian militants would free 40 to 50 hostages in return for the release of 120 to 150 Palestinians from Israeli prisons, the Egyptian official said.At the same time negotiations would continue on extending the ceasefire and the release of more hostages and bodies held by Palestinian militants, he said.Egypt and Qatar would work with all Palestinian factions, including Hamas, to agree on the establishment of a government of experts, he added.The government would rule Gaza and the West Bank for a transitional period as Palestinian factions settled their disputes and agreed on a roadmap to hold presidential and parliamentary elections.In the meantime, Israel and Hamas would continue to negotiate a comprehensive all-for-all" deal, the official said. This would include the release of all remaining hostages in return for all Palestinian prisoners in Israel, as well as the Israeli military's withdrawal from Gaza and the Palestinian militants' halting of rocket attacks into Israel. Continue reading...

Man in his 20s died and man in his 40s remains in serious condition after attack at Browne's SteakhousePolice have stepped up uniformed patrols in Dublin after a shooting incident at a restaurant on Christmas Eve.A man in his 20s died and a man in his 40s is receiving treatment for gunshot wounds after the incident at 8pm on Sunday. He remains in a serious condition in Connolly hospital. Continue reading...

Spirit Airlines sent boy to Orlando instead of Fort Myers, leaving his grandmother to drive 160 miles to pick him upA six-year-old boy boarded the wrong airplane last week, making a holiday trip look more like a Home Alone sequel in Philadelphia.Spirit Airlines placed Casper on the wrong flight on Thursday, making his first flight one to remember. His grandmother was expecting him to arrive in Fort Myers, Florida, but instead he landed in Orlando. Continue reading...

Bandits' started attacks in Bokkos area and spilled into neighbouring Barkin Ladi, according to local chairmanArmed groups have killed at least 160 people in central Nigeria in a series of attacks on villages, local government officials said on Monday.The toll marked a sharp rise from the initial figure reported by the army on Sunday evening of just 16 dead in a region plagued for several years by religious and ethnic tensions. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer mulling detailed plans' to outsource process overseas as alternative to Rwanda planLabour is reportedly considering a scheme that would see asylum seekers' claims processed elsewhere.Keir Starmer is mulling detailed plans" for an offshoring scheme as he seeks to deter Tory attacks on Labour's alternative to the Rwanda plan, the Times said on Monday. Continue reading...

Iranian officials vow revenge after Sayyed Razi Mousavi, top member of Revolutionary Guards, reportedly killedAn Israeli airstrike in a Damascus neighbourhood on Monday killed a high-ranking Iranian general, Iranian state media has said.Iranian officials and allied militant groups in the region vowed revenge for the killing but did not immediately launch any retaliatory strike. Continue reading...

Opposition group Serbia Against Violence staged protests over elections deemed irregular by international rights watchdogsSerbian police have detained at least 38 people who took part in a protest over an election earlier this month that international monitors said was unfair.Opposition group Serbia Against Violence has been staging protests since the 17 December elections, saying there was election fraud, particularly in the capital, Belgrade. The governing populists were declared winners of the parliamentary and local councils' elections. Continue reading...

Jailed Russian opposition leader doing well', according to aides, nearly three weeks after going missingThe jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been located in a remote prison colony above the Arctic Circle after going missing for nearly three weeks, his aides have said.Navalny was tracked down to the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp in the Yamal-Nenets region, about 1,200 miles north-east of Moscow, his spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said on Monday. We have found Alexei Navalny," she wrote on X. Continue reading...

Snowflakes in Aviemore warrant Met Office certification but mid-Atlantic conditions hand Exeter airport 13.2CForecasters have officially declared a white Christmas" with snow falling across parts of Scotland - after the record for the highest daily minimum temperature for Christmas Day was broken further south.Snow, sleet and rain moved across parts of Scotland, with Tulloch Bridge and Aviemore recording snowflakes, the Met Office said. Continue reading...

Ukraine celebrates holiday on 25 December rather than 7 January for first time, in move to distance itself from RussiaVolodymyr Zelenskiy hailed the shooting down of two Russian fighter jets on Christmas Eve and said this Christmas sets the right mood for the entire year ahead".In a Christmas message marking the first time Ukraine has officially observed the holiday on 25 December rather than 7 January, Zelenskiy also referred to Ukraine's claim to have destroyed a further three Russian fighter planes on Friday. Continue reading...

Government has shelved policies that could have helped to change landscape weighted in favour of unhealthy food options

Exclusive: Officially commissioned research lays out effects of shelving anti-obesity pledges

Just in time for Christmas, Adams county SPCA adopts out 598 animals and reunites 125 with their ownersAn animal shelter in Pennsylvania reached a milestone this Christmas season, celebrating one of the rare moments where less is more.The Adams county SPCA, which houses dogs, cats and other homeless, abandoned or lost animals, was empty for the first time in 47 years, according to a Facebook post from the shelter, reported by CNN. Continue reading...

The streets are usually thronged with tourists and pilgrims but this year the town is mourning the dead of the Gaza war

Frog seller' trend sparks debate on intellectual property amid concerns over copyright infringement

All Ukrainians are together,' president says after government changed date of Orthodox Christmas in snub to Russia

Metropolitan police say 16-year-old boy known to victim and being held on suspicion of murderPolice have arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of murder after a woman was stabbed to death in Bermondsey, south London, on Christmas Eve.The Metropolitan police were called shortly after 10pm to reports of a 22-year-old woman with a stab injury at a residential property in Spenlow House on Jamaica Road. Continue reading...

Bjartmar Leosson says at first he was motivated by his anger at Reykjavik's bike thieves. Now he empathises with themIt all started in 2019, when Bjartmar Leosson started to see a rise in bike theft in Reykjavik. Rather than accepting that once a bicycle was stolen it had disappeared forever, the bus driver and self-confessed bike nerd" decided to start tracking them down and returning them to their rightful owners.Four years and, he estimates, hundreds of salvaged bikes later, the 44-year-old has developed a reputation in the Icelandic capital among cyclists and potential bike thieves. Known as the Reykjavik bike whisperer", people across his home city turn to him for help to find their missing bicycles, tools and even cars. Often, he says, bike thieves hand over bikes without being asked and some former bike thieves have started to help him. Continue reading...

Workers claim they have been forced to clean up human faeces, had payments cut off after a death in the family and have had to cancel work to attend provider appointmentsJobseekers say their employment providers have put them in positions where they have been given just one shift a fortnight, had to clean up large amounts of human faeces, and have been cut off payments after a close family member died.In one case, Rebecca, who did not want her last name used, said her disability provider, Multiple Solutions, registered her as a sole contractor and placed her into a role cleaning an aged care home in Gawler, South Australia, without telling her she was technically self-employed. Continue reading...

Professional dancer shares image on Instagram of her and husband Marius Iepure with new babyThe former Strictly Come Dancing dancer Oti Mabuse has given birth to her first child.In a Christmas Day Instagram post, the professional dancer shared images of her and her husband, Marius Iepure, in matching festive outfits, a baby in her arms with a Christmas tree in the background. Continue reading...

One of deadliest periods in conflict, with safe' evacuation zone of Deir al-Balah hit overnight

Clips of chef saying meecro-wah-vay' were shared widely online. That's what we call it at home,' she saysIt was a mispronunciation that launched a thousand memes. Now Nigella Lawson has said she feels too self-conscious to utter the word microwave" after her pronunciation went viral.A clip of the celebrity chef pronouncing microwave" as meecro-wah-vay" while talking about heating milk was shared widely online in 2020. Continue reading...

Police called to fire at Finchley and Golders Green MP's office in north London at about 7pm on Christmas EvePolice in London are investigating a suspected arson attack at the office of the Conservative MP Mike Freer.Officers were called to a fire at the north London constituency office at about 7pm on Christmas Eve, with the London Fire Brigade also on the scene. Continue reading...

So many parts of the world seem beset with violence,' Justin Welby to say as he reflects on plight of children in warThe archbishop of Canterbury and the pope are using their Christmas addresses to show solidarity with Bethlehem and those caught up in the Israel-Gaza war.Referring to Jesus Christ's birthplace, which is now in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Justin Welby will say the skies of Bethlehem are full of fear rather than angels and glory". Continue reading...

Food Standards Agency announces recall on Christmas Eve, saying products should not come in contact with other foodsFour types of cheese have been precautionarily" recalled due to a possible E coli contamination before Christmas Day.The Food Standards Agency (FSA) announced the recall for Mrs Kirkham's Mild and Creamy Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham's Tasty Lancashire, Mrs Kirkham's Mature Lancashire and Mrs Kirkham's Smoked Lancashire on Christmas Eve. Continue reading...

Scientists are studying how a decline in our olfactory abilities can signal conditions such as Alzheimer'sWhether it is the waft of clove-studded oranges or the crisp fragrance of a fir tree, the festive season is filled with aromas that conjure Christmases past. Now researchers say our sense of smell, and its connection to our memory, could be used to help fight dementia.Our senses can worsen as a result of disease and old age. But while impairment to hearing or vision is quickly apparent, a decline in our sense of smell can be insidious, with months or even years passing before it becomes obvious. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Orders should be done within a year of sentence as experts blame chronic understaffing' in probation serviceMore than 5,500 unpaid work orders that form part of community sentences have not been completed more than two years after being handed down, with experts blaming chronic understaffing" in the probation service.Ordinarily the orders, which can be for between 40 and 300 hours, should be completed within 12 months of sentence. Figures show there are more than 15,100 unpaid work orders not completed in that time in England and Wales, Continue reading...

Canberra Raiders recruit dies aged 26 while holidaying with his family at ChristmasThe NRL player Troy Dargan has died in a motorcycle accident while holidaying in the Cook Islands.Dargan played two NRL games, both for South Sydney in 2020, and had joined Canberra on a two-year contract for the upcoming season. Continue reading...

The Bureau of Meteorology warns of more thunderstorms and heavy rain for large parts of Australia's east coastQueenslanders and parts of New South Wales have been told to hunker down amid Christmas Day warnings for large hailstones, heavy rain and possible flash flooding.The Bureau of Meteorology issued thunderstorm warnings on Monday afternoon for parts of Queensland's southern interior and the north of the state, Continue reading...

Two other protesters were denied entry at the gates to the concert at Sidney Myer Musical BowlThousands of people joined in to sing along at Carols by Candlelight in Melbourne on Sunday, with the festivities momentarily interrupted by two Pro-Palestine protesters who stormed the stage as children were performing.The protesters were tackled and quickly removed, with host David Campbell appealing for calm and assuring people the children were safe. Continue reading...

Five killed in Russian attacks on Kherson region; Ukrainian Orthodox Christians prepare to mark Christmas on 25 December for first time

Spokesperson says attack on the Maghazi camp in central Gaza is a massacre' and warns that death toll is likely to rise furtherSee all our Israel-Gaza war coverageThe UN high commissioner for refugees, Filippo Grandi, has said a humanitarian ceasefire" is the only way to ensure aid reaches civilians in Gaza, hostages are released and to stop the devastating loss of lives".The death toll from Israeli strikes inside Gaza has climbed to 20,258, the majority of them women and children, said the health authorities on Saturday. Continue reading...

Palestinian health officials say death toll after attack on Maghazi camp likely to rise

The 14-year-old was being towed behind a boat on a tube when he fell off and disappeared from view on SundayA search and rescue effort has ended in tragedy after the body of a 14-year-old boy was pulled from a river on Queensland's Fraser Coast.The boy was being towed behind a boat on a tube when he fell off and disappeared from view just after 10am on Sunday. Continue reading...

Serbian opposition hold rally after populist ruling party wins most votes in snap poll deemed unfair by observersPolice fired teargas as thousands gathered in Belgrade to demand the annulment of parliamentary and local elections a week ago that international observers said were unfair.The populist ruling Serbian Progressive party (SNS) won 46.72% of the votes in snap parliamentary elections last weekend, according to state election commission preliminary results. Continue reading...

Footfall was nearly 7% lower than last week and more than a fifth down on 2022 levelsThe number of in-person shoppers has fallen on Christmas Eve compared to last year amid Sunday trading hours and the cost-of-living crisis.Footfall across all UK retail destinations up to 5pm on Sunday was 6.8% lower than last week, and 20.6% lower than 24 December 2022, the latest data from industry analyst MRI Software shows. Continue reading...

Birth of Christ was formerly celebrated on 7 January, but has moved in symbolic shift away from RussiaRussian shelling in southern Ukraine's Kherson region has killed four people, including an 87-year-old man and his 81-year-old wife who died after a strike on their apartment building.The barrage on Sunday injured nine other people, including a 15-year-old, sparked fires in homes and at a private medical facility, and set a local gas pipeline alight, the head of the regional military administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said. Continue reading...

Organizers focus on second-most popular shopping day in cities including New York, Chicago and Los AngelesThousands of pro-Palestinian protesters waved the pan-Arab colors flag and wore the symbolic Palestinian keffiyeh in a series of coordinated No Xmas as Usual in a Genocide" rallies and marches across the US on Saturday.Organizers with Shut It Down for Palestine said the organization had focused its protests on the second-most popular shopping day of the year - the day before Christmas Eve - as part of ongoing civic and commercial disruptions. Organizers said they planned to organize actions to boycott, disrupt and rally at commercial centers". Continue reading...

Warmest 24 December recorded in Britain since 1997, with forecast for 13C in south of England on Christmas DayThe UK has experienced its warmest Christmas Eve in more than 20 years.Temperatures in Heathrow, south-west London, hit 15.3C on Sunday, well above average for the time of year, making it the warmest 24 December since 1997. Continue reading...

There are 121,327 in short-term housing, while 261,189 homes are empty long-term, say Lib DemsEngland has more than twice as many long-term empty homes this Christmas as there are children living in temporary accommodation, the Liberal Democrats have said, calling this a stark indication of a broken" housing market.The numbers of families without a permanent home and in short-term housing, whether hotels and B&Bs or temporary rental properties, has hit a record high this year, with the latest statistics showing it now affects 121,327 children, according to data collated by the House of Commons library. Continue reading...

Waves of Russian attacks hit Kherson region, say officials; Ukraine to celebrate Christmas Day on 25 December for first time

Experts link 44% increase in four years to a growing mental health crisis and underinvestment in health services

Met police arrest man after incident in which Marie Theobald was killed while walking dogs in ChigwellA man has been arrested after a woman and two dogs were killed days before Christmas in a suspected hit-and-run crash in Essex.Marie Theobald, 48, from Hainault, was walking with two dogs named Riley and Honey on Manford Way, Chigwell, when she was hit by a car, believed to be a white Seat Leon. Continue reading...

Home secretary has apologised for remark at Downing Street reception about spiking his wife's drinkThe home secretary is facing calls to resign after making jokes about spiking his wife's drink with a date rape drug at a Downing Street reception.James Cleverly apologised for making the remarks just hours after the Home Office announced plans to crack down on spiking - putting drugs into another person's drink or directly into their body without their knowledge. Continue reading...

When Vladimir Kosarevsky was ordered to destroy books referring to same-sex relationships, he raised the alarm instead - then went to Spain to rebuild his lifeAs a gay man growing up in Russia, books were Vladimir Kosarevsky's refuge, offering him a precious glimpse into lives that in some way echoed his own. So when the Moscow librarian received orders late last year to destroy books referencing same-sex relationships - part of a sweeping attack on gay and transgender rights - Kosarevsky knew it was a line he wouldn't cross.I realised that if I did it, I would never ever be able to forgive myself," Kosarevsky told the Guardian from northern Spain, where he is claiming asylum. It had always been important to me to see those heroes in books, because it represents you somehow. It makes you visible, even when the politics in Russia are determined to erase you." Continue reading...