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NSW police respond to reports of a break-in at a Ryde apartment - then discover 722kg of the drug

Broadcaster, 83, is waiting to hear result of miracle drug' and says she wants UK law to let the terminally ill choose how they dieThe ChildLine founder and broadcaster Esther Rantzen has said she has considered the option of assisted dying if her ongoing lung cancer treatment does not improve her condition.The 83-year-old revealed that her cancer had progressed to stage four in May and she has since joined the Swiss organisation Dignitas, which offers physician-assisted suicide to members with terminal illness or severe physical or mental illness. Continue reading...

Focusing on poorer children's social and emotional learning barely helps their results catch up with those of better-off peersTeaching character, grit and resilience in schools is valuable to children but is unlikely to play a major part in eradicating the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their wealthier peers, according to research.In recent years, policymakers in England and elsewhere in the world have focused on social and emotional learning, and the importance of developing character, determination and self-belief as a way of improving learning, particularly among children from lower income backgrounds. Continue reading...

Housing secretary aims to bring end to delays, as weakening of housing targets is confirmedMichael Gove will threaten to take action against councils that miss deadlines to submit their housing plans in a speech on Tuesday designed to highlight the government's commitment to build new homes across England.The housing secretary will say he will call out" local authorities that fail to publish their future development plans with a threat to intervene if necessary. Continue reading...

Bob Carr among more than 50 current and former Labor MPs to sign letter urging Australia to examine its relationship with Israel

Joseph Fiddler performed and recorded with Prince, Seal and Maxwell, and mentored hip-hop producer J DillaJoseph Fiddler, the funk musician known as Amp Fiddler who was acclaimed for solo work and collaborations with generations of diverse musicians, has died aged 65.A statement on social media read: Detroit's own world renowned ambassador of funk, soul, & electronic music, keyboardist, producer, afro-futurist, and guiding force of light for so many, has transitioned at the age of 65. After an extensive and noble battle with cancer, he now gracefully rests in peace and power." Continue reading...

US says it cannot support a reference to a cessation of hostilities', but might accept a call for a suspension of hostilities'The United Nations security council has postponed a vote calling for a sustainable cessation of hostilities in Gaza to give more time for diplomats to meet US objections to the wording of the draft resolution.The vote had been due on Monday in New York but the US said it could not support a reference to a cessation of hostilities", but might accept a call for a suspension of hostilities". Continue reading...

Disgraced Tory peer says government always knew of involvement in Covid contracts as calls mount for her to stay away from LordsA furious row has broken out between the disgraced Conservative peer Michelle Mone and the government over how much they knew about her links to a company that won lucrative deals during the pandemic.Mone claimed the Cabinet Office, which Michael Gove led at the time, the government and the NHS all knew about my involvement from the very beginning" before awarding her husband's firm 203m in contracts. Continue reading...

Lloyd Austin discusses focus on precise targeting of Hamas leaders; however, UN delays vote calling for cessation of hostilities

Parts of UK have more recently gone decades without Christmas snow, and in the past it was more hardship than dreamBing Crosby may have been dreaming of a white Christmas, but it seems such nostalgia might end up becoming a thing of the past in the UK. Not only do records reveal that some parts of the UK have at times gone decades without a yuletide flurry, but experts say the chances of a white Christmas are becoming ever smaller as a result of the climate crisis.According to the Met Office, a Christmas in the UK is white if even one snowflake is observed falling somewhere in the 24 hours of 25 December. Last year was, technically, a white Christmas in the UK, though none of the Met Office observation stations reported snow lying on the ground. Continue reading...

Advance comes after three days of intense fighting that forced thousands to flee towards the southSudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have seized Wad Madani, the country's second city, which had taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees from the capital, Khartoum, early in the eight-month war between the regular army and the paramilitary RSF.Videos posted by the RSF on Monday showed fighters in pickup trucks driving along streets in the city, the capital of el-Gezira state. Continue reading...

Manchester crown court jury begin deliberations after being told they don't need to find explanation for why 16-year-old was killedTwo teenagers blaming each other for the frenzied" murder of Brianna Ghey in a Warrington park were in it together", jurors have been told before starting their deliberations.The 16-year-old was stabbed 28 times in her head, neck, chest and back in Linear Park, Culcheth, a village near Warrington, Cheshire, on the afternoon of 11 February this year. Continue reading...

Labour leader also reiterates support for two-stage solution' as the only way this is going to be resolved'

Exclusive: Unite union finds some employers did not even allow simple adjustments such as fans for hot flushesMore than 80% of women in the UK say their employers provide no support at work for those with menopause symptoms, polling has found.A survey of 13,000 female union members by the Unite trade union about toilet, period and menopause dignity at work found that many women still struggle to get adequate toilet breaks or adjustments for their menopause symptoms. Continue reading...

Day after Aleksandar Vui's populist ruling party declared victory, concerns raised over vote-buying and ballot box stuffing. This live blog is closed

Met says a man in his 40s attended a police station on Thursday for interview in relation to six alleged offencesScotland Yard detectives have interviewed Russell Brand for a second time over allegations of sexual offences, it is understood.Brand was interviewed under caution at a police station in south London in November in relation to three non-recent alleged sexual offences, it is believed, and has been interviewed under caution again in relation to six further non-recent alleged sexual offences. Continue reading...

Former Tory peer claims she never concealed her link to PPE Medpro from officials dealing with the contractMark Harper, the transport secretary, has announced in a written statement that Transport for London is getting a capital funding settlement worth 250m for 2024. It will fund upgrades to the Piccadilly line. Sadiq Khan, the mayor, welcomed that announcement but, as the Evening Standard reports, said a decent long-term funding settlement" from the government was still needed.Rishi Sunak has said that too many civilian lives have been lost in Gaza - but declined to back Ben Wallace's claim that Israel is engaged in a killing rage". (See 10.27am.)Israel obviously has a right to defend itself against what was an appalling terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas, but it must do that in accordance with humanitarian law.It's clear that too many civilian lives have been lost and nobody wants to see this conflict go on a day longer than it has to. Continue reading...

Labour MP makes call after branches' role highlighted in Cyprus Confidential and other investigationsThe accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been urged to show that it is not using its complex international structure to evade responsibility for assisting with illicit financial flows and the undermining of sanctions".In an open letter to PwC, Dame Margaret Hodge, the veteran anti-corruption campaigner and Labour MP, raised concerns about the London-based firm's role in successive investigations by the Guardian and other media organisations, including the Cyprus Confidential leaks published last month. Continue reading...

Turner prize-winning artist joined on X by broadcaster Jon Sopel a fellow EDF customer, who complained of being asked for 18,000One is a Turner prize-winning artist, the other is a well-known journalist and broadcaster but both have been brought together by a seemingly evergreen gripe - inordinate energy bills.Grayson Perry, known for his ceramic vases and tapestries, revealed on X on Monday he had been stung with a 39,000 a month electricity bill - an astronomical leap from the previous charge of 300 a month. Continue reading...

Department hopes to save 4.5m a year by digitising - then binning - about 100m wills that date back 150 yearsSheer vandalism" and insane". This is how leading historians on Monday described government plans to destroy millions of historical wills to save on storage costs.The Ministry of Justice is consulting on digitising and then throwing away about 100m paper originals of the last wills and testaments of British people dating back more than 150 years in an effort to save 4.5m a year. Continue reading...

Likeness on display at Grevin Museum since 1981 is removed as allegations against actor are back in spotlightA French museum has removed a wax likeness of Gerard Depardieu, the latest measure taken against the actor since he faced allegations of sexual assault.The Grevin Museum in Paris said on Monday it had taken away the waxwork following the negative reactions of visitors" passing in front of it, as well as comments on social media. Continue reading...

Former Tory peer says government was aware of her involvement in PPE Medpro from the very beginning'

About 230 earthquakes reported near Reykjanes peninsula overnight as police alert remains at danger level

Chair of Actuaries Institute committee says money could go towards establishing early intervention programs for those with developmental delays

Choice poll also finds less than half of all flight refunds are received within a month as government considers additional regulation

Acma ruling prompts calls for money to be returned to punters as government continues to consult on tougher regulation

Serbia Against Violence opposition says it will not recognise results and will demand a rerun of the ballotSerbia's ruling populist party comfortably won Sunday's parliamentary elections, according to an early official vote count, but political tensions rose over allegations of irregularities in a local election race in the capital, Belgrade.An opposition group said it was robbed of victory in the Belgrade local election, would not recognise the results and would demand a rerun of the ballot. Continue reading...

The education minister joins Vaughan Gething, the economy minister, in contestJeremy Miles has entered the race to become Welsh first minister and said that as a young gay man from a working-class family he could never have imagined putting himself forward as the leader of Labour and Wales.Miles, the education minister, joins the current economy minister, Vaughan Gething, in the contest to replace Mark Drakeford, who announced his resignation last week. Continue reading...

Rock star is sued by unnamed woman who alleges he attacked her on board helicopter in 2003Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee has been accused of sexual assault, in an incident in 2003.A new civil lawsuit filed on Friday by an unnamed woman, Jane Doe - and reported by Rolling Stone - accuses Lee of forcibly groping, kissing and penetrating her with his fingers, and attempting to force her to perform oral copulation". The woman had been invited on to a helicopter by pilot David Martz and believed she would be on a sightseeing tour around San Diego, but was told they would be flying with Lee to Los Angeles. Continue reading...

Health spokesperson Wes Streeting reiterates need for caution over spending if party wins next general election

High-profile figure on party's right accused of causing significant damage' to reputation of parliament

As English water companies plan to hike bills, the Guardian reveals customers are paying a high price for combined debts of 60bn

Other refugees onboard say Albanian national Leonard Farruku appeared to be in distress before he died

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A 29-year-old man has been arrested and taken to hospital under police guard after the body of a woman was found in a storeroom at the zoo

Budget airline's shares hit record high, taking chief executive closer to massive payout

Martin Callahan says he hopes colleague sees sense' after Mone admitted lying to media over links to PPE firm

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Russia says 35 Ukrainian drones shot down overnight as Ukraine reports 20 Russian; Putin vows to make Russia a sovereign, self-sufficient power'Russia and Ukraine launched drones on each other's territory for the second day running. The Russian Defence Ministry said 35 Ukraine drones were shot down overnight in three regions in south-western Russia. A Russian airbase hosting bomber aircraft used in Ukraine was among the targets, according to a Russian Telegram channel critical of the Kremlin.Russian troops launched 20 Shahed drones in southern and western Ukraine, as well as one X-59 cruise missile from the country's occupied south. Ukraine's air force said it shot down the Iranian-made drones. A civilian was also killed overnight near Odesa, a key port on Ukraine's southern Black Sea coast, after the remnants of a destroyed drone fell on his house, Ukraine's military said.Russian president, Vladimir Putin, vowed to make Russia a sovereign, self-sufficient" power. In a campaign speech he accused the west of unsuccessfully trying to sow internal troubles" in Russia.Putin also warned of problems" with neighbouring Finland after it joined Nato earlier this year. Russia plans to reorganise military divisions to station more troops in its north-west region, by the EU and Nato border.But Putin dismissed claims from the US president, Joe Biden, that Russia could attack a Nato country as nonsense". It came after Biden said Russia would not stop at Ukraine if it secures victory, as he pleaded with Republican lawmakers to authorise further aid to Kyiv.The Freedom of Russia Legion, a Ukrainian-based paramilitary group of Russians who oppose Putin, claimed responsibility on Sunday for a cross-border attack a few kilometres into Russia's Belgorod region. The group said it had destroyed a platoon stronghold of Russian troops near Terebreno village. The Guardian could not verify their claims. Earlier on Sunday, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod region, which experiences frequent attacks by Ukrainian forces, said Terebreno was under fire from Ukraine's Armed Forces and that a shooting battle" was under way on the village edge.A 69-year-old was reported killed in a Ukrainian border village in the northern Sumy region, about 25 kilometers west of Terebreno. According to the Ukrainian regional prosecutor's office, the woman died after a Russian shell flew into her home. It wasn't immediately clear whether her death was linked to the reported clashes.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine will officially launch" an assessment with the European Commission. The country will begin assessing Ukrainian legislation for compliance with EU legislation, Zelenskiy said in his nightly address on Sunday. EU accession talks are expected in the spring.Ukraine foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has won sincere and well-deserved admiration" among Ukrainians for his role in the EU's recent decision to open membership talks for Kyiv, Ukraine.Ukraine security services reported a bug found in one of the offices of the country's army command. The bug was not found in the direct office of Ukraine army chief, Valery Zaluzhvy, but a premises which could be used by the army official, according to a statement. Continue reading...

With pupils and teachers uprooted and buildings destroyed, it is likely to be many months before classes can resumeMohammad Mosa packed his laptop when he fled his home in October and hoped he would still be able to Zoom into classes between airstrikes. The 14-year-old has his heart set on a competitive scholarship and has studied through wars before.Two months later, the only new thing he has learned is how to bake bread over an open fire. Intense bombardment and a tight blockade have meant that civilian life in Gaza has turned into a daily fight to survive, and education is one of the many casualties. Continue reading...

British artist, who has undergone multiple surgeries for cancer, says horrible complications' in her intestine were made a million times worse by flying'Renowned British artist Tracey Emin is recovering in Thailand after her small intestine nearly exploded" due to complications after an operation.Emin, one of Britain's best-known living artists, has battled cancer and undergone major surgery in recent years. On Sunday she shared on Instagram that she has been very unwell" and felt she had used another one of my nine lives". Continue reading...

Professor complains that show's Oxbridge bias is even more pronounced in Christmas specials and calls for public debateA campaigner has called on BBC bosses to defend the elitist" format of University Challenge in a public debate, after complaining that the show's Oxbridge bias is even more pronounced in its Christmas specials.Frank Coffield, an emeritus professor of education, has asked for fairer entry rules that would confine Oxbridge and Cambridge to one team each in line with all the other universities. In a yearlong campaign, he has argued that the current format is rigged in favour of Oxbridge colleges, which he claims breaches BBC rules on impartiality. Continue reading...

New guidance says parents should be told if pupils say they want to transition but stops short of blanket approachTeachers in England will not be made to automatically out" pupils who come to them with questions over gender identity, despite a push from Conservative rightwingers for a blanket approach, government guidance due to be published this week will say.Schools will be expected to inform parents if children tell staff that they want to take any steps towards transitioning, but they will not have to flag conversations if children are just asking general questions, or in the event of safeguarding issues. Continue reading...

Dozens of real estate agents fined or warned over underquoting property sale prices amidcrack down

Darren John Chalmers murdered Geelong woman Annette Steward in 1992 and Dianne Barrett in 2019

Five new ministers ushered in as Labor begins life without Annastacia Palaszczuk

Lawsuit, which was dismissed with prejudice in a Los Angeles court on Friday, had alleged the actor coerced sexual contact' with 14-year-old when he was 35A judge has thrown out a lawsuit that accused Warren Beatty of coercing a teenage girl into sex in 1973.Kristina Hirsch filed a lawsuit against the actor in November 2022, alleging Beatty had coerced her into sex in 1973 when he was 35 and she was 14 and 15.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 802 9999. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...

Japan's government has called a meeting of its national security council in response to the launchesNorth Korea has fired two ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, according to the South Korean military.The South Korean military said in a statement that the launch was made on Monday morning and that the missile flew about 1,000km before falling into the sea. Continue reading...

Greenpeace UK and Uplift are seeking a judicial review in the Scottish courts to stop opening of huge new oilfieldClimate campaigners have launched two separate legal challenges to government plans to open a massive new oilfield in the North Sea.Greenpeace and the campaign group Uplift argue that the decision to press ahead with the Rosebank development - the UK's biggest untapped oilfield - is incompatible with the UK's legally binding climate commitments, and say ministers' original analysis ignored the devastating impact of burning oil from the site. Continue reading...