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Tommy Banks had appealed for the pies bearing his name to be given to people in needA van that which was stolen containing 2,500 pies has been found abandoned and its cargo too damaged to eat.The Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks had appealed to thieves to do the right thing" and give the van's contents, which also included custard and gravy, to people in need. Continue reading...

Lawyers and campaigners hail removal of 47 people from remote Indian Ocean island as a big day for justice'Dozens of people stranded in hellish conditions for more than three years on the remote Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia have arrived in the UK and told of their relief that their journey is over.Lawyers and campaigners hailed the arrival of 47 Sri Lankan Tamils on Monday night as a big day for justice", with a further eight arriving on Tuesday morning from Rwanda, where they had been receiving medical treatment. Twelve children were among them. Continue reading...

Jokes ranging from political puns to Britpop gags were collated by U&Gold in keeping with tradition of lame one-linersWhat do you get if you mix Keir Starmer, Thames Water, and a weight-loss-drug-taking Father Christmas? The top 10 best Christmas cracker jokes of 2024, as voted for by the British public.The jokes were written by members of the public and then posted online, where they were filtered into a shortlist by a panel of judges before being put to an anonymous vote of 2,000 people.Why are pensioners bulk buying-brussels sprouts this Christmas? It's the only way they'll keep the gas flowing this yearWhy is Rachel Reeves in the Nativity this year? She's collecting inn-heritance tax.Why is Santa worried about being stalked? He's surrounded by baby reindeerWho's Santa's favourite member of Oasis? NoelWhy does Father Christmas find going down chimneys easier this year? He's on Ho Ho hozempic.Why aren't there more jokes about receiving Oasis tickets for Christmas? Most people won't get them.What do you call a Belgian reselling tickets at inflated prices? - a Brussels tout.What's the Thames Water advent calendar like? It's full of number 2s.Why did Gareth Southgate get into difficulty with the Christmas Club money? He was always late with his subs. Continue reading...

Data comes as education minister remains stalled in negotiations with states and territories over contributions to Schooling Resource Standard

Israel Katz says Israel will no longer offer Lebanon an exemption and will enforce maximum impact and zero tolerance'Israeli media reports that the cabinet is set to meet in the coastal city of Nahariya on Tuesday, a symbolic show of renewed security in the north after the ceasefire deal with Lebanon came into effect.The move has received some criticism, however, with Hebrew news site Ynet reporting that the heads of local authorities in the north of Israel are angry that they have not been invited to participate. Continue reading...

Company says it hopes sunflower lanyard will help people embrace diversity, value inclusivity and remove stigma'Lego is introducing several characters who wear sunflower lanyards to its brick universe for the first time to raise awareness of a badge worn to indicate someone has a hidden disability such as autism.The world's biggest toymaker is keen to make its brick world better reflect reality and in recent years has added characters of different skin tones and cultures, as well as physical and non-visible disabilities. Figures with limb differences, Down's syndrome, anxiety and vitiligo have also been warmly received by children. Continue reading...

Further cracks appear in street as hole that opened up in village in Merthyr Tydfil continues to expandPeople who have been evacuated from homes perched precariously close to a large - and growing - sinkhole in south Wales that appeared in the wake of Storm Bert fear they may not get back by Christmas.The sinkhole opened up in a cul-de-sac in the village of Pant, Merthyr Tydfil after the collapse of a culvert, a structure that allows water to flow under roads and railways, and led to residents from 29 homes being told to flee. Continue reading...

Company unable to quantify how many customers affected by having their account changed to a smart access' transaction account

Shooting occurred Tuesday after man threatened members of the public and ignored warnings from officers to drop weapon

Legal rebuttals against accusations of misleading shoppers lodged in federal court

Only seven spade-tooth whales have ever been documented, now work is beginning on a specimen that washed ashore in New Zealand in JulyA spade-tooth whale - thought to be the world's rarest whale species - is undergoing dissection in New Zealand, in the first ever examination of a complete specimen.Spade-toothed whales are a type of beaked whale named for their teeth resembling the spade-like flensing" blade once used to strip whales of their blubber. Just seven have been documented since the 1800s, with all but one found in New Zealand. Continue reading...

Double homicide suspect seen boarding plane in Rome after extradition, flanked by Victorian detectives

Police said 86cm stainless steel blade - mounted on a wooden plaque and sold in the hundreds - contravened Japan's firearms and sword control lawFull-size replica swords sold as souvenirs at a popular Harry Potter exhibition in Tokyo have fallen foul of Japan's strict weapons control law and been recalled.The 86cm stainless steel blade, which comes mounted on a wooden plaque, is described on the Warner Bros website that promotes the event as an authentic recreation of Godric Gryffindor's sword". Continue reading...

The supermarket giant filed an urgent application with the Fair Work Commission to end industrial action blocking distribution centres

Advocates argue it's time for youth wages to rise but business groups claim paying more will just push some companies into insolvency

Exclusive: Tom Hayhoe, ex-Tory cabinet adviser, will examine an estimated 7.6bn of Covid-related fraudRachel Reeves is to appoint a health service and regulatory veteran, Tom Hayhoe, a former Conservative cabinet adviser, as her Covid corruption commissioner with the remit of clawing back billions in fraudulent contracts.The chancellor is understood to believe the Treasury can recoup 2.6bn from waste, fraud and flawed contracts signed during the pandemic. Continue reading...

Parties expected to hold talks as election results show incumbents closing in on majority needed to governThe two main centre-right parties in Ireland are expected to start talks on returning to government as the general election put the incumbents within touching distance of forming the 34th Dail.With all Teachta Dala (TD) seats filled by 10pm on Monday evening, Fianna Fail - led by Micheal Martin - and Fine Gael - led by the taoiseach, Simon Harris - won 86 seats, just two shy of the 88 needed for a majority. Continue reading...

White Helmets say at least 18 people killed in strikes on five healthcare facilities including maternity hospitalA wave of airstrikes has pummelled hospitals and neighbourhoods in the rebel-held region of Idlib in northern Syria as Islamist insurgents continued to battle forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad after the militants' lightning assault on Aleppo.White Helmets civil defence forces based in Idlib, from where the insurgents had launched their attack, said Russian airstrikes had struck five healthcare facilities including a maternity hospital. At least 18 people were killed and 35 injured, they said, adding that they feared numbers could rise. Continue reading...

Bombing comes an hour after Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, vowed a strong' response to Hezbollah's actionIsrael has carried out a series of airstrikes in the Nabatieh district, south Lebanon, in response to Hezbollah rocket fire near a watchtower, the first time the group has attacked Israel since a ceasefire came into effect last week.An Israeli military spokesperson said that the army was attacking targets in Lebanon but would give further details later". An hour earlier, the Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, promised there would be a strong response to Hezbollah's attack. Continue reading...

Home Secretary says 700m scheme did not result in a single deportation or stop any boats crossing the ChannelA failed Conservative plan to send people seeking asylum to Rwanda spent 50m on flights that never took off, new figures disclose.The Home Office has also revealed that the scheme - which ran under Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak's administrations - spent 715m over two years on the plan - 15m more than previously claimed. Continue reading...

Wormald will take over from Simon Case on 16 December as the most senior official in the countryKeir Starmer has appointed Chris Wormald, a career civil servant who heads the health department, to become the new cabinet secretary, prompting criticism from Covid bereaved families over his record during the pandemic.In what will be seen by some as a surprise choice, Wormald, who has spent eight years as permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care, will take over from Simon Case on 16 December as the most senior official in the country, an official announcement said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: fears that UK residents could be stranded abroad due to system glitches prompts rethinkMinisters are to postpone a full shift to eVisas next month after concerns that UK residents could be stranded abroad because of glitches in the system, the Guardian has learned.It follows complaints from applicants who have failed to gain access to the new digital immigration system so they can demonstrate they have a right to return to their homes in the UK. Continue reading...

Witnesses say people scrambled to escape after teargas used during pitch invasion at match in NzerekoreAt least 56 people have died and dozens of others were injured in a crowd crush at a football stadium in southern Guinea, authorities in the west African state said.The Stade du 3 Avril in Nzerekore, the country's second largest city, was hosting the final of a football tournament in honour of the leader of the country's junta, Mamady Doumbouya, on Sunday afternoon. Local reports said thousands of spectators were present at the stadium and children were among the victims but did not give a definitive figure in either case. Continue reading...

Redundancies at wealth management company will not affect its 4,800 financial advisers around the UK

But survey finds strong support for under-16s social media ban, despite concerns on how to enforce it

Telcos will be required to either block scam texts or warn recipients they come from unregistered senders in Labor crackdown

France, Germany and Austria are especially hard hit, as British factory owners cut jobs and investment

Centre-left PSD looks to have held off far-right challenge, with 70% of Romanians voting for mainstream partiesRomania's ruling Social Democrat party (PSD) was on course to win the most votes in Sunday's parliamentary elections, holding off a strong far-right surge that could yet deliver the country's presidency to a Moscow-friendly ultranationalist.Amid uncertainty as to whether the constitutional court would on Monday order the first round of the presidential ballot to be rerun, officials said that with 99.5% of votes counted, the centre-left PSD was credited with 22.6% of the vote. Continue reading...

Police detained Zurab Japaridze as he was leaving rally outside parliament against suspension of EU accession talksGeorgian police have arrested a prominent opposition leader after using water cannon and teargas to scatter anti-government protesters who rallied outside parliament for a fourth consecutive night.The protests were sparked by the government's announcement last week that it was suspending talks on joining the EU. Critics saw that as confirmation of a Russian-influenced shift away from pro-western policies, something the ruling party denies. Continue reading...

Aemo says it does not want to directly control people's rooftop solar' but it may be necessary to reduce or cut off power gleaned from the sun

Documents taken during break-in at Nelson Alexander agency in Northcote in October, police allege, and investigation under way

A National Trust viewing platform at Corfe Castle offers visitors a glimpse into the king's royal quarters in DorsetA luxurious suite of rooms with a view", built for the son of William the Conquerer but partly destroyed in the English Civil War, has become accessible to visitors for the first time in almost 400 years, thanks to a new viewing platform at one of England's most dramatically situated castles.The King's Tower was built in 1107 for William's son Henry I at Corfe castle, which sits on top of a steep hill on the Purbeck peninsula near Wareham in Dorset. Constructed from gleaming white limestone inside the imposing fortification, the 23-metre tower was Henry's personal penthouse, built to the highest standards of luxury and including an appearance door" from which he could be seen by his subjects far below. Continue reading...

Employees take action over plans to axe at least three plants in first domestic closures in company's 87-year historyWorkers at Volkswagen factories in Germany will strike from Monday over the carmaker's plans to lay off thousands of people, cut pay and close plants for the first time in its home country.Announcing that warning strikes", which usually last a few hours, will begin at all VW plants, Thorsten Groger, the union IG Metall's lead negotiator with VW, said: If need be, it will be the toughest collective bargaining battle Volkswagen has ever seen." Continue reading...

The 77-year-old, who is blind in one eye and has poor vision in the other, spoke of his health issues at a gala performance of The Devil Wears PradaElton John has revealed at a gala performance of his new musical The Devil Wears Prada, for which he wrote the lyrics, that he is physically unable to see the show, due to ongoing problems with his eyesight.Speaking on stage the 77-year-old singer told the audience: As some of you may know I have had issues and now I have lost my sight. I haven't been able to see the performance but I have enjoyed it." Continue reading...

ICJ to hear submissions from more than 100 groups in Pacific-led campaign to provide an advisory opinion on states' obligations for climate harmThe International Court of Justice (ICJ) is due to begin hearings in a landmark climate change case on Monday, examining what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change and help vulnerable nations fight its devastating impact.After years of lobbying by island nations, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ last year for an opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change." Continue reading...

Albanese government also commits to new statutory body to oversee a system overhaul in defence department aimed at preventing suicide

Drugs with estimated street value of $760m seized off Queensland's K'gari island after AFP operation

Expectations negative for first time in 2024 as business confidence plummets since Rachel Reeves's budgetGrowth expectations among UK companies have taken a decisive turn for the worse", in a fresh blow to Rachel Reeves amid warnings that business confidence has plummeted since the budget.For the first time this year, expectations for growth have turned negative, according to the Confederation of British Industry's latest growth indicator, which shows that a majority of companies expect activity to decline in the three months to February. Continue reading...

Number of registered nurses at record high in UK but workforce is increasingly inexperienced'Top nurses have said that planned government reforms for the health service stand no chance" if issues with recruitment and retention in the profession are not addressed.They made the warning as new figures show the number of nurses and midwives registered in the UK has grown to a record high. Continue reading...

Longest-standing drummer of pop-punk band said to have influenced emo movement was found dead in TennesseeBob Bryar, the former drummer of the US pop-punk band My Chemical Romance which was said to have influenced the youth culture movement emo, has died aged 44.Bryar's body was found in his home in Tennessee last week. The entertainment news outlet TMZ, which was the first to report his death, said that according to police no foul play was suspected as his possessions, including musical equipment and weapons, were untouched. Continue reading...

Canadian PM dines with Trump, who vowed tariffs unless country stops migrants and drugs from entering USJustin Trudeau promised Donald Trump that Canada would increase surveillance over the long undefended joint border, a senior Canadian official said on Sunday. The Canadian prime minister flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with the US president-elect, who has promised to slap tariffs on Canadian imports unless Ottawa prevents undocumented people and drugs from crossing the frontier.Canada sends 75% of all goods and services exports to the United States and tariffs would badly hurt the economy. Continue reading...

The 55-year-old is the program's longest serving male co-host, and hinted in September that he was looking forward to something less intense'

Palliative care commission set up to provide high-quality, holistic support following assisted dying vote

Junior coalition partner loses all but one of 12 seats, while gangland figure Gerry Hutch loses election bidThe Green party in Ireland has been virtually wiped out in the general election, and its leader admitted it was entering a period of rebuild" after the electorate removed any prospect of the party re-entering government.The Greens lost all but one of their 12 seats, with its leader, Roderic O'Gorman, scraping through on the 13th count. Continue reading...

Forces only took three days to take the city from Bashar al-Assad's regime, but the Middle East's newest conflict looks set to last

Agency says armed gangs looted several trucks carrying food supplies and urges Israel to ensure safe flows of aid

Actor says he's selling memorabilia to help cover expensive' treatment costs for recent colorectal cancer diagnosisThe Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek announced he is selling memorabilia to help cover the expensive" treatment costs for his recent colorectal cancer diagnosis.Van Der Beek, also known for the film Varsity Blues, made the announcement on Instagram last week, nearly three weeks after revealing his illness in an interview with People. Continue reading...

A slew of accusations have emerged of inappropriate remarks and behaviour dating back as far as 19 yearsGregg Wallace has been accused of making sexualised jokes and other inappropriate remarks towards a range of women dating back nearly two decades.The 60-year-old MasterChef presenter announced last week that he was stepping back from the BBC show amid an investigation into his conduct. Wallace's lawyers have said it is entirely false to suggest he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature. Continue reading...

New management at struggling firm, which rejected 3.3bn bid from Aviva, making excellent progress', says CEOThe Direct Line chief executive, Adam Winslow, has appealed to shareholders to give his team more time to turn around the struggling insurer, faced with an unsolicited 3.3bn offer from Aviva, while its bigger rival is trying hard to drum up support from investors for the takeover.The two companies - the UK's biggest insurer, Aviva, and the Churchill owner, Direct Line, known for motor cover and its red phone on wheels mascot - are facing off in a takeover tussle that has sent the Direct Line share price soaring, amid speculation that Aviva could raise its offer or launch a hostile bid, or face a counterbid. Continue reading...

Improving oversight and addressing slippery slope concerns are among the priorities of the bill's criticsThe House of Commons' backing of the assisted dying bill for England and Wales was a historic moment but just the first step in a long process.One thing that was clear is that many MPs hope to see significant amendments to the bill that they voted on. That includes some MPs who voted in favour of Kim Leadbeater's bill but only because they anticipate that lingering concerns they have will be dealt with before it becomes law. Continue reading...