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Local rallies and vigils organised as alternative to centralised marches that have seen hundreds of thousands out in London

Man who died has been named locally as James Smith, while a woman, 43, and a man, 54, were also taken to hospitalAn 84-year-old man who died after an explosion at his neighbour's house in Edinburgh has been named locally as James Smith, Police Scotland said.Police officers were called to the Baberton area at 10.25pm on Friday after multiple reports" about the blast. Continue reading...

Online system designed to order precise evacuations inaccessible to those without power or network access Israel-Hamas war - live updatesIsrael's new grid system for targeted evacuation warnings in southern Gaza risks turning life in the territory into a macabre game of Battleships", aid workers have warned.When Israel resumed its offensive in Gaza after a week-long ceasefire deal collapsed, it immediately signalled plans to intensify attacks on the south of the territory, in areas where Palestinian civilians had previously been urged to take shelter. Continue reading...

In markedly different tone from her predecessor, Victoria Atkins tells of her respect' for junior doctorsThe health secretary, Victoria Atkins, has spoken of her respect" for striking junior doctors in advance of fresh pay talks, in a move that highlights a markedly different tone from her predecessor, Steve Barclay.In an interview with the Times, Atkins said she wanted to build a new relationship with the British Medical Association" and had found the leaders of the BMA junior doctors' committee to be very constructive". Previously, Barclay had claimed that the BMA had a politically militant stance". He had also accused NHS staff in England of planning politically timed" industrial action. Continue reading...

UK defence secretary, Grant Shapps, leads tributes to Maj Kevin McCool saying his death is tragic loss'A British soldier has died while off duty in Kenya, the Ministry of Defence has said.Maj Kevin McCool, 32, was reportedly on a motorcycle trip off base when he was attacked. The MoD said he died on 29 November but that it would not be releasing any more details. His next of kin have been informed. Continue reading...

Airstrikes near Damascus follow end to seven-day pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza Strip

Housing secretary, Michael Gove, calls in' planning rejection by Sadiq Khan, though firm behind sphere says it is no longer interestedThe London mayor's decision to reject planning permission for a huge Las Vegas-style entertainment venue is to be reviewed by ministers.The housing secretary, Michael Gove, has opted to use his powers to call in" Sadiq Khan's rejection of the 21,000-capacity, 300ft-tall MSG sphere in Stratford, east London, to decide whether it should stand. Continue reading...

Human rights groups record alarming rise in number of prisoners put to death by Tehran regime since 7 OctoberThe Iranian regime has executed more than 127 people, including women and children, since the Hamas attacks of 7 October, according to human rights groups.According to data collected by Iran Human Rights (IHR) and the Norway-based organisation Hengaw, which have been cross-referenced by the Observer, there has been an alarming rise in executions since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas. Continue reading...

Work to be carried out on Garisenda tower in new year after area around it was cordoned off due to collapse fearsOfficials have announced plans to repair one of two 12th-century towers in the Italian city of Bologna after the area around it had to secured last month over fears its leaning could lead to collapse.The city said the 4.3m (3.7m) project to shore up the Garisenda tower - one of the Two Towers that look out over central Bologna, providing inspiration over the centuries to painters and poets and a lookout spot during conflicts - would proceed in January and February. Continue reading...

Indigenous and environmental leader was shot in 2016 after campaigning to stop construction of an internationally financed damAuthorities in Honduras have issued an arrest warrant for the alleged mastermind in the case of the murdered Indigenous environmental leader Berta Caceres.Caceres was gunned down in her home in March 2016 in retaliation for leading a campaign to stop construction of an internationally financed hydroelectric dam. Continue reading...

Winter weather also disrupts train traffic and causes Bayern Munich v Union Berlin match to be called offHeavy snowfall has brought chaos to parts of southern Germany, with air and rail traffic blocked in the Bavarian state capital of Munich.After first suspending flights until noon on Saturday (1100 GMT), Munich airport later said it would remain closed until 6am on Sunday. Continue reading...

Greens win support for inquiry into effect of market concentration on food prices and pattern of major chains' pricing strategies

Nervous' government has cracked down on celebrations for Sheynnis Palacios in country where repression is absolute'When Sheynnis Palacios was recently voted Miss Universe, it came as a bolt of good news in Nicaragua. Joyous crowds took to the streets of Managua for the first time since mass protests in 2018 that were put down with lethal force.The Nicaraguan regime, paranoid about any hint of dissidence, initially congratulated Palacios, but has since cracked down on celebrations - not least because Palacios herself took part in the 2018 demonstrations, and opponents of the regime have taken her up as a symbol of hope and defiance. Continue reading...

Only 17 out of 82 companies investigated were found to use suppliers that paid cocoa farmers enough to live onLeading chocolate brands have been criticised for having inadequate" ethical standards in their cocoa supply chain in a report from Ethical Consumer. Only 17 out of 82 brands investigated by the consumer organisation were judged to use chocolate from suppliers that ensured cocoa farmers were paid enough to live on.As a result, there is a risk that Advent calendars, chocolate Santas and other Christmas treats will have been produced with child labour. About 60% of the world's cocoa comes from west Africa, and about six in 10 cocoa-growing households in Ghana are estimated to use child labour, with four in 10 in Ivory Coast. Continue reading...

Isla McNabb's ability to read back words written on an erasable tablet led her parents to contact Guinness World RecordsReading words aloud that adults scribble on an erasable tablet may not be the way many children spend their second birthdays. But it's how Isla McNabb celebrated turning two, and it put the native of Crestwood, Kentucky, on the path to become the youngest ever female member of Mensa, the world's oldest high IQ society, her parents said in a recent interview.In a conversation published on Monday, Isla's parents, Jason and Amanda McNabb, told the Guinness World Records website that they realized their daughter's intelligence should be assessed after an aunt gave her an erasable writing tablet as a second birthday present. Continue reading...

Inspectors say claims made to coroner about wellbeing training following death of Reading headteacher are nonsense'School inspectors have accused their employer, Ofsted, of misleading the court during last week's inquest into the death of headteacher Ruth Perry, the Observer can reveal.Over the past week the inquest has heard from Perry's colleagues that she looked extremely distressed and upset" and was unable to speak coherently only a few hours into the inspection. The chair of governors and two deputy headteachers at her primary school in Reading have told the coroner that there was a direct link" between the inspection and Perry's subsequent mental deterioration and death earlier this year. Continue reading...

Ex-PM will also argue when he appears before inquiry next week that his actions saved many thousands of lives, report saysBoris Johnson is reportedly expected to tell the Covid inquiry that he unquestionably made mistakes" in his handling of the pandemic.But the former prime minister will also argue that decisions he took, including ordering three lockdowns in England, ended up saving tens if not hundreds of thousands of lives", according to the Times. Continue reading...

Cancellation of meeting with Greek PM has Europeans wondering how Cameron will work with No 10The Greek foreign minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, was attending a two-day Nato summit in Brussels on Tuesday when he received an unexpected message from the British delegation. The foreign secretary, David Cameron, was hoping the minister might be available for an unscheduled meeting. There was much to discuss on migration, as well as the relief operation in Gaza. There was one condition from the UK: that there be no cameras.Gerapetritis readily agreed, and one can only assume it took only an un-minuted raised eyebrow from Lord Cameron for the former prime minister to distance himself discreetly from Rishi Sunak's bizarre decision to cancel a scheduled Downing Street visit with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, set for 12.30pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Continent must have more resilient health systems and local vaccine manufacturing to prevent next pandemic, says public health bodyAfrica's leading public health body is using the first ever health day at Cop on 3 December to call for increased funding to fight the health impacts of the climate crisis on the continent and create more resilient systems to ensure it is prepared for the next pandemic.The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched the second phase of its three-year, $1.5bn Saving Lives and Livelihoods drive this week, but its director general, Dr Jean Kaseya, said multiple disease outbreaks combined with the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and recovery from Covid means that much more financial support is needed. Continue reading...

Defence minister Richard Marles and counterparts from the UK and US say new technologies will be deployed by militaries

Smaller marches will take place instead of single larger event and will be policed locallyPolice said protests are expected in around 13 boroughs" in London on Saturday after the seven-day Israel-Hamas ceasefire ended.There are no plans for any major central London demonstrations of the sort that have been seen over the past two months, but a number of smaller events are planned, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Treasury select committee highlights concerns over data privacy and increased possibility of bank runsThe idea of creating a digital pound should not even be considered until the UK government and Bank of England address concerns over data privacy and the increased risk of bank runs, a parliamentary committee has warned.MPs on the Treasury select committee said that while it was true that the rollout of a central bank digital currency could trigger fresh innovation and competition in the payments sector, serious questions remained about whether the positive effects outweighed the risks and costs. Continue reading...

Book claims it is hard to find another currently existing society' better than that in Skerries, near DublinPhilosophers have long debated the concept of the good life and whether such an exalted state exists but the reality turns out to be not so elusive: you drive north from Dublin on the M1, turn right onto the R132, take another right at Blake's Cross and keep going until you reach the sea. Then, if you have any sense, you stay put for ever because you are in Skerries.This town of 11,000 people on Ireland's east coast does not look remarkable. There is a high street, a harbour, a library, a community centre, a SuperValu supermarket, cafes, pubs, sports pitches. Residents walk their dogs, play bingo, sit on benches. Yet amid the ordinariness there is, apparently, an answer to a riddle pondered by Aristotle, Kant and Hegel: the good life? It's right here. Or at least the good enough life. Continue reading...

Danny Macklin, who left his role at AFC Wimbledon in September, went missing in EssexA former football club managing director has been found by police after he was reported missing.In a post on X, Danny Macklin said he had been found by police in Cornwall. Earlier, Essex police said its officers had been trying to find Macklin, who was last seen on foot in Great Notley near Braintree, Essex Continue reading...

A book has named Charles and Catherine as royals alleged to have discussed skin colour of Harry and Meghan's unborn sonThe royal race row that erupted more than two years ago, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Oprah Winfrey that a member of the royal family had remarked on Prince Archie's skin colour before he was born, has simmered ever since. Now it has exploded once more as the Dutch version of a new book appears to have named King Charles and the Princess of Wales as family members alleged to have made such remarks. Continue reading...

Copies of book about British monarchy changing hands on resale websites for up to 175Dutch first editions of the book Endgame, which names two members of the British royal family alleged to have discussed the skin colour of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's unborn baby, are selling online for many times above the original retail price of 22.99.As parts of the British press reached fever pitch trying to find out whether the Dutch version had contained a mistranslation, or had failed to adopt final excisions or was running a strange publicity stunt, bids for a Dutch version on Marktplaats on Thursday reached 175 (150). Continue reading...

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No trains will run on East Midlands and LNER services from London to Scotland will have a limited serviceRail passengers face severe disruption this weekend as two 24-hour strikes by train drivers from different companies halt many long-distance routes.Saturday's strikes by members of the Aslef union at LNER and East Midlands kick off a series of similar actions running until Friday, while an overtime ban across all operators in England will also hit services nationwide until next weekend. The action will also affect some cross-border services into Scotland and Wales. Continue reading...

The UN's Cop28 climate conference has kicked off in Dubai this week - but one notable absence will be the US president. Joe Biden pledged to make the fight against climate breakdown one of his top priorities when he took office, and news of his absence from this year's gathering has frustrated activists.Jonathan Freedland speaks to one such activist, Jerome Foster, who in 2021 became the youngest adviser to the White House when he was asked to sit on its environmental justice advisory council Continue reading...

Russia's armed forces set to total 1.32 million after latest increase amid the continued invasion of UkraineRussian president Vladimir Putin has ordered the country's military to increase the number of troops by nearly 170,000 to a total of 1.32 million, as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine continues into its 22nd month.Putin's decree was released by the Kremlin on Friday and took force immediately. It brings the overall number of Russian military personnel to about 2.2 million, including 1.32 million troops. Continue reading...

Russia to increase size of armed forces by 170,000; Zelenskiy admits counteroffensive did not achieve desired results'

Prime minister said his family and friends were so annoyed by the habit he was forced to listen in privateRishi Sunak said that he started listening to Christmas music two weeks ago but that the move prompted so much fury from his friends and family that he resorted to enjoying the tunes in private.The prime minister, who is a fan of Michael Buble's Christmas hits and listens to the songs when he works late, talked about his enthusiasm for the festive season en route to the Cop28 summit in Dubai. Continue reading...

Congressman, who has pleaded not guilty to 23 federal fraud charges, becomes only sixth member ever expelled from US House

Former health secretary also discusses patients discharged to care homes during second day at Covid inquiry

Athens press interpret attire at Cop28 as possible backing over Parthenon sculptures after Greek PM snubbed by Rishi SunakHe may simply have been embracing his Greek ancestry, or thought it would complement his suit. But King Charles's decision to sport a tie bearing the Greek flag when he addressed Cop28 alongside the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, was bound to raise eyebrows, given the recent diplomatic spat over the Parthenon sculptures.The king, whose father was born in Corfu as a prince of Greece, may also have been taking a leaf out of his mother Queen Elizabeth II's sartorial handbook in statement dressing. Continue reading...

PM favoured a lot more punishments', Patrick Vallance wrote in diary in September 2020, three months after unlawful No 10 partyBoris Johnson pushed to punish people who aren't doing the right thing" and for massive fines" when it came to lockdown rules, the Covid-19 inquiry has heard.An extract from the diaries of the government's chief scientific adviser at the time, Sir Patrick Vallance, recorded discussions he had with the then prime minister and health secretary in September 2020, when cases, admissions and deaths had all risen. Continue reading...

Home Office unlawfully failed to issue permission to stay, court told, despite ruling that 1,600 were entitled to itThe former home secretaries Priti Patel and Suella Braverman have been accused of operating a secret policy to deny 1,600 victims of trafficking leave to remain in the UK, despite a court ruling that they were entitled to stay.A landmark high court ruling in November 2021 concluded confirmed victims of trafficking who had claimed asylum and were waiting for a decision should be automatically given permission to stay in the UK, known as discretionary leave. Continue reading...

Improvements in sustainable aquaculture and good weather conditions result in boon for consumers

Ziad, a 35-year-old Palestinian, reflects on small but precious items now lost and refuges in the conflict destroyed for ever Israel-Hamas war: live updates9am When I was young, whenever my father travelled he would come back with a small suitcase filled with bottles of perfume. It did not take me long to realise my passion for perfume and essences. I never believed that perfume is an accessory or a hygiene item; instead, it is a part of your personality and identity. No perfume is good for all: what is good on you could be horrible on another. The only exception is Chanel No 5, it fits every woman on Earth. Continue reading...

Foreign minister of Guyana condemns Venezuela president for holding referendum on country's claim to EssequiboThe foreign minister of the tiny South American nation of Guyana has said that neighbouring Venezuela is on the wrong side of history" as it risks sparking conflict over an oil-rich and long-contested swath of rainforest.Tensions between the two countries have reached unprecedented heights ahead of a referendum on Sunday intended to rubber-stamp Venezuela's claim on the region of Essequibo. Continue reading...

Beijing's strained relations with the west are less easily mollified by loans of cuddly endangered bearsAs the UK's only giant pandas leave Edinburgh zoo , returning to their native country after a 12-year sojourn away from China, the era of panda diplomacy also looks to be coming to an end.Tian Tian and Yang Guang will board the panda express back to Sichuan less than a month after three giant pandas left the Smithsonian national zoo in Washington DC, ending the zoo's five-decade panda programme. Continue reading...

Racing body will need to scramble to replace chair after Coalition and crossbench team up to try to strengthen oversight

Study covering period in late October and early November shows damage to 10 hospitals and health facilities

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Labor announces it will commit $46m towards $137m cost of upgrading Ekka showgrounds

Governor Ron DeSantis scheduled six of the country's 25 executions this year amid his presidential election bidThe US saw a rise in executions in 2023 as a result of Florida's revival of the death penalty, amid Ron DeSantis's tough on crime" campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.DeSantis scheduled six executions this year - the first time the state has judicially killed people since 2019 and the largest number in almost a decade. Florida also handed down five new death sentences this year, more than any other state. Continue reading...

Vessel was near Andalucian shore when passengers, believed to be from north Africa, were apparently pushed overboardSpanish police have opened an inquiry after four people were killed as a result of being forced out of a moving speedboat into the sea just metres from the southern shores of Andalucia.In a tactic the EU border agency has said is becoming increasingly common, the people who died on Wednesday were among 27 passengers apparently forced off the fast-moving vessel by its drivers near Camposoto beach in the province of Cadiz, officials said. Another eight were left near Sancti Petri beach. Continue reading...

Operation Maximise aims to cram' people into hotel rooms in attempt to drive down costsConcerns are mounting for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers living in accommodation provided by the Home Office as the government ramps up its Operation Maximise exercise to cram" more people into hotel rooms.A Guardian investigation has identified cases including that of a transgender man who slept on a staircase because he was afraid for his safety, and a gay man who was afraid to get undressed because of the amount of homophobic abuse he received. Continue reading...

Class-action lawsuit alleges footballer's promotion of world's largest cryptocurrency exchange was deceptive and unlawful'Cristiano Ronaldo has been hit with a class-action lawsuit seeking at least $US1bn in damages for his role in promoting cryptocurrency-related non-fungible tokens," or NFTs, issued by the beleaguered cryptocurrency exchange Binance.The lawsuit filed in federal court in the Southern District of Florida on Monday alleges the footballer's promotion of Binance was deceptive and unlawful". Continue reading...