Award-winning director made most of his films in France, where he was free to be critical of his home countryOtar Iosseliani, an award-winning film-maker, has died in his native Georgia, his French distributor said Sunday. He was 89.Iosseliani made most of his films in France, where he was free to make films that were sometimes overtly critical of his home country. His death on Saturday night was confirmed by Regine Vial, from the Les Films du Losange company. Continue reading...
Jamell Demons, known as YNW Melly, to go on trial next year in Florida for allegedly killing two fellow rappers five years agoJamell Demons, known to millions of rap fans as YNW Melly, will go on trial early next year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for a double murder he allegedly committed five years ago.But after a mistrial on the same charges in July, Florida prosecutors are now controversially planning to introduce his lyrics into evidence in a case that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted. Continue reading...
Fatalities in last 24 hours come amid public anger over mistaken killing of three hostages by Israeli forcesAirstrikes in the Gaza Strip have killed at least 100 people over the last 24 hours, as Israel's leadership faces growing international pressure for a ceasefire and calls at home to resume hostage negotiations after the Israeli army shot and killed three men kidnapped by Hamas.The health ministry in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory said on Sunday that at least 90 people had been killed by Israeli bombardment in the Jabalia camp in the north, and another 12 had died in bombings in the central city of Deir al-Balah, as fighting was reported in several parts of Gaza. Continue reading...
Small vehicles could travel through tunnel, which comes within 400 metres of Erez border crossingThe Israeli army has said it has uncovered the biggest Hamas tunnel in the Gaza Strip so far, just a few hundred metres from a key border crossing.Such was its size that small vehicles would be able to travel within the tunnel, an AFP photographer granted access to it reported. Continue reading...
Comedian and activist had hoped to be on ballot to try to take seat from Greens when Caroline Lucas stands downEddie Izzard has failed in her second attempt to be selected as a Labour candidate and represent the party as an MP at the next general election.The comedian and activist, 61, who first spoke about being trans in 1985, had hoped to stand as the Labour MP for Brighton Pavilion but was beaten by the music industry activist Tom Gray. Continue reading...
Response to Houthi attacks from Yemen seeks to reassure commercial shipping companies avoiding use of Red SeaThe US is to announce the launch of an expanded maritime protection force involving Arab states to combat the increasingly frequent Houthi attacks being mounted from Yemen's ports on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.The force, provisionally entitled Operation Prosperity Guardian, is due to be announced by the defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, when he visits the Middle East. Much like the Task Force 153 already operating out of Bahrain, the larger protection force is designed to provide reassurance to commercial shipping companies that Houthi attacks will be seen off, and that the sea remains safe for commercial shipping. Continue reading...
The prolific Chicago artist created more than 160 commissioned public art pieces across the US that drew praise from presidentsRichard Hunt, a prolific Chicago artist who was the first Black sculptor to receive a solo retrospective at New York City's Museum of Modern Art (Moma) and whose public works drew praise from presidents, has died at age 88.Hunt passed away peacefully" Saturday at his home, according to a statement posted on his website. No cause of death was given. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6H73H)
Owners of gite where formerly missing British boy spent time say he enjoyed sharing in their family lifeThe owners of a remote French gite where teenager Alex Batty stayed on and off for two years have said he was eager to go to school and get back to a normal life".Ingrid Beauve and Fred Hambye said they treated Alex as part of their family and had no idea of his true identity until last week. Continue reading...
Update to pay policy includes room for necessary flexibility' to attract best talent to London-listed firmOne of the largest UK pension and insurance firms has opened the door to backing US-style mega-bonuses for London listed companies despite fears that executive pay is fuelling inequality and encouraging short-term risk taking".Legal & General Investment Management has updated its pay policy to say there is room for the necessary flexibility" needed to attract the best talent. It acknowledges an increased push" by UK companies towards remunerations structures that are more closely aligned to US-style pay". Continue reading...
Vladimir Putin vows to make Russia self-sufficient power in face of west and warns of problems' with neighbouring FinlandRussian president Vladimir Putin vowed to make Russia a sovereign, self-sufficient" power in the face of the west. 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 US president Joe Biden's claims that Russia could attack a Nato country as nonsense". It came after Biden said Putin would not stop at Ukraine if it secures victory, as he pleaded with Republican lawmakers to authorise further aid to Kyiv.Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit to Washington DC last week has yet to bear fruit as Biden called lack of Congressional support for aid a Christmas gift" to Russia. Biden has requested $61.4bn (48.4bn) in further aid to Ukraine but Republicans in Republicans in Congress have rejected the proposals.Russia is not interested in extending the Black Sea grain deal, the agriculture minister said. The deal led to 33m tonnes of grain leave Ukraine's ports before it collapsed in July.Ukraine claims Russia has suffered almost 350,000 troops dying or being injured. The figure is higher than the 315,000 estimated by US intelligence, according to reports, but even that represents a significant toll for Moscow.Ukraine continued its use of memetic warfare' as the defence ministry posted a video of two Russian tanks being destroyed, with guitar music and the caption WELCOME TO UKRAINE." Scholars have tracked the use of memes to try and grab control of the war narrative.An intelligence report from the UK Ministry of Defence said Russia is likely to deploy electoral fraud and voter intimidation" when elections take place in occupied Ukrainian territories. Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia will vote in March's presidential elections but they are expected to not be free or fair".It comes as Vladimir Putin was confirmed to be running for president again as an independent candidate in Russia after two decades in power. Russian news agencies reported the news on Saturday, with the victory of Putin, 71, a formality.Russia continued to batter Ukrainian targets with mortars overnight, with Dnipro in the centre, Sumy in the north and Zaporizhzhia in the south-east hit with artillery.Russian rocket forces have loaded a new Yars intercontinental ballistic missile into a silo at the Kozelsk base south-west of Moscow. The missiles are capable of delivering multiple nuclear warheads.More than a year after the Russians retreated from Izium, the Ukrainian city is wracked by suspicion and distrust about collaborators. Read Shaun Walker's Observer dispatch from a city still in ruins here.Lorry blockades are continuing at the Polish-Ukrainian border. Polish drivers say Ukraine is undercutting them as about 2,150 Ukrainian lorries remain stuck in Poland unable to return. Continue reading...
Russia has no interest in fighting with Nato country, Vladimir Putin says, but says he will send military units near border with Finland. This live blog is closed
Prime minister - often criticised over fondness for air travel - asked Grant Shapps to actRishi Sunak personally intervened to stop the scrapping of a contract providing VIP helicopter transport for himself and senior ministers, it has emerged.Earlier this year, Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, ended a 40m contract for two private helicopters used by politicians and senior defence staff, which are crewed by RAF personnel and based at the Northolt airbase in west London. The contract was due to come to a close at the end of September. Continue reading...
For the price, and 13,795 a year towards the venue's upkeep, the owners will be able to attend events for the next 843 yearsIf you're looking for a last-minute Christmas present and have about 3m to spare, a private 12-seat box at the Royal Albert Hall is available, entitling its owners to attend concerts and events at the world-famous London venue for the next 843 years.The marketing of Grand Tier box 14 comes amid controversy over the RAH's plans to sell dozens of extra seats to investors. Some seat holders" have been disposing of unwanted seats for events at highly inflated prices through third-party ticket sites such as Viagogo. Continue reading...
Official says party favours sending refugees to third countries such as Rwanda for application processingGermany's opposition conservatives are seeking to win back voters with a sweeping change to the country's immigration and asylum policy, including plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.Jens Spahn, a leading member of the Christian Democrats (CDU), said at the weekend that his party was in favour of the transportation of future refugees to third countries for processing of asylum applications such Ghana and Rwanda in Africa, or to non-EU European countries such as Moldova and Georgia. Continue reading...
by Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo and agencies on (#6H6TR)
Victims were from Nigeria, the Gambia and other African countries and included women and children, UN agency saysDozens of people are missing and presumed dead after their boat sank off Libya's coast, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said, in the latest migration tragedy off north Africa.The 61 people are believed to have died because of high waves, which swamped their vessel after it left from Zuwara, on Libya's north-west coast, the IOM's Libya office said in a statement on Saturday. Continue reading...
Academic says participants feel compelled to put on ever more outlandish displays to impress peersIt may seem like harmless Christmas fun but an academic who studies paranormal investigations has compared the elf on the shelf" phenomenon with the ever more ambitious shows that victims" of poltergeists feel compelled to stage.Dr Alice Vernon, of Aberystwyth University's department of English and creative writing, said many parents felt under pressure to think up new poses and scenarios for their elves to win kudos on social media. Continue reading...
President Javier Milei and his allies are preparing new security guidelines in anticipation of protests against currency devaluationHuman rights activists in Argentina have expressed consternation over new security guidelines to crack down on an anticipated wave of protests after the incoming government of libertarian president Javier Milei devalued the country's currency by more than 50%.Protesting individuals and organizations will be identified with video, digital or manual means" - and then billed for the cost of sending security forces to police their demonstrations, said Milei's security minister, Patricia Bullrich, as she announced the new protocol on Thursday.
Children and women to lose out if voters approve new document that critics say reads more like a Republican party manifesto'Activists and analysts in Chile have warned that swathes of the country's population stand to lose out should a new draft constitution drawn up by conservative lawmakers be approved in a nationwide referendum on Sunday.Chileans head to the polls caught between exhaustion and resentment in a compulsory vote to decide whether the 1980 constitution written during Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, and since reformed, should be replaced. Continue reading...
Norfolk-based crime writer JM Dalgliesh topped the Amazon and Kindle bestsellers before being signed by a traditional publisherIn 2018, JM Dalgliesh was a stay-at-home father when he sent his first crime novel to six literary agents, only to receive polite rejection letters - or no response at all. Refusing to give up, he found inspiration in a friend's suggestion that he try self-publishing. The advice could not have been better.That novel, Divided House - the story of a detective's path to redemption - was to become the first of 22 self-published crime thrillers, comprising three series of police procedural novels that have sold more than 2m copies in total. Continue reading...
Personal details from voluntary programme sent secretly without consent with government departments and border agencies, document showsDetails of thousands of individuals referred to the government's controversial anti-radicalisation Prevent programme are being shared far more widely than was previously known, with data secretly sent to airports, ports and immigration services, as well as officials at the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).Critics believe the widespread sharing of data could be unlawful, with sensitive personal details of those referred to Prevent being moved between databases without the knowledge or consent of the individuals concerned. Continue reading...
Health bosses condemn irresponsible' targeting of people desperate for NHS helpWellness firms are exploiting a national shortage of ADHD medication to push so-called smart supplements" as an alternative to prescribed drugs.As patients struggle to get hold of medication - or face years-long waits for NHS assessments - companies are peddling unproved products as a natural" treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Continue reading...
The 78-year-old was driven away in his own BMW alongside his Colombian partner, according to a police reportA British businessman and the former UK honorary consul in Guayaquil, Colin Armstrong, has been kidnapped by hooded men at his home in Ecuador's Los Rios province, according to police reports.Armstrong, 78, was snatched in the early hours of Saturday alongside a Colombian woman identified as his partner Katherine Paola Santos from his home in the town of Baba, according to a police report seen by the Guardian. He was driven away in his own black BMW, which was later found dumped, the report said. Continue reading...
by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondent on (#6H6S6)
Territory's global reputation on the line as media mogul and democracy activist finally tried over alleged national security crimesHong Kong's global reputation will be tested this week when the long-delayed trial of the pro-democracy activist and former media mogul Jimmy Lai gets under way.Lai, who turned 76 in jail this month, is charged with colluding with foreign forces under the national security law, as well as sedition. If convicted, which experts say is highly likely, the British national faces spending the rest of his life in prison. Continue reading...
by Maya Yang (now); Tom Ambrose, Sammy Gecsoyler and on (#6H6AT)
This blog has now closed. Read our full report on the latest developments here.Israel has said it is opening a military police investigation into the killing of two Palestinians in the West Bank after an Israeli human rights group posted videos that appeared to show Israeli troops killing the men - one who was incapacitated and the second unarmed - during a military raid in a West Bank refugee camp.The B'Tselem human rights group accused the army of carrying out a pair of illegal executions". Continue reading...
UK foreign minister David Cameron and German counterpart Annalena Baerbock say goal must be peace lasting generations'The foreign secretary, David Cameron, has called for a sustainable" ceasefire in the Gaza conflict, as he warned that too many civilians have been killed" by Israel in spite of its right to eliminate the threat posed by Hamas.In a significant shift in tone by the UK government, Cameron, in a joint article with the German foreign affairs minister Annalena Baerbock, wrote: Our goal cannot simply be an end to fighting today. It must be peace lasting for days, years, generations. We therefore support a ceasefire, but only if it is sustainable. Continue reading...
Home Office plans wording update' but campaigners call for new offence to help address low conviction rateThe Home Office has announced plans to modernise" spiking laws in a move it claims will help bring perpetrators to justice. But experts said the changes will not make any difference without simultaneous investment in police training and other measures to improve the handling of cases on the ground.Under plans unveiled this weekend, the government will amend the criminal justice bill to make clear that spiking is illegal. It is also drawing up new guidance to provide an unequivocal" definition of the crime. Continue reading...
The ex-Coronation Street actor grew and grew over the series, while her partner went one better than his runner-up placing last yearIt was a night of high-quality hoofing, high scores and high camp but ultimately, the Strictly Come Dancing final went the way that bookmakers predicted. Odds-on favourite Ellie Leach and her professional partner, Vito Coppola, were crowned champions. As they lifted the glitter ball trophy and sparkly confetti fell, it made a fitting climax to another feelgood series.Former Coronation Street actor Leach, 22, had blossomed before viewers' eyes. Initially an unfancied contender, she visibly grew in confidence to become a pocket rocket performer. Continue reading...
Burgess was recruited in November 1973 to help form AC/DC, and fired in February 1974, accused of being drunk on stageThe Australian drummer Colin Burgess, an original member of the hard-rock band AC/DC in the early 1970s, has died, the band confirmed on its social media accounts. He was 77.Very sad to hear of the passing of Colin Burgess," says an unsigned post on the band's official Facebook page late Friday. He was our first drummer and a very respected musician. Happy memories, rock in peace Colin." Continue reading...
Sunak's approval increases slightly after surviving potential rebellion over Rwanda billLabour's lead over the Conservatives is now at 13 points, the lowest since before the party conferences, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer.Both Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak's approval ratings have stayed steady since they both saw a big hit to their ratings last week. Starmer's net approval is now -9, while Sunak's net approval is now -29, a 3-point increase from a week ago. Continue reading...
Premier League match halted and Luton Town captain was taken away on a stretcher, described as alert and responsive'Luton's Premier League match at Bournemouth on Saturday was abandoned after their captain, Tom Lockyer, collapsed on the pitch after a cardiac arrest.The match was stopped in the 59th minute as medics tended to Lockyer, who collapsed off the ball. Continue reading...
Bridie West got more than 135,000 likes on TikTok after creating edible version of location used in Cameron Diaz Christmas romcomAn Essex cake baker has gone viral after making a cake version of the iconic cottage from the Christmas film The Holiday.The clip of Bridie West, 30, meticulously piping buttercream over a cake shaped as Rosehill Cottage has garnered more than 1.2m views on TikTok and 46,700 on Instagram. Though the clip depicts mere seconds of Continue reading...
The party has made it clear that Keir Starmer had no intention of reviving the second stage of the Leveson inquiryThe Labour party has backed away from plans to impose new controls on the press in a move likely to spark fierce controversy inside the party after Prince Harry's landmark victory in his phone-hacking case against the Daily Mirror.Party sources made clear on Saturday that Keir Starmer was not intending to revive a second stage of the Leveson inquiry into press standards - abandoned by the Tories in 2018 - nor would Labour oppose current Conservative plans to weaken the press regulation regime in the media bill now going through parliament. Continue reading...
by Angela Giuffrida in Rome and Michael Savage on (#6H6N5)
Prime minister makes controversial remarks at Rome conference organised by Giorgia Meloni's partyRishi Sunak has been accused of adopting the toxic" rhetoric of his former home secretary Suella Braverman, after he warned that migration would overwhelm" European countries without firm action.In remarks that will further inflame the Tory row over migration that has been raging for weeks, the prime minister said that enemies" were deliberately driving people to our shores to try to destabilise our society". Continue reading...
A public hearing of the parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma in Wagga Wagga this week heard calls to overhaul pregnancy and maternal healthcare services
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