World news | The Guardian

UK caseworkers appear predisposed to discredit' applications, says senior figure of disbanded democratic movementA senior figure in the disbanded democratic opposition in Hong Kong has accused the Home Office of hardening its stance towards those fleeing the former British colony after a series of absurd" rejections of asylum claims.The rejection notices have demanded a contact address for a dissident leader who is in hiding from the Hong Kong authorities, included incorrect personal details, and cited a New York Times article as evidence that they could not have secured a passport if they were in any real danger. One applicant acquitted in Hong King of rioting' was told this showed that there was no danger to her although the authorities soon after sought to bring her back to court.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Exclusive: Documents seen by Guardian Australia suggest job provider APM referred woman for role she had already won; APM deny wrongdoing

Thousands sign petition challenging Macron-backed restoration that would add contemporary design to buildingA plan backed by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to replace stained-glass windows in Notre Dame Cathedral's side chapels with contemporary creations has been criticised as vandalism".A petition has been signed by more than 120,000 people to retain the original windows. Critics say the change would destroy the architectural harmony of the historical building that was ravaged by fire in April 2019. Continue reading...

A 49-year-old man died of his injuries after a stabbing in Shoreditch in the early hours of Boxing DayTwo men and two women have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal stabbing in central London in the early hours of Boxing Day.Police and paramedics were called at about 3.10am on Tuesday to reports of a stabbing in Cranwood Street in Shoreditch, near Old Street underground station. Continue reading...

Author says he had to adjust to becoming another person' after injuries in Boxing Day fall last yearHanif Kureishi has spoken candidly of how his sense of self and privacy have been completely eradicated" after a fall on Boxing Day last year left him unable to use his hands, arms or legs.As guest editor of BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the novelist and screenwriter also said he had to adjust to becoming another person" after the accident, which happened as he was walking in Rome. Continue reading...

Silvana one of potentially thousands who were unaware of need to apply for post-Brexit EU settlement schemeAn Italian environmental technology investor who has lived in the UK for 14 years has discovered she could be removed despite getting a permanent residency" card after Brexit.She is one of potentially tens of thousands of EU citizens who were unaware the Home Office changed the rules in 2019 requiring them to apply for a different scheme, called EU settlement. Continue reading...

Air force claims to have struck Novocherkassk landing ship as footage shows fires in city of Feodosia

Rapper posts message in Hebrew to social media, saying he is committed to making amends and promoting unity'Kanye West has apologised to the Jewish community" for a series of antisemitic remarks he made in 2022.In a statement posted in Hebrew on his Instagram account, where he has 18.2m followers, he wrote (as translated by Google): I sincerely apologise to the Jewish community ... It was not my intention to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused. I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Labour leader wants to finalise manifesto in February and move to campaign footing in anticipation of May voteKeir Starmer has ordered his frontbench team to finalise their manifesto policies within weeks as Labour moves on to a campaign footing before what officials believe will be a spring election.The Labour leader has told shadow ministers to have their policy proposals ready by mid-January in time for the manifesto to be completed by 8 February. He will also embark on a series of public question-and-answer sessions between January and March to highlight each of Labour's five missions, which he hopes will define the election. Continue reading...

Prof Mike Wooldridge will address looming questions around AI in this year's Royal Institution Christmas lecturesConfiding in ChatGPT about work gripes or political preferences could come back to bite users, according to an artificial intelligence expert.Mike Wooldridge, a professor of AI at Oxford University, says sharing private information or having heart-to-hearts with a chatbot would be extremely unwise" as anything revealed helps train future versions. Continue reading...

Chair says it is frightening' that a third of pubs are still being converted or demolished without planning permissionThe pub industry has faced one its toughest years to date, with businesses closing their doors in large numbers, according to the chair of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), as he criticised the government for failing to act after the Crooked House scandal.Nik Antona, head of the consumer group, said a frightening" number of pubs were still being demolished or converted without permission, despite the outcry over the destruction of the famously wonky Black Country pub. Continue reading...

Two women reported missing in flood waters in Gympie as Bureau of Meteorology warns of further thunderstorms on Boxing Day nightSevere thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected to continue to batter the east coast until at least Wednesday evening, as thousands of households remained without power on Boxing Day.Severe weather warnings have been issued for large parts of the New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland coasts, covering metropolitan areas as well as some regional areas. Continue reading...

Map shows 350 coal tips close to communities as UK government unwilling to take on costsEdmund Richards, who worked for 40 years as a miner, shakes his head sadly as he gazes at one of the many disused coal tips at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in south Wales. They're on the move," he says. No doubt. From time to time, inspectors will come and have a look, and say all is fine, but everyone around here knows they are on the move, on the slide."It isn't always easy to spot the tips in this craggy landscape decades after most of the mines closed. Often, they are cloaked in scrub and trees but Richards, 80, says everyone who lives nearby knows where they are and is worried about them. They need to get on and sort them out once and for all," adds Richards. It's only a matter of time before something terrible happens." Continue reading...

More than 9,000 people given six to 12 months for shoplifting in past two years would now be made to do community serviceShoplifters will benefit most from the government's plans to impose a moratorium on jail sentences of less than 12 months in England and Wales, figures show.Despite Rishi Sunak's attempt to introduce tough sentences for criminals in the run-up to the general election, shoplifters, offenders convicted of battery, and those who have assaulted emergency workers, are the top three groups who will avoid prison under the government's new measure.Theft from shops - 3,848 / 5,289Common assault and battery - 3,153 / 3,071Assault or assault by beating of an emergency worker - 3,050 / 2,233Breach of restraining order (Protection from Harassment Act 1997) - 2,221 / 2,477Having an article with a blade or point in a public place - 2,089 / 2,346Driving while disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence - 1,817 / 1,817Burglary with intent in a building other than a dwelling - 1,392 / 1,868Assaults occasioning actual bodily harm - 1,316 / 1,470Production, supply and possession with intent to supply a class B drug - 1,249 / 1,330Aiding, abetting, causing or permitting reckless driving - 1,430 / 1,260 Continue reading...

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