Green, who had been the band’s drummer, had been diagnosed with cancer ‘a short while ago’Jeremiah Green, a founding member and drummer of US rock band Modest Mouse, died on Saturday after recently being diagnosed with cancer.“I don’t know a way to ease into this: Today we lost our dear friend Jeremiah,” Modest Mouse wrote on its Instagram account. “He laid down to rest and simply faded out”. Continue reading...
Johnny Brady, 19, ran away from a mental health hospital on New Year’s Eve and three rubbish bag fires have been reported sinceA 19-year-old convicted arsonist may have started three separate fires since he ran away from a mental health hospital on New Year’s Eve, Northamptonshire police said.Johnny Brady fled the grounds of St Andrew’s healthcare facility in Billing Road, Northampton, at about 3.30pm on Saturday. He was serving a hospital order following convictions relating to serious assault and arson offences, the force said. Continue reading...
Oscar-winning actor accompanied Texas lead singer on piano during impromptu Hogmanay performanceDame Judi Dench treated guests to an impromptu Hogmanay performance of Abba’s Waterloo at a hotel in Scotland just moments before the clock struck midnight.The Oscar-winning actor accompanied Texas lead singer Sharleen Spiteri on the piano during the surprise musical rendition at the Fife Arms in Braemar, Aberdeenshire. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#67CJC)
Ministers have asked NHS pay review body to cap increase for 2023-24, below predictions for inflationNHS strikes could continue for many months amid anger at UK government plans to raise staff salaries by only 2% next year, which health unions have condemned as more “real-terms pay cut misery”.Ministers have asked the NHS pay review body to cap the increase in frontline health workers’ pay to 2% in 2023-24 to help the government achieve its ambition to curb soaring inflation. Continue reading...
There has been little movement in the frontlines for weeks, and there are signs Russia lacks offensive combat powerRussia’s war on Ukraine enters its second calendar year at a delicate point. It is six weeks after the liberation of Kherson and there has been little movement in the frontlines either way since. There is not yet any sign of a full, renewed counteroffensive by the Ukrainians, not helped by the weather which has been above freezing, leaving muddy ground not conducive to military manoeuvre.“The situation is just stuck,” Ukraine’s head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, told the BBC last week, which, if an accurate assessment, is not helpful to Kyiv, badly needing to retain momentum in the run-up to spring. But the political leadership of both countries clearly signalled a desire to try to break the deadlock with new goals for the new year. Continue reading...
Players briefly held after raid on mixed-gender party, as elsewhere dissident Keyvan Samimi is released from prisonIranian police briefly detained several top-tier football players in a raid on a New Year’s Eve party east of Tehran, where men and women allegedly mingled and alcohol was served in violation of an Islamic ban, according to Iranian media reports.News of the brief arrests of the players, who were not identified, came as the release was announced of the Iranian dissident journalist Keyvan Samimi, who was jailed in December 2020 for “plotting against national security”. Continue reading...
Amid talk of Russia reinvading from the north, volunteer units of the remote Sumy region represent the first line of defenceOn New Year’s Eve in a patch of forest along the north-east border with Russia, a unit of Ukrainian territorial defence forces stood guard in their trenches.Ukraine’s most senior defence officials have said they believe Russia will attempt a second invasion from the north in the next couple of months, using troops who have been training for the past three months since being mobilised in October. But the Ukrainian forces defending the border say the Russians will not be able to break through as they did in February, when the Sumy region had no defensive lines. Continue reading...
Threats against federal judges surged as the conservative supreme court has been accused of ignoring public opinionSupreme court chief justice John Roberts has focused a year-end judiciary report on the need for stepped up security for federal judges, amid a surge in threats and as the United States is embroiled in a bitter debate over abortion.But Roberts chose to skirt around all the controversy engulfing the court in 2022, especially the chapter as its conservative super-majority struck down federal abortion rights afforded by the court’s landmark 1973 decision in Roe v Wade, in a decision that was scandalously leaked in the spring and then confirmed in June. Continue reading...
Slow uptake of ad-supported offering has meant lower than expected viewing figures, made worse by UK cost of living crisisNetflix is expected to suffer a second year of falling subscriber numbers in the UK in 2023 as the cost of living crisis takes its toll and the streaming giant’s new cheaper, ad-supported service takes time to win over users.The world’s biggest streaming service is expected to have lost about 500,000 UK subscribers in 2022 and to lose a further 200,000 this year, as increasingly budget-conscious consumers cut back on spending. Continue reading...
Benedict’s body displayed in chapel of the Vatican monastery and will lie in state at St Peter’s BasilicaThousands of people are expected to pay their respects to former pope Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday, in the days leading up to his funeral this week.Benedict’s body was displayed on Sunday in a chapel of the Vatican monastery where he lived, and will lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica from Monday until Thursday. His funeral in St Peter’s Square will be a simple, solemn and sober ceremony in keeping with his wishes, the Vatican said. Continue reading...
First minister claims Tories in Westminster are ‘staggering’ and could be months away from collapseThe Welsh first minister has told the Labour party in Wales to be prepared for a general election in the new year, believing the UK government could be months away from sudden collapse.Mark Drakeford claimed the Conservative government in Westminster was “staggering”, and that at any moment it could be “overwhelmed” and forced to call a snap UK election. Continue reading...
Parisians and tourists from France and abroad celebrate start of 2023 on famous avenue near Arc de TriompheAn unexpectedly large crowd of 1 million people crammed on to the Champs-Élysées to celebrate the start of 2023, after two years of Covid cancellations – with Paris officials calling it a “renaissance” in people wanting to get together again and a taster for future big gatherings for the 2024 Olympics.French authorities had expected about 500,000 Parisians and tourists to flock to the avenue, where a vast display of 340kg of fireworks was set off around the Arc de Triomphe at midnight during a special musical medley. Continue reading...
Survivor says pushing began after fireworks outside Freedom City shopping mall in KampalaAt least nine people, some of them children, died in a crush as revellers rang in the new year at a shopping centre in Uganda’s capital, police said.After fireworks outside the Freedom City mall in Kampala, “a stampede ensued, resulting in the instant deaths of five people and injuries to several others”, said Luke Owoyesigyire, a national police spokesperson. Continue reading...
Labor has grown in popularity since its election in May, and ticked off a number of campaign promises. But harder decisions await in 2023The year ended on a high for the Anthony Albanese, with opinion polls showing the Labor government and its leader are only growing in popularity, across all states.The new government spent its first seven months ticking off election promises and recalibrating Australia’s standing on the world stage. Albanese aimed to keep politics off the front page as much as possible. In that, it has been somewhat successful, with the biggest headlines featuring his predecessor, Scott Morrison. But every honeymoon must come to an end and as we head into 2023, the domestic political challenges for the Albanese government will soon loom large.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...
NHS insiders warn some of the costs will have to be met from existing budgets amid renewed pressure on pay and construction costsAmbulance services across England face paying millions more in ballooning fuel costs this year, amid warnings that the NHS will face renewed pressures on pay, energy and construction costs in 2023.Figures seen by the Observer reveal that each ambulance service in England expects to spend more than £1m on fuel over the next year as inflation continues to bite. Overall, the bill is set to rise by at least £14m in a single year. Continue reading...
Jubilant crowds ushered in 2023 with the first large gatherings without restrictions in many cities since before the pandemicCountries around the world welcomed in an uncertain new year amid economic woes, fears of new Covid variations arising in China, and the political backdrop of conflict in Ukraine. Many cities were hosting firework displays and large public gatherings free of restrictions for the first time since the pandemic.Large crowds in the UK braved cold temperatures, as more than 100,000 people were estimated to have gathered on the Embankment of the River Thames in London for the display at midnight, despite blustery showers. Continue reading...
Justin Welby will highlight importance of supporting unpaid carers in new year message on BBCThe archbishop of Canterbury will urge the government to take action to fix the country’s “broken” social care system in his new year address.In a message broadcast on Sunday afternoon, Justin Welby will say care homes are “struggling” to deal with rising bills while trying to find and retain the staff they need to keep going. Continue reading...
31-year-old man from Tranmere, Wirral, had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murderDetectives investigating the murder of Elle Edwards on Christmas Eve have released the third person arrested in connection with her shooting.Two other people have also been held over her death but no one has been charged. Continue reading...
Cabinet papers reveal Russia wanted to limit Australia’s access to its rocket technology and classified information, leading to ‘impasse’Plans to build a spaceport on Christmas Island with Russian technology were stymied in 2002 over fears that it would impinge on Australia’s sovereignty, cabinet papers reveal.Russia wanted to limit Australia’s access to its rocket technology and classified information, and had concerns that a planned detention facility on the island would put its security at risk. Continue reading...
by Harry Taylor (now) and Adam Fulton (earlier) on (#67BJA)
Ukrainian minister tells Russians that Putin is set to begin a new round of troop mobilisations. This blog is now closedThe governor of the Mykolaiv region, Vitalii Kim, has said there is an incoming missile attack on Ukraine.Posting on his Telegram account, he said it applied to “all regions”. Continue reading...
Maria Carolina Do Nascimento, 22, died after car in which she was travelling was involved in collisionFour men have been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a 22-year-old woman died after a car collision on Christmas Day.Maria Carolina Do Nascimento died after the car in which she was travelling was involved in a crash on Hendon Way in Edgware, north London, just before 4am on Christmas Day. Continue reading...
This live blog has now closed, you can read more about the death of Benedict XVI hereThe UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, says he is saddened to learn of Benedict XVI’s death.His visit to UK in 2010 was a “historic moment for both Catholics and non Catholics”, he adds.Today I join with the church throughout the world, and especially with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and all in the Catholic Church, in mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.In Pope Benedict’s long life and ministry of service to Christ in His Church he saw many profound changes in the church and in the world. He lived through the Nazi regime in Germany and served briefly in the Second World War. As a younger theologian and priest he witnessed first-hand the discussions of the Second Vatican Council. As a professor and then as an Archbishop he lived in a divided Germany but saw too the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of his homeland. Continue reading...
Met Office urges people to monitor its website or app for further weather warnings over the weekendLarge parts of the UK face heavy rainfall as well as icy and snowy conditions as people prepare to see in the new year.The unsettled forecasts come after flooding caused widespread travel disruption across Scotland on Friday as the effects the US “bomb cyclone” continued. Continue reading...
Company cites their harmful effect on the environment and the health of young people for the moveWaitrose has stopped selling single-use vaping products because of their negative impact on the environment and the health of young people.The popularity of products such as e-cigarettes has soared over the past year, with vaping in Great Britain reaching record levels. About 4.3 million people are regular vapers, according to a recent report. Continue reading...
Ben Francis, 30, among slew of businesspeople recognised for services to commerce and economy in new year honours listThe 30-year-old founder of the exercise clothing brand Gymshark has been awarded an MBE in the new year honours list, – just one of a slew of businesspeople to be recognised for their services to commerce and the economy.Ben Francis, who began his £1.25bn empire sewing his own gym clothes in his parents’ garage in Bromsgrove, near Birmingham, in 2012, is the youngest of those to be honoured for their services to business. Continue reading...
Brian May and Grayson Perry are knighted, Denise Lewis is made a dame and Frank Skinner becomes MBEThe fashion designer Mary Quant, the Lionesses and the Queen guitarist Brian May are among those recognised in the first new year honours of the king’s reign.Quant, 92, who as one of the most influential fashion figures in the swinging 60s popularised the miniskirt and hot pants, becomes a Companion of Honour, one of the top honours. Continue reading...
by Shaun Walker, Kari Paul and Dan Milmo on (#67AEJ)
Former kickboxer and reality TV star put in pre-trial detention alongside his brother and two other suspectsThe controversial online influencer and misogynist Andrew Tate has been put in pre-trial detention in Romania following his arrest on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group.The former kickboxer and reality TV star, who has been banned from a number of social media platforms for misogynistic comments and hate speech, was arrested alongside his brother and two other suspects. Continue reading...
Bob Jordan says ‘I am extremely sorry’ as airline gets back towards normal after more than 15,000 flights canceledThe chief executive of Southwest Airlines has apologized for holiday period disruptions that saw more than 15,000 flights canceled across the US, stranding passengers and leaving many scrambling to find their luggage.“I am extremely sorry,” Bob Jordan told ABC News on Friday morning. “There’s just no way to almost apologize enough.” Continue reading...
US aircraft forced to take evasive maneuvers during latest incident over contested shipping, fishing and gas field-rich regionA Chinese military plane came within 10ft (three meters) of a US air force aircraft over the contested South China Sea last week and forced it to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a collision in international airspace, the US military said.The close encounter followed what the US called a recent trend of increasingly dangerous behavior by Chinese military aircraft. Continue reading...
Huge crowds expected for funeral of footballing great as well as the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaBrazil has been gearing up for one of the most monumental new years in its history as the South America nation prepared to both welcome a new president and say goodbye to one of its most famous sons.Huge crowds are expected in Brasilia on 1 January to see Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva inaugurated for a four-year term, while a day later football fans will gather in Santos to bid farewell to Pelé, the football legend who died on Thursday. Continue reading...
Dawlat Khan had received a life sentence for the rape of a young deaf woman but a council of elders intervened to offer a compromiseA court in Pakistan has caused outrage after it freed a convicted rapist when he agreed to marry his victim.Dawlat Khan, 25, had been sentenced to life imprisonment in May by the district court of Buner, in north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, for the rape of a young deaf woman. Continue reading...
NGOs say measures including requirement to request port after first rescue could result in thousands of deathsSea rescue charities are rebelling against tough new anti-immigration measures imposed by the Italian government, arguing that they could result in thousands of deaths.Ship captains risk fines of €50,000 and having their vessels impounded if they break the rules, which include a requirement to request a port and sail to it immediately after undertaking one rescue instead of remaining at sea to rescue people from other boats in difficulty. Continue reading...
Authority says it is holding digital assets until they can be returned to creditors and former customersThe Bahamas securities regulator has said it has seized assets worth $3.5bn (£2.9bn) from the failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX and plans to return them to creditors and former customers.The Securities Commission of the Bahamas said it had transferred all digital assets under the custody or control of FTX Digital Markets, a Bahamas subsidiary of the FTX operation, to its own digital wallets for “safekeeping”. Continue reading...
Storms followed months of heavy rain on the North Island, while temperatures in France and Spain rose to almost 20COver the Christmas period, the upper North Island of New Zealand experienced stormy conditions, grounding flights and flooding roads. Thunderstorms broke out on 22 December, leading to heavy rainfall and an incredible 4,500 lightning strikes in just two hours. Unfortunately, one of these lightning strikes set a property alight in the town of Waitōtara in the south of the island. Although no injuries were reported, the property and surrounding farmlands were mostly destroyed. Furthermore, a small tornado was spotted in the Southland region of the South Island, though thankfully, no damage was caused.Although there were long sunny spells on Christmas Day, thunderstorms arose once more on Boxing Day. Between 2pm and 7pm local time, about 25-40mm fell over the upper North Island, although one rain gauge in the Auckland suburb of Ōtāhuhu recorded 50mm in just one hour. Parts of the motorway close to Mount Wellington were consequently closed, and several flights grounded. This excessive rainfall comes after several months of above average precipitation for the area, which exacerbated the risk of ground flooding and landslides. Continue reading...
Move, applicable for 28 days, comes after police criticism of security at the Crane as ‘ineffective’A Birmingham nightclub where a man was stabbed to death on Boxing Day has had its licence suspended for 28 days after police said security was “ineffective”.Officers arriving at the Crane nightclub found a scene of “chaos and evidence of drug use”, West Midlands police said in its application for the licence suspension. Continue reading...
Annual growth rate cools in December and average price of property drops to £262,068, says NationwideProperty prices in the UK fell for the fourth month in a row in December, the longest run of declines since 2008, according to Nationwide.Annual house price growth also slowed sharply as the year drew to a close, to the lowest rate since mid-2020, with all regions of the country affected, according to the building society’s monthly survey. Continue reading...
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