Queen Margrethe II: Danish monarch's 52-year reign in pictures

83-year-old Margrethe II is Europe's longest-serving living monarch, having taken the throne in 1972.

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Two children under 10 die in Perth’s Swan River on New Year’s Eve

Boy and girl pulled from the water by members of the public on Sunday afteroon, but could not be revived

Two young children have died after they were found floating in Perth’s Swan River on New Year’s Eve.

The boy and girl, both under 10, were spotted at Burswood near Perth Stadium about 5.25pm on Sunday.

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Spanish football fan held in Tehran released, Iran says

Santiago Sánchez was detained during a trek in 2022 to the men's football World Cup in Qatar.

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Howard government worked with Canada to oppose UN declaration on Indigenous rights

Cabinet papers from 2003 show the government pursued talks without consulting peak Indigenous body – which it then abolished

The Howard government fought strongly against recognising the right of Indigenous peoples to “self-determination” and worked secretly with Canada to try to change a draft UN declaration, newly released cabinet papers show.

The cabinet papers from 2003, released by the National Archives on Monday, show that some Australian government departments held concerns about potential impacts of the UN declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples, but Australia’s talks with Canada on amendments were being pursued with “no Indigenous consultation about the process or its product” as such input would be “premature”.

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New Year’s Eve 2023: heat and hail forecast in Australia’s weather mix as crowds gather early for fireworks

Displays expected in cities across country to ring in 2024 while predicted wild weather on east coast could disrupt revelry

Heat and hail have been forecast across parts of the country as hundreds queue outside the Sydney Opera House to secure front-row seats for the New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Lines in Circular Quay began to form at 8am on Sunday as people sought to stake their claim to a view. More than a million people are expected to gather across the harbour shoreline before fireworks this evening.

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New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia: ‘your cracker night could end in hospital’, authorities warn

Illegal use of fireworks can lead to thousands of dollars in fines and even jail. Here are the rules around the country

Hefty fines and even jail time are on the cards for those who set off illegal fireworks this New Year’s Eve.

People right across the country used to partake in the annual “cracker night” festival, setting off fireworks in their back yards, but most states and territories began banning this practice in the 1980s.

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Paula Abdul sues Nigel Lythgoe over alleged sexual assault

The American singer alleges multiple instances of assault while the pair worked together.

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‘How can such a tiny woman drive a big truck?’ Japan’s labour shortage forces it to rethink gender stereotypes

Freight and logistics sector is turning to women to fill gap as demand for drivers grows alongside cap on overtime

When Mayumi Watanabe tells people what she does for a living, most struggle to hide their surprise, and not just because of her diminutive stature. As a truck driver with 23 years behind the wheel, she is one of a small but growing number of women coming to the rescue of an industry that is the beating heart of Japan’s economy.

“I can see they’re thinking, ‘How can such a tiny woman drive a big truck?’ ” Watanabe, who is 152cm (5ft) tall, told the Observer as she prepared for the busy run-up to the end of the year. “But I’ve always loved cars, so it felt natural to want to be a truck driver.”

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Russian influencer Ivleeva fined for hosting 'almost naked' party

TV presenter and influencer Nastya Ivleeva organised a Moscow party that has sparked a moral backlash.

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German and Dutch authorities fear repeat of NYE firework violence

Hundreds of people have been seen buying fireworks in Germany and the Netherlands ahead of celebrations.

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Tony Chung: Student activist flees Hong Kong to seek asylum in UK

Tony Chung told the BBC he felt he had no control over his life, with police scrutinising his every move.

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‘Kagame’s agents are looking for me’: dissidents in UK say Rwanda is not safe

President’s ex-bodyguard among those living in Britain who were told by police or security services they were at risk of assassination

Rwandan dissidents living in the UK who have received police warnings about assassination attempts from the African country’s agents have spoken of their shock and dismay at Rishi Sunak’s insistence that it is a safe country.

The president, Paul Kagame’s former bodyguard and a key political opponent are among at least eight people who have been told by special branch or the security services that there are “imminent threats” to their lives from the government in Kigali.

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Venezuela mounts military exercises as UK sends warship to support Guyana

Nicolás Maduro orders ‘defensive’ manoeuvres as British Navy deploys vessel in territorial dispute

Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro has ordered more than 5,600 military personnel to participate in “defensive” exercises, after the UK deployed a warship to waters off the coast of Guyana in a show of support for the former British colony.

Maduro said he was launching an action “of a defensive nature in response to the provocation and threat of the UK against peace and the sovereignty of our country”.

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Russia reopens embassy in Burkina Faso

The move is the latest sign that the former French colony is pivoting towards Russia.

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What’s next for Taylor Swift in 2024?

She had a record-shattering and money-making 2023. Will the pop-cultural juggernaut dominate again next year?

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Greece would offer major treasures to UK for Parthenon marbles, minister says

Culture minister Lina Mendoni pledges to ‘fill the void’ at the British Museum should the ancient sculptures be returned

Greece is prepared to part with some of its greatest treasures to “fill the void” at the British Museum if the Parthenon marbles were reunited in Athens, the country’s culture minister has said.

Speaking to the Guardian at the end of a momentous year for the campaign to retrieve the fifth-century BC masterpieces, Lina Mendoni vowed the institution’s revered Greek galleries would never go empty.

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DR Congo elections: Fayulu's supporters clash with police in Kinshasa

Police have cracked down on an opposition protest to demand that the presidential poll be annulled.

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Bill Granger, renowned Australian cook, dies aged 54

Founder of bills cafe in Sydney and globally successful restaurateur and food writer dies peacefully in London, his family says

The Australian cook and restaurateur Bill Granger has died in London aged 54.

The family of the food writer confirmed on Instagram he had died peacefully in hospital on Christmas Day.

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Four more die in Australia’s Christmas storms, with three still missing in Queensland

Three deaths confirmed in south-east Queensland, including a nine-year-old girl, and woman’s body found in flooded Victorian campground

The death toll from Australia’s Christmas storms has risen to six, with three more people missing.

Three deaths were confirmed in south-east Queensland late on Boxing Day, including a nine-year-old girl whose body was found after she was feared lost in stormwater drains in Brisbane.

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Search resumes for Alaska woman swept under river ice

A weekend search found no trace of the woman, who entered the Eagle River near Anchorage in Alaska.

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Israel-Gaza war will continue for months, IDF chief warns

There are no shortcuts in the fight against Hamas, the army chief insists as Israel pounds Gaza.

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Woman killed, more than 100,000 homes without power after wild Christmas storms in Queensland and NSW

Boxing Day weather also predicted to be volatile, with more storms predicted, after hundreds called SES for help on Christmas Day

• Sydney to Hobart race: sailors warned of thunderstorms and ‘gusty and erratic’ winds

A woman has died and more than 100,000 homes been left without power as a result of severe thunderstorms in south-east Queensland on Christmas night, with warnings of more bad weather to come on Boxing Day in New South Wales and Queensland.

Queensland Ambulance Service on Tuesday confirmed a woman had died in Helensvale on the Gold Coast, after being hit by a fallen tree on Monday night.

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Alexei Navalny: Russian opposition leader found, says team

Mr Navalny's team had no contact with him for weeks and he failed to appear at several court hearings.

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Serbian police detain 38 people protesting over ‘unfair’ election

Opposition group Serbia Against Violence staged protests over elections deemed irregular by international rights watchdogs

Serbian 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.

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Zelenskiy hails downing of Russian jets in upbeat Christmas message

Ukraine celebrates holiday on 25 December rather than 7 January for first time, in move to distance itself from Russia

Volodymyr 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 said referred to Ukraine’s claim to have destroyed a further three Russian fighter planes on Friday.

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Serbian police fire teargas as thousand protest over ‘unfair’ elections

Serbian opposition hold rally after populist ruling party wins most votes in snap poll deemed unfair by observers

Police fired teargas as thousands gathered in Belgrade to demand the annulment of parliamentary and local elections a week ago that international observers said were unfair.

The populist ruling Serbian Progressive party (SNS) won 46.72% of the votes in snap parliamentary elections last weekend, according to state election commission preliminary results.

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Serbia protests: Anti-government demonstrators try to storm Belgrade City Hall

The opposition demands a re-run of last week's elections which its say were marred by fraud.

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Russians shell Kherson as Ukraine marks Christmas on 25 December for first time

Birth of Christ was formerly celebrated on 7 January, but has moved in symbolic shift away from Russia

Russian shelling in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region has killed four people, including an 87-year-old man and his 81-year-old wife who died after a strike on their apartment building.

The barrage on Sunday injured nine other people, including a 15-year-old, sparked fires in homes and at a private medical facility, and set a local gas pipeline alight, the head of the regional military administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said.

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Ukraine celebrates first Christmas on 25 December

The move to Western calendar is seen as a further shift away from Moscow's influence.

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Domestic violence worst at Christmas and New Year in Australia, with more than 60 women killed in violent attacks this year

Statistics reveal over 2,000 intimate partner homicides from 1989 to 2021, with three in four victims female

More than 60 women have been violently killed this year, many by intimate partners, and experts warn that the holidays are a particularly dangerous time.

Counting Dead Women Australia – which is run by Destroy the Joint researchers – tracks “every known death due to violence against women” and says the number this week reached 62.

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‘She lifted our spirits’: Czechs remember victims of mass shooting as nation holds day of mourning

This Christmas most people’s thoughts are with the victims of the Prague gunman

Just one day before the Czech Republic was due to begin its Christmas celebrations, it held a national day of mourning for the victims of the worst mass shooting in its history.

Flags flew at half mast and a minute’s silence was held at noon for the 14 people killed by a lone shooter on 21 December in the arts faculty at Prague’s Charles University. Images of students hiding from the killer on narrow ledges high above the street horrified the peaceful central European country, where mass violence is extremely rare.

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Rare video shows killer whale teaching its baby to hunt

An adult orca is seen singling out and subduing a dolphin so that its calf orca can practice its hunting techniques.

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Mixed-race people become Brazil’s biggest population group

Grouping that includes descendants of Indigenous Brazilians as well as of Africans now outnumbers white population

Mixed-race Brazilians are now the largest population group in the South American country, the latest census has revealed, as the number of people identifying as African-descended in Brazil continues to grow.

New data from the 2022 census released on Friday shows that 92.1 million Brazilians identify as mixed-race, equivalent to 45.3% of the population. This is up from 43.1% in 2010, when the last census was carried out.

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Charlie Sheen attacked by woman at his Malibu home - police

Police have arrested Electra Schrock for assault with a deadly weapon and residential burglary.

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Rainwater tank testing near NSW’s Cadia gold mine finds unsafe levels of mercury

Further testing should be done to reduce the risk of local tank water being contaminated by mercury, expert says

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An independent study of rainwater tanks near the Cadia goldmine in central west New South Wales has detected unsafe levels of mercury in some residents’ drinking water, nine months after widespread water testing conducted by NSW Health found no unsafe results.

The results come from an independent testing program conducted by Dr Ian Wright through the Cadia Community Sustainability Network (CCSN), which took water samples from kitchen taps and the top and bottom of rainwater tanks at 42 properties near the mine, between August and November 2023.

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Prague: Dramatic video from city shows people seen leaping from building ledge

A gunman entered Charles University killing 15 people in one of the country's worst fatal shootings.

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Macron defends tougher immigration reform as 'shield'

The law - backed by France's far right - makes it more difficult for migrants to bring over family members.

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Poland’s new government sacks state TV, radio and news bosses

Move follows regular accusations of biased reporting and transmission of propaganda when PiS was in power

The new Polish government has gutted the top management of public television, making good on a campaign promise to reform a broadcaster that functioned as a mouthpiece of its rightwing populist predecessor, but also prompting criticism of their methods from some quarters.

The government led by prime minister, Donald Tusk, was sworn into office last Wednesday. It has promised to launch an ambitious programme to reverse the damage done to rule of law in the country during eight years of government by the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party.

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Israel Gaza: What Gaza's death toll says about the war

Women and children are majority of those killed in the war, according to Hamas-run health ministry.

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‘It surprised the scientists’: Grindavík residents in limbo after powerful eruption

Grindavík residents had been preparing to spend Christmas back at home after being evacuated

Until just after 10pm on Monday, when the earth opened up and spat out an otherworldly 4km-long wall of lava, Sígrún Ísdal had been planning to spend Christmas at home in Grindavík with her family. Like many residents of the fishing town on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula, who were all evacuated on 10 November, she had been preparing to move back after more than a month spent in the limbo of temporary accommodation.

Ísdal, who works at Grindavík sports centre, had even been in the town briefly on Monday evening to pick up a few possessions, as residents have recently been allowed to do. “There was just good weather and I didn’t see anything,” she said.

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Ukraine military seeks extra 500,000 soldiers - President Zelensky

Ukraine's leader admits mobilisation is a sensitive and costly issue as the war with Russia nears two-year mark.

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Australia news live: more rain expected in far north Queensland; major bushfire in north-west NSW

Destruction of roads will push up costs for produce such as mangos and bananas. Follow the latest updates live

• Entire town of Wujal Wujal to be evacuated
• Cyclone Jasper: how did it cause so much rain?
• Queensland tourism takes estimated $60m hit
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Cooktown runs low on supplies as it waits for Wujal Wujal residents to be airlifted in

A community escaping flood waters in far north Queensland is set to be evacuated to a town that is low on water and has only three days of food left, AAP reports.

We are ourselves low on food and supplies. We’ve still got enough tucker for another three days. We’ve also got water restrictions at the moment because our water treatment plant was flooded.

We are running around trying to get food, blankets, that sort of stuff. We will see what the state government can organise – it will be a tough ask.

Wujal Wujal have copped it very badly. Some of those poor people have been on the roof of their houses for two or three nights with no power, no communication, no food probably.

That’s a lot of trips going backwards and forwards. But the access road down there has been washed away.

The only way to come is by air. The river is running too strong to think about barges or boats.

We have engaged through the disaster management network with all the councils and we are actively planning to be able to re-supply food, water and medical supplies into all of the isolated communities.

To those folks who are still waiting for that assistance, help is definitely on its way.

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Apple halts some Watch sales in the US

The move comes after the US found it violated patent rights of a smaller firm.

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Woman kidnapped by Hamas says she was 'shown off like a trophy'

Yarden Roman-Gat was abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri and brought to Gaza during Hamas's 7 October attack.

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North Queensland floods: nine people trapped on hospital rooftop in Wujal Wujal, Cairns airport closed

Attempts to rescue those trapped on hospital roof being thwarted by continuous rain that is stopping helicopters attending

• Cairns floods: live coverage as far north Qld weather causes intense rain
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Nine people, including a child, are trapped on the roof of a health clinic in the remote north Queensland community of Wujal Wujal, which has been cut off by rising floodwaters caused by ex- Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

Some areas of far north Queensland have exceeded 120-year-old flood records, with reports of hundreds of people seeking assistance from authorities.

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Queensland floods live updates: defence force on standby, PM says, as evacuations and rescues continue amid intense rain

Intense rain and flooding from ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper continues as rescue crew are deployed to Cairns. Follow the latest updates live

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Cairns mayor Terry James said at the last count, there were 79 people, five dogs and two cats in a nearby evacuation centre.

Douglas Shire mayor Michael Kerr said he hasn’t seen “anything like this before” when it comes to the extreme weather.

I mean, the 2019 one was a massive village all at once… for it to just stall, stop and sit directly above us and drop the amount of rain that it has is very unusual.

It’s something I don’t think we were prepared for and the fact that the amount of rain that came from and the system we weren’t even anticipating that would be the case.

It’s widespread, there is absolutely water everywhere… I don’t think there’s a road that hasn’t been covered or damaged.

This is something that we haven’t seen for decades.

And because we’re so isolated, we just can’t get people from Cairns up here either.

Then the recovery side of this, once this water does disappear, it’s gonna be massive. There’s infrastructure damage galore, so this is going to be a long-term repair job for us.

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Israel Gaza: Hostages shot by IDF put out 'SOS' sign written with leftover food

The three hostages were mistakenly killed in Gaza on Friday by Israeli troops.

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Vatican court convicts cardinal Angelo Becciu of embezzlement

Highest-ranking church official ever to stand trial before Vatican criminal court sentenced to five years and six months in jail

A Vatican court on Saturday sentenced a once powerful Italian cardinal to five years and six months in jail for financial crimes at the end of a historic trial.

Angelo Becciu, 75, a former adviser to Pope Francis who was once considered a papal contender himself, is the most senior clergyman in the Catholic church to face a Vatican criminal court.

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Melania Trump makes rare speech at citizenship ceremony

The former first lady, originally from Slovenia, described the path to US citizenship as 'arduous'.

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Orbán must not hold EU hostage over Ukraine, Macron says

French president accuses Hungarian PM of being dishonest to the public about his reasons for vetoing aid

Viktor Orbán must not be allowed to take the EU “hostage”, Emmanuel Macron has said, after the Hungarian prime minister blocked a €50bn EU aid package for Ukraine in the early hours of Friday.

As leaders of the European Union start working on the details of plan B to raise the money through cash and loans, the French president said Orbán was being dishonest to the public about his reasons for vetoing the financial package and would ultimately come around.

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Parthenon marbles should return to Athens, says Lord Frost

Architect of Brexit calls for closer Anglo-Greek cultural ties, with marbles held elsewhere in Europe also sent back

Britain should be part of a pan-European effort to bring the Parthenon marbles back to Greece, according to an architect of Brexit, who said the UK should make a grand gesture to create closer diplomatic and cultural relations between the two countries.

Lord Frost, a chief Brexit negotiator, called for a deal between Britain and Greece that would put the long-running dispute to bed, with the sculptures returned to Greece for the first time since the early 1800s when they were taken by Lord Elgin. At present they are in the British Museum’s collection.

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Finland reopens Russia border but shuts it again amid asylum row

Helsinki accuses Moscow of orchestrated ‘hybrid operation’ that Kremlin denies after 36 people cross from east

Finland has reopened its border with Russia only to shut it again within hours, in the latest stage of a row over asylum seekers in which Helsinki accused Moscow of staging a “hybrid operation” on the EU’s most easterly edge.

After a two-week period of total closure of the border, two of the eight crossings on the 830-mile land frontier were reopened briefly.

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‘They are so convincing’: Vera Gazzard lost her life savings to HyperVerse

Australians who were convinced to put money into the Hyper group investment schemes say no one has been held to account for their losses

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Geelong woman Vera Gazzard had plans for her $50,000 in savings. Elective surgery was on the list, as was help for her daughter who was expecting a second child.

But when an acquaintance recommended an investment opportunity called HyperVerse offering daily returns of 0.5% she jumped at the opportunity.

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US House to vote on formalising Biden impeachment inquiry

The Republican-led House is moving forward with a vote to formalise an inquiry into the US president.

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Moment elephant smashes van window in search of food in Sri Lanka

Video shows the mammal charging towards the vehicle in Yala National Park before breaking a window with its tusk.

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COP28: Three takeaways from the deal on fossil fuels

Climate reporter Esme Stallard breaks down the COP28 climate summit agreement - in less than a minute.

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Claudine Gay: Harvard president won't lose job over Congress row

Claudine Gay faced anger after failing to say if students calling for the genocide of Jews would be disciplined.

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Tropical cyclone Jasper live update: Qld weather warnings in place as category 2 storm on track to hit north of Cairns today – latest

BoM tracker map shows forecast path of category 2 cyclone will hit north of Cairns and Port Douglas on the Queensland coast at about 1pm with heavy rain, 140km/h winds and storm surge predicted. Follow the latest Australia news and weather updates today

• Residents and visitors stockpile board games and beer before Jasper crosses Queensland coast
• Jasper to become more severe, prompting weather warnings for 500mm rain, heavy winds
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Many thanks to Martin for kicking things off this morning. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be with you on the live blog today.

See something that needs attention? You can get in touch via X/Twitter @emilywindwrites or send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com.

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Albanese calls for Gaza ceasefire in joint statement with NZ and Canada PMs

The statement says the leaders are ‘alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza’

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The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has signed a statement alongside his New Zealand and Canadian counterparts calling for a sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and an end to the “continuous suffering” of its citizens.

“We are alarmed at the diminishing safe space for civilians in Gaza,” the statement released on Wednesday said, as the Israeli bombardment of Hamas militants in the enclave continues.

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Far-right Polish MP uses fire extinguisher to put out Hanukah candles

Rabbi says antisemitic attack, hours after new PM vowed to reform Poland, had galvanised support for Jewish community

A far-right Polish MP has extinguished candles on a menorah lit for Hanukah in Poland’s parliament, disrupting proceedings before a planned vote of confidence in the new government.

Grzegorz Braun, a fringe far-right MP, was shown on television spraying the menorah with a fire extinguisher. Smoke and haze filled the area. The parliament took a break in proceedings to deal with the incident and Braun was suspended for the rest of the day.

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Donald Tusk set to take power in Poland after PM loses confidence vote

Parliament formally backs the former European Council leader, ending eight years of Law and Justice party rule

Poland’s prime minister has lost a vote of confidence in parliament, clearing the path for a three-way pro-European alliance of opposition parties headed by the former European Council leader Donald Tusk to take power later this week.

The vote on Monday brought to an end eight years of rule by the nationalist Law & Justice (PiS) party, accused of illegally eroding the rule of law, turning state media into propaganda outlets, rolling back minority rights and fomenting feuds with the EU.

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Google: Barbie and Shakira among most searched in 2023

Barbie and Oppenheimer were the most-searched for films in 2023, and took £30m in their opening weekend.

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Village in Ireland hit by ‘possible tornado’ as high winds damage cars and homes

Trees flattened and roof ripped off in Leitrim village as Storm Fergus brings yellow warnings for wind

Homes and cars in an Irish village have been seriously damaged after a possible tornado hit the area.

Emergency services were called to Leitrim village on Sunday afternoon after high winds flattened trees, ripped a roof off a building and left debris scattered on a street.

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Spanish La Liga match abandoned after fan dies in stands

Granada's La Liga match with Athletic Bilbao is abandoned after a supporter dies in the stands at Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium.

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‘I’m not Daniel Andrews’: Jacinta Allan on power, sexism and the path to treaty

As her predecessor continues to make headlines, the Victorian premier says she’s charting her own course

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Jacinta Allan had her whole week planned out.

It was late September, the end of the school holidays, and she had travelled to Melbourne from her home in Bendigo for work. Her husband and two children had planned to meet her in town to go to the Royal Melbourne Show.

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DR Congo President Tshisekedi compares Rwanda counterpart Kagame to Hitler

Félix Tshisekedi accuses his counterpart in neighbouring Rwanda of wanting to expand.

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Images show major damage to Gaza's oldest mosque

Hamas accuses Israel of causing the damage to the medieval Omari mosque, Israel has not yet commented.

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Marine and Jean-Marie Le Pen to stand trial over alleged misuse of EU funds

French far-right party denies irregularities in employment of parliamentary assistants

French far-right politician Marine Le Pen will stand trial alongside 27 others over alleged misuse of EU funds, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Friday, charges that Le Pen’s party said it contested.

Twenty-eight defendants will be brought to court, including Le Pen and her father, Jean-Marie, the office said, confirming French media reports.

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Shane MacGowan: Tribute to 'trailblazer' at Tipperary funeral

The late Pogues singer is hailed as a poet as family, fans and famous friends mourn him in Tipperary.

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Israel war cabinet minister's son killed in Gaza fighting

Gadi Eisenkot's son Gal, 25, died after a tunnel shaft exploded in northern Gaza, Israeli media say.

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Two arrested in France over alleged bedbug pest control scam

Pair accused of charging elderly householders between €300 and €2,100 for services they did not need

French police have arrested two men on suspicion of fraud after they allegedly sold bedbug pest control services for large sums to elderly people who did not need them.

The two men, operating in eastern France, phoned their victims, usually women over 90, telling them there had been a bedbug infestation in their neighbourhood, authorities said.

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Gaza's food queues get longer and the hungry jump fences

As Gaza's food queues get longer, the UN says it cannot run a dependable humanitarian operation anymore.

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French restaurant boss charged over woman’s botulism death

Greek woman, 32, was one of 16 diners who fell ill after eating at the restaurant in central Bordeaux

A French restaurant boss has been charged over the death of a woman after an outbreak of botulism at the establishment, linked to improperly preserved sardines.

A 32-year-old Greek woman died in September after eating at the Tchin Tchin Wine Bar in central Bordeaux. She was one of 16 mostly foreign diners who fell ill in the space of a week while the southwestern city was hosting Rugby World Cup matches.

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BBC reporter in Gaza: People here are traumatised and exhausted

People say life in Khan Younis is "indescribable" as Israel's bombardment of the south intensifies.

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Pro-Russia Ukrainian MP Illia Kyva shot dead in Moscow suburb

Ukraine’s military intelligence spokesperson tells national TV that former politician ‘is done’

A former Ukrainian MP regarded by Kyiv as a traitor has been reportedly shot dead in a park in suburban Moscow by Ukraine’s SBU security service.

Illia Kyva was a pro-Russian member of Ukraine’s parliament before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but fled to Russia a month before the start of the war and frequently criticised Ukrainian authorities online and on Russian state TV talkshows.

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News live: national cabinet to talk health funding as surgery wait times soar; public vote names Australian lunar rover

State and territory leaders gather with NDIS topping the agenda. Follow the day’s news live

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Telstra is paying the price after being caught overcharging customers for the third time since 2020, Australian Associated Press reports.

The telco giant will refund $21m to consumers charged for inactive internet services across an 11-year period, at an average of about $2,600 a customer.

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Russia rejects offer to release jailed reporter Evan Gershkovich, US says

The Wall Street Journal reporter was arrested in Russia on espionage charges, which he has denied.

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Flights grounded and trains cancelled in Germany as freezing weather hits Europe – s it happened

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our European news coverage here

Here are more photos from Germany today.

Train service disruptions are ongoing in areas of Germany.

Even after the resumption of operations on the affected routes, it is likely that only a very limited train service will be possible due to the major weather-related restrictions.

We therefore expect a very high capacity utilisation of the trains and continue to recommend postponing journeys to and from Munich.

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Australia news live: Reserve Bank to deliver year’s last interest rates decision as economists tip no change

Poll finds 28 of 30 economists expect central bank to keep cash rate steady at 4.35%. Follow the day’s news live

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The consequences of cancelling the 2026 Commonwealth Games will linger over the Brisbane Olympics, a top sporting body warns.

Australian Associated Press reports that Athletics Australia will today front a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the failed 2026 Commonwealth Games bid months after former premier Dan Andrews announced the state would no longer host the major sporting event.

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Ex-US ambassador Manuel Rocha charged over spying for Cuba

Manuel Rocha, a former US ambassador to Bolivia, was allegedly a secret agent for more than 40 years.

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Boris Johnson considered ‘raid’ on vaccine plant in the Netherlands

Covid inquiry expected to be told former PM was open to ‘military options’ to obtain ‘impounded’ jabs from factory in Leiden

Boris Johnson’s appearance before the Covid-19 inquiry is not until Wednesday but it is already making headlines in the Netherlands amid a mixture of amusement and alarm at claims he asked for British spies to plan a “raid” on a Dutch vaccine plant.

The operation – according to sources who briefed Johnson’s employer, the Daily Mail – would have taken place against the backdrop of a tit-for-tat row in March 2021 between the then prime minister and the EU, which was moving towards restricting exports of vaccines across the Channel.

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Beyoncé: Meet the designer who made her sparkle on tour

Hundreds of hours go into Gaurav Gupta's designs for Beyoncé, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.

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South Africa: The region where political violence is on the rise ahead of elections

The BBC's Fergal Keane returns ahead of elections next year - 30 years since apartheid ended.

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Australia news live: Gold Coast abandons 2026 Commonwealth Games bid; cabinet to consider migrant re-detention bill

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate says $700m plan for ‘streamlined’ Games failed to win state or federal backing. Follow the day’s news live

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The assistant minister for climate change and energy, Jenny McAllister, was also making the rounds this morning amid the Cop28 summit.

Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, she spoke of the pledge that Australia has signed alongside more than 100 nations, to triple renewables by 2030 and double energy efficiency.

We, of course, are working towards transforming our national electricity system to incorporate 82% renewables by 2030. This is a really ambitious transformation, but one that we believe will lay the foundations for a cleaner and more affordable energy system for Australians.

If you think about what it means to take our energy system from 33% renewables to 82%, that does mean that our fossil fuel use within our own energy system at home is changing very dramatically over the course of a decade.

We know that globally, we need to see similar changes and similar investments in the new technologies to drive low emissions power, not just here in Australia, but actually, right across the world.

… or any electorate around the country where it is proven to be technologically feasible, has a social licence and it is going to get prices down.

We have to be humble enough at these conferences at Cop to say what are other countries doing? What peer countries are doing is they are saying we are looking at nuclear energy as part of the balanced mix.

We must in Australia be driven not by ideology, but by economics and engineering and learn from those countries and that includes consideration for zero emissions nuclear energy, and people may be arguing all they like, but we will be very open and transparent as we always have been.

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Israeli forces reported to be pushing into southern Gaza

The head of Israel's military says the IDF is fighting "strongly and thoroughly" in south Gaza.

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Watch moment powerful quake strikes Philippines

Videos show the violent tremors from two earthquakes in the Philippines.

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Vacant property taxes, levies and caps on the table as NSW Labor reviews Airbnbs and short-term rentals

Exclusive: Minns government to place every aspect of housing ‘under the microscope’ as it confronts rental crisis

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Vacant property taxes, levies and annual caps will be considered when the New South Wales government reviews regulation of short-term rentals including Airbnbs over the next six months.

The housing minister, Rose Jackson, who will lead the review, hoped to find ways to move some holiday rentals and unoccupied properties on to the longer-term rental market as the Minns government confronts the state’s chronic housing crisis.

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Israel-Gaza war: Residents of Khan Younis say Israeli strikes heaviest since start of war

Civilians in parts of north and south Gaza have been told to evacuate as Israel's renewed bombardment continues.

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Ethiopia pilgrims return to Aksum for festival in Ark of Covenant city

Aksum's authorities say half a million people are there for the first time since the Tigray war ended.

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Paraguay official resigns after signing agreement with fictional country

Arnaldo Chamorro replaced after he signed ‘proclamation’ with representatives of fugitive Indian guru’s fake country

A Paraguayan government official has been replaced after it was revealed that he signed a memorandum of understanding with representatives of a fugitive Indian guru’s fictional country, who also appear to have duped several other officials in the South American country.

Arnaldo Chamorro was replaced as chief of staff for Paraguay’s agriculture ministry on Wednesday shortly after it was revealed that he signed a “proclamation” with representatives of the United States of Kailasa.

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Israel recalls ambassador in war spat with Spain PM Pedro Sánchez

Pedro Sánchez deepens a row, saying he has "serious doubts" Israel is complying with humanitarian law.

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Australia news live: eastern states brace for more rain as landslide cuts off Victorian town

Heavy downpours could bring more flooding to eastern Victoria and southern NSW. Follow the day’s news live

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Good morning, and happy Friday!

I’m Emily Wind and I’ll be bringing you our rolling coverage on the blog today.

Generative AI presents opportunities for students and teachers, but there are also risks such as the privacy and safety of school children.

This framework will help guide all school communities so they can enjoy the potential benefits to teaching and learning that generative AI offers, while mitigating the risks.

Importantly, the framework highlights that schools should not use generative AI products that sell student data.

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French-Israeli woman seen in Hamas hostage video is freed

Mia Schem was abducted from music festival on 7 October; lawyer Amit Soussana has also been released

• Israel-Hamas war – live updates

Mia Schem, a French-Israeli woman who was abducted from the Supernova music festival in Israel and shown in the first Hamas video of a hostage speaking from captivity, has been released.

Schem, 21, who had been training to be a tattoo artist, was shown in a 78-second video broadcast on Hamas’s Telegram channel last month with an injured arm that was being treated by an unidentified medical worker. In the clip, she asked to be returned to her family as soon as possible.

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EU hatches backup plan to lessen impact of 10% Brexit tariff on EVs

Exclusive: ‘Cushion’ for carmakers facing looming tariff under deal for vehicles traded between EU and UK from start of 2024

The European Commission has hatched confidential Plan B proposals to “cushion” the impact of a looming 10% tariff on imports and exports of electric vehicles, the Guardian has learned.

The proposal was presented to member states on Monday in response to pressure from carmakers to amend some of the conditions imposed when the UK left the EU in January 2021.

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Germany teens held for alleged Christmas market attack plot

Police are said to have intervened to be on the safe side, after a specific target was identified.

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Sticky Vicky: Legendary Benidorm dancer dies aged 80

The X-rated performer had a legendary status among Brits travelling to the Spanish resort on holiday.

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Pakistan: Woman killed after being seen with man in viral photo

Tribal elders allegedly ordered the killing after the woman appeared in a photo that was doctored.

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Yoga sect leader Gregorian Bivolaru and followers arrested in France

Police raided the group, which is being investigated for rape, kidnapping, abuse and trafficking.

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Tantric yoga guru Gregorian Bivolaru charged with human trafficking

French authorities arrest Misa leader in major raid over claims of organised kidnapping, rape and abuse

French authorities have arrested the leader of a multinational tantric yoga organisation on suspicion of indoctrinating women for sexual exploitation.

The Romanian guru was detained on Tuesday morning during a major police operation across the Paris region, according to a French judicial official, who was not authorised to speak publicly about an ongoing investigation.

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Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Rescuers free 41 trapped workers

The workers were stuck for two weeks after a part of a tunnel they were working in collapsed.

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Ninety-eight Christmas trees and a gingerbread White House

Jill Biden unveils this year's White House holiday decorations, designed to evoke wonder and joy.

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Gucci design staff strike in protest at plan to relocate to Milan

About 50 workers take part in action, claiming move from Rome would be tantamount to collective dismissal

About 50 Gucci employees in Italy have gone on strike in protest against plans to relocate a significant part of its design studio team from Rome to Milan in what they claim is a “mass redundancy in disguise”.

Gucci, which is owned by the French-based luxury goods group Kering, announced in October it would move 153 of its 219 design employees from the Italian capital to Lombardy city.

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Ancient Ukraine treasures returned after court battle

Golden helmets and precious gems are sent to Kyiv after a 10-year row with Russia over their ownership.

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Israeli foreign minister accuses Irish taoiseach of legitimising terror over hostage statement

Eli Cohen criticised Leo Varadkar’s description of nine-year-old Emily Hand as being ‘lost’, not ‘kidnapped’

• Israel-Hamas war – live updates

The Israeli government has accused Ireland’s taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, of legitimising terror and losing his moral compass by saying a freed Irish-Israeli hostage had been “lost” as opposed to kidnapped.

Eli Cohen, Israel’s foreign minister, on Sunday summoned the Irish ambassador to the foreign ministry in Jerusalem for a formal reprimand over Varadkar’s response to the release of nine-year-old Emily Hand, who was reunited with her family after 50 days as a hostage in Gaza.

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Israel-Gaza: Four-year-old girl among released hostages

Avigail Idan, who turned four while she was held hostage by Hamas, was among nine children released.

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Dozens kidnapped by motorcycle 'bandits' in north Nigeria

At least 100 are abducted over an unpaid "tax" the gunmen had imposed on villagers, residents say.

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Keir Starmer open to return of Parthenon marbles, reports say

Labour leader gives strongest hint yet of support for loan deal with Greece if his party wins next election

The Greek government has been assured by Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour party, that in the event of electoral victory next year he will not block a prospective arrangement to return the Parthenon marbles to Athens.

Speaking through aides before talks in London with the Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Starmer gave his strongest hint yet of his support for a loan deal that would see the antiquities return to the country where they were carved 2,500 years ago.

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New Zealand gets two deputy PMs after marathon coalition talks

After weeks of negotiations, incoming PM Christopher Luxon announces populist Winston Peters and libertarian David Seymour will alternate as deputy

Nearly six weeks after New Zealand’s general election, the incoming prime minister, National’s Christopher Luxon, has announced the shape of the governing coalition with the libertarian Act and populist New Zealand First parties.

Luxon told a media conference in Wellington on Friday that the three parties had agreed on a “common sense” plan that reflected their values and policies.

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Intimate partner homicide data-tracker unveiled after four SA women killed in one week

Statistical dashboard with up-to-date figures on victims is ‘crucial’ in helping police and policymakers tackle domestic violence, minister for women says

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A new intimate partner homicide dashboard offering more up-to-date figures will soon be available after the deaths of four South Australian women in one week.

The government will introduce the federal statistical dashboard by mid-2024 to provide more timely reporting on intimate partner homicide. The new dashboard will enable police, governments, policymakers and all those who are working to end violence against women and children, to better understand what is happening and when. It will initially provide quarterly updates but is expected to provide more up-to-date figures as the initiative develops.

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Canada oil and gas firms to drill 8% more wells next year as emissions target slips

Producers take advantage of new shipping options, including government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline, to boost exports

Oil and gas producers say they will drill 8% more wells in Canada next year as they look to take advantage of new shipping options, including a controversial government-owned pipeline.

Amid forecasts that Canada is not on target to reach its emissions reductions goals, on Friday the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC) predicted nearly 500 more wells next year, to 6,229 projects.

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Dublin riot 'saw most riot police deployed in Irish state history'

Ireland's PM says about 500 people rioted after a knife attack outside a school in the city.

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WA activists say they believe footage ABC provided to police resulted in them being charged

The activists were charged in relation to a planned protest outside the Perth home of Woodside chief executive Meg O’Neill

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Three Western Australian environmental activists say they believe that footage provided by the ABC to police under a “compulsory legal process” has likely resulted in them being charged with criminal offences.

The activists were charged on Wednesday in relation to a planned protest outside the Perth home of the Woodside chief executive, Meg O’Neill, in August.

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Macy's Thanksgiving Parade: Annual event stars SpongeBob and minor protest

This year's Macy's event in Manhattan was briefly disrupted by a small pro-Palestinian demonstration.

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Australia news live: Perth bushfires still out of control with more homes under threat; Black Friday spend tipped to surge

Heatwave fuels fires in Perth northern suburbs; shoppers forecast to spend up to $6.7bn this weekend. Follow the day’s news live

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Good morning, Mostafa Rachwani with you this morning, to take you through the day’s news.

Students prepare to walk out of class to support Palestine

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Finland to close all but one Russia border crossing to stop asylum seekers

Helsinki accuses Moscow of guiding refugees across border in apparent act of revenge for it cooperating with US

Finland has said it will close all but one crossing point on its border with Russia in an effort to halt a flow of asylum seekers to the Nordic nation, as Estonia accused Moscow of mounting “a hybrid attack operation” on Europe’s eastern border.

The announcement on Wednesday came after weeks of tension on the 830-mile (1,330km) border across which Helsinki accuses Moscow of guiding refugees and migrants in an apparent act of revenge for the Nordic nation’s cooperation with the US.

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Vehicle explodes on bridge between US and Canada

The FBI describes the situation as "very fluid" on the US-Canada bridge near Niagara Falls.

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Why Trump’s rivals in Iowa still think they can win

Despite trailing far behind in the polls, the former president's rivals are spending millions. Why?

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Australian electricity networks raked in $2bn in ‘superprofits’ from customers, thinktank says

The takings amounted to between $80 and $400 for each customer, including $2bn in the 2022 fiscal year alone

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Electricity network providers raked in $2bn from customers in “superprofits” in just one year, or 2.5 times the level needed to compensate shareholders for risk, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis claims in a new report.

Building on an assessment published a year ago, Ieefa found network firms had extracted about $11.1bn since 2014, including $2bn in the 2022 fiscal year alone. That sum was in addition to permitted “normal” profits of $16bn over those years.

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Video allegedly shows A$AP Rocky bearing gun

The rapper will stand trial on charges that he fired a pistol in a feud with a former childhood friend in 2021.

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Australians’ tipping habits fail to keep up with rising restaurant prices, data reveals

The average amount Australians are tipping for hospitality service drops to lowest proportion of total bill in four years

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Australians’ tipping habits are not keeping pace with higher menu prices, new research shows, as household costs soar and diners grapple with pandemic-era hospitality charges.

A report by Lightspeed Commerce, using payments platform data, found that the average tip amount dropped in August to 8.1% of a total bill.

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UK white paper raises concerns over China’s growing foreign aid role

Government paper says Britain must act robustly if interests challenged by the Chinese development model

China’s growing role in international development marks a systemic global shift that will require robust challenge by Britain if its interests are threatened, a UK government white paper on aid has warned.

With David Cameron starting as foreign secretary and under scrutiny for his previous business links with China, the document does not hold back in challenging the Chinese development model or its growing influence.

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Australia news live: search for pilot and passenger after plane collision; cybersecurity boost for small business

Two planes collided in mid-air and one crashed into waters off Melbourne’s Mornington peninsula. Follow the day’s news live

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Q: Does this matter undermine China’s position that it wants a better relationship with Australia?

Kevin Rudd answers by commenting on the relationship between China and the USA:

Well, as I have said in my own comments here in the American media, the overall impact of the meeting between president [Joe] Biden and president Xi Jinping here in the United States in the last several days, the test of that relationship will lie in what happens on the ground in the weeks and months ahead.

It’s true that both governments have sought to stabilise relationship just as the Australian government has sought to stabilise its relationship with China as well. But that is one thing. Often, what unfolds in the field, that will be subject to day by day, week by week, month by month testing.

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Child sexual abuse study finds 9.4% of Australian men report having offended against a child

UNSW findings include sexual contact with anyone under 18, as well as online offences and consuming child sexual abuse images

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Francene Reo’s step-dad told her it was therapy. In 1976, the Newcastle supreme court found it was child sexual abuse.

At that time, charging someone for incest was so unusual “they didn’t even know how to word the charges”, she said. Reo’s step-dad spent five years behind bars for his years of severe offending, which took place for 10 years when she was aged six to 16. She didn’t speak about it for decades.

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ATP Finals 2023 results: Novak Djokovic beats Jannik Sinner to win title

Novak Djokovic wins a record seventh ATP Finals title with a dominant victory over Jannik Sinner in Turin

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Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack cargo ship in Red Sea

The Iran-backed rebels say the vessel is Israeli - a claim denied by Israel which blames Iran.

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Australia news live: federal government to double road funding; Assange’s father to address Melbourne pro-Palestine rally

Record crowds expected at pro-Palestine rally in Melbourne, with protests also planned in Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. Follow today’s news updates live

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The federal government will double funding for the roads to recovery program aimed at improving road safety by allocating more money for local councils.

Several projects will be merged to streamline investment programs, and funding for federally recognised black spots will rise from $110 million to $150 million per year.

Big roads and metropolitan highways might get a lot of the attention, but we spend most of our driving lives on local roads around where we live and where we work.

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March reaches Jerusalem calling for release of Israeli hostages

Protesters walked from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, before demonstrating at the Israeli prime minister's residence.

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‘Straight out of Utopia’: healthcare workers denounce $558m expansion of Albury base hospital

NSW and Victoria government documents show support for push by doctors to combine the Albury and Wodonga hospitals into one new facility – but that’s not what was announced

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A $558m redevelopment of Albury Base hospital jointly proposed by the New South Wales and Victorian state governments has outraged healthcare workers and community groups, who claim both governments misled them during a years-long consultation.

“If I was going to design a system to hide the dismal plans they’ve provided us, I’d design it exactly the way they’ve done it,” says Michelle Cowan from local community group Better Border Health. “These are the oldest tricks in the book. It’s the most cynical exercise so they can say they’ve ticked the consultation box.”

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Hundreds leave Gaza's al-Shifa hospital as many feared killed at UN shelter

Israel denied forcing people out of al-Shifa on foot and did not confirm it had hit al-Fakhoura shelter.

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Russia files lawsuit to crack down on LGBTQ+ community

Supreme court to consider justice ministry request to outlaw ‘international LGBT public movement’ as extremist

The Russian justice ministry on Friday said it had filed a lawsuit with the supreme court to outlaw what it called an “international LGBT public movement” as extremist, in the latest attacks against the country’s already suppressed LGBTQ+ community.

The ministry said in an online statement that authorities had determined “signs and manifestations of extremist nature” in “the activities of the LGBT movement” in Russia, including “incitement of social and religious discord”.

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Ukraine war: Marines gain riverbank foothold but front lines barely move

Marines talk of progress on "several bridgeheads" but soldiers talk of fatigue at the front.

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EU foreign affairs chief tells Israel not to be ‘consumed by rage’ in response to Hamas attacks

Josep Borrell says ‘one horror does not justify another’ and calls for unconditional release of hostages

• Israel-Hamas war – live updates

The EU foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, has urged Israel not to be “consumed by rage” in its response to the Hamas attacks of 7 October as the French president, Emmanuel Macron, acknowledged splits in Europe on the conflict.

Speaking from Kibbutz Be’eri – where at least 85 of the 1,200 people killed that day died and from where about 30 of the more than 240 were kidnapped – Borrell said “Israel must be defended”, but, “one horror does not justify another: innocent civilians, including thousands of children, have died in recent weeks.

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Russian Carlsberg staff arrested after business seized

Two senior managers of Carlsberg's Russian subsidiary were arrested on Wednesday over allegations of fraud.

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Australia politics live: infrastructure projects to lose funding in major review after $33bn blowout

The Albanese government will today reveal which projects get the chop, which survive, and which get extra money. Follow the day’s news live

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The government will today introduce legislation to reform the petroleum resource rent tax (PRRT) to deliver a fairer return to the country from natural resources.

The bill limits the proportion of PRRT assessable income that can be offset by deductions to 90% from 1 July 2023.

The independent review found the Infrastructure Investment Program we inherited could not be delivered. With the co-operation of the states and territories we now have a forward plan of projects that are properly planned and targeted to unlock significant economic, social and environmental objectives.

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French art expert faces trial for allegedly forging 18th-century furniture

Bill Pallot is charged with building pieces to sell at high prices to buyers including Palace of Versailles

A leading French art expert is to face trial on charges of forgery for building furniture that he falsely claimed to be from the 18th century and that was sold at high prices to buyers who included the Palace of Versailles.

Bill Pallot, an expert on 18th-century French furniture, is charged with implementing the scam between 2008 and 2015, in one of the biggest forgery scandals to rock the art world in recent years.

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Pedro Sánchez defends Catalan amnesty law as ‘demonstration of strength’

Act of clemency is needed to promote ‘dialogue, understanding and forgiveness’, caretaker Spanish PM tells parliament

Spain’s acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has defended the controversial Catalan amnesty law that is set to deliver his socialist party a second term, saying the act of clemency towards hundreds of people involved in the push for regional independence is needed to promote “dialogue, understanding and forgiveness”.

Although Sánchez’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) was narrowly beaten by the conservative People’s party (PP) in July’s inconclusive snap general election, it has managed to succeed where the PP and its allies in the far-right Vox party failed by cobbling together enough parliamentary support to form a government.

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Ros Atkins on... Do the rules of war protect hospitals?

The BBC's Analysis editor looks at how the rules of war apply to hospitals.

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Tapfumaneyi Masaya: Abducted Zimbabwe opposition activist found dead

The targeting of Tapfumaneyi Masaya is part of a series of kidnappings of activists.

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Australia politics live: gambling industry has ‘revolving door’ with politics, study warns; fractious Q+A filmed without audience

Litany of former federal ministers have taken lobby jobs with betting firms, report shows. Follow the day’s news live

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Thank you to Martin for starting us off this morning. You have Amy Remeikis with you for most of the sitting day now, as we navigate day two of the sitting week. There are eight joint sitting days left in the year (the senate will be sitting for a few more by itself) and both the opposition and government have swung their focus to cost of living.

Once this year is done, we will be in the back end of the electoral term, which means we will be back in election mode. But first, we must get through today and the party room meetings.

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Austria puts aside millions for gay people who faced prosecution

People investigated under discriminatory laws to get €500, while those convicted will get €3,000 or more, says justice minister

Austria has set aside millions of euros to compensate thousands of gay people who until two decades ago faced prosecution, its justice minister has said.

The country decriminalised homosexuality in 1971 but certain discriminatory provisions remained in force until the early 2000s.

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Hungary theatre chief offers to quit after Romeo and Juliet accident

Two actors are in a serious condition following the accident during Romeo and Juliet.

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Australian port operator hit by cyber-attack says cargo may be stranded for ‘days’

DP World pulls plug on its internet connection after finding hackers inside its systems

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Australia’s biggest ports operator, which has been the target of a cyber-attack, says it should be up and running again within days.

DP World Australia closed its Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Fremantle port operations after detecting the breach on Friday, leaving cargo and containers stuck on the docks.

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Youth boot camps could return to Queensland, says independent MP in charge of key inquiry

Sandy Bolton raises prospect of reintroducing Newman-era policy scrapped by Labor as she helms powerful youth crime committee

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The independent Queensland MP at the helm of a crucial parliamentary inquiry into youth crime has urged the state government to consider resurrecting boot camps for young offenders, which were first introduced under the former premier Campbell Newman.

Noosa MP Sandy Bolton, Queensland’s only independent parliamentarian, was picked by the government to chair the youth justice reform committee amid significant political and media attention on the issue.

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Nigel Farage spotted in Brisbane just before start of I’m a Celebrity

Former Ukip leader has reportedly been offered large sum to appear on ITV show, which begins this month

Nigel Farage has been seen at Brisbane airport in Australia, adding to speculation that he will be joining the lineup in this year’s I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!.

The former leader of Ukip and the Brexit party did not confirm when asked whether he was entering the jungle as part of the ITV show, but did tell a reporter that he “might be going in”.

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Spain's conservatives rally against deal with Catalan separatists

Protests denounce a deal with Catalan separatists aimed at securing a new term for the Socialist PM.

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Donald Trump: Legal experts see uphill battle in fraud case

Two weeks of testimony from Donald Trump and his family has hurt his case, say lawyers watching.

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Shooters MP calls for hunted deer meat to be given to homeless Victorians and charities

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party MP Jeff Bourman says ‘Hunters for the Hungry’ proposal will help deal with ballooning deer numbers

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The lone Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party MP in Victoria’s parliament has made one of his first major policy pushes of the year – to give deer meat to food banks and homeless shelters due to the high numbers being hunted.

State parliament will on Wednesday debate a motion from upper house MP Jeff Bourman to set up a pilot program to distribute venison from government-controlled culls to food charities.

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As the federal government prepares to scrap road and rail projects – find out what is being funded in your area

The government is backing hundreds of infrastructure projects across Australia, however some may now be cancelled due to cost overruns. This is unlikely to happen without a fight from the states

The Australian government has committed to hundreds of infrastructure projects around the country, mostly road and rail projects.

However, as many as 250 projects that have yet to begin construction may be scrapped or delayed as a cost-saving measure to pay for at least $33bn in cost overruns.

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Gucci and Moschino designer Davide Renne dies aged 46

Davide Renne, ex-head of women's wear at Gucci, joined Moschino as creative director just nine days ago.

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Melbourne man first to be charged under new law banning Nazi salute in Victoria

The 24-year-old has been accused of performing the outlawed gesture outside a Melbourne court on 27 October

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A Melbourne man has been charged under a new Victorian law banning Nazi salutes and symbols.

The 24-year-old North Melbourne man is accused of performing the outlawed gesture outside a Melbourne court on 27 October.

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Belgium detains two far-right terror suspects

Allegations against the pair include "recruiting people with the aim of committing terrorist crimes".

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Carles Puigdemont: from self-exile to unlikely kingmaker of Spanish politics

The architect of the illegal Catalonian 2017 referendum has signed a deal to support Spain’s socialists back into government in return for amnesty

Despite the fast-moving, wildly unpredictable and frequently improbable turns Spanish politics has taken of late, very few pundits could have predicted the scenes that played out in Belgium on Thursday.

A little after 2pm, a 60-year-old Catalan politician and fugitive from Spanish justice addressed a packed conference at the Brussels press club. As reporters brimmed with questions that would go unanswered, Carles Puigdemont appeared to be relishing his moment.

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Ecologist tracks birds of prey to find Israeli dead

Ohad Hatzofe said he is using his knowledge of bird behaviour to recover corpses after Hamas's attack.

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Pacific Islands Forum: Australia under pressure to rein in fossil fuel subsidies

A fraction of $11bn federal handouts could be used to fully fund the shift to clean energy in eight island countries, report claims

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Australia is facing fresh pressure to rein in fossil fuel subsidies, with new figures showing just a fraction of that spending could fully fund the shift to clean energy in eight Pacific island countries.

The climate crisis is one of the biggest issues on the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum’s top political gathering this week, with Vanuatu demanding “radical” action to end the world’s fossil fuel addiction.

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Hamburg: Children detained over threats at two schools

Four children aged 12 to 14 are picked up by police in Germany along with two apparent toy guns.

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EU expected to start process of Ukraine and Moldova becoming member states

Key report will be first official stocktake of progress of nations in aligning themselves with the bloc

The EU is expected to fire the starting gun on the process of Ukraine and Moldova becoming member states with a report expected to recommend formal negotiations on accession.

Moldova’s deputy prime minister, Nicolae Popescu, said such a move would be a big milestone for his country. “It will be a truly historical achievement and a truly historical chance to make sure that Moldova consolidates its place in the EU,” he said.

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Hamas leader refuses to acknowledge killing of civilians in Israel

Deputy political leader Moussa Abu Marzouk says Hamas will release hostages only if Israel stops fighting.

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Children of dictatorship military urge Argentinians to reject ‘fascist’ Milei

Open letter from offspring of officials convicted of crimes against humanity warns that democracy is at risk in presidential election

The offspring of military officials convicted of crimes against humanity and genocide during Argentina’s dictatorship have urged voters not to back the far-right candidate Javier Milei in the imminent election, warning that the country’s very democracy is in danger.

In an open letter published ahead of the 19 November run-off between Milei and his centrist rival, Sergio Massa, the Historias Desobedientes (Disobedient Stories) collective voiced “great concern” that the rightwing radical and his running mate Victoria Villarruel had a chance of winning power.

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