The Guardian

Trump can’t reverse commutations of 37 people but says US will be ‘Nation of Law and Order’ when he is inauguratedDonald Trump has said he will direct the justice department to “vigorously” pursue the death penalty for the perpetrators of violent crimes, one day after Joe Biden commuted the death sentences of most prisoners on the federal government’s death row.In a post on Truth Social, the president-elect said as soon as he is inaugurated next month, he “will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters”.

Victims of Medellín cartel demand justice as some express dismay former mob boss faces no charges in ColombiaThe return of former drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia following his deportation from the United States has reopened old wounds among victims of the Medellín cartel, with some expressing dismay at the Colombian authorities’ decision to let Ochoa walk free.Some of the cartel victims said they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia’s history and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa

Christmas Eve footfall up 31% on last year across all retail destinations, after lacklustre start to seasonRetailers received a boost from a last-minute spree by shoppers on Christmas Eve, with an increase in footfall after a lacklustre festive season.Footfall was up by 31.1% across all UK retail destinations up until noon on Tuesday compared with Christmas Eve last year, although the date fell on a Sunday in 2023 and so suffered from shorter shopping hours. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/dec/24/last-minute-christmas-shoppers-provide-boost-for-uk-retailers Author : Nadeem Badshah Publish date : 2024-12-24 18:45:19 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Report comes day after Ford and GM said they’d donate $1m each as big companies look to cozy up with president-electToyota is reportedly donating $1m to Donald Trump’s inauguration.The report, per Reuters citing a company spokesperson, comes one day after Ford and General Motors said they would donate $1m each to the president-elect’s inaugural fund. The two US automakers will also provide vehicles to the 20 January event, the outlet reported. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/24/toyota-trump-inauguration-donation Author : Léonie Chao-Fong Publish date : 2024-12-24 17:55:40 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

IRS says payments going to those who did not claim under 2021 recovery rebate plan in what may be final installmentUS tax authorities have announced that special, $1,400 payments are going out to 1 million taxpayers who did not claim under the 2021 recovery rebate scheme, in what may be a final installment of pandemic-era stimulus checks.The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said in an advisory that the disbursements were a “special step” after a review found that many eligible taxpayers who did not receive one or more Economic Impact Payments (EIP), also known as stimulus “stimi” payments. Continue reading... Source

Ruling rejects part of governor-backed law that imposes criminal penalties on librarians for giving ‘harmful’ material to kidsA federal judge ruled on Monday that sections of an Arkansas law, which sought to impose criminal penalties on librarians and booksellers for distributing “harmful” material to children, were unconstitutional.The law, known as the Arkansas Act 372, was signed into law last year by Republican governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. It was challenged by a coalition of organizations in the state, leading to a lengthy legal battle that concluded this week. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/24/arkansas-book-ban-law-librarians Author : José Olivares Publish date :

Attorneys for Phillip Pines lay out list of claims related to alleged sex parties in lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Detained rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, already facing more than 30 civil complaints alongside federal racketeering conspiracy charges, has been hit with a claim from a former “personal lackey” who claims he was forced to clean up after Comb’s “Wild King Nights” parties were finished.Attorneys for Phillip Pines claim in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Monday that between December 2019 to December 2021, Combs pressured Pines into having sex with a woman and orchestrated parties where he engaged

Police appeal for information about a male driver and a blue car seen leaving the scene in LlanpumsaintPolice are seeking a male driver after a dog walker was killed in an apparent hit-and-run collision in Carmarthenshire.Dyfed-Powys police said the man was in a collision with a car while walking on a small country lane near Caer Salem Baptist chapel between 6.45pm and 7.45pm on Monday. The victim was left with unsurvivable injuries. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/24/carmarthenshire-dog-walker-killed-apparent-hit-and-run-llanpumsaint Author : Aneesa Ahmed Publish date : 2024-12-24 15:37:36 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Award in ‘advocating on behalf of women and girls’ revoked after suit filed by Lively accusing him of sexual harassmentAn award recently given to actor and director Justin Baldoni, honoring him for “courage and compassion in advocating on behalf of women and girls”, was rescinded following a complaint filed by actor Blake Lively accusing him of sexual harassment and a coordinated effort to damage her reputation.The Voices of Solidarity Award was granted to Baldoni on 9 December by the Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international non-profit organization focused on women’s empowerment. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/24/justin-baldoni-award-rescinded-blake-lively Author : José

John Bolton delivers scathing critique of Trump’s lack of knowledge or coherent strategy: ‘I’m very worried’A major international crisis is “much more likely” in Donald Trump’s second term given the president-elect’s “inability to focus” on foreign policy, a former US ambassador to the United Nations (UN) has warned.John Bolton, who at 17 months was Trump’s longest serving national security adviser, delivered a scathing critique of his lack of knowledge, interest in facts or coherent strategy. He described Trump’s decision-making as driven by personal relationships and “neuron flashes” rather than a deep understanding of national interests. Continue reading... Source link :

Band of ‘remarkably mild’ weather arrived in time for Christmas Eve, with 15C possible in some areasBritain is on track for one of its warmest Christmases on record with the Met Office predicting temperatures that could peak at more than 6C above the seasonal average in some parts of the country.The band of “remarkably mild” weather arrived in time for Christmas Eve, with forecasters expecting automated weather stations to record 13 to 14C across much of Britain, with 15C possible in places such as north-east Wales. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/24/christmas-day-weather-could-be-one-of-warmest-on-record-in-uk-met-office Author : Ian Sample Science editor Publish date

Augustus Holm helped organize a San Diego footwear drive that earned a Guinness World Record – and it started from an idea he had when he was 13Some 18-year-olds who take time off from their studies after graduating high school head off to travel, learn a new language or gain employment. Augustus Holm gathered some friends, gave away more than 21,600 pairs of shoes to families in need and set a world record that he hopes lends even more credibility to his future philanthropic efforts.The 7 December footwear drive that Holm had a major hand in organizing in his home

Man, 61, arrested over the death of Hungarian woman Mariann, who was last seen in Bolton on 14 DecemberA murder investigation has been launched after the body of a missing Hungarian woman, known as Mariann, was found in Greater Manchester.A 61-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody being questioned by detectives. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/24/missing-woman-body-found-greater-manchester-mariann Author : Robyn Vinter North of England correspondent Publish date : 2024-12-24 12:41:21 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Demonstrations flare after video spread on social media showing hooded fighters setting fire to treeHundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in Christian areas of Damascus early on Tuesday to protest against the burning of a Christmas tree near Hama in central Syria.“We demand the rights of Christians,” protesters chanted as they marched through the Syrian capital towards the headquarters of the Orthodox patriarchate in the Bab Sharqi neighbourhood. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/24/protest-syrian-capital-christmas-tree-burned Author : Agence France-Presse in Damascus and Reuters Publish date : 2024-12-24 11:48:56 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Government to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars but will relax rules that force firms to sell more electric vehicles every yearBusiness live – latest updatesThe British car industry has welcomed government proposals that could allow Toyota Prius-style hybrids to continue to be sold in the UK after 2030, as part of a package of measures to ease regulations on carmakers.The UK government published details on Christmas Eve of a consultation on which cars should be allowed on sale after 2030 – when sales of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned – as well as on

Answer to written parliamentary question reveals Ministry of Defence figures showing 13,522 are not fit to fightUK politics live – latest updatesMore than 10,000 serving in the armed forces are “not medically deployable”, according to figures from the Ministry of Defence .The defence minister, Alistair Carns, revealed in a written parliamentary question that throughout the military, 99,560 service members are medically fully deployable, with 14,350 having limited deployability and 13,522 medically not deployable. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/dec/24/uk-armed-forces-not-medically-deployable-figures Author : Daniel Lavelle Publish date : 2024-12-24 10:29:40 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Israeli prime minister tells lawmakers he is taking ‘significant action through all channels to return our loved ones’Israel has instructed its diplomatic missions in Europe to try to get the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen designated as a terrorist organisation.The Iran-backed group in Yemen has been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea for more than a year to try to enforce a naval blockade on Israel, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel’s year-long war in Gaza. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/dec/24/israel-gaza-war-ceasefire-deal-hostages-netanyahu-hamas-syria-lebanon-middle-east-latest-news Author : Yohannes Lowe Publish date : 2024-12-24 10:04:53 Copyright for syndicated

Nearly a quarter of soldiers and officers in the regular army cannot engage in combat without any restrictions Mark Francois, the shadow defence minister, told the Times that urgent action was needed to increase the size of the armed forces, and improve the fitness of people already serving, in the light of the figures it has revealed about the number of service personnel not fit to fight. (See 9.25am.) He said:Not only has the army now shrunk to just over 71,000 soldiers, almost 2,000 below its established strength of those, almost a quarter are not medically fully deployable.This requires urgent

Business, relegated from the FTSE 100 share index this week, blames delays at developmentsBusiness live – latest updatesUK housebuilder Vistry has issued its third profit warning in three months, in a year-end blow to the construction company that sent its shares to a two-year low.The business, which was relegated from the FTSE 100 share index on Monday, now expects annual adjusted pre-tax profit of just £250m, down from previous guidance of about £300m. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/dec/24/uk-vistry-shares-profit-warning-ftse-100 Author : Kalyeena Makortoff Publish date : 2024-12-24 09:07:45 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Emergency services called to North Avoca beach on the Central Coast at about 3pm on TuesdayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA search and rescue operation is under way to find a 15-year-old boy who was swept off a rock shelf at a Central Coast beach.New South Wales police said emergency services were called to North Avoca beach at about 3pm on Tuesday, after reports the boy was missing in the water.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/24/sea-and-air-search-under-way-for-15-year-old-boy-swept-off-rock-shelf-at-nsw-beach Author : Jordyn Beazley and Australian Associated Press Publish date :

The singer said his daughter came into his life five years ago, and said she wanted to keep her family life privateJimmy Barnes has publicly acknowledged the existence of an eighth child, his adult daughter Katy Lee Carroll, for the first time.“Christmas is all about family,” the singer wrote in a statement on Instagram on Monday night, “and we would like to introduce my daughter Katy Lee, who has been in our lives for the past five years. Katy is a wonderful woman and since discovering that I was her biological father, our family and extended family have loved getting

Financial markets don’t expect a cut until April but a fall in the Australian dollar on Monday suggests confidence one is on the cards Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA shopping surge on Christmas and Boxing Day could help determine the timing of interest rate relief as the Reserve Bank of Australia watches for a recovery in weak economic activity.Consumers are predicted to splash $3.7bn in the last week of 2024 on top of an expected $70bn in the lead-up to Christmas, according to projections from the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan.Sign up for

Most of Australia’s capital cities expected to see clear skies ahead of extreme fire danger on 26thGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMost of Australia will wake up to a bright, sunny Christmas Day, but Victoria and South Australia are headed for extremely dangerous fire weather on Boxing Day.Melbourne has clear and sunny skies forecast for Wednesday, reaching 30C. But it can expect a stifling 40C on Thursday, with maximums across Victoria in the high 30s or low 40s.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/24/sunshine-forecast-for-christmas-day-before-temperatures-soar-on-boxing-day Author : Mostafa Rachwani

Resolution Foundation says higher prices and cold weather will hit poorer households hardestMillions of vulnerable UK households on prepayment meters could see their energy bills consume almost a third of their incomes this winter.As temperatures drop across the country, the Resolution Foundation said a combination of higher gas and electricity prices and the typical seasonal increase in energy usage over the colder months would hit poorer families most. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/dec/24/prepayment-meters-could-cost-uk-households-third-income-winter-energy-bills Author : Richard Partington Economics correspondent Publish date : 2024-12-24 06:00:39 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Activists alarmed at emirati companies’ poor record on labour rights and fear projects may fail to address environmental concernsThe United Arab Emirates has become the largest backer of new business projects in Africa, raising hopes of a rush of much-needed money for green energy, but also concerns that the investments could compromise the rights of workers and environmental protections.Between 2019 and 2023, Emirati companies announced $110bn (£88bn) of projects, $72bn of them in renewable energy, according to FT Locations, a data company owned by the Financial Times. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/24/uae-becomes-africa-biggest-investor-amid-rights-concerns Author : Rachel Savage Southern Africa correspondent