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Business secretary responds to former prime minister’s article about her decisions in No 10Liz Truss’s tax-cutting agenda “clearly wasn’t the right approach” before the government had tackled inflation, the business secretary, Grant Shapps, has said in a retort to an essay by the former prime minister.Truss, in her first major intervention since leaving office, wrote that she had “not [been] given a realistic chance to enact my policies by a very powerful economic establishment, coupled with a lack of political support”. Continue reading...

Military ruler, one of country’s most divisive leaders after seizing power in coup, has died in exile in DubaiPervez Musharraf, the former army general and president of Pakistan who ruled for almost a decade after seizing power in a coup in 1999, has died in Dubai after a long illness.The Pakistani military confirmed his death in a statement, expressing “heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of Gen Pervez Musharraf, former president, CJCSC and chief of army staff”. Continue reading...

Sandy Powell, who will be made a Bafta fellow this month, fears that a cash-starved fringe scene is stifling artistic risksThe multi-Oscar-winning English costume designer Sandy Powell, who will make film history this month when she accepts a prestigious Bafta fellowship, is “terrified” by the lack of experimental live performance being staged in Britain, she says.Powell is one of film’s most garlanded talents, working regularly with Martin Scorsese, but she now fears that the connection between a thriving alternative theatre scene and the commercial world of mass entertainment has been cut. Continue reading...

Being on a government board should be about what you know, not who you know, minister Katy Gallagher says

Three years on, the reality of the split with the EU has changed minds. But dashed hopes could come to haunt Labour, tooBrexit is three years old and less popular than ever. More people are unhappy with Brexit outcomes to date, and pessimistic about the gains to come today than at any point in the Brexit process so far. “Rejoin” has opened up a double-digit lead over staying out in polls asking voters how they would choose in a second referendum on EU membership.While voters have swung against Brexit before, the current shift is different. Earlier remain gains were driven by abstainers and those too young to vote in 2016 breaking against Brexit and by demographic changes which have slowly pulled the electorate in a pro-EU direction. The vast majority of leave and remain voters have hitherto stood by the choices they made in June 2016. That is now changing, and it is Brexiters who are reconsidering. One in five leave voters now say they would vote to rejoin the EU, while remain switching has stayed much lower. The scales of opinion are being tipped against Brexit by growing doubts among its original supporters. Continue reading...

The scale of the mental health crisis is revealed as nurses and ambulance workers prepare to strike this week“Burnout” and stress among doctors, nurses, paramedics and other health staff has cost the NHS in England more than 15m lost working days since March 2020, about 50% more than the days lost to Covid infections and self-isolation, analysis of official figures by the Observer reveals.NHS sickness figures show that between March 2020, the month of the first Covid lockdown, and last September, 15.4m working days have been lost in the NHS because of stress-related absences, compared with 9.8m days lost from staff who were required to self-isolate or were ill with Covid. Continue reading...

Doctors, paramedics and nurses explain the stress and anxiety of working in a system that has reached breaking point“Frustration with the system was why I went off in the end,” said Conor Calby, 26, a paramedic and Unison rep in southwest England, who was recently off work for a month with burnout. “I felt like I couldn’t do my job and was letting patients down. After a difficult few years it was challenging.”While he usually manages to keep a distinct divide between work and home life, burnout eroded that line. He also lost his sleep pattern and appetite. Continue reading...

Companies facing backlash amid warning of mid-contract price rises of up to 17% during cost of living crisisBritain’s telecoms regulator is being urged to intervene over concerns that mobile and broadband operators are “lining their pockets” with £2.2bn of above-inflation price rises during the cost of living crisis.While ministers have urged employees to show pay restraint, the mobile phone and broadband firms are facing a consumer backlash as they announce record price increases. Continue reading...

Zimbabwean worker whose visa relies on job says government disclosed confidential details of interview to employerA victim of suspected labour abuse who confidentially disclosed details of exploitation to government investigators says she has been subjected to threats and intimidation after she was outed to her employer.The Zimbabwean national, 25, was interviewed by Home Office compliance officers for an investigation into illegal recruitment practices and told them she had paid a fee of about £1,500 to an agent who arranged for a care home in Surrey to sponsor her visa. Continue reading...

Some officials were signed off for ‘extended periods’ while others stayed at work to protect colleagues, says complaint made by 27 staff at Ministry of JusticeA single official complaint regarding the behaviour of the deputy prime minister Dominic Raab represented the concerns of 27 of his officials, the Observer has been told.The group of Ministry of Justice officials are understood to be represented by a memo warning that some colleagues had been forced to take time off for “extended periods” as a result of having to deal with Raab. It states that others affected felt they needed to stay at work to stop extra pressure being placed on their colleagues. Continue reading...

Treasurer says 2023 priorities include cost-of-living relief, a tax expenditure statement and the intergenerational report and wellbeing framework

Police had released CCTV images of a woman pushing a pram near where the dog walker went missing, urging her to get in touchA woman described as a “key witness” by police searching for missing mother Nicola Bulley has come forward, as the force warned against “totally unacceptable” speculation and abuse on social media.On Saturday, officers released CCTV images of a woman, dressed in a yellow coat and pushing a pram, who was in St Michael’s on Wyre on the morning of 27 January, when Bulley was last seen. Continue reading...

Speaking ahead of the opening of the parliamentary year, the PM dismisses the notion of having a constitutional convention before the referendum

Dominic Perrottet says homes will be able to receive the rebate if they compare energy providers

Protests were held in 20 cities across Israel, with demonstrators also decrying proposed settlement expansion in the West BankThousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv for the fifth consecutive week to demonstrate against controversial legal reforms touted by Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightwing government.Crowds carrying blue and white Israeli flags filled the city’s central Kaplan Street on Saturday, with signs labelling the new government a “threat to world peace”. Continue reading...

Health minister hits back at criticism from AMA that government report had no immediate recommendations to help Australians access more affordable care

Hazardous materials being carried on freight train leads to evacuation order and state of emergencyFreight train cars continued to burn on Saturday, sending up heavy smoke, following a derailment that prompted an evacuation order and a declaration of a state of emergency in an Ohio village near the Pennsylvania state line in the US.About 50 cars derailed in East Palestine at about 9pm EST on Friday as a train was carrying products from Madison, Illinois, to Conway, Pennsylvania, rail operator Norfolk Southern said on Saturday. There was no immediate information about what caused the derailment. No injuries or damage to structures were reported. Continue reading...

In a speech on Sunday, PM to argue referendum comes at a time of increasing polarisation when democracy needs to be ‘protected’

Actor says he was sexually abused by his youth pastor at age 13 in first interview since 2021 and denies any criminal wrongdoingArmie Hammer gave his first interview since the beginning of 2021, when multiple sexual misconduct and abuse allegations were made against the actor, saying all the encounters involved were consensual while acknowledging he was emotionally abusive in his relationships.“I had a very intense and extreme lifestyle,” Hammer told Air Mail, a digital newsletter. “I would scoop up these women, bring them into it – into this whirlwind of travel and sex and drugs and big emotions flying around – and then as soon as I was done, I’d just drop them off and move on to the next woman, leaving that woman feeling abandoned or used.” Continue reading...

Leading European politicians have warned that the prime minister’s plan to ditch EU legislation will trigger retaliatory countermeasures, including imposing tariffs on goodsRishi Sunak’s plan to scrap thousands of EU laws by the end of this year risks triggering a full-scale trade war between the UK and Brussels, senior figures in the European Union have warned.Letters from leading EU politicians, seen by the Observer, reveal deep concern that the UK is about to lower standards in areas such as environmental protection and workers’ rights – breaching “level playing field” provisions that were at the heart of the post-Brexit trade and cooperation agreement (TCA). Continue reading...

Two-man business contacted by lawyers of Middle-earth Enterprises, which owns rights to Lord of the RingsA refuse firm in Brighton called Lord of the Bins has been ordered by lawyers to change its name after being accused of breaching trademark laws.The two-man waste collection business was contacted by Middle-earth Enterprises, which owns the worldwide rights to The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Continue reading...

Australian police say 16-year-old jumped from her jetski to swim after possible dolphin sighting nearbyA teenage girl has been killed in a suspected shark attack in Western Australia after she jumped from her jetski into a river, police said.The 16-year-old was pulled from the Swan River in Perth with critical injuries. Emergency personnel provided medical assistance at the scene but she died, said Insp Paul Robinson, of Western Australia police. Continue reading...

Fernando Johnson, 23, was shot at an address in Rosebank Way, Acton on 26 January and died at the sceneA 23-year-old man who was shot dead in west London has been named by police.Fernando Johnson was found seriously injured after officers were called to an address in Rosebank Way in Acton at 2.15am on 26 January, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Thirty-year-old Bobi snatched title from US pup in upset; longevity credited to human food and ‘calm, peaceful environment’It’s a dog’s life for one small US pup this weekend after a European rival essentially stole his bone.Two weeks ago, Spike, an Ohio-based chihuahua mix rescue dog, was crowned the world’s oldest dog. But two days ago Bobi, a dog that guards livestock in Portugal, grabbed the title faster than a string of sausages, CNN reported. Continue reading...

Defence minister Richard Marles says Aukus partners will all benefit from ‘three-way ecosystem’ as he meets with US counterpart Lloyd Austin

We look at the best cosy and climate-friendly options that are less likely to land you with a £300 fineAs wood-burning stoves have become a talking point in England after warnings about the pollution they emit, those who installed them and feel guilt may worry about how to replace their beloved burner.However, there are good options that are just as cosy-looking and warm but emit fewer particulates and are less likely to land you with a £300 fine. Continue reading...

Already overburdened system is struggling with ‘constant disruption’ of walkouts, says NHS ConfederationHospitals will struggle to clear treatment backlogs and improve emergency care unless the NHS pay dispute is settle soon, health service bosses have warned in advance of next week’s series of walkouts.The “intensifying wave of industrial” action is leading to thousands of operations and outpatient appointments having to be rescheduled, putting extra strain on an already overburdened system. Continue reading...

This weekend’s assemblage of the biggest names in music could make Beyoncé the most awarded artist in Grammy history with Adele and Harry Styles also tipped for successIt’s days before the curtain rises on the 65th annual Grammy awards ceremony and producer Ben Winston is putting the finishing touches on the production.“I was doing the table plans last night, which is always a funny thing,” Winston said during a brief respite in between his obligations at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. “It’s like a bar mitzvah or a wedding, only you’re plotting where people like Beyoncé, Adele and the Rock are going to sit. Who’s Cardi B gonna be next to? It’s really fun.” Continue reading...

Jake Berry’s comments will heap pressure on deputy PM amid investigation into bullying allegationsA former cabinet minister and Conservative party chair has become the most senior Tory MP yet to call for Dominic Raab to step aside from his ministerial roles while he is investigated over multiple allegations of bullying and intimidating behaviour.Jake Berry, who was party chair and minister without portfolio in Liz Truss’s cabinet, said it would be “very bizarre” if someone in a similar position to Raab in any other workplace remained in their role amid such claims. Continue reading...

Poet and broadcaster says Rachel de Souza should be pushing ministers to do much moreLemn Sissay, the poet and broadcaster, has launched a bruising attack on the children’s commissioner for England, accusing her of failing to champion children in care at a crucial time and “smothering the voice of her own office”.Sissay, whose bestselling memoir My Name is Why was a reflection on his own childhood in care, tweeted that Rachel de Souza, a former headteacher and advocate of academy schools appointed to the role by Boris Johnson in 2020, was producing “so much fudge I could set up a stall”. Continue reading...

People in NSW town are being urged to stay well away from downed power lines and to stay at home unless travel is necessary. Follow latest updatesA “mini-cyclone” has left significant damage across the coastal NSW city of Port Macquarie, with trees and powerlines downed and roofs ripped from buildings, AAP’s Phoebe Loomes reports.Multiple emergency crews responded after the sudden sudden storm hit the coastal city just after 3pm on Friday. Some 60 calls for help were made to the State Emergency Service in the 30 minutes to 4pm, with reports of roofs blown from buildings, fallen trees and requests for flood rescues. Continue reading...

Psychiatrists cautiously welcome decision as Australia becomes the first country to officially recognise psychedelics as medicines

Millions flock to see return of actor Shah Rukh Khan, despite rightwing calls for a boycottFor Ganesh Lokhande, an usher at the Regal Cinema in Mumbai’s southern tip of Colaba, it’s been a quiet few years in the job. That was, until last week.Pathaan, a new Bollywood action thriller starring Shah Rukh Khan – an actor whose superstardom has elevated him to be known in India as “the king” – has been released in cinemas, triggering excitement across the country. Long queues formed outside theatres as millions flocked to catch a glimpse of Khan’s return to the screen after four years away, now aged 57 but still playing the ravishing muscular hero. Continue reading...

New $2.2bn US military aid package for Ukraine includes bomb that will double strike range; Zelenskiy vows to hold Bakhmut as long as possible

President Gabriel Boric cuts short vacation as heatwave fuels nearly 40 blazes across southern and central regionsChile’s government has declared a widened state of emergency amid wildfires that have killed at least 13 people and consumed about 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres), as the South American country endures a summer heatwave across southern and central swaths of the country.The interior minister, Carolina Toha, said on Friday morning the government had declared a catastrophe in the region of Biobío, joining its neighbouring region Ñuble, which President Gabriel Boric announced on Thursday evening, allowing the deployment of soldiers and additional resources. Continue reading...

A 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds were arrested in Rhyl hotel after Bailey Atkinson was stabbed to deathThree teenage boys have been charged with the murder of a man who was stabbed to death in the West Midlands.Bailey Atkinson, 20, was attacked on the High Street in Walsall in the early hours of 28 January. Continue reading...

Navy says HMS Portland sailors hospitalised as precaution after drinking accidentally contaminated waterSailors are being treated in hospital after drinking “contaminated” water on their ship, the Royal Navy has said.Frigate HMS Portland is believed to have diverted to Portsmouth naval base earlier on Friday after the discovery that the “wrong chemical” had entered the ship’s system to convert seawater to drinking water. Continue reading...

New auditor general report highlights Barilaro’s office created rules for a grants program that saw Labor electorates miss out entirely

Politicians and human rights groups demand justice for Tiba al-Ali after father’s confessionThe death of a young YouTube star at the hands of her father has sparked outrage in Iraq, as so-called “honour” killings continue in the conservative country.Tiba al-Ali, 22, was killed by her father on 31 January in the southern province of Diwaniya, interior ministry spokesperson Saad Maan said on Twitter on Friday. Continue reading...

Tenants’ Union says some form of rent control is needed to alleviate pressure during a ‘nasty’ time in the market

The 34-year-old veteran was in the country working as a medic when his vehicle was hit in the east of the countryAn American medic has been killed while working on the frontlines in Ukraine, just weeks after arriving in the country.Pete Reed, 34, was killed on Thursday while he was helping evacuate civilians when his vehicle was reportedly hit by a missile in Bakhmut, the eastern city which has become a focus of fierce fighting. Continue reading...

Judge rules Bournemouth, Christchuch and Poole council unreasonable to dismiss women’s safety concerns as ‘moralistic’A council’s policy on lapdancing and strip clubs was overturned by a high court judge, after a challenge by a sexual abuse survivor who said it would have a negative impact on women’s safety.Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council adopted a new policy in November 2021, which allowed an unlimited number of sexual entertainment venues in the area. Continue reading...

Former pop star has been freed halfway through 16-year sentence for sexually abusing three schoolgirlsA woman who was sexually abused as a child by Gary Glitter believes his release, midway through a 16-year sentence, is “not the justice she was promised,” her lawyer has said.There was outcry on Friday as the 79-year-old left HMP The Verne, a low-security category C jail in Dorset, after eight years behind bars for sexually abusing three schoolgirls. Continue reading...

Financial watchdog warns over rise of ‘fin-fluencers’ targeting younger people on social mediaMore than 10,000 misleading financial promotions and scams aimed at consumers via social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok have been identified and targeted by the financial watchdog during the past year.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the use of social media marketing channels and the rise of so-called “fin-fluencers” – particularly directing investment products at younger age groups – exploded last year, resulting in a record number of takedown notices and alerts. Continue reading...

Durham court heard Lyne Barlow’s £1.2m fraud also involved stealing financial identity of her motherA rogue travel agent who defrauded 1,400 holidaymakers and pretended to have terminal cancer to deflect complaints has been jailed for nine years.Durham crown court heard how the scale of Lyne Barlow’s fraud, which also involved stealing the financial identity of her mother and borrowing money from neighbours and friends that was not paid back, had been estimated at £1.2m. Continue reading...

A week after 45-year-old vanished walking her dog by the River Wyre, her family remain in anguish as the search continuesThe sun was breaking through the clouds on a dry Friday morning as Nicola Bulley walked her springer spaniel, Willow, along the bending banks of the River Wyre.The 45-year-old dropped her two daughters off at school on 27 January before setting off on a walk across the fields bordering the medieval village of St Michael’s on Wyre in Lancashire. Continue reading...

Raising maintenance loans by only 2.8% means students will have to cut back on food and books, says reportThe Department for Education has admitted students in England face a “negative impact” from its refusal to increase support in line with inflation, saying they will have to cut back on food and books as a result.In an equality analysis of the government’s decision to raise maintenance loans by just 2.8% from autumn, the DfE said student support would have needed to go up by nearly 14% to keep up with the recent rises in the cost of living. Continue reading...

Brussels exhibition is latest EU effort to appeal to the public by seeking to explain its workThere is a virtual reality plane trip, a quiz, a presentation from the world’s “most powerful woman”, and a souvenir photo: it is all part of the offer at one of the latest tourist attractions to arrive in Brussels – the European Commission exhibition centre.Experience Europe, which has been open just under a year, seeks to explain the work of the commission, which proposes and enforces EU law, and for many is the epitome of “Brussels”. It is the latest example of how the bloc is trying to appeal to the public. Stung by criticism of being an elite project with bamboozling and opaque processes, the EU has sharpened up communication efforts in the last 15 years. The European parliament opened a visitors’ centre, the Parlamentarium, in 2011, followed by a museum dedicated to European history in 2017. Continue reading...

EU leaders will try to temper Kyiv’s expectations while avoiding negative public statements that could weaken moraleEU leaders will seek to cool Ukraine’s expectations of a fast track to membership at a summit with Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday, as the bloc spars over how much encouragement to give its war-torn neighbour.The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, are due to meet Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Friday for wide-ranging talks on the war, further sanctions on Russia and integrating Ukraine into the EU’s internal market. Continue reading...