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Complaint by local lawyers to supreme court follows US demands to reduce China's alleged influence on waterway

Struggling company may require significantly more resources than roughly 6.3bn it previously indicatedThames Water may need as much as 10bn in debt and equity investment to repair its finances, according to a representative of creditors hoping to lend the struggling utility another 3bn.London's high court heard evidence on Tuesday that suggested the UK's largest water company may need significantly more resources than the roughly 6.3bn it has previously indicated. Continue reading...

Freeze to EU's LIFE programme funding would deprive 30 NGOs of up to 70% of annual incomesSeveral environmental NGOs could be effectively shut down in Europe, if a defunding push by rightwing MEPs is successful, campaigners say.At the same time that centre and far right MEPs are revving up strategies to defang, deregulate or decapitate the European Green Deal, an EU plan to cut emissions to net zero by 2050, a proposed funding freeze in the European Parliament would weaken green groups. Continue reading...

Defence claims PC Stephen Lovell only submitted second statement after the CPS declined to charge Matildas star

Luis de la Fuente appears at trial of ex-federation chief Luis Rubiales who kissed Jenni Hermoso after she had just helped Spain win 2023 World CupThe coach of Spain's men's football team, Luis de la Fuente, has told the forced kiss trial of ex-federation chief Luis Rubiales that he initially knew nothing of the scandal's scale or efforts to silence it.Rubiales provoked worldwide outrage for the kiss on Jenni Hermoso after she had just helped Spain beat England in the 2023 World Cup final in Australia. Continue reading...

The actor, who played the Facebook founder in The Social Network, criticised Meta's decision to scrap factcheckersJesse Eisenberg, who received widespread recognition for his role as the Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, has said he no longer wants to be associated with someone like that".Eisenberg received his first Oscar nomination for his performance in the 2010 film, which portrayed the founding of the social networking website and was directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. Continue reading...

Church said extremist group never paid $2.8m court judgment over 2020 attack during Trump rallyThe Proud Boys have lost control of their own name after the far-right extremist group subjected a Black church in Washington DC to a hateful and overtly racist" attack during the violent final days of Donald Trump's first presidency.The ruling Monday by Judge Tanya Jones Bosier of Washington DC's superior court grants the church - the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal church - power over how the Proud Boys moniker is used. Bosier's decision opens a pathway to seizing proceeds from the sale of any merchandise featuring the white supremacist group's name, logos and insignia, too. Continue reading...

Beijing will defend its core interests, but its initial response is more cautious than when Trump imposed levies in 2018Moments after Donald Trump introduced tariffs of 10% on Chinese goods, Beijing retaliated with countermeasures.China's finance ministry put tariffs of 10-15% on imports of a range of US goods and its anti-trust regulator announced an investigation into Google. Several US companies were also added to China's unreliable entity" list, potentially restricting their ability to conduct business in the country. Continue reading...

Babies the former nurse was convicted of killing were in fact victims of bad medical care' or died of natural causes, panel saysBabies the former nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering were in fact the victims of bad medical care" or deteriorated as a result of natural causes, an expert panel has concluded.Outlining what the senior Conservative MP David Davis described as one of worst injustices of recent times", the international team told a press conference there was no medical evidence" to support claims of deliberate harm. Continue reading...

Charlize Zmuda, 17, died after being bitten while swimming off Woorim beach, north of Brisbane, on Monday

Militias say decision is for humanitarian reasons', as UN says at least 900 killed in last week's fighting with DRC forcesThe Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who seized the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo last week have declared a unilateral ceasefire starting on Tuesday.The Congo River Alliance, a coalition of militias including M23, said it was declaring the ceasefire for humanitarian reasons". Flows of aid, food and other basic goods into the city were all but cut off by the M23 advance, and in recent days humanitarian organisations and the international community have stepped up calls for the creation of safe corridors to get vital items in. Continue reading...

Treatment of Gerald Flynn, who writes for the outlet Mongabay, condemned as attack on independent mediaA British environmental and investigative journalist has been banned from entering Cambodia, in what press groups have condemned as yet another attack on independent media by the country's authoritarian leaders.Gerald Flynn, who writes for the news outlet Mongabay, was denied entry to Cambodia on 5 January as he returned from a holiday, according to the publication, which said he was forced on to a plane and flown to Thailand. Continue reading...

Chinese national, 57, staying with her daughter in Australia died after Yun Sen Luo's advice to cease all western medicine'

The 82-year-old's body was found at Bemerside near Ingham on Tuesday morning after flood waters receded

Federal government under renewed pressure to prevent hate at its source' after wave of antisemitic attacks

Journalist tells federal court her drinking habits had gone from social to heavier in the year since she left the broadcaster

Author's former nanny accuses him of sexual assault and his estranged wife Amanda Palmer of procuring' her to be abusedA woman from New Zealand has filed a civil lawsuit against bestselling British author Neil Gaiman and his estranged wife, musician Amanda Palmer, accusing Gaiman of repeatedly sexually assaulting her while she was working as the couple's babysitter and nanny.Scarlett Pavlovich filed the lawsuit in federal court in Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New York on Monday. Pavlovich previously publicly identified herself in an interview with New York magazine, which published an article in January detailing allegations of assault, abuse and coercion levelled at Gaiman by multiple women. Continue reading...

News comes after US secretary of state visited Panama to pressure the country over its ties with BeijingUS secretary of state Marco Rubio has welcomed Panama's decision to let its participation in China's global infrastructure plan expire, calling the move a great step forward" for its ties with the United States.Any move by Panama to distance itself from Chinese President Xi Jinping's signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) represents a win for Washington, which has argued that Beijing uses the scheme for debt trap diplomacy" to cement its global influence. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Armour was supposed to be replaced in 2023 but that was delayed by four years under previous governmentMinisters have issued an emergency recall of 120,000 body armour plates used by the British military, amid accusations from Labour that the Conservatives failed to safely renew basic protection for troops during their time in office.Testing discovered microscopic cracks in ageing enhanced combat body armour (ECBA) which was supposed to be swapped out in 2023, but whose replacement was delayed by four years to make savings by the previous government. Continue reading...

Costings commissioned by Jim Chalmers suggest policy at risk of being rorted' could cost up to $10bn a year

Chris Minns says if more trips by transport minister came to light it would weigh very heavily on me' as premier announces we are changing the rules'The embattled New South Wales transport minister could be in hot water if further revelations emerge about her use of a ministerial car for private purposes, the premier has suggested.It emerged on the weekend that Jo Haylen had asked her chauffeur to take her and some friends to a winery lunch on the Australia Day weekend. It involved a 13-hour 446km round trip for the driver, from Sydney to Haylen's holiday house at Caves Beach and then a Hunter Valley winery and back. Continue reading...

Summary of care received by Valdo Calocane will be made public, but complete version to be kept confidentialNHS England (NHSE) has been urged to reconsider its decision to refuse to publish a report into the care received by Nottingham triple killer Valdo Calocane, despite the wishes of the victims' families.A summary of the independent mental health homicide report is due to be made public later this week, but the full version will be kept confidential due to data protection legislation relating to patient information", with only Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to be granted access. Continue reading...

The singer paid tribute to her home city wearing an LA Dodgers baseball cap crafted by English woollen mill MoonWhen Billie Eilish took to the stage at the 67th Grammy awards wearing a hat with the branding of the baseball team the Los Angeles Dodgers, few would have noticed the much smaller logo on the side with two tiny union flags and the word Moon".But in a small town in West Yorkshire, Moon is a household name, as one of the last surviving woollen mills in the UK. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For the latest on the Middle East, see our full coverage here.The Palestinian ministry of health says the Israeli military have killed at least 70 people, including 10 children in the West Bank since the beginning of 2025.Thirty eight were killed in Jenin; 15 in Tubas; six in Nablus; five in Tulkarem; three in Hebron; two in Bethlehem; and one in Jerusalem. Continue reading...

Democratic senator concerned after company is accused of shadow-banning' non-profits offering medication abortionSenator Ruben Gallego has accused social media giant Meta of presumptively bowing" to the Trump administration by making abortion-related content more difficult to find.Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was accused of shadow-banning" several non-profits who provide medication abortion to women in the US. Continue reading...

Bill to rule out interference from abroad expected to pass this week as country prepares for polls before 6 AprilGreenland plans to ban foreign political donations over fears about potential interference in its forthcoming elections after attracting Donald trump's interest.The government of the autonomous territory, which is a former Danish colony and remains part of the kingdom of Denmark, unveiled a bill on Monday intended to safeguard the political integrity of Greenland". Continue reading...

Water company argues that its favoured offer should be approved or it will face temporary nationalisationA group of investors has accused Thames Water of putting a gun to the head" of London's high court by threatening to go into temporary nationalisation if it does not receive approval for a rival 3bn debt offer.The court on Monday heard the first day of arguments deciding between two rival plans to lend emergency cash to Thames Water, Britain's biggest water company. Thames provides water and sewerage services to nearly a quarter of the UK population in London and south-east England. Continue reading...

PM says UK does not have to choose between Europe and US, before meeting EU leaders in BrusselsKeir Starmer has said he wants an ambitious security partnership" with the EU, while insisting the UK does not have to choose between Europe and the US.The prime minister was speaking before meeting EU leaders in Brussels to discuss security and defence, the first time a British leader has attended a European Council meeting since Britain left the EU five years ago. Continue reading...

Chris Bryant says reduction of government support was linked to change in drugmaker's proposed investment

Call handler incorrectly recorded answers to questions about Ben Condon's condition, inquest hearsA private call handling firm operating the NHS 111 non-emergency service has admitted it was at fault for failing to send an ambulance to a baby boy who died shortly after falling ill, an inquest has heard.Ben Condon, who was born premature, died aged two months at Bristol children's hospital in April 2015 after developing a respiratory illness. Continue reading...

EU leaders signal that the bloc would be prepared to retaliate against the US if Donald Trump follows through on tariff threatsEU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has just been addressing the media on her arrival in Brussels.She spoke about the need for Europe to do more, together" in defence and look at how new initiatives can be funded.We were listening carefully to those words and of course we are preparing also on our side. What is clear, there are no winners in trade wars.If US starts a trade war, the one laughing on the side is China. We are very interlinked. We need America, and America needs us as well.I think that tariffs are always bad. Tariffs are bad for trade, they are bad for the US, bad for those who seek tariffs imposed.The answer to tariffs is to reply with same actions. Continue reading...

European markets fall as Trump says EU tariffs will definitely happen', but stocks recover after Mexican tariffs delayed by a month

Beginning in April, singer will play 22 dates, including four at Tottenham Hotspur StadiumBeyonce has announced a stadium tour for her foray into country music, Cowboy Carter, including four dates at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.The tour spans 22 dates, chiefly in the US, beginning in Los Angeles's SoFi Stadium on 28 April before heading to Chicago, East Rutherford, Houston (her home city), Washington DC and Atlanta. The four London dates begin 5 June, followed by two at Paris's Stade de France. Continue reading...

Residents and tourists scramble to leave Greek island on ferries and planes after barrage' of tremorsEarthquake fears have prompted people to flee Santorini, as Greece's most popular island destination continues to be hit by what scientists described as a barrage" of tremors.With authorities on heightened alert amid mounting concerns of an impending natural disaster, residents, tourists and workers are scrambling to leave the island on ferries and planes. Continue reading...

Christophe Ruggia given two years' house arrest over incidents involving actor Adele Haenel in early 2000s when she was 12 to 15 years oldA French film director has been found guilty of sexually assaulting the actor Adele Haenel in the early 2000s, when she was between 12 and 15, but was not jailed, following a landmark #MeToo trial.Christophe Ruggia, 60, who denied abusing Haenel, was given a four-year sentence - two suspended and two to be served under house arrest with an electronic bracelet. Continue reading...

Khalife sparked manhunt when he escaped from HMP Wandsworth by clinging to underside of delivery truckDaniel Khalife, a former soldier, has been sentenced to more than 14 years in custody and condemned as a dangerous fool" for spying for Iran and escaping from prison.In September 2023, Khalife, 23, sparked a high-profile manhunt when he broke out of HMP Wandsworth by clinging to the underside of a food delivery truck. At the time he was being held on remand for spying charges. Continue reading...

De Wever, a nationalist from Flanders, takes over from Alexander De Croo after seven months of negotiationsConservative Bart De Wever has been sworn in as Belgium's new prime minister, after striking a hard-fought coalition deal that moves the country to the right.The agreement, struck late on Friday after seven months of negotiations, makes De Wever the first nationalist from Dutch-speaking Flanders to be named Belgian premier. Continue reading...

Heatwave not expected to end until Tuesday or Wednesday as fires burn in multiple national parks

Unions as well as school leaders say proposed changes to replace four-grade approach in England are demoralising'Moves to overhaul the way schools are inspected in England have been criticised by headteachers and teaching unions as demoralising" and worse than the system they are aiming to replace.The changes by the Ofsted schools inspectorate would replace single judgments such as outstanding" with a new report card for parents. They will be unveiled by Ofsted's chief inspector, Martyn Oliver, on Monday alongside the launch of a public consultation. Continue reading...

Experts say thousands more patients will die early unless NHS tackles delays, following figures from Radiotherapy UKMore than half a million people in England have had to wait longer than two months for essential cancer treatment, analysis of latest NHS figures has shown.It has led experts to suggest thousands more patients will die unnecessarily unless the NHS gets to grips quickly with the delays. Continue reading...

TUC says 1m people are on the insecure contracts - with 130,000 still not having full rights after 10 yearsHundreds of thousands of British workers are on zero-hours contracts despite being with the same employer for years, according to analysis from the TUC.The majority of zero-hours contract workers have been with their employer for more than 12 months, while one in eight have not been granted regular employment rights after more than a decade working in the same place, the organisation said. Continue reading...

The biggest night in music has so far seen wins for Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx, Kendrick Lamar and BeyonceBeyonce - Bodyguard

PM wants to see all allies stepping up', saying Donald Trump's threat of sanctions has rattled Vladimir PutinKeir Starmer has called on European leaders to put more economic pressure on Russia, saying Donald Trump's threat of sanctions has left Vladimir Putin rattled".Before a meeting in Brussels on Monday, the prime minister said it was necessary to see all allies stepping up - particularly in Europe" when it comes to inflicting economic harm on Russia, and argued it would help bring about peace by ending the Ukraine war sooner. Continue reading...

New commission led by Sajid Javid and John Denham aims to speak to millions following unrest over Southport attackA new cross-party commission chaired by former Tory and Labour community secretaries is aiming to speak to millions of people to try to improve cohesion after the Southport tragedy and riots.Led by Sajid Javid and John Denham, both former cabinet ministers, the commission will launch in the spring. Continue reading...

Epic drama takes top prize, Ralph Fiennes and Marianne Jean-Baptiste win best actors and RaMell Ross best directorThe Brutalist, Brady Corbet's three-and-a-half-hour drama about the treatment of a brilliant Hungarian postmodern architect in the US after the second world war, has taken best picture at the London Critics' Circle awards.The film, which stars Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce, missed out on other prizes, however, with best director going to RaMell Ross for his much-acclaimed but little seen Colson Whitehead adaptation Nickel Boys, which also won the technical achievement prize for Jomo Fray's cinematography. Continue reading...

The entrepreneur said the aim of the Derbyshire-based company was to help people achieve their dreamsThe founder of Slimming World, Margaret Miles-Bramwell, has died aged 76.Miles-Bramwell set up the company as a weight loss meeting at a church hall in Alfreton, Derbyshire in 1969. It expanded to a nationwide network of 10,000 groups and Slimming World magazine became a referral option for NHS GPs. Continue reading...

Nika Melia and Gigi Ugulava detained as thousands try to block highway into Tbilisi amid unrest against ruling partyGeorgian police have arrested two opposition leaders during a street protest against the ruling party, which has been accused of democratic backsliding and of moving Tbilisi closer to Russia.The Black Sea nation has been rocked by daily mass protests since the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in October parliamentary elections whose results the opposition rejected as falsified. Continue reading...

The Labour first minister talks to people in Blackwood, as Reform and Plaid snap at her heelsThe next Welsh parliament elections are more than a year away but the first minister, Eluned Morgan, appeared to be on the campaign trail already as she swept through the town of Blackwood in the south Wales valleys.Within half an hour, she had spoken to dozens of people, asking what they wanted of her government, acknowledging where things needed to be improved, challenging voters who she felt were not being fair on her party. Continue reading...

Tory leader forgot to register as controller of party's companies until error was pointed out last weekLabour has called Kemi Badenoch a shambles" after it emerged she forgot to register as controller of the Conservative party companies in a breach of corporate rules.Badenoch, a former business secretary, became Conservative leader on 2 November but her predecessor Rishi Sunak was still registered as the controller of the party's companies until the party was notified of the error last week. Continue reading...

Police say man and woman arrested over alleged hit-and-run in Pitsea remain in custodyTributes have been paid to two children who died after an alleged hit-and-run in Essex.Police said officers received reports that a girl and a boy had been involved in a collision with a car on Ashlyns, in Pitsea, near Basildon, at about 6.25pm on Saturday, and that the car had failed to stop at the scene. Continue reading...