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Old Bailey hears legal argument about motivation of David Ballantyne Smith who has admitted eight chargesA security guard spying for Russia while working at the British embassy in Berlin was driven by an intense hatred for his own country and pro-Putin views, a UK court has heard.David Ballantyne Smith pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Official Secrets Act in November 2022 for sharing confidential and sensitive material. Continue reading...

As it happened: Nato secretary general said Putin sending thousands more troops and accepting big losses to pile pressure on Ukrainians

Planned 4% reduction in troop numbers should be abandoned in light of Ukraine war, say MPs and officialsSenior Tories are calling on Jeremy Hunt to abandon further cuts to the army by raising defence funding at next month’s budget, amid growing unease at the state of Britain’s military capabilities.The chancellor has been urged by MPs to ensure the number of troops is held at the current level of about 76,000, instead of reducing it to 73,000 by 2025. Continue reading...

North-west Syrian province was a place of last resort for people fleeing war – then came Covid, cholera and new catastrophe“We were asleep when the earthquake struck – I thought it was an airstrike so I ran outside,” said Mohammed Hadi, weeping gently as he clutched his baby daughter. “I grabbed my wife and two of my children and took them with me. My wife was gripping my hand tightly as we ran. But then, once we got outside, she realised two of our daughters were still inside and ran back in to save them.”He described seeing a flash of white, which cleared to reveal the rubble of what was once his new home. The collapse of the five-storey apartment block had claimed his three loved ones’ lives as Hadi watched. Continue reading...

‘Cable cowboy’ John Malone rules out takeover bid but says he believes UK telecoms company is undervaluedThe US telecoms group chaired by “cable cowboy” John Malone has snapped up a stake in Vodafone in a bet on the UK company’s revival – but has ruled out making a takeover bid.Liberty Global, which is an investor in ITV and Virgin Media O2, told investors on Monday it had acquired a 4.92% stake in Vodafone, saying it believed the shares were undervalued. Continue reading...

Turkish rescue efforts wind down amid grief and anger while UN calls for aid access to north-west SyriaA diminishing number of survivors have been pulled from the catastrophic earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria as the death toll climbed to over 35,000 and UN aid officials pushed for more aid access to rebel-controlled north-west Syria, where only one crossing from Turkey was open.Search and rescue teams began to wind down their work on Monday as hopes of finding anyone alive faded, but there were cheers in Turkish cities when people were freed after seven days under the rubble, including a young girl named Miray in Adıyaman and a 12-year-old boy named Kaan in southern Hatay province. Continue reading...

Military aircraft patrol above Lake Huron, on the US-Canada border, as a Canadian coast guard icebreaker searches for debris• What do we know about the four flying objects shot down by US?It was a mild, sunny winter afternoon when Tara Shannon learned all the airspace above her community in south-eastern Ontario had been closed.Soon after, she and her neighbours began receiving scattered reports of a high-flying mystery object had been spotted in the area. Continue reading...

Man who runs a food bank charity alleges MP for Ashfield defamed him in a Facebook postA man who runs a food bank charity is pursuing a libel claim against the new vice-chair of the Conservatives, a law firm has said.Michael Hollis alleges that Lee Anderson, who once claimed that people could feed themselves on 30p a day, defamed him in a Facebook post that he later refused to take down. Continue reading...

PM says he does not want to prejudge inquiry and that appointment was made after the ‘correct process’Rishi Sunak has rejected calls for Richard Sharp to stand down as BBC chairman, despite the businessman failing to declare his role in arranging a secret £800,000 personal loan for Boris Johnson.Sharp has been criticised by MPs for “significant errors of judgement” over his failure to mention his role in helping to arrange the loan for the former prime minister in early 2020. Johnson later appointed Sharp, a Conservative party donor, to oversee the BBC’s board. Continue reading...

Georgian Constantin wanted on suspicion of murder as family pays tribute to Valentina CozmaPolice are hunting for a man wanted on suspicion of murder after a woman died in a house fire in Stoke-on-Trent.Georgian Constantin, 42, is believed to have travelled to London, and is sought in connection with the death of his former wife Valentina Cozma, 40, in a blaze last week. Continue reading...

Camilla had been suffering a “seasonal illness”, and has cancelled all her engagements for the weekCamilla, the Queen Consort, has tested positive for Covid after suffering from cold symptoms, Buckingham Palace has said.Camilla postponed a visit to Elmhurst Ballet school in Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Tuesday. She had been due to attend a celebration of its centenary, and later that day visit a library in Telford to thank staff and representatives from outreach and voluntary groups for their contribution to the community. She has also cancelled her appearance at events across the country this week – including celebrating Milton Keynes becoming a city – after contracting the virus. Continue reading...

Maia Sandu says plan revealed by Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy has been confirmedMoldova’s president has accused Russia of plotting to overthrow the country’s pro-EU government through violent actions disguised as opposition protest.Maia Sandu said authorities had confirmed an alleged Russian plot to destabilise her country that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, had revealed last week. Continue reading...

Tens of thousands gather for rally and workers in several sectors strike over rightwing government’s proposalsIsrael’s new hard-right government has begun introducing sweeping legislation aimed at overhauling the judicial system, prompting the largest public demonstrations against the proposed measures to date.In a heated meeting in which several opposition politicians had to be forcibly removed, the Knesset’s constitution, law and justice committee voted on two bills on Monday: one will give politicians greater control over the appointment of supreme court justices, and the other will allow a simple majority in the Knesset to override almost all supreme court rulings. Continue reading...

Debt-laden chain was forced into bankruptcy protection in the US after struggling to recover from pandemic closuresShares in the embattled cinema operator Cineworld jumped on reports of a takeover offer from rival company Vue International.The debt-laden chain, which was forced to file for bankruptcy protection in the US last autumn, was up nearly 20% on Monday on reports that Vue International, Europe’s largest privately owned cinema operator, has obtained financial backing from its new shareholders as it eyes up a takeover bid for Cineworld. Continue reading...

Philippines coastguard says crew member temporarily blinded and mission disrupted in South China SeaThe Philippines has accused a Chinese coastguard ship of directing a “military-grade laser light” at one of its vessels, temporarily blinding a crew member and disrupting a mission in the South China Sea.The Chinese ship shone a green laser light twice towards the boat as it sought to deliberately block a resupply mission, the Philippine coastguard said. It also accused the Chinese vessel of making “dangerous manoeuvres by approaching about 150 yards from the vessel’s starboard quarter”. Continue reading...

Prime minister will do ‘everything it takes’ to keep country safe as Britain conducts security review

Levelling up secretary had one eye on his post-political career at cross-party talks with diplomats and CEOsIt was a secret Brexit summit with a lot of striking names attending – the shadow foreign secretary David Lammy, the former EU negotiator Oliver Robbins, the ex-Treasury permanent secretary Tom Scholar. But the name that has raised the most eyebrows is the levelling up secretary, Michael Gove.The gathering revealed by the Observer has riled pro-Brexit Conservatives, including the former negotiator Lord David Frost. Attendees have attempted to play down its significance, suggesting it was more of a “grandees’ talking shop” – albeit one with an extraordinary guest list. Continue reading...

Half of pharmacists in England reported that patients were asking which items they could ‘do without’Rising numbers of patients in England are failing to collect their medicines or asking pharmacists which ones they can “do without” because they cannot afford prescription charges, a survey shows.NHS prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, there are exemptions for certain items, medical conditions and specific parts of the population, but most adults have to pay. The current prescription charge is £9.35 an item. Continue reading...

Spokesperson stops short of criticising minister, while Tory source dismisses David Frost ‘plot’ claim as ‘pathetic’Rishi Sunak was unaware of Michael Gove’s attendance at a private meeting of prominent former leave and remain campaigners to discuss Brexit, No 10 has said.Sunak’s spokesperson suggested the prime minister had first become aware of Gove’s attendance at the two-day summit when he read about it in the Observer. Continue reading...

Lawyers call for apology and withdrawal of threats made during inquiry into alleged government corruptionTwo leading London-based human rights lawyers have been threatened with defamation proceedings for making submissions on behalf of their client, in a highly unusual development.The threat was made by lawyers representing the Gibraltar government and named senior ministers, including the chief minister, Fabian Picardo, at an inquiry exploring alleged corruption at the top of the British overseas territory’s administration. Continue reading...

Former al-Nusra Front chief keen to show scale of crisis in Idlib province and play down past links to al-QaidaA Syrian rebel leader with a $10m (£8.3m) US government bounty on his head has appealed for urgent international aid to help the north-west province of Idlib after the earthquakes that have killed thousands and brought the last opposition-controlled area to its knees.“The United Nations needs to understand that it’s required to help in a crisis,” said Ahmed Hussein al-Shara, better known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, amid a humanitarian crisis that had already reached critical levels in Idlib before the twin earthquakes last week. Continue reading...

Woman deteriorated after surgery in 2019, witness tells panel, but doctor denies any wrongdoing

Relatives pay tribute to ‘strong, fearless’ 16-year-old girl who was fatally stabbed in WarringtonThe family of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, who was stabbed to death in a Warrington park at the weekend, have said “the loss of her young life has left a massive hole in our family”.Paying tribute to the “strong, fearless and one of a kind” girl, who was found with stab wounds in Linear Park, Culcheth, on Saturday afternoon, Brianna’s family thanked members of the public “for their kind words and support”. Continue reading...

The award-winning film-maker, who was arrested last July, has apparently been formally released from prison, though there is no official commentIran has released award-winning film-maker Mohammad Rasoulof more than six months after arresting him for criticising the government, a pro-reform newspaper reported on Monday.Rasoulof, whose 2020 film There Is No Evil won the top prize at the Berlin international film festival, is one of several prominent artists, athletes and other celebrities detained in recent months. Continue reading...

Labor clears way for temporary protection and safe haven visa holders to apply for permanency

Former foreign minister, who ran as independent, was backed by groups hostile to talks on island’s reunificationNikos Christodoulides, a former foreign minister, has been elected the eighth president of Cyprus, beating the career diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis in a high-stakes, closely fought race.Christodoulides, 49, won 51.92 per cent of the vote compared with 48.09 per cent for his opponent, who had been backed by the leftist party AKEL. A mere 15,041 ballots had divided the loser from the winner. Continue reading...

Aida H Dee’s Tate Britain events attracted rival protests from a far-right group and counter-protests led by Stand Up to RacismA drag queen whose storytelling sessions for children prompted rival demonstrations over the weekend has defended the event as a way of helping youngsters discover their true selves.Sab Samuel, whose drag name is Aida H Dee, hosted three Drag Queen Story Hour UK readings in Tate Britain in London on Saturday, while about 30 protesters from the far-right group Patriotic Alternative gathered outside chanting “leave our kids alone”. Continue reading...

Sharp faces calls to resign after MP’s report says he made significant errors of judgment over Johnson loanLabour has said Richard Sharp’s position as chair of the BBC is “increasingly untenable” after a committee of MPs found he made significant errors of judgment in failing to disclose his role in organising an £800,000 loan facility for Boris Johnson.Lisa Nandy, the shadow levelling up secretary, said on Sunday that the report by the digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) committee was extremely serious and had left Sharp’s position hanging by a thread. Continue reading...

Mapmaker suggests symbols could be added for bike repair shops, dog waste bins or river access pointsFor more than 200 years, Ordnance Survey maps have featured symbols denoting everything from churches to battle sites. Now the agency is to consult members of the public on new symbols to bring the maps into the modern world.It will run a project later this year to discover what the public would like to see on its leisure maps. It could be symbols for bike repair shops, cafes, dog waste bins, or jetties and safe river-access points for water sports. Continue reading...

Warnings current toll of 33,000 from earthquake that struck parts of Turkey and Syria could double

Exclusive: New Tory chair referred Luxe Lifestyle in April 2020 despite it apparently having no history of supplying PPEA lifestyle company won a £25.8m government contract for PPE through the so-called VIP lane after the new Conservative chair, Greg Hands, was approached by a local Tory activist, new documents suggest.Luxe Lifestyle, a company trading in “specialised design activities”, had no published accounts at the time the contract was awarded, and did not appear to have a history of supplying PPE. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Mother of Cameron Whelan developed PTSD after body deteriorated to such an extent relatives were advised not to view itA woman has been paid damages by an NHS trust after developing post-traumatic stress disorder when a mortuary allowed her son’s body to decompose to such an extent that relatives were advised not to view it, the Guardian can reveal.Cameron Whelan, 26, died after he entered the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon while being pursued by a police officer. Continue reading...

Cox, who became the first female Indigenous senator from WA in 2021, says she and Thorpe are ‘very different politicians’

Accounting for nearly 90% of deaths, urgent funding is needed to avoid millions suffering avoidable illnesses, says report

The Tories’ new deputy chairman thinks he has the support of his constituency. But a tour around the market town says otherwiseDepending on your political instincts he’s a prime candidate for the “worst man in Britain”, no-nonsense voice of the people, or pugnacious darling of the Tory right.Lee Anderson defends his inability to swerve controversy by claiming that what might make parliamentarians blanch, the people of Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, unequivocally back. Continue reading...

William Shawcross analysed just six Channel cases before calling for more focus on Islamist extremism, say criticsThe author of a controversial review into Britain’s counter-terrorism strategy has been accused of failing to do his job properly because he attended only a handful of the thousands of meetings of its key deradicalisation programme.William Shawcross was appointed to review Prevent, the government’s counter-extremism programme, in January 2021. Last week his controversial conclusion that the programme had concentrated too much on the far right and not enough on Islamist extremism was met with widespread condemnation. Continue reading...

Killing is latest in string of mob attacks against people accused of blasphemy in Muslim-majority countryA mob in eastern Pakistan stormed a police station on Saturday, snatched a Muslim man accused of blasphemy from custody and lynched him, in the country’s latest religion-linked killing.Muhammad Waris, in his mid-30s, was in police custody in Nankana Sahib, in Punjab province, for desecrating pages of the Qur’an. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Nadiia Luba is one of 9,700 Ukrainians still waiting on visa decision under Homes for Ukraine scheme

Henry VIII’s second wife was a deeply religious woman who resisted his advances for years, according to fresh researchAnne Boleyn was found guilty of adultery, incest and conspiracy – all, almost certainly, false charges trumped up by Henry VIII – and then executed. For centuries, her reputation was that of a scheming seducer.Now Anne is being recast as a deeply religious woman who, far from plotting to become Henry’s second wife, bade her time for six years as a lady-in-waiting to the king’s consort, Catherine of Aragon. She deliberately never consummated her relationship with Henry until their “unofficial” marriage in November 1532 – just two months before their formal wedding. Continue reading...

Canadian prime minister says he has spoken to US president Joe Biden about the objectA US warplane shot down an unidentified object over North American airspace, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday. It was the second day in a row in which the US military shot down an unidentified airborne object.“I ordered the take down of an unidentified object that violated Canadian airspace,” Trudeau tweeted on Saturday afternoon. A US F-22 fighter plane with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which protects Canadian and American airspace, shot down the object over Yukon, Canada. Continue reading...

Calls for a ban as health trusts award ‘insourcing’ contracts worth millions to tackle backlogsSome of the country’s most senior NHS clinicians are earning a lucrative sideline running private firms that offer to cut waiting lists at their own hospitals, the Observer can reveal.Top consultants in Manchester, Sheffield and London are among directors of “insourcing” agencies that charge the health service to treat patients at weekends and evenings and have won millions of pounds of work.Three senior consultants in Sheffield ran a private firm, Pioneer Healthcare, offering insourcing services to help the NHS cut backlogs. The company won a series of contracts with local hospitals before being sold to a major private healthcare provider in a £13m deal;At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, three top surgeons including a clinical lead and a former clinical director are the owners of Fortify Clinic , a company offering “end to end” services to tackle waiting lists. The firm was paid £1.3m by the trust for work in 2022;Two senior consultants at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust trust set up Venture Health Group in December and began contracting with their own trust that month to help it meet “challenging backlog targets”. Continue reading...

Activist pleaded guilty on Friday to criminal damage. This blog is now closed

Labour to publish dossier of spending by government representatives on luxury hotels and chauffeur hireLabour is launching a campaign accusing government ministers and officials of spending taxpayer-funded credit cards on luxury travel and hotels, claiming they are using public money “like a cash machine”.In an attempt to inflict further damage to the Tory party’s credentials as sound managers of public finances, Keir Starmer’s party is deploying a social media blitz to highlight five-star hotel visits by the likes of Rishi Sunak and new Tory chairman Greg Hands. Continue reading...

Report commissioned by Health Services Union is scathing of failure to invest in community and preventative healthcare

The treasurer also noted ‘very encouraging’ signs on power prices falling, saying Labor’s energy price relief package was working

The chair’s future at the corporation is in doubt after a damning Commons report on his role in the Boris Johnson loan affairSenior figures within the BBC believe its chairman, Richard Sharp, has seriously undermined the corporation’s impartiality after a damning parliamentary report accused him of failing to publicly divulge his role in facilitating a loan for Boris Johnson.In findings that cast further doubt on Sharp’s future at the BBC, the cross-party committee said the chairman “should consider the impact his omissions will have on trust in him, the BBC and the public appointments process”. Continue reading...

Researchers have developed a model which uses changes in the socioeconomic status of an area to anticipate gentrification

Leading Brexiters and remainers, including Michael Gove and David Lammy, met for two-day ‘private discussion’ with diplomats and business leadersAn extraordinary cross-party summit bringing together leading leavers and remainers – including Michael Gove and senior members of Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet – has been held in high secrecy to address the failings of Brexit and how to remedy them in the national interest, the Observer can reveal.The two-day gathering of some of the country’s most senior Labour and Tory politicians from both sides of the Brexit debate, together with diplomats, defence experts and the heads of some of the biggest businesses and banks, was held at the historic Ditchley Park retreat in Oxfordshire on Thursday afternoon and evening, and on Friday. Continue reading...

Peter Faulding said Lancashire constabulary should have kept other lines of inquiry open for longerDetectives investigating the disappearance of Nicola Bulley made a mistake by declaring too “early” that she was in the River Wyre, a diving and forensics expert involved in the case has claimed.Peter Faulding, whose Specialist Internationalist Group firm searched a stretch of the river where Bulley was last seen, said Lancashire constabulary should initially have kept other lines of inquiry open for longer, as the search for the missing mother-of-two entered its 16th day. Continue reading...

Rightwing demonstrators outside gallery met by counterprotesters including trans-rights campaignersOne person has been arrested amid a protest outside Tate Britain, where a drag queen storytelling event for children was being hosted.The Metropolitan police said one person was arrested on suspicion of making a racially aggravated comment towards a police officer outside the art gallery near Westminster. Continue reading...