by Mark Brown, Caroline Davies and Steven Morris on (#5W7RJ)
People urged to stay home on Friday as thousands remain without power after Storm DudleyA rare red weather warning for coastal parts of south Wales and south-west England has been issued by the Met Office before what could be the worst storm to hit the UK in 30 years.Storm Eunice is expected to arrive at 5am on Friday, bringing potentially dangerous weather for much of the UK. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh in London and Andrew Roth in Moscow on (#5W8K4)
Analysis: evidence contrasts with statements from Russia that troops are being sent back to barracksBritain believes that nearly half of Russian forces that have massed near Ukraine are now within 30 miles of the border, in contrast to statements from Moscow that its forces were being sent back to barracks.Reinforcements from 14 battalions were in the process of arriving, officials added, while highlighting a pontoon bridge that had been briefly set up in Belarus in the past few days as an example of unusual military activity. Continue reading...
Fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine rose after Russian-backed separatists opened fire across the line of control with Ukrainian forces, hitting a nursery school and injuring three people.According to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe there were multiple shelling incidents on Thursday morning across the frontline in the Donbas region.The nursery attack took place in the city of Stanytsia Luhanska with video showing debris and masonry strewn over a play area
After discovering the creative joys of collaborative vocal improvisation, the Suffolk singer wants to help people reach into their hearts and bring out their voices“What sound does my body make?” is a question that has followed Briony Greenhill since she was a child in Suffolk, sitting and singing on the stairs of the family home. It’s there today in her work as one of the world’s leading proponents of collaborative vocal improvisation (CVI) and, too, in the power and intimacy of her new album, Crossing the Ocean. “These voices that we have are part of our human design,” she says. “There’s a beauty in bringing that out and making music with it.”Vocal improvisation is different to other forms of singing. There is no song, no score, no lyrics. “When you’re not given a song, and you end up learning to trust the song that comes through you in the moment, it’s like finding the rubber ring you can trip down the river on,” Greenhill says. Continue reading...
Study finds ‘widespread’ ill-treatment and extrajudicial executions during 1945-9 war of independenceThe Dutch state condoned and concealed a systematic use of extreme violence such as extrajudicial executions and torture during the 1945-9 Indonesian war of independence against colonial rule, a government-backed inquiry has concluded.The ruthless brutality of the Netherlands’ military and intelligence services is said to have been sanctioned at the highest levels of government, with all considerations subordinated to the goal of maintaining the colony. Continue reading...
One former and two serving officers charged with sending grossly offensive messagesTwo serving Metropolitan police officers and one former officer have been
The rapper answers your questions about his passion for weed, the group’s appeal to 90s rock kids – and their beef with Ice CubeYou were one of the hip-hop acts that crossed the divide and attracted fans who were into other genres. Did you realise that back in the day? AmongstTheWavesIn the beginning, in 1991, we opened for the likes of Naughty By Nature and Ice Cube, but developed a reputation for energetic shows. We somehow got booked for Lollapalooza and thought: “What are we doing here?” but started seeing crowdsurfing and stage diving. After that, rock fans, metal kids and punk fans started showing up to our shows. Our imagery was rockish and we started winning those kids over without doing that style of music. Continue reading...
On the 65th anniversary of Funny Face, we run down the Givenchy girl’s best moments – from upstaging her (usually much older) leading men to literally representing heaven in a dazzling white cable-knitThis exotic MGM romance directed by Hepburn’s then husband, Mel Ferrer, was in fact her first big flop. Anthony Perkins plays a Venezuelan refugee whose life is saved by Rima the jungle girl: Hepburn in a suede pixie tunic, accessorised with a pet fawn and backed by a supporting cast in brownface. Continue reading...
Former Scotland editor says she repeatedly experienced gendered abuse while doing her jobSarah Smith, the BBC’s former Scotland editor, has said she feels relieved to have left the country after enduring years of misogynistic “bile and hatred” while covering Scottish politics.Smith, the recently appointed North America editor for BBC News, said she repeatedly experienced gendered abuse while doing her job, which led her to significantly reduce her use of Twitter and to fear she had become a visible target. Continue reading...
by Angelique Chrisafis in Paris and agencies on (#5W7Y9)
Fears of jihadist push in Gulf of Guinea after Macron and allies pull outFrance and its European partners are to begin a military withdrawal from Mali after more than nine years fighting a jihadist insurgency, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, confirmed on Thursday.Asked at the Élysée if the withdrawal marked a failure for France and its policy of fighting terrorism in west Africa, Macron said: “I completely reject that term.” Continue reading...
Dodgy graphics, mysteriously sourced computers and a bemused artist: a new Youtube documentary celebrates 30 years since the release of computing classic LemmingsWhen you try to describe the much-loved video game Lemmings, it sounds like a wind-up. Your mission: herding a collection of tiny, green-haired, blue-jumpered, bipedal sprites from a trapdoor entrance to a safe exit without them dying horribly. It looked, if not bad, then wilfully basic even for 1991. But, released years before mobile phone games were a thing, it was nonetheless a fiendishly addictive game that feels like the spiritual precursor to the likes of Angry Birds. And it was manna to many, many kids like me, whose sole household computing device was a rubbish PC with a horrible four-colour CGA screen that basically couldn’t play any video game of the time … except Lemmings!To mark 30 years since its release, Exient – current holders of the franchise – has made a YouTube documentary about it. Made remotely, Lemmings: Can You Dig It? largely consists of interviews with the people involved in the creation of the original game, plus spirited nostalgic interjections from various nerdy talking heads. Continue reading...
Defence ministry says women joining military need permission of male guardian and must wear head coveringKuwaiti women are angry after the military, having allowed female soldiers to take combat roles, decided they need the permission of a male guardian and banned them from carrying weapons.Activists have decried the policy as “one step forward, two steps back” after the defence ministry also decided that women in the armed forces, unlike civilians, must wear head coverings. Continue reading...
Fifteen questions on general knowledge and topical trivia plus a few jokes every Thursday – how will you fare?Once again the task that lies before you is 15 vaguely topical and general knowledge questions, littered with repetitive in-jokes that long since stopped being entertaining. You will meet Ron from Sparks. You will meet Kate Bush. You will have several Doctor Who references to spot. And after the fuss everybody made about the Eiffel Tower question last time around, this week you will not have to measure anything in feet. There are no prizes, it is just for fun. Let us know how you get on in the comments.The Thursday quiz, No 43If you do think there has been an egregious error in one of the questions or answers, please feel free to email martin.belam@theguardian.com but remember, the quiz master’s word is always final, and he is too busy writing about the Winter Olympics to reply anyway. Continue reading...
by Aubrey Allegretti Political correspondent on (#5W7WF)
System has previously been criticised as a ‘backdoor loophole’ to funnel dirty money into UKMinisters are preparing to scrap the “golden visa” system that allows wealthy foreign investors a fast track to living in the UK, amid concerns over links with Russia.Given concerns about how the system is being taken advantage of, and against a backdrop of souring relations with Moscow given its military buildup on the border with Ukraine, the home secretary, Priti Patel, is to axe the residence route. Continue reading...
Simon Nellist, 35, was reportedly training for charity swim when he was killed off SydneyA swimmer killed in what is believed to have been the first fatal shark attack off Sydney, Australia, in almost 60 years has been named locally as a British man.Friends said Simon Nellist, 35, who was engaged to be married, “loved the water” and was an experienced diving instructor. The British expatriate, who it is understood was living in the Wolli Creek area of Sydney, was reportedly training for a charity swim. Continue reading...
At least 94 people have died after heavy rains sent mudslides and floods through a mountainous region of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state. Petrópolis, the ‘imperial city’ that was the summer getaway of Brazil’s monarchs in the 19th century, was directly in the path of the deluge when it hit on Tuesday. The city’s mayor, Rubens Bomtempo, said the number of dead could keep rising as searchers picked through the wreckage. Twenty-one people have been recovered alive and civilians have joined the official recovery efforts
Labour’s Andy McDonald said he will seek assurances public money will not be used when MPs return next weekA Labour MP intends to seek assurances in parliament that public money will not be used to pay for the Duke of York’s settlement with Virginia Giuffre.An out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum, reportedly as high as £12m, was reached with Giuffre, who was suing the Queen’s son claiming he had sexually abused her after she was trafficked by his friend and convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein. Continue reading...
An investigation alleges two men seeking international protection were pushed from a boat off the coast of SamosOn 15 September 2021, Sidy Keita from Ivory Coast and Didier Martial Kouamou Nana from Cameroon, boarded a dinghy from Turkey to Greece. Despite making it to the Greek island of Samos, their bodies were found days later, washed ashore in Aydin province, on the Aegean coast.Interviews with more than a dozen witnesses, analysis of classified documents, satellite imagery, social media accounts and online material, and discussions with officials in Turkey and Greece, have helped piece together what happened over five September days during which the two men died, likely victims of a pushback by the Greek authorities. Continue reading...
by Mostafa Rachwani (now) and Tory Shepherd (earlier) on (#5W7AK)
Australia records at least 63 Covid deaths; Karen Andrews quizzed over refugees at Park Hotel; Moderna vaccine approved for children aged six and over. Follow all the day’s news live
by Rebecca Ratcliffe South-east Asia correspondent on (#5W7Q4)
Royalist groups have organised petitions calling for Amnesty to be expelled from the country, accusing it of threatening national securityAmnesty International has said attacks against its operations in Thailand were taking place against a backdrop of “growing intolerance for human rights discourse” among the country’s authorities, and warned of a clampdown on civil society groups.Amnesty has come under increased pressure in Thailand, where ultra royalists have accused it of threatening national security and interfering in the country’s internal affairs after it criticised legal cases filed against monarchy reform protesters.
Victims were sitting on an iron slab covering the well when it gave way; prime minister Narendra Modi said the accident was ‘heart-wrenching’Thirteen women and girls have died after accidentally falling down a well during marriage celebrations in northern India, police said.The victims were sitting on an iron slab covering the well on Wednesday when it gave way, senior police officer Akhil Kumar told reporters in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh state. Continue reading...
by Rowena Mason Deputy political editor on (#5W7NX)
Sajid Javid expected to push to retain some free testing against Treasury demand to slash budgetCabinet splits have emerged over the government’s “living with Covid” strategy, with Sajid Javid expected to push to retain some free testing and community surveillance of the virus in the face of a Treasury demand to slash the budget.Ministers including the health secretary and the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, are expected to meet on Thursday to discuss the strategy before it is announced next week. Continue reading...
by Aubrey Allegretti Political correspondent on (#5W7NW)
Party to table motion demanding unredacted report and list of Downing Street staff issued with a fixed penalty noticeA new attempt will be launched next week to force publication of the full report into whether No 10 parties broke Covid laws, with Conservative MPs urged to support the move to ensure there are “no more cover-ups and no more lies”.While more questionnaires were sent out by Scotland Yard to those who attended a dozen gatherings under investigation, a “humble address” motion was tabled in the House of Commons by the Liberal Democrats. Continue reading...
An interactive map shows the average number of snow days for locations across the UKHow much snow have you had this winter? Do you think you used to have more snow in the past? Well now you can check what the average annual snow quota is for your area, and compare with the rest of the UK.Using 30 years of Met Office data, the mapping and analytics company Esri UK has created an interactive map, showing the average number of “snow days” – a day with greater than half of the ground covered in snow at 9am – for locations across the UK. Continue reading...
by Daniel Boffey in Brussels, Andrew Roth in Moscow a on (#5W6PC)
Nato secretary general contradicts Vladimir Putin’s claim of ‘partial’ withdrawal, as US official says Russia has increased troops by 7,000Russia is continuing to send troops to what is now the biggest concentration of forces in Europe since the cold war, contradicting Moscow’s claims of a drawdown on Ukraine’s border, Nato’s secretary general has said.Hours later a senior US official told reporters that Russia’s claims of withdrawal of some troops were “false” and that Moscow had “increased its troop presence along the Ukrainian border by as many as 7,000 troops”, many of them arriving in the past 24 hours. Continue reading...
Heavy rains bring destruction to historic city of Petrópolis and surrounding mountainous areas in Rio de Janeiro stateAt least 94 people have died after heavy rains sent devastating mudslides and floods through a mountainous region of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state.Petrópolis, the “imperial city” which was the summer getaway of Brazil’s monarchs in the 19th century, was directly in the path of the deluge when it hit on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Rail company advertised 30 positions and received 28,000 applications in kingdom where women couldn’t drive cars until 2018A job advert to recruit 30 female train drivers in Saudi Arabia has attracted 28,000 applicants, highlighting the scale of pent-up demand as the conservative kingdom loosens some restrictions on women’s employment.The Spanish railway operator Renfe said an online assessment of academic background and English language skills had helped it to reduce the number of candidates by around a half, and it would work through the rest by mid-March. Continue reading...
Boris Johnson to call Australian PM Scott Morrison on Wednesday evening and agree to build on defence pactBoris Johnson is to sign off on a £25m security package with Australia as the UK looks to build on its defence pact with Canberra.The prime minister will speak to his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, in a video call on Wednesday evening to agree further bilateral cooperation with its Commonwealth ally, with Britain stepping up its investment in the Indo-Pacific as part of a wider shift in foreign policy. Continue reading...
Around 100 people attend demonstration outside the Corn Exchange over joke about Nazi killingsJimmy Carr faced protests outside the venue where he performed on Wednesday evening in response to comments by the comedian which have been described as racist and offensive towards Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.Cambridge Stand Up To Racism organised the demonstration outside the Corn Exchange in the city, with up to 100 people protesting loudly with large placards and speakers. Continue reading...
Backlash follows Sir Tim Smit’s comments that ‘the good old days never were the good old days’The co-founder of the Eden Project has caused a stir by suggesting that Cornish people are not articulate and are overly fond of looking back to an imaginary “good old days”.Speaking on a podcast focusing on social issues in Cornwall, where the attraction is situated, Sir Tim Smit bemoaned the fact that people who spoke about the county were sometimes criticised as “arrogant” if they are not Cornish themselves. Continue reading...
Alex Saab, facing charge in Miami of siphoning $350m via US, allegedly agreed to be ‘active law enforcement source’ for DEAA businessman who was a close ally of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, was secretly signed up by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a cooperating source in 2018 and provided agents with information about bribes he paid to Venezuelan officials, according to a US court filing unsealed on Wednesday.Alex Saab agreed to be an “active law enforcement source” for the DEA and forfeited nearly $10m of his fortune as part of his cooperation agreement with the US, which included several meetings with US law enforcement officials in his native Colombia and Europe. Continue reading...
Prince is still able to step in for Queen and there are no plans to remove titlesPrince Andrew is to remain a counsellor of state, able to step in temporarily for the Queen, along with retaining his title Duke of York and military rank of vice admiral after settling his US sexual abuse civil lawsuit, it is understood.There are no immediate plans to remove the titles, sources indicated, as calls for transparency over how the duke will fund the financial settlement with accuser Virginia Giuffre intensified along with those for him to relinquish his dukedom. Continue reading...
by Leyland Cecco and Tracey Lindeman in Ottawa on (#5W778)
Failure to prevent protests initially, and to rid the city of the trucks over three weeks have baffled and angered residentsPolice in Ottawa have warned they will begin breaking up blockades that have gridlocked traffic, angered residents and plunged Canada’s capital into a crisis that has rippled throughout the country.For 20 days, protesters and large semi-trucks have blockaded sections of downtown Ottawa, including Parliament Hill, the seat of the country’s government. The protests, which began as a demonstration against public health measures including vaccine mandates, have morphed into a broader anti-government movement as more fringe elements, including far-right and nationalist groups, became a growing presence. Continue reading...
British authorities have concerns about neo-Nazis seeking weapons training and military experienceBritish authorities are worried that the current threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine may attract domestic far-right extremists, who could travel to the country seeking weapons training and military experience.Counter-terror police were positioned at the departure gates of at least one main British airport this week, where they quizzed travellers flying to Ukraine about their identity and reasons for travel. Continue reading...
by Rowena Mason and Maya Wolfe-Robinson on (#5W779)
Labour MP says she ‘can’t see him being welcome’ by charities working with victims of sexual violencePrince Andrew will not be welcome in any role supporting victims of sex trafficking and shows a sense of entitlement in thinking he has something to offer, according to the Labour MP Jess Phillips.Phillips, a former Labour leadership contender who campaigns for women’s rights, said the idea that Prince Andrew could help support victims of trafficking was “ridiculous” after he came to a multimillion-pound civil settlement with Virgina Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her on three occasions when she was 17, which he denied. Continue reading...
It’s 65 years today since television sets had to stop broadcasting to allow parents to put children to bed. How did it ever seem like a good idea?In 1953, when Norma Young was seven, her family became the first in their Glasgow tenement to get a TV set. It was a big deal – the Youngs had had to choose between a car or a TV. They opted for a 14in Ekco TV as deep as it was wide – and Norma was opened up to the world of The Woodentops and Andy Pandy, two shows that rapidly became her favourites. But at 6pm every evening the screen went blank, and Norma’s viewing was at an end.This wasn’t her parents regulating her TV time – it was the state. Abolished 65 years ago on Wednesday, the break in programming between 6pm and 7pm every night was a government policy, known colloquially as the toddlers’ truce. Continue reading...
Prince Andrew is facing fresh calls to be stripped of his Duke of York title after agreeing an undisclosed financial settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. The surprise out-of-court agreement means the prince makes no admission of guilt over the claims made by Giuffre, but leaves many questions unanswered
Bloc’s highest court rejects countries’ cases objecting to law tying EU funds to democratic standardsThe European court of justice has dismissed complaints from Hungary and Poland against a law that ties EU funds to democratic standards.In a milestone in the battle for the rule of law in the EU, the bloc’s highest court rejected the cases brought by Hungary and Poland “in their entirety”, confirming that countries can be deprived of EU funds when they fail to meet democratic standards. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England correspondent on (#5W6P0)
Labour MP Rachael Maskell calls for royal to lose title after settlement with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assaultPrince Andrew is facing months of pressure to relinquish his Duke of York title after an MP vowed to pursue “a number of paths” in parliament, including amending legislation, to strip the royal of his last major honorary position.Rachael Maskell, the Labour MP for York Central, said she had met Commons officials to explore ways of forcing Prince Andrew to give up his Duke of York title after his out-of-court settlement with a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. Continue reading...
‘The couple were just strangers blocking my view. But as they reached out and embraced each other, it seemed an optimistic image representing the young people of a city that had suffered’I first visited and photographed Sarajevo in 1996. I had been volunteering in neighbouring Croatia and managed to hitch a ride in to Bosnia in a UN vehicle. The war and siege had ended a few months before and the city was enjoying its long-awaited peace. Sarajevans took to its scarred streets in huge numbers, meeting with friends and drinking coffee safe in the knowledge that they wouldn’t be struck down by a sniper or shell.The destruction of the city at that time was jaw-dropping, surreal and seemingly total: rows upon rows of broken, bombed-out high-rise flats; shell craters and explosion indents everywhere; hospitals, offices and factories all in ruins. This was urbicide, a late-20th-century Dresden or Stalingrad. Everyone who lived through the nearly four-year siege had a nightmare to share. Continue reading...
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