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This liveblog is closed. Further coverage of the war in Ukraine can be found hereGermany is close to unlocking the way to a massive increase in state borrowing and reforming the constitutional debt break as three major parties are reportedly about to reach an agreement on the proposed changes.The controversial proposal is a key part of the presumed next chancellor Friedrich Merz's plan for Germany. Continue reading...

Adelaide set for high of 39C and Melbourne 36C on Saturday, while Sydney expects 37C on Sunday, bureau forecasts Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSydney, Melbourne and Adelaide will bake this weekend as temperatures across the south-east cities are forecast to climb into the high 30s.On Saturday, Adelaide could reach a high of 39C and Melbourne 36C, the Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said. Sydney is forecast to reach a high of 32C, with moderate fire danger.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

UK PM to host virtual meeting of coalition of the willing' nations who have agreed to help enforce peaceKeir Starmer has warned that Vladimir Putin cannot be allowed to play games" with the possibility of a ceasefire in Ukraine, as he prepared to present proposals for a peace deal to a coalition of about 25 world leaders.The UK prime minister will host a meeting on Saturday of the coalition of the willing", a group of nations that have agreed to help keep the peace in Ukraine. He will seek to pile pressure on the Russian president to finally come to the table" and stop the barbaric attacks on Ukraine" after Kyiv agreed this week to an immediate 30-day ceasefire. Continue reading...

Syed, convicted of 1999 murder and jailed for life, maintains innocence in long-running case of legal twists and turnsA Maryland judge has formally sentenced Adnan Syed to the time he has already served in prison, appearing to finally bring to a close a long-running case with numerous legal twists and turns that received worldwide attention from the true-crime podcast Serial.Judge Jennifer Schiffer had already decided that Syed would remain free in a recent written ruling, even though his conviction in the murder of his ex-girlfriend in 1999 when they were in high school still stands. Continue reading...

PM has been urged to get a grip' on messaging after railing against the flabby' state and the civil service's tepid bath'Keir Starmer has been warned against adopting the language of Elon Musk after railing against blockers and checkers" and the flabby" civil service this week.Gus O'Donnell, the former cabinet secretary, was one of those urging the prime minister to get a grip" on his messaging, telling the Institute for Government podcast: My God, he has mishandled the communications on this terribly." Continue reading...

Loss of staff will be at least twice as big as thought, as new NHS England chief tells regional boards to cut costs by 50%The jobs cull from the government's radical restructuring of the NHS will be at least twice as big as previously thought, with other parts of the health service now being downsized too.The staff shakeout caused by NHS England's abolition and unprecedented cost-cutting elsewhere will mean the number of lost posts will soar from the 10,000 expected to between 20,000 and 30,000. Continue reading...

Putin responds to Trump's appeal to save surrounded' Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk though there is no evidence of encirclement

Louise Dylan speaks at Clarke's libel case against Guardian about wrap party for 2012 film The KnotAn actor who was said to have been groped by Noel Clarke has told the high court that the incident never happened.In a witness statement for Guardian News and Media (GNM), which is being sued for libel by Clarke, his former creative partner Davie Fairbanks said he saw the former Doctor Who star inappropriately touch Louise Dylan at the wrap party for the 2012 film, The Knot. Continue reading...

Campaigners welcome decision saying Home Office acted unlawfullyDowning Street has declined to comment on claims that half the cabinet would like Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, to rethink the proposed cuts to disability benefits. (See 9.23am.)Asked about the report at the Downing Street lobby briefing, the No 10 spokesperson would not comment on what happened at cabinet this week - which is in line with normal procedure.Left as it is, the system we've inherited would swallow more taxpayers' money and leave more people trapped in a life of unemployment and inactivity.That's not just bad for the economy, it's bad for people too, and that's why this government will set out plans to overhaul the health and disability benefits system shortly, so it supports those who can work to do so, whilst protecting those who can't, to put welfare spending on a more sustainable path so that we can unlock growth.You know that so much of the damage caused by smartphones and social media takes place outside the school gates.But you know, we all know, that phones are distracting, disruptive and bad for behaviour. Continue reading...

Manchester Art Gallery exhibition features dress inspired by outfit worn by abolitionist Sarah Parker RemondFor nearly 160 years, the blue plaque has marked sites of historic importance. Now one English institution has found its own way of signifying a flagship moment while interrogating its past - a blue dress.The new artwork, at Manchester Art Gallery, commemorates the occasion when the African American abolitionist Sarah Parker Remond made a speech on the site in 1859. Continue reading...

Losing the territory strips Ukraine of one of its few solid bargaining chips in possible peace negotiations

National Fraud Initiative report for Cabinet Office identified Defra employee also being paid by DHSC for full-time roleA civil servant held multiple full-time jobs at different government departments at the same time, according to a Cabinet Office investigation.A report by the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) - a data-matching exercise carried out every two years by the Cabinet Office that helps prevent and detect fraud - made the discovery in 2022-23 when looking at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Continue reading...

Supermarket chain's sales drop 1% to 21.7bn despite food price inflation of 3% for most of 2024

Clacton MP did not declare 100 days in 2024 of help with political engagements and travel in US, filings showThe MPs' standards watchdog has been asked to investigate whether Nigel Farage should have declared regular free support given to him by a US PR adviser who is now a Donald Trump official.US filings show that Capital HQ, run by Alexandra Preate, helped Farage on more than 100 days in 2024 with organising speaking engagements, media appearances, political activities and travel in the US. Continue reading...

More than 200mm of rain fell in 24 hours, destroying 900 homes and leaving 40,000 people without powerCyclone Jude was the third cyclone to hit Mozambique this season. First spotted as a depression last Friday to the south-west of the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, it intensified over the next few days to a moderate tropical storm, affecting northern Madagascar on Saturday and killing at least one person.Jude strengthened into a tropical cyclone as it tracked westwards over the Mozambique Channel, where sea surface temperatures of close to 30C provided the heat and moisture necessary to fuel the cyclone. Continue reading...

Flamstead residents - tall men, in particular - are under attack from a Harris's hawk which has gone on rampage in recent weeksWhen Michael Hart went for his morning run in rural Hertfordshire last week, he did not expect to be attacked. I felt something come at me from behind," said the 31-year-old, who works in IT.The perpetrator has quietly stalked the streets of Flamstead for months but in the past fortnight has gone on a rampage, having bumped and slashed more than 20 men, including Hart. A hunt for the serial attacker is under way. Continue reading...

The accused human trafficker flew home' from detention in Romania only to be greeted by a state criminal investigation

The blockage - thought to be the state's biggest ever - was discovered at a wastewater facility during routine maintenanceGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe biggest ever fatberg found in Western Australia has been pulled from a sewer, weighing in at 30,000kg.Fatbergs are made up of material that cannot dissolve in water - such as oil, grease and wet wipes flushed down sinks and toilets - which then pile up and stick together. Continue reading...

Delay in removing hereditaries from Lords illustrates how hard it will be to push through more significant changesThe only solid measure that Keir Starmer's government has introduced to change the House of Lords is on its way to becoming law, but not without last-ditch resistance.Labour's manifesto promise to remove members of the House of Lords who vote in parliament's second chamber by birthright was the most straightforward change. The limited measure, an overdue completion of the removal of hereditary peers that began 26 years ago, is a further illustration of the constitutional difficulties of reforming parliament's second chamber. Continue reading...

Lai Ching-te's speech - which included a proposal to set up military courts - prompted an angry reaction from Beijing, which called him a creator of crisis'Taiwan's new president has formally labelled China a foreign hostile force" and ramped up national security measures in the face of growing threats and a string of spying cases.The new measures announced on Thursday include a controversial proposal to restore a military court system in Taiwan, which was under martial law until the late 1980s. Continue reading...

Three other charges of attempting to disclose protected information about the Australian Taxation Office's collection practices remain

Former Labor minister says Australia should consider applying its own tariffs in retaliation against those placed on steel and aluminium

More than 400 guests staying in tower when fire began, which one nearby resident says started after explosion

Five-year transition period declared along with rights for women, freedom of expression and justice for Assad victimsSyria's leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has hailed the start of a new history" for his country, after signing into force a constitutional declaration regulating its five-year transitional period and laying out rights for women and freedom of expression.The declaration comes three months after Islamist-led rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad's repressive government, leading to calls for an inclusive new Syria that respects rights. Continue reading...

Officers say they have widened investigations despite questions over nurse's convictions for killing babiesPolice investigating the hospital where the nurse Lucy Letby worked have widened their inquiries to include gross negligence manslaughter by senior staff.Cheshire constabulary says it has expanded its inquiry into the Countess of Chester hospital despite growing questions around Letby's convictions. Continue reading...

Farmers sweat as they await word on whether Donald Trump will extend tariffs to $6.2bn in meat exports

Independents and legal experts say Labor and the Coalition's team-up to ram laws through parliament' was rushed, lacked transparency and was bad politicking'

Insiders fear battle to reclaim teal seats in areas with high rates of working professional women could be hampered See all our Australian election 2025 coverage Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Coalition's work from home policy has raised significant concerns in its ranks, with many taken by surprise and some criticising it as not fully thought through".As the Liberals face an uphill battle to reclaim several blue-ribbon seats lost to the teals, there is growing worry inside the party that the policy will take it backwards in areas with high numbers of working professional women.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

About 60% of the 1.2m cars that drove out of the showroom last year were SUVs, but road fatalities reached a 12-year high too

Contract comes to light after questions raised about the increasing role of Musk in Australia's communications systems Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Australian Electoral Commission is planning on using Elon Musk's Starlink services as back up for transmitting voting results information in the upcoming federal election.In a contract published late last year, the AEC appointed Telstra responsible for the agency's fixed line and Starlink services until mid-2027, in a deal worth $1.38m. A spokesperson for the AEC confirmed Starlink could be used in the upcoming election for sensitive election data.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

Mercurial mining magnate answers questions at the National Press Club through Tim Tams, telling journalists: It's my money. If I lose it, I lose it' See all our Australian election 2025 coverage Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastClive Palmer faced a conundrum in Canberra on Thursday: whether to answer a question on China and Taiwan from one of the press gallery's most esteemed journalists, or swallow the chunk of chocolate biscuit he'd just bitten into.In the end, he did both, telling Andrew Probyn from Nine News that once the American commitment goes, Taiwan wouldn't be able to defend itself" through a mouthful of Tim Tam. Continue reading...

Former Philippines president filmed a video message en route to the Hague, saying I will be responsible for everything'Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has said he will accept responsibility for his government's so-called war on drugs" in a video message filmed on board a plane shortly before he was taken into the custody of the international criminal court (ICC).Whatever happened in the past, I will be the front of our law enforcement and the military. I said this already, that I will protect you, and I will be responsible for everything," he said. Continue reading...

Former Radio Leeds host Alex Belfield was jailed in 2022 for stalking four people including Jeremy VineThe BBC has issued a full and unreserved apology" to four female former employees after admitting it did not do enough to protect them from a local radio presenter who was later jailed for stalking Jeremy Vine.Alex Belfield, a former host on BBC Radio Leeds, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison in 2022 after being found guilty of waging a stalking campaign against four people, including Vine. The corporation has now said that it is deeply sorry" to four women who had also been subjected to a campaign of abuse by Belfield over several years. Continue reading...

Local people are enthusiastic about regeneration, though some fans share Andy Burnham's worries over where the money will come fromEven on a freezing, rainy day with no match scheduled, the area surrounding Old Trafford in Manchester is abuzz with football fans from far and wide.Just a day since Manchester United revealed their plans for the new 100,000-capacity stadium in Old Trafford, there is a sense of excitement at the new proposals: the plans promise 92,000 jobs and a large-scale regeneration" of the area, including 17,000 new homes. Continue reading...

The Bear actor called Musk a fascist and an idiot after his reaction to a post from a rightwing account that claimed she was replacing Johnny DeppAyo Edebiri, the actor best known for her Emmy-award winning work on The Bear, has said she received insane death threats" after Elon Musk shared a fake news report about her being cast in a film.On her Instagram, Edebiri recalled the furore that met Musk's reposting of a story by Unlimited L's", a rightwing account with no apparent Hollywood connection or insight, that she was to replace Johnny Depp in a reboot of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Continue reading...

Judge tells triple killer he will spend rest of his life behind bars after father John Hunt tells Clifford hell will roll out the red carpet for you'The prosecution said after time in the army, Clifford later worked at a catering firm, where he allegedly made inappropriately sexualised comments" to people.He would also talk about whether he could have sex with female colleagues - including I could ride you", Alison Morgan KC said. Continue reading...

State says most prison guards returned to work after deal to end wildcat stoppage but holdouts were dismissedNew York fired more than 2,000 prison guards on Monday for failing to return to work after an illegal work stoppage - carried out amid fallout over the high-profile deaths of two detained people as well as reports of violence by guards.But the state said enough officers had come back on the job to declare the wildcat strike over. Continue reading...

Prime minister's comments come ahead of speech on state reform and expected Whitehall job cuts

Analysis shows 10% of peers make half of all contributions to debates while others claim allowances but say nothing

Chief executive says sales figures are down by more than a fifth but its brands still carry significant potential'

Desolate spectacle of executions begins again under Trump, in landscape of capital punishment as riven as US is as a wholeDavid Leonard Wood. Jessie Hoffman. Aaron Gunches. Wendell Grissom. Edward Thomas James. Moises Sandoval Mendoza.So many names. So many dead men walking. Ten days, five states, six death row prisoners scheduled for execution. Continue reading...

The 46-year-old reality TV star was found dead at his Bristol home in JanuaryThe Hollyoaks actor and reality TV star Paul Danan died at his Bristol home from a cocktail of drugs including cocaine and heroin, an inquest opening has been told.The actor, 46, who played Sol Patrick from 1997 to 2001 on the Channel 4 soap, was later known for his reality TV appearances, including on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Love Island. Continue reading...

Seven health professionals who worked with football legend in days before his death face trial in ArgentinaSeven medical professionals who tended to the Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona during his final days are going on trial accused of criminal negligence over his death.Maradona died on 25 November 2020 aged 60 while recovering from brain surgery for a blood clot, after decades battling cocaine and alcohol addictions. Continue reading...

As truce talks begin in Jeddah, Andriy Yermak writes for the Guardian that continent must remain united'

Migratory insects covered 4.2 acres in Mexican forests this winter but number remains far below long-term averageThe population of eastern monarch butterflies - who migrate from Canada and the US to Mexico during the winter - has nearly doubled over the last year, according to a recent report commissioned in Mexico, generating optimism among nature preservationists.The modest growth in numbers for the orange-and-black butterflies follows years of ongoing conservation efforts - and perhaps provides a sliver of optimism after otherwise discouraging long-term trends for the species. Continue reading...

Hassan Diab fears shifting political winds in Canada could lead to extradition fight after Musk shares post about himUntil recently, Hassan Diab's life in Ottawa had begun to settle back into a quiet suburban routine: spending his days teaching sociology part time at Carleton University, taking his two youngest children to the park to play football, or going for an afternoon swim.It had been well over a year since he was convicted in absentia for carrying out a deadly bomb attack on a Paris synagogue in 1980, and the media attention had largely quieted down. He was trying to move on with his life. Continue reading...

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NSW police allege Moosawi directed two men who have pleaded guilty to setting the Curly Lewis brewery on fire in October 2024. He has denied all charges

US-style mega-farms in Herefordshire face tough new regulations after high court rulingIndustrial poultry farms face tough new regulations around the disposal of chicken manure after a judge ruled it can be classified as waste and requires a detailed and transparent plan to dispose of it without damaging the environment.The high court ruling means new US-style mega-farms in Herefordshire will have to deal with poultry manure as if it was industrial waste. Continue reading...