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Joe Biden says military has removed Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi from the battlefield

I rarely feel hungry and only eat when I feel I should – food smells are physically repulsiveI caught Covid in October 2020, and lost my sense of smell and taste. Back then I worked in a school, so catching the virus felt inevitable. At first, I didn’t think too much about it: anosmia (loss of sense of smell) is a common symptom of the virus. After four weeks or so, and a brief stint in hospital, I regained some of my ability to taste things: salty, sour, sweet. My nose was still misbehaving, but my tongue was starting to slowly whirr back into action. I thought I was on the mend.By the middle of December, however, things started to get strange. In the house, I was certain I kept smelling stale ashtrays. I’m not a smoker, so it made no sense. Then I started smelling exhaust fumes. I looked online and found other people reporting similar experiences of phantosmia (smelling of odours that aren’t there). I’d be consumed by these aromas even in pure, clean air. Continue reading...

Democratic Unionist party leader says prime minister made admission during private meeting last weekBoris Johnson privately conceded that there is less than a 30% chance of negotiating a new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland this month, it has emerged.Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the leader of the Democratic Unionist party, said the prime minister made the admission during a private meeting last week. Continue reading...

Prime minister backs slow reopening of Western Australia as nation records at least 84 deaths from Covid-19; Victoria announces $1.4bn health package; government sought Labor support to wave religious bill through unamended; police attempt to clear ACT anti-vaccine protest camp. This blog is now closed

The new chancellor has faced criticism abroad for his stance, and is now coming under fire at homeGermany’s new chancellor Olaf Scholz is waving goodbye to the honeymoon period of his tenure, as his “inaudible” stance over the brewing crisis on the Ukrainian border is failing to impress not just Russia-hawks abroad but also more ambivalent voters at home.Scholz, whose liberal-left “traffic light” coalition was sworn in less than two months ago, has been criticised by Kyiv and other east-central European capitals for sticking to his country’s restrictive stance on weapons export to crisis regions and looking slow to spell out the potential sanctions that could be triggered by a Russian invasion into Ukraine. Continue reading...

The famed director and lead actor Achouackh Abakar Souleymane talk about the challenges of making a female-led movie in Chad, and being overwhelmed by audience responsesAs a young boy in Chad, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun grew up surrounded by women – mother, aunties, four sisters, one formidable grandmother. The day after he was beaten by a teacher at Koranic school, his grandmother marched up to give the man a piece of her mind: “My grandson will never come back to your school.” Haroun mimics her angry finger jabbing and smiles warmly. “She had a very strong personality. Normally, a woman would never do this. The shame!”Haroun’s boyhood instilled in him, he says, a respect for women. But in his career as Chad’s only prominent film-maker – and one of Africa’s best known cinematic exports – he has told stories about men and boys. His gorgeous film Abouna is about two young brothers searching for their father. A Screaming Man told the tale of a hotel pool attendant who packs his son off to war; after it won the jury prize at Cannes in 2010, the government in Chad rebuilt the country’s only cinema (it has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic). Continue reading...

Despite Covid hospitalizations trending downward, 80% of hospitals across the country are under ‘high or extreme stress’Dr Brian Resler, an emergency physician in the San Francisco Bay Area, recently polled a group of doctors on an overnight shift about their jobs.“Everyone of us said if we could go back, we would choose a different career,” said Resler, who spoke on the condition that the Guardian does not identify his hospital. Continue reading...

NHS England says Libmeldy is ‘life-saving’ for babies and young children with metachromatic leukodystrophyChildren in England with a rare and fatal genetic condition will soon be able to get the world’s most expensive drug after NHS bosses negotiated a substantial cut in its £2.8m price.NHS England hailed the deal that will make the “life-saving” therapy, called Libmeldy, available to the small number of babies and young children who have metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). Those who receive it will be able to enjoy a normal life, it said. Continue reading...

Cost of living crisis, departure of top aides and Rishi Sunak’s rebuke dominate the newspapers on another bad day for the PMThree big stories dominate Friday’s front pages – and none of them are good news for Boris Johnson. Editors were spoilt for choice with the “big squeeze” in living standards, the “bloodbath” of departing Downing Street aides and Rishi Sunak’s less-than-total backing for his leader.Several papers combine the stories in what the Mail calls “Meltdown in Downing Street” above an image of a forlorn-looking prime minister and the subhead, “will the last one to leave please turn out the lights” evoking the Sun’s infamous 1992 election front page. Continue reading...

The youngster, named Rayan, became trapped down the 32m-deep well on Tuesday, sparking frantic efforts to free himRescue workers in northern Morocco have entered the third day of digging to reach a five-year-old boy trapped down a 32-metre (105ft) deep well.The boy has been stuck in the well, located in the northern village of Ighran in Morocco’s Chefchaouen province, since Tuesday evening. Rescuers said on Thursday they had managed to get down oxygen and water to him, and got a response from him. Continue reading...

Zach Smith recorded himself jamming out to a tune he found in his car. Now it’s racked up 3m plays – and might be on its way to MarvelZach Smith never expected the song to go so viral.On 4 January, the 19-year-old pressed play on an old track he found in his car; he was struck by how catchy it was – he’d never heard this song before. Continue reading...

Unicef confirms that at least six children were killed and one girl badly injured in Atme; Joe Biden says Islamic State leader blew himself up

Does movement against vaccine mandates herald Canada’s tea party moment?For nearly a week, Paul Aubue has lived and slept in the cab of his truck, parked in downtown Ottawa.The 64-year-old grandfather travelled from New Brunswick to join hundreds of others as they descended on the Canadian capital. Aubue, the owner of a trucking company, said he’d been driven to protest by a recent requirement that truckers crossing from the US into Canada be vaccinated against Covid. Continue reading...

Europe could enter ‘long period of Covid tranquility’ due to high vaccination rates, WHO says; record 1.33 million UK long Covid patients

The prime minister has parted ways with key aides seven times since September 2020All prime ministers lose advisers at various points, but those working for Boris Johnson seem to jump ship or otherwise exit at a faster rate than most. Here is a list of significant people who have left his No 10. Continue reading...

Officials say they have evidence of plot to mock up scenes of attack using corpses, Turkish-made drones and actors playing mournersUS officials claim they have evidence of a Russian plan to make a “very graphic” fake video of a Ukrainian attack as a pretext for an invasion.The alleged plot would involve using corpses, footage of blown-up buildings, fake Ukrainian military hardware, Turkish-made drones and actors playing the part of Russian-speaking mourners. Continue reading...

Grenfell inquiry hears that official put together ‘script’ to counter media claims that building rules allowed flammable claddingTwo days after the Grenfell Tower fire the UK government mounted a rebuttal operation to counter potentially damaging reports that building regulations had allowed the use of combustible cladding, the public inquiry has heard.As families searched frantically for missing loved ones, Brian Martin, the official in charge of fire safety building regulations at the ministry of housing, local government and communities, circulated a pre-written rebuttal of press claims that the plastic-filled panels that fuelled the inferno were in fact allowed in the UK but not abroad. Continue reading...

Jack Sepple, 23, is accused of killing 19-year-old from British Columbia who he met on an online dating appA man has appeared in court charged with murdering his 19-year-old Canadian girlfriend, as her friends paid tribute to “a beautiful soul”.Jack Sepple, 23, is accused of killing Ashley Wadsworth at a property in Chelmsford on Tuesday. Essex police attended the address in Tennyson Road shortly after 4pm. Continue reading...

Alfredo Sánchez Chacón was supposed to remain behind bars until 2025 for the murder of a man in 1996A 63-year-old convicted murderer and former soldier known as the “Galician Rambo” because of his survival skills and history of jailbreaks has been arrested by police in north-west Spain after spending almost a year on the run.Alfredo Sánchez Chacón, who was supposed to remain behind bars until 2025 for the murder of a man in 1996 and other offences, failed to return to prison after being allowed out on a day pass last March. Continue reading...

Head of watchdog writing to PM and home secretary about England and Wales data, which excludes fraudThe head of the official statistics watchdog has reprimanded Boris Johnson and the Home Office for incorrectly saying crime has fallen by 14%, when this excludes the fastest-rising category of crime.Sir David Norgrove, the head of the UK Statistics Authority, said he would be writing to the offices of Johnson and Priti Patel, the home secretary, to highlight what he called a “misleading” use of statistics. Continue reading...

More than half of Black students said they had been victims of racism while living in halls of residenceUniversities and accommodation providers need to tackle the racism experienced by Black students in halls of residence, according to a report that found claims of “racially segregated” accommodation and widespread abuse from other students.More than half of Black students surveyed in the report said they had been victims of racism while living in UK student accommodation, and nearly two-thirds had witnessed racism. “These experiences ranged from insensitivity around things like hair or food, to the use of racial slurs, to spitting, shouting and physical violence,” the report, Living Black at University, said. Continue reading...

Paul Givan’s move triggers parallel departure of deputy first minister and could bring forward electionsThe first minister of Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionist party’s Paul Givan, has resigned, plunging the devolved government at Stormont into turmoil two years after power-sharing with Sinn Féin was restored.His resignation, over Brexit checks in the Irish Sea, will also bring the parallel departure of the Sinn Féin deputy first minister, Michelle O’Neill, under the power-sharing arrangements. Continue reading...

Deutsche Welle boss says retaliation by Moscow, including closure of its bureau, is ‘total overreaction’Russia is to expel the German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) in retaliation for a German ban on broadcasts by Russia’s RT.The foreign ministry said the press credentials of DW’s correspondents would be revoked, its bureau in Russia closed, and its German-language broadcasts would be banned from Russian satellite television in the near future. It said this was the first stage of its “retaliatory measures”. Continue reading...

Officials fear death toll from adulterated cocaine could increase, with 84 people currently in intensive careAuthorities in Argentina are advising drug consumers to throw away any cocaine they may have purchased in the last two days after at least 20 people died after ingesting adulterated cocaine in the Greater Buenos Aires area.Eighty-four others are are currently under intensive care, of which 20 have been intubated, but authorities fear the death toll could increase as further victims are found to have died alone at home. Continue reading...

Analysis: Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi’s killing by the US has to be set against January’s raid on a prison by IS, its biggest attack for yearsBeing an Islamic State leader is not what it used to be. The death of the latest IS supremo, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, far from the heartland of the terror group’s rise in Iraq in a frugal home in the back blocks of Syria, is another painful blow to an organisation that only five years ago held significant territory in both countries and cast a shadow across an entire region.Its slide ever since has been dramatic. Unable to hold land, its old guard wiped out, its finances shredded and rank and file depleted, IS looks – at face value – like a group that has had its day. And yet it still lurks amid the rubble of both countries, where it is slowly, yet assuredly stirring. Continue reading...

Joe Biden commended the US military for its overnight raid in north-west Syria which resulted in the death of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the Islamic State leader and one of the world’s most wanted men. The US president said the operation sent a strong message to terrorists around the world: 'We will come after you and find you'

Major parties set to present joint reports calling for controversial bill to be considered for passage through parliament

Ken O’Dowd wants the government to take Amnesty International’s report on Israel on board after Morrison said ‘no country is perfect’

While some locals at Belarusian border see no cause for concern, troops and tanks are ready to swing into actionStanding next to the snowy Belarusian border, Vladislav Gorban showed off Ukraine’s latest defences against Russian attack. New wooden posts topped with coils of gleaming razor wire ran alongside a slush-covered road. There was a shallow defensive ditch, dug some time ago, and a yellow and blue customs post. Plus a dog, used to sniff out narcotics.Gorban, a border guard, admitted Russian tanks would be able to smash through this flimsy ensemble of barricades and continue towards Kyiv, 140 miles away. But he had a warning. “If the Russians come, they can expect a nasty surprise,” he said, hinting at the new portable anti-tank weapons sent by the UK to Ukraine’s embattled pro-western government. Continue reading...

Teenage girl and two men found guilty of killing Dr Gary Jenkins, as Stonewall criticises language used during trialA 17-year-old girl and two men have been found guilty of the sadistic homophobic murder of a consultant psychiatrist in a city centre park.The three “tortured” Dr Gary Jenkins by kicking and punching him and stamping on his head for up to 30 minutes as he begged them to stop. Continue reading...

The leader of Islamic State has been killed during an overnight raid by US special forces in north-west Syria. Drone footage shows the aftermath of a pre-dawn attack on a property in the village of Atme, just south of the Turkish border, that led to up to 13 casualties. A senior US administration official said Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi detonated a bomb at the beginning of the operation that killed him and members of his family.

He has created some of the most memorable film scores of all time, including Jaws, Star Wars and ET. Is it time he was regarded as a great composer?There is a story that John Williams was working on Schindler’s List when he suggested to Steven Spielberg that he needed a better composer for his overwhelming Holocaust drama. “I know, but they’re all dead,” replied the director.The anecdote is redolent not only of Williams’s humble view of his handiwork but also speaks to the traditional gulf in perception between the populist Williams – he has the most entries of any living composer in Classic FM’s hall of fame – and the vaunted masters of classical music. Celebrating his 90th birthday on 8 February, Williams’s film work encompasses blockbusters (nine Star Wars movies, four Indiana Jones, three Harry Potters, two Jurassic Parks and the first Superman film) and serious historical fare (JFK, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln). Continue reading...

Unilateral move by Stormont agriculture minister sets UK on new collision course with BrusselsBoris Johnson has been ambushed by the Democratic Unionist party over its order to local border officials to halt all Brexit checks on food and farm products in Northern Ireland ports.The unilateral move by the Stormont agriculture minister, Edwin Poots, has set the UK on a new collision course with Brussels. Continue reading...

Mediation offers come as Russia accuses US of increasing tensions by sending soldiers to Romania and PolandCompeting mediation offers showered down on the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on Thursday as the Russian defence minister visited troops on the Ukraine border before unprecedented joint exercises with Belarus, due to start in a week’s time.The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on a trip to Kyiv, offered to host talks between Ukraine and Russia. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, prepared a fourth phone call in a week with Putin, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said he was planning a trip to Moscow. Continue reading...

Pro-democracy groups condemn Noeleen Heyzer’s comments in a TV interview, and maintain the junta is losing its gripThe UN special envoy to Myanmar has been widely rebuked for suggesting that pro-democracy activists should negotiate a power-sharing agreement with the country’s military, which is accused of atrocities including genocide.Almost 250 civil society organisations published a statement condemning the comments, warning they risked emboldening the military to commit “grave crimes with total impunity”. Continue reading...

Women required to attend separate classes and follow dress code at facilities in Kandahar and Helmand as they restart classes for first time since Taliban takeoverPublic universities in Kandahar and Helmand provinces in Afghanistan have reopened after being closed for nearly nine months, with some female students joining classes.Despite calls from education activists and students, universities and high schools across Afghanistan stayed shut after their usual summer break as the Taliban came to power. High schools have since reopened, but only for boys. Continue reading...

Opponents say central government planners’ decision ‘trashes’ local democracy and ignores climate impactThe government has been accused of “trashing” local democracy after overruling a council decision and approving the expansion of Bristol airport.An application by the airport to expand its capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers a year was refused by North Somerset council at the beginning of 2021, but after the airport appealed, central government planners overturned the decision. Continue reading...

As Jules et Jim gets a re-release in time for the 90th anniversary on Sunday of the French director’s birth, we pan across his greatest worksThis worldly comedy of love is an example of how Truffaut always aspired to something lighthearted with even a touch of Lubitschian comedy. But it’s a very 70s piece of work in its knowing and slightly louche celebration of male romantic conquest (it got a Hollywood remake directed by Blake Edwards with Burt Reynolds). Charles Denner plays Bertrand, a guy who loves all women with the passion of a connoisseur or a collector; at his funeral, the service is thronged with his female admirers. Continue reading...

Nuvaxovid is similar to flu jab and may have reduced side-effects, which could persuade vaccine holdouts

Vaccinations, milder Omicron and arrival of spring should keep death rate low as cases rise to all time high

Fifty years after Nixon and Mao’s historic handshake, the geopolitical world order is again being reshapedWhen the leaders of China and Russia meet in Beijing this Friday shortly before the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, observers of the bilateral relationship will be looking for insights into how this 21st century quasi-alliance is reshaping the postwar world order.It was 50 years ago this month, on 21 February 1972, that the historic handshake between Richard Nixon and Mao Zedong changed the geometry of the cold war. Historians called the visit “the week that changed the world”. It later influenced Washington’s subsequent movement towards détente with Moscow. Continue reading...

Drag queens enjoy mainstream success, yet their masculine-dress allies remain an exciting subculture. With so many artists now making waves, that may be about to changeIn an east London pub, the Glory, Adam All is pulling bras out from the pockets of his purple suit as he sings on stage. Cheeky, fun and dapper, he wears a glittery waistcoat over a gold satin shirt, his pink bow tie matching the shade of his rectangular glasses.All is a drag king; that is, usually a cisgender woman, transgender man or non-binary person performing in male or masculine drag on stage. This can include singing, lip-syncing and dancing. While drag queens have broken into the mainstream, largely thanks to the success of RuPaul’s Drag Race, their kingly counterparts have been confined to a more underground existence. Tonight, we are in a basement. Continue reading...

Bones of ice age mammoth, bison, rhinoceros, wolf and hyena uncovered by digger on outskirts of PlymouthThe remains of a woolly mammoth, rhinoceros, bison, wolf and hyena have been found in a cave system uncovered by a digger during the building of a new town in the south-west of England.Experts said the find at Sherford, a 5,500-home development on the outskirts of Plymouth, was “exceptional” and gave an astonishing glimpse into the megafauna that roamed what is now Devon between 30,000 and 60,000 years ago.Partial remains of a woolly mammoth, including a tusk, molar tooth and other bonesPartial remains of a woolly rhinoceros, including an incomplete skull and lower jawA virtually complete wolf skeletonPartial remains of hyena, horse, reindeer, mountain hare and red foxBones of various small mammals such as bats and shrews. It is anticipated that further bones of small mammals will be identified during post-excavation laboratory analysis. Continue reading...

As the alt-rockers release a live box set, their frontman answers your questions on Bowie, his 40 new Pixies songs and the alarming sexuality of his petsCome on Pilgrim is the greatest debut album by anyone, ever. Discuss. mungoslutI will partially agree, at least to appear humble. But seeing as I’m not so humble … I was listening to Murmur by REM a lot just before Come on Pilgrim and that was hugely influential on me as a songwriter. I’m going to be cocky and say: we were even better than Murmur. Continue reading...

Labour leader says Boris Johnson’s ‘repeated lies from the dispatch box’ are contaminating politics

(Domino)

Move by Ofgem means millions likely to be driven into fuel poverty unless government acts to ease cost of living crisisHouseholds will face a record energy bill increase of 54% from April after the regulator lifted the cap on default tariffs to £1,971.The energy regulator, Ofgem, lifted the maximum rate that suppliers can charge for an average dual-fuel energy tariff by £693, to reflect the fourfold increase in energy market prices over the last year. Continue reading...

Fifteen questions on general knowledge and topical trivia plus a few jokes every Thursday – how will you fare?Good news everyone! This week’s Thursday quiz introduces not one but two – TWO! – brand new regular features, which I am sure are going to prove as popular as the questions about Pokémon and the anagrams always did in the past. There are 15 questions on general knowledge and topical trivia, and along the way there is a hidden Doctor Who reference for you to spot for a bonus point, as well as the ever-welcome appearance of Kate Bush and Ron from Sparks. It is just for fun. There are no prizes. Let us know how you got on in the comments.The Thursday quiz, No 41If 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’s very busy getting ready for the Winter Olympics. Sign up for the daily Beijing Briefing from him here. Continue reading...

Former prime minister says axing contract ‘has undermined Australia’s honour, security and sovereignty’