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Diplomats now working to secure release of two more citizens after backpacker Olivier Grondeau finally freedFrance is stepping up efforts to secure the release of two more of its citizens in Iran after Tehran freed a French man imprisoned for more than 880 days.News that Olivier Grondeau, arrested in Iran in October 2022 and sentenced to five years on charges of spying, had returned to France was announced by Emmanuel Macron. Macron gave no details of the negotiations leading to his release, though it came on Nowruz, the Persian new year, when Iran has released prisoners in the past. Continue reading...

Show of unity marred by Viktor Orban refusing to back declaration of support for UkraineEU leaders - apart from Hungary's Viktor Orban - say they are ready to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions, as summit talks exposed a geographical divide on rearming Europe.Meeting in Brussels, the bloc agreed it was ready to levy further sanctions on Russia and strengthen existing measures after talks with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined by video link. Continue reading...

All nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine,' Zelenskyy said at a press conference in Norway. This live blog is closedSwedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson said he was cautiously optimistic" about the progress made on Ukraine, but was growing frustrated with Russia's ifs and buts" on ceasefire, adding it was up to Moscow to prove it" that it is serious about ending the conflict.He also pointed to later talks in the UK with army chiefs and planners as an important part of discussions on how Europe can support any future peace agreement. Continue reading...

Prime minister says the so-called coalition of the willing' needs to be ready to react right away amid talks between the US and RussiaNigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, has defended politicians who get involved in entertainment TV.In an article for the Daily Telegraph, he hit back at Kemi Badenoch, who used an interview with the paper earlier this week to dismiss Farage as just a reality TV phenomenon.Having appeal doesn't mean that people want you running their lives. That's one of the things that we need to make sure that we remind people.This isn't I'm A Celebrity or Strictly Come Dancing. You don't vote for the person that you're enjoying watching and then switch off when the show's over.Anyway, it's not as though I'm the first politician to have been prominent in the media. Ronald Reagan combined his early political activities with a film and TV career for 20 years, until the 1960s. When he announced in the 1970s that he wanted to become the US President, everybody said he was a B-Movie actor who stood no chance. These days, American conservatives look back on this two-term leader with a slight sense of awe in terms of his achievements.And what about Donald Trump? He was a well-known New York property developer from the 1970s onwards but it was his massive success with the reality to show The Apprentice from 2004 that put him in a position where he could win the nomination for the Republican Party.Kemi Badenoch has a problem. Most members of the public have no opinion of her. Even fewer know what she stands for. I have an idea for her. She could appear on a reality TV show herself. A spell in the I'm a Celebrity... jungle would be perfect. I'll gladly give her some tips if she wants to sign up for the next series. Continue reading...

Employees brace for president to transfer or privatize Postal Service, which they say will slash jobs and boost prices

Israeli military says it is conducting ground activities in northern Gaza Strip as health ministry reports 85 people killed by Israeli attacks overnightThe resumption of airstrikes has sent Palestinian residents again fleeing for their lives from homes they had begun to reinhabit among the ruins of the devastated territory.Some Palestinians who tried to use the Salahuddin road said they saw cars come under fire from Israeli troops advancing towards Netzarim, reports Reuters. The fate of the passengers in the vehicles was unknown. Continue reading...

Two other prisoners also plotted to attack far-right activist, who is challenging his segregation at jailA lifer" in the prison holding Tommy Robinson planned to kill the far-right activist while two other prisoners plotted to attack him to gain kudos and notoriety", the high court has been told.Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is seeking to bring a legal challenge against his segregation from other prisoners, which he claims is having an impact on his mental health. Continue reading...

George Glezmann was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist

Warm weather brings blue skies - and pollution warnings and high pollen countThursday has become the hottest day of the year in the UK so far as temperatures topped 20C.The Met Office said images showed plenty of blue skies across the UK, although high cloud in the west is making the sunshine hazy here" and in the sunshine across the south, temperatures have already reached 20C in a few spots". Continue reading...

Staffers at US Department of Education say severe cuts in the name of efficiency are having the opposite effect: You can't even quantify the loss'The education secretary, Linda McMahon, presented sweeping reductions at the US Department of Education as an efficiency drive, hailing firings and funding cuts as a significant step toward restoring the greatness" of the country's schools system.Staff inside the department disagree. Continue reading...

Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick's efforts to promote the tech CEO on Fox News backfired amid national protestsDonald Trump's commerce secretary told Americans to buy stock in Elon Musk's electric car company, only for shares in Tesla to keep falling.I think, if you want to learn something on this show tonight, buy Tesla," Howard Lutnick told Fox News on Wednesday. It's unbelievable that this guy's stock is this cheap. It'll never be this cheap again." Continue reading...

Former Moscow office of Herbert Smith Freehills made six payments totalling 3.9m to sanctioned banksHerbert Smith Freehills, the elite global law firm based in London, has been fined by the British government after its former Moscow office made millions of pounds in payments to sanctioned Russian banks.The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), said it had imposed a penalty of 465,000 on HSF Moscow, which was a subsidiary of HSF London until its closure in 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

People gather at city hall and students march in anger after arrest of Ekrem mamolu, a likely opposition candidate for presidencyOutside Istanbul's city hall on Wednesday night a mass of protesters gathered in the freezing air to defy a city-wide ban on gatherings. A banner bearing a portrait of the Istanbul mayor, Ekrem mamolu, giving a speech alongside the words sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation" covered part of the facade of his now vacant office.In dawn raids that morning police had detained mamolu, the only contender seen as capable of defeating Recep Tayyip Erdoan in presidential elections. For many residents of Turkey's largest city, the arrest symbolised how far the state was willing to go to remove a perceived threat to the incumbent president. Continue reading...

Extraordinary fear' takes hold at universities as Trump campaign threatens investigations or loss of federal fundsThe Trump administration's unprecedented pressure campaign on American higher education - which is forcing major universities to bow to its demands or risk investigations and the loss of millions of dollars in federal money - is so far facing little pushback from the schools affected.That campaign escalated earlier this month, when the US government cancelled $400m in federal contracts and grants to Columbia University. In a subsequent letter, representatives of three federal agencies said they would reconsider that freeze only if Columbia agreed to conditions including more aggressively disciplining students who engage in pro-Palestinian disruptions, planning comprehensive" reform of the school's admissions policies, and placing one of school's area studies departments under academic receivership" - meaning under the control of an outside chair. Continue reading...

Questions raised about whether Jitesh Gadhia's attendance at discussion between Accord Healthcare and government was within Lords rulesA peer attended a meeting where a healthcare company of which he is a director lobbied a government minister, raising questions about whether this was within the rules of the House of Lords.Jitesh Gadhia, an investment banker and City financier, is a non-executive director of Accord Healthcare. He attended the online meeting along with two Accord executives, according to official records, in 2021, when he was already on the board of the company. Continue reading...

NSW police have launched an investigation after a comment on TikTok referencing 2019 Christchurch massacreGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales police are investigating an alleged Islamophobic social media comment targeting Lakemba mosque in Sydney's west, with the state premier calling the post truly disgusting".The mosque in Sydney's west was targeted by a comment invoking an Australian man's terrorist attack in New Zealand in which 51 worshippers were murdered during prayers.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

Petroleum minister Jimmy Maladina was charged after police were called to a Bondi property in July 2024 and found a woman with facial injuries

It means no Tasmanian salmon companies are certified as meeting the RSPCA-approved standard, its chief executive says

Independent care providers say the government's planned increases will push many to the brink

This blog is now closedIsraeli government does not have a lot of palatable options' - SharmaThe Liberal senator and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma was up on ABC News Breakfast earlier to discuss the latest strikes carried out by Israel on Gaza.If any of us were in their position, we would be single-mindedly focused on the return of our loved ones. I can understand that. This is a politically contentious issue in Israel, there's no walking away from that, but I don't think the government has a lot of good choices.Continuing the ceasefire was not going to lead to the release of further hostages, at least according to the mediators involved in the talks. Hamas had basically said they weren't planning on returning any more. As I said, in that situation, the Israeli government does not have a lot of palatable options. Continue reading...

More than 12,800 stores shut in 2024, down on 2023, but extra costs expected to take toll this year, study suggestsThe UK's high streets are expected to empty out at a faster pace this year as extra costs imposed on businesses by Rachel Reeves are blamed for shops closing and a slowdown in chain store openings.The rate of store closures is forecast to rise again as a result of the chancellor's tax-raising budget last October, after a slowdown to 10 a day last year from 13 a day in 2023, according to research. Continue reading...

Activists in world's third-largest democracy warn the legal changes signal a return to military dominance in civilian affairs that characterised Suharto yearsIndonesia has ratified controversial changes to its military law allowing armed forces personnel to hold more civilian posts, a move that analysts fear could usher in a resurgence of the military in government affairs.Activists in the world's third-largest democracy have criticised the revisions, warning they signal a return to Indonesia's New Order" era, when the country was led by former authoritarian ruler Suharto, who stepped down in 1998. Continue reading...

Police say officers were responding to 999 call at time of collision in Acocks Green on Wednesday eveningA man has died after a collision involving a police car and a pedestrian.Birmingham police said the incident happened near the junction of Yardley Road and Florence Road in Acocks Green, Birmingham, just before 7pm on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Small group of hardened young offenders' also added to increase according to new data released before Allan government's Tough Bail Bill' goes before parliament

Nearly half of female entrepreneurs surveyed by Cherie Blair Foundation do not have regular internet accessThe cost of a mobile data package is all that is holding back many female entrepreneurs in developing countries, according to recent research.While social media marketing is reported to be crucial by female business owners who have access to it, 45% of women in business in low- and middle-income countries said they did not have regular internet access because of the expense and connection issues. Continue reading...

About 70 pages of director's handwritten notes for the New Wave classic were found after more than 60 yearsThe only known script for Jean-Luc Godard's seminal New Wave film Breathless (A Bout de Souffle) will be auctioned later this year after coming to light for the first time in more than 60 years.About 70 pages of Godard's handwritten notes and synopses of some of the most famous scenes, including the movie's dramatic opening, were discovered in the estate of the celebrated producer Georges de Beauregard. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Penny Wong says diplomats are consulting US government and engaging with countries in our region' to determine need for additional support

Researchers receive memo notifying temporary' funding pause prompting push for Australian government to pursue European partnerships

Labor and Coalition shoot back at criticism, with the PM saying subsidies on medicine isn't about delivering for big pharma'

Detained after taking a leading role in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University, the graduate has called himself a political prisoner. Chris McGreal reportsThis month Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate who had worked with human rights groups and even the UK government, was detained in New York. His wife, who is eight months pregnant, said her husband was not told why he was being detained and that officers assumed he was on a visa - but actually he has a green card, allowing him to stay in the US and protecting his constitutional rights.Khalil says his detention is part of a crackdown on dissent - and to deter others from protesting. During pro-Palestine protests on the Columbia campus last year he acted as a mediator between the university and the demonstrators, and, unlike many students, left his face uncovered. Then Donald Trump was elected US president and promised to clamp down on student protests. Continue reading...

Lawyers for former judge say he has filed application with federal court disputing lawfulness of ACT Integrity Commission report

Operator of the Inverell swimming pool said police were called on children who refused to cease antisocial behaviour'

Australian National Imams Council labels proposal opportunistic' as Jewish Council of Australia says opposition pitting different communities against each other'

Election pledge part of Albanese's focus on cheaper medicines as a cost-of-living measure that will also help reduce inflation

Report from the Commons transport select committee calls for a unified complaints serviceDisabled people's access to transport has been called a national embarrassment" by MPs on a parliamentary committee, who said a new enforcement regime was needed to uphold their right to travel.A report from the Commons transport select committee highlighted the experience of people with disabilities in using British transport services, from accounts of wheelchair users left on planes to taxi drivers refusing to take a guide dog, or people being unable to navigate pavements blocked by obstructions. Continue reading...

Thinktank predicts PM will not realise ambition for 92% of patients in England to wait less than 18 weeks for planned care by 2029Keir Starmer is unlikely to fulfil his pledge to restore the maximum 18-week wait for planned hospital care before the next election, a leading thinktank has said.The prime minister has made bringing back the 18-week access standard in England, by ensuring that 92% of patients are seen within that time, one of the six milestones" he has promised to achieve by 2029. Continue reading...

World Happiness Report 2024 finds volunteering more frequent in most regions as Finland tops chart again and Costa Rica and Mexico enter top 10The world experienced a benevolence bump" of kindness during the Covid-19 pandemic that has remained, with generous acts more than 10% above pre-pandemic levels.The annual World Happiness Report found that in 2024, acts such as donating and volunteering were more frequent than in 2017-19 in all generations and almost all global regions, although they had fallen from 2023. Continue reading...

Experts say planned cuts will deliver series of painful income shocks' for manySome disabled people could lose nearly 10,000 a year in benefits by the end of the decade under Labour's controversial disability benefits reforms that will target the living standards of poor and middle income households, experts have forecast.Plans announced on Tuesday will see 1 million ill and disabled people directly lose personal independence payments (Pip) worth between 4,2oo and 6,300 each, with hundreds of thousands more losing incapacity benefits. Continue reading...

China's embassy in Canada says it is rule of law' country and those convicted of breaking laws must be held accountable'

Findings raise questions about extent and scope of Canadian authorities' use of cyberweaponsResearchers have uncovered possible links" between Ontario's provincial police force and an Israel-based military-grade spyware maker called Paragon Solutions, raising questions about the extent and scope of Canadian authorities' use of cyberweapons.The new findings were published by the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, which tracks and identifies digital threats against civil society, and come three years after a parliamentary committee in Canada called for Ottawa to update the country's privacy laws in the wake of press reports that the national police force had been using spyware to hack mobile phone devices. No laws were ever passed to address the controversy. Continue reading...

National Transportation Safety Board releases preliminary report on loss of aircraft that killed all 10 onboardA commuter plane that crashed on sea ice off Alaska, killing all 10 people onboard, was half a ton overweight for the weather conditions, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report released on Wednesday.The report said the plane was too heavy for conditions that cause icing at the speed and altitude it was flying. Continue reading...

Ekrem mamolu of CHP opposition party detained alongside 100 others accused of corruption and links to terror groupsTurkish police have arrested the mayor of Istanbul, detaining the primary challenger to the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, in dawn raids that also ensnared 100 politicians, businesspeople and municipal officials accused of corruption and links to terror groups.Ekrem mamolu, the mayor, released a video statement as police gathered outside his residence in Istanbul, speaking to the camera as he put on a shirt and tie before his arrest. In a caption accompanying the video posted to social media, he wrote: This is a blow to the will of the people." Continue reading...

Labour MPs uneasy as chancellor prepares even deeper reductions that economists say will harm key servicesRachel Reeves will announce the biggest spending cuts since austerity at next week's spring statement after ruling out tax rises as a way to close her budget deficit.The chancellor will tell MPs next Wednesday that she intends to cut Whitehall budgets by billions of pounds more than previously expected in a move which could mean reductions of as much as 7% for certain departments over the next four years. Continue reading...

Crime commissioner calls for national database after Nicholas Prosper, 19, bought shotgun by forging firearms licenceGun controls are set to be tightened after a teenager who bought a shotgun by forging a firearms licence was jailed for life for murdering his family and planning a school massacre.The full details of Nicholas Prosper's failed plot to storm a morning assembly at his old school and kill 30 children in a bid to become famous for being the worst mass murderer in British history were made public this week. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy said he accepted US proposal of unconditional ceasefire on frontline in substantive' conversation with TrumpOpening the press conference, Finland's Stubb says Europe faces one of those moments of choices between two different worlds: Yalta or Helsinki; in other words, spheres of influence or equal rights and duties for all states."He stresses that Ukraine has an undeniable right to defend itself on its own and supported by its partner," a right that cannot be restricted in any way," dismissing Russian demands to halt help for Kyiv.The principles of international law and the European security order have not changed, and there is no need to start changing them.Independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. These are the principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki charter. Continue reading...

Tory leader provides no evidence to support position that flies in face of expert reports and her own wordsThe Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, officially ditched net zero by 2050 as a Tory policy this week. The target was signed into law in June 2019 by her predecessor Theresa May, the then prime minister. So what arguments did Badenoch make for reversing? Continue reading...

UN calls for investigation after staff member among 20 people reportedly killed in renewed airstrikesIsraeli forces have launched a limited ground operation" to retake the Netzarim corridor, a newly widened road protected by fortified bunkers that divides Gaza and is seen as essential to controlling the devastated Palestinian territory.The move is a significant escalation of Israel's new offensive in Gaza and came less than 36 hours after a massive wave of airstrikes that killed more than 400, including 183 children and 94 women, the health ministry there said. Continue reading...

Tech companies could be fined billions if EU finds they have breached the Digital Markets Act

Harshita Brella moved to the UK last April with Pankaj Lamba, who is believed to have fled the countryA murder charge has been authorised against the husband of a woman found dead in a car boot in London.Harshita Brella, 24, was found in a silver Vauxhall Corsa on Brisbane Road, Ilford, east London, on 14 November last year. Her husband, Pankaj Lamba, 23, who is believed to have fled the country, was also charged with two counts of rape, sexual assault and controlling or coercive behaviour, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Continue reading...

Rapper is honoured for his philanthropic work alongside the likes of John Rutter, Angela Davis and Simon Russell BealeStormzy has been awarded an honorary law doctorate from the University of Cambridge, to recognise his philanthropic work.The rapper, 31, has initiated various schemes across sport and the arts outside his chart-topping music career, such as founding his Merky Books imprint which champions Black British authors, and buying out the football team AFC Croydon Athletic with the intention of turning it into a community asset". Continue reading...