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Singh, who has pleaded not guilty to murder, owned Alfa Romeo sedan similar' to one seen on CCTV in areas where Cordingley's phone was located, jury told

Court played body-worn camera footage of comments by Nicholas Bolzonello who has given evidence in the trial

Review follows rare spat between top prosecutors and judges, the latter suggesting a lack of rational interrogation' over sexual assault allegations

Charity sounds alarm over gender gap - but finds children enthusiastic about measures to make cycling easierAlmost twice as many boys as girls routinely cycle in the UK, a pioneering report on young people's active travel has found.The study, led by the charity Sustrans, also found strong support among children for measures to help them cycle and walk, such as dedicated bike lanes, slower traffic speeds and barring motor vehicles from outside schools. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: The prime minister announced a significant increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, funded entirely by a cut in the aid budgetGood morning.On Tuesday, Keir Starmer confirmed that the government will increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with plans to raise it further to 3% during the next parliament. The announcement marks the biggest increase in defence spending since the end of the cold war, but the even bigger surprise came with the announcement that the additional funding would come directly from the overseas aid budget, which will fall from 0.5% to 0.3% of GDP - a cut of around 6bn.Ukraine | Donald Trump has said that Volodymyr Zelenskyy is likely to visit the White House on Friday to sign a rare earth minerals deal worth $500bn to pay for US military aid.Gaza | Israel is seeking to extend the first stage of the ceasefire agreement in the war with Hamas in Gaza and is prepared to resume fighting if there is no progress in crucial talks this week, according to reports.Health | Wes Streeting will axe thousands of jobs at NHS England after his ousting of its chair and chief executive in what health service staff fear is a power grab. The health secretary's plan follows Amanda Pritchard's shock announcement on Monday that she was stepping down as the organisation's chief executive next month. She will be replaced, for the foreseeable future, by Sir Jim Mackey.Education | British universities have been warned to stress-test" all assessments after new research revealed almost all" undergraduates are using generative artificial intelligence in their studies. A survey of 1,000 students - both domestic and international - found there had been an explosive increase" in the use of genAI in the past 12 months. 88% said they used tools such as ChatGPT for their assessments, up from 53% last year.BBC | The BBC has admitted that it fell short and failed people" by not dealing with bullying and misogynistic" behaviour by its former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood. A major external inquiry found it missed opportunities" that could have led to action. The inquiry was triggered by a 2022 Guardian-BBC News joint investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour by the DJ. Continue reading...

Opposition leader says he made required disclosures to parliamentary register and defends lucrative property and share investments

Rise comes from very low base and remains far below the 2.1 births per woman needed to stabilise populationSouth Korea's birthrate rose last year for the first time in nine years, as a surge in marriages raised hopes that the country may be lifting itself out of its demographic crisis.Preliminary data released by the government body Statistics Korea on Wednesday showed that the number of babies born per 1,000 people in 2024 stood at 4.7, the first rise since 2014. Continue reading...

Northvolt, which claims to run Europe's first homegrown gigafactory, admits it depends on Chinese suppliers for cathode active materialThe Swedish startup Northvolt has admitted that a vital component of its batteries is imported amid claims that the company, which claims to run Europe's first homegrown gigafactory, depends on Chinese suppliers.It comes as a documentary programme to be shown in Sweden on Wednesday by the national broadcaster SVT, exposes the company's failure to build a truly homegrown battery after its attempts to produce its own cathode active material at its Northvolt Ett factory in Skelleftea, northern Sweden, were unsuccessful. Continue reading...

Court orders compensation to be paid to 30-year-old from Bangalore, saying in the new era, time is considered as money, each one's time is very precious'For some, the adverts that precede the start of a film are the bane of a trip to the cinema; for others, they are a useful buffer as you stand in the popcorn queue.But for one man in India, the lengthy marathon of cinema advertising was so infuriating that he took the matter to the courts - and won. Continue reading...

Recently married couple selected to look after Great Blasket, the largest island on Europe's most westerly archipelagoA young couple in search of a new chapter in their lives are swapping creature comforts for life on an otherwise uninhabited island off the coast of Ireland with no hot water, stable electricity or cars.Camille Rosenfeld, from Minnesota in the US, and James Hayes, from Tralee in County Kerry, have been chosen to be this year's live-in caretakers of Great Blasket, the largest island of the most westerly archipelago in Europe. Continue reading...

Concerns also raised that practice prevents young working-class people from finding paid work in creative industriesArts employers could be breaking the law by relying on unpaid interns to perform roles that should be left to paid workers, preventing young people from working-class backgrounds from gaining a foothold, experts have said.Institutions are getting away with exploiting carve-outs in employment legislation to keep interns working for free, they said, which stops working-class people from finding paid work in the industry. Continue reading...

Federal Labor promises $2bn for Sunshine station, but premier couldn't give date for when rail line will be finished

Opposition leader says Albanese failing to answer basic questions' as PM claims civilian and military notification happened at around the same time'

Grocery chain, which has also been rocked by industrial disruptions at warehouses, suffers a near 21% drop in its six-month net profit

Comments at Senate estimates came after Daily Telegraph editor said it never intended to provoke an incident' but approach could have been better-handled'

In 2023 the federal court ordered $27.5m compensation for an initial estimated 220 Indonesian children wrongly detained, but that number has now doubledThe Australian government has revealed that another 200 Indonesian children may have been wrongly detained as adult people smugglers, almost double the number initially thought.Late in 2023, the federal court ordered $27.5m in compensation for an estimated 220 Indonesian children who were wrongly detained as adult people smugglers between 2010 and 2012. Continue reading...

Chile's biggest blackout in 15 years hits from Arica to Los Lagos, testing one of South America's top power gridsA sweeping blackout has hit Chile, stranding commuters, knocking out traffic lights, paralyzing countless businesses and leaving most of the South American country without electricity.The National Electrical Coordinator, Chile's grid operator, said a disruption had occurred in a high-voltage transmission line that carries power from the Atacama Desert of northern Chile to the capital of Santiago in the country's central valley. Continue reading...

US district judge in Seattle says Trump's executive order exceeded his powers by shutting down programA federal judge has blocked Donald Trump's attempt to suspend the US's refugee admission system after ruling that the move exceeded his powers.The ruling, from US district judge Jamal Whitehead, stated that Trump's executive order affecting refugee admissions, issued on the day of his inauguration, amounted to an illegal usurpation of the powers of Congress. Continue reading...

Trump administration employees refuse to help billionaire slash size of federal government through mass firingsMore than 20 civil service employees resigned on Tuesday from Elon Musk's so-called department of government efficiency" (Doge), saying they were refusing to use their technical expertise to dismantle critical public services".We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the constitution across presidential administrations," the 21 staffers wrote in a joint resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by the Associated Press. However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments." Continue reading...

Analyst, who is about to turn 65, said the upcoming federal election would be the last he covers on air

We're not going to fund failure,' says governor, who warned local authorities they could lose out on millions of dollarsCalifornia's governor warned cities and counties that they could lose out on hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding if they don't make progress in clearing out encampments and tackling homelessness.Gavin Newsom's comments on Monday, while announcing $920m in funding to address the crisis, come as he escalates efforts to push local governments to take greater action. Last summer, Newsom told counties he could withhold state support if they failed to do more homeless encampment sweeps. Continue reading...

The initiative, established by executive order, is touted to protect US skies from attacks, much like Israel's systemDonald Trump's Iron Dome for America initiative for a missile defense system protecting US skies from attack has been reportedly renamed the Golden Dome for America.In a video published on Thursday, secretary of defense Pete Hegseth referred to the project as the Golden Dome or Iron Dome". A defense official confirmed shortly after that the name of the initiative has been officially changed to Golden Dome", according to military news website Defense One. Continue reading...

NHS staff fear power grab by health department as health secretary looks to shrink body due to duplication' of rolesWes Streeting will axe thousands of jobs at NHS England after his ousting of its chair and chief executive in what health service staff fear is a power grab.The health secretary's plan follows Amanda Pritchard's shock announcement on Monday that she was stepping down as the organisation's chief executive next month. Continue reading...

PM's Washington trip clear impetus for abrupt news of budget switch to meet defence commitment by 2027

Cottrell, who served eight months for fraud, paid 15,000 for Reform party leader's flight to US in DecemberNigel Farage's trip to Florida where he met Elon Musk was part-funded by his friend and former fraudster George Cottrell, who paid for his 15,000 flight.The Reform leader accepted the flight for his visit in December last year, when he was pictured smiling with Musk and the Reform party treasurer, Nick Candy. Continue reading...

Announcement prompts concerns that PM is pandering to US president and warnings over consequences of aid cutsKeir Starmer has announced that Britain will fight for peace in Europe" with a generational increase in defence spending paid for by slashing the foreign aid budget.The move, just two days before the prime minister is due to meet Donald Trump, raised immediate concerns that he was pandering to the US president, and fury from aid groups that say it could cost lives in countries that rely on UK support. Continue reading...

Corporation apologises as inquiry finds it missed opportunities that could have led to action over former Radio 1 DJ's behaviourThe BBC has admitted it fell short and failed people" - including its own staff - and apologised after finding evidence of bullying and misogynistic" behaviour by its former Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood.A 3.3m external inquiry published on Tuesday found the broadcaster missed opportunities" during the DJ's two decades at the organisation that could have led to action. The inquiry was triggered by a 2022 Guardian and BBC News joint investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and predatory behaviour by the DJ. Continue reading...

After Sunday's election the far-right party has decided to allow Maximilian Krah and Matthias Helferich to return to the parliamentary groupTwo politicians for the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) who were sidelined over remarks they made relating to the Nazis have been welcomed back into its parliamentary group after the party's historic performance in the German general election.Maximilian Krah resigned from the AfD's federal executive board before the European elections last June after telling an Italian newspaper that not all members of Adolf Hitler's SS had been automatically criminals". Continue reading...

Head of lobbying firm Blakeney says industry concerned about perceived lack of transparency and trust

PM confirms rise in military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 - three years earlier than planned

Cost of damages over three years is almost three times estimated GDP of Ukraine for 2024, says report by Ukraine government, World Bank, European Commission and UNUkraine's presidential press service has issued a photograph showing president Volodymyr Zelenskyy introducing the world leaders visiting Kyiv some new developments in Ukraine's defence industry.British prime minister Keir Starmer is set to announce a cut to the country's aid budget to immediately hike defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, ahead of his visit to the White House on Thursday, according to The Sun. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer says now is the time to deepen European security, as he announces new defence budget by 2027The rightwing historian Niall Ferguson is in the audience for Badenoch's speech, according to James Heale from the Spectator.Niall Ferguson spotted at Kemi Badenoch's big speech on foreign affairs... hearing we might get some policy tooTractors' horns interrupt Badenoch's speech shortly after she begins speaking. Attendant spinner heard swearing furiously Continue reading...

Kyle Diamantas, a Florida attorney with ties to Trump Jr, will oversee about 80% of US food supply, per Vanity FairThe acting federal government official overseeing the vast majority of the US's food supply is a Florida attorney who reportedly is a hunting buddy of Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest child and namesake.As Vanity Fair reported, acting deputy commissioner for human foods at the Food and Drug Administration Kyle Diamantas will be responsible for overseeing all FDA activities related to nutrition and food safety for the elder Donald Trump's second presidential administration. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our European news coverage hereThe London summit is understood to be still in planning and would serve as a forum for European leaders to get debriefed on both Macron and Starmer's conversations with Trump during their respective visits to the White House and to consider implications for European and Ukrainian security.It so happens that Starmer is due to speak in UK parliament in the next half hour, so we could get an official confirmation of what Tusk said.I hope that this greater [defence] mobilisation of Europe, of member states and Europe more broadly, will become a fact.[Before meeting at the next European Council,] we will be in London on Sunday, together with our British friends and a group of leaders, to talk about these joint plans on defence. Continue reading...

Bhim Kohli died the day after allegedly being assaulted while walking his dog in a Leicester parkTwo children used racist taunts during a fatal attack on an 80-year-old man in which he was slapped in the face with a shoe while kneeling on the ground, a court has heard.Bhim Kohli died on 2 September last year, the day after he was allegedly assaulted by a balaclava-clad 14-year-old boy in Franklin Park, in the Braunstone Town area of Leicester, while walking his dog near his home. Continue reading...

Israel ready to resume fighting if there is no progress in crucial talks this week, reports sayIsrael is seeking to extend the first stage of the ceasefire agreement in the war with Hamas in Gaza and is prepared to resume fighting if there is no progress in crucial talks this week, according to reports.Israel's Kan Radio, along with Ma'ariv, a daily newspaper, reported on Tuesday that informal talks were under way aimed at extending the first 42-day stage of the ceasefire, which expires on Saturday. Official internationally mediated negotiations on how to implement the second stage - which would involve a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Palestinian territory - were supposed to begin weeks ago, but have been repeatedly postponed as the fragile truce has lurched from crisis to crisis. Continue reading...

Man had been arrested but not charged after claims he attempted to engage in sexual activity during a livestreamed videoA man who is believed to have killed himself on the M4 outside Bristol on Saturday had been arrested recently after being accused online by a self-proclaimed online child protection team".Avon and Somerset police said they had made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after previous police contact with the deceased. Continue reading...

Data from UN agency's Missing Migrants Project should serve as wake-up call', say officialsA record number of children died in the Channel last year according to UN data shared with the Guardian that officials have said should serve as a wake-up call".Last year, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) Missing Migrants Project recorded the highest number of deaths and missing persons in the Channel, with 82 people losing their lives, at least 14 of whom were children - also a record high. Continue reading...

Democrats in Nevada push bill that would provide further relief for tipped workers who can be paid as little as $2.13Donald Trump began the second term of his presidency last month with a victory lap at a rally in Las Vegas, Nevada, a key swing state he flipped in 2024, by reaffirming his campaign promise to pass a proposal to abolish taxes on tips.Nearly 6 million workers around the US rely on tips for most of their income. Under federal law, tipped workers can be paid as little as $2.13 an hour, a minimum that has not changed since 1991. Only seven states, Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, have banned the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers. Continue reading...

Moscow praises Washington for siding with it at UN, as European nations abstain in deepening rift with US

Ofgem's bigger than expected 111 rise is third consecutive increase in energy price cap

Broadcaster's chief people officer Deena Amorelli tells Senate estimates ABC will apologise' for argument

This blog is now closed

Murder trial begins more than six years after 24-year-old's body was found half-buried in sand at Wangetti beach, north of Cairns

In Reynolds' final Senate estimates, Gallagher defends her actions and declares my conscience is clear'

Poverty charity urges Keir Starmer to focus on living standards instead of culture wars and immigrationLabour is losing support fastest among voters who feel economically insecure, according to a report urging Keir Starmer to focus on boosting living standards, rather than on culture wars and immigration.The prime minister has faced calls from some backbench Labour MPs to take a tougher stance on migration and crime amid growing concern over the rise of Reform UK, Nigel Farage's rightwing populist party, in the opinion polls. Continue reading...

Dog walker's close encounter prompts debate over whether the animals, once native to UK, should remainSightings of wild boar on Dartmoor have raised suspicions a guerrilla rewilder has been releasing them - and prompted a debate over whether they should be allowed to remain.Videos of a group of boar on the moors in Devon were posted online earlier this month, and a dog walker has recently complained of a close encounter with one of them, which frightened his pet. Continue reading...

Yindjibarndi people allege mining giant did not get permission from native title holders, while company says community disharmony' is not its fault

Senior doctors claim they were subjected to months of physical abuse, as UN calls for release of those still detained

Mixing flattery and firmness, the French president sought to heal the transatlantic schism over Ukraine, giving Keir Starmer a tough act to followIt was a delicate balancing act for the man once considered Europe's Trump whisperer".Emmanuel Macron, the French president, was seated in the Oval Office gently trying to factcheck Donald Trump in real time as the US president pushed a narrative that Ukraine had taken advantage of US support during its defense against Russia's full-scale invasion. Now, said Trump, it is time to get paid back. Continue reading...