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Changes to political donation rules are moving through parliament, and one man will be affected the most

This liveblog has now closed. Read the Observer's report of today's developments hereAgence France-Presse has some more on Olaf Scholz's comments today at the Munich Security Conference.On Ukraine, the German chancellor said:We will also not accept any solution that leads to a decoupling of European and American security. Only one person would benefit from this: President Putin.We Europeans will represent these interests confidently and unitedly in the upcoming negotiations." Continue reading...

A suspect was detained in the city of Villach after a 14-year-old boy diedA 14-year-old boy has died and five other people have been injured in a knife attack in southern Austria on Saturday, according to police, who said they had arrested a 23-year-old suspect.The suspect was detained in the city of Villach, where the attack took place, police said on Saturday. He is a Syrian national with legal residence in Austria, they said. Continue reading...

Vehicle and firearm recovered at Dartford crossing after woman in 40s killed in KnockholtA woman in her 40s has died after a shooting at a Kent pub, police have said.She was shot at the Three Horseshoes in the village of Knockholt on Valentine's Day evening, Kent police said. Continue reading...

The opposition leader doesn't want to give oxygen to distractions that might appear divisive - and Liberal insiders believe it's the right choice

Allies want to give Conservative leader more time, but many insist her approach to Keir Starmer needs total overhaulKemi Badenoch is being urged to overhaul her approach to prime minister's questions and bring in more experienced advisers to prepare for the weekly political joust, amid criticisms of her approach to taking on Keir Starmer.Some MPs are complaining that their fledgling leader is raising the wrong topics and picking unconvincing lines of attack against the prime minister at PMQs, which is her most prominent opportunity to make the political weather. Others have been concerned about the level of support for her from colleagues during the exchanges. Continue reading...

An investigation has exposed the tech firm's cooperation with autocratic regimes to remove unfavourable contentGoogle has cooperated with autocratic regimes around the world, including the Kremlin in Russia and the Chinese Communist party, to facilitate censorship requests, an Observer investigation can reveal.The technology company has engaged with the administrations of about 150 countries since 2011 that want information scrubbed from their public domains. Continue reading...

The district of Plaka dates to neolithic times but a new wave of development is luring more tourists - and local people are fighting backIn a neoclassical building in Athens on the oldest street of one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the western world, residents gathered last week with much on the minds.Items on the agenda included noise pollution, congestion and other modern afflictions, but there was one that was met with instant relief: Haris Doukas, the city's mayor, had decided to set up a taskforce to save Plaka, the ancient quarter at the heart of the capital's historic centre. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more of our Middle East coverage here:

Craig and Lindsay Foreman named by relatives who say they are engaging with UK government about situationA British couple who have been detained in Iran have been named by their family as Craig and Lindsay Foreman.The family spoke of their concern at the distressing situation" facing the Foremans, who are being held in Kerman, Iran. Continue reading...

Hostages and prisoners reunited with loved ones as political concerns turn to second phase of truce Middle East crisis - live updatesHamas has freed three Israeli hostages from Gaza and Israel has released 369 Palestinian prisoners and detainees in its custody, the sixth exchange in a fragile month-old ceasefire that almost collapsed earlier this week.On Saturday morning, Hamas and its ally Palestinian Islamic Jihad deployed about 200 fighters to take part in a choreographed handover ceremony in a square in the southern town of Khan Younis. Continue reading...

The US vice-president was hypocritical and insensitive, but bracingly clear in his resetting of relationships Europe live - latest updatesSince 1963, the Munich Security Conference has seen many consequential speeches, notably Vladimir Putin announcing in 2007 that Russia would never accept a subordinate role in the new world order. But Friday's speech by JD Vance, the US vice-president, has the potential to be the most consequential - the moment the world order against which Putin railed fell apart.Sometimes, even in this digital age, speeches can act as clarifiers. Yes, the 22 minutes were full of laughable hypocrisy, distorted portraits of European democracy and insensitivity to Europe's trauma with fascism, but for what it said about the chasm in values between most in Europe and the Trump administration, it was hard to overlook. Continue reading...

David Butler survived being drugged and robbed in 2021 by Danette Colbert, now tied to death of Adan ManzanoA man who survived being drugged and robbed of more than $134,000 by a woman linked to the death of a television sports journalist covering the recent Super Bowl in New Orleans said he wants to see her go to jail for as long as she can" after she was let off with probation in his case.David Butler, 52, also said he had tried to warn both the public and the courthouse that handled his case against Danette Colbert that she might end up killing someone" if left unchecked. Continue reading...

US vice-president's comments, part of a wide-ranging tirade against Europe, called inaccurate and misogynisticJD Vance has been labelled an extremist" after he launched a broadside against the UK's efforts to protect women seeking an abortion.The US vice-president's criticisms of UK and Scottish policies on safe access zones around abortion clinics -part of a wide-ranging tirade against Europe on Friday - were derided as inaccurate and misogynistic by a number of groups, politicians and governments. Continue reading...

Labour peer will ask the government about the Duke of York's conduct after calling for greater scrutiny of the royals in parliamentThe government is to face questions about Prince Andrew and other members of the royal family's use of public money after talks to overcome restrictions on scrutinising the monarchy in parliament.Labour peer George Foulkes has had the first of what he intends to be a number of questions about Andrew accepted, after helpful" discussions last week with the deputy speaker in the House of Lords, John Gardiner. Their talks came after Lord Foulkes said recently that he had been refused permission to table a question proposing a public register of royal interests. He has called for greater scrutiny of the royals, including in parliament. Continue reading...

Rodent infestation and out-of-date food was found across government canteens and cafes in recent inspectionsWhitehall's restaurants and bars have often been the scene of a grubby deal or plot in the occasionally dirty business of politics. But, according to a series of health inspections, they have needed to clean up their acts in more ways than one.Instances of mouse-nibbled snacks, repeated discoveries of their droppings, mouldy veg and other serious hygiene issues have been raised in recent years in inspections of canteens, cafes and restaurants across Westminster, the Observer can reveal. In one case, the inspector warned that eating in one government department's canteen posed an imminent risk of injury to health". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Foreign minister says she sought meeting with the north London Premier League club to discuss sponsorship by country accused of aiding armed rebelsArsenal Football Club has been accused of delivering an outrageous" snub to the Congolese government by not meeting the foreign minister to discuss its sponsorship deal with Rwanda.Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who was in London this week to raise concerns over Rwanda's support for the M23 militia, said she attempted to meet Arsenal officials to discuss the club's Visit Rwanda sponsorship deal. Continue reading...

Wildlife charity backs policy of exploitation of small number of some endangered species for economic purposes - such as trophy huntingThe wildlife charity WWF has been working to support the trade in polar bear fur at the same time as using images of the bears to raise money, it can be revealed.Polar bears are severely affected by the loss of Arctic sea ice, which makes seeking prey harder and forces the bears to use more energy. In some regions, polar bears are showing signs of declining physical condition, having fewer cubs, and dying younger. Continue reading...

Gen Lord Richard Dannatt warns strategic review risks being hollow' and a failure' if spending is not increasedKeir Starmer will be consigned to the bin of history" if he fails to raise defence spending, a former head of the British army has said.Gen Lord Richard Dannatt believes the forthcoming strategic defence review risks being hollow" and a failure" unless the prime minister and his chancellor, Rachel Reeves, find ways of increasing the defence budget. Continue reading...

Vets are undertaking a necropsy to determine why beloved 20-year-old animal suddenly died on Saturday morning

With a new HQ and digital-savvy staff, Reform UK is trying to tighten its operation - but there are tensions over fringe views and trouble brewing at the grassroots

Rebels make rapid advance into capital of South Kivu province, less than a month after taking GomaRebels from the Rwandan-backed M23 group have entered Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after a rapid advance south in recent days.M23 fighters entered the city's Kazingu and Bagira zone and late on Friday were advancing towards the centre of the city of about 1 million people. Gunfire rang out but the rebel forces encountered little resistance. Shops and businesses had long closed and frightened civilians fled. Continue reading...

Storm quickly weakened after making landfall east of Port Hedland with strongest parts hitting remote areas

Attorney general declines to refer Axel Rudakubana's 52-year minimum sentence to unduly lenient sentence schemeThe sentence of the Southport killer will not be referred to the court of appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme, the attorney general has said.Axel Rudakubana, 18, was handed a 52-year minimum sentence for murdering three girls at a dance class, the second-longest sentence imposed by the courts in English history, but the Southport MP Patrick Hurley previously asked the attorney general to review the sentence as unduly lenient", saying it is not severe enough". Continue reading...

Firefighters from across the capital sent to popular venueThe popular celebrity venue Chiltern Firehouse in London will remain closed until further notice after a fire forced about 100 people to evacuate on Friday lunchtime.The London fire brigade (LFB) said 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines attended the blaze at the restaurant and luxury hotel on Chiltern Street in Marylebone after a 999 call was made at 2.52pm. Continue reading...

Jason Clare has asked Australian Research Council board to investigate $870,000 grant to Randa Abdel-Fattah, who has faced criticism for controversial comments

Israeli influencer Max Veifer posts video on Instagram stating: The police are asking me for the unedited version. I have nothing to hide. Here it is'

As many as 200,000 US workers slated to be affected by mass terminations as Musk leads crusade to slash spending

Ukrainian president meets US vice-president JD Vance for bilateral talks; EU foreign policy chief and fellow leaders criticise Vance speech in Munich

Ukrainian leader appears reassured after Munich bilateral, having feared he could be bounced into peace negotiations

Cancer charities back call for prominent warning labels while industry body says move not proportionate'Cans and bottles of alcohol should carry cigarette-style labels warning that drinking increases the risk of cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).The UN agency said governments should insist prominent" warning labels become standard to alert consumers to the link between alcohol and cancer and tackle the harm caused by heavy drinking. Continue reading...

Inquest is read message sent by Jaysley Beck, 19, to her line manager, Ryan Mason, saying she felt trapped'A former soldier accused of harassing a junior ranking and younger colleague who was found dead in her room at an army camp has told an inquest his aim was not to manipulate".Royal Artillery Gnr Jaysley Beck, 19, was found dead at Larkhill camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021, the inquest into her death in Salisbury has heard.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Science secretary calls BBC's reporting totally inaccurate' after claim chancellor was investigated by former employerRachel Reeves has defended herself and said it would be up to the public to judge her on her record as chancellor, after a BBC investigation raised questions about her job history and expenses.In her first comments since claims emerged that she was the subject of an investigation into her expenses while working at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS), the chancellor said no one ever raised any concerns with her. Continue reading...

Claudia Scheinbaum warns of reciprocal action if Washington designates country's cartels as terrorist groupsMexico's president has warned US gunmakers they could face fresh legal action as accomplices of organized crime if Washington designates the country's cartels as terrorist groups.The Latin American country, which is under mounting pressure from Donald Trump to curb illegal drug smuggling, wants its neighbor to crack down on firearms trafficking in the other direction. Continue reading...

Israel warned Thursday that Hamas must release three living hostages this weekend or face a resumption of the war in GazaThe Israeli government has signalled it intends to stick to the hostage release schedule agreed in the ceasefire deal with Hamas, but warned that if the anticipated three surviving hostages were not released on Saturday, it would go back to war in Gaza.The statement from the prime minister's office ends nearly three days of confusion after Donald Trump's declaration that Israel should demand Hamas release all the remaining hostages, more than 70 people, by Saturday or failing that, end the ceasefire. Continue reading...

Gareth Delbridge and Michael Spike' Lewis died after being hit by a train near Port Talbot in July 2019Network Rail has been fined 3.75m for health and safety breaches that led to the death of two track workers in south Wales in 2019.The workers were killed when struck by a train after starting an unnecessary maintenance activity" on the south Wales mainline while it was still being used, with no lookouts posted to warn them. Continue reading...

Iair Horn, Sasha Troufanov and Sagui Dekel-Chen due to be exchanged for 369 Palestinian prisoners

Relatives and supporters anxious for return of remaining hostages urge Israeli PM to maintain ceasefire deal Middle East crisis - live updatesStill frail less than a week after his release from Hamas captivity, and processing the news that his wife, Eynav, was killed during the militants' attack on 7 October 2023, Or Levy told a crowd in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square that he had insisted his family and doctors allow him to come.Israelis had been shocked and angered by the gaunt appearances of Levy, 34, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, last Saturday as they were trooped on to a stage in Gaza City and forced to read out statements before being handed to the Red Cross. After nearly 500 days in captivity, all three appeared to struggle to see in the daylight, and were so weak that armed fighters had to help them walk. Continue reading...

Yuval Abraham and Basel Adra, whose documentary is up for an Oscar, have called out the US president's plan of ethnically cleansing the regionThe Oscar-nominated film-makers behind the documentary No Other Land have expressed shock and dismay over Donald Trump's Gaza plan.The president has called for the US to take control and bring an effective ethnic cleansing of Gaza giving Palestinians no alternative" but to leave. He has claimed it would be a real estate development for the future", saying Gaza could be the Riviera of the Middle East". Continue reading...

Judge issues arrest warrant for disgraced former cleric and ex Co-operative Bank boss Paul FlowersA judge has issued an arrest warrant for a disgraced former church minister and banking group boss who acquired the nickname Crystal Methodist".Paul Flowers, 74, was due to be sentenced for fraud at Manchester crown court but failed to turn up. Continue reading...

The PM and president discussed Starmer's forthcoming visit to the US, No 10 saidFriday is the day that political parties tend to get excited about local byelection results, or neglect to mention the election happened at all if it didn't go their way.Across the evening and into today the Britain Elects social media account has recorded a hold for the Liberal Democrats in Manor (Stevenage), a hold for Labour in Burnt Oak (Barnet), a gain for Reform UK from Labour in Trevethin and Penygarn (Torfaen) and a gain for the Green Party of England and Wales in Warwick All Saints and Woodloes (Warwick).Thames Water, which is on the verge of financial collapse, had wanted to raise bills by 59% over the next five years. It said on Friday morning its board had concluded that Ofwat's final determination, of a 35% increase, would not allow the investment and improvement needed to improve its services.Liberal Democrat MP Charlie Maynard argued that Thames Water should not be allowed to raise bills further because a 35% increase over five years was more than enough," adding So much of the money is being spent on sky-high interest rates and advisory fees. Everyone's focus now should be putting the company into special administration so its balance sheet can be reset and our bills spent on actually fixing the sewage network." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Independent investigation in 2023 upheld five allegations against Carlo D'Amario, the Guardian understandsFrom her 1975 gay cowboys" T-shirt to pioneering catwalk collections that challenged gender norms, the late Vivienne Westwood has long been heralded as an LGBT+ icon.But the fashion house she built over five decades faces serious questions about whether the late designer's values have endured, after allegations about homophobic bullying by its chief executive, Carlo D'Amario, were upheld by an independent investigation, the Guardian understands. Continue reading...

As Donald Trump reverses discrimination initiatives in US, Co-op says it is holding firm on DEI having seen the benefits Why is diversity, equity and inclusion in the news?A rollback of diversity initiatives in the UK risks undoing decades of progress, the CEO of the Co-op group has warned, as US multinationals scale back commitments.Companies including Amazon, Disney, Google and Meta have begun abandoning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in the US as the president, Donald Trump, reverses government anti-discrimination measures. Continue reading...

Family of Danielle McLaughlin say justice has finally been achieved after Vikat Bhagat convicted in IndiaThe family of a young Irish woman raped and murdered in India eight years ago have said justice has finally been achieved after a man was convicted in Goa.Danielle McLaughlin, from Buncrana in County Donegal, was found dead in a field in Canacona, an area of Goa popular with holidaymakers, in March 2017. Continue reading...

Issa Rae, Ben Folds and Shonda Rhimes among those who chose not to associate with the institution and presidentDonald Trump's takeover of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington has generated outcry from performers and members, with several stars pulling out of engagements or associations.Trump purged the board of the arts foundation last week, clearing the group of appointees by Joe Biden. Stacked with Trump loyalists, the new board terminated the center's president, Deborah Rutter, and installed Trump as chair. The board then named Richard Grenell, who served as ambassador to Germany during the first Trump administration, as interim president. Continue reading...

Around 90,000 hectares of remote country in the state's north-west have been razed after fires sparked by lightning strikes

Economist argues GST is not protectionist and should not attract any new levy from the US but concern remains for steel industry

Revenge Porn Helpline says deep-seated misogyny' behind exchange of photos on apps such as TelegramAn underground network of men are using peer-to-peer internet message boards to order, share and trade explicit images of local women, according to the UK's leading revenge porn" charity.In a development that has echoes of the forums used to organise the drugging and rape of Gisele Pelicot in France, the Revenge Porn Helpline said that systematic deep-seated misogyny" was behind a dark trade in images in the UK. Continue reading...

Trump's threat to take over Gaza is galvanizing two of the most dangerous and organized extremist movementsAs Donald Trump continues to threaten to take control over the Gaza Strip, an unlikely consensus has emerged across hardcore jihadist and far-right circles: both strongly oppose any new US military actions in the territory.Now experts are warning that Trump's plan is galvanizing two of the most dangerous and organized extremist movements with track records of domestic terrorist attacks. Continue reading...

Stricter requirements could lead to 60,000 people being refused permission to remain, report finds