Eight-figure agreement' made to supply new line between Ankara and zmir - but questions over plant's future remainBritish Steel has secured an order worth tens of millions of pounds to supply rail for a high-speed electric railway in Turkey, amid continuing uncertainty over the long-term future of the government-controlled steelworks in Scunthorpe.The site will supply 36,000 tonnes of rail to ERG International Group, the company announced, in what it called an eight-figure agreement". Continue reading...
Karime Macias, ex-wife of a state governor, is wanted for allegedly pilfering nearly 5m of public money and now lives in LondonThe Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has said her government will send a formal letter of complaint to officials in the United Kingdom after the wife of a former governor wanted for allegedly pilfering 4.8 million of public money was granted asylum in Britain.Karime Macias, ex-wife of jailed former Veracruz governor Javier Duarte, is wanted for extradition to Mexico for allegedly siphoning millions from the state welfare office, but has reportedly spent the last few years in London. Continue reading...
Kay Mason Billig accuses Steve Reed of forcing council to agree to poll delay in return for extra funding and powers What made ministers think they could delay local elections?A Norfolk council leader has accused the government of bullying" her local authority into postponing elections in return for extra funding and powers, as she pulled out of long-awaited devolution deal for the county.Kay Mason Billig, the Conservative leader of Norfolk county council, said she would no longer take part in local government reorganisation (LGR) or devolution plans in the area, saying the council could not participate in that and simultaneously hold elections. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#73MT6)
National Crime Agency says rise in child sexual abuse being driven by technology and online forumsChild sexual abuse in the UK is soaring, police have said, with 1,000 paedophile suspects being arrested each month and the number of children being rescued from harm rising by 50% in the last five years.The National Crime Agency said the growth in offending across the UK was driven by technology and linked to the radicalisation of offenders in online forums, encouraging people to view images of child sexual abuse by reassuring them it was normal. Continue reading...
No database match for sample found two miles from home offers as search for TV host's mother enters third weekDNA found on a glove about two miles from Nancy Guthrie's house did not result in any leads on the case, officials confirmed on Tuesday.Unknown male DNA was found on a glove that resembled one worn by Guthrie's abductor in the surveillance video from the night of the 84-year-old's disappearance, the FBI said on Sunday. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#73MT7)
At least 80 film-makers and stars sign open letter after German festival jury president Wim Wenders says they should keep out of politicsMore than 80 current and former participants of the Berlinale, including Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton and Adam McKay have signed an open letter condemning the festival's silence" on Gaza.It comes after the film festival was swept up in what it called a media storm" over the alleged sidelining of political discourse at the event. Continue reading...
Official rules say government should keep gifts worth more than 140 unless ministers pay the value over that limitKeir Starmer has bought a pair of personalised silver cufflinks which were given to him by Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, according to the latest transparency records.The cufflinks, which were worth more than 140, were an official gift from the Trumps during the US president's second state visit last September. They were the second gift from Trump that Starmer has chosen to buy, having paid for a personalised necklace last year. Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose (now) and Yohannes Lowe (earlier) on (#73MBN)
Follow latest updates as public figures praise civil rights leader who was a protege of Martin Luther King Jr and twice ran for Democratic presidential nomination
Extensive works on key bridge in New Jersey - part of $16bn Gateway project - will disrupt rail services into New YorkNew Jersey's transit authority has urged commuters into Manhattan to work from home for up to a month if possible because of a huge railroad upgrade that is expected to upend travel to New York City from Tuesday morning.The national rail operator, Amtrak, will move some train traffic on to a new bridge, according to the New York Times, in a travel-snarling project that is expected to last until 15 March and will result in extensive delays and fewer trains under the Hudson River. Continue reading...
Party leader tells FT journalist she should write some silly story' after press conference revealing roles for his top teamNigel Farage is speaking.He starts by saying that 4.6m voters will get the right to to vote in the local elections because of his party.I am writing a book on Nigel Farage for @headlinepg.No holds will be barred. Continue reading...
Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier called for justice and strength' in diplomacy after Russia hit Ukraine with 400 drones and 29 missiles hours before talksThe European Commission is just giving its daily midday press briefing, and it has confirmed plans to adopt the new, 20th, round of sanctions against Russia by 24 February, the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion on Ukraine.Foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said:We keep on working on measures to deprive Russia of the funds, goods and technologies sustaining its war against Ukraine.This indeed includes the 20th package that you have mentioned, and indeed we aim to adopt it ... by 24 February, as the High Representative [Kaja Kallas] mentioned at the last foreign affairs council. Member states are discussing it." Continue reading...
Prior of hermitage says digital technologies are designed to be addictive and present challenge for monastic life'The prior of a hermitage in Tuscany has urged monks living in the secluded retreat to avoid the use of social media and streaming services, arguing that their rooms are sacred places for prayer and not for Netflix or other platforms".Father Matteo Ferrari, the prior general of the Camaldolese congregation and of the Camaldoli monastery and hermitage in Arezzo, Tuscany, said such digital technologies were specifically designed to create addiction" and should absolutely be avoided". Continue reading...
Lawmakers say the panel will compel testimony to uncover what happened at Epstein's Zorro ranch and who knewNew Mexico has approved a truth commission" to investigate abuse on Jeffrey Epstein's ranch outside Santa Fe, amid ongoing calls for transparency about the late sex-offender's crimes.The move by legislators on Monday follows the justice department's release of millions of investigative documents into Epstein last month, which has renewed interest into the financier's Zorro ranch. Continue reading...
Descendants of Jewish brothers forced to sell company to Nazis say appropriation by German far right is repulsive'The Jewish descendants of a German motorbike manufacturer that was forcibly relinquished by the Nazis have voiced their repulsion at the appropriation of the vehicle by far-right populists.Members of the family, whose ancestors were forced to flee Germany in the 1930s, say they consider the use of the bike's name by the anti-immigrant Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) as a mockery of our history". Continue reading...
Discussions through Omani intermediaries may pave way for further meeting on nuclear programme, Iran saysIran has described the latest round of indirect talks with the US as more constructive" and said agreement had been reached on general guiding principles" that could lead to a further meeting on its nuclear programme.The talks - held in Geneva through Omani intermediaries - were to discuss the terms for Tehran constraining its nuclear programme under the supervision of the UN nuclear weapons inspectorate. They ended after three and a half hours. There was no immediate word from the US delegation. Continue reading...
High court judge rules in favour of force's decision to compel officers to declare membership of organisationFreemasons have failed in their attempt to bring a legal challenge against Britain's biggest police force over its decision to compel staff to declare whether they are or have been members.Mr Justice Chamberlain said on Tuesday that the Metropolitan police's decision serves a legitimate aim, maintaining and enhancing public trust in policing, and is proportionate". Continue reading...
Democrats, who haven't won statewide race since 1994, aim to gain ground with liberal rising stars as Republicans clash between incumbent and embattled Maga allyA Texas-sized showdown is brewing deep in the heart of the largest red state in the US. As early voting begins on Tuesday for the Lone Star state's 3 March primaries, Republicans and Democrats alike face a high-stakes choice that could set the stage for one of the fiercest Senate races of the 2026 midterm cycle.At the center of the fractious Republican contest is a clash between the party's old guard and a Maga culture warrior, with four-term incumbent John Cornyn, a conservative fixture of Senate leadership locked in the fight of his political career against the state's scandal-plagued attorney general, Ken Paxton. Continue reading...
Retail mogul's name was this week unredacted from trove of files - how did he and his model town fuel Epstein's rise?Les Wexner's alleged note to Jeffrey Epstein marking his 50th birthday in 2003 included a hand-drawing of a woman's breasts.And yet today, the billionaire Wexner's name and portrait sits front and center across Ohio's most respected institution - the Ohio State University. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#73MCV)
Exclusive: Council in one of England's poorest areas says it needs urgent help with ballooning children's social care billKeir Starmer is facing a mass resignation of Labour councillors in one of England's poorest areas over a betrayal" of funding for children in care.Labour councillors in Hartlepool, County Durham, said they were between despair and open revolt" over an unfair" cash settlement that would leave them unable to balance the books. Continue reading...
A fixture in Democratic politics who ran for the 1988 presidential nomination, Jackson was once close to Martin Luther King Jr. Plus, did a prize-winning novelist steal a woman's life story?Good morning.The Rev Jesse Jackson, the civil rights campaigner who was prominent for more than 50 years and who ran a strong campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, has died. He was 84.What was Jesse Jackson's role in the civil rights movement? Once close to Martin Luther King Jr, Jackson was a fixture of Democratic politics since the 1960s. In an interview with the Guardian in May 2020, Jackson said: I was a trailblazer, I was a pathfinder. I had to deal with doubt and cynicism and fears about a Black person running [for president]. There were Black scholars writing papers about why I was wasting my time. Even Blacks said a Black couldn't win."How has the Minnesota governor responded to the news? Tim Walz demanded an impartial" investigation into the shootings. Trump's left hand cannot investigate his right hand," he said. Continue reading...
Israel accused of denying doctors re-entry into territory after they gave first-hand testimony on conflictMedics in the UK and US believe they have been denied re-entry to Gaza after speaking out on the conflict.Following reports of rising refusal rates, medical workers and organisationswho have provided humanitarian aid in Gaza have described what they see as arbitrary denials. Continue reading...
by Melissa Hellmann and Martin Pengelly on (#73M9Z)
A fixture in civil rights and Democratic politics since the 1960s, Jackson was once close to Martin Luther King JrThe Rev Jesse Jackson, the civil rights campaigner who was prominent for more than 50 years and who ran strongly for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, has died. He was 84.Our father was a servant leader - not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world," the Jackson family said in a statement. We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by." Continue reading...
Singer-songwriter Sam Battle has built online fanbase through building and playing unusual instrumentsThe YouTuber and experimental singer-songwriter Look Mum No Computer will represent the UK at the Eurovision song contest in Vienna in May, the BBC has announced.The performer and self-professed Eurovision fan, whose real name is Sam Battle, launched his YouTube channel in 2016. He has amassed more than 85m views and 1.4 million subscribers and followers across his various social accounts. Continue reading...
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#73M9G)
A high street is punctuated by burned-out buildings like rotten teeth in an otherwise perfect smile - what's going on?On the banks of the River Clyde, half an hour to the south-east of Glasgow, Bothwell is one of the city's prettiest and most prosperous commuter towns, famous for its medieval castle and annual scarecrow festival. Bothwell's Victorian villas and secluded enclaves of luxury modern mansions sell into the millions to the TV personalities, professional footballers and entrepreneurs who favour its environs.Bothwell Main Street, a designated conservation area, showcases glorious floral displays in summertime and year round an array of independent boutiques, jewellers and beauticians buck the trend for high street degeneration. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: As Scottish voters prepare to go to the polls, how can Labour, Reform and the Conservatives capitalise on weakening trust in the SNP?Good morning. The SNP has been in government since 2007, a phenomenal 19-year run, but polling suggests Scottish voters' trust in its ability to deliver is weakening. In May, Scotland goes to the polls for the seventh Holyrood election since devolution in 1999 - a contest that could significantly realign the nation's politics.In what some viewed as a desperate attempt to capitalise on the moment, Labour's leader in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, called on Keir Starmer to resign last week, possibly trying to paint himself as his own man, not attached to a deeply unpopular Westminster government that currently polls third in the run up to May's elections. Meanwhile, Reform UK's steady polling numbers show them second to the SNP, which they are hoping to turn into a meaningful elected presence at Holyrood for the first time.UK politics | Ministers have dropped controversial plans to delay 30 local elections this May after receiving legal advice that doing so might not be lawful.Business | UK bank bosses will hold their first meeting to establish a national alternative to Visa and Mastercard, amid growing fears over Donald Trump's ability to turn off US-owned payment systems.Social media | Keir Starmer has pledged action on young people's access to social media in months, not years", while saying this did not necessarily mean a complete ban on access for under-16s.Sarah Ferguson | Six companies linked to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, are being wound down in the wake of revelations about her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.Film | Robert Duvall, the veteran actor who had a string of roles in classic American films including Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, M*A*S*H and To Kill a Mockingbird, has died aged 95. Continue reading...
Tarique Rahman set to take oath and become prime minister after landslide victory prompted by ousting of Sheikh HasinaBangladesh's incoming prime minister Tarique Rahman and other politicians were sworn into parliament on Tuesday, becoming the first elected representatives since a deadly 2024 uprising.Rahman is set to take over from an interim government that has led the country of 170 million people for 18 months since the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina was overthrown. Continue reading...
Reina Sofia's three-year rehang of works by artists from Spain and beyond is billed as a critical reinterpretation'The Reina Sofia's new rehang opens, quite pointedly, with a painting of a detained man sitting, head bowed and wrists shackled, as he waits for the arbitrary hand of institutional bureaucracy to decide his fate.The picture, Document No ..., was painted by Juan Genoves in 1975, the year Francisco Franco died and Spain began its transition to democracy after four decades of dictatorship. Genoves's faceless, everyman victim of the Franco regime's control and repression is the natural starting point for the Madrid museum's exploration of the past 50 years of contemporary art in Spain. Continue reading...
Japanese prime minister's refusal to back down over Taiwan comments brings more criticism and travel warnings from ChinaChinese tourists are continuing to shun Japan in large numbers, with the country falling out of the top 10 destinations for those celebrating the lunar new year with a trip abroad.Japan has had a dramatic drop in the number of Chinese visitors since the end of last year as a diplomatic row between Tokyo and Beijing over the security of Taiwan continues. Continue reading...
Recognised with an honorary Academy Award in 2016, Wiseman directed and produced almost 50 films with a lifelong commitment to curiosity and naturalismFrederick Wiseman, the prolific film-maker whose documentaries primarily explored US public institutions and communities, has died aged 96.His death on Monday was announced in a joint statement from the Wiseman family and his production company, Zipporah Films. Continue reading...
Unnamed suspect accused of planning to bomb one of singer's Eras tour shows in ViennaAustrian prosecutors have filed terrorism-related charges against a 21-year-old who they say planned to attack one of Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna in August 2024.Three dates in Swift's record-breaking Eras tour were cancelled after authorities warned of the plot. Continue reading...
Three people stabbed in attack near Merrylands train station, with NSW police stating accused was known to them for past mental health incidents'Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
Yoon Suk Yeol could face the death penalty when judges rule on the martial law crisis that many in South Korea see as a dark moment they would rather forgetSouth Korea is awaiting one of the most consequential court rulings in decades this week, with judges due to deliver their verdict on insurrection charges against the former president Yoon Suk Yeol and prosecutors demanding the death penalty.When Yoon stands in courtroom 417 of Seoul central district court on Thursday to hear his fate, which will be broadcast live, he will do so in the same room where the military dictator Chun Doo-hwan was sentenced to death three decades ago. The charge is formally the same. Last time, it took almost 17 years and a democratic transition to deliver a verdict. This time, it has taken 14 months. Chun's death sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment on appeal, and he was eventually pardoned. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#73M4M)
London police say criminal gangs are using Snapchat to offer cash rewards of up to 380 for stolen iPhonesGangs are recruiting children to go out to steal smartphones before they head to school, using Snapchat to offer rewards of up to 380 for the latest Apple iPhones, police have revealed.The Metropolitan police said they were deploying new resources including drones and Surron ebikes to chase suspects as they step up their fight against phone snatching. Continue reading...
Messages from ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to sex offender, sent after his conviction, came to light last monthSix companies linked to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, are being wound down in the wake of revelations about her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.According to Companies House, an application to strike off each company was filed after new details about Ferguson's contact with Epstein came to light in the millions of documents released by US authorities as part of the Epstein files. Continue reading...
Stuart Leslie, 46, and Shaun Overy, 51, died while skiing off-piste in Val d'Isere amid red avalanche alertTwo British skiers who died in an avalanche in the French Alps have been named as Stuart Leslie and Shaun Overy.The pair were part of a group of five people, accompanied by an instructor, skiing off-piste in Val d'Isere in south-east France on Friday when they were swept away by falling snow. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian