Shona McCarthy says public authorities have routinely ignored needs of world's largest arts festivalThe Edinburgh festival fringe should be given the same status as major sporting events like the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, its outgoing chief executive has said.Shona McCarthy, who stands down this week after nine years running the fringe, said its needs were routinely ignored by public authorities, who expected it to fend for itself despite its status as the world's largest arts festival. Continue reading...
John Healey to go through European peace proposals with his US counterpart Pete HegsethThe UK defence secretary, John Healey, will fly out to Washington on Wednesday for a two-day trip during which he will meet his counterpart, Pete Hegseth, after the Trump administration's decision to halt all military aid to Ukraine.Officials said the minister would go through the emerging peace proposals discussed in London by European leaders on Sunday, but it was not clear if he would press for a reversal of the military freeze, which appeared to have surprised the UK. Continue reading...
Sports ground exclusions and mandatory work for offenders in England and Wales part of mix' under sentencing reviewCriminals could be banned from pubs, sports grounds and social events under proposals being considered as alternatives to prison, a minister has said.Sarah Sackman, the courts minister, told the Guardian that such exclusions, as well as mandatory work for offenders, were very much part of the mix" under a review of sentencing being conducted by the former Conservative Lord Chancellor David Gauke. Continue reading...
Inquiry launched after pair was able to fly into state despite facing trial in Romania on rape and trafficking chargesThe attorney general of Florida has opened a criminal investigation of Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan after the pair were able to fly into the state last week despite facing trial in Romania on charges of rape, sex with a minor, people trafficking and money laundering.James Uthmeier, appointed to be the state attorney general by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, said on Tuesday he had begun an active criminal investigation" of the brothers and was prepared to use the full force of law" in his examination of their conduct. Continue reading...
Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire shut due to rising costs and declining visitor numbers, owner saysThe largest theme park in Wales has closed with immediate effect after nearly 40 years, its owner has announced.Oakwood Theme Park, in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, announced on Tuesday that it will shut. Continue reading...
by Nadeem Badshah (now); Fran Lawther, Tom Ambrose an on (#6VNQE)
Zelenskyy says his country is ready to sign minerals and security agreement while admitting White House meeting did not go the way it was supposed to'New EU plans to strengthen Europe's defence industry and increase military capabilities could mobilise close to 800bn ($841.4bn), EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday in Brussels.The EU will propose to give member states more fiscal space for defence investments, as well as 150bn euros in loans for those investments, and will aim to mobilise private capital as well, Reuters reports von der Leyen said Continue reading...
Deal with US finance giant BlackRock, valued at almost $23bn, comes amid push to curb perceived China influenceCK Hutchison Holdings, the Hong Kong-based logistics giant, announced plans to sell a majority stake in a business that controls ports in Panama to investors including the US financial giant BlackRock in a deal worth almost $23bn.The sale of a 90% interest in Panama Ports Company, which holds the contract to run the ports of Balboa and Cristobal until 2047, is part of a wider deal for Hutchinson Port's global business. The deal comes at a time Donald Trump has piled on pressure to end what he sees as China's influence and control over the Panama canal. Continue reading...
Conservative alliance and Social Democrats to propose exempting spending of more than 1% of GDP on defenceThe prospective partners in Germany's next government have said they will seek to loosen rules on running up debt to allow for higher defence spending.They said they will also seek to set up a huge 500bn ($533bn ) fund to finance spending on Germany's infrastructure over the next 10 years. Continue reading...
Wounded and sick children in need of urgent treatment crossed through Israel to reach King Hussein hospital in AmmanA slow convoy of a dozen ambulances and buses brought 25 wounded and sick Palestinian children from Gaza and across Israel on Tuesday, past the heavily armed forces that bombarded the territory for 15 months, and that may be about to start again.The patients were among the 4,500 people in Gaza believed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be in urgent need of evacuation, and they were transferred to Jordan by a joint operation by the Jordanian army, the country's health ministry and the WHO. Continue reading...
The $31.5bn lost each year likened to a hidden, unspoken black hole' that cost-of-living policies have not addressed Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralians are losing more money to gambling each year than the federal government spends on aged care and almost as much as it spends on the national disability insurance scheme, a new report has found.The report by Equity Economics found that despite the cost-of-living crisis, the amount of money being lost to gambling has significantly increased. Expenditure on gambling has also risen faster than the cost of education, housing and inflation.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...
It's unclear how the revised guidance will impact probationary federal workers who have already been firedThe Trump administration appears to be walking back its directive to fire probationary employees.The reversal comes less than a week after a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ordering the US defense department and other agencies to carry out the mass firings of some employees, including probationary employees who typically have less than a year of experience Continue reading...
Alice Mackey, 42, remanded in custody over death of Annabel Mackey, who was found in a pond in 2023A 42-year-old woman has been charged with the murder of her two-year-old daughter who died after being found in a pond.Police were sent to a report that Annabel Mackey had gone missing from her home in Kingsley near Bordon, Hampshire, on 10 September 2023. Continue reading...
Canada's prime minister says the US president wants to usher in the complete collapse' of the Canadian economyJustin Trudeau has claimed the aim of a dumb" trade war launched by Donald Trump is to usher in the complete collapse" of the Canadian economy and make it easier for the United States to annex Canada.Speaking hours after the US slapped 25% taxes on Canadian and Mexican goods - and a 10% levy on Canadian energy exports - the prime minister announced retaliatory tariffs on US exports and said his country would remain defiant against the aggression. Continue reading...
PM says any deal must be lasting and secure' following fiery Trump-Zelenskyy meeting last week and UK weekend summitMichelle O'Neill, Northern Ireland's first minister, has described a decision to build thousands of lightweight missiles for Ukraine in a Belfast factory as incredulous".The Sinn Fein leader in Northern Ireland, who is also boycotting the St Patrick's Day celebrations in the White House, said the money should be invested in infrastructure and peace.I find it really incredulous that at a time when public services are being cut left, right and centre.At a time when we have endured 14 years of austerity ... I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services. Continue reading...
Health experts wary as US health secretary fails to endorse effective vaccines and instead calls them a personal choice'Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, has caused alarm among pediatricians, vaccine experts and lawmakers with an opinion piece that focuses on vitamin A and nutrition as treatments for measles.In response to a measles outbreak in Texas, which resulted in the first American measles death in nearly a decade, Kennedy wrote for Fox News about the benefits of good nutrition" and vitamin A - but did not explicitly recommend highly effective vaccines. Continue reading...
White House's latest punitive move against Kyiv will lead to joy in Moscow', Ukrainian commentators sayUkraine has reacted with defiance and anger to Donald Trump's suspension of US military aid, saying the decision amounted to betrayal by an ally and would help Russia to bomb and kill more civilians.Deliveries of ammunition and vehicles have ceased, including shipments agreed when Joe Biden was president. Some Ukrainians said the biggest impact was likely to be on Ukraine's ability to defend itself from Russian air attacks, which have escalated in recent weeks. Continue reading...
Egypt proposes reconstruction of territory to create sustainable, green and walkable' housing and urban areasAn Arab summit draft communique on Tuesday adopted an Egyptian plan for Gaza's future and called on the international community and financial institutions to provide support for the plan quickly.Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP Tuesday that disarming is a red line for his movement and other Palestinian militant groups in negotiations to extend the fragile Gaza ceasefire. Continue reading...
Democratic senator says trans athletes deserve an ally' after Republican-led bill quashed in razor-sharp 51-45 voteUS Senate Democrats banded together to torpedo a Republican bill that would ban transgender athletes from women's sports, defeating the legislation in a razor-sharp party-line vote of 51-45 on Monday evening.The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, led by Tommy Tuberville, a senator from Alabama, crashed before reaching the 60 votes needed to advance, halting the proposal that had passed the House in January. Continue reading...
Measures issued by Joe Biden were swiftly repealed, leaving employees vulnerable to downgraded jobsDonald Trump's rollback of basic guardrails for artificial intelligence leaves US workers at real risk", labor experts have warned.Protections introduced under Joe Biden to ensure the safe, secure and trustworthy development and use of AI were swiftly repealed by the Trump administration - as top executives outlined sweeping plans to overhaul the labor force. Continue reading...
Human rights campaigner still faces faces threat of death penalty if found guilty of further chargesJagtar Singh Johal, the British-Sikh human rights activist acused of terrorism has been acquitted on all charges in a case in Punjab, after a court rejected the allegations against him made by Indian authorities.Johal has been held in detention for seven years awaiting judgment, but must remain in prison since he is facing eight essentially duplicate cases brought by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) based on the same alleged confession. Continue reading...
After three consecutive years of growth, viewership fell this year after 2024's Barbenheimer buzzViewership for the telecast of this year's Oscars ceremony was down 7% from 2024, according to figures from Nielsen.After three consecutive years of growth, viewership slipped to just over 18m in the US, across network ABC and the Oscars' new online partner, Hulu - whose stream was dogged by problems. Continue reading...
The drastic move came as JD Vance claimed that attracting US economic interest to Ukraine was the country's best bet at security. Plus, the date by which the majority of adults globally will be overweight
Actor says he has received letter from Met over January march in London, and says right to protest is under attack'The Crown actor Khalid Abdalla has said he has been summoned to attend a formal interview" by the Metropolitan police in connection with a pro-Palestine protest.Abdalla, who played Dodi Fayed in the Netflix series based on the royal family, said on social media he had received the letter in relation to a Palestine Solidarity Campaign protest on 18 January. Continue reading...
James Harrison rolled up his sleeve more than 1,100 times to give his plasma, which was used in life-saving anti-D medicationJames Harrison, the Australian known as the man with the golden arm" because of his prolific baby-saving blood donations, has died aged 88.In his lifetime, Harrison rolled up his sleeve more than 1,100 times to give his plasma which was then used in 2.4m doses of anti-D medication to save at-risk newborn babies. Continue reading...
Gaming minister tells budget estimates position changed after advice from independent panel - which included several groups that operate or profit from machines
In today's newsletter: With talks stalled, aid blocked and a truce in question, can the path to peace get back on track?Good morning. The first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza expired over the weekend - and now, the only thing stopping the resumption of Israel's assault on the territory is the will of Benjamin Netanyahu. That is the bleak reality for the hostages still alive in Gaza, and the Palestinian civilians there who were subjected to a new aid embargo on Sunday. Last night, the Israeli government was reported to be planning to ratchet the blockade up further - with a programme of measures referred to as the hell plan".When the ceasefire was agreed in January, the theory was that the first phase would provide space for negotiations over a more durable truce. But those talks simply have not happened. Israel is pushing for the release of more hostages in an extension to the first phase - a step that Hamas, fearing the loss of its only source of leverage, refuses to countenance. Both sides are now making preparations for the resumption of violence.Ukraine | Donald Trump has suspended delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine, blocking billions in crucial shipments as the White House piles pressure on Ukraine to sue for peace with Vladimir Putin. The Trump administration was earlier reported to be drawing up a plan to restore ties with Russia and lift sanctions on the Kremlin.Education | Labour is preparing major changes to special educational needs provision in English schools, as individual councils raise the alarm over debts running into hundreds of millions of pounds. With councils currently paying to send many children to private schools because of a lack of adequate local options, the government is believed to be considering measures that would prioritise state provision.Tariffs | China and Canada unveiled retaliatory measures against the US after Donald Trump imposed his sweeping tariffs plan on Tuesday, despite warnings it could spark an escalating trade war. The new US tariffs stand at 25% against goods from Canada and Mexico and 20% against those from China.Obesity | More than half of adults and a third of children and young people worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050, posing an unparalleled threat" of early death and enormous strain on healthcare systems, a report warns. There are now 2.11 billion adults aged 25 or above who are overweight or obese, against 731 million in 1990.Art | The self-taught Scottish painter Jack Vettriano, who became hugely popular despite being shunned by critics, has been found dead at his apartment in Nice in the south of France, his publicist has said. He was 73. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#6VNP3)
Exclusive: Andy George says misconduct inquiry over tweet about Chris Kaba case officer stifles free speech'The leader of Britain's black and Asian police officers has been placed under investigation over a tweet.Ch Insp Andy George, the president of the National Black Police Association, said the decision to place him under a misconduct investigation sends a chilling message" and stifles free speech". Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor on (#6VNN0)
Moscow trying to improve its claim to entire Kherson region in time for peace negotiations, says governorRussian forces are repeatedly trying to seize a foothold across Ukraine's Dnipro River, dispatching troops on high-casualty missions to gain territory for future peace negotiations, according to the Ukrainian governor of Kherson region.Oleksandr Prokudin said Russian forces were trying to cross in four locations to justify their claim to the whole oblast, one of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow says it wants to incorporate. Continue reading...
Highly concerning' infection-control practices, including use of veterinary equipment, discovered by NSW HCCC and public health unit at Ketthip Beauty Clinic
More than 450 artefacts from a waka found in pieces in the Chatham Islands expected to reveal new insights about Polynesian voyagingParts of a carved and decorated traditional ocean-going canoe (waka) found in the Chatham Islands, around 800km east of New Zealand, could be the most significant discovery of its kind in Polynesia, archaeologists say.The Chatham Islands is an archipelago administered as part of New Zealand. Over the past month, archaeologists and local volunteers have unearthed more than 450 artefacts from the waka found smashed to pieces in a creek on the northern coast of the main island, known as Rkohu to the Indigenous Moriori . Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6VNH8)
New method reported to cut number of false positives by 87% has been registered with regulator for approvalA new swab test could help hundreds of thousands of women a year in the UK who may have womb cancer avoid having an often painful invasive procedure to detect the disease.About 800,000 women annually go to see a GP because they are suffering from abnormal bleeding from their uterus and then undergo uncomfortable and stressful investigations to identify the cause. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6VNHA)
Parents banned from school sites after leaders spat at and trolled, poll findsFour in five school leaders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland say they have suffered abuse from pupils' parents in the past year, according to a poll that found they had been spat at, trolled on social media and even physically attacked.The problem has become so serious that more than two out of five (42%) of those who took part in the survey said they had been forced to ban parents from the school site in the last year. Nearly a third (32%) have reported parents to the police and almost three-quarters (72%) have issued a warning letter or email. Continue reading...
Tom Corry, a top spokesperson at the health and human services department, abruptly resigned on FridayA top spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services has abruptly resigned from the department, just two weeks after starting the job and as the country grapples with an escalating measles outbreak.Tom Corry, who served as assistant secretary of public affairs at HHS, said on Monday that he resigned on Friday effective immediately. Continue reading...
Yehuda Cohen says Israeli prime minister is refusing permanent ceasefire because he wants to stay in power'The father of an Israeli hostage has said Benjamin Netanyahu is stalling" the deal with Hamas that could lead to the return of his son from Gaza.Speaking at the Israeli embassy in central London, Yehuda Cohen, father of 20-year-old Israeli hostage Nimrod Cohen, said: There is a deal on the table. Continue reading...
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