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Far-right linked group LifeWise pushing model bill to allow students to leave school grounds for religious release time'A group of rightwing Christian organizations is pushing a model bill to require public school districts to allow students to receive religious education during school hours, according to footage from a December meeting of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers.During the meeting, a group of state lawmakers voted to create a model bill that would allow students to leave school grounds to receive religious education for one to five hours a week, a practice referred to as religious release time. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Dozens of congressional Democrats urge president to reconsider threatened import duties on US's two largest trading partnersPressing ahead with steep tariffs on Canada and Mexico risks exacerbating the US housing crisis and threatening the broader economy, dozens of congressional Democrats have warned Donald Trump.The US president, after threatening to hit imports from the US's two biggest trading partners with a 25% tax, is weighing how to proceed after approving a one-month delay. Continue reading...

Estimate by Close Brothers follows thorough assessment' of court case's impact on UK vehicle loan industryOne of the UK's biggest providers of motor finance has warned it expects to set aside up to 165m in the first half of its financial year to cover possible legal and compensation costs as a result of the car loans commission scandal.Close Brothers said it had come up with the estimate after a thorough assessment" of the long-running case, although it warned there was still significant uncertainty" over the outcome of appeals and the investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Continue reading...

New analysis warns of serious implications for water supply given nuclear plants consume 1.4 times more than coal-fired power stations

Exclusive: Ukraine president says British PM had nothing to do with decision not to seek deal with RussiaVolodymyr Zelenskyy has rubbished claims that Boris Johnson scuppered a possible peace deal between Ukraine and Russia in spring 2022, calling them illogical" in an interview with the Guardian.There were several approaches with ultimatums and I never gave my approval for it," said Zelenskyy of Russian demands for ending its full-scale invasion. Continue reading...

Mark Rowley says officials have dragged their feet' over changing rules so forces can sack unfit officersBritain's most senior police officer has blamed Home Office foot-dragging for a failure to change the rules to allow forces to sack officers who fail vetting procedures.The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, said civil servants had known about the problem for more than 20 years, leaving the force stuck" with officers not fit to serve the public. Continue reading...

Ofwat's enforcement case into whether company breached obligations follows Guardian investigationThames Water is being investigated by the water regulator for England and Wales, Ofwat, after it delayed environmental improvement schemes.The investigation comes after the Guardian revealed that the UK's largest water company intentionally diverted millions of pounds pledged for environmental clean-ups towards other costs, including bonuses and dividends. Continue reading...

Don Farrell agrees to amendments to secure Coalition support on electoral law reforms

Company will give up to 20% off treatments such as Wegovy and Mounjaro through private coverVitality has become the first health insurer in the UK to offer customers discounted weight loss treatments for up to a year through its health cover.The UK's third-largest health insurer behind Bupa and Axa, with 1.9 million members, said it would offer discounts of up to 20% for medications such as Wegovy and Mounjaro - which are popular but pricey - to members, based on their body mass index (BMI) and weight-related health conditions. Continue reading...

Report tabled by Labor MP Josh Burns finds there is an urgent need for reform' to ensure safety of Jewish students

Thinktank cautions Trump tariffs could blow hole in forecast, with 63% of UK firms exporting to US expecting to be hitThe British economy is on course to expand by 1.5% this year after the budget gave a boost to public spending but could be blown off course if Donald Trump goes ahead with threatened tariffs, a leading economic thinktank has warned.In a boost to Rachel Reeves after a bruising month of negative economic figures, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) upped its annual growth prediction from 1.2% to 1.5%. Continue reading...

In three years Natural England has designated just two new SSSIs, which protect areas from developmentThe government's wildlife watchdog for England is failing to halt the decline of nature after a sharp fall in the number of new places given top protection, according to campaigners.On average over the past 15 years, Natural England has designated four new sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) each year. SSSIs are nationally or internationally important places for rare wildlife and habitats, meet strict criteria and are then usually protected from almost all possible development. Continue reading...

ABC manager tells court she did not see anything wrong' with disputed Instagram post, which has been compared to various posts by Patricia Karvelas

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Watchdog upholds complaint about advert that digitally altered clothing and used low angle to accentuate long legsThe UK advertising watchdog has banned an advert from high street retailer Next for featuring an unhealthily thin" model in digitally altered clothing.The advertisement, which ran on its website, featured a model marketing Next's power stretch denim leggings". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Military experts raise concerns over change to protocols on Pakistan border to allow project that was handed to billionaire Gautam AdaniThe Indian government relaxed national security protocols along the Pakistan border to make way for a renewable energy park, a project ultimately handed to one of India's richest men, Gautam Adani, official documents reveal.The Adani Group is constructing the Khavda plant, the largest renewable project in the world, in the state of Gujarat. The conglomerate is controlled by Adani, whose close relationship with the prime minister, Narendra Modi, has recently been under intense scrutiny. Continue reading...

Russia, Turkey and Egypt also among worst perpetrators of transnational repression around the globeA quarter of the world's countries have engaged in transnational repression - targeting political exiles abroad to silence dissent - in the past decade, new research reveals.The Washington DC-based non-profit organisation Freedom House has documented 1,219 incidents carried out by 48 governments across 103 countries, from 2014 to 2024. Continue reading...

Prime minister hoping to revive bromance' of Trump's first term despite US president calling India a very big abuser'The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, is heading to Washington for high-stakes talks in an attempt to avoid a trade war with Donald Trump.India is considering tariff cuts in at least a dozen sectors in the hope of dodging US tariffs that would pile more pressure on its already slowing economy. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Bookmakers consider fighting proposal to increase fees from 0.9% to 1.5% of turnover from most bets

Court finds Salvatore Vasta is immune from a civil suit and that the guards and security officers are not liable

PM has condemned footage as sickening' as police and the healthcare watchdog investigate the incident

An already saturated north Queensland is at risk of more flooding, while Tasmania battles bushfires before an Antarctic blast rolls in

Deputy PM Angela Rayner announces plans as she presents 350m funding increase for affordable housingRogue landlords in England will face curbs on how much housing benefit they can receive if their properties are substandard, Angela Rayner has said as she announced an extra 350m for affordable housing.The deputy prime minister presented the funding increase, adding to 500m already announced at the budget, as part of the government's drive to build 1.5m homes. Continue reading...

Research shows happiness levels have bounced back post-Covid, although depression also remains more commonPeople 50 and over in England have greater life satisfaction and sense life is more worthwhile than before the Covid pandemic, although depression is more common, researchers have found.Prof Paola Zaninotto, first author of the research from University College London, said the study showed wellbeing and mental health worsened between the early stages of the pandemic and later in 2020, contrary to some reports. However, this situation subsequently improved. Continue reading...

A 750 mai tai previously earned the city centre bar the title of world's most expensive cocktailSpending a grand on an unforgettable experience might not feel extreme for people keen to shake up their routines. But what if it doesn't involve falling through the skies, or even going outside at all?A life-changing experience" is the promise of one Belfast hotel's 1,000-pound cocktail, launched as part of a new drinks menu. Continue reading...

Total of 89 contracts ended, essentially wiping out agency's research and statistics, the Institute of Education SciencesElon Musk and the Trump administration's department of government efficiency" (Doge) has terminated nearly $1bn in US Department of Education contracts, in effect eliminating a research office that tracks US students' progress.After announcing $101m would be slashed from 29 DEI training grants on Monday, the Doge account on Twitter/X said that Musk's team terminated 89 contracts worth a total of $881m on Tuesday. Continue reading...

US president says we're going to take' Gaza as King Abdullah urges caution; Israeli PM says fighting will resume' if Hamas fails to return hostages by noon on SaturdayWe are pausing this live blog for the moment but for a full report on Trump's latest comments on the ceasefire deal our reporters in Washington and Jerusalem have this comprehensive read:International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan is the first person to be hit with economic and travel sanctions authorised by US President Donald Trump, according to a report by Reuters. Continue reading...

President dismisses Biden-appointed chair of Federal Labor Relations Authority to advance America-First agenda'

Satirical petition from Denmark, which owns Greenland, racks up 200,000 signatures as Trump eyes Arctic islandSince returning to the presidency last month, Donald Trump has called for Canada to become the 51st US state, suggested he might take over the Panama Canal, floated US ownership of Gaza - and tried to buy Greenland.Now, Denmark - which owns Greenland - is clapping back. Continue reading...

Author says I was screaming because of the pain' in trial of man accused of trying to kill himSalman Rushdie took the stand in the trial of the man accused of attempting to kill him at a literary gathering in western New York in August 2022, and described the shocking attack more than 35 years after he was first placed under a death warrant by Iranian religious leaders.Rushdie, 77, is testifying for the prosecution against Hadi Matar, 27, the man accused of assaulting him with a knife as he was about to address an open-air audience on a theme of shelter and home. Continue reading...

Commissioner says force in hopeless position' after being told to reinstate scores of officers who had failed its vettingThe Metropolitan police vowed to keep scores of officers facing allegations including rape and sexual misconduct away from the public after the high court struck down its policy of sacking those who fail their vetting.A furious Sir Mark Rowley, commissioner of the Met, said the force had been left in a hopeless position" after a test case brought by an officer facing unproven claims including rape. Continue reading...

Chef Kirk Haworth impressed judges by taking his classical training and inventively adapting it to a vegan diet'A vegan restaurant in London has become the first in the UK to be awarded a Michelin star.Plates London, located on Old Street, serves a fully plant-based menu and chef Kirk Haworth impressed judges by taking his classical training and inventively adapting it to a vegan diet", Michelin said. Continue reading...

Bank of England governor says there is no trade-off' between economic growth and financial stabilityThe governor of the Bank of England has warned against watering down City regulations introduced after the 2008 banking crash, saying there was no trade-off" between economic growth and financial stability.In a thinly veiled response to chancellor Rachel Reeves's push to loosen the constraints brought in over the past 17 years, Andrew Bailey said that it was important not to forget the damage to the economy caused by the implosion of the global financial system. Continue reading...

Leadership takes further action over Trigger Me Timbers' group after suspension of two of its MPsEleven Labour councillors have been suspended from the party over their membership of the Trigger Me Timbers" WhatsApp group that has already led to the suspension of two MPs.Andrew Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton in Greater Manchester, was sacked as a health minister and suspended from the party after messages he had posted in the chat were leaked. Continue reading...

UK failed to sign agreement at end of Paris summit, along with the USThere will be two urgent questions after 12.30pm: on the Clonoe inquest, which found that the SAS acted unlawfully when they killed four IRA terrorists in an ambush in 1992; and then another on the US steel tariffs.A Northern Ireland Office minister will respond to the first, and a business minister will respond to the second. Continue reading...

Countries have not immediately explained their reasons for not signing declarationJD Vance continues, talking about revolutionary applications" of AI and the need to deregulate to allow for its fast development and its roll out.Our administration, the Trump administration, believes that AI will have countless revolutionary applications and economic innovation, job creation, national security, health care, free expression and beyond, and to restrict its development now will not only unfairly benefit incumbents in the space, it would mean paralysing one of the most promising technologies we have seen in generations.I'm not here this morning to talk about AI safety, which was the title of the conference a couple of years ago. I'm here to talk about AI opportunity.When conferences like this convene to discuss a cutting edge technology, oftentimes, I think our response is to be too self conscious, too risk averse. But never have I encountered a breakthrough in tech that so clearly calls us to do precisely the opposite. Continue reading...

Prosecutor confirms body of Dawn Searle was found semi-clothed outside with head injuries caused by several blowsFrench police say they are still investigating the deaths of a British couple whose bodies were found in their rural home in Aveyron in the south of France last week.The bodies of Andrew Searle, a retired fraud investigator, and his wife, Dawn, a project manager, were discovered at about 12.30pm on Thursday at their home in the village of Les Pesquies. Continue reading...

The group still projects a powerful presence but, after all the damage, it will need to divert blame if the truce collapses

Matildas and Chelsea star had denied charge and was cleared at Kingston crown courtSam Kerr has been found not guilty of racially aggravated harassment after calling a police officer fucking stupid and white" after he doubted her claims of being held hostage" in taxi.Kerr showed no emotion during the reading of the verdict, which the jury delivered after a little over four hours of deliberation, but gave a thumbs up to her barrister Grace Forbes. Continue reading...

More than 1,200 officers involved in dawn raids in Palermo, in biggest operation against Cosa Nostra since 1984Italian police have arrested almost 150 people in a significant operation against the Sicilian mafia in Palermo, areas of which remain in the grip of powerful Cosa Nostra clans.Warrants were issued against a total of 183 people on Tuesday, 36 of whom were already in custody, for crimes including mafia-type criminal association, attempted murder, extortion, drug trafficking and illegal gambling, police said. Continue reading...

Comedian says it was no longer fair' to others in audience, after being accused of overreaction at Manchester showPeter Kay has defended his decision to throw hecklers out of a recent gig after a backlash from audience members who accused him of overreacting.The comedian, who is doing the last leg of his record-breaking Better Late Than Never Again! tour this month, was heckled by two rowdy audience members at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday. Continue reading...

The fundraising platform saw more than a million donors in all 50 states and 160 countries donate to relief and recoveryJust over a month since devastating wildfires broke out across southern California, the fundraising platform GoFundMe has raised more money for victims of the fires than for all other natural disasters worldwide last year.To date, more than a million donors in all 50 states and 160 countries have donated more than $250m to support fire relief and recovery efforts, about $20m more than GoFundMe collected after all other disasters last year, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton. That includes donations to individual families and businesses, as well as non-profits providing relief on the ground, including Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen and Salvation Army, according to a spokesperson for the company. Continue reading...

Two studies find the top-grossing films of 2024 were led by female protagonists as much as by men, buoyed by the success of Wicked and The SubstanceWomen achieved gender parity on the big screen in 2024 for the first time in the US, according to two new studies.Out of the 100 top-grossing films of last year, women led 42% of the films, the same percentage as their male counterparts, with 16% led by ensembles. This was according to Dr Martha Lauzen's annual It's a Man's (Celluloid) World report. Lauzen said that 2024 offered one of the richest slates of films featuring female protagonists in recent memory". Continue reading...

Incident at Scottsdale airport leaves two others taken to trauma centers but Vince Neil was not onboard aircraftOne person was killed and others were injured when a private jet owned by the Motley Crue singer Vince Neil collided with another jet on Monday afternoon at the Scottsdale airport in Arizona, authorities said.Neil's jet was landing at the airport when it veered off the runway and collided with another parked plane, Neil's representative, Worrick Robinson IV, said in a statement. Two pilots and two passengers were on Neil's plane, but he was not among them. Continue reading...

Former Spanish football federation boss is accused of sexual assault after kissing player at Women's World CupThe former Spanish football federation boss Luis Rubiales has told a court that he asked the player Jenni Hermoso if he could kiss her before doing so after the Women's World Cup victory in 2023.I am absolutely sure that she gave me her permission," Rubiales, 47, told the court in Madrid. In that moment it was something completely spontaneous." Continue reading...

Sixfold rise from days of Pena Nieto suggests Americans have increasingly become pawns for criminal drug gangsThe number of Americans arrested in Mexico for offenses related to organized crime increased by 457% - or nearly sixfold - during the 2018-24 presidency of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador compared to his predecessor, according to a new report.Since the current president Claudia Sheinbaum took office in September, 185 US citizens have been arrested by the Mexican army on organized-crime related charges - an average of three a day. Continue reading...

Murray Auchincloss defends fall in annual profits to $8.9bn last year from almost $14bn in 2023

Company will be run on an interim basis by the chair, Stella David, after exit of Gavin Isaacs

MP defends removal of scrutiny by high court judge, as critics say change is rushed and badly thought out'

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