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The 78-year-old says the demand for $307 came out of the blue and caused sleepless nights'

The 44-year-old called emergency services to say his wife had died at their Woodhill farm

The Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau say Congress needs to approve fresh support announced by Joe BidenLeaders of Pacific Island countries allied with the US have become increasingly anxious about the US congressional budget impasse that has delayed approval of vital new funding packages and warned that China is actively seeking to shift their allegiances.The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Marshall Islands (RMI) and Palau agreed to new 20-year funding programs with the United States last year under which Washington provides economic assistance, while gaining exclusive military access to strategic swaths of the Pacific. Continue reading...

Psychotherapist tells inquest she was told no hospital' after expressing concern for Jarrad Antonovich, who died later that night

Violin-shaped Hofner vanished around the time the Beatles split up but has now resurfaced after a global appealA guitar bought by Paul McCartney for 30 in 1961 has been returned to the former Beatle after a global search to find the stolen Hofner bass.The distinctively shaped instrument, bought by McCartney before his rise to stardom and reportedly his favourite, was last seen around the time the Beatles were recording their final album to be released, Let It Be. Continue reading...

High court rules Barnsley council does not have right to force man to take DNA test to determine parentage of sonA man who mixed his sperm with his father's to help get his partner pregnant will not be forced to take a paternity test, the high court has ruled.The man, identified as PQ as he cannot be named for legal reasons, and his partner (JK) had experienced fertility problems and were not able to afford IVF treatment, the court heard at a hearing last month. Continue reading...

Russian president says Biden is more predictable', in remarks likely to be attempt to make mischief in US electionVladimir Putin has said he would prefer a Joe Biden presidency to a Donald Trump one and mocked the former Fox News presenter Tucker Carlson for a lack of sharp questions" during their interview at the Kremlin last week.Asked by a Russian state journalist on Wednesday to choose between Biden and Trump, Putin said without hesitation that the current US president was more experienced, predictable, an old-school politician", but added: We will work with any US president who the American people have confidence in." Continue reading...

Maricopa county supervisor who faced threats for doing his job to confirm votes in 2020 won't run for re-electionA Republican elected official in Arizona who protected the vote and withstood a barrage of pressure and threats in 2020 from within his own party to sway the election toward Trump announced on Thursday that he will not seek re-election.Clint Hickman, a supervisor in Maricopa county, the state's largest county that includes Phoenix, faced death threats for doing his job to confirm the county's vote totals in 2020, when the state narrowly chose Joe Biden. State Republicans then initiated a sham audit" of the county's results, a costly hand count that took months only to conclude that Biden did indeed win. Continue reading...

Foreign minister claims local office of UN high commissioner for human rights supported impunity for coup plottersVenezuela's government has ordered the local UN office on human rights to suspend operations, giving its staff 72 hours to leave, after accusing the office of promoting opposition to the South American country.The foreign affairs minister, Yvan Gil, announced the decision at a news conference in Caracas on Thursday. Gil's announcement came on the heels of the detention of the human rights attorney Rocio San Miguel, which set off a wave of criticism inside and outside Venezuela. Continue reading...

FDA doctor Peter Marks apologizes to viewers after far-right Republican claims children should not be given Covid vaccinesResponding to an expert's statement that about 3.2 million" American lives have been saved by vaccines against Covid, with over 14 million lives" saved globally, the far-right Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene said: I'm not a doctor, but I have a PhD in recognising bullshit when I hear it."On Capitol Hill on Thursday, Greene attended a hearing staged by the House oversight select subcommittee on the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading...

BuzzFeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti told UK staff he was excited about deal, described as strategic partnership'The Independent is in talks to take control of BuzzFeed and HuffPost in the UK and Ireland, as part of a strategic partnership" that aims to boost the fortunes of two strikingly different players in the UK media landscape.BuzzFeed UK was once looked upon with envy by legacy publishers who coveted its reach with younger audiences, but its star has faded after huge losses at its parent company. Free online news publishers are facing a torrid financial time as social networks such as Facebook are no longer sending as many readers, while advertisers are cutting spending. Continue reading...

Simon Foster will go to court over plan to transfer his powers as police and crime commissioner to region's mayorThe West Midlands police and crime commissioner (PCC) has announced he is taking the home secretary to court over plans to scrap his role and transfer his powers to the region's mayor.Simon Foster, who took over as PCC in the West Midlands in 2021, said he had applied for a judicial review to challenge what he described as a hostile takeover of PCC powers by the mayor". Continue reading...

Staff say one person killed and eight injured in attack as UN aid chief warns Rafah offensive could cause refugee exodus into Egypt

Police confirm three people arrested after one killed and at least 21 injured in attack during Chiefs' Super Bowl victory parade

Community Security Trust records rise of 232%, almost three-quarters of which took place after Hamas's 7 October attackThe anonymous letter that landed on the desk of a headteacher of a Jewish school in Hertfordshire in November did not pull its punches.Beware," it began. Jihadi is being fought and you are going to have your throat slit by us." Among the reasons it listed were we see you like music which is unIslamic"; you wear a tie and are western" and you are a Jew lover". It ended with the words: From the river to the see [sic] we shall be free, you Zionist." Continue reading...

Funding body says it believes in freedom of expression, after policy changes sparked fears of censorship of artistsArts Council England (ACE) has announced it will update guidance warning that political statements" could break funding agreements, after a backlash from the arts and culture sector.A series of recent updates to ACE policies had advised organisations that it funds to be wary of overtly political or activist" statements made in a personal capacity by people linked to them. Continue reading...

Naomi Klein, Laura Cumming and historian Tiya Miles among 16 authors in contention for prize, which aims to boost women's nonfiction award representationCapitalism, artificial intelligence, Renaissance history and motherhood are among the topics explored in the books on the inaugural Women's prize for nonfiction longlist.Sixteen women - including Guardian US columnist Naomi Klein, Observer art critic Laura Cumming and historian Tiya Miles - are now in the running for the 30,000 prize, launched last year to redress the relatively low numbers of women recognised in nonfiction prizes. Continue reading...

Organisers call for national effort' to protest against low supermarket prices and cheap imports from post-Brexit dealsFarmers unhappy at low supermarket prices and cheap food imports from post-Brexit trade deals have vowed to renew their French-style protests with tractors this weekend.Demonstrations modelled on those across the Channel in recent months have sprung up in the UK, most notably in Wales and southern England. On Thursday, Andrew Gibson, a farmer in Kent who has been centrally involved in organising previous actions, said more were to come. Continue reading...

The ex-president said that if they're not going to pay, we're not going to protect' at rally in South CarolinaDonald Trump has doubled down on his threat to undermine Nato, repeating his threat not to protect countries he believes do not pay enough to maintain the alliance and claiming such nations laugh at the stupidity" of the US.On Wednesday night, at a rally in South Carolina, Trump said: I've been saying, Look, if they're not going to pay, we're not going to protect, OK?' And [Joe] Biden who said, Oh, this is so bad. This is so terrible that he would say that.' No ... nobody's paying their bills. Continue reading...

The Oppenheimer actor spoke about the abuses at the homes for unwed women ahead of the premiere of Small Things Like These, the new film about the scandal, at the Berlin film festivalLearning about the abuses of the church in the dysfunctional Christian society" of 1980s Ireland amounted to a collective trauma" that has still not been fully processed, actor Cillian Murphy said as a new film set against the backdrop of the Magdalene Laundries scandal premiered at the Berlin film festival.In Small Things Like These, the Oppenheimer star plays Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man who accidentally becomes aware of abuse happening at the local convent in New Ross, southwest County Wexford, Ireland. Continue reading...

Twelve Jane Does' accuse agency of repeated and continual failures' that helped financier evade justice for more than 20 yearsThe FBI is facing a claim from 12 alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein over what they say was the agency's repeated and continued failures, delays and inaction" that allowed the disgraced financier to run his sex-trafficking operation for more than two decades.The lawsuit, filed against the United States in the southern district of New York, accuses the FBI of failing to do the job the American people expected of it and that the FBI's own rules and regulations required: investigate the reports, tips, and evidence it had of rampant sexual abuse and sex trafficking by Epstein and protect the young women and children who fell victim to him". Continue reading...

Labour aiming to win two byelections as chancellor defends Sunak's record, saying economy is turning a corner'On Sky News this morning Jeremy Hunt claimed that he would only cut taxes in a way that was responsible" in the March budget, and the chancellor refused to be drawn on specific measures.He told viewers:You will know that chancellors don't talk about budgets just a few weeks before and that is for a very good reason, because I don't yet know the final numbers that I will receive from the office for budget responsibility.I would only cut taxes in a way that was responsible, and I certainly wouldn't do anything that fuelled inflation just when we are starting to have some success in bringing down inflation.I am a passionate supporter of the NHS and all our public services, but in the long-run the best thing that I can do as chancellor for the NHS is to make sure that our economy is growing healthily. So what you will see in everything I do in the Budget on March 6 is prioritising economic growth. Continue reading...

Moscow has massively ramped up its industry, giving it advantages in the war and leading to a redistribution of wealthAs Ukraine has scrambled to source ammunition, arms and equipment for its defence, Russia has presided over a massive ramping up of industrial production over the last two years that has outstripped what many western defence planners expected when Vladimir Putin launched his invasion.Total defence spending has risen to an estimated 7.5% of Russia's GDP, supply chains have been redesigned to secure many key inputs and evade sanctions, and factories producing ammunition, vehicles and equipment are running around the clock, often on mandatory 12-hour shifts with double overtime, in order to sustain the Russian war machine for the foreseeable future. Continue reading...

From US aid for Ukraine to the recognition of a Palestinian state, the UK foreign secretary is determined to play a role as history unfoldsA day after the Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene declared David Cameron can kiss my ass" over his references to the appeasement of Hitler in an article appealing to US lawmakers to pass a Ukraine funding bill, the UK foreign secretary returned to the theme.Stood alongside his Polish counterpart, Radosaw Sikorski, another experienced politician recently recalled to high office, he said: Today, two foreign ministers stand here just like in the 1930s, when we faced a similar challenge in the case of an aggressive dictator who tried to change the world by force and ignored the sovereignty and inviolability of other countries' borders." Continue reading...

West Highland service regulars say they have to wear heavy coats, gloves, hats and scarves to stay warmA train that runs through some of Scotland's most celebrated Highland scenery has been labelled the polar express" because it is so cold onboard that travellers bring extra clothing for the journey.Passengers who use the West Highland line service between Oban and Glasgow believe temperatures in its carriages regularly plunge below zero, forcing regular users to bring extra insulated coats, gloves, furry hats and scarves. Continue reading...

Nato secretary general says supporting Ukraine is not charity' but an investment in our own security'France and Ukraine will sign a bilateral agreement on security commitments tomorrow, the Elysee has announced, Reuters reported.The agreement was expected to be finalised in Ukraine, but the French president, Emmanuel Macron, had postponed his trip. Continue reading...

Medecins Sans Frontieres says staff forced to evacuate, leaving patients behind' after special forces entered the hospitalIsraeli forces have stormed Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, according to Al Jazeera journalist Hani Mahmoud who is reporting from Rafah in southern Gaza.In a breaking news update to the publication, Mahmoud said Israeli forces had given those in Nasser hospital until 7am (Gaza time) to evacuate and as of Thursday morning there is a presence of Israeli soldiers inside the facility". At the same time, there is heavy tank and machine gun fire," he added.Dozens have been wounded in attacks, some victims injured more than once. This is the largest health facility in southern Gaza. It is completely out of service now. The entire medical staff was rounded up, their hands tied behind their backs.Military checkpoints were set up and Palestinians were told to come in groups of five - doctors, nurses, those with injuries. A large number of young people were detained." Continue reading...

Judge in Manhattan to rule on several issues including Trump's motion to throw out case involving payment to adult film starDonald Trump's Manhattan state court hush-money criminal case involving the adult film star Stormy Daniels and the playboy model Karen McDougal will proceed to trial on 25 March.The judge in Trump's case, Juan Merchan, announced his decision moments after the ex-president appeared in his 15th floor courtroom at 100 Centre Street at 9.30am for a hearing in the case Continue reading...

Lebanese sources say ten civilians including several children killed in fiercest exchanges since Hamas's 7 October attack

Experts blame outdated funding model as Guardian analysis shows huge disparity with areas that have the most white peopleAreas across England where the highest proportion of ethnic minorities live have the poorest access to GPs, with experts attributing this disparity to an outdated model being used to determine funding.As of October 2023, there were 34 fully qualified full-time-equivalent GPs per 100,000 patients in the areas with the highest proportion of people from ethnic minority backgrounds, according to a Guardian analysis of NHS Digital and census data. Continue reading...

Home Office criticised for shameful' move to separate Malwattege Peiris from husband and 10-year-old sonA woman is facing deportation, and being separated from her husband and 10-year-old son, despite a court ruling that the family has the right to live together in the UK.Malwattege Peiris has been told by the Home Office to leave the UK despite the court ruling in her favour and correspondence from the Home Office confirming this decision. Continue reading...

Relatives of victims say creation of commission is a great victory' but former ministers say it will be used as a political attackItaly will carry out an inquiry into its handling of the coronavirus pandemic in a move hailed as a great victory" by the relatives of people killed by the virus but criticised by those who were in power at the time.Italy was the first western country to report an outbreak and has the second highest Covid-related death toll to date in Europe, at more than 196,000. Only the UK's death toll is higher. Continue reading...

Infant was a passenger in a Toyota Auris taxi when it was involved in a head-on crash with a Vauxhall Vivaro vanA four-month-old baby boy has died after a collision between a van and a taxi in Leeds.The infant was a passenger in a Toyota Auris taxi when it was involved in a head-on crash with a Vauxhall Vivaro van at about 4.55pm on Monday. Continue reading...

Avon and Somerset police say teenager was attacked in St Philip's area by two people wearing masksA teenager has died after being attacked in Bristol by two people wearing masks, Avon and Somerset police have said.The boy, 16, was stabbed in the St Philip's area of the city on Wednesday evening, police said. The two people left the scene on bicycles, they added. Continue reading...

Tom Suozzi went on the offensive over border security in George Santos's old seat as Senate Republicans torpedoed a bipartisan dealWeeks before Tuesday's special House election in New York, Republican Mazi Pilip held a press conference outside a migrant shelter in Queens to assail Democrats' handling of the humanitarian crisis at the US-Mexico border that has led tens of thousands of people to seek refuge in the state.Moments later, her opponent, Democrat Tom Suozzi, arrived on the scene and staged a rival press conference, during which he sought to talk about this immigration crisis that is affecting so many families" and rebut" some of Pilip's claims. Continue reading...

West should address colonisation of the present' and not focus on past, argues David Van ReybrouckCities in the global north that curb their carbon emissions are doing more to address colonial injustices than those who focus their efforts on taking down statues and changing street names, one of Europe's leading historians has said.David Van Reybrouck, the Belgian author of a bestselling history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a new book on Indonesia's independence from Dutch rule, has become one of the key drivers of a nascent and often fraught debate about Europe's colonial legacies. Those who have lauded his work include the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the former UN secretary general Kofi Annan. Continue reading...

Treasury looking at reducing projected rise in public spending from 2025, FT reports citing insidersJeremy Hunt is considering making billions of pounds of spending cuts to fund pre-election tax cuts in the next budget, according to a report.The chancellor is looking at further spending restraint" after 2025 if official economic forecasts suggest he does not have enough headroom to pay for smart tax cuts", the Financial Times reported, citing Treasury insiders. Continue reading...

WorkSafe Victoria has charged Monash Health for allegedly exposing a patient to health and safety risks while in its careVictoria's largest public health service is facing a criminal charge over the death of an Indigenous woman who took her own life while receiving mental health treatment at Dandenong hospital in 2022.WorkSafe Victoria on Thursday announced it had charged Monash Health for allegedly exposing a patient to health and safety risks while in its care. Continue reading...

Cross-border rocket fire raises fears of a broader conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militant groupEleven civilians, including six children, have been killed by Israeli strikes on villages across southern Lebanon, a hospital director and local security sources said, while the Israeli army said it lost a soldier in cross-border rocket fire.While the rocket attack was not immediately claimed, the exchanges of fire - and the worst single-day civilian death toll in Lebanon since cross-border hostilities began in October - raised fears of a broader conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah. Continue reading...

More than 130 people working on criminal investigation into mulch supplied by Greenlife Resource Recovery. The company denies any wrongdoingAn investigation into the growing New South Wales asbestos scandal has become the state environmental watchdog's biggest-ever probe with hundreds of sites potentially contaminated including parks, schools, train stations and suburban back yards.A surge workforce of public servants and firefighters will assist the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) as it expands its criminal investigation into mulch found to contain asbestos across Sydney and regional NSW.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Heavy rainfall is expected to hit the Gulf of Carpentaria coast with a risk of a possible tropical cyclone from Thursday. This blog is now closed

Spending tipped to moderate until households start getting some relief in the middle of the year, CommBank chief economist says

Campaigners are trying to rescue William Mitchell artwork in Blackheath conservation area from redevelopment planCampaigners are trying to save a rare early mural by one of Britain's most celebrated postwar artists after it emerged the building it is housed in is under threat from being torn down as part of a redevelopment project in south London.The work by William Mitchell, who produced dozens of large-scale public murals and sculptures from the 1950s onwards, is situated in a village hall within the Blackheath conservation area and could be demolished to provide space for several new homes. Continue reading...

Town of Pomonal the worst affected, with 24 houses destroyed in bushfires that broke out on Tuesday

Aurelius, the German restructuring specialist, has broken up two other UK retailersAurelius, the German restructuring specialist which bought The Body Shop last year and has now put it into administration, had previously broken up two other UK retailers. Staff at the ethical cosmetics group fear it will be next, with more than 2,200 jobs and 200 stores at risk.Aurelius, a specialist in distressed companies, has been active in the UK for some time. It bought the parent of the Lloyds Pharmacy chain in 2022, TV shopping business Ideal Shopping Direct in 2018 and the European and UK arm of retailer and office supplies business Office Depot in 2017, and went on to break up all three businesses. Continue reading...

The vessel capsized while being chased by Taiwan's coastguard near the Kinmen islands, in what China called a malignant incident'Beijing has condemned Taiwanese authorities after two Chinesefishers drowned while being chased by Taiwan's coastguard off the coast of the Kinmen archipelago.The Chinese speedboat was carrying four people when it capsized on Wednesday, throwing all onboard into the water, Chinese and Taiwanese authorities said. Continue reading...

Federal education department staff spent up to $171 a head at expensive restaurants to hold meetings

Exclusive: Concerns mount over safety of Queensland children being held in adult watch houses, sometimes for weeks at a time

Israel must heed counsel of international friends to avoid devastating' effects of assault on Gaza's southernmost city, says Albanese, and Canadian and NZ leaders

Note from Jo Haylen, which was meant for new Queensland premier Steven Miles, was accidentally sent to Stephen Andrews' office