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Official cites Ukraine war and China threat and raises concern over turnover of top government ministersBritish defence intelligence officials say the UK is closer to a large-scale conflict than at any recent point, as the Middle East crisis intensifies while Russia pursues an expansionist agenda and China develops advanced weapons.One senior official said the secretive 4,500-strong unit was the busiest it had been in at least a decade, and said the fast turnover of ministers made it harder to ensure key politicians were making informed decisions. Continue reading...

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Letter sent to UN raises concerns about Alice Wairimu Nderitu's ability to act with effectiveness and impartiality'Leading Palestinian human rights groups have accused the UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide of failing to fulfil her mandate after she issued only one statement on the war in Gaza - largely supportive of Israel - that has claimed 26,000 Palestinian lives.In a statement issued in October, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, a Kenyan, omitted any criticism of Israel. Continue reading...

Exclusive: IDF troops shed light on their experience of fighting in the territory, where Palestinian casualties have passed 27,700Demobilised Israeli reservists have described how they deployed massive fire power in a brutal, complex and often one-sided war of sporadic but intense clashes that has reduced much of Gaza to ruins.They spoke, too, of the challenge of fighting on unfamiliar ground that is well-known to Hamas and which offered easy opportunities for surprise attacks, despite Israel's conventional military superiority and air power. Continue reading...

Father's lawyers label high court of Australia decision a monumental outcome' for families of clergy sexual abuse victims

We need you at home with us,' daughter Jess says. The 51-year-old was last seen leaving home in Victoria early on Sunday to go for a run

Phone services suspended for security reasons as voting begins, a day after at least 30 killed in attacks in Balochistan provincePhone services were suspended in Pakistan on Thursday as polls opened in its general election, a day after two bomb blasts at the election offices of a political party and an independent candidate in south-west Pakistan killed at least 30 people and wounded dozens more.Pakistan's caretaker government said that phone services, including mobile internet, had been temporarily suspended for security reasons. Continue reading...

Social housing resident Filippe Scalora alleges a stranger moved into his flat while he could not get home in pandemicA social housing tenant is suing his landlord for 1m in damages, alleging that a housing officer illegally sublet his home when he was stranded abroad at the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020.Filippe Scalora's case against Clarion will allege that when he returned to the flat he discovered a stranger had been sleeping in his bed and using his towels, cutlery, crockery and computer. Continue reading...

Former PM criticises ministers for moral outrage' of systematically shredding' social security system

Hong Kong fans need answers over missed fixture, government says, amid online furore over Inter Miami tourChinese state media, Hong Kong politicians and fans have cried foul after Lionel Messi played in a match in Japan, just days after he stayed on the bench in a highly anticipated match in Hong Kong.Many in Hong Kong were dismayed on Sunday when the 36-year-old Argentinian player did not come on to the field during a much-hyped Inter Miami fixture to a sell-out crowd with fans demanding answers and a refund. Continue reading...

More than 7,000 people used route between west Africa and Canary Islands last month, up from 500 in January last yearThe head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, have flown to Mauritania to sign a series of deals on migration and energy, as data reveals there has been a surge in people-smuggling operations to the Canary Islands.Figures soon to be published by Frontex, the EU's border agency, are expected to show that the number of people risking their lives by making the perilous journey from west African shores to the Spanish islands has risen dramatically in the past year. Continue reading...

Josh Wilson tells Australian parliament besieged territory being bombed into rubble' following Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of ceasefire proposal

Consumer group finds Connected Services' feature can send personal and vehicle data to third parties, with drivers told removing components risks voiding warranty

Cindy Micallef says her mother was never one to be prejudiced' after 16-year-old boy charged over stabbing near Ipswich

Jeremy Rockliff tells two former government MPs he will seek early poll if they don't sign new supply agreement

Voice advocate tells Albanese government to step up post-referendum policy agenda and be courageous' in addressing disadvantage

King issues first statement since diagnosis, with Palace and Downing Street keen to show he is still carrying out constitutional dutiesBuckingham Palace and Downing Street were keen to demonstrate that King Charles remains in close contact with the government on Wednesday, even as he recovers from his first session of cancer treatment.No 10 took the unusual step of confirming that Rishi Sunak would be telephoning the king in the evening after an agreement with the palace to disclose the information. Continue reading...

The council narrowly voted against a community consultation on the location and context' of the explorer's Port Phillip memorial

People may be exposed to abuses such as torture and degrading treatment in Rwanda, says watchdogEurope's leading anti-torture watchdog has called on the government to process asylum claims in the UK rather than sending people to Rwanda because of the risk they may be exposed to human rights abuses there.In a report published on Thursday, the Council of Europe's committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment raises a litany of concerns after an 11-day visit to the UK in March and April last year. Continue reading...

London MC wins best male and song of the year, while Potter Payper beats stiff competition to win album of the yearCentral Cee has topped the winners at the 2024 Mobo awards, winning best male for the second year in a row, and best song for Sprinter, his collaborative track with Dave, that dominated the summer months with a 10-week run at No 1.Elsewhere the awards, which celebrate black musical artistry in the UK and globally, spread the garlands across a diverse range of music, with no one artist dominating. Continue reading...

Immigration minister Marc Miller frustrated by impasse over list of about 1,000 people trapped in Palestinian territoryCanada's immigration minister, Marc Miller, has said he is pissed off" that extended family members of Canadians are being blocked from leaving war-torn Gaza.Ottawa last month provided a list of about 1,000 people approved to come to Canada to Israeli and Egyptian authorities, who jointly control the only border crossing out of the Palestinian territory, at Rafah. Continue reading...

Ex-Barcelona defender is accused of raping a woman in a nightclub in December 2022The former Brazil international footballer Dani Alves has denied raping a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub as he took the stand on the last day of his trial in Spain.If she wanted to leave, she could have left, she was not obligated to be there," the 40-year-old told the court in Barcelona on Wednesday, adding that the woman at no time" asked to leave. Continue reading...

Peter Spooner describes comment made in an exchange at prime minister's questions as absolutely dehumanising'The father of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has demanded Rishi Sunak apologise after the prime minister made a jibe at the expense of transgender people just after being told Brianna's mother was watching him in the House of Commons.After the exchanges, at prime minister's questions, Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, called Sunak's comments absolutely dehumanising". Continue reading...

Draft policy to remove HMO regulations for landlords in England and Wales withdrawn hours before high court challengeA controversial policy to remove basic housing protections from asylum seekers has been withdrawn by the government.The policy, first disclosed by the Guardian, outlined a proposed removal of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) regulations for landlords accommodating asylum seekers in their properties. Non-asylum seekers are still entitled to access these safeguards. Continue reading...

French actor alleges arthouse film-maker Benoit Jacquot groomed her when she was 14 and he was 39French prosecutors have opened a rape inquiry after the actor Judith Godreche filed a complaint against the arthouse film director Benoit Jacquot, who she says groomed her when she was 14 and he was 39.A formal complaint was filed against Jacquot, 77, for the alleged rape of a minor by a person in a position of authority. The French police's specialist juvenile protection unit is handling the inquiry, which will investigate several allegations, including rape of a minor by a person in a position of authority, rape, domestic violence and sexual assault. Continue reading...

Andy Burnham and Andy Street team up with consortium to explore options including lower-speed lineAndy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, and Andy Street, the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, have joined forces on alternative and cheaper plans for the scrapped section of HS2, warning that to do nothing is not an option".Burnham and Street shared a stage on Wednesday to put forward three options after the government abandoned the long-promised northern section of the high-speed rail line. Continue reading...

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Ukraine's air force said it had intercepted 15 out of 20 drones and 29 out of 44 missilesA barrage of Russian drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities killed five people on Wednesday and injured 50 more, including a pregnant woman.It's another massive attack against our state," president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a statement. Continue reading...

Kemi Badenoch accuses Labour leader of political point-scoring' after he condemned Rishi Sunak's comments in PMQs. This live blog is closed

Bad Seeds duo hailed by director Sam Taylor-Johnson for profoundly deep and moving' workNick Cave and Warren Ellis will score the forthcoming Amy Winehouse biopic, Back to Black.The film is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, who began as a visual artist before segueing to film directing, helming Nowhere Boy (whose writer, Matt Greenhalgh, has penned Back to Black's screenplay), Fifty Shades of Grey and A Million Little Pieces. Continue reading...

Robert Temple challenged Hypnotism Act in order to allow Bolton comedy show to go onIt was put in place more than 70 years ago to protect citizens from the dark arts" but now an old-fashioned law banning hypnosis and mesmerism has been overturned by a comedy hypnotist - and he did it without putting anyone under.Robert Temple was due to perform his show Red Raw, described as improvised comedy under the influence of hypnosis", to an audience of hundreds at Bolton's Albert Halls on Saturday. Continue reading...

Executive backs new measures after authors say sexual harassment is an issue within the Fire Brigades Union

Remarks by US secretary of state come after Hamas responds to Israel plan with three-stage proposal to end conflict

So called Cossack Camp' likely to be in Russia's southern city of Rostov after Anton Yelizarov confirms new units being formedRussia's upper house of parliament has asked the finance ministry to draw up a law that would impose retaliatory measures on the West if it moves against frozen Russian assets, the TASS state news agency reported.The Financial Times reported on 3 February that the G7 had drawn up plans to use frozen Russian assets as collateral to raise money to help Ukraine. Continue reading...

Families who may have been affected by hormone pregnancy tests not included in patient safety commissioner's reviewCampaigners have accused the UK government of betraying them, after a review of redress for victims of health scandals excluded families who may have been affected by the hormone pregnancy test Primodos.A report published on Wednesday by the patient safety commissioner, Dr Henrietta Hughes, found a clear case for redress" for thousands of women and children who suffered avoidable harm" from the epilepsy treatment sodium valproate and vaginal mesh implants. Continue reading...

Experts say the 5BX regime could have benefits for the king's recovery since his recent cancer diagnosisWhile King Charles's health has been in the spotlight in recent days after his cancer diagnosis, the 75-year-old monarch has long been hailed by those around him as a fitness fan.His wife, Queen Camilla, has likened him to a mountain goat because of his love of walking, while it has also been reported that Charles performs a 12-minute Royal Canadian air force exercise plan, known as the 5BX. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Tory peer said she had no conflicts whatsoever', five months before trust received 29m of profitsThe Conservative peer Michelle Mone assured the government that she was not entitled to any financial benefit whatsoever" from a PPE company, five months before 29m of its profits were transferred into a trust for her benefit.Leaked emails between Mone and the Cabinet Office reveal that a civil servant asked her to make a declaration that she had no conflict of interest in relation to the company, PPE Medpro, which she had recommended to ministers in May 2020. Continue reading...

Final batch of one-time UK school lunchbox staple to be made this month as Swiss food firm continues clearout of older brandsWith its bright yellow wrapper a Breakaway was a UK school lunchbox favourite in the 1980s, but now life is finally imitating art with Nestle confirming that it is taking away" the chocolate-coated biscuits for ever.The final batch will roll off the Swiss food firm's production lines this month, with the decision blamed on dwindling sales of the 54-year-old brand. We know fans will be disappointed to see it go," said a Nestle spokesperson. We have seen a decline in the sales of Breakaway over the past few years and, unfortunately, we had to make the difficult decision to discontinue it." Continue reading...

Fear of crime in UK capital is one of biggest concerns of rich Indians, says entrepreneurIndian business people are avoiding being out and about in Mayfair over fears they could be mugged for their expensive watches after a 27% rise in theft from a person" in London, an entrepreneur has said.Devin Narang, an entrepreneur, told a meeting attended by David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, that fear of crime in London was one of the biggest concerns of India's rich elite.

Refugees crammed into the border city face a terrifying choice: stay for the expected attack, or flee back north through a war zone

Volunteers hope lure of breeding will entice mammal, named Meeko, to return homeThey're seen by some as cuddly and intelligent, by others as always-hungry pests. Either way, raccoons are not meant to be loose in Sunderland.A search for a rogue raccoon in the city has entered its seventh week with volunteers hopeful that the lure of breeding will entice the animal to return home. Continue reading...

European Commission says Viktor Orban's government is violating EU law and the principle of democracyThe European Commission has announced it is taking the first step in legal action against Hungary over a new law it said violates the principle of democracy, upping tensions with Budapest as the continent enters a fraught election season.The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, has for years clashed with Brussels over democratic norms. Continue reading...

Central criminal court cleared after fire at electrical substation near court buildings, say fire servicesThe Old Bailey in central London has been evacuated after a fire broke out near the court.The London fire brigade said it was responding to an incident at an electrical substation at the rear of the central criminal court on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Kremlin said interview was granted because Carlson was neither pro-Russian or pro-Ukrainian, unlike, it said, other western mediaThe Russian president, Vladimir Putin, granted an interview to US television host Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, the Kremlin said, claiming it was arranged because Carlson's approach differs from the one-sided reporting of many traditional western news media.The interview was likely to be aired on Thursday, according to Russia's Tass news agency, citing reports by the Wall Street Journal. Continue reading...

Minister met union officials and representatives from co-operative movement to discuss mutualisation

Panel said it was not satisfied releasing former singer, jailed for sexually abusing girls, was safe for publicPaul Gadd, known as the former pop star Gary Glitter, who is in prison for sexually abusing three girls, has lost a Parole Board bid to be freed.A parole hearing took place behind closed doors last month to consider the 79-year-old's case. Continue reading...

Lower mortgage rates lead to increased buyer and seller confidence, says Halifax

Ombudsman's scathing report finds agencies have little acknowledgement' of impact of detention on detainees' health

Rappers entered breakfast market with Snoop Cereal in 2023, and allege conspiracy between manufacturer Post Consumer Brands and supermarket chain Walmart to choke' startup brandRappers Snoop Dogg and Master P are suing US supermarket chain Walmart and food manufacturer Post Consumer Brands, claiming that the two companies conspired to sabotage the success of the pair's new breakfast cereal enterprise.Snoop Cereal launched last summer, with Master P hailing parent company Broadus Foods as the first Black-owned cereal company in the US: This has been going on for over 100 years, that we've been consumers and never owners, so we're changing that game." The rappers partnered with Post to produce the cereal itself. Continue reading...

Companies reach agreement over all-share offer and combined group will have turnover of more than 7bn