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Chancellor disappointed some conservatives with only limited rise in threshold, but said he was restricted by Northern Ireland protocolJeremy Hunt has privately admitted to colleagues that he cannot further raise the VAT threshold for UK businesses because of EU rules.The chancellor announced in his budget on Wednesday that businesses would no longer have to pay VAT if they had a turnover of less than 90,000, an increase from the previous threshold of 85,000. Continue reading...

Leading Republican, who blamed Trump for January 6, says he will support likely nominee despite ex-president's personal tauntsMitch McConnell, the Republican leader in the US Senate, on Wednesday endorsed Donald Trump for president despite years of acrimony between the pair including Trump calling McConnell a piece of shit" and using racist invective in attacks against his wife.It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States," McConnell, 82, said in a statement to the Washington Post, the morning after Trump dominated the Super Tuesday primaries and as Trump's last rival, Nikki Haley, dropped out. Continue reading...

ACCC chief Gina Cass-Gottlieb wants legislaltion changed to enable it to force businesses to give up data without the need for government backing

Five-miles of London orbital motorway will close for an entire weekend with four more dates to followDrivers have been warned of unprecedented traffic jams with the first planned full closure of part of Britain's busiest motorway, the M25, in March.A five-mile stretch of the London orbital motorway will be shut for an entire weekend from late 15 March, affecting the journeys of an estimated 200,000 vehicles. Continue reading...

Activists welcome sanction on Sarah Achieng Opendi and other legislators against a backdrop of anti-LGBTQ+ oppression in AfricaThe Ugandan MP Sarah Achieng Opendi, who called for homosexuals to be castrated during a parliamentary debate on the world's harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws has been denied a visa to attend a UN meeting in New York next week.Opendi expressed shock" after the US embassy in Kampala rejected her application to travel to the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women , pending administrative" review. Continue reading...

Grassroots groups organized quickly after similar effort in Michigan brought in more than 100,000 uncommitted' votesA protest vote against Joe Biden gained more traction around the country on Super Tuesday as voters in several states sought to send a message to the Democratic president to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.Grassroots groups organized quickly after a similar effort in Michigan last week far exceeded its goal of 10,000 votes for uncommitted" brought in more than 100,000 votes, or 13% of the vote. Continue reading...

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones,' peer told after he said Labour leader could boost election chances by losing weight

In a vast futuristic greenhouse at the Louvre, 4,000 guests were shown why the brand is the biggest of them allTen years to the day after his first show for Louis Vuitton, Nicolas Ghesquiere celebrated a remarkable anniversary in the same Paris landmark where he made his debut. In the ruthless spit-em-out churn of fashion, and in the eye of that storm as the designer of the biggest brand of all, Ghesquiere's is quite the run.A vast futuristic greenhouse lit from within with 13 vast globe-shaped chandeliers - Louis Vuitton, travel, get it? - filled an entire quadrangle of the Louvre, rising almost to the mansard roof of the museum. Continue reading...

Research suggests every extra step up to 10,000 reduces risk even if rest of the day is sedentaryWalking up to 10,000 steps a day lowers the risk of heart disease and early death, even when spending the rest of the day sedentary, research suggests.The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that every extra step above 2,200 steps a day - up to about 10,000 - reduces these risks, regardless of how much of the remaining time is spent sitting. Continue reading...

Feedback during Canberra staff engagement session also covers senators' rude behaviour, uncompetitive pay and brain drain

A culture of covering up' in education department led to a woeful' failure to ensure student safety between 1960 and 1994, report says

Children are reported to be starving in Gaza as insufficient aid supplies crawl into the territory. Meanwhile, as Ramadan approaches, peace talks are faltering. Patrick Wintour reportsThe scenes were chaotic: hundreds of people crowded around aid trucks desperately trying to grab what they could amid a hunger crisis that international observers feared could turn into famine. By the end of the night, according to Gazan health authorities, 112 would be dead and more than 700 people injured.As the Guardian's diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour, tells Michael Safi, the events of that night are under investigation amid an international outcry. The incident has brought the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza into sharper focus and led to increasing pressure from Israel's allies to intensify their efforts in getting food through the crossings and to the people who need it most. Continue reading...

Founder Jeremy Hershan says brand - famous for its Utility Tote bags - was intended to be an antidote to mass fashion'A brand that was founded as an antidote to mass fashion" has won Australia's national designer award for 2024.Haulier - a Sydney-based fashion label best known for its Utility Tote bags - was founded by the former Saville Row apprentice and ex RM Williams creative director Jeremy Hershan.Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading...

A list of when polls are scheduled to close in the states voting on this Super Tuesday

More than 180 alleged rape victims have faced more than two years of delays since case first went to courtMore than 180 alleged rape victims in England and Wales have faced more than two years of delays since their case first went to court, with a senior judge announcing plans to clear the serious stain" on the justice system by the end of July.The senior presiding judge for England and Wales, Lord Justice Edis, said that most of the targeted cases were sent to the crown court by magistrates courts in the summer of 2021 and so were now approaching their three-year anniversary, calling it a significant injustice". Continue reading...

Chancellor set to cut 2p off national insurance but some Tories say more is needed to bolster election chancesJeremy Hunt will use his final budget before the election to promise voters lower tax and higher growth, with the chancellor set to announce a 2p cut to national insurance, even at the expense of public services.Sources said on Tuesday Hunt had decided to reduce national insurance for the second time in less than six months, having defied calls from some in Downing Street and across the party for a more expensive pre-election income tax cut. Continue reading...

Two days of negotiations in Cairo break up with Hamas accusing Israeli PM of not wanting to a dealNegotiations aimed at brokering a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war appear to have stalled, days before an unofficial deadline of the beginning of Ramadan.Two days of talks between Hamas and international mediators in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, have not yielded any significant breakthroughs, Palestinian officials said, after Israel declined to send a delegation to the latest round of negotiations. Continue reading...

Michelle Donelan had accused two members of Research England's advisory group of sharing extremist views' in letter to UKRIMichelle Donelan, the science minister, has apologised and paid damages after accusing two academics of sharing extremist views" and one of them of supporting Hamas.In a statement posted on X, the secretary of state for science, innovation and technology said she had deleted a tweet and letter published last year, and accepted what she termed a clarification" from one of the academics, Prof Kate Sang at Heriot-Watt university in Edinburgh. Continue reading...

Washington says no despite frantic' talks between diplomats, as bodies lie in street and army battles gun-toting gang members

Up to 600 council jobs to be lost, arts grants scrapped, libraries closed and bin collections reduced to fortnightlyCouncillors in Birmingham have approved what are thought to be the biggest budget cuts in local authority history, with residents warning that the consequences could be disastrous" for the city.Birmingham city council met on Tuesday afternoon to debate and vote on a proposed set of cuts that will see the loss of up to 600 council jobs, arts grants scrapped, libraries closed and bin collections reduced to fortnightly. Continue reading...

Amount proposed is described as just a start' to rectify the evil' of enslavementThe 1bn fund proposed to address the Church of England's historic links to slavery would just be a start up" to rectify the evil" of enslavement, Black faith leaders have said.A report by an oversight group led by descendants of enslaved Africans found the 100m earmarked for the Church's new investment fund is not enough" and instead proposed for 1bn to be raised for a broader healing, repair and justice initiative." Continue reading...

Sinking of warship near Kerch strait would deal further blow to Moscow's naval power and its control over Black Sea

Republican presidential frontrunner compares undocumented migrants to Hannibal Lecter: We don't want 'em in this country'Reaching for racist rhetoric bizarre even for him, Donald Trump compared undocumented migrants to the US to Hannibal Lecter, the serial killer and cannibal famously played by Sir Anthony Hopkins in the Oscar-winning 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs.They're rough people, in many cases from jails, prisons, from mental institutions, insane asylums," the former president and probable Republican presidential nominee claimed in an interview with Right Side Broadcasting Network on Monday. You know, insane asylums, that's Silence of the Lambs stuff. Continue reading...

Pre-election giveaway should save average earner 450 a year but spending cuts may follow

Growing numbers buying protective gear as gangs recruit young people amid surge in violence across countryPolice in southern Sweden have called for a ban on civilians wearing bulletproof vests, which they say do not have a place outside war zones because they cause fear in communities.Increasing numbers of children and young people, including those under 15, are wearing protective vests in towns and cities, they said, as gang crime continues to pull in the younger generation in Sweden. Continue reading...

Man charged with murder after Paramjit Gosal-Gill found dead at property in BeaconsfieldPolice have named a 40-year-old woman whose body was found last week at a property in Beaconsfield.Thames Valley police have formally identified the victim as Paramjit Gosal-Gill, from Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Continue reading...

Leaders from Hamas expected to hold further talks with mediators; Israel defence minister warns of military escalation with LebanonThe World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that malnutrition in northern Gaza is particularly extreme".The situation is particularly extreme in northern Gaza," Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative for Gaza and the West Bank, said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Meta to block search access to 350,000 posts using hashtags associated with Guardian's findingsInstagram has been used to promote sexual violence and exploitation by people advertising themselves as pimps", a Guardian investigation has found.For the past year, the Guardian has been tracking Instagram accounts hosting content that advocates such activity as well as those that encourage violence against the women under the control of a pimp - someone who makes money from selling others for sex. Continue reading...

Move announced by News UK venture comes weeks after Piers Morgan left his daily show on channelThe rightwing news channel TalkTV, launched in 2022 by Rupert Murdoch's News UK, is to stop broadcasting on television after struggling to match its main rival GB News for ratings.TalkTV will switch to online platforms only from this summer, an email to staff announced on Tuesday. Last month, its best-known presenter, Piers Morgan, said he would be leaving his daily evening show. Continue reading...

Lucy Moore has created a page for at least one woman from every country in the world for the online encyclopediaA UK academic who has completed a project creating a Wikipedia page for a woman in every country in the world is calling for more women to contribute to the world's largest encyclopedia.Lucy Moore, an archaeologist and curator who also works as an unpaid carer, began the mammoth project in 2021 from her sofa in Leeds, completing it last week - unsurprisingly, perhaps, I got really stuck on Vatican City". Continue reading...

Mark Rutte fails to secure Hungary backing after Netherlands previously voiced concerns about democracy in the countryAlong with the new strategy, the Commission has proposed a European Defence Industry Programme to bridge from short-term emergency measures, adopted in 2023 and ending in 2025, to a more structural and longer-term approach to achieve defence industrial readiness," the Commission said in a statement.The programme will mobilise 1.5 billion of the EU budget for 2025-2027. Continue reading...

One of the generals on conference call about Ukraine used non-secure line to dial in, says defence minister

High court case has clarified time limit for cases, as group reports fall in profits amid advertising slump

Guests can delve deeper into history of London landmark in one-of-a-kind stay to mark World Book DayIt adds a whole new meaning to bedtime reading: St Paul's Cathedral is opening its hidden library for a once-in-a-lifetime overnight stay in honour of World Book Day.For one night only, two guests will be able to stay in the secret" room of the historic London landmark on 15 March. It is the first time anyone has officially slept inside the cathedral since the second world war, when a voluntary organisation protected the venue from bombing raids. Continue reading...

UK telecoms firm is latest in string of targets for foreign buyers taking advantage of low valuations

Figures on right of party fear move could have unintended impact on those with socially conservative views

Staff call for the state-appointed superintendent to be removed amid an implementation of a rigid curriculum as over 600 teachers resignTeachers and other staff in the Houston Independent school district (HISD), which serves the fourth most populous city in the US, are calling for the state-appointed superintendent of the district to be removed amid a surge in resignations of employees, cuts to libraries and implementation of rigid school reform curriculum.The Republican governor, Greg Abbott, announced last year that the state of Texas would take control over the Houston Independent school district in June 2023 and replace democratically-elected school board members with state-appointed ones. The move was criticized as part of Abbott's agenda of expanding charter schools in Texas as one of his legislative priorities has been pushing a bill to expand vouchers for charter schools that failed to garner enough support to pass in 2023. Continue reading...

Allan Lichtman, who has correctly predicted outcome of every US election since 1984, disagrees with decision on Colorado ballotThe US supreme court erred badly" in ruling Colorado was wrong to seek to remove Donald Trump from the ballot for inciting the January 6 insurrection, a leading historian and analyst of presidential politics said.The court handed down its unanimous ruling on Monday, a day before Colorado became one of 16 states and one US territory to hold a Super Tuesday primary. Continue reading...

Kyiv says it has addressed members' concerns over inhumane conditions for prisoners awaiting trial

Nine says it can prove Synergy 360 and its CEO engaged in corrupt conduct' by former Liberal frontbencher in defence filed to NSW courtAlleged corrupt conduct between former federal Liberal MP Stuart Robert and Synergy 360 included a gypsy's warning" to encourage a contract between the consulting firm and a major IT company, Nine claims.The network is being sued for defamation in a New South Wales supreme court lawsuit filed by Synergy 360 and its CEO, David Milo, over four Sydney Morning Herald articles. Continue reading...

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Fire and Rescue NSW believe battery went into thermal runaway', killing two of Teralba townhouse's occupants

The university held the lavish event at the NGV for Margaret Gardner, now the governor of Victoria

In today's newsletter: With gangs controlling Port-au-Prince and a UN-backed international force still not on the ground, is there any prospect of democratic control? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. It is seven years since Haiti held an election, almost three years since the president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated, and more than a year since the last elected officials left office - and the return of democracy to Port-au-Prince still appears to be a distance away.On Sunday, after gangs stormed the country's two biggest jails and freed more than 3,800 criminals, the Haitian government declared a 72-hour state of emergency and a night curfew. But with gangs now exerting de facto authority over about 80% of the capital, and senior figures including acting president Ariel Henry out of the country, the government's future appears increasingly uncertain. Yesterday, the Miami Herald reported that the gangs made a second attempt to take over the national airport.Budget | NHS funding faces the biggest cuts in real terms since the 1970s, an influential analysis shows, amid growing pressure on Jeremy Hunt to prioritise public service funding over tax cuts in the budget. Health spending in England is due to fall by 1.2% - worth 2bn - in the new financial year.US politics | Donald Trump was wrongly removed from Colorado's primary ballot last year, the US supreme court has ruled, clearing the way for Trump to appear on the ballot in all 50 states. Trump said the unanimous decision was very well crafted". Read Ed Pilkington's analysis.UK politics | George Galloway has said he will target more seats in the next general election, including deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner's, after his swearing-in at Westminster following last week's Rochdale byelection victory. Galloway told reporters that his Workers Party of Britain would put up candidates to either win or ... make sure that Keir Starmer doesn't."France | The French parliament has enshrined abortion as a constitutional right at a historic joint session at the Palace of Versailles. The change, agreed by an overwhelming margin of 780-72, was given impetus by the US supreme court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v Wade.Media | Ofcom has determined that GB News broke broadcasting rules when Laurence Fox, the leader of the rightwing Reclaim party, demeaned" a female journalist on an episode of Dan Wootton Tonight. Fox's comments, Ofcom says, were unambiguously misogynistic" and potentially highly offensive to viewers". Continue reading...

Analysis across four exam boards in England reveals white artists comprise 91.6% of all mentionsLess than 3% of artists named in GCSE art exam papers are from Black or south Asian backgrounds, research has found.Analysis of GCSE assessment materials from four big exam boards in England - AQA, Eduqas, OCR and Edexcel - showed only 8.4% of artists referenced across the 27 art exam papers were minority ethnic. Continue reading...

Workers receiving payments beyond two-and-a-half years to undergo another impairment test under changes expected to pass parliament

Philippines spokesperson says Chinese vessel carried out dangerous manoeuvres' during mission to resupply military outpostThe Philippines has accused China's coastguard of reckless and illegal actions" that resulted in a collision that caused minor structural damage to one of its vessels in the fiercely disputed South China Sea.Jay Tarriela, Philippine coastguard (PCG) spokesperson, said on social media that its vessels had faced dangerous manoeuvres and blocking" from Chinese coastguard and Chinese maritime militia as they supported a resupply mission to military troops. This led to a collision that caused minor structural damage to the PCG vessel", he said in a statement on X. Continue reading...

Rowan Ramsey says overturning ban on nuclear first is the most logical thing' to do as opposition leader prepares to nominate up to six locations

Economists say 5% target is ambitious, as premier Li Qiang tells annual gathering that global economy and problems at home are presenting hurdles to recoveryChina has set its target for GDP growth at 5%, in line with analysts' expectations for another year of historically modest ambitions for the economy, amid regional tensions and its demographic crisis.China's premier, Li Qiang, spoke of the challenges" facing China's leaders as he delivered his annual government work report on Tuesday. He cited the global economy and regional tensions as hurdles for China's recovery, as well as domestic issues such as low consumer demand in a challenging labour market. Continue reading...

LNP accuses Steven Miles in parliament of lying, while Labor claims an unnamed opposition MP was trying to intimidate Ali King