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Inspector tells Observer investigation that top officials are aware that computer system crashes can wipe out dataOfsted inspectors have been forced to make up" evidence because the computer system they use to record inspections sometimes crashes, wiping all the data, an Observer investigation has found.Since 2018, inspectors have made live notes on laptops or tablets as they interview staff and observe lessons, after Ofsted invested in a new electronic evidence gathering (EEG) digital platform. However, our investigation has discovered the technology has had serious issues from the beginning, sometimes crashing unexpectedly and losing all notes from interviews, or even whole days of evidence, so that inspectors have to replace those notes from memory without telling the school. Continue reading...

She's pledged to be first minister for all' and her ability to navigate political tensions will shape her Stormont tenureWhen Michelle O'Neill is sworn in as Northern Ireland's first minister, it will be a moment of personal triumph steeped in irony.As a teenage mother, she was treated as if she had the plague", and wept, yet went on to ascend the ranks of Sinn Fein and is now poised to make history as the first nationalist to lead Northern Ireland - a state that, in theory, she wishes to eradicate. Continue reading...

MP for Bromley and Chislehurst wants to spend more time with his wife who had a stroke in 2019The senior Conservative MP Sir Bob Neill will stand down at the next general election to spend more time with his wife, who has had a stroke.Neill, 71, who was first elected as Bromley and Chislehurst MP in a byelection in 2006, was a junior minister in the coalition government under David Cameron until September 2012 and chairs the Commons justice committee. Continue reading...

The bodies of a woman, 76, and man, 55, found with significant injuries inside property at Rosewater

The man who reportedly once organised sex parties for the wealthy is alleged to be involved in a plot to replace Rishi SunakAdvisers advise, ministers decide," goes Margaret Thatcher's aphorism. But if Nadine Dorries is right, one Conservative adviser has the power to elevate and overthrow prime ministers and has been exercising it for two decades.Some might accuse Dorries of hyperbole. But even to more reserved figures in the Conservative party, the Tory fixer Dougie Smith is a mysterious and unnerving character. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Local voluntary groups forced to cut services or close as council funding pulled

In Mansfield, the council could not afford the funding needed by a service that is vital to one of the UK's most deprived areasIn the end it was just 27,000. That was as much as the local district council said it could scrape together, but it was still a 50% cut in core grant funding and ultimately not enough to prevent Mansfield Citizens Advice service from becoming a casualty of the financial crisis raging through England's local authorities.Just over a week ago, when it became clear there was no more room for manoeuvre, the charity's board of trustees took the decision to close for good, after 41 years serving the Nottinghamshire ex-mining town, one of the UK's most deprived areas. It's devastating," said its chair, Carmel Reilly. There's no other place for clients to go." Continue reading...

Third man rescued from capsized boat, under which his fellow fisher became trapped off Barwon Heads

President says If you harm an American, we will respond' as US forces strike in what is expected to be first of multiple attacks

Aslef train drivers' set of strikes and work to rule is latest action in long-running pay disputeRail passengers face another weekend of cancelled and disrupted trains as services across the Midlands and intercity trains from London are halted by drivers' strikes.The latest in a week of rolling 24-hour strikes called by the Aslef union will stop all trains throughout Saturday on Avanti West Coast, East Midlands, West Midlands Railway and its sister service, London Northwestern. LNER services running on the east coast mainline have resumed after a one-day strike on Friday. Continue reading...

Heatwave warnings as ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily continues to dump heavy rain across parts of outback Queensland

Boy was bitten at campsite of western side of K'gari, also known as Fraser Island, and taken to Hervey Bay hospital

PM says he experienced racism as a child and that his parents sent him for extra drama lessons so that he could speak properly'Rishi Sunak has spoken about the racism he experienced as a child and how his parents were so determined he should fit in and speak without an accent that he was sent for extra drama lessons.You are conscious of being different," he told the deputy political editor of ITV News, Anushka Asthana. It's hard not to be, right, and obviously I experienced racism as a kid." Continue reading...

Far-right president's measures aimed at tackling the country's severe economic problems passed easily despite public protestsArgentina's lower chamber of deputies has given overall approval to libertarian president Javier Milei's sweeping omnibus" reform bill in a vote on Friday after days of debate, paving the way for a decisive vote in the Senate.The controversial reform package was approved on a vote of 144 votes in favour and 109 against. Continue reading...

Guitarist helped to give Detroit band their powerful, politically charged sound and continued their legacy into the 21st centuryWayne Kramer, the guitarist who co-created MC5 - one of the rawest, most influential and politically engaged bands in US history - has died aged 75. His Instagram page announced the news: Wayne S Kramer. Peace be with you. April 30 1948 - February 2 2024."Born and raised in Detroit, Kramer teamed with teenage friend and fellow guitarist Fred Sonic" Smith, each of them influenced as much by free jazz as they were by R&B and rock'n'roll. Along with the frontman Rob Tyner, they made MC5 into an incendiary force in their city's music scene, alongside peers such as the Stooges. Continue reading...

Campaigner for no vote in voice referendum received $5.2m last financial year, 47% of it dark money' from sources not revealed publicly

Singer should be able to see boyfriend Travis Kelce in person despite 17-hour time change and 12-hour flight, embassy saysJapan's embassy in Washington has assured an angsty public that Taylor Swift should make it to the Super Bowl in time to see her boyfriend Travis Kelce play in the big game - as long as her post-concert flight from Tokyo leaves on time.The embassy's Friday statement answered a question weighing on the minds of the pop star's multitude of fans, who wondered if it was even logistically possible for her to be in position to cheer on Kelce in person as he seeks a third NFL championship with the Kansas City Chiefs. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Canberra insider hits back at Amir Maimon who accused Australia of forgetting Hamas culpability' for 7 October attacks

The actor was known for playing Apollo Creed in four Rocky films and was recently in The MandalorianCarl Weathers, the actor whose credits include Rocky and Predator, has died at 76.His family released a statement through his agent to announce that he died peacefully in his sleep" on 1 February. Continue reading...

Family were given permission for L-shaped building in 2021, but instead built a large, C-shaped structureThe spa pool at the home of Captain Sir Tom Moore's daughter has been lifted out by crane as the unauthorised complex was demolished. The tub was hoisted up through the open top of the block, whose roof had been removed by workers earlier in the week.Hannah Ingram-Moore, 53, and her husband, Colin, 66, lost an appeal against an order to remove the Captain Tom Foundation building in the grounds of their property after a hearing in October. Continue reading...

Move comes after accusations of lowering entry standards to foreign applicants who pay far higher tuition feesVice-chancellors are to review international student admissions by British universities, including how to identify bad practice" among agents employed to attract people from overseas, after controversy over recruitment.Universities UK, which represents university leaders, announced a series of reviews into the use of recruitment agents and international foundation programmes, as well as the code of practice governing admissions. Continue reading...

Vittorio Sgarbi, who denies allegations over painting, cites separate antitrust investigation in resignationAn Italian art critic who was recently placed under investigation over allegations that a 17th-century painting in his possession was stolen from a castle more than a decade ago has resigned as a junior culture minister.I am resigning with immediate effect as undersecretary of the government and will inform [the prime minister, Giorgia] Meloni in the next few hours," Vittorio Sgarbi said on the sidelines of a conference in Milan. Continue reading...

Scarlett Jenkinson said killing was exciting' while Eddie Ratcliffe wanted help to woo a girl he fancied, court hearsOne question hung over the trial of the two teenagers convicted of killing Brianna Ghey: why? At the sentencing on Friday, Brianna's family finally received some answers.The hearing began with some startling new information: though she had pleaded not guilty at trial, Scarlett Jenkinson had now admitted to stabbing Brianna repeatedly - more times than she could remember. It was a lot", she said. Continue reading...

Grant Shapps announces 15-year tech contract for UK arm of defence specialist ThalesThe defence secretary has awarded a near-2bn contract to use artificial intelligence and virtual reality to keep British warships and submarines at sea for longer.Grant Shapps has announced a 1.85bn deal with the UK arm of defence and aerospace specialist Thales to provide technology services to the Royal Navy. Continue reading...

The former RSC director, now visiting professor of contemporary theatre at Oxford University, will stage The Two Gentlemen of VeronaWhen Gregory Doran stepped down as artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company last year, he had - over the course of an illustrious career - directed 35 of the 36 plays in Shakespeare's First Folio. Those productions were often led by theatrical megastars but he will now mount a student production of the remaining play, The Two Gentlemen of Verona.Doran is a visiting professor of contemporary theatre at Oxford University, whose students were invited to audition by self-taping a monologue last year, with no previous experience of Shakespeare deemed necessary. There will be six performances of the comedy, which is one of Shakespeare's earliest and least revived plays, from 15-18 May at Oxford Playhouse. Continue reading...

Mammal made contact with equipment', disrupting a subway line and shutting off water in latest escapade of city's trash pandas'A lone Toronto raccoon was able to cut power to nearly 7,000 people in the city's downtown core on Thursday night, highlighting the fraught coexistence between residents of Canada's largest urban centre and the divisive trash pandas".Hydro One, Ontario's power utility, said a raccoon made contact with equipment" at a downtown station on Thursday night, plunging swaths of the city in darkness. The loss of power also temporarily disrupted service on a key subway line and shut off water. Toronto's fire service said the power outage also left residents trapped inside elevators. Continue reading...

Labour deputy leader says green spending would depend on state of public finances during visit to ScotlandSuella Braverman, the former home secretary, says reports that the government is giving up on plans for a returns agreement with Turkey are very concerning".This decision by the Home Office is very concerning.

Prime minister says blockades by protesting farmers at Dutch-Belgian border have been stopped'Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo arrived in Place du Luxembourg just as a bronze statue that was felled in the protests yesterday was being taken away.The statue, which weighed 200kg, was taken into a van by half a dozen men, as the clean-up in the square continues.I think, by now, all governments have basically seen them, the Flemish government, the federal government - yesterday also the president of the [European] Commission.We've shown that we're able to come up with steps in the right direction. For some measures, we need more time to elaborate. And there's a real willingness to go forward. Continue reading...

Defence minister Yoav Gallant's announcement comes despite presence of more than 1 million civilians in citySaudi Arabia would be willing to accept a political commitment from Israel to create a Palestinian state, rather than anything more binding, in a bid to get a defence pact with Washington approved before the US presidential election, three sources have told Reuters. The news agency reports:Months of US-led diplomacy to get Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel and recognise the country for the first time were shelved by Riyadh in October in the face of mounting Arab anger over the war in Gaza.But Saudi Arabia is increasingly keen to shore up its security and ward off threats from rival Iran so the kingdom can forge ahead with its ambitious plan to transform its economy and attract huge foreign investment, two regional sources said. Continue reading...

Victims' lawyers call for witness statements heard at inquiry to be start of a rigorous criminal investigation'The Post Office scandal inquiry has heard from a chorus of cowards" and a parade of liars, bullies, amnesiacs and arrogant individuals", lawyers for victims have said in a call for criminal prosecutions during a hearing in London.In their closing statements at the latest phase of the inquiry, the legal representatives of hundreds of post office operators whose lives were ruined rounded on the men and women who had given evidence in recent weeks. Continue reading...

Abdul Ezedi was given refugee status in UK after conviction. Here we examine the process for claiming asylumQuestions are being asked about how a sex offender who went on the run after being suspected of carrying out a chemical attack was granted asylum in the UK despite his conviction.Police are hunting for Abdul Ezedi after a girl and her mother were left with potentially life-changing injuries following the incident in London on Wednesday. Continue reading...

People in affected areas say they are still waiting for government help after more than 300 deaths and widespread devastationTens of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are living in temporary accommodation and waiting for government help after the country experienced its worst flooding in six decades.More than 300 people have died and 280,000 households in more than half the country have been forced to leave their homes since heavy rains started at the end of November. More than 1,500 schools, 267 health centres, 211 markets and 146 roads have been damaged. Continue reading...

MPs set out concerns about wellbeing of asylum seekers on barge where up to six people share one-person room

Twenty-five-year-old held on suspicion of assisting an offender, police sayA 25-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender as part of the investigation into the alleged escape of Daniel Khalife from HMP Wandsworth last year, the Metropolitan police have said.More details soon ... Continue reading...

Some Tory MPs question how attack suspect Abdul Ezedi was granted asylum after sexual assault conviction

Mammal made his prediction at annual Pennsylvania celebration, but estimates have shown he's only accurate 40% of the timePunxsutawney Phil's winter weather forecast was announced shortly after sunrise on Friday - and the best known Groundhog Day animal predicted an early spring this year.Global heating amid the climate crisis? The groundhog himself doesn't speak, obviously, so that's for us humans to determine. But CNN quickly pointed out that the woodchuck's record is unreliable and that Punxsutawney Phil has only been correct in his forecast 39% of the time since the abstruse ritual began in 1887. Continue reading...

Draper died on 3 January aged 56 after suffering long-lasting symptoms from coronavirusSir Elton John, Tony Blair and Piers Morgan were among the guests at the funeral of former political lobbyist-turned-psychologist Derek Draper.John had previously invited Draper and his wife, Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway, to be his guests of honour at his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert at London's O2 Arena last year. Continue reading...

New Bond Street department store, which opened in 1890s, to close doors for final time this weekendMore than 130 years after it opened, the flagship Fenwick department store in central London, will close its doors for the last time on Saturday.The historic four-storey shop in New Bond Street, Mayfair, is shutting after the retailer - which is owned by more than 40 descendants of John James Fenwick who founded the company with a single store in Newcastle in 1882 - sold the property to developers for 430m. Continue reading...

As a manhunt continues after a corrosive substance attack, we look at the legislation and the availability of products

We have paused this live blog, but you can read more on this story hereHere is the last update on social media that the Metropolitan police in London gave, after a confirmed sighting of suspect Abdul Ezedi in a Tesco in north London's Caledonian Road at 8.48pm Wednesday night.The police have warned people not to approach him, but to call 999. There is a telephone number to give any information on 0207 175 2784. Continue reading...

Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16, killed trans schoolgirl after developing warped' obsession with tortureTwo teenagers who murdered Brianna Ghey have been named for the first time before sentencing.Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both 16 and described by police as really intelligent kids", can now be named as the killers after a judge lifted reporting restrictions. Continue reading...

Nursery leaders say recruitment drive to get more workers into early years sector comes too late and doesn't go far enoughA 6.5m recruitment campaign to encourage people to work in the early years sector as the first phase of the government's flagship childcare expansion plan has been branded too late" and a drop in the ocean" by sector leaders.A trial, which will take place in 20 local authorities in England from April, will also give new recruits and returners to the early years workforce a 1,000 cash payment shortly after they take up their post. Continue reading...

BMA survey finds 54% of doctors say working with associates has increased their workloadA majority of medics believe physician associates in hospitals and GP surgeries are adding to doctors' workloads, not reducing them as intended, a survey has found.Just over half of 18,000 doctors surveyed by the British Medical Association (BMA) said working alongside those staff increased what they had to do rather than freeing up their time. Continue reading...

Allan government releases summaries showing meetings with lobbyists, stakeholders and other external organisations

Schools closed and bus thrown off road in most powerful storm for decades, while snow ends dry spell in HimalayasThis week brought the strongest storm so far of the 2023-24 European season, as Storm Ingunn slammed into Norway on Wednesday with hurricane-force winds. A deep, multi-centred area of low pressure intensified as it moved eastwards towards Scandinavia, displaying signs of possible sting jet activity as it approached the Norwegian coast. A sting jet is a narrow channel of very strong winds - often more than 100mph - that can form when low pressure systems strengthen rapidly, with these winds descending from upper levels towards the surface.The storm deepened to a lowest central pressure of 940hPa on Wednesday evening, approaching Norway's official low pressure record of 938.5hPa, set in 1907. The storm is the most powerful Norway has seen in decades, with sustained winds equivalent to those from a Category 1 hurricane. Gusts of 80-100mph were widespread along the west coast during Wednesday afternoon and overnight, with the Norwegian Meteorological Society announcing on Thursday a strongest confirmed gust of 115mph at Sklinna Lighthouse on the island of Heimoya, to the north of Trondheim. Some reports from the Faroe Islands suggest that gusts there could have reached up to 155mph, but these numbers are unconfirmed at the time of writing. Continue reading...

Ecologists condemn watchdog decision, accusing it of making reckless changes to allow easier logging of state forests containing glider habitat

Rosemary Anne Gamble faces Devonport court over Hillcrest primary school incident that left six children dead

Father of Dareen Nuru says they have been told to move out of south London flat but have nowhere else to goThe family of a one-year-old girl sent to hospital six times because of damp and mould in their south London flat say they are scared about her health and have pleaded for help from their local council.The parents say their daughter's plight has dark echoes of the tragic case of Awaab Ishak, who died in December 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by what an expert at his inquest described as extensive mould. Continue reading...

Out-of-court settlement reached with law firm acting for customers who have been left owing big sumsOne of Britain's biggest high street banks has agreed a payout to settle a case involving unfair" mortgages - giving hope to thousands of people who have been left owing huge sums.On the eve of a trial set to last six weeks, Bank of Scotland - part of Lloyds Banking Group - and a law firm representing 160 current and former customers reached an out-of-court settlement that means the bank will not face a public grilling. Continue reading...

Kenya's Red Cross said it had taken 271 people to different hospitals across the capital of NairobiGas explosions at an industrial building in Kenya's capital sent a huge plume of fiery smoke rising over homes, killing at least three people and injuring hundreds, authorities reported.Kenya's Red Cross posted on X that it had successfully evacuated 271 individuals to different health facilities in Nairobi." Continue reading...