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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

589% increase in number of incidents described as watershed moment for antisemitism in the UK'The scale of the surge in antisemitism in the UK since Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October has been revealed, in data showing a 589% increase in the number of incidents compared with the same period in 2022.The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Jewish abuse and attacks and provides security for UK Jewish communities, said the unprecedented increase was a watershed moment for antisemitism in the UK". Continue reading...

Albanese and Haydon, who met at a business dinner in Melbourne in 2020, shared the announcement on social media the morning after Valentine's Day

Israeli prime minister says civilians will be allowed to leave battle zones' but does not specify where they could go

Kattya Gonzalez, who had called out corruption and the country's fall to organized crime, was dismissed from her post on WednesdayParaguay's senate has expelled one of the few opposition voices in national politics, sparking protests in the capital Asuncion and prompting concerns over the fragile state of the country's democracy.Senator Kattya Gonzalez from the center-left National Meeting Party was dismissed from her position during an extraordinary session on Wednesday for the misuse of influence" while in office. Continue reading...

Theory that singer is plotting to help Biden win election has flourished in rightwing media after she started dating Travis KelceJust under a fifth of Americans believe Taylor Swift is part of a conspiracy to help Joe Biden win re-election in November, a new poll found.The supposed Taylor Swift psyop conspiracy has legs among a decent number of Trump supporters," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, in a statement on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene tells Cameron to kiss my ass' in response to his request to pass aid packageDavid Cameron has urged US lawmakers to pass a bill including support for Ukraine and warned them not to show the weakness displayed against Hitler".The foreign secretary said Congress should vote through the foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan for the sake of global security. The bill has passed through the senate but faces a deeply uncertain future in the House of Representatives, where Republicans aligned with presidential frontrunner Donald Trump oppose the legislation. Continue reading...

Pressure is mounting on Labour to overhaul its vetting to avoid damaging its relationships with communitiesSocial media is trawled, past comments examined and interviews undertaken, as political party candidates submit themselves to an intense vetting process that has only tightened in recent years.However, the case of Azhar Ali, the candidate Labour selected in Rochdale, once again underlines the difficulty of choosing parliamentary hopefuls who will be able to withstand the scrutiny of political life. Continue reading...

Ambreen Fatima Sheikh in vegetative state after husband and in-laws waited days to call ambulance after she fell unconsciousA man and his parents have been jailed after his wife was forced to take anti-diabetes medication and doused in a corrosive substance, leaving her in a persistent vegetative state from which she will never recover.Ambreen Fatima Sheikh, described as intelligent, bright, ambitious and happy-go-lucky", was 30 when she was given the anti-diabetes drug glimepiride after being brought to the UK from Pakistan after an arranged marriage. Continue reading...

Luke D'Wit is on trial for murder over the deaths of Stephen and Carol Baxter last yearA man poisoned a married couple with the opioid painkiller fentanyl and rewrote their will the day after they died, a court has heard.Luke D'Wit, 34, worked for and had befriended Stephen and Carol Baxter, saying in a statement to police that he was like an adopted son to both of them", Tracy Ayling KC, prosecuting, said on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Investment adviser raises accountability' concerns regarding reward 37 times higher than average employee'sVirgin Money bosses could be at risk of an embarrassing investor backlash, after an influential adviser hit out at a 2.6m package for its chief executive, David Duffy, saying it was not appropriate" compared with the bank's average employee.Pensions and Investment Research Consultants (Pirc), which advises shareholders including UK local authority pension funds, also raised concerns over what it said was a lack of board-level accountability for sustainability issues" at Britain's sixth largest lender. Continue reading...

Abducted four-year-old boy in California reunited with family after Regan Dunn and Yenni Lee received alert and went to look for himA missing four-year-old boy was reunited with his family on Tuesday evening after two women, who had received an Amber alert about an abducted child, located him.The California highway patrol issued an alert for an abducted child in Long Beach and advised the public to be on the lookout for a gray Honda Accord. Police said the vehicle was stolen with Justin Chan inside after his parent left the car running while making a delivery. Continue reading...

Chronic wasting disease, which affects deer and other cervids, confirmed in Canada but experts divided over risk to humans

Guy's hospital and Sheffield clinic may have used faulty freezing solution that could damage eggs and embryosScores of women have been affected by the use of a faulty freezing solution at fertility clinics in London and Sheffield, with frozen eggs and embryos potentially destroyed as a result, the fertility regulator has said.The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) confirmed the issue was limited to Guy's and St Thomas' assisted conception unit in London, and Jessop Fertility in Sheffield. Continue reading...

Lawyer for complainant hails moral victory' after court says proceedings fell short of required standards'A woman who claimed Greek authorities failed to conduct an effective investigation into her allegation of rape has won a resounding victory at the European court of human rights.Almost three years after lodging the case, the complainant, from West Yorkshire, was said to be delighted after learning that the Strasbourg-based tribunal had criticised Greece over criminal proceedings that it said had fallen short of the required standards". Continue reading...

The two actors will be joined by The Bear's Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Stranger Things breakout Joseph QuinnMarvel has announced the cast for its much-anticipated reboot of Fantastic Four: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Joseph Quinn.The film, about a quartet of superheroes with different powers, has been dated for 25 July 2025. Continue reading...