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Salary of new senior post could dwarf DfT pay scales in effort to speed up troubled Great British Railways projectMinisters are trying to install a highly paid rail industry figure in the Department for Transport to entrench plans to create Great British Railways (GBR) before the general election.The DfT could break Whitehall's pay structure to create the senior post, in an attempt to accelerate changes for a new public body managing the country's rail transport - although the Treasury is reluctant to sanction another DfT salary beyond normal pay grades. Continue reading...

Senior Hamas official says if Israel accepts demand for military withdrawal from Gaza and increase in aid, it would pave way for agreement. This live blog is closed

Boat carrying 10 other children between seven and 13 years old, along with girl's pregnant mother, father and three siblings, sankA seven-year-old girl has died in a canal close to Dunkirk after a makeshift boat carrying 16 people from northern France to the UK capsized, the prefecture in France's Nord department said.The boat, which was carrying 10 other children between seven and 13 years old along with the girl's pregnant mother, her father and three of her siblings, sank with all onboard entering the water. Continue reading...

Margaret Caldwell and her family also want public inquiry into failures by authorities after man finally jailed for 2005 killingThe mother of a murdered woman whose killer was convicted last week after a two-decade long campaign for justice has called for a criminal investigation into mishandling of the case.Iain Packer was jailed for life with a minimum of 36 years at the high court in Glasgow on Wednesday for the murder of Emma Caldwell in 2005, as well as for 11 rapes and 21 further charges including sexual assaults and abduction. Continue reading...

Taken from her home on 7 October with three of her children, Chen Almog-Goldstein recalls being held captive by HamasChen Almog-Goldstein refuses to forget her eldest daughter's last moments. Yam, 20, was gasping for breath, having been shot in the face by Hamas gunmen, who minutes earlier had killed her father.Almog-Goldstein, 49, did not see Yam or her husband, Nadav, again because she and her three surviving children were bundled into a car and abducted. During the seven-minute journey across the border into Gaza on 7 October, their two captors smiled and took photographs of the traumatised mother and children. Continue reading...

Tourism industry disappointed but hopeful Chinese holidaymakers could return by year's end - but economists predict a longer wait

Mike Burgess says security agencies don't radicalise people' and stands by actions of police in case of 13-year-old with Islamic State fixation'

Australian Council of Social Service says unconscionable' case shows why mutual obligations system must be replaced with a fair system' for jobseekersA jobseeker is calling for an overhaul to the way suspensions are handled after his Centrelink payments were suspended while he was in hospital recovering from brain surgery.The Albanese government is mulling an overhaul of the employment services system following a damning parliamentary review that criticised the mutual obligations system, which can suspend jobseekers' welfare payments if they do not fulfil tasks such as attending meetings and submitting job applications.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Exclusive: January 2023 video shows Andrew Johnson detailing Robust project's initial and ongoing costs, despite telling senators such details were bound by cabinet secrecy

Exclusive: Plans either shelved or stalled despite being part of flagship policy promise at last electionFewer than a fifth of the projects approved by Michael Gove to improve towns across England have been completed, the government has admitted, in the latest sign of the problems facing his levelling up agenda.Responses from Gove's department to freedom of information requests show that fewer than 20% of the projects sanctioned under the 3.6bn towns fund were on track to be finished by the end of February. Fewer than half will have been completed by the next election, even if it is held in November, the figures show. Continue reading...

NHS aims to tempt at least five doctors to move to the Uists and Benbecula amid recruitment crisisWanted: family doctors to enjoy a life of adventure, shimmering beaches" and an idyllic landscape. And if that is not enough, what about earning nearly 150,000 a year to work a 40-hour week?That record salary is being offered by NHS executives in the Outer Hebrides in a fresh effort to solve a recruitment crisis at one of the remotest medical practices in the UK, serving the dispersed communities of the Uists and Benbecula. Continue reading...

Russian drone crashed into nine-storey residential building in Odesa on Saturday

The venue's owners have been told to put it back to its wonky glory after it was gutted by a fire and bulldozedRebuilding a 260-year-old building that was burned to a shell and then bulldozed to a pile of rubble is no mean feat in any scenario. But rebuilding the Crooked House pub, a lopsided structure that had sunk 4ft into the ground, is even trickier.It's a bit of a monkey's puzzle, with no right angles," said Stephen Levrant, who runs a heritage architecture firm. Because everything is out of kilter and you've got gravity acting in a completely different way, it will have to be approached as if it was quite a sophisticated modern structure." Continue reading...

Nominated candidate of eight-party coalition takes office after gathering of national assemblyShehbaz Sharif has been sworn in as prime minister of Pakistan after an election that was riddled with allegations of rigging and irregularities.Sharif, of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) party, was the nominated candidate of a new eight-party coalition that was formed after no single party managed to win an outright majority in the election on 8 February. Continue reading...

Chancellor understood to be considering move towards headline Labour policy in this week's budgetIt would be an abject humiliation" for the Tories if they implemented Labour's policy of abolishing non-dom status, the shadow cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson has said.The abolition of the status, which gives generous tax breaks to some of the UK's richest residents, has long been one of Labour's headline policies, but the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, is understood to be considering announcing a similar move in this week's budget. Continue reading...

Questions about UK Coastguard's reliance on charity after lifeboat volunteers asked to cover for Border Force to aid stricken vesselA volunteer for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) allegedly accused Border Force crews of not doing their job", during a spat in which the charity refused a coastguard request to rescue a migrant boat. The incident came days before a mass drowning that was the deadliest Channel disaster for more than 30 years.The coastguard were told that the RNLI crew would only launch if you've got people in the water" after it was asked to plug a gap in Border Force coverage, according to internal documents seen by the Guardian and Liberty Investigates, which reveal tensions between agencies involved in rescuing small boats in the Dover Strait. Continue reading...

Plea to protect arts funding as a growing number of city and county councils face bankruptcySir Simon Rattle, the world-renowned British conductor, has urged the government not to slash crucial tax relief for orchestras, after the collapse of regional funding for the arts.Speaking to the Observer this weekend, Rattle, who made his name with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in the 1980s, is calling on Westminster politicians not to allow classical music and the wider arts to be forgotten as a growing number of city and county councils face bankruptcy and decide to defund" the arts. Continue reading...

Community representatives say a good sendoff' is a religious necessity, but others say it introduces a competitive elementThe latest addition to Ballyhaunis cemetery in Ireland's County Mayo towers over neighbouring headstones in a blaze of white marble and ornamentation. Rose-wreathed pillars frame a tableau of statues showing Jesus, angels, cherubim and biblical scenes, including an engraving of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper.Marble tablets express bereavement in gold letters, a photo of the deceased gazes from a carved stone bench and lanterns with diamond-shaped bulbs and electric sensors flank the central slab. Continue reading...

Campaigners against labour exploitation urge government to conduct more stringent checks before awarding powersHundreds of newly established care providers have been granted licences by the Home Office to sponsor workers from abroad, despite being newly established and having no track record of providing services in Britain, the Observer can reveal.Suspected bogus companies with copy-and-paste websites, fake-looking reviews and PO boxes as addresses are among those granted licences allowing them to sponsor workers to come to the UK. Continue reading...

Drivers in capital cities faced increases of 12.4% in 2023 while the average driver in regional areas was hit with a 13.7% riseAustralian households are under increasing budget pressure when it comes to car travel as transport costs balloon to three times the inflation rate.The typical household's transport costs rose by about 13% in 2023, outpacing the inflation rate of 4.1%. Continue reading...

Fundamental review' prompted by killer Wayne Couzens's record of sexual crimes as a police officerLabour has pledged to overhaul the woefully inadequate" way indecent exposure is treated in the criminal justice system after an inquiry concluded that victims were being failed.The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the party would oversee a fundamental review" of the handling of the crime, which would aim to tackle its image as a low-level offence, improve police processes and bring more perpetrators to justice. Continue reading...

Teenager Harry Miller took his own life two years after being prescribed montelukast. His family say they were not made aware of the reported psychiatric side-effects of the drugHarry Miller was a popular teenager, appreciated for his sharp humour, ability to get on with anyone and eagerness for the next adventure".In the autumn of 2017, he was struggling with difficult thoughts and feelings of anger. Harry, who was 14 and lived in south-west London, confided his inner turmoil to friends and family. Continue reading...

Campaigners call for more warnings on montelukast, after reports of night terrors, depression and other mental health eventsChildren as young as three have suffered traumatic side effects from a blockbuster asthma drug now under review by the UK drugs regulator.Families say asthma patients, including many children, are not properly warned of the risks from the commonly prescribed drug montelukast. Continue reading...

Financial experts give their advice on the best course of action for the chancellor to take on WednesdaySenior research economist,

A survey in the chancellor's new Godalming and Ash constituency has prioritised health over Treasury cuts in Wednesday's budgetFor the past few weeks, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has had a clear mission.Under pressure from Rishi Sunak, he and his Treasury officials have been poring over their options for pre-election tax cuts that the prime minister is convinced are needed to give the Tories a fighting chance at the forthcoming election. Continue reading...

Albanese also flagged concerns over nature of behaviour' in comments in lead-up to Saturday's Dunkley byelection. This blog is now closed

Prime minister says voters rejected opposition's negativity' as Labor's Jodie Belyea wins Victorian seat

Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in Sydney to demand a ceasefire while a separate pro-Israel rally against antisemitism took place in AdelaidePro-Palestinian protesters have taken to the streets after more than 100 Gazans were killed while trying to secure food as Australia flags more humanitarian aid.About 120 Palestinians were killed as they tried to access humanitarian resources from an aid convoy, the local Hamas health authority said, attributing the deaths to Israeli gunfire. Continue reading...

Mike Burgess says actions of person who sold out their country, party and former colleagues' were legal because they predated 2018 espionage laws

Shadow immigration minister wants better Australia' but refuses to say what level of migration Coalition would pursue in government

Chancellor Olaf Scholz describes as very serious' the circulation of a recording purportedly showing German officials discussing delivery of long-range missiles to Kyiv

Jo Hamilton presented a music award alongside Monica Dolan, who portrayed her in Mr Bates vs The Post OfficeA former sub-post office operator has used an appearance at the Brit Awards to urge the speeding-up of compensation for those unfairly prosecuted as part of the Post Office IT scandal.Jo Hamilton made her appeal alongside the actor Monica Dolan, who portrayed her in ITV's hit dramatisation of the episode, Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The pair were presenting the first category of the evening at the O2 Arena in London. Continue reading...

Revelation comes after inquest into 19-year-old's death shown texts between journalist from newspaper and Zachary Rolfe

Police confirmed one man and seven women were charged after entering the parade route near Taylor Square on Saturday night

Officials say a British-registered cargo ship hit in a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea. This blog is now closed.The US will start airdrops of food and emergency supplies into Gaza in the next few days, Joe Biden has announced, amid UN warnings of famine and after Israeli troops opened fire on Gazans seeking food aid.The use of airdrops is a spectacular but inefficient way of delivering aid, and Friday's announcement suggests that Biden had given up on being able to persuade Israel in the near future to coordinate a large-scale ground-based relief effort under the threat of mass starvation across Gaza. Continue reading...

Israel more or less' accepts deal on hostage release and Gaza aid, but Hamas stuck on category of vulnerable hostages'Israel is reported to be close to accepting a six-week ceasefire proposal for Gaza, a senior Biden administration official told several US news outlets on Saturday, two days after more than 100 Palestinians died while attempting to access aid trucks in the territory.The official said that there is a framework deal" and Israel has more or less accepted" a ceasefire to allow for the release of Hamas-held hostages in Gaza and to allow aid into the territory that has been devastated by four months of bombardment, killing more than 30,000 people. Continue reading...

Bagpuss, the Clangers and Paddington are among the icons of childhood that fans are determined to saveAre you sitting comfortably? Bagpuss is, but Mother Clanger is not. Dougal may be - nobody is quite sure. And the Wombles - well, they haven't been seen for years.Not all of these icons of childhood have been given the care they deserve and now some of the leading lights of children's TV and animation have called for them to be given their own home. Continue reading...

The winners of every category at the 2024 Brits, updated as the ceremony progressesBlur - The Ballad of Darren

Exclusive: Duggan's legal team continues to fight US request for extradition on charges of arms trafficking and money laundering

Three C-130 aircraft dropped a total of 66 bundles of aid to the Palestinian territory besieged by IsraelThe US air force began airdrops of aid over Gaza on Saturday afternoon, in a joint operation with Jordanian planes in a last-resort attempt to get food into the besieged coastal strip as mass starvation looms.US officials said that US and Jordanian C-130 planes taking off from Jordan dropped 66 pallets of food, containing a total of 38,000 meals at mid-afternoon local time, in the first of a series of airdrops that Joe Biden announced on Friday. Continue reading...

A local authority leader claims private equity groups are exploiting vulnerable youngsters in care homes in the pursuit of profitCare companies are insisting on unnecessary and expensive support packages for vulnerable children to boost their profits, a council leader has claimed.Barry Lewis, the Tory leader of Derbyshire county council, said that former family-run businesses acquired by private equity groups were trying to get as much cash as possible" out of local authorities. Continue reading...

Day of action takes place at almost 50 Barclays branches across England and Wales including one in central LondonProtesters have gathered in London and at almost 50 other locations across England and Wales over Israel's war in Gaza, a day after Rishi Sunak said democracy was being targeted by extremists.The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) singled out Barclays for its day of action, with hundreds of people taking part in a demonstration outside the bank's Tottenham Court Road branch in the centre of the capital. Continue reading...

Soap has given opportunities to actors, writers and production staff, says Philip Ralph on last day of filmingA screenwriter who described the decision to axe the daytime drama Doctors as disastrous" on social media has been inundated with support from the public and TV industry.Philip Ralph said soaps were collapsing as he marked the last day of filming the show, a programme he has worked on for nearly 20 years. Continue reading...

Conservatives expected to remain firmly in charge as parts of media claim election boycott campaign' has failedThe turnout in Iran's parliamentary elections appears to have dropped to 41%, a record low, but according to the official figures not quite to the levels of untenable mass abstention that some previous surveys had predicted.Polls closed at midnight on Friday, six hours later than planned due to what officials claimed was a second surge in polls in the evening, but in the capital Tehran's middle class stayed away, with fewer than 24% of the 8 million eligible to vote bothering to do so. Continue reading...

Delivering by parachute is risky and inefficient - and other options could open up if the west were to expend more diplomatic capitalHalf an hour before Rishi Sunak launched his assault on British extremism, the foreign secretary, David Cameron issued his own strong statement.Cameron said the killings of more than 100 Palestinians in Gaza as crowds gathered around aid trucks on Thursday were horrific and required an investigation and accountability. He said the halving of the number of aid trucks entering Gaza in the past month was completely unacceptable" and that Israel had an obligation" to ensure significantly more humanitarian aid reached the territory. Continue reading...

Officers were chasing two people riding a moped in Clapham when firearm dischargedTwo women were injured by shotgun pellets after a suspect dropped a firearm during a police pursuit in Clapham, the Metropolitan police have said.Officers were chasing two people riding a moped which failed to stop in Clapham, south London, at 4.55pm on Friday. The moped collided with a 27-year-old pedestrian and police said the vehicle crashed a short while later". Continue reading...

Devastating focus on separatism means public services have been run down, minister tells Tory activists in AberdeenMichael Gove has accused the Scottish National party government of running down Scotland because of its devastating" obsession with independence, as he tried to rally Conservative activists in Aberdeen.Gove, an Aberdonian who is now the most prominent Scot in the UK government, said Scotland's institutions had been neglected by the SNP because it had focused so heavily on the constitution at the expense of public services. Continue reading...

Her clothes weren't so much outfits as living tableaux. She left the house each day dressed as a picture of joyWhere to begin. The lessons in how to dress, or the lessons in how to live? Iris Apfel's 102 years were a masterclass in both.Really, of course, there's no debate. We start with the clothes, because the clothes are entirely unignorable. Not so much outfits, as living tableaux. A coat of gold-tipped duck feathers topped with a lei of turquoise pebbles at the neck. Embroidered Indian silk tunics with fringed suede trousers. Fuchsia satin boots and a banana-yellow tulle cape. Bangles stacked to the elbow, a slash of lipstick bright as apricot jam, those delicate, bird-like knuckles dusted with a clatter of sweetie-toned cocktail rings. Continue reading...

Federal prosecutors charged Robert Rundo in 2018 for rioting, a judge threw out the case last week - and another reinstated itThe violent neo-Nazi Robert Rundo thought he'd won freedom last week after a US district court judge in California threw out a federal indictment against the white-nationalist militant, arguing prosecutors selectively went after him and did not put far-leftist protesters through the same treatment.Fewer than 12 hours later, Rundo found himself in jail again on the order of appellate judges from the ninth circuit. Continue reading...

Archaeologists fear more than 2,000 carved figures in Vingen could be destroyed when digging beginsOne of the largest and most significant sites of rock art in northern Europe is under catastrophic" threat.The Vingen carvings, in Vestland county, Norway, are spectacular, and include images of human skeletons and abstract and geometric designs. Even the hammer stones, the tools used by the ancient artists to create their compositions, have survived. Continue reading...