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BoM forecasts show communities hit hard by recent floods may see more wild weather and flash flooding in coming days

Exclusive: Documents show shift in transport policy influenced by unfounded fears about loss of freedom of movement in 15-minute cities'Ministers decided to prioritise driving over active travel because of worries among ministers about 15-minute cities", documents seen by the Guardian show.They indicate that a significant shift in transport policy was guided at least in part by conspiracy theories. Continue reading...

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As Queen Margarethe steps down, Caroline Jones recalls how Denmark expressed its gratitude to her grandfatherDuring the second world war, Richard Dewing made a trip from his home in England across the North Sea to become the allies' head of mission to Denmark. His goal? To prevent the occupied country, which had been neutral until the Nazis invaded in 1939, from turning into a battlefield.Maj Gen Dewing liaised with locals, kept the peace, became friendly with the Danish royal family and, upon hearing that surrender was imminent, helped mastermind the liberation of Denmark. Continue reading...

Many of those affected are frustrated their cause is not getting the same attention as the Post Office Horizon scandalPeople affected by the contaminated blood scandal have called on ministers to also address their fight for compensation alongside government moves to fix the injustice suffered by sub-post office operators.The ITV drama Mr Bates vs the Post Office has led to public uproar over the hundreds of people who were wrongly convicted of alleged theft, fraud and false accounting based on the Post Office's flawed Horizon IT system and action is being taken to look at ways of speedily quashing convictions and ensuring everyone is compensated. Continue reading...

Study of European electoral data suggests social democratic parties alienate supporters by moving towards the political centreAdopting rightwing policies on issues such as immigration and the economy does not help centre-left parties win votes, according to new analysis of European electoral and polling data.Faced with a 20-year decline in their vote share, accompanied by rising support for the right, far right and sometimes the far left, social democratic parties across Europe have increasingly sought salvation by moving towards the political centre. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. See all our coverage of the Middle East crisis hereHere is a photograph issued of the meeting between Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, and the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, in Tel Aviv.During the public portion of the meeting Herzog said a lawsuit filed in the international court of justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in its Gaza offensive was atrocious and preposterous".Actually our enemies, Hamas, in their charter, call for the destruction of our nation, the state of Israel - the only nation state of the Jewish people.We will be there at the international court of justice and will present proudly our case of using self-defence under our most inherent right under international humanitarian law. Continue reading...

The teenager, charged with using a hunting knife to kill boy in north London on New Year's Eve, will face a plea hearing on 26 MarchA 16-year-old boy wept in court as he was told he could face a life sentence if convicted of murdering Harry Pitman on New Year's Eve in north London.The boy, who is from north London and cannot be named because of his age, is charged with using a hunting knife to kill Harry, also 16, as a crowd gathered to watch a fireworks display on Primrose Hill. He was also charged with carrying an offensive weapon in a public place. Continue reading...

David Cameron's superficiality allows him to hover above the surface, floating on bland meaningless generalisationsMaybe it's all down to Botox. A daily dose of a hundred tiny needles. Or perhaps, in some dusty attic back in Chipping Norton there's a portrait that is visibly ageing by the hour. A mirror image of the Picture of Dorian Gray.Most former world leaders look like shit after six years in the job. The pressures of work ravage their face. Tony Blair looks like a hollowed-out skull. Even after three years, Boris Johnson looked like Boris Johnson. That bad. But David - make that Lord - Cameron is the remarkable exception. His complexion is still a glossy puce. Barely a wrinkle to be seen.John Crace's book Depraved New World (Guardian Faber, 16.99) is out now. To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy and save 18% at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply Continue reading...

Judge says former Los Angeles-area gang leader can serve house arrest with electronic monitoring ahead of June trialA judge set bail on Tuesday at $750,000 for a former Los Angeles-area gang leader charged with orchestrating the killing of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur in 1996 and said he can serve house arrest with electronic monitoring ahead of his trial in June.Court-appointed attorneys for Duane Keffe D" Davis told the Associated Press after the hearing in Las Vegas that they believe he can post bail. They had asked for bail of not more than $100,000. Continue reading...

Commission's proposal backed by Co-op party aims to expand existing scheme with sixfold increase in purchasesVacant pubs, shops and community centres put up for sale in England could be offered to local groups to buy first under take back control" plans being explored by Labour before the general election.Under the proposals, local groups would be given the right to buy" much-loved community assets when they come up for sale, with financial backing from the state and an exclusive 12-month period in which to make their offer. Continue reading...

Bridget Phillipson says unique number to link school, health and council data would stop childrens' needs falling through gaps'Children in England should be given a unique number to link their records held by schools, health visitors and councils, allowing governments to harness artificial intelligence and data-mining to improve standards, according to shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson.In a keynote speech, Phillipson also praised former Conservative education secretary Michael Gove for his high expectations, in contrast to the merry-go-round" of ministers that have followed him. Continue reading...

More than 200 flood warnings remain in force as country told to brace for freezing conditions next weekA blast of cold weather from the Arctic is expected to bring more wintry conditions to the UK at the start of next week, the Met Office has warned.There could be snow, especially in the north of Britain, but the south is also expected to be colder than average, the forecaster said. Continue reading...

Brazil president hosts summit amid criticism that easing of crackdown had allowed outsiders to return to forest areasThe Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has insisted his government must not lose the war" against the environmental criminals devastating Indigenous lands in the Amazon after claims that thousands of illegal miners were resisting eviction from the country's biggest such territory.After taking power last January, Lula made expelling an estimated 20,000 gold and tin ore prospectors from the Yanomami Indigenous territory a top priority after four years of Amazon destruction under his far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. Environmental special forces and federal police teams were sent deep into the region's remote jungles as part of a supposedly historic crackdown. Continue reading...

Rachel Meade was reported to regulator after sharing gender critical beliefs onlineA social worker who was suspended after sharing gender critical beliefs online has won her claim against her employer for discrimination.A tribunal panel found that Westminster city council and Social Work England had discriminated against Rachel Meade on the basis of her protected beliefs under the Equality Act 2010. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Vivienne Hammond says she learned what her husband had suffered in secret for 20 years by watching ITV dramaThe widow of a sub-post office operator accused of misappropriating funds in the Post Office Horizon scandal has spoken of her anguish that he died before his name could be cleared.Vivienne Hammond, 88, told the Guardian that she was traumatised to discover what her late husband, Dennis, must have suffered in secret during the last 20 years of his life when she watched ITV's dramatisation of the scandal, in which more than 2,500 post office operators were wrongly accused of theft because of a glitch in a new accounting software system. The series, Mr Bates vs The Post office, has led to new calls for victims to be exonerated. Continue reading...

Data shows 14 of 25 blocks built by development arm of Rydon have issues and only two have had repairs completedMore than half of the residential blocks built by the company responsible for installing the deadly cladding on the Grenfell Tower have been found to have life-critical" fire safety issues, it can be revealed.Government figures analysed by the Guardian show the development arm of Rydon, the company that installed the flammable cladding which was the primary cause of the spreading fire that killed 72 Grenfell residents, has built 25 residential blocks across England and 14 have been found to have issues. Continue reading...

US secretary of state meets Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv in start of tour aimed at de-escalating war across regionIntense fighting, shelling and aerial bombardment has continued across the south and centre of Gaza as the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, met top Israeli officials in Tel Aviv on a regional tour aimed at reaching a consensus on the territory's future and stopping an escalation of the war across the Middle East.US officials said Blinken told Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, on Tuesday that his forces must avoid inflicting further harm on civilians in Gaza. Continue reading...

Rules reintroduced as commonsense measure' despite opposition from some regional administrationsFace masks will be mandatory in hospitals and health centres in Spain from Wednesday as the country experiences a surge in cases of flu, Covid and other respiratory illnesses.The government decision, which comes six months after the use of masks ceased to be obligatory in health facilities and pharmacies, has been met with opposition from some regional administrations. Continue reading...

The prosecution case against Bethany Cox, 22, relied on 1861 law condemned as cruel and outdated by campaignersProsecutors have offered no evidence against a woman accused of using drugs to bring about an illegal abortion as the first UK coronavirus lockdown ended.Bethany Cox, 22, was on Tuesday formally found not guilty of charges that had been brought under a Victorian law condemned as cruel and outdated by campaigners - the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. Continue reading...

Online fashion retailer wants to ensure efficiency at sites including Leicester as its sales fallThe fast fashion company Boohoo is considering closing a factory that it set up in Leicester as a model for its efforts to improve the treatment of workers making its clothing.The struggling online retailer is consulting with up to 100 workers at the site just two years after it was opened to great fanfare with the intention of using it for supplier learning and development", creating 170 jobs. Continue reading...

Attorney for Michael Roman, an ex-staffer for the former president, claims Fani Willis continues to benefit' from litigationOne of Donald Trump's co-defendants in his Georgia election interference case has alleged that Fani Willis - the district attorney leading the proceeding - has been engaged in a personal, romantic relationship" with one of the top prosecutors she brought in for the case.In a court filing seeking to have charges against him dismissed, an attorney for Michael Roman - an ex-staffer of the former president - has accused Willis of intentionally failing to disclose a relationship with the prosecutor, Nathan Wade, and personally benefiting from his appointment to the case. Continue reading...

Party to ask for details of individual relocation costs and any payments to the Rwandan government

The industry's revival is remarkable for a sector once synonymous with the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus pandemicThe cruise line industry has come roaring back to life, marking a remarkable revival for a sector once synonymous with the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.The record number of passengers now cruising to Australian ports, which surpasses the pre-pandemic era, is credited to aggressive pricing strategies enticing customers away from high air fares and expensive hotels.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Former minister Craig Emerson has been named to lead a review of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct

Artificial intelligence enables criminals to target thousands of victims at once, say Europol expertsArtificial intelligence, combined with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, is fuelling a boom in fraud on dating and social media apps, officials at Europol have said.Speaking to the Guardian, the agency's top financial crime experts said scripts generated by artificial intelligence enable criminals to target multiple victims at once. Continue reading...

Majority of flood warnings in south of England and Midlands, with some snow flurries overnightMore than 100 flood warnings remain in place after last week's Storm Henk deluge as large parts of the UK endured a cold, frosty morning.The Environment Agency (EA) said there were 126 flood warnings in England where flooding is expected, including a flood warning on the River Thames south-west of London in Wraysbury. Continue reading...

Retailer's move comes after some shoppers said more than $1,000 had been taken from their accounts

MSG says it cannot continue to take part in process that was political football between rival parties'The US company behind a proposed huge Las Vegas-style Sphere entertainment venue in east London has withdrawn its plans.Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG) said it could not continue to participate in a process that was merely a political football between rival parties". Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: Since Mr Bates v The Post Office aired on ITV, dozens of people affected have come forward to seek recompense for their ruined lives Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. It is almost a quarter of a century since a new digital accounting system was rolled out across the Post Office. In 2000, sub-postmaster Alan Bates first reported his concerns about unexplained discrepancies in the Horizon software. It is 15 years since Computer Weekly first revealed the stories of some of the sub-postmasters who had been wrongly fined or imprisoned after convictions for false accounting, five years since the first tranche of 555 workers won a landmark legal victory against the Post Office, and two years since a public inquiry started to hear evidence into the most widespread miscarriage of justice in British history.And yet the story is far from over. Today, only 93 of 736 convictions have been overturned, and only 30 people have accepted final compensation settlements. Now, an ITV drama centred on Bates' story has brought a new focus to the scandal - and yesterday, ministers agreed urgent plans to clear the victims' names.Gaza | The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has arrived in Tel Aviv for potentially difficult meetings with Israeli leaders and officials who have repeatedly resisted pressure from Washington over their conduct of the war against Hamas. Tensions in the region continued to rise on Monday with an Israeli airstrike killing an elite Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon.Education | Student loans in England will cost the government an extra 11bn a year - equivalent to 16% of all schools spending in England - because of higher interest rates increasing the cost of borrowing, new analysis suggests. The Institute for Fiscal Studies says that a spike in rates paid by the government means that it will now lose money even on loans that are repaid in full.Climate crisis | The internationally agreed threshold to prevent the Earth from spiraling into a new superheated era will be passed for all practical purposes" during 2024, the man known as the godfather of climate science has warned. James Hansen told the Guardian: We are now in the process of moving into the 1.5C world."Boeing | United Airlines has found loose bolts and other installation issues" on multiple 737 Max 9 aircraft, it said yesterday, referring to the Boeing model that was grounded after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines-operated plane mid-flight. As Boeing shares fell 8% on Monday, Alaska Airlines said its technicians had found loose hardware" on some of its 737 Max 9 aircraft.Conservatives | Rishi Sunak has refused to endorse Helen Harrison, partner of the disgraced former MP Peter Bone, to replace Bone as the Conservative candidate in the Wellingborough byelection. Harrison's selection drew controversy after local voters triggered a recall of Bone because of revelations about his behaviour. Continue reading...

After being elected to Valencia's regional assembly, Galceran says she wants to be seen as a person, not for her disabilityFor decades she battled to ensure that people with intellectual disabilities were part of the conversation. The extent of the progress she had made, however, was laid bare recently when Mar Galceran became Spain's first parliamentarian with Down's syndrome.It's unprecedented," the 45-year-old told the Guardian. Society is starting to see that people with Down's syndrome have a lot to contribute. But it's a very long road." Continue reading...

More than 11,300 readers have so far donated to campaign in support of refugee and asylum seeker charities

Legislation would put legal duty on councils to keep register of children not in school amid historically high absence levelsA Labour government would legislate for a compulsory national register of home-schooled children as part of a package of measures designed to tackle the problem of persistent absence in schools in England.The proposed legislation would place a legal duty on councils to keep a register of all children who are not in school, and on parents to provide information about their child's education at home. Continue reading...

Madeleine King says she is extremely disappointed' while the opposition criticises Labor for embarrassing failure' on industry policy

Response to ITV show on Horizon IT fallout includes 1m-strong petition to strip ex-Post Office boss of CBE

Arctic Ice argues its rare, pure product can be part of Greenland's green transition and greater independenceFrozen daiquiri anyone? Drinking a cocktail on top of a Dubai skyscraper may seem decadent enough, but a Greenland entrepreneur wants to add ancient glacier ice scooped from the fjords to the glass, for the ultimate international thrill.Arctic Ice harvests ice from the fjords of Greenland, and then ships them to the United Arab Emirates to sell to exclusive bars. Using glacial ice in drinks is a common practice in Greenland, and, over the years, several entrepreneurs have unsuccessfully attempted to export it. Its co-founder Malik V Rasmussen said the ice, which has been compressed over millennia, is completely without bubbles and melts more slowly than regular ice. It is also purer than the frozen mineral water usually used in Dubai's ice cubes. Continue reading...

James Dalamangas was allegedly involved in the death of George Giannopoulos in a Sydney nightclub in 1999Australian police are issuing a global plea to locate one of the country's most wanted men who they say fled to Greece after allegedly stabbing a man to death in a Sydney nightclub 25 years ago.James Dalamangas is wanted over his alleged involvement in the murder of George Giannopoulos in Belmore, in Sydney's south-west, in April 1999. Continue reading...

Prosecutors provide details of crime scene in court as they seek DNA samples from girl accused of stabbing a woman to death

Marcellus Otero, 19, tells reporters he will plead guilty to some of the charges after appearing at Burwood local court on Tuesday

Conscription will not cover women, says Ukrainian MP; Russian warplane accidentally' drops bomb; Black Sea corridor moves 15m tonnes of cargo

The increased cost of borrowing has left the government with an 11bn annual shortfall, according to the IFSStudent loans in England are expected to cost the government an extra 11bn a year as a result of higher interest rates massively increasing the cost of borrowing, according to analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.The IFS said the huge additional cost was not reflected in either of the government's official measures of the cost of student loans. This means that the loss of more than 10bn is not being captured in official figures," it said. Continue reading...

Action on Armed Violence says 33,846 were killed or wounded by airstrikes, bombs or artillery, the most it has recorded

Christmas parties, Netflix and cinema releases such as Wonka attract spending in DecemberThe crucial pre-Christmas shopping period failed to be a gift for retailers, as consumers reined in spending on presents, preferring instead to spend their money on going out, according to the latest surveys.Christmas parties and cinema releases such as Wonka spurred spending in December, while the yuletide shopping frenzy fizzled", according to Barclays spending figures. Continue reading...

Taylor Swift dominates album market, while best-performing track is Miley Cyrus's FlowersSales of CDs rose last year for the first time in two decades, helping to lift the UK's total spending on music to the highest level since the days when Destiny's Child, Limp Bizkit and David Gray were topping the album charts.The value of all music sales - including spending on streaming, vinyl, CDs and downloads - rose 9.6% in 2023 to reach 2.2bn, just 0.08% shy of the record 22 years earlier, according to the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA). Continue reading...

The West Bank had already experienced the highest levels of unrest in decades during the 18 months preceding the 7 October 2023 attackThe World Health Organization (WHO) said it had been compelled to cancel a mission to bring medical supplies to northern Gaza on Sunday after failing to receive security guarantees, Reuters reports.It was the fourth time WHO had had to call off a planned mission to bring urgently needed medical supplies to Al-Awda Hospital and the central drug store in northern Gaza since 26 December it said. Continue reading...

Aircraft model has been grounded after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines-operated plane mid-flight on SaturdayUnited Airlines has found loose bolts and other installation issues" on multiple 737 Max 9 aircraft, it said on Monday, referring to the Boeing model that has been grounded after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines-operated plane mid-flight over the weekend.The industry publication Air Current reported that United found discrepant bolts on other parts on at least five panels that were being inspected following the accident. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing declined to comment. Continue reading...

Domestic violence expert says Majors turned to classic defense' to seek sympathyJust weeks after receiving a guilty verdict in the misdemeanor assault and harassment trial involving his ex-girlfriend, Jonathan Majors is still denying the charges. Asked whether he accepted the conviction for third-degree reckless assault, which carries a penalty of up to a year behind bars, Majors told Good Morning America: I was reckless with her heart, not with her body."In the 34-year-old former Marvel actor's first interview since his physical altercation with the British dancer Grace Jabbari last March, he wiped away tears and choked back emotion. Nicole Bedera, a sociologist who studies sexual violence, said the conversation featured hallmark tactics of Darvo, an acronym for deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender. He's denying the reality that's being put in front of him and attacking the victim by suggesting that she's the one who's actually mistreating him," says Bedera. It's the classic defense of men who have behaved badly and are looking for empathy." Continue reading...

US secretary of state poised for meetings with leaders who have so far proved resistant to pressure from WashingtonThe US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has landed in Israel for potentially difficult meetings with Israeli leaders and officials who have repeatedly proved resistant to pressure from Washington over their conduct of the war against Hamas.Blinken flew late on Monday night from the Saudi oasis town of AlUla where he held talks with the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, on a Middle East tour aimed at reaching a consensus on Gaza's future. Continue reading...

Government draws up plans to speed up process of justice for those who were wrongfully convicted as public pressure growsMinisters have drawn up urgent plans to clear the names of hundreds of post office operators who were wrongly convicted of theft and fraud in the Horizon IT scandal as the government scrambled to get on the front foot over the major miscarriage of justice.The justice secretary, Alex Chalk, will hold talks with the senior judiciary to confirm how the convictions can be overturned as soon as possible, so victims can have speedier access to millions of pounds of compensation. Continue reading...

Starmer says Labour would take pre-emptive action as minister confirms 2,000 homes have been flooded by Storm HenkMinisters have been accused of doing little more than staring out of the window and watching the rain come down" as it was revealed that 2,000 homes have been flooded by Storm Henk.Labour called for a new taskforce to be created that would meet before the winter storms hit to pinpoint the areas most at risk and protect threatened homes and businesses. Continue reading...