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New iced coffee and tea range introduced from April will be included in its £25 monthly subscriptionPret a Manger has announced it will stop making smoothies and frappes, with an expanded iced drinks range being introduced from April.The blended drinks, which can be more expensive and take longer to make, will be phased out altogether. Smoothies and frappes will still be available in select shops until 29 May. Continue reading...

Suspect Jamie Tran was arrested in nearby Riverside county after two men were wounded in separate shootings last weekLos Angeles was left reeling after alleged antisemitic hate incidents in which two Jewish men were shot and wounded as they left synagogues in the city last week.Law enforcement say that over the course of two days Jaime Tran, 28, shot two men who were wearing black coats and head coverings identifying their faith. Both men survived the shootings. Tran, who had a “history of antisemitic and threatening conduct”, allegedly targeted the victims in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood because they were Jewish. He has been charged with federal hate crimes. Continue reading...

Russian leader says war is about Russia’s right to exist, as US president describes it as a battle for freedom, in vastly different speechesIn their speeches, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin could not have been further apart in their interpretations of the past year, its culprits, causes, and consequence. But in one aspect they were agreed: this is a war intended to remain on the territory of Ukraine, but is being elevated into something far wider – a battle of survival between the west and Russia. Both men also implicitly tied their own futures to the outcome of this war, saying their opponent was bound to lose.While both men avoided setting out the specifics of what victory would constitute, or how the battle was faring on the frontlines, Putin said the war was about Russia’s right to exist, and Biden said it was a battle for freedom, a word he ultimately chose more often in his speech than democracy. Continue reading...

Some state schools had to close down permanently due to extensive safety concernsAt least 39 state schools in England have been forced to close either partially or entirely in the last three years because one or more buildings have been deemed unsafe, the government has confirmed.In three cases, concerns about building safety were so extensive that the entire school site had to be closed down permanently, with pupils moved off-site to alternative accommodation. Continue reading...

Prime minister and EU press ahead on protocol agreement before momentum slipsRishi Sunak is preparing to face down his Brexit critics and press ahead with a deal on the Northern Ireland protocol if he can secure one in the coming days, government sources have said.The prime minister was said to be “relaxed” about a growing backlash over what hardline Eurosceptic MPs fear will amount to little more than a “glossary” on “how to implement” the existing protocol. Continue reading...

Ministers say they have raised New Delhi and Mumbai raids with their Indian counterpartsLabour has condemned raids by Indian tax authorities on BBC offices in Mumbai and New Delhi as “deeply worrying”, as ministers say they have raised the issue with their Indian counterparts.In the first significant intervention by a main British party since last week’s raids, the shadow foreign minister Fabian Hamilton criticised the Indian authorities and expressed concern that BBC staff had been held overnight for questioning. Continue reading...

Government under pressure to reform licensing system, with one MP describing it as ‘a thicket’The siblings of the Plymouth gunman Jake Davison have criticised the police and the UK government for failing to strengthen the firearms licensing system after an inquest jury concluded he killed himself after shooting dead his mother and four other people.There is growing pressure on the government to reform the licensing system, with one former Home Office minister describing it as “a thicket” and Labour saying it would carry out a review if it wins the next general election. Continue reading...

Research reveals children struggling across many parts of country despite changes aimed at helping them get inChildren from disadvantaged backgrounds are struggling to get into grammar schools in many parts of England, despite changes to admissions procedures aimed at helping them gain entry, according to research.A quarter of England’s 160 state grammar schools have fewer than 5% of their pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM), compared with 22.5% of children nationwide. In contrast, only 13 of England’s 2,877 non-selective state secondary schools have fewer than 5% of pupils receiving FSM. Continue reading...

Newspaper owner made peer by Boris Johnson has only attended once in last year and did not speak or voteEvgeny Lebedev, the newspaper owner made a peer by Boris Johnson, has burnished his reputation as one of the more relaxed members of the House of Lords by marking a full year since he last formally contributed to proceedings in the chamber.The crossbench peer, who has spoken just once in the Lords and never voted, submitted two written questions to ministers on 21 February last year, but has shown no signs of action since. Continue reading...

Broadcasters asked to ‘explain their actions’ as family say they ignored request for privacy after body was foundOfcom has contacted Sky and ITV about complaints made by the family of Nicola Bulley that the broadcasters intruded on their grief when they had asked for privacy after the discovery of her body.The broadcasting regulator said it was “extremely concerned” to hear the comments from the family of Bulley, whose body was identified on Monday after being pulled from a Lancashire river after a near month-long search. Continue reading...

Russian president airs grievances against west in speech devoted to first anniversary of Ukraine invasion

Exclusive: Last winter was the worst on record for the sport since 2018, a Greyhound Welfare and Integrity Commission report says

Former Centrelink employee told the commission she would never forget what staff were ‘forced’ to do to victims of the program

Branches to get payments to cover lost international income, as postal workers threaten further strikesRoyal Mail has restarted international parcel and letter deliveries through Post Office branches almost six weeks after it revealed it had been affected by a ransomware cyber-attack that left it battling to get its international services back up and running.It refused to pay an $80m (£67m) ransom sought by hackers linked to Russia after the “cyber incident”, which resulted in 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK being unable to handle international mail or parcels. Continue reading...

Bank increases CEO’s bonus and plans bigger shareholder payout as it faces pressure from investor Ping AnHSBC has increased bonus payouts for its chief executive after fourth-quarter profits more than doubled on the back of a jump in mortgage and loan costs for its borrowers.The London-headquartered lender said it had increased Noel Quinn’s bonus by 36% to nearly $2.2m (£1.8m), taking his overall pay to $5.5m for 2022. That compares with his $4.9m payout in 2021. Continue reading...

Steven Waldman says a new initiative, Rebuild Local News, wants to revitalize hundreds of outlets decimated by the industryLocal news organizations across the United States need to be given serious government financial help, especially in the form of tax breaks, in order to stave off a crisis in the media sector and help save US democracy, a leading advocate for non-profit journalism has said.Steven Waldman, co-founder of Report for America, said a new initiative, called Rebuild Local News, wanted to revitalize hundreds of local news outlets across America decimated by changes in the industry, shifts in the sector’s advertising revenue structure and more recently, the pandemic. Continue reading...

Security organisation’s latest threat report says foreign agents targeted government officials, bank workers, doctors, police and journalists

Monique Ryan, a paediatric neurologist before entering parliament, says Patrick Folbigg’s death could be linked to epileptic seizures

Senior Brexiter Maria Caulfield says PM must be given ‘time and space’ to conclude talks with EUA senior Brexiter minister has urged colleagues to give Rishi Sunak “time and space” to finish negotiations with the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol, as warnings grew of potential ministerial resignations.Sunak has been told he is facing the possibility ministers may quit if his deal does not significantly rewrite the protocol or remove any powers for the European court of justice. Continue reading...

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Opposition set to move for an investigation into how prepared Victoria was for last year’s flooding crisis

The Merchant of Venice 1936 among four plays to feature at RSC’s reopened Swan theatre this summerA new take on Shakespeare’s controversial play The Merchant of Venice, set in London’s East End in the 1930s as the threat of fascism looms, will be among four plays to feature at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s reopened Swan theatre this summer.The Merchant of Venice 1936 is “breathtakingly honest about the antisemitism described in [Shakespeare’s] play, and its new setting in 1930s Cable Street reveals a shameful slice of our history,” said Erica Whyman, the RSC’s acting artistic director. Continue reading...

Opening weekend of Australia’s biggest arts festival largely ignored by hometown paper which says it’s covering event on its merits

In-store betting company looks to take on foreign-owned bookies by prioritising recently launched digital gambling app

Rwanda is the only other country to have had a visit cancelled, with Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner calling decision ‘disappointing’

Former prime minister likens covert operations to famous scene in Casablanca and warns influence register should be more than ‘box ticking’

Police minister Mark Ryan says the government accepts that its new laws ‘are incompatible with human rights’

Administrative inquest hearing told WorkSafe Tasmania wouldn’t pass over expert reports as it could prejudice ongoing investigations

Family of British antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford, who died in 2020 while awaiting trial for art trafficking, returns 77 Khmer artefactsDozens of pieces of Angkorian crown jewellery stolen from Cambodia, many never seen by the public, have been returned after resurfacing in London, the Cambodian culture ministry said on Monday.The trove includes crowns, necklaces, amulets and other treasures from the Angkor period, which ran from the ninth to the 14th century AD, when the Khmer empire was a dominant force in south-east Asia. Continue reading...

The supermarket chain says inflation is starting to ease and food costs may start to come come down

Conflict came on top of our over-reliance on gas, says Energy and Climate Intelligence UnitThe UK’s over-reliance on gas has been blamed for pushing up bills as it emerged that the energy crisis stemming from the war in Ukraine had cost the equivalent of £1,000 for every adult.A study by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) estimated that high wholesale gas prices since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago had cost UK energy suppliers an additional £50bn to 60bn, on top of the £10bn to £20bn spent in a normal year. Continue reading...

Former PMs stressed weapons should be sent urgently to Kyiv during debate in House of CommonsBoris Johnson and Liz Truss have urged Rishi Sunak to send fighter jets to Ukraine during a debate in the House of Commons.Truss said she “could not wait to see fighter jets over Ukraine” during her first contribution as a backbench MP since her resignation in October, while Johnson, her immediate predecessor who resigned in July, urged the government to “cut to the chase” and “give them the planes”. Continue reading...

Statement read by police after ‘worst fears’ confirmed, critical of press and members of public who accused partner of wrongdoingThe family of Nicola Bulley have said they would never comprehend “what Nikki had gone through in her last moments”, but excoriated the media and members of the public for vilifying her family and friends, after a body found in a river was identified as hers.Her body was discovered on Sunday morning in the River Wyre in Lancashire, more than three weeks on from when she disappeared while walking her dog on 27 January. Continue reading...

First time a US president visited a ‘country at war where US military does not control critical infrastructure’, says national security adviser

First sign of cabinet tensions emerges as Downing Street plays down hopes that deal with EU will be clinched on TuesdayRishi Sunak has been urged not to drop potential powers to unilaterally override the Northern Ireland protocol, as the first sign of cabinet tensions emerged over the prime minister’s proposed deal with the EU.The call from Suella Braverman not to abandon the bill echoes the same message from Boris Johnson. Sources close to the former prime minister over the weekend urged Sunak to keep the legislation as leverage. Continue reading...

Supermarkets say they are working with farmers to ensure wide range of produce is availableSupermarkets are facing shortages of salad crops, including tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and cucumbers, as well as broccoli and citrus fruits amid cold weather in producing countries such as Spain and Morocco.Shoppers complained on social media about low stocks, particularly of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers, as importers said supplies had been affected by a mixture of unseasonable weather and storms in the Mediterranean combined with a reduction in the amount of crops planted in heated glass houses in the Netherlands as energy bills have soared. Continue reading...

Son of late authoritarian ruler arrested over damage worth £10,000The eldest son of Robert Mugabe, the late authoritarian ruler of Zimbabwe, has been arrested for damaging cars and other property worth $12,000 (£10,000) at a party in an upmarket neighbourhood of Harare over the weekend.The 31-year-old – also called Robert Mugabe – spent a night in a local police station and then briefly appeared at a court in Harare, the capital, on Monday. Continue reading...

Extinction Rebellion co-founder among four charged after throwing paint over charity buildings in 2020The Extinction Rebellion co-founder Roger Hallam has been acquitted of conspiracy to damage property after taking part in a protest that involved throwing pink paint over several charity buildings.The 56-year-old was cleared of the count along with three other protesters involved in demonstrations at the headquarters of Christian Aid, Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth on 21 July 2020. Continue reading...

Even as Nicola Bulley’s body was pulled from the river, ghoulish day-trippers were taking selfiesAfter three weeks under the glare of intense publicity, a stillness descended on the tiny Lancashire village of St Michael’s on Wyre on Monday. Children played in the primary school, the church bells rang every hour, and dog walkers took their usual route past the holly bush dotted with robins and thrushes to the bench where Nicola Bulley was last seen alive.For 23 days, St Michael’s on Wyre has been a community under siege. Even as Bulley’s body was pulled from the River Wyre on Sunday afternoon, ghoulish day-trippers were seen smiling and taking selfies at the riverside bench where the mystery began on Friday 27 January. A video of officers recovering her remains was viewed more than 2m times on TikTok. Continue reading...

Advertisement for assistant headteacher said candidates must be ‘on alert from 7am through until 6pm’A job advertisement for an assistant headteacher has attracted widespread criticism after it warned candidates they would have to work “ridiculously hard”, be “wedded” to their job and that “we cannot carry anyone”.The candidate for the role at Mercia school, a Sheffield secondary that has been described as “Britain’s strictest school”, is expected to supervise detentions on Saturdays and to attend meetings during the holidays. They must also be “highly talented”, “ooze leadership” and be “a great orator”. Continue reading...

The academic, who was conducting studies in the highlands, was taken hostage along with three other researchers

Judge-led inquiry rules Scotland Yard unit acted in a sexist and racist way and intrusions were not justifiedA judge-led public inquiry has found that an undercover police unit that infiltrated leftwing political groups caused “outrage and pain” to the public and acted in a sexist and racist way.The inquiry ruled that the Scotland Yard unit was not justified in intruding deeply into the private lives of campaigners, including their sexual relationships, and suggested it should have been disbanded early in its existence. Continue reading...

Israeli PM vows to press ahead with legislation to restrict judicial powers as upwards of 100,000 protesters take to streetsThe Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has accused protesters of “trampling democracy”, vowing that his far-right coalition will move ahead with controversial legislation to restrict the power of the judiciary.Upwards of 100,000 people gathered outside the Knesset in Jerusalem on Monday in protest against an initial plenum vote on bills that would give politicians control over appointments to Israel’s supreme court, and limit its ability to overturn laws. Protesters blocked major roads across the country, and prevented some politicians from leaving their homes. Continue reading...

Suppliers are expected to feel empowered by an easing in prices this year to hunt for customersSwitching between energy suppliers is expected to return later this year after a two-year pause due to lack of competition amid high bills.The energy consultancy Cornwall Insight said on Monday that easing costs later this year would present consumers with the chance to “take back some control” over their bills, as suppliers compete for customers again. Continue reading...

Supermarket’s third pay increase in a year puts it slightly ahead of Aldi and Sainsbury’sTesco is to increase hourly pay for shopfloor staff by 7% to a minimum of £11.02 an hour, its third pay rise in a year amid heavy competition for workers.The increase, which comes in from April, puts the UK’s biggest supermarket slightly ahead of the current best-paying grocers – Aldi and Sainsbury’s – which pay £11 an hour, and on track to beat rival Asda, which will raise pay to at least £11 an hour from the same month. Continue reading...

Man says he was instructed to falsely claim he was cousin of Nigerian politician’s daughterAn alleged victim of organ trafficking was instructed to falsely tell a London doctor that he was cousins with the daughter of a Nigerian politician before a meeting about donating his kidney, the Old Bailey has heard.Appearing in court for the first time, the man, who cannot be named, said he did not know why he had been taken to see the doctor until he mentioned a kidney transplant. “I was shocked because this was first time I heard about it,” he told the jury. Continue reading...

Investigations are under way in the hope this is the first conflict in which a full reckoning is made of environmental crimes

Many tears have been shed during inquest into what happened when Jake Davison went on rampageAs is frequently the case in mass shootings, Jake Davison’s eight-minute burst of savagery began with a domestic attack on a woman.Davison, 22, thickset and strong thanks to a combination of gym work and steroids, argued violently with his mother, Maxine, 51, in the modest Plymouth home they shared. Continue reading...