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Vladimir Putin victory would lead to bloc's members spending trillions' more on defence, says Mark Rutte

Policy pitched as incentive for businesses to spend more at local venues amounts to using taxpayer money to shout your boss steak tartare', government says

But climate change and energy minister says government will not announce its 2035 emissions target before election

Constable, 25, battling serious head injuries' in Sydney hospital after alleged late-night assault on Enmore Road

Exclusive: Office for National Statistics to spend 8m in deal with employment agency Randstad to recruit hiresThe government's statistics agency is spending 8m to hire an army of low-paid temporary workers amid efforts to fix its virtually unusable" data on unemployment and wages in Britain.Under pressure over the quality of its data, the Office for National Statistics last month agreed the multimillion-pound deal with the employment agency Randstad to recruit interviewers to help increase the reliability of its labour force survey (LFS). Continue reading...

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In today's newsletter: As Israeli security forces launch an operation in the city of Jenin and violence by settlers escalates, Emma Graham-Harrison explains what happens nextGood morning.A few days after a ceasefire brought at least temporary relief to Gaza, violence erupted in the occupied West Bank. On Tuesday, the Israeli military launched what was described as an extensive raid in the city of Jenin, a day after Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians, setting vehicles and property ablaze in a violent rampage. Two Israeli were arrested even though dozens of armed settlers were involved in the rioting. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, condemned the attacks, but it is evident that extremist settlers feel emboldened by government policies and ministers who back their agenda.Media | The Duke of Sussex has settled his high court legal action against the publisher of the Sun, News Group Newspapers. NGN offered a full and unequivocal apology" to Prince Harry for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them" at the News of the World. It will also pay substantial damages".US politics | Donald Trump has threatened Russia with taxes, tariffs and sanctions if a deal to end the war in Ukraine is not struck soon, as the new US president tries to increase pressure on Moscow to start negotiations with Kyiv.Social media | TikTok's power to deliver exhilaration" and the UK's relationship with China are shaping the UK government's acceptance of the short video app despite genuine concerns" about how the data of millions of Britons may be used, the technology secretary has said.Politics | Campaigners will be blocked from excessive" legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects including airports, railways and nuclear power stations as part of the government's drive for economic growth.UK news | A former soldier has pleaded guilty to murdering three women with a crossbow at their home in Hertfordshire last year. Kyle Clifford admitted killing Carol Hunt and her daughters Hannah and Louise in Bushey on 9 July. Continue reading...

The photographer's exhibition, which features images of Noel Gallagher, took place after donation to the gallery's 40m makeoverThe National Portrait Gallery (NPG) has been accused of nepotism after it hosted a photography exhibition by a large donor to its 40m makeover.Zoe Law's work is on display until 2 March in the Studio Gallery and Spotlight Space, with the organisation also acquiring her portrait of Noel Gallagher for its permanent collection. Continue reading...

Ibac says it has charged one Victorian Building Authority employee and 27 people involved in building registration applications

The government has announced a public inquiry into why authorities failed to stop Axel Rudakubana before he killed three girls in Southport. But is it enough to stop another such attack? John Harris asks the counter-terrorism practitioner Rashad Ali. Plus, the Guardian political correspondent Kiran Stacey explores how Keir Starmer will deal with Donald Trump's return Continue reading...

Organisers say festival needs a little more time to recharge' after last year cancelling due to unexpected events'

Department apologises for potential confusion and distress' after multiple IT issues and payments potentially cancelled in error

Devon and Cornwall police mount large operation and close off West Hoe Road after one person taken to hospital with serious injuriesPolice said they were searching for a suspect after a serious assault in Plymouth left the victim in hospital.Devon and Cornwall police said officers were called to the West Hoe area at 8.55pm on Wednesday after a person was found seriously injured in the street. Continue reading...

Houthis in Yemen said 25-member crew of Galaxy Leader had been freed in support' of the Gaza ceasefire agreement

Former Liberal staffer has been indicted over alleged rape in Queensland city in October 2021 and is yet to enter a plea

Exclusive: Chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor's role was substantially downgraded by Kim Williams

Lowden first appeared in David Ireland's two-hander in Edinburgh last year. For its West End run, he is paired with his hero' FreemanSlow Horses star Jack Lowden is to reprise his role in The Fifth Step, a play about addiction, faith and masculinity, in a new West End production co-starring Martin Freeman.Lowden first appeared in the drama, written by David Ireland, at the Edinburgh international festival last year and drew acclaim for his performance as an alcoholic, Luka, who joins the 12-step programme. The two-hander starred Sean Gilder as Luka's older mentor, a part that will be played by Freeman in the production at @sohoplace in London, running from 10 May until 26 July. Finn den Hertog will again direct. Continue reading...

UK charity calls for positions of four weeks or longer to be banned to help close social mobility gapYoung people from working-class or disadvantaged backgrounds are being locked out" of careers by unpaid or low-paid internships that benefit middle-class graduates, according to a social mobility charity.Research by the Sutton Trust found that middle-class graduates made more use of internships as stepping stones into sectors such as finance or IT, even in cases where the internships paid nothing or below the minimum wage as required by legislation. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer hopes his plan to take the brakes off Britain' will send a message to business to build moreCampaigners will be blocked from excessive" legal challenges to planning decisions for major infrastructure projects including airports, railways and nuclear power stations as part of the government's drive for economic growth.High court judges will be given the power to rule that judicial reviews on nationally significant projects that they regard as totally without merit" - and which can currently be brought to the courts three times - will be unable to go to appeal. Continue reading...

Hospital wards struggle to cope with rising cases of self-harm and eating disorders, the study warnsThe number of children admitted to acute hospital wards in England due to serious concerns over their mental health has increased by 65% in a decade, with a particularly alarming surge in girls who have self-harmed, research reveals.Doctors are treating almost 40,000 children with acute mental ill health in general wards every year, up from about 24,000 10 years ago. The increase is six times higher than the rise in admissions of children for all conditions (10.1%) over the same period. Continue reading...

Lucy Powell said MPs and their aides would be less well protected' if they drank outside the Palace of WestminsterClosing all bars on the parliamentary estate could lead to security risks for MPs, the leader of the House of Commons has said.The famous Strangers' Bar in the Palace of Westminster has been temporarily closed while police investigate an alleged spiking incident. It is understood to have taken place on 7 January at about 6.30pm. Continue reading...

US president tells his Russian counterpart to settle now and stop this ridiculous war' or face repercussions

JD Vance, Mike Johnson and others had said those guilty of violence would be excluded before president changed tack

Two Met officers denied hearing Clarke say I can't breathe' before he died under restraint in 2018The family of a black man who died after being restrained by police officers who denied having heard him say I can't breathe" have condemned the police discipline system after two officers were cleared of gross misconduct.Kevin Clarke, 35, died while in police custody in 2018, with the restraint having lasted more than 30 minutes. Continue reading...

Controversial move follows flurry of executive actions including suspension of refugee resettlement programme

Felix the Cat' Bingui due to appear in Marseille court on multiple charges including money launderingOne of France's most wanted suspected drug traffickers was due in court in Marseille after his extradition from Morocco.Felix Bingui, known as the Cat" and reportedly head of the notorious Yoda clan, was arrested in Casablanca last March. Continue reading...

Martin's formal appointment as taoiseach blocked after day of utter disgrace' in Irish parliamentIreland's incoming prime minister, Micheal Martin, has accused opponents of a subversion of the Irish constitution" after formal election to the role was cancelled amid chaotic scenes in the Irish parliament.The outgoing taoiseach, Martin's coalition partner, Simon Harris, called Wednesday's events in Dail an utter disgrace [with] so many pressing issues" facing the country, as a spiralling row over the speaking rights of independent TDs torpedoed the first day of Martin's new term in office. Continue reading...

Angry scenes over speaking time arrangements in the Dail with rows delaying the expected confirmation of Martin's role by the presidentTusk, a historian by training, also urged Europe to increase its defence spending:Some people think it's extravagant or wrong to warn that we should spend up to 5% of GDP on our security. ... But this is a time when Europe cannot afford to save on security.We spend 5% not on our own security, but also on the security of the whole of Europe. ... If Europe is to survive, it needs to be armed.Do not ask what America can do for Europe and its security; ask what ourselves we can do for our security. Continue reading...

Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemns act of terror' in Aschaffenburg that killed two people including toddlerA 28-year-old Afghan man has been arrested after a knife attack in a park in the German city of Aschaffenburg that killed two people, including a toddler, in what the country's chancellor, Olaf Scholz, condemned as an act of terror".With a month left in a campaign for snap elections dominated by debate on immigration and asylum policy, Scholz demanded authorities explain immediately why the assailant was even still in Germany". Continue reading...

News Group Newspapers offered Harry full and unequivocal apology' for serious intrusion' by the paperThe Duke of Sussex has claimed a monumental victory" after a historic admission" that the Sun engaged in illegal practices", as he settled his marathon case against the newspaper's publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), for reported damages of 10m.NGN offered Harry a full and unequivocal apology" for serious intrusion" by the Sun and for phone hacking by private investigators working for the News of the World. Continue reading...

Raven came to prominence on Modern Review in 1990s and later developed degenerative illness Huntington's diseaseCharlotte Raven, the exhilarating" journalist who blazed a trail through the 1990s media scene, later writing powerfully about assisted dying after she developed a degenerative illness, has died aged 55.Raven was a columnist, author and editor who wrote extensively for the Guardian and New Statesman, later becoming editor-in-chief of the Feminist Times. Continue reading...

Former soldier, 26, also pleads guilty to false imprisonment and possession of a crossbow and a butcher's knifeA man has pleaded guilty to murdering a mother and two of her daughters at their home in Hertfordshire last year.Kyle Clifford, 26, admitted killing Carol Hunt and her daughters Hannah and Louise in Bushey, near Watford, on 9 July. Continue reading...

Increase to 17.8bn is well above City forecasts and is highest December figure for four yearsUK government borrowing jumped unexpectedly to 17.8bn last month, piling pressure on Rachel Reeves to plan budget cuts before a spending review in the summer.Local authorities were the cause of much of the rise after they borrowed an extra 4.1bn in contrast to central government departments that stuck to borrowing limits, according to the Treasury's independent economic forecaster. Continue reading...

John Healey says foreign ship Yantar is in North Sea to gather intelligence on UK's underwater infrastructure. This live blog is closedA new online train ticket retailer backed by the UK government is to be created, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced, with the aim of simplifying the process of buying tickets from different rail operators. Joanna Partridge has the story.PMQs is almost with us. Continue reading...

Mariann Edgar Budde's inaugural prayer service sermon draws fury from conservatives as others praise her courage'

Survivors say they did not hear any alarms when fire broke out, as harrowing accounts emerge of attempts to escapeTurkish authorities are facing mounting questions over safety measures at a hotel in a popular ski resort that was ravaged by a fire, leaving 76 people dead and injuring more than 50 others.Survivors reported that they did not hear smoke or fire alarms when the blaze began in the early hours of Tuesday morning in the Bolu mountains resort of Kartalkaya. Harrowing accounts have emerged of people navigating smoke-filled corridors in complete darkness and jumping out of windows. Continue reading...

Israel defence minister calls Jenin siege shift in ... security strategy', as Palestinian Red Crescent says ambulances cannot reach dead and wounded

Further shooting and explosions reported after 10 killed yesterday as Ayman Safadi tells Davos meeting of fears for territoryAfter months of negotiations, a ceasefire has paused the devastating war in Gaza, but it risks collapsing as a result of deep distrust between Israel and Hamas and the multi-phased nature of the deal, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).Qatar, which mediated the talks along with the US and Egypt, has expressed hope the six-week truce and hostage-prisoner exchange will become permanent. However, that outcome is far from certain with the releases timetabled at a slower pace in comparison with a previous truce agreement. Continue reading...

David Pocock and Kate Chaney say laws must be passed as a matter of urgency as AEC issues disinformation and foreign interference warning

Expert Austin Kocher explains why the clown show' of Trump orders will nonetheless fuel confusion and anxietyDonald Trump began to enact his promised immigration crackdown just hours after taking power, issuing a barrage of executive actions that have incited panic and chaos across the US and at its borders. But much of the orders' content will be difficult to enforce, and many will face strong legal challenges.Trump's executive orders on immigration didn't read like presidential actions so much as a stream-of-consciousness mess ... strung together in a lattice of nonsense", wrote the political and legal geographer Austin Kocher, who had been issuing hourly immigration policy updates on his blog throughout inauguration day. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester police close child abduction inquiry, saying it is what Alex Batty and his family wantPolice have dropped an investigation into the disappearance of a boy from Oldham who turned up in France six years after going missing.Alex Batty was taken to Spain by his mother, Melanie, in 2017 and they did not return home in defiance of a court order that had granted custody to his grandmother. Continue reading...

Coroner's conclusion follows Ibrahima Bah's conviction for gross negligence manslaughter over dinghy sinking in 2022Three men who died when a dinghy overfilled with people literally fell apart at the seams" while trying to cross the Channel were unlawfully killed, a coroner has found.The conclusion follows Ibrahima Bah's conviction for gross negligence manslaughter in relation to four deaths in the Channel on 14 December 2022. He was also found guilty of facilitating unlawful entry to the UK. Continue reading...

Commonwealth War Graves Commission is beginning to honour hundreds of thousands of personnel not previously commemoratedElliot Malunga Delihlazo's grandmother would say that her brother Bhesengile went to war and never came back. The family knew he had died in the first world war, but they never had a body to bury, only a memorial stone in the rural family homestead in Nkondlo in South Africa's Eastern Cape province.Now the Delihlazos know that Bhesengile died on 21 January 1917 of malaria in Kilwa, Tanzania, more than 2,000 miles from home. He was a driver in the British empire's military labour corps, but was never given a war grave. Continue reading...

News Group Newspapers' apology to Duke of Sussex and former deputy Labour leader in full

The singer has filed a lawsuit against the media conglomerate for making defamatory claims against him in the 2024 film Chris Brown: A History of ViolenceThe R&B star Chris Brown is suing the media conglomerate Warner Bros Discovery for $500m (406m) for making defamatory claims against him in the 2024 documentary Chris Brown: A History of Violence, Rolling Stone reports.Released in October, the documentary addressed the allegations of misconduct and sexual assault against Brown. It features a Jane Doe who sued him for allegedly drugging and assaulting her at a party in 2020 on Sean Diddy" Combs's yacht (the case was dismissed without prejudice). In 2009, Brown assaulted his then-girlfriend Rihanna before the Grammy awards. Continue reading...

NGN apologises to royal for phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators'The Duke of Sussex has settled his high court legal action at the eleventh hour against the publisher of the Sun, News Group Newspapers (NGN).NGN offered a full and unequivocal apology" to Prince Harry for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them" at the Sun. Continue reading...

Mike Osman, aka Donald Trumped', from Southampton, says he is expecting busiest year of careerA British Donald Trump impersonator is looking forward to an unstoppable" four years, thanking the American president for providing him with a pension pot for his retirement.Southampton-based Mike Osman, a 65-year-old comedian, said his income had increased by between 30 and 40% since Trump was re-elected and he was expecting to have the busiest year of his career. Continue reading...

Maine Coon made three trips in 24 hours between New Zealand and Australia after being missed by baggage handlerA Maine Coon cat named Mittens became an accidental jetsetter this month when her cage was overlooked in a plane cargo hold and she made three trips in 24 hours between New Zealand and Australia.Mittens, eight, was booked for one-way travel with her family from Christchurch, New Zealand to their new home in Melbourne, Australia on 13 January. Her owner, Margo Neas, said on Wednesday that as she waited for Mittens to be unloaded from the plane's freight area, three hours passed with no sign of the cat. Continue reading...

Cost of scaling world's tallest peak rises for first time in nearly a decade to $15,000Nepal will increase the permit fees for climbing Mount Everest by 36%, making the world's tallest peak more expensive for mountaineers for the first time in nearly a decade, officials have said.Income from permit fees and other spending by foreign climbers is a key source of revenue and employment for the poor country, which is home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains. Continue reading...

Local publishing house says it will retain creative control' and no redundancies are planned for Melbourne office