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The 28-year-old senior constable is facing five assault charges, three counts of stalking and two counts of harassment

Speaking at launch for West End adaptation, Cleese complains about literal-minded viewers not playing with a full deck'John Cleese said that he decided to cut the N-word from a scene in his West End Fawlty Towers revival because in contemporary Britain there are too many literal minded people" who don't understand irony".Cleese was speaking at the media launch for the West End theatrical adaptation of the classic comedy, which follows a repressed hotelier trying to control his chaotic staff. The TV show finished in 1979 after two series that are widely regarded to contain some of the best-ever British sitcom writing. Continue reading...

UN agency says reconstruction will require effort on a scale unseen since second world warThe EU has offered Lebanon a financial package of 1bn (855m / $1.07bn), European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in Beirut on Thursday.The funds would be available from this year until 2027, von der Leyen told a joint news conference with Lebanon's prime minister Najib Mikati and Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides.This continued EU support will strengthen basic services such as education, social protection and health for the people in Lebanon. It will accompany urgent economic, financial and banking reforms. Furthermore, support will be provided to the Lebanese armed forces and other security forces with equipment and training for border management and to fight against smuggling. Continue reading...

Committee say use of WhatsApp should be banned on official devices unless there is transparencyMinisters should have to publicly declare contact from lobbyists on WhatsApp or face a ban on its use on official government devices, a committee of MPs has said.The public administration committee said current transparency measures did not command public confidence, in the wake of the Greensill scandal over David Cameron's private lobbying of ministers on behalf of his employer. Continue reading...

Bill has raised concern country is moving away from democratic norms and closer to MoscowNicolas Schmit, the Socialists' lead candidate in the European elections, said he is deeply concerned" by the violence in Tbilisi.In a statement late yesterday, the US state department said Georgia's western trajectory is at risk.Use of force to suppress peaceful assembly and freedom of speech is unacceptable, and we urge authorities to allow non-violent protesters to continue to exercise their right to freedom of expression. Continue reading...

Dozens of demonstrators in Peckham surround coach before it can take people to barge in DorsetA standoff was under way in London on Thursday after a coach sent to collect asylum seekers and take them to the Bibby Stockholm barge was surrounded by protesters.Dozens of demonstrators blocked the coach before it was able to pick up passengers, surrounding it on all sides. Hours later, hundreds were at the scene, while hire bikes had been placed underneath it. Continue reading...

Leader of the Commons dismisses reports she is to be installed in No 10 like a new boiler' next weekSwinney has confirmed he is standing for SNP leader.John Swinney is about to speak at his press conference in Edinburgh. Continue reading...

Ex-chancellor and Truss were close political allies and friends before he was sacked over a crisis stoked by the mini-budgetKwasi Kwarteng, the chancellor of the exchequer for 43 of Liz Truss's 49 days as British prime minister, has said Truss essentially" sacked him on Twitter", a dismissal he called kind of Trumpian" in its swiftness and brutality as Britain fell into crisis.Kwarteng said: One of the things that I feel bad about, among other things, was that she capitulated very quickly [to pressure to sack him]. So I came back and I was sacked, essentially on Twitter. So, kind of Trumpian." Continue reading...

Faculty members express anger Wednesday outside Hamilton Hall, which had been occupied by pro-Palestinian studentsColumbia University faculty say they are horrified" by Tuesday night's arrests of students by New York police following the occupation of an academic building, Hamilton Hall, by students protesting for the university to divest from Israel.Just after 9.30pm on Tuesday night, NYPD buses parked outside the hall were filled with arrested students who were transported away from campus. Continue reading...

Masked police also used water cannon and stun grenades against rally protesting over legislation viewed as authoritarian and Russian-inspiredMichael Roth, chairman of the German Bundestag's foreign affairs committee, has called on Georgia's leadership to stop the violence and withdraw the foreign agents bill.The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said today that he strongly" condemns violence against protesters and said use of force is unacceptable." Continue reading...

Daniel Anjorin attended Bancroft's school in Woodford Green, where Grace O'Malley-Kumar, who died in 2023 attack, was a pupilThe 14-year-old boy killed in the sword attack in north-east London attended the same school as one of the victims of the 2023 Nottingham attacks, the Guardian understands.The teenager, understood to be Daniel Anjorin, was a student at the private Bancroft's school in Woodford Green, which is still reeling from losing one of its alumni, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, who was stabbed to death in Nottingham in June 2023. The school is to issue a statement later on Wednesday. Continue reading...

The writer of The New York Trilogy, Leviathan and 4 3 2 1 - known for his stylised postmodernist fiction - has died from complications of lung cancerPaul Auster, the author of 34 books including the acclaimed New York Trilogy, has died aged 77.The author died on Tuesday due to complications from lung cancer, his friend and fellow author Jacki Lyden confirmed to the Guardian. Continue reading...

Airline investigating whether privacy breach allowing customers to view others' account details was caused by recent system changes'

Researchers say issue urgently needs scrutiny' after rap and drill music used as evidence against 252 defendants over three yearsRap and drill music was used as prosecution evidence for serious charges including alleged gang-related murders against at least 252 defendants in England and Wales over a three-year period, a study has found.The researchers at the University of Manchester, who found 68 cases involving rap evidence covering the 252 charged individuals, said the issue urgently needs scrutiny" as there was no meaningful regulation nor even monitoring of how the criminal justice system used rap as criminal evidence. Continue reading...

General election candidates include Monty Panesar but party says it will not stand against Corbyn or Abbott if they run as independentsThe former England cricketer Monty Panesar and a former Ukip MEP are among hundreds of candidates who will run under the banner of George Galloway's Workers party at the general election.The party, which is seeking to capitalise on discontent over Labour's handling of the Gaza conflict, also said it would support the former Labour MPs Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott and Claudia Webbe if they ran again as independents. Continue reading...

Nearly 45,000 households had nowhere to live in the three months to December last year, official figures showThe number of people being made homeless jumped by 16% in the final three months of last year, according to the latest government figures, which laid bare the scale of the country's housing crisis.Figures published by the government on Tuesday show nearly 45,000 households in England were assessed as homeless in the three months to December, up from just under 39,000 during the same period in 2022. Continue reading...

Rapper and singer was acclaimed for partnership with producer LTJ Bukem, and went on to become a producer and label head in his own rightMC Conrad, the vocalist who helped broaden and deepen the scope for jungle and drum'n'bass during the 1990s and beyond, has died aged 52. The news was confirmed by his agency Clinic Talent, who paid tribute saying: One of the most recognisable and best-loved voices in D&B, he leaves behind him an unmatched legacy."No cause of death has been given for the artist, born Conrad Thompson, who was celebrated for his dexterity on the mic, his singing ability, and affinity with the jazzier end of the genre's spectrum including in collaborations with producers such as LTJ Bukem and PFM. Continue reading...

The jukebox musical based on the 1994 film follows a string of high-profile early closures with producers saying the show has faced difficult times'An immersive jukebox musical production based on the 1994 Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is to close more than four months early in the West End. Priscilla the Party! had been booking until the end of September but will now have its last performance on 26 May. In a statement, the producers said that it was no longer sustainable" to support the show financially and that the production has been facing difficult times".Billed as an all-singing, all-dancing immersive party and musical theatre extravaganza", the show is running at London's 1bn Outernet complex in the Here venue with an audience capacity of just over 700. Theatregoers can join in the show on the dancefloor or choose a seated ticket including dining options. The show's website reveals good availability" for all but one of the remaining 23 performances. Prices start at 45. Continue reading...

Four-year-old child and pregnant woman among those in a serious condition after strike on seafront park in Black Sea port cityThis live blog has been paused. For the latest coverage on Russia's war in Ukraine, please visit our dedicated page.To keep up to date quickly with the latest in Ukraine, read our Ukraine war briefing here. Continue reading...

NSW detectives say 17-year-old girl arrested at home after hard to imagine' death of younger sibling

Extensive survey released by the National Association for the Visual Arts reveals gender disparity

Quaker and Vida, who were among the animals who got loose, were hurt when they collided with vehicles but have now had surgeryThe two military horses who sustained injuries after colliding with vehicles in London are making progress after surgery, the British army has said.Quaker, a Cavalry black, and a grey horse called Vida were seen galloping through the streets of the capital after being frightened by builders moving rubble last Wednesday. The pair bolted while they were on an extended exercise in Belgravia with five other horses and six soldiers from the Household Cavalry. Continue reading...

Newly deciphered passages outline Greek philosopher's burial place and describe critique of slave musicianNewly deciphered passages from a papyrus scroll that was buried beneath layers of volcanic ash after the AD79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius may have shed light on the final hours of Plato, a key figure in the history of western philosophy.In a groundbreaking discovery, the ancient scroll was found to contain a previously unknown narrative detailing how the Greek philosopher spent his last evening, describing how he listened to music played on a flute by a Thracian slave girl. Continue reading...

RRC appears to defy neutrality principle, as Ukrainian officials criticise weak response' and accuse Red Cross of being advocate for Russian aggressionThe International Red Cross movement has decided not to suspend membership of the Russian Red Cross (RRC), despite potential breaches of neutrality regulations brought to light by an investigation by a group of international media outlets, including the Guardian.Research showed what appeared to be numerous violations of the Red Cross charter by the Russian organisation since the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Continue reading...

Former SNP leader may stand as unity candidate following Yousaf's resignation after one year in post

Hamas delegation expected in Cairo to respond to Israel's latest truce and hostage release proposal

Labour former home secretary says imprisonment for public protection sentences have resulted in deeply damaging outcomes'David Blunkett, the former Labour home secretary, has said devising legislation that has left people languishing in prison for minor offences is the biggest regret" of his eight years at the heart of government.The Labour peer, a titan of the Brown-Blair era, said that imprisonment for public protection (IPP) - known as the 99-year sentence - is the greatest blot in his copybook. Continue reading...

Police and intelligence agencies should consult with multicultural communities before designating an incident an act of terror, Fowler MP says

End of secretary of state Antony Blinken's three-day visit marks upsurge in military activity after period of relative calmTaiwan has reported that a dozen Chinese warplanes flew sorties close to the island on Saturday, in a sudden surge of military activity just hours after the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, left Beijing following talks with President Xi Jinping and top Chinese officials.Before Blinken's three-day visit to China, US officials had pointed to a period of relative calm in the Taiwan strait over the past few months, after years of aggressive Chinese military manoeuvres and threats, as a factor in improving US-Chinese relations since Joe Biden held a summit meeting with Xi in November. Continue reading...

Polls predict ANC likely to lose parliamentary majority, due to high unemployment and wealth inequalitySouth Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the country's multicoloured flag.Any sense of celebration on the momentous anniversary was however set against a growing discontent with the current government. Continue reading...

Rodrigo Falcon last seen in early hours of 11 December 2022 after leaving The Vault nightclub in AviemoreA body has been found in the search for a man who was last seen in a Highlands village more than a year ago.Rodrigo Falcon, an Argentinian, disappeared in freezing conditions in the early hours of 11 December 2022. Continue reading...

Cross-party MPs criticise protesters who waved Palestinian flags and shouted at former Tory minister who was flanked by securityJacob Rees-Mogg has said the protests against him at Cardiff University were legitimate and peaceful, if noisy" after he was chased off campus on Friday, as the incident received cross-party condemnation from elsewhere.Footage showed the Conservative MP being followed by a small number of shouting demonstrators as he was escorted into a waiting car by eight security guards after speaking at the university's Conservative society. Continue reading...

Documents show officials were told blood plasma harvested from US convicts was contaminated with viruses Read more: the true story of the UK infected blood scandal; plus: My mum gave the injections that killed my brothers'A commercial blood product at the centre of the biggest treatment scandal in the history of the NHS was approved for use after government officials were told convicts were among the paid donors and virus contamination should be assumed",corporate filings reveal.The product, given to haemophiliacs to enable their blood to clot, was injected into thousands of patients inthe UK in the 1970s and 1980s, including young children, who were infected with Aids and hepatitis C. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our coverage of the Middle East crisis hereThree people have been killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, including two members of Hezbollah, AFP reports, citing statements from the militant group and official media.Hezbollah released statements mourning the deaths of two fighters from the villages of Kafr Kila and Khiam, saying they had been martyred on the road to Jerusalem". Continue reading...

Concerned public contact council over safety fears after retailer erected askew billboard in WandsworthA Waitrose billboard erected in a wonky fashion as a marketing stunt was fenced off by council staff amid public safety fears.The retailer erected an askew billboard on Lindore Road, in Wandsworth, south-west London, in a nod to its falling prices. Continue reading...

New room would give thousands of daily visitors better experience, says museum presidentThe Mona Lisa, the world's most famous portrait, could get a room of its own in the Louvre, the museum's president said.Such a move would give visitors, many of whom visit the Louvre for the famous painting alone, a better experience, Laurence des Cars told the broadcaster France Inter. Continue reading...

SNP leader wrote to other parties asking them to find common ground' ahead of no confidence voteHumza Yousaf has said he does not rule out a Holyrood election after writing to the leaders of Scotland's political parties asking them to find common ground" ahead of a no confidence vote.Yousaf has come under increasing pressure in recent days after his decision to axe the Scottish National party's governing agreement with the Scottish Greens on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

Rana Mitter, vice president for public engagement, keen to move on from colonial guilt and post-Brexit introspectionBritain's most revered academic institutions ought to stop worrying about their outdated image, since they now offer the best route to global influence, according to British historian Professor Rana Mitter. The renowned China expert, now based at Harvard's Kennedy School, told the Observer that educational prestige is an increasingly important tool for tackling challenges to trust and fresh threats to the world order - and he wants a newly revamped British Academy in London, where he is vice-president for public engagement, to play a key role.Outside our concerns with Brexit and decolonisation, the wider world has moved on and it still wants Britain to play a big part. Continue reading...

Vida and Quaker from the Household Cavalry are recovering from surgery after four horses broke loose in LondonThe army has said it is too early to know for sure if two military horses that suffered serious injuries after running loose through London will return to duties.Seven horses and six soldiers from the Household Cavalry were on an extended exercise in Belgravia on Wednesday when the horses were spooked by builders moving rubble. Continue reading...

Eight others taken to hospital and four arrested on suspicion of supply of controlled substance, say policeA man has died and eight others have been taken to hospital after an unusually strong batch" of heroin circulated across north Devon, police have said.Four people were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the supply of a controlled substance. Continue reading...

Ex-soldier, conspiracy theorist, astrologer and anti-vaxxer among the first of 27 people on trial for trying to violently topple the German government - led by Heinrich XIII Prince ReussOne of the largest legal proceedings in German history is due to start on Monday with the first of three trials of a group of far-right conspiracists who planned to violently overthrow the country's parliament.So sprawling is the network, so extensive their plans, that for a mixture of logistical and security reasons, the 27 people due in the dock have been split into three separate groups. Continue reading...

Claim of parental alienation made to distress and frighten', English court toldA man who raped his wife and was controlling and threatening towards her and their two children attempted to manipulate the family court into believing he was a victim of domestic abuse, a judge has ruled.In a damning judgment Judge Middleton-Roy found the man's conduct - which included frequently filming of his family using a body-worn camera - had been reprehensible and unreasonable" after he pursued false claims against the mother and contested her allegations against him over a prolonged period. Continue reading...

Officials say unidentified man killed influencer who had previously been imprisoned over dancing videosA man on a motorbike has shot dead a social media influencer known as Om Fahad outside her Baghdad home, Iraqi security officials have said.The unidentified attacker shot Om Fahad in her car in the Zayouna district on Friday, a security official said, requesting anonymity because he was not cleared to speak to the media. Continue reading...

Activists say little has changed in treatment of migrants and refugees under Donald Tusk's new governmentThe case of a woman from Eritrea who was forced to give birth alone in the forested border area between Poland and Belarus has raised questions about the new Polish government's response to the continuing humanitarian crisis at the border between the two countries.The previous, rightwing government of the Law and Justice party (PiS) used the migration issue to score political points and was accused of encouraging rights abuses by guards along the border, with reports of frequent violent pushbacks" of people to Belarus. Continue reading...

They have been resilient amid wider high street decline - but units are now emptying in areas such as Southall, west LondonThe south Asian high street is facing a fight for its future in Britain as customers scale back wedding celebrations because of the cost of living crisis and young people's changing preferences.Businesses in London and Manchester have said they have witnessed a huge decline in customers after the pandemic with the cost of living crisis prompting many to decide against the traditional big south Asian wedding and to seek out cheaper products online. Continue reading...

Parties clash over communal issues in increasingly charged campaign amid concerns unseasonably hot weather affecting voter numbersIndia has held the second phase of the world's biggest election, with prime minister Narendra Modi and his rivals hurling accusations of religious discrimination and threats to democracy amid flagging voter turnout.Almost 1 billion people are eligible to vote in the seven-phase general election that began on 19 April and concludes on 1 June, with votes set to be counted on 4 June. Continue reading...

As mayor aims to win third term, what has he achieved so far on air pollution, the climate crisis and nature?When Sadiq Khan launched his campaign for a third term as Labour mayor of London, he put his green policies front and centre, highlighting his work on air pollution, the climate crisis and nature.For seasoned Khan watchers, this came as little surprise. The mayor, who last year published a book called Breathe: Seven Ways to Win a Greener World, has been widely praised for his work tackling air pollution, as well as his efforts on nature restoration and getting London to net zero by 2030.The introduction and expansion of the ultra-low emission zone, which excludes the most polluting vehicles from the capital and has contributed to roadside N0 emissions dropping by 50%.The introduction of thousands of new electric buses and taxis, and the continued expansion of the cycle network and promotion of walking.A rewilding programme that has reintroduced a range of species, including beavers, expanded green spaces, and included a mass tree-planting programme. Continue reading...

Amid the threat of big tech, Greens senator says News titles are trusted news providers' and a royal commission should look at the whole industry

US defence secretary announces aid as Zelenskiy pleads with west for more Patriot systems to defend Ukrainian citiesThe US will provide Ukraine with additional Patriot missiles for its air defence systems as part of a massive $6bn additional aid package, the defence secretary has announced.This is the largest security assistance package that we've committed to date," Lloyd Austin said after the conclusion of a virtual meeting of dozens of Kyiv's international supporters. Continue reading...

Police are investigating after the deaths of a 16-year-old boy in Dubbo and a 28-year-old man in Sydney's Quakers Hill