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Vulnerability of MPs’ groups to influence of private firms highlighted by appearance at blockchain inquiryFresh questions have been raised about private firms gaining prestige and access to MPs through all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) after an unregulated “bank” with no UK licence gave evidence to an inquiry in the House of Commons.The chief executive of Bandenia Challenger Bank spoke at an APPG inquiry into regulation in December, chaired by a Scottish National party MP, which was promoted using parliament’s official portcullis logo. Continue reading...

Children’s commissioner for England calls for ‘robust’ measures in UK’s online safety bill to protect young peopleEngland’s children’s commissioner has called for the “most robust” online protections for under-18s after publishing research examining links between sexual abuse cases and pornography.In the second of a series of reports exploring the impact on children, Rachel de Souza said she wanted to “turn the tide on pornography’s harms to children”. Continue reading...

After being accused of being ‘obsequious’ over Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, ABC included discussion of colonialism and monarchy’s relevance

Leaders of country’s 16 states will call on Chancellor Scholz to increase daily rate for feeding, housing and schooling asylum seekersGerman lawmakers are at loggerheads over how to manage the number of refugees coming into the country, with regional leaders calling on the government to provide more financial support.On Wednesday, the leaders of Germany’s 16 states will meet Olaf Scholz, the chancellor, in Berlin, and call on him to ensure that the federal government takes on more responsibility for immigration, including increasing the daily rate allocated to cover the costs of individuals. Continue reading...

Non-binding vote bans surveillance software after concluding Hungary and Poland used it to track journalists and opponentsThe EU needs tighter regulation of the spyware industry, a European parliament special committee has said, after concluding that Hungary and Poland had used surveillance software to illegally monitor journalists, politicians and activists.A special European parliament committee voted on Monday for a temporary ban on the sale, acquisition and use of spyware while the bloc draws up common EU standards based on international law. The moratorium would be lifted only on strict conditions, including independent investigations into the abuse of spyware in the EU. Continue reading...

The Victorian government has settled a class action from residents who say they were wrongly detained during the pandemic

Emergency services were called around 8am on Tuesday to the Gold Coast home where the infant was found deceasedPolice are investigating the sudden death of a baby girl on Queensland’s Gold Coast.Just after 8am on Tuesday, emergency services were called to a home in Mermaid Beach after an infant was located deceased. Continue reading...

The company says the issue mostly affected customers in NSW and Queensland, but did not prevent triple zero calls

Jarrad Antonovich died from a perforated oesophagus after consuming ayahuasca and Kambo frog toxin at Dreaming Arts festival

Measure also requires teachers to tell parents if student is trans and bars them from using bathroom matching their genderNorth Dakota’s governor has signed a bill into law that allows public school teachers and state government employees to ignore the pronouns their transgender students and colleagues use, the governor’s office announced on Monday.The new law, signed by the Republican governor, Doug Burgum, also requires teachers to tell a parent or legal guardian if the student is transgender. It also prohibits transgender students from using the appropriate bathroom without prior approval from a parent or guardian. Continue reading...

Which? figures show Britons struggling with loans, cards and bills as interest rates and inflation soarAn estimated 700,000 UK households missed or defaulted on a rent or mortgage payment last month, according to data issued days before another expected rise in the cost of borrowing.Missed housing payments were “particularly high” among renters, said Which?, the consumer body that issued the figures, affecting one in 20 tenants surveyed. Continue reading...

Make UK warns British firms risk losing out, as Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act sucks up investmentBritain needs to relaunch an industrial strategy and stop “flip flopping” on initiatives if it is to avoid falling behind on the global stage, manufacturing bosses have warned.Make UK, which represents 20,000 manufacturers across the country, warned British businesses risked losing out to companies elsewhere around the world because of the government’s lack of a long-term plan for industry, while Joe Biden’s $369bn (£292bn) Inflation Reduction Act sucks up investment. Continue reading...

Proposal is designed to free up 15m GP appointments over the next two yearsMillions of patients in England will be able to get prescriptions for seven common conditions, plus more blood pressure checks and the contraceptive pill, directly from pharmacies under proposals to tackle the crisis in GP surgeries.Those suffering from earache, a sore throat, sinusitis, impetigo, shingles, infected insect bites and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women are set to be prescribed medicine by pharmacists without the need to see a doctor or nurse for the first time. Continue reading...

Most respondents report receiving online abuse and harassment, with many seeing their role as dangerousLGBTQ+ journalists face a hostile environment in the UK, with most finding themselves the objects of online harassment and abuse, a study has suggested.The research, which was commissioned by the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity (LHC), indicated that many saw their roles as dangerous and wanted more support from senior colleagues. Continue reading...

Zhao Wei is accused of gathering information on Conservative MP Michael Chong in retaliation for criticism of China’s Uyghur policyCanada has expelled a Chinese diplomat after an intelligence report accused him of trying to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker critical of China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority.“Canada has decided to declare persona non grata Mr Zhao Wei,” the Canadian foreign minister, Mélanie Joly, said in a statement on Monday. “The decision has been taken after careful consideration of all factors at play.” Continue reading...

Result shows voters ‘desperate for change’ and feel their real concerns are being ignored, Labour leader to tell shadow cabinetThe local election results show Labour has banished the demons of Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn’s time as leader, while the Conservatives have badly misjudged the mood of voters by focusing on culture war issues, according to the party leader, Keir Starmer.In a bullish assessment he is due to give the shadow cabinet, the Labour leader will accuse the Tories of ignoring voters’ real concerns. “The NHS trumps woke every day of the week,” he will say. Continue reading...

Force says however that it ‘regrets’ action on Saturday as head of Republic campaign group calls for inquiry into officers’ conductThe Metropolitan police has defended the arrest of anti-monarchy protesters during the coronation despite announcing that no charges will be brought against them.The force said it expressed “regret” that six demonstrators from the Republic campaign group were arrested on Saturday. Continue reading...

Representatives of 27 member states mark Europe Day by calling for further strengthening of trust rebuilt by Windsor framework

This year’s major journalism winners cover the Russian invasion of Ukraine and abortion restrictionsThis year’s Pulitzer winners include Associated Press, the New York Times and authors Barbara Kingsolver and Hernan Diaz.The Associated Press won two Pulitzer prizes for journalism on Monday, in public service and breaking news photography, for coverage of the Ukraine war that included images of Russia’s siege of Mariupol. Continue reading...

Ottawa ‘highly interested’ in joining group amid fears country could be shut out of intelligence and tech sharingCanada’s defence minister has said the country is “highly interested” working closer on defence technology with Australia, Britain and the US, after reports that the country wants to join the Aukus defence pact.The Globe and Mail reported on Monday that Canada was making efforts to join the group, amid fears that the country could be excluded from valuable intelligence and technology sharing between a smaller circle of nations. Both the foreign affairs ministry and Privy Council are working to have Canada included, the Globe reported. Continue reading...

Widow of ex-editor Harry Evans runs foundation supporting original reportage, which is holding first event this week“Corporate timidity” is undermining investigative journalism as news outlets reduce spending on original reporting in favour of material that is cheaper to produce, Tina Brown has warned.The former Vanity Fair editor said investors like the idea of winning prizes for original reporting, but that when they go into board meetings, “they look at the numbers and go, ‘Let’s just cut it,’” Her comments come as outlets such as BuzzFeed and Vice are slashing the size of their newsrooms despite winning plaudits for their work. Continue reading...

King Charles and Queen Camilla say people joining in over three days of festivities have been ‘greatest gift’King Charles and Queen Camilla have thanked those who joined the weekend’s celebrations, saying it was “the greatest possible coronation gift” as they pledged to rededicate their lives to service.In a written message as the three days of festivities came to a close, the king said: “We thank you, each and every one.” Continue reading...

Simon Thompson has had a turbulent two-year stint at the helmRoyal Mail boss Simon Thompson is expected to step down within weeks, after a turbulent two-year stint at the helm.The chief executive has been accused by unions of inflaming the bitter industrial dispute, and his credibility was put in question after a Commons select committee appearance. Continue reading...

Brothers of Italy councillor in Veneto reports package featuring gondola and Tower of Pisa for ‘counterfeiting’Sliced mozzarella cheese produced in Austria by a Chinese company and wrapped in packaging featuring images of a gondola and the leaning Tower of Pisa has been branded the umpteenth “insult to Italian food excellence”.Tommaso Razzolini, a councillor in the Veneto region for Brothers of Italy, the party leading Italy’s rightwing ruling coalition government, said he reported the existence of the offending mozzarella to the ministry of agriculture and food sovereignty after coming across a photo of it online. Continue reading...

Lord Hain is seeking amendments to economic crime bill requiring ministers to back establishment of new courtThe UK government should back the establishment of an international anti-corruption court to prosecute corrupt leaders of countries unwilling or unable to enforce their own anti-kleptocracy laws, according to Lord Hain, the former Foreign Office minister.With cross-party support, Hain will propose that the time has come for Britain to throw its weight behind the growing global momentum for an international court, analogous to the international criminal court in The Hague. Continue reading...

Drone attacks launched on Kyiv with explosions also reported in Odesa and Kherson; Ukrainian general says ‘meat assaults’ have led to high casualties.This live blog is closedMore from that ISW report I mentioned earlier: the analysis suggests that Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov was happy to help Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin “blackmail” the Russian defence ministry in order to reestablish his position within the circle of power in the Kremlin. The think tank writes:Kadyrov had previously held an influential position within … Putin’s close circle … until apparently losing favor recently, likely because his forces played a limited role in active combat operations in Ukraine throughout late fall of 2022 and winter of 2023.Putin belittled Kadyrov during their meeting on March 13 where Kadyrov appeared visibly nervous when reporting on the Chechen fighters’ role in Ukraine. Continue reading...

People fleeing unrest in Manipur tell of mobs attacking villages, setting fire to homes and lootingMamang Vaiphei hid in the jungle for three nights after a mob attacked his village in Manipur, the remote Indian state where ethnic violence has reportedly killed at least 54 people.About 23,000 people have fled the unrest that erupted last week in the hilly north-east state bordering Myanmar. Continue reading...

Conference will help to design institute to ensure Indigenous women and girls have input into policies that govern their lives

Department of Foreign Affairs introduces new measures including asking former detainees to provide views on media tactics and support after their release

Mining groups hope their joint project, ReSource, will have an influence on the global business

Terrance Drew promises public consultation on Commonwealth realm nation becoming a republicThe prime minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean has claimed the country is “not totally free” while King Charles remains head of state.Terrance Drew told the BBC a public consultation on whether the Commonwealth realm nation should become a republic will start during his leadership. Continue reading...

Lib Dems, SNP and Greens pile on pressure as two shadow ministers refuse to commit to repealing Public Order ActLabour is under pressure to say whether it would repeal new anti-protest laws, after calls from all the main Westminster opposition parties and concerns expressed privately by some Labour MPs.Restrictions on the right to protest are in the spotlight after much-criticised arrests by the Metropolitan police of republican campaigners before Saturday’s coronation of King Charles. Continue reading...

Kyiv and Odesa targeted overnight, with attacks coming as Moscow prepares to commemorate victory over Nazi Germany

Albanese government’s first full-year budget benefits from higher commodity prices, low unemployment and wage growth

Jay Stanley hands over 30 artefacts, including vases and figurines from 6th to 3rd centuries BC, found in late father’s homeAn American man has returned 30 antiquities to Italy after reading a Guardian report about a compatriot who sent 19 antiquities back to their countries of origin and amid growing coverage of looted ancient artefacts.Jay Stanley, who lives in Ben Lomond, California, has handed over vases and figurines dating from the 6th to 3rd centuries BC. Continue reading...

Move comes as senior Tory blames party’s scrapping of housebuilding targets for poor local election resultsLabour is considering moves to levy higher taxes on foreign buyers of UK homes, as a senior Conservative blamed their party’s abolition of housebuilding targets for woeful results in last week’s local elections.In another sign that Labour believe Rishi Sunak is politically vulnerable over the housing crisis, the party has devised a series of policies aimed at making it easier for UK residents to buy homes. Continue reading...

Band play in front of 25,000 fans in Liverpool 36 years after acrimonious last gig, but only perform one songIt was a moment many fans thought would never come.But the reunion of Frankie Goes to Hollywood at the Eurovision opening concert on Sunday evening, 36 years after the band’s acrimonious last gig, left devotees elated – and a little confused. Continue reading...

Foreign service is ‘stretched to the point of ineffectiveness’ as it tries to deal with a fragmenting world order, report says

ERG and Glencore are among founders of ReSource, a proposed joint venture that is also backed by TeslaHuman rights groups have raised concerns that controversial mining companies, including one with a subsidiary under investigation by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, are taking a key role in a new “battery passport” scheme that counts the electric carmaker Tesla among its key supporters.The mining companies Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) and Glencore are among the founders of ReSource, a proposed joint venture that is working with several other big companies on making the global car battery supply chain more transparent – giving drivers confidence that the precious metals their car batteries have been mined ethically. Continue reading...

Central bank governor takes over months before election likely to be won by a Moscow-friendly partySlovakia’s prime minister has resigned and been replaced by a caretaker, deepening the country’s political crisis months before an election that looks likely to be won by a Moscow-friendly party opposed to further military aid to Ukraine.The central bank deputy governor, Ľudovít Ódor, was due this week to become leader of a technocrat government after the prime minister, Eduard Heger, himself acting as a caretaker since losing his majority last September, stepped down on Sunday. Continue reading...

Leak of confidential information triggered probe into government’s use of consultants to perform work of public servants

Deaths take number of prisoners executed to at least 203 since start of this year, says human rights groupIran hanged two men convicted of blasphemy, authorities said, carrying out rare death sentences for the crime as the number of executions surges across the Islamic Republic after months of unrest.Iran remains one of the world’s top executioners, having put to death at least 203 prisoners since the start of this year, according to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights. But executions for blasphemy remain rare, as in previous cases the sentences have been reduced by authorities. Continue reading...

Payment to former chief of staff involves no admission of fault by member for Kooyong or government

Call for urgent review after costly state-of-the-art units less than half full six months after openingScotland’s pioneering community custody units – hailed as a UK first in supporting female inmates – have been left half-empty more than six months after they were opened, the Guardian can reveal.Campaigners have been left frustrated by the costly, state-of-the-art units not being filled to capacity after opening last year as part of the Scottish Prison Service’s trauma-informed strategy for women. Continue reading...

Greens label move as ‘less than the bare minimum’ while Monique Ryan says Australia remains a ‘global laggard’ on taxing industry

Panellist and Liberal MP Julian Leeser also says broadcaster ‘got the balance wrong’ but condemns targeting of Stan Grant with racist abuse

Shane Patton acknowledges at Yoorrook commission the police uniform is a symbol of fear for some First Nations people

Proposal to abolish indexation projected to cost up to $1.3bn as MPs and students say higher education loan scheme is ‘no longer fit for purpose’

Tan denies murdering Ju Zhang after an alleged argument about her seeing someone elseAfter allegedly murdering his girlfriend of a month, Joon Seong Tan allegedly dumped her body in a wheelie bin and watched as a garbage truck collected her remains, a jury has been told.Ju “Kelly” Zhang was last seen alive by her eight-year-old son while wearing a pink nightgown watching something on her laptop on her bed. Continue reading...