British public has yet to comprehend scale of party’s economic ambitions, says business chief Jonathan ReynoldsThe British public is yet to understand “the scale of Labour’s ambition on the economy”, one of Keir Starmer’s most senior shadow ministers has said, adding that the party needs to explain how it will be the most interventionist government for a generation.Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, said that the party had not yet fully communicated the “sum of its parts” in terms of how a series of technical policy fixes would translate into the ambitious transformation of the economy that the party will attempt to achieve. Continue reading...
Magnet for thousands of collectors of furry toys will close doors next weekNineteen-year-old Molly Bell arrived in London early last week from Brisbane. By Wednesday, she had found her way to a tiny toy emporium in a nondescript street in north London to fulfil a dream. She needed to move fast as the Sylvanian Families shop, selling the eponymous toy animals and their habitats, closes on 22 April after more than 30 years.Since 1992, the charming Highbury shop has been a magnet for thousands of collectors of the anthropomorphic animals – a magical grotto reminiscent of a bygone idyll. Continue reading...
Nizar Issaoui, 35, died in hospital after protest against ‘police state’ running country, says brotherA professional footballer in Tunisia has died after setting himself alight earlier this week in what he called a protest against the “police state” ruling the country, his brother said.Nizar Issaoui, 35, suffered third-degree burns from his action in the village of Haffouz in the central region of Kairouan, his brother Ryad said. Continue reading...
Brian McBride says business lobby group was on firm ground in sacking director general Tony DankerThe president of Britain’s most influential business lobby organisation has apologised for a spate of sexual misconduct allegations and “toxic culture” that has left the Confederation of British Industry fighting for its future.Speaking publicly for the first time, Brian McBride apologised to those alleging various forms of sexual misconduct, which span several years, by senior figures at the organisation, including an allegation of rape, first reported in a Guardian investigation last month. Continue reading...
by Justin McCurry in Osaka and agencies on (#6ATK7)
Man detained after what looked like a smoke bomb was thrown at Fumio Kishida just before speechThe Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has escaped unhurt after he was apparently targeted by an explosive device on Saturday morning. It comes less than a year after the country’s former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was shot dead while making a campaign speech.Kishida was safely evacuated after the incident, while a suspect – named by Japanese media as Ryuji Kimura, 24, a resident of Hyogo prefecture – was arrested at the scene, reports said. Continue reading...
NHS leader says threat of joint strike with junior doctors could pose hardest challenge yetA 48-hour nurses’ strike in England in May will present “severe challenges”, and the threat of coordinated industrial action with junior doctors could pose the “most difficult challenge” to date, an NHS boss has said.Speaking after a four-day junior doctors’ strike ended at 7am on Saturday, Sir Julian Hartley, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said fresh strike action announced by the Royal College of Nursing from 30 April until 2 May, and the possibility of stoppages continuing into next winter, was “extremely worrying and concerning”. Continue reading...
US president turned his farewell speech outside St Muredach’s cathedral in Ballina into a celebration of Irish and American valuesJoe Biden has concluded his visit to Ireland with a passionate riverside address to tens of thousands of people at his ancestral town in County Mayo.The US president turned his farewell speech outside St Muredach’s cathedral in Ballina on Friday night into a celebration of Irish and American values that appeared partly aimed at US voters. Continue reading...
Opera singers Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel also in lineup for Windsor Castle concert on Sunday 7 MayTake That, Lionel Richie and Katy Perry will be among the artists performing at King Charles’s coronation concert, it has been announced, along with the opera singers Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel.The singer songwriter Freya Ridings and classical-soul composer and producer Alexis Ffrench will also grace the stage in the grounds of Windsor Castle on Sunday 7 May, the BBC has confirmed. Continue reading...
by Helen Livingstone, Martin Belam and Geneva Abdul on (#6ASCT)
MoD says Russian and Wagner troops are making gains in Donetsk frontline town; US arrests 21-year-old air national guardsman over Pentagon leaks Continue reading...
Officers sent offensive messages about Harvey Price, who is disabled, to colleagues in WhatsApp groupTwo Metropolitan police officers have been dismissed over offensive messages that they shared in a WhatsApp group, including some that made fun of Katie Price’s disabled son.The two serving officers and six former colleagues were found guilty of gross misconduct after sending sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic and ableist comments in a group called Secret Squirrel Shit between 2016 and 2018. Continue reading...
Families of victims dismayed at lack of accountability after death of ‘Stakeknife’He was described as being in very poor health and living a lonely existence by magistrate Emma Arbuthnot as she sentenced Freddie Scappaticci, then 72, to a three month suspended jail term.It was 5 December 2018. Westminster magistrate’s court had heard that Scappaticci, wearing a grubby blue fleece and green tracksuit bottoms, had used a laptop seized by police earlier in the year to search for information on “cars, the British army, maps, combat, football and politics”. Continue reading...
Patrick Thelwell sentenced to 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work after incident during York walkaboutA man who threw eggs at the king before shouting “friends with Jimmy Savile” has been found guilty of threatening behaviour.Patrick Thelwell shouted: “The king is a paedophile,” after throwing several eggs towards King Charles during a walkabout in York last year. Continue reading...
New regulations will apply to those aged one to 12 who suffer unbearably and have no hope of improvementThe Netherlands is to widen its euthanasia regulations to include the possibility of doctors assisting in the death of terminally ill children aged between one and 12.The new rules would apply to between five and 10 children a year who suffer unbearably from their disease, have no hope of improvement and for whom palliative care cannot bring relief, the government said on Friday. Continue reading...
Beatriz Flamini says she endured swarms of flies, read 60 books and never missed the sunlightAfter spending 500 days alone in a dark cave 70 metres below the Earth’s surface, assailed by a plague of flies and the odd, tantalising vision of roast chicken, most people would be craving a wash and some company.But after emerging from her subterranean lair in southern Spain a little after 9am on Friday and having a quick checkup with a doctor and a psychologist, Beatriz Flamini was treated instead to a 50-minute press conference in which she endeavoured to explain the almost inexplicable. Continue reading...
Protests against Emmanuel Macron’s controversial plans reignite in Marseille, Rouen and elsewhereProtesters blocked roads and industrial sites in some parts of France on Friday as the country’s top constitutional court prepares to give its verdict on Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular plans to raise the pension age from 62 to 64.Access to the city centres of Marseille and Rouen was restricted, and an industrial estate in Le Havre and other sites near Strasbourg and Lille were blocked. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6ASTX)
Ten-month-old was returned to his parents’ care just 39 days before his deathJust 39 days after social services returned Finley Boden to the care of his parents, the 10-month-old was dead.In that short period of time he suffered “significant, substantial and repeated acts of severe violence” at their home in Old Whittington, Chesterfield, leaving him with 130 separate injuries and almost every bone in his body broken. Continue reading...
Paleis Het Loo was built as lodge for man who became William III, king of England, Ireland and Scotland from 1689At first glance, King William of Orange’s palace seems just as it was in the 17th century – a handsome Dutch baroque building set along three sides of a courtyard seemingly pockmarked with rain puddles.But underneath the courtyard, an injection of engineering expertise costing €171m (£151m) has created an extraordinary modern museum, opening next week. Continue reading...
Russian opposition leader said to have had severe stomach pains, with ambulance being called to penal colonyAlexei Navalny, Russia’s most prominent opposition politician, has been grappling with severe stomach pain in jail that could be a result of slow-acting poison, a close ally said on Friday.Ruslan Shaveddinov said that an ambulance was called for Navalny last week to the maximum security IK-6 penal colony at Melekhovo, about 250km (115 miles) east of Moscow, where he is being held. Continue reading...
by Chi Hui Lin and Helen Davidson in Taipei on (#6ASQ3)
Defence ministry says it cannot rule out ‘cognitive warfare tactics’ after disinformation during Chinese drillsTaiwan’s defence ministry has raised the alarm about disinformation attacks during the recent Chinese military drills and warned local media about the dangers of helping to spread disinformation.Last week Beijing launched three days of military exercises near Taiwan, in retaliation for President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with the US House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, in the US. Taiwan’s military and civilian analysts confirmed to the Guardian that Taiwan was also targeted with information warfare. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England correspondent on (#6ASQ6)
Council leader pays tribute to woman allegedly murdered by 12-year-old boy when she was run over by her own carA foster carer who was allegedly murdered by a 12-year-old boy gave “endless love and care to vulnerable children when they needed it most”, a council has said.Marcia Grant, 60, died when she was run over by her own car outside her home in a Sheffield suburb last Wednesday. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6ASNV)
System in Ford’s Mustang Mach-E allows motorist to remove grip from wheel but eyes must be kept on roadDrivers will be legally allowed to take their hands off the steering wheel on Britain’s motorways for the first time as long as they watch the road, after the government approved another step on the path to self-driving cars.The driving-assist feature in Ford’s latest Mustang Mach-E model, which allows the vehicle to steer and accelerate but also monitors the driver’s attention to ensure their eyes are on the road, will be permitted by the Department for Transport in a first for Europe. Continue reading...
First casino complex to be built in Osaka after ban was lifted despite fears about gambling addictionJapan has approved a controversial plan to build the country’s first casino, after decades of debate fuelled by fears that an increase in tourist spending could be blighted by a rise in gambling addiction.The casino complex, which will include restaurants, shops and entertainment facilities as part of an “integrated resort”, will be built in the western port city of Osaka, where senior politicians have pushed for its construction and rejected demands for a local referendum. Continue reading...
After Swift and actor Joe Alwyn reported to have split, well-trained fans have been sifting through changed concert setlists for clues as to what’s nextSince reports broke last weekend that Taylor Swift and the actor Joe Alwyn had split after more than six years together, Swifties have been scrying for signs that they should have known or intimations of the pop superstar’s state of mind.The news came via Entertainment Tonight, a reputable source that seemed to have been briefed by an insider stating that “the relationship had just run its course”. Continue reading...
Such products doing ‘notably better’ than fresh items, data from Kantar reported by BBC showsBritish shoppers are switching from fresh to frozen food as they try to keep down spending amid the cost of living crisis, retail data suggests.The soaring cost of the weekly shop has been a significant factor in the squeeze on UK households, with food price inflation running at 18.2% amid high energy prices and shortages of salad vegetable because of bad weather in Europe. Continue reading...
Crackdown on Hellenes and its Golden Dawn leader Ilias Kasidiaris could cause more problems than it solvesFor two years Ilias Kasidiaris, a convicted leader of the now disbanded neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party, has used social media to address supporters from Domokos prison in central Greece.Month after month the former MP has railed against the inability of the “corrupt political regime” to govern the country in a stream of hate-filled speeches. For his 134,000 subscribers on YouTube, the exhortations are a lifeline to Kasidiaris and the Hellenes, the small nationalist party he set up shortly before being handed a 13-and-a-half-year prison term for his role in Golden Dawn. And they seem to be paying off. Continue reading...
The child is in hospital for observation as the 36-year-old driver assists police with inquiries following accident in Sunshine WestA toddler is in hospital after a vehicle crashed into an early learning centre in Melbourne’s west.Police say 14 kids were inside a play area when the vehicle hit the centre’s front verandah on Link Road in Sunshine West at 10.40am on Friday. Continue reading...
Palace refusing to explain why official state gifts worn by Princess of Wales and Camilla are not in the royal collectionBuckingham Palace is refusing to explain why 11 pieces of jewellery potentially worth £80m that were official gifts to the royal family are not held in a trove of national heritage.The jewels, which have been worn by Queen Elizabeth II; Camilla, the Queen Consort, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, are not contained in the royal collection, the custodian of culturally significant items held in trust for the nation. Continue reading...
Chris McCausland says Channel 4 show gave him the experience of ‘being the most able’ competitorIt has recently been called one of television’s most ridiculous reality shows. But the new Channel 4 series Scared of the Dark will help audiences understand sight loss, a contestant has said.The blind comedian Chris McCausland is one of eight famous faces who stepped out of the spotlight and into a pitch-black bunker for eight days for the experiment, hosted by Danny Dyer. It will show how they cope with the pressures of light deprivation and humanity’s primal fear of the dark.It’s a Knockout, BBC One, 1966 Giant obstacle-based physical series that spawned a Europe-wide and royal version.Touch the Truck, Channel 5, 2001 Dale Winton-fronted endurance show featured contestants holding on to a truck for the longest to win it.Naked Jungle, Channel 5, 2000 A nudist Crystal Maze meets It’s a Knockout, fronted by Keith Chegwin.Shafted, ITV, 2001 Robert Kilroy-Silk’s ill-fated show created TV’s most infamous catchphrase, “to share or to shaft”.Celebrity Shark Bait, ITV, 2005 Richard E Grant and Ruby Wax were among the stars locked in a metal cage in shark-infested waters.Hole in the Wall, BBC One, 2008 Teams of celebrities tried to jump through shapes in a moving wall.Heads or Tails, Channel 5, 2009 Justin Lee Collins oversaw contestants flipping a coin to try to win £1m.Don’t Scare the Hare, BBC One, 2011 Contestants carried out a mad series of challenges against a giant robotic hare.That Puppet Game Show, BBC One, 2013 The Muppets’ short-lived move into gameshows.The Jump, C4, 2014 Insurance nightmare celebrity ski jump show created 34 casualties.Flockstars, ITV, 2015 Celebrities attempt sheepdog trials.Wild Things, Sky One, 2015 Couples dressed as animals competed on a woodland obstacle course.Apocalypse Wow, ITV2, 2021 Gladiators meets BDSM.Naked, Alone and Racing to Get Home, Channel 4, 2023 Race Across the World in the buff. Continue reading...
BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce among those funded, with aim of producing new aircraft by 2035The Ministry of Defence has awarded £650m to manufacturers working on its Tempest fighter jet, in the latest sign that the UK is pushing forward with the aim of producing the aircraft by 2035.The companies who will receive the money are led by manufacturer BAE Systems, jet engine maker Rolls-Royce, and the UK arms of Italy’s Leonardo and European missile-maker MBDA. Continue reading...
Daniel Urresti sent to jail for 12 years for his role in the 1988 killing of Hugo Bustíos at the height of the country’s civil conflictA former Peruvian presidential candidate, Daniel Urresti, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for his role in the murder of a journalist in 1988 at the height of the country’s brutal civil conflict.A court ruled on Thursday that Urresti, then a military intelligence army officer, took part in the ambush and murder of Hugo Bustíos, who was investigating human rights abuses. Continue reading...
People are seeking the advance provision of medication before Friday’s deadline, when the drug may become unavailableAbortion pill websites and providers are seeing a surge of interest following a series of court decisions that threaten to block access to one of the major abortion drugs, mifepristone.Carafem, a national abortion provider with a wide range of telehealth services, said it had seen a 38% increase in people booking virtual appointments since the first ruling on Friday upending the FDA’s 2000 approval of mifepristone. Many customers have been asking whether they can order abortion medication before becoming pregnant – what is known as “advance provision”, a number of providers said. Continue reading...
Ex-president to be questioned in $250m suit against him for allegedly inflating assets to gain favorable loans and tax benefitsFormer US president Donald Trump was back in New York on Thursday to give a deposition in the state civil case accusing him of business fraud, as his legal woes continued to multiply.Trump arrived in New York a little over a week after appearing in New York criminal court on a different matter, pleading not guilty to dozens of felony charges related to hush-money payments to the adult film star Stormy Daniels and others during the 2016 presidential election. Continue reading...
NHS data for February shows 125,505 people spent at least 12 hours waiting to be admitted, transferred or dischargedOne in 10 people attending A&E in England face a “dangerous” wait of at least 12 hours for staff to deal with their problem, previously hidden NHS figures show.Data released on Thursday by NHS England for February showed that 125,505 people – 10% of everyone who sought help at a hospital-based emergency department in England that month – endured waits of at least 12 hours to be admitted, transferred or discharged. Continue reading...
by Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent on (#6ARYD)
Darren Woods’ pay is ‘reflective of record company earnings and stock price performance’, says oil firmExxonMobil handed its chief executive a 52% pay increase to $35.9m (£28.7m) for 2022 after the oil company reported its highest ever profits amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Darren Woods’ salary rose by 10% to $1.9m last year while his bonus and share awards surged by 80% compared with the year before. The company said the bumper payday was “reflective of record company earnings and stock price performance”. Continue reading...
Zakir Hussain accused of sending malicious messages to Louise Brookes including threat to deface grave of her brother AndrewA man has denied sending abusive Twitter messages to the sister of a Hillsborough victim during his first hearing at magistrates court.Zakir Hussain, 28, of no fixed abode, pleaded not guilty to five charges of sending malicious communications regarding five separate Twitter messages that tagged Louise Brookes, whose brother, Andrew Brookes, who was one of the 97 victims of the disaster. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6ARYF)
Scientists are cautiously positive about the face cream, which is based on a deep understanding of the skinThe latest Boots No7 range, Future Renew, was launched this week to considerable fanfare, not merely a new face cream, but a “world first breakthrough in skincare research”.Since 2007, when a Horizon documentary on the science behind its Protect&Perfect range prompted an unprecedented consumer stampede, the Boots No7 team has been taking the “here comes the science bit” to the next level. Its latest collection of creams and serums was preceded by a presentation at the American Academy of Dermatologists’ (ADD) annual congress in New Orleans, and the launch took place, not at an exclusive hotel, but at the Science Museum in London. Continue reading...
Congress group drafts legislation targeting officials and government supporters, mainly affiliated to Fidesz partyA bipartisan group in Congress is drafting US sanctions that would target leading Hungarian political figures tied to the Orbán government, as the relationship between the two countries continues to spiral downwards.The sanctions bill would name former officials and government supporters, mostly affiliated with the Fidesz party of the prime minister, Viktor Orbán. Continue reading...
President back from Netherlands amid sustained unrest which unions say will continue even if bill is signed inHundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across France on Thursday, with trade unionists and strikers briefly storming into the Paris headquarters of the luxury goods company LVMH, in a fresh round of protests against Emmanuel Macron’s unpopular plans to raise the minimum pension age from 62 to 64.“You’re looking for money to finance pensions? Take it from the pockets of billionaires,” said the Sud Rail trade unionist Fabien Villedieu, as the LVMH headquarters filled with red smoke from flares. The luxury group, whose brands include Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, is owned by Bernard Arnault, the world’s richest person, whose fortune exceeds $200bn (£160bn). Continue reading...
by Aubrey Allegretti Political correspondent on (#6ARRR)
PM calls fulfilling Channel crossings pledge ‘complicated’ in wide-ranging ConservativeHome interviewRishi Sunak has risked provoking the ire of Conservative MPs who want a swift end to people crossing the Channel illegally, by refusing to guarantee his pledge to “stop the boats” will be fulfilled by the next general election.A hot topic, given that the number of landings is expected to increase as summer approaches, the prime minister tempered expectations by stressing it would not be easy to deliver on his promise. Continue reading...
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