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Video footage shows Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng discussing pay rates after being duped by campaignersThe former chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, and former health secretary, Matt Hancock, agreed to work for £10,000 a day to further the interests of a fake South Korean firm after apparently being duped by the campaign group Led by Donkeys.Kwarteng attended a preliminary meeting at his parliamentary office and agreed in principle to be paid the daily rate after saying he did not require a “king’s ransom”. When Hancock was asked his daily rate, he responded: “It’s 10,000 sterling.” Continue reading...

Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater suggest Bute House agreement will be over if Kate Forbes is electedThe Scottish Greens have issued a stark warning to the next leader of the Scottish National party that “a sincere commitment to progressive values cannot be an optional extra”.With the SNP announcing on Monday who will replace Nicola Sturgeon as party leader and first minister after her shock resignation last month, the Scottish Green leadership gave its most definitive indication yet that the partnership deal between the two parties would be over if Kate Forbes is elected. Continue reading...

Emergency services say they have contained spread of blaze that has scorched more than 4,000 hectaresSpain’s first big wildfire of the year has scorched more than 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of forest and forced 1,500 people to leave their homes in the Valencia region.Residents recounted fleeing their houses and leaving animals behind. “Bad – how am I supposed to feel? Your town is burning, your life is burning, Our animals were there and no one can tell us anything,” said Antonio Zarzoso, 24, who had to leave the village of Puebla de Arenoso. Continue reading...

Plans to use holiday camps and student halls to relocate people from hotels now thought unlikely go aheadAsylum seekers could be moved out of hotels and into military bases or disused ferries under government plans that could be announced next week, according to reports.The proposals, first reported by the Telegraph, have not been denied by government sources. However, they have told the Guardian they are “speculation”. Continue reading...

Rohan, 16, known to his family and friends as Fred, died on Wednesday after incident in KingsthorpeTwo teenage boys have appeared in court after being charged with the murder of a 16-year-old who was stabbed to death in Northampton.Rohan Shand, known to his family and friends as Fred, died following the incident near the Cock hotel in Harborough Road, Kingsthorpe, at about 3.35pm on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Coalition suffers losses across western Sydney and key regional areas, losing at least nine seats to Labor

Human rights watchdog say people angry at Macron’s pension law had right to protest peacefullyEurope’s leading human rights watchdog has accused the French police of using “excessive force” during protests against a fiercely contested pension law.Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, said those wishing to gather peacefully had a right to be protected from “police brutality” and attacks by protesters against officers did not justify a heavy-handed response. Continue reading...

Dominic Perrottet concedes defeat and says he will step down as Liberal leader. This blog is now closed

Gains in seats in Sydney’s west – even among previously safe Liberal seats – show Labor leader correctly picked mood of the state

Author of damning report criticises Sir Mark Rowley over refusal to acknowledge institutional racism, sexism and homophobiaThe Metropolitan police commissioner has “potentially missed his moment” to radically overhaul Britain’s largest police service by refusing to acknowledge there is institutional racism, sexism and homophobia within its ranks, according to Dame Louise Casey.Casey, whose damning 300-page report found that prejudice was systematically present throughout the force, said Sir Mark Rowley was an “outstanding leader” but had missed an opportunity, nearly 25 years after the Macpherson report applied the term “institutional racism” to the police following the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Continue reading...

Westminster council says new date and venue being arranged to ensure Ft Sgt Peter Brown gets ‘sendoff he deserves’The funeral of one of the RAF’s last black second world war veterans is to be moved as large crowds are expected to attend the service.Organisers were inundated with requests to attend the service for Ft Sgt Peter Brown, who died alone aged 96 in Maida Vale, west London. Continue reading...

Carved heads of a boy, a horse and a bearded man, formerly in Vatican Museums, unveiled in AthensThe desire of Pope Francis to right a wrong has led to the official return to Greece from the Vatican of three ornately carved fragments that once adorned the Parthenon.As the sun set over Athens on Friday, the sculptures were unveiled on the upper floor of the Acropolis Museum, purpose-built within view of the fifth-century monument to house the marbles. Continue reading...

Retail expert urges troubled UK company not to lose sight of its values amid proposal to welcome outside investmentMary Portas, one of Britain’s leading retail consultants, has said the John Lewis group faces a battle to regain its soul, amid its potential move to welcome outside ownership.Portas, who advised David Cameron’s coalition government on the future of high streets, sent an open letter to the group’s chair, Sharon White, and Nish Kankiwala, who joins as the group’s first chief executive on Monday, urging them not to lose sight of its values and position as a British institution. Continue reading...

Ex-hotelier whose actions saved lives during 1994 genocide has sentence for terrorism charges commutedPaul Rusesabagina, a businessman whose role in saving more than 1,000 lives during the 1994 Rwandan genocide inspired the film Hotel Rwanda, has been released from prison after his 25-year sentence on terrorism charges was commuted.Rusesabagina was accompanied by a US embassy official as he was moved from prison to the residence of Qatar’s ambassador in Kigali late on Friday, according to two senior Biden administration officials who briefed reporters in Washington. Continue reading...

Transport for NSW urges passengers to make other travel arrangements with disruptions on several lines due to urgent signal repairs

Evelyn Partners recently confirmed PM made around £5m in past three years, mostly through investmentsRishi Sunak’s accountancy firm, a wealth management company that argued against removing non-domiciled status, has welcomed the government’s tax breaks for wealthy savers and promises to minimise clients’ capital gains tax.Evelyn Partners signed off on the three-page summary of the prime minister’s tax affairs which Downing Street released this week, showing that Sunak made around £5m in the last three years, mostly through his US-based investment fund. Continue reading...

Fire Brigades Union chief says joint action needed to oppose ‘pernicious’ minimum service levels billA leading trade union has called for a concerted campaign of defiance and civil disobedience against the government’s planned anti-strike laws.Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), urged a coordinated campaign among trade unions of “mass non-cooperation and non-compliance” against the minimum service levels bill. Continue reading...

Shoppers reported replacement items in 47% of UK deliveries, including 62% from Asda, in Which? surveyDog chews instead of chicken breasts? Strawberries in place of bin liners? These are just some of the strangest supermarket substitutions, according to a poll.Almost half of supermarket deliveries (47%) included a substitute item over the past 12 months, the survey for the consumer group Which? found. Continue reading...

The fight for a healthy Darling-Baaka River is becoming a ‘recurring nightmare’ for the communities that depend on it

Russian attacks on Ukraine leave at least 10 civilians dead; UN says both sides in war have summarily executed PoWs

US president says he does not seek conflict with Iran but warns of consequences as Tehran-backed forces and US personnel launch attacksPresident Joe Biden has warned Iran that the United States will “act forcefully” to protect Americans, after the US military carried out air strikes against Iran-backed forces in retaliation for an attack in Syria.“Make no mistake: the United States does not ... seek conflict with Iran, but be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect our people,” Biden told reporters during a visit to Canada. Continue reading...

Judges commended the ‘exemplary’ work of the journalists who ‘helped to trigger further inquiries and an apology’ from the league

Bottom trawling associated with the feed product depletes oceans more than wild-catch fishing, expert says

Pair will appear in court on Saturday after Rohan Shand, 16, was stabbed to death on WednesdayTwo teenage boys have been charged with the murder of a 16-year-old who was stabbed to death in Northampton, police said.Rohan Shand died after an incident near the Cock hotel in Kingsthorpe, in the east Midlands, on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Luke Dann, 36, will appear in court on Saturday accused of killing David Kelly in collision earlier this weekA man has been charged with murder following the death of a pedestrian in Plymouth.Luke Dann, 36, of Beechwood Rise, Plymouth, was charged with murder on Friday, Devon and Cornwall police said in a statement. Continue reading...

Councillor Linda Scott, who moved the motion, says there are about five times as many statues of birds as women in city council

Though polls have tightened, this is an election Labor expects to win. Anything less will be a disaster for the party

Polls point to victory but Labor faces a difficult electoral map, requiring an additional nine seats to govern in its own right

Discreet removal causes social media outrage with claims timepiece is worth €80,000 and he is ‘president of the rich’Emmanuel Macron has sparked social media outrage after eagle-eyed television viewers spotted him removing his “luxury” watch midway through an interview over his fiercely contested pension changes.The television appearance on Wednesday came one day before more than 1 million protesters – 3 million according to unions – demonstrated around France to oppose his government raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. Continue reading...

Children’s social services bosses in England denounce plans that will ‘irreversibly distort the care system’

The Ukrainian father who rescued his children from Russia; a tale of two visits as Xi meets with Putin and Kishida travels to Kyiv

Ulrich Körner acknowledges an ‘emotional and challenging week’ after deal was forced through by Swiss authorities

Memorial to be built in London’s Docklands, close to warehouses built to house goods produced through slaveryLondon is to have a memorial commemorating the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, the first such monument of its scale in Britain, the mayor has announced.The memorial will be built in West India Quay in the capital’s Docklands, close to warehouses that were built to house goods produced through slavery. Continue reading...

FTSE 100 also falls amid fears another bank could slip into trouble after UBS takeover of Credit Suisse

Fears of resignations among 72,000-strong membership as party seeks path forward from Sturgeon era

Service sector companies attract new business amid rising confidence and resilient consumer demandBritain’s economy is on track for a return to growth in the first three months of the year after a jump in retail sales and signs of sustained activity in the private sector this month.New business booked by service sector companies rose at the sharpest pace for 12 months in March, amid rising confidence among firms and resilient consumer demand. Continue reading...

Estate awarded £350,000 including damages for inhumane and degrading treatmentIn 1973 Liam Holden was convicted of murdering a British soldier in Northern Ireland and became the last person in the United Kingdom to be sentenced to hang.On Friday – half a century after the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, 11 years after the sentence was quashed and a year after Holden died – a high court in Belfast awarded £350,000 to his estate. Continue reading...

The government hasn’t referred anything to the law reform commission since 2021. Insiders worry about a pattern of reactive policy

Journalist voluntarily left Radio 4 show after 19 years but was saddened by lack of BBC announcementThe journalist and broadcaster Kirsty Lang has claimed she was told not to “say goodbye” after she decided to step back from presenting BBC Radio 4’s Front Row after nearly two decades.Lang said that while she left the show “voluntarily” and is to present Radio 4’s Round Britain Quiz, she was saddened that the broadcaster chose not to formally announce her departure. Continue reading...

Apple Daily founder and British national, 75, in jail since 2020 facing charges under national security lawA close confidant of the jailed Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has called on Britain to do more to secure the 75-year-old’s release.Lai, a prominent businessman and founder of Apple Daily, a pro-democracy newspaper, has been detained since December 2020. He has been convicted of fraud and faces more serious charges of foreign collusion under Hong Kong’s sweeping national security law. Continue reading...

Former president also warns Moscow will use ‘absolutely any weapon’ if Kyiv attempts to retake Crimea

Tim Martin says Bank of England is right to ask firms to be mindful but advice should not be taken too literally

Slashing funding to the programme from a promised £7m to just £1m sends a ‘stark message to the world’, says Save the ChildrenThe UK government has cut almost £6m in funding to a programme in Afghanistan supporting vulnerable women and girls.Save the Children said it has been told by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office that it will receive just over £1m of a promised £7m to support more than 100,000 people to access essential basic services such as healthcare and education. Continue reading...

Anugrah Abraham was stressed and lacked support while working for West Yorkshire police, family allegeThe family of a student police officer who died this month are calling for an independent investigation from the police watchdog after they claimed he faced discrimination, bullying and a lack of support.Anugrah Abraham, known as Anu, was a 21-year-old student police officer on a placement with West Yorkshire police as part of his three-year apprenticeship degree at Leeds Trinity UniversityIn the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Continue reading...

Intricate mosaic floor where King Charles III will be crowned on 6 May will be opened to visitors this summerVisitors to Westminster Abbey this summer will be invited to walk in their socks on its medieval Cosmati pavement to mark the coronation of King Charles III.A special programme of events has been announced by the abbey, including a new guided tour, which will take place after the coronation on 6 May. Continue reading...

National Audit Office urges ministers to learn lessons of losses in England resulting from fraud and errorJust 1% of the estimated £1.1bn lost from the government’s Covid business support programme in England as a result of fraud and error has been recovered so far, the public spending watchdog has said in a report urging ministers to learn lessons from the scheme.The “overwhelming majority” of fraud and error occurred during the initial incarnation of the grant scheme launched in March 2020, which did not require prepayment checks, the National Audit Office (NAO) said in its report on the rushed-through efforts. Continue reading...

Transparency International says its report raises questions over conflicts of interest in WestminsterMore than 170 former ministers and senior officials have taken private sector roles related to their old policy briefs in the past six years, research has found, with Sajid Javid, Robert Buckland and Gavin Williamson among the Tory MPs declaring lucrative second jobs in the last few weeks.A report from Transparency International found large numbers of ex- ministers and senior officials were going straight from their government jobs into private sector roles relevant to their former responsibilities, which it said raised serious questions over how potential conflicts of interest are managed in Westminster. Continue reading...

Two women tell of witnessing or experiencing torture and brainwashing, as Republicans and Democrats vow to document ‘genocide’Two women who say they experienced and escaped Chinese “re-education camps” have provided first-hand testimony to members of the US Congress, giving harrowing detail while imploring Americans not to look away from what the US has declared a continuing genocide of Muslim ethnic minorities.Testifying before a special House committee at the beginning of Ramadan, Gulbahar Haitiwaji, a Uyghur woman, said that during her nearly three years in internment camps and police stations, prisoners were subjected to 11 hours of “brainwashing education” each day. It included singing patriotic songs and praising the Chinese government before and after meals. Continue reading...