More opt for longer loan deals and lower monthly payments as rents soar in cost of living crisisA standard mortgage used to run for 25 years but experts are reporting a growing trend for marathon loans spread over up to 40 years as first-time buyers and movers opt for lower monthly payments in an effort to bridge the gap between rising living costs and still-high asking prices.New figures show the number of first-time buyers opting for a mortgage term longer than 35 years more than doubled during 2022 to 17%. The number taking out a loan over 30 to 35 years also increased – from 34% to 38% – during the same period, according to the banking group UK Finance. Continue reading...

Nataliya Torkut likens Zelenskiy to Henry V at Agincourt as she visits Stratford-upon-Avon to mark playwright’s birthdayUkrainians need not only weapons but culture and art in order to survive the onslaught of war, says Prof Nataliya Torkut, head of the Ukrainian Shakespeare Centre.During a visit to the UK for Shakespeare’s birthday celebrations, the first time she has left Ukraine since Russia’s invasion, Torkut called for a greater awareness of the role of culture for people living through the trauma of war. Continue reading...

Police believe Blacktown location where baby was found was chosen at random and mother had no connection to the property

About 1,060 WWII prisoners died when the ship, which has now been found in the South China Sea, was sunk by an American missile in 1942

Nato chief ‘confident’ Ukraine is ready to retake more territory; suspect in Pentagon leaks posted information earlier than previously thought – report

Dominic Raab has quit over bullying findings that he dismisses as a ‘Kafkaesque saga’ – here is how the UK front pages are covering itDominic Raab has resigned as deputy prime minister after an official report found he had bullied civil servants. Let’s look at the reaction on the front pages.We begin with the Guardian which says “Raab quits in fury”. It reports that the investigation by Adam Tolley KC cited “abuse of power”, but that Raab believes himself the victim of “activist civil servants” trying to block the Conservative government’s work. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Filippo Grandi praises Australia’s refugee reset but is ‘very upset’ by UK moves to mimic its offshore detention policy

New data reveals the scale of how many Indigenous people were impacted by the disgraced funeral fund

Comité Champagne asks for destruction of shipment on grounds Miller High Life’s motto infringes champagne’s protected originThe guardians of champagne will let no one take the name of the bubbly beverage in vain, not even a US beer behemoth.For years, Miller High Life has used the “Champagne of Beers” slogan. This week, it became clear that for some the name has became impossible to swallow. Continue reading...

Putin visits troops in Ukraine; Kyiv marks Orthodox Easter; Lula criticised over peace efforts

RCN union hits back after health secretary attempts to prevent planned May Day strikeHealth secretary Steve Barclay has been accused by the Royal College of Nursing of trying to “bully and silence” nurses after the government issued legal papers in an attempt to block a planned May Day strike, describing it as unlawful.A “pre-claim” letter was issued in Barclay’s name on Friday, demanding the RCN cancel industrial action planned for 30 April to 2 May. Continue reading...

Raab resigns as deputy prime minister and justice secretary after report finds he displayed ‘persistently aggressive conduct’There is quite a contrast between the overnight briefing on behalf of Dominic Raab (see 9.06am and 9.24am). That could be explained by his allies talking complete rubbish to journalists. But a much more likely explanation is that last night Raab thought he could stay in office, but that by this morning – presumably after direct, or indirect, contact with Rishi Sunak – he realised that if he did not resign, he was going to sacked.This is not so much a resignation letter as a “resignation” letter. It reads as if it was written by someone pushed out.Mr Tolley concluded that I had not once, in four and a half years, sworn or shouted at anyone, let alone thrown anything or otherwise physically intimidated anyone, nor intentionally sought to belittle anyone.In setting the threshold for bullying so low, this inquiry has set a dangerous precedent. It will encourage spurious complaints against Ministers, and have a chilling effect on those driving changen on behalf of your government – and ultimately the British people.I am genuinely sorry for any unintended stress or offence that any officials felt, as a result of the pace, standards and challenge that I brought to the Ministry of Justice. Continue reading...

Companies from John Lewis to NatWest quit membership body after Guardian revelations over alleged sexual misconduct

Sources say PM did not ask deputy to go despite bullying inquiry finding he engaged in ‘abuse or misuse of power’

Leader widely known as Amlo called predecessor’s plane an ‘insult’ but now Tajikistan government pays $92m to take it off his handsMexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has finally found a buyer for a luxury presidential jet that he once called an “insult” to the people: the government of Tajikistan.López Obrador said that the agreed sale price for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner used by his predecessor Enrique Peña Nieto – but never by him – was about 1.66bn pesos, or about $92m. Continue reading...

Exclusive: private company Sciensus has struggled to provide reliable service, Guardian investigation findsThe care regulator has launched a review of serious and significant concerns raised by patients, clinicians and health groups about the safety and reliability of the services of Britain’s biggest medicines delivery business, the Guardian can reveal.Sciensus is paid millions of pounds each year by the NHS to transport vital drugs and medical items to the homes of about 200,000 people with conditions including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia and HIV. Continue reading...

Jens Stoltenberg says Ukraine will be able to retake more land; Kyrylo Budanov accused of ‘terrorist attacks’ and arms smuggling. This live blog is closed

One of the two identical white three-pieces worn by the star in his 1977 role is expected to fetch $250,000It’s one of film’s iconic images: a smouldering John Travolta, in a white three-piece suit where the lapels lick the shoulders, raising his right arm aloft on a glowing dancefloor.And now, the white polyester outfit from Saturday Night Fever – the 1977 chronicle of the dying days of disco – could be yours for a quarter of a million dollars. Continue reading...

Members including John Lewis and NatWest exit after Guardian reports of sexual misconduct allegations

As PM took time to digest findings, his deputy penned fiery resignation letter and Telegraph opinion piece

Ex-minister will be like ‘dog with a bone’ on issue he feels wronged over – but also has Surrey seat to worry aboutDominic Raab, a karate black belt holder, did not go without a fight. He quit as deputy prime minister on Friday with an incendiary attack on the civil servants who accused him of bullying, raising questions about what he will do next.Consigned to the backbenches, the former justice secretary has promised to continue serving Rishi Sunak loyally but could still be a thorn in his side. Continue reading...

Under Guardianship, broadcast during Ramadan, highlights the issues faced by women and children after the death of a fatherTwo Egyptian MPs have called for a review of the country’s guardianship law, prompted by the success of a TV drama broadcast during Ramadan.On thursday, House representatives Amira El Adly and Mohamed Ismail submitted separate requests to the speaker of the house and to the justice minister to examine the impact of a law that critics say unfairly targets women and harms families. Continue reading...

Data from regulator showed TPE made almost 1,000 cancellations, more than one in six of its servicesMore than one in six TransPennine Express trains were cancelled in March, according to data from the rail regulator, the worst performance of any rail operator in the UK.The Office of Rail and Road figures showed that almost 1,000 TPE trains were fully or partly cancelled over its latest reporting period. The figures included trains cancelled the night before – known as p-coding – which were until recently excluded from the reported figures. Continue reading...

More shelling and gunfights in Khartoum as efforts to impose ceasefire before end of Muslim holiday failSudan faces a weekend of intensified violence after last-minute efforts to impose a ceasefire before the end of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr on Friday night and bring a close to almost a week of fighting in the capital failed.Hundreds of thousands of civilians have now spent almost a week trapped in their homes in Khartoum, with dwindling supplies of food, limited power and under constant bombardment. Continue reading...

Solihull MP says ‘malicious’ sexual assault accusation has damaged his health and caused pain to loved onesThe MP Julian Knight has said he will not seek to have the Conservative whip restored or stand at the next general election for any other party after he was subject to a “malicious” sexual assault accusation.Scotland Yard received an allegation of serious sexual assault on 28 October last year, and on 7 December a further referral relating to the alleged incident was made, prompting an investigation into Knight. No details of the allegation were released at the time. Continue reading...

Yoweri Museveni sends bill imposing death penalty for homosexuality back to parliament for reconsiderationUganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, has refused to sign into law a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill that imposes the death penalty for homosexuality, requesting that it be returned to parliament for reconsideration.The decision was announced on Thursday after a meeting between the president and ruling party MPs who resolved to return the hardline bill to the national assembly “with proposals for its improvement”. Continue reading...

‘Mary Mary Quite Contrary’ egg given to Sybil Cook, 9, shortly before start of second world warIn the tradition of chocolate Easter eggs whose owners never quite got around to finishing them off, Sybil Cook’s excuse takes some beating.In the then nine-year-old’s case, it was Hitler’s imminent invasion of Poland and the onset of the second world war that interrupted her enjoyment of the treat. Continue reading...

Secretary general says countries have agreed Kyiv will join military alliance when war with Russia is over

Army chief makes no mention of truce in TV address after UN and US called for ceasefire of at least three daysNew efforts to halt fighting in Sudan failed on Friday, as residents of the capital Khartoum reported intense shelling and gunfights between soldiers and gunmen from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).Witnesses said there was shooting in the north, west and centre of the city, including during the call for special early morning Eid prayers. Continue reading...

Minister resigns as inquiry into bullying allegations finds he was ‘intimidating’ towards civil servants

PM is loyal towards his former deputy but it is hard to see how Raab’s reputation could have escaped notice

Writer and basketball star are among famous names to retain ticks despite not signing up to Twitter BlueElon Musk has admitted he is paying for some prominent Twitter accounts to retain their blue ticks, as the social media platform launched a cull that stripped verified status from many famous names including Beyoncé, Ronaldo and Paul McCartney.Twitter’s owner confirmed the gesture after it emerged that the writer Stephen King, the actor William Shatner and the basketball star LeBron James had retained their ticks – which confer verified status on accounts – despite not signing up to Twitter Blue, the site’s subscription service. Continue reading...

While agents say Britain’s heritage and history is a draw, not all agree on the royals’ value to the sectorAs soon as the date of the coronation was announced last October, Kathryn Mooney booked a flight to London. “I jumped on it right away,” says Mooney, 54, an executive assistant from Toronto. “All I thought was, I’d better get a property, I’d better get a flight, because I knew there would be huge demand.”Why did she want to come? “I know it sounds really hokey, but I want to go and send them some support and love from the sidelines. And honour the queen.” Continue reading...

How the story has unfolded since Ministry of Justice sources first spoke out about his behaviourAfter many turbulent months at the top of government under Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak arrived in No 10 knowing he had to put the Conservatives’ days of self-immolation behind them.On his first day in the job last October, he promised the British people that his government would display “integrity, professionalism and accountability” at every level. Continue reading...

Advice from solicitor general rebuffs no campaign’s central claim that the voice would clog up the courts

NSW police confirmed they were investigating reports of the alleged reptile killing

Edward Enninful tells BBC he rejected major fashion brands as he promotes May issue featuring disabled cover starsEdward Enninful, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, has said he turned down advertising from major fashion brands who do not share his vision of inclusivity.Enninful, 51, who took up the top role at the fashion magazine in 2017, said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he was told “inclusivity equals downmarket” earlier in his tenure. Continue reading...

Transport secretary defends PM after he is criticised by senior Conservatives for ‘dithering’Rishi Sunak is right to delay the decision on the fate of Dominic Raab, a senior minister has said, as the prime minister pores over a lengthy report into allegations that his deputy bullied staff.Mark Harper, the transport secretary, said on Friday morning Sunak was doing the right thing by waiting to make his mind up over whether Raab should resign over the allegations, a day after he received the report from Adam Tolley KC. Continue reading...

March sales fell by 0.9%, says ONS, which was more than economists had predictedRetail sales in Great Britain fell more than expected in March as poor weather kept shoppers at home, ending two months of increased spending by consumers.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said retail sales volumes fell 0.9% last month as the wettest March in 40 years dampened shopper enthusiasm for visiting department stores, clothing shops and garden centres. Continue reading...

Lack of public profile may have appealed to Rishi Sunak when picking him to lead bullying inquiryThe lawyer Adam Tolley KC is not renowned outside legal circles but he has qualities that made him a safe pair of hands for the important and sensitive task of producing the report on bullying allegations that will probably determine Dominic Raab’s political future.He has not acted in a case that would have established him in the public consciousness and he is not on Twitter, unlike many of his fellow barristers, some of whom have huge followings (although they tend to practise different specialities). Called to the bar in 1994 and made a silk in 2014, his lack of public profile may have been a plus for Rishi Sunak – preventing journalists from scouring his social media for controversy. Continue reading...

Fatal crash happened shortly after police pulled over speeding Mercedes driver in Strathmerton

Exclusive: Clive Driscoll, who won convictions of two of Lawrence’s murderers, calls for different force to pursue remaining killersThe detective who brought two of Stephen Lawrence’s killers to justice says the pursuit of the remaining murderers should be stripped from Scotland Yard and handed over to a new force.Former DCI Clive Driscoll led the investigation that in 2012 saw David Norris and Gary Dobson convicted of the murder, 19 years after they and a gang of at least three more youths attacked and stabbed Lawrence in a racist attack. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Senior staff said to want Sunak to set up independent body to assess complaints against ministersRishi Sunak is being urged to set up a new body to assess future bullying claims against ministers after civil servants were left disillusioned over the Dominic Raab investigation.Senior Whitehall staff want the prime minister to allow an independent organisation to assess claims of wrongdoing against ministers, a Ministry of Justice union rep said. Continue reading...

Move comes days after Fox reached a $US787.5m settlement with the voting equipment company Dominion in a separate defamation lawsuit

Government to give $6,000 rebate to drivers switching to EVs worth up to $68,000

Dominic Raab denies wrongdoing after report on his behaviour delivered to Rishi Sunak this morningToday’s announcement by the Association of School and College Leaders that it is to hold a formal ballot for national strike action for the first time in its history (see 9.49am) marks a significant development in the ongoing dispute between teachers and the government.Up until now only members of the National Education Union (NEU) have taken strike action in England, with five more days of strikes planned for later this term. In addition a fresh ballot is to be held to provide the NEU with a mandate for further strike action up until Christmas. Continue reading...

May Golan has insulted Africans in Israel and disparaged the Reform movement, the largest Jewish denomination in the USIsrael’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has nominated a far-right politician who once boasted that she is “proud to be a racist” as his country’s top diplomat in New York.The appointment of May Golan was swiftly denounced by Israeli and American former diplomats, and the head of the largest Jewish denomination in the US, as an affront to the US and damaging for Israel. Continue reading...

Four activists, who sat in the road at Bishopsgate in London in October 2021, were found guilty of causing a public nuisanceOne protester has been jailed for five weeks and three others given fines and community service for their part in a protest to demand government action on insulation.Daphne Jackson, 72, Beatrice Pooley, 65, and two protesters who have outstanding court cases sat in the road at the Bishopsgate junction in London during an Insulate Britain protest on 25 October 2021. The four were convicted of causing a public nuisance earlier this year and sentenced on Thursday. Continue reading...

Wolf Hall trilogy author remembered at memorial service at Southwark cathedral on ThursdayHilary Mantel, the celebrated author of the Wolf Hall trilogy, was working on a “mashup” of Jane Austen novels when she died suddenly, her literary agent told a packed memorial service at Southwark cathedral on Thursday.“She was having the greatest fun dissecting a literary icon,” said Bill Hamilton before a “fragment” of the unfinished novel, Provocation, was read by the actor Aurora Dawson-Hunte. Continue reading...

Taiwo, 3, was found dead in a flat with Olabisi Abubakar, who denies manslaughter and child crueltyA devout Christian mother caused the death of her three-year-old son by making him join her in a religious fast at a time when she was fearful of Covid and worried about her immigration status, a jury has heard.Olabisi Abubakar, 42, an asylum seeker, is accused of the manslaughter of her son Taiwo, who was found dead at their accommodation in Cardiff having suffered malnutrition and dehydration. Continue reading...