‘Huge battles’ expected in coming days as glint of normality returns with lift of alcohol ban

Insolvency Service starts ‘both criminal and civil investigations’ over firm’s dismissal of 786 workersCriminal and civil investigations have been launched into the conduct of P&O Ferries after the operator summarily sacked nearly 800 crew without notice or consultation.The Insolvency Service said it had “initiated both formal criminal and civil investigations” into the circumstances of the redundancies, after making inquiries at the request of the government. Continue reading...

Besieged region has an estimated 2 million people suffering from an extreme lack of foodA convoy of aid trucks has arrived in Tigray, the first emergency food supplies to reach the besieged region of northern Ethiopia by road for more than 100 days.Two weeks after Abiy Ahmed’s government declared an immediate “humanitarian truce” with rebel Tigrayan forces to allow aid in, the World Food Programme said it had received the assurances it needed to dispatch 20 trucks containing vital supplies of food. Continue reading...

Surge in passenger numbers after lifting of Covid restrictions comes as airports struggle to fill vacanciesPassengers expecting delays at UK airports this Easter holiday are taking extra precautions including arriving early, with some even staying in nearby hotels the night before they fly.Sallyanne Glynn, 52, decided to stay in a hotel near Heathrow with her family the night before a flight to New York to celebrate her daughter’s 21st birthday, at a cost of £1,000. “It was to make things easier for us,” she said. “I don’t think anybody is back to normal yet. The airport is a huge operation with thousands of staff and you can’t just switch that on and off.” Continue reading...

Russian foreign minister meets Narendra Modi and praises India’s refusal to condemn Ukraine invasion

Hit Netflix show responsible for renewed interest in filming locations around the country, industry saysBridgerton, the steamy soap-opera take on Regency England full of decadent costumes, dashing dukes and elegant backdrops, has once again shot to the top of the Netflix charts. And one industry is reaping the benefits – England’s stately homes.The regal properties are reporting a “Bridgerton factor” aspeople enchanted by the baroque interiors and bucolic gardens of the hit show decide to visit its real life landmarks. Continue reading...

While some in Uxbridge and South Ruislip remain angry and think PM should resign, others voice weariness with continuing scandalIn the heart of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London, where Boris Johnson has been MP since 2015, people expressed their discontent over allegations of “unfair” lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street. Yet, even those critical of Partygate expressed their waning interest or said they felt it was beyond their control.While for some the decision by the Metropolitan police to fine 20 people for lockdown breaches is a confirmation of law-breaking for which Johnson should be held accountable, others said they were “annoyed” by reactions to the affair, or saw no reason to hold on to the past. Continue reading...

Morrison government to sign interim agreement which has taken on extra urgency given Australia’s rocky relationship with China

King helped launch many of London’s top restaurants including Wolseley and Le CapriceJeremy King, the famed restaurateur behind the Wolseley and the Delaunay, has been ousted from the fine dining group he founded in 1981.King, who with his business partner Chris Corbin launched and ran many of London’s top restaurants including Wolseley next to the Ritz on Piccadilly, Delaunay on the Strand and Le Caprice in Mayfair, announced on Friday he had lost a battle to buy his venture, Corbin & King, out of administration. Continue reading...

Bands voice dismay at ‘devastating news’ but landlord says it will continue to operate as music venueOne of the UK’s leading music venues, which played a pivotal role in the careers of bands including Pulp, Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys, is at the centre of a row over whether it will close.News that the Leadmill in Sheffield might be shutting brought a wave of dismay on social media but was on Friday firmly rejected by the venue’s landlord, the Brixton-based Electric Group. Continue reading...

Carl Hughes had said it was his duty to remain at company part-owned by oligarch Oleg DeripaskaThe former Deloitte partner Carl Hughes has resigned from the board of En+, the mining company part-owned by the sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, weeks after defending his decision to remain in the post following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.Hughes, who has served as an independent director of the London-listed company since 2019 and chairs the audit and risk committee, said last month it was his “fiduciary duty” to stay on. The members of En+ board split $7m (£5.3m) in remuneration in 2020, according to the company’s annual report published last year. Continue reading...

Britons face a shock as household costs soar – and some unexpected items such as beer also go upIt’s been dubbed “bleak Friday” by some: pre-announced price rises for many household bills are to take effect on 1 April, adding to the misery for consumers who are already paying more for goods and food than this time last year. Continue reading...

Group says Gambling Commission got it ‘badly wrong’ when deciding to hand operation of draw to AllwynThe national lottery operator Camelot is launching a high court challenge to the Gambling Commission’s decision to hand over the operation of the draw to a rival after 28 years, accusing the regulator of getting the decision “badly wrong”.In a statement, Camelot’s chief executive, Nigel Railton, said: “We are launching a legal challenge today in our capacity as an applicant for the fourth [national lottery] licence because we firmly believe that the Gambling Commission has got this decision badly wrong.” Continue reading...

Court ruling could unwind Morrison’s ‘captain’s picks’ forcing Liberals to hold rushed votes to select candidates ahead of May election

Workers took action after share of tips paid on credit and debit cards was cut from 70% to 50% in 2021Pizza Express waiting staff have won back a bigger slice of their tips after a year-long campaign against a change that handed more to kitchen staff.The restaurant workers were forced to take action after their share of tips and service charges paid on credit and debit cards was cut from 70% to 50% last year at a time when pay was already under pressure from social-distancing measures that limited the number of diners. Continue reading...

Scott Morrison says Bushmaster vehicles bound for Ukraine after confusion in Senate estimates; PM delaying election announcement to run political ads, Albanese claims; Michele Bullock becomes first female deputy governor of RBA; child younger than five in SA among at least 16 Covid-related deaths across nation. This blog is now closed

Officials confirm Tudge remains minister ‘on leave’ despite acting minister Stuart Robert performing functions of the role

Former SAS soldier defends himself against accusations from Arthur Moses SC of trying to justify his own failures as a soldier

ANU modelling shows 56% of dollar value of cost-of-living measures goes to Australia’s middle and higher income earners

Germany, France and the UK reject Russia’s demand to pay for gas in roubles; Kremlin announces further sanctions on EU leaders

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese backed pay rises in budget reply speech, while unions call for a 25% boost

She began working with the National Park Service at 84 to reveal ‘untold stories’ of Black people’s efforts during the second world warBetty Reid Soskin, the National Park Service’s oldest active ranger, has retired at the age of 100.Soskin, who worked at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front national historical park in Richmond, California, spent her last day as she had for the last decade and a half: sharing her experiences and those of other women who worked on the home front in the second world war. Continue reading...

Residents from Lismore to the Lower Macleay in northern New South Wales under evacuation orders

The pop star vowed on International Transgender Day of Visibility to match donations to groups that advocate for trans rightsOn International Transgender Day of Visibility, Ariana Grande is using her star power to rally her millions of fans to support trans youth.In an Instagram post on Thursday, the pop star announced the Protect & Defend Trans Youth Fund, which she founded with the fundraising platform Pledge. Continue reading...

Cuts to mental illness, addiction and housing services linked to 32% increase on previous yearMore than 1,200 people in the UK died while homeless in 2021, a 32% increase on the previous year, as cuts to mental illness, drug and alcohol, and housing services took their toll, according to research.The annual audit by the charity Museum of Homelessness found most deaths occurred among people living in emergency housing or hostels. People sleeping rough or sofa-surfing accounted for 63 deaths, and seven fatalities were due to Covid-19. Continue reading...

Conference raises only $2.44bn as Russian foreign minister says west is responsible for country’s humanitarian crisisThe world’s donor drought, and growing global divisions over Afghanistan’s political direction, have been laid bare when a UN appeal for $4.4bn (£3.35bn) to help Afghanistan fell massively short, the second UN donor conference in a month to do so.Donor countries pledged only $2.44bn towards the appeal, a senior UN official said on Thursday after a high-level pledging conference. Continue reading...

Ben Wallace says donor conference of over 35 countries discussed need to change type of weaponry supplied

Two-week battle to hold company to account for sacking of 786 crew members appears to end with a whimperA two week battle to hold P&O Ferries to account for the summary sacking of 786 crew members appears to have ended with a whimper, as unions said the Dubai-owned company had “got away with it” after ministers backtracked on legal action and all but one employee accepted the firm’s controversial payoff ahead of Thursday’s deadline.All of P&O Ferries’ crew working on British contracts issued out of Jersey were fired on 17 March, to be replaced by cheap agency workers. The firm gave the sacked workers a deadline of 5pm on Thursday to accept or forfeit a payoff which they said compensated for the breach of their employment rights. Continue reading...

Khan makes claims in live televised address as no-confidence vote debate begins in parliamentPakistan’s embattled prime minister, Imran Khan, has claimed that the US “threatened” him and is seeking his removal from office as he faces a no-confidence vote in the coming days that could mean the end of his premiership.Khan, who opposition parties accuse of bad governance and economic incompetence, had claimed at a rally on Sunday he had a letter that showed a foreign country was conspiring against him and his political opponents working at its behest. Continue reading...

Humanitarian charity says thousands of civilian lives in danger if they remain in the besieged city

Experts say removal of £20-a-week boost and soaring living costs likely to push 1 million below UK breadlineAbout 400,000 children in the UK were lifted out of poverty during the first year of the pandemic because of the government’s £6bn universal credit boost, official figures have revealed, amid warnings benefit cuts could push more than 1 million people below the breadline.Statistics published on Thursday showed years of rising relative poverty were reversed after ministers introduced a temporary extra £20-a-week to universal credit in April 2020, together with extra housing support, furlough and other measures in response to the Covid outbreak. Continue reading...

Support slashed despite warnings about impact, with offices told not to discuss plans with local partners, says National Audit Office reportThe British government forced through £4.2bn in aid cuts so quickly it had little time to plan the impact they would have, or consult partners, according to an official audit.The National Audit Office (NAO) said bilateral spending – aid given directly to another government – faced some of the harshest cuts by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – 53% compared with less than a third of the overall aid budget – because of political and legal commitments to multilateral spending. Continue reading...

Benedict Goodale is given the coveted job to mark Cheshire parish’s 750th anniversaryIn the past, he would have been able to send publicans to the stocks for inflating the price of beer because everyone, including the children, drank it.“Unfortunately I don’t have those powers,” said the UK’s newest official “ale taster”. But there will be perks. “The role will certainly involve tasting ale. Or I bloomin’ well hope so,” joked Paul Boswell. “They’re not paying me so I hope I’ll get something out of it.” Continue reading...

Latest updates: Public and Commercial Services Union says offer is in effect a pay cut because of rising inflation and prices

Conservative news channel says Jenner, who ran for California governor last year as a Republican, will be ‘tremendous asset’Fox News says it has hired Caitlyn Jenner as a contributor, with her first appearance set for Thursday on Sean Hannity’s program.Jenner, the former Olympic decathlete, ran an unsuccessful campaign for California governor last year. The network said she will offer commentary and analysis across various Fox News platforms. Continue reading...

Fu Zhenghua had himself helped bring down country’s former security chief for corruptionBeijing has expelled its high-profile former justice minister and deputy police chief from the ruling Communist party, denouncing him as being “extremely despicable” and accusing him of befriending “political frauds”.Fu Zhenghua – who had reportedly helped bring down China’s former security chief Zhou Yongkang a few years ago – has been removed from public office over serious violations of party discipline and laws, said the state news agency Xinhua in a brief announcement that attributed the decisions to Beijing’s top anti-graft body. Continue reading...

Analysis: the publication of yet another critical investigation into the department follows a well-worn patternThere is a stark disconnect between how well the Home Office thinks it is doing at transforming itself into a more compassionate organisation and the extremely modest progress external observers believe the department has actually made.Four years on from the government’s first apologies for the Windrush scandal, the publication of yet another critical investigation into the Home Office followed a well-worn pattern. A forensic summary of the department’s outstanding problems was met with cheerful declarations from ministers and officials suggesting that things were going pretty well. Continue reading...

US will support mental health measures for young people and easier self-identification on federal formsThe Biden administration is commemorating International Transgender Day of Visibility with new policy actions to support trans communities facing a wave of discriminative legislation at the state level.The newly announced measures will include policies aimed at improving mental health among trans children, helping trans people gain easier access to government services, and providing additional gender identification options at the airport. Continue reading...

Families of 21 seriously ill children fear they will never see them again due to UK visa delays

Istanbul is seeking to mend ties with Saudi Arabia to bolster a struggling economy as it looks for foreign tradeA Turkish prosecutor has asked an Istanbul court to halt the trial of 26 suspects in the murder of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi and hand the case over to Riyadh.Turkey is seeking to mend ties with Saudi Arabia to bolster its struggling economy, four years after the 2018 killing of the dissident Saudi journalist inside Riyadh’s consulate in Istanbul. Continue reading...

Kyiv and its allies suggest the Kremlin may be merely playing for time to allow its military forces to regroup

Funding for national programme to go directly to schools instead after broad criticism of RandstadThe company running the national tutoring programme (NTP) has been axed and funding will go directly to schools instead after the government was forced into a climbdown over its flagship scheme which will now be overhauled.Labour accused the government of wasting millions of pounds of public money, and said the NTP revamp announced on Thursday was “too little, too late, for too many children”. Continue reading...

Michael Grade also praises anti-lockdown campaigner Laurence Fox in appearance before MPs

Move intended to ensure CBD ‘products are safe and what they say they are’, says FSA’s chief executiveThe Food Standards Agency (FSA) has created a list of more than 3,500 food products infused with cannabidiol (CBD), bringing them one step closer to being authorised as part of government plans to wrest control over a flourishing industry.CBD extracts are widely available in UK shops, cafes and online in the form of oils, drops, gels, confectionery, bakery products and drinks. The FSA is responsible for food safety and hygiene in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

A study found that more than 2m counterfeit pills were confiscated in the last quarter of 2021 aloneOver the past four years, the number of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that have been seized by US law enforcement jumped by 4,850%, according to a new study, underscoring how an alarming surge in the deadly drug is putting people at increasing risk for accidental overdose.The study by a consortium of academic researchers, led by New York University, was released on Thursday. Using a first-of-its-kind, real time analysis of federal data, it found that more than 2m fake pills were seized by officials in the last quarter of 2021 alone – up from 42,000 in the first quarter of 2018. Researchers also found that the number of individual seizures involving fentanyl pills increased by 834%. Continue reading...

Canberra protests as court verdict deferred after closed-door, one-day trial

The series My Life as a Rolling Stone will feature an hour-long film on each member, including the late Charlie WattsThe BBC have announced a summer season of programming to mark the 60th anniversary of the Rolling Stones, including a series of new documentaries on each band member. My Life as a Rolling Stone will spend an hour on Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and the late Charlie Watts. According to the BBC, the films use “unseen footage and exclusive stories from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood interwoven with new and archive interviews and performance”, while the Watts film is told through his bandmates and peers. Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Steven Tyler, Chrissie Hynde, Slash and PP Arnold are among those who have contributed to the films, which will air on BBC Two.A new audio documentary, Rolling With the Stones, will air on Radio 2: a career-spanning retelling of the band’s story, drawing on hours of unheard archive interviews and interspersed with rare performance recordings. Continue reading...

A cyber monitoring group says Chinese sources are amplifying Russian disinformation and linking Ukrainian ‘nazism’ to the Hong Kong protests

Volodymyr Zelenskiy says fierce resistance has pressured Russian forces in Kyiv but Ukraine is preparing for strikes in other regions