Nick Welch claimed nearly £50,000 even though his wife spent most of her time at the family home nearbyA senior army officer has been jailed for 21 months for falsely claiming almost £50,000 in allowances to pay for his children’s boarding school fees.Maj Gen Nick Welch, who is believed to be the most senior officer to face a court martial since 1815, was convicted of a single charge of fraud after a four-week trial at Bulford military court in Wiltshire. Continue reading...

Burberry and H&M among brands targeted over stance on region at centre of Uighur abuses allegations

Aberdeen says it will repatriate a bust while Cambridge museum has ‘expectation’ its collection could be returnedRegional UK museums could lead a wave of repatriations of disputed Benin bronzes – most of them looted by British forces in 1897 – in defiance of the British government’s stance that institutions should “retain and explain” contested artefacts.On Thursday, the University of Aberdeen confirmed it would repatriate a bust of an Oba, or king of Benin, which it has had since the 1950s, “within weeks”, a landmark move for a British institution. Continue reading...

Tensions between Muslims and Hindus high as Modi’s BJP shows it could win state for first timeIn the sleepy, swampy surroundings of Nandigram, West Bengal, where mango and coconut trees grow in abundance, bicycles meander down dusty lanes and ponds fester with green algae, a vicious political showdown has been brewing.West Bengal, one of India’s most populous states, will begin voting in its elections on Saturday to elect its state government. The significance of the poll, however, spreads far beyond the state’s borders. “The soul of not just Bengal but India is at stake,” said Malay Tewari, a Bengali social activist. Continue reading...

EU will not be blackmailed over Oxford/AstraZeneca doses, says foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian

‘We need an official to come see what has happened. They can’t remove the people from underneath the trains, it’s a shame, look at the children,’ an unidentified man yelled from a site where two trains collided in central Egypt on Friday. At least 32 people were killed and 91 injured, health ministry officials said. Unknown individuals triggered the emergency brakes on one of the trains causing it to stop, the rail authority said. The second train, which was travelling in the same direction, crashed into the first from behind, it added

Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith says he will wear the retaliation like a ‘badge of honour’China has imposed sanctions on 10 UK organisations and individuals, including the former leader of the Conservative party Iain Duncan Smith, over what it called the spreading of “lies and disinformation” about human rights abuses in Xinjiang.The sanctions are a response to Britain’s decision to implement measures against four Chinese officials on Monday and follow a similar punishment by China against a group of MEPs, European academics and thinktanks. Continue reading...

Decision drew the wrath of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has defended candidate Félix SalgadoMexico’s elections agency has withdrawn ballot registration for a ruling-party state candidate who was nominated despite accusations of rape against him – but the move was made on technical grounds and not because of the allegations.The decision drew the wrath of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who has defended candidate Félix Salgado and criticized women’s groups who objected to his candidacy. Continue reading...

Robin Prior thinks the Life in the UK test is yet another component of the ‘hostile environment’ that all foreigners now faceZoe Williams is on top form in her dissection of the Life in the UK test and its insidious purpose (The test you have to take to stay in the UK is sloppy, moronic and jingoistic, 22 March).She exposes the mixture of stupidity and cruelty that lies behind this innocent-sounding test, which is in reality yet another component of the “hostile environment” that all foreigners must now face, whether they’re in the UK legally or otherwise. This is a stain on our country that we should all be ashamed of. Continue reading...

At least 32 people and 100 injured after collision between two trains in Sohag provinceAt least 32 people were killed and more than a hundred injured when two trains collided in southern Egypt in an accident blamed by authorities on a passenger activating the emergency breaks.Two passenger cars flipped on their side from the force of the collision, the latest in a series of deadly accidents along Egypt’s troubled rail system, plagued by poor maintenance and management. Continue reading...

Newly accused of data manipulation by the US, AstraZeneca has faced unprecedented scrutiny over the past six months

A doctor who provides treatment to protesters injured by the military describes the daily violence and trauma of post-coup MyanmarA doctor who provides treatment to protesters wounded by the army and police has described a week in the turmoil of the post-coup Myanmar.When the military coup happened, I joined a group of medics providing treatment to protesters. Every day is a risky day for us. I may be captured, I may be shot dead. We don’t have bullet-proof vests. We have only a waistcoat and a stethoscope. Our ambulance has been shot at twice before; we just had to get out and run. Continue reading...

Latest updates: Covid cases plateau in England and Northern Ireland but rise in Scotland over the last week; UK’s R number up to 07-0.9

Shonda Rhimes’s long-running medical drama is not exactly uplifting. But through grief, upheaval and despair, it has been the one thing I can always count onThere’s a song that I listen to every time I begin to feel the tendrils of sadness take a grip. For nearly 15 years, this song – Grace, by the Norwegian singer Kate Havnevik – has soundtracked every desperate and devastating moment in my life. It’s a little self-indulgent gift I give myself when I need to be enveloped by despair.

A delicious, hearty meal needn’t take much time to make. Here are some startlingly quick options for big taste sensations – from midnight spaghetti to fried green plantainAny meal we eat after 10pm is frantic and addled. I often want something salty, spicy and flavoursome, preferably in a bowl, so “midnight spaghetti” is my go-to. Put enough spaghetti for two in a pot of heavily salted water and bring to the boil. Finely slice four garlic cloves, a red chilli and the stems of four leaves of rainbow chard (saving the leaves for later) and add to a frying pan with a generous glug of olive oil, then heat gently until golden. Add a couple of teaspoons of capers and a lot of ground black pepper. Roughly chop the chard leaves and a couple of handfuls of parsley. Add the chard leaves to the frying pan along with the almost-cooked spaghetti and 4 tbsp of pasta water. Turn off the heat after a minute or two, add the parsley and stir through, then serve with grated parmesan. The whole meal should take about 10 minutes. Ella Blackburn, teacher, London Continue reading...

Tally comes as US and UK impose sanctions on two firms that form ‘financial lifeline for military junta’The number of protesters killed in Myanmar since February’s military coup has surpassed 320, according to the country’s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which said its total only included documented cases and that the real number was likely to be much higher.The latest tally came as security forces shot and killed three more anti-junta protesters on Friday. “Two were killed by head shots,” said a witness who saw officers open fire on protesters waving black flags in the southern town of Myeik. Continue reading...

Warnings grow over impact of Alex Salmond case on the push for change brought about by #MeTooConcerns have been raised over whether the system is failing victims of sexual harassment in Scotland as warnings intensify over the impact that the Alex Salmond saga has had on the momentum for change brought about by the #MeToo movement.Those close to the recent inquiries into the handling of sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister stress the need to hold the Scottish government to account over promised policy changes, while a Guardian survey has found the Scottish National party (SNP) is the only party in Scotland that cannot provide evidence of overhauling its sexual harassment policy following the #MeToo revelations of November 2017. Continue reading...

Want to get the best out of your clothes, but can’t face the full Marie Kondo? Here’s howIf I opened someone’s wardrobe and found it colour-coded with each crisp garment hung on cedar hangers spaced two inches apart, I would think: this person has too much time on their hands. Most of the clothes in my wardrobe are hung on cheap nonslip hangers, or – brace yourself! – the wire hangers from the dry cleaners. Because I have a lot of clothes, and a medium-size wardrobe, and I can fit more clothes in that way.In other words, I am most definitely not one of those acid-free tissue paper freaks. I’m telling you this because I seldom read past the second paragraph of wardrobe reorganisation features. I usually enjoy the first bit, where it’s all, “It’s easy, it’s fun, it takes an hour max!” But before you know it the writer is jauntily suggesting you take a Polaroid photograph of each pair of shoes and tape it to the front of every shoebox for easy identification. Sorry, what? Who has space to keep every shoebox? Continue reading...

Announcement by Abiy Ahmed may signal end to fighting that has included mass killings and rapesEritrea will pull its troops out of the Tigray region, Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, has said, a potential breakthrough in a conflict in which both countries have been accused of abuses against civilians.Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel peace prize, faces mounting pressure to end fighting in the drawn-out conflict in which troops are thought to have carried out mass killings and rapes. Continue reading...

Seven gas tankers are diverted from blocked waterway as huge traffic jams build up on both sidesThe Japanese owner of a container ship that has been blocking the Suez canal for more than three days says it aims to free the vessel by “tomorrow night Japan time” but cannot guarantee the effort will be complete by then.Global shipping companies are starting to re-route cargo away from a jam of vessels on both sides of the stricken container ship Ever Given, which is blocking one of the world’s key trade arteries. Continue reading...

Driving into water of unknown depth should be avoided – but if it can’t be, winding down the windows beforehand is crucialThe deaths of two people whose cars became trapped in flood waters this week brought into focus the issue of vehicle safety.On Wednesday, a 25-year-old Pakistani man, Ayaz Younus, died after his Toyota Camry became trapped in flood waters. Though Younus had called triple zero and managed to stay on the line for 40 minutes, police could not find him in time. On the same day, rescuers found the body of David Hornman, 38, in a submerged ute in the Gold Coast hinterland. Continue reading...

The south London-based quartet capture the absurdities of life via sardonic spoken-word lyrics“You’re just what England needs / You’re going to change us,” Florence Shaw intones on Dry Cleaning’s 2019 track Magic of Meghan. It’s a song she’s been thinking about “quite a bit” since the Oprah interview with the Duchess of Sussex aired. “I was just interested in her and trying to forget about a breakup. But I did have an ominous feeling about Meghan – a sense that it was going to go horribly wrong.”Related: The Guide: Staying In – sign up for our home entertainment tips Continue reading...

A rickshaw rider, a domestic worker, a student and a photographer on how their lives have changed

In the half century since independence, the capital has grown from peaceful town to economic hub. But does it live up to the dreams of those still flocking to work there?

Humanitarian coordinator urges donors to stay the course and keep supporting Syrian peopleThe UN has urged the UK not to go ahead with expected significant cuts in aid to Syria next week, warning that the move could further destabilise the wartorn country and backfire on Britons.The warning from the UN’s chief humanitarian coordinator, Mark Lowcock, comes before a high-profile donor conference on Syria at which the organisers are looking for $10bn, the largest ever appeal for Syria. Continue reading...

Sam and Bucky join forces in the second episode of Disney+’s ambitious new Marvel spinoff, as the Flag Smashers wreak chaos in EuropeSpoiler alert: This blog is for people watching The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+. Do not read on unless you have watched episodes one and two. Continue reading...

The journalist and memoirist on learning from Natalia Ginzburg, the genius of Geoff Dyer’s comedy, and why James Salter is overratedThe book I am currently reading

Queensland’s chief health officer says it’s likely an unidentified intermediary passed the virus on to the 26-year-old manA new coronavirus case diagnosed in Queensland is connected to another announced two weeks ago, with the missing link between the pair likely still in the community.Genomic testing on Friday confirmed the 26-year-old’s case was linked to a hospital worker whose infection was announced on 12 March. Both had the “highly contagious” UK variant. Continue reading...

Braving harsh weather and the threat of left-behind landmines, families spend weeks hunting for seasonal truffles to sell at market Continue reading...

For a post-Brexit UK to thrive, the government must focus on making the Northern Ireland protocol workLast week, senior figures from government, business and civil society in the UK, EU, US, Canada and China participated in a Ditchley conference on UK-EU relations. Our aim was to articulate steps that each could take to nudge the new relationship into a better place. The fraught opening months of the post-Brexit trade deal show how difficult this process may be.For this government, the EU is not a priority. It wants to focus on other parts of the world, not least the US and Indo-Pacific, as the recent integrated review made clear. Its other priority is domestic, on the post-pandemic recovery and “levelling up”. Continue reading...

A year after Breonna Taylor was fatally shot when police entered her home with a no-knock warrant, experts and activists push for more accountabilityIn the months after police officers in Louisville, Kentucky, burst into the home of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, killing her as they conducted a botched narcotics raid, Lashrecse Aird knew that she wanted to take action.“I’ve witnessed first-hand officers showing up at a home or family members being arrested,” she said. As a mother, and as a Black woman only a few years older than Taylor, the death of the young medical worker felt “deeply personal”. Continue reading...

There have been 12,500 requests for help across the state this week and 1,000 flood rescuesThe number of New South Wales residents forced from their homes by flooding is “trickling down” with fewer than 9,000 still unable to return, as rivers across the state recede and the sun comes out.The SES has started assessing damage in flood-affected areas with most rivers having peaked and evacuation orders being lifted. Continue reading...

The Parisian singer’s take on traditional variété française includes confrontations with mental health, body image and bondage – and her challenge has struck a nerveAccepting the award for the best newcomer at Victoires de la Musique (the French Grammys) on 12 February, Yseult said: “This is not just a victory for me, it’s a victory for my brothers and sisters. We have snatched this, our freedom, our independence, this space. We deserve it.”Raised in the Bercy neighbourhood of Paris by Cameroonian parents, the 26-year-old represents the tension between a new French generation and an establishment that resists change. Yseult is a Black woman putting her own take on traditional variété française. “I grew up listening to Edith Piaf, Barbara, Jacques Brel, Lara Fabian, Patricia Kaas,” she says by phone a month post-Victoires. “The pared-down French classicism of their songs was what I always wanted my own music to be about.” Continue reading...

Figures underline the impact of Covid restrictions imposed that month in UK

Efforts to dislodge the stricken container ship blocking the Suez canal continue as fears mount that the operation could take weeks. The 400-metre-long Ever Given ran aground on Tuesday and has blocked traffic through one of the world’s busiest shipping routes

Death of Samah el-Hadi, allegedly shot by her father, has led to outpouring of women sharing own stories of domestic violenceThousands of people have signed a petition urging the Sudanese government to take action against a man released without charge by police after his 13-year-old daughter was shot dead.Samah el-Hadi was shot three times and run over by a car, reports said. Neighbours have taken to social media to blame her father, who was briefly questioned by the authorities but released after telling them Samah had taken her own life. No postmortem was carried out on the girl’s body. Continue reading...

Scott Morrison announces small business and primary producer grants on visit to Wauchope with Gladys Berejiklian. Follow updates live

Pat Dodson and Malarndirri McCarthy say the issue is a ‘national disaster’ and the Coalition is not showing leadershipLabor’s Indigenous senators Pat Dodson and Malarndirri McCarthy have launched a scathing attack on the Morrison government for “passing the buck” on Aboriginal deaths in custody, saying its lack of leadership was “immoral” when the issue was a national crisis.“We’ve gotten to the chronic stage now where instead of learning from the royal commission and its recommendations 30 years ago, we’re standing on the brink potentially of another royal commission to inquire into the same sorts of things,” Dodson told reporters in Canberra. Continue reading...

Cristina Corbucci is the first female traffic controller to stand on the retractable podium in Rome’s famous Piazza VeneziaRomans greeted with joy the return of the traditional white-gloved traffic cop, who rises from a podium in Piazza Venezia to elegantly direct the vehicles coming from three directions around them. Now they’ve welcomed a break from the past after Cristina Corbucci, the first female traffic controller to stand on the platform, made her debut this week.“I think it’s fantastic, and it’s about time,” said Giuliana Cazzarolli as she watched the officers switch shifts on Thursday. “I hope she’s well paid.” Continue reading...

We hear the stories of people who died after being admitted to hospital in England for non-Covid reasons

The Evergreen Ever Given is stuck in the Suez canal. Is it briefly exciting and funny or some kind of global business disaster? Or both?

Ten years after the former IMF chief’s fall from political grace, Banon celebrates new legislation on ages of consentAlmost exactly 10 years ago Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the man set to be the next leader of France, was arrested in New York and accused of raping a hotel chambermaid.It was a fall from grace many had anticipated but few believed would actually topple the veteran politician and Socialist president in waiting. Continue reading...

Few observers expect transparency about when the historic waterway will reopenAs a massive container ship ran aground and got stuck in one of the world’s most vital routes, Egypt’s initial response was characteristic silence, even as reports of the problem began to emerge publicly over 12 hours later.For Egypt, the Suez canal is more than a trade route, it is a source of national pride and a vital source of foreign currency. But the fervour that surrounds the waterway combined with iron-fisted information control means that few observers expect transparency about the circumstances of the grounding or the timetable for the ship’s rescue from the Egyptian authorities, which some estimate could take days or even weeks. Continue reading...

Official Ri Pyong Chol hails ‘great significance in bolstering up the military power of the country’ as Biden warns of consequencesNorth Korea has claimed that it has tested a new guided missile, as US President Joe Biden warned of consequences if Pyongyang escalates tensions.The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said the two “new-type tactical guided projectiles” accurately hit the target off the eastern coast on Thursday. Photos on the website of the North’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed a missile lifting off from a transport erector launcher amid bright flames. Continue reading...

We would like to hear from readers about how the giant container ship Ever Given could be freedSalvage teams from all over the world have been enlisted to help try to refloat the stricken container ship Ever Given after it became stuck in the Suez canal three days ago.Efforts to pull it free using tug ships have so far failed as have attempts to dig it out of the sandy banks where it has become wedged. One expert said the cargo of thousands of containers might have to be unloaded, a process that could take weeks. Continue reading...

Cardinal John Dew said he would offer ‘no excuses’ for the actions of bishops and congregational leadersNew Zealand’s Catholic Church has formally apologised to the survivors of abuse within the church and said its systems and culture must change.Cardinal John Dew, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Wellington and Metropolitan of New Zealand, made the apology on Friday at the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care on behalf of the bishops and congregational leaders in New Zealand. Continue reading...

British overseas territory is positioning itself as real-time case study in relaxing restrictions

Country becomes third in the world to pass grim milestone; Novavax is delaying signing its contract with EU due to raw material supply issues