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US president says the country is inclined' to go to Pakistan for more talks; Iran-linked vessels pass after start of Trump's blockade

Additional 1bn allocated to payments for victims and their relatives, including extra 35,000 for former Treloar pupilsCompensation payments will rise for people affected by the infected blood scandal, including an extra 35,000 each for pupils who were experimented on at school without their knowledge, the paymaster general has announced. The government has allocated 1bn for the payments.The final report of the inquiry into what has been described as the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history was published in May 2024. The compensation scheme that followed has also been blighted by controversy. Continue reading...

The policies include a Swiss-style EU deal, lower electricity prices and reduced dependence on the USA group of Labour MPs is to propose a series of new policies to defeat rightwing populism, including a Swiss-style deal with the EU, lower electricity prices, a robust defence of climate policies and a reduced dependence on Washington.Among those contributing to a new collection of essays is the former cabinet minister Anneliese Dodds, who calls for a fundamental reappraisal of the UK-US relationship, saying alliances should be based on a hardheaded assessment of which nations share our values and goals." Continue reading...

Critics warn of absolute disaster for the flying public' if two air travel giants try to combineThe CEO of United Airlines is said to have pitched a blockbuster merger with American Airlines during a meeting with Donald Trump, floating the combination of the world's two largest carriers.Scott Kirby, who leads United, raised the prospect during an encounter with the US president in late February, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources. Such a deal would overhaul the global air travel industry - and likely face intense competition scrutiny. Continue reading...

Ron Prosor says verbal attack on Friedrich Merz referencing Nazi regime erodes the memory of the Holocaust'Israel's envoy to Germany has criticised a far-right Israeli cabinet member who made historically charged accusations against the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying the attack [eroded] the memory of the Holocaust".In a rare rebuke of a top Israeli official by an active ambassador, Ron Prosor said he wished to unequivocally condemn" Bezalel Smotrich's tirade against Merz, in which he made reference to the Nazi regime and said: You will not force us into ghettos again." Continue reading...

Fiona Hill, a former White House chief adviser, joins ex-Nato chief in criticising Starmer's leadership on defence

Byelection wins and defections push Canada's Liberals into majority government under the prime ministerMark Carney has said he will govern with humility, determination and a clear understanding of what this moment demands" after his Liberals swept three byelections Monday evening, forging a parliamentary majority just more than a year after he took power.Carney has achieved only the third majority government in two decades - and has done so in a highly unusual fashion, cobbling together both ballot box wins and defections from rival parties. Continue reading...

Chancellor frustrated and angry' at the effect on UK firms and families and says US went into war without a clear exit planQ: Why are you calling for an inquiry into Nigel Farage's investment in a bitcoin firm?Davey said that, in investing in crypto, Farage, the Reform UK leader, seemed to be copying Donald Trump. He said he thought MPs should be banned from promoting financial services or products.[Farage is] now promoting this business. The question is, is he persuading people to put money into a risky business?And the conclusion I draw from this example is that we need to change the rules for MPs. MPs should not be allowed to promote specific financial services or products in the way we're seeing Nigel Farage doing.We need to get together as a country. The defence challenges for our country are so serious, with war on our continent for the first time for a long time, with Russia invading Ukraine, surely that's been the wake up call that we needed. The government hasn't gone as fast as it should have given those circumstances. Continue reading...

Party says plan for radical change' will be funded in part through higher taxes on aviation, gambling and landlords

Hui Ka Yan expresses remorse in trial proceedings after collapse of world's most indebted property developer

Ukrainian leader hopes for pragmatic' and friendly' relations with new government in contrast with hostility of previous pro-Russian regimein BerlinAt his press conference with Zelenskyy, Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz also welcomed Peter Magyar's decisive victory, saying it would have implications for our support for Ukraine".More Hungarians than ever before cast their votes. By an overwhelming majority, they voted not only to oust a government, but to oust an entire system."Volodymyr Zelenskyy and I also discussed this. The funds for military support must now be disbursed quickly. Ukraine needs them urgently." Continue reading...

Regan Prater admits to setting blaze at Highlander center and bid to aid Hezbollah. His sentencing is set for September

Decision to reduce duty-free quotas by 47% aimed at curbing Chinese imports

Catholic vice-president effectively tells Leo to stay in his lane after pope criticized the White House over the Iran warJD Vance has weighed into Donald Trump's feud with Pope Leo, effectively telling the pontiff to stay in his lane after the head of the Catholic church criticized the White House over the Iran war.It would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality, to stick to matters of what's going on in the Catholic church and let the president of the United States stick to dictating American public policy," the vice-president - a Catholic convert himself - said in an interview on Fox News on Monday night. Continue reading...

Changes follow concern that original code created a legal minefield for organisations implementing itThe equalities watchdog has updated its guidance on how to implement the supreme court ruling on gender after the government requested changes to the original proposals submitted last year.In a statement, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said that after feedback" from the government, as well as consultation responses and extra legal advice, it had made changes to what is officially known as the code of practice. Continue reading...

Loss of closest European ally will force Kremlin to consider whether non-autocratic states can ever be reliable partners

Former victims' commissioner Vera Baird says disciplinary action is essential to ensure people are held accountable UK politics live - latest updatesFamilies in Southport cannot be sure that officials who made catastrophic" errors before the murder of three girls are not still making the same mistakes, a former victims' commissioner has said.Vera Baird KC said all those who failed to properly monitor the killer, Axel Rudakubana, should be held personally accountable" and that authorities must not shrug it off" with an apology. Continue reading...

Adam Mitula is acting as election agent for Reform candidates in three wards in Tameside area ahead of 7 May pollsA Reform UK activist in the Gorton and Denton byelection who was suspended over racist and antisemitic comments has been named as the election agent for three of the party's candidates in Manchester ahead of polls on 7 May.Adam Mitula, an interim campaign manager in the Tameside area, confirmed in February that he had been suspended as a party member pending investigation". Continue reading...

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin was arrested after reporting on friendly fire incident during US conflict with Iran

Citi analysts upgrade profit forecast by 20% to $2.6bn for January to March despite flat oil and gas production

The 11-time Grammy winner had a net favorability of 65%, Obama came second with 14%, while Zelenskyy had 12%For the US public, the feeling that Dolly Parton expressed in her country music chart-topping 1974 classic I Will Always Love You is clearly mutual.A poll of Americans' opinions about more than 20 international luminaries established as much, with the 11-time Grammy winner and philanthropist leaving her two closest competitors - Barack Obama and Volodymyr Zelenskyy - in the dust by more than 50 percentage points. Continue reading...

Crews from Morengo fire and rescue built a makeshift raft to get Troy, who was stuck in 15ft deep creek, safely to shoreA horse in Illinois swept from a barn in a fast-moving flood has been reunited with his owner after firefighters joined a local veterinarian in a unique, daring deep-water rescue.Crews from the Marengo fire and rescue districts constructed a makeshift raft to move Troy, who was stranded about 600ft from the nearest shore and surrounded by a strong current of water in Coon Creek, about 60 miles north-west of Chicago. Continue reading...

Oil-driven inflation is big challenge to world economy, lifting inflation and depressing growth, says bank's chair

The Coalition might be in opposition to Labor but it is hoping to stem its loss of voters to Pauline Hanson

George Robertson says Iran war should be wake-up call to address military underfunding in scathing remarks

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Luba Grigorovitch, one of four MPs promoted to Jacinta Allan's cabinet, says she has no regrets' over friendship with former CFMEU bossLuba Grigorovitch, one of four Victorian Labor MPs promoted to cabinet, says she has no regrets" about her past friendship with disgraced construction union leader John Setka, despite the opposition labelling her appointment appalling".The Victorian Labor caucus met on Tuesday and voted to elevate Grigorovitch, the member for Kororoit, along with Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke, Eureka MP Michaela Settle and Box Hill MP Paul Hamer, to cabinet. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: More than one-fifth of austerity-generation' British children live in poverty. Our social policy editor talks about the damage done and the way forwardThe austerity years cast a long shadow over Britain. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, a programme of cuts overseen by then-chancellor George Osborne and the work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith gutted parts of the welfare state, limiting the generosity of what is now universal credit, introducing a bedroom tax and the two-child limit for child benefit. By 2021, an estimated 37bn had been cut from welfare spending each year alone, with further cuts made to other branches of government.The consequences of these decisions are all around us. Around four million children were classified as living in poverty in the UK, according to the most recent figures. This week, a University of Oxford study revealed that more than one-fifth of all austerity generation" British children - that is, children born since 2013 - have been scarred by poverty for at least half their childhood.Southport attack | Axel Rudakubana was able to carry out the Southport atrocity because of catastrophic" failures by multiple agencies and the irresponsible and harmful" role of his parents, a damning inquiry has found.Middle East crisis | The US blockade of ships using Iranian ports in the Gulf began on Monday evening, turning the six-week-old conflict between the US-Israeli coalition and Iran into a test of economic endurance.Health | Metabolic liver disease (MASLD) will affect 1.8 billion people worldwide by 2050, driven by rising obesity and blood sugar levels, according to a new report. There are now 1.3 billion people worldwide living with MASLD, a 143% increase in just three decades.Scotland | A funding deal to raise 100m from private investors for urgently needed nature restoration in Scotland has fallen through without the Scottish parliament being told, the Guardian has learned.XL bully ban | Police spending on kennels and veterinary bills in England and Wales has more than tripled since the XL bully ban came into force, with some forces recording an almost 500% spending increase since 2024. Continue reading...

Three human rights groups are seeking to compel the release of military export permit documents from Richard Marles

Australian airline is benefiting from demand for flights that transit through Asia - but says its jet fuel bill is rising sharply

A skull fragment found in a tray of unsorted fossils collected more than a century ago leads to discovery

Carney's Liberals will now be able to pass legislation without the support of opposition parties - and govern until 2029The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has secured a parliamentary majority for his Liberal government, CBC News reported. The victory will help him push through a legislative agenda he says is needed for an increasingly divided geopolitical world.Three special elections were held on Monday in Ontario and Quebec, with two in districts - known as ridings - that have long voted Liberal. Continue reading...

Consumer spending on travel is down for the first time in five years while card spending edges up in MarchUK consumers have cut back on travel spending for the first time in five years, as they worry about the rising cost of living amid the Iran war.Overall consumer card spending increased 0.9% year on year in March, down from February's 1%, according to data from Barclays. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Ministers accused of trying to keep investment firm's withdrawal from partnership with NatureScot under wrapsA funding deal to raise 100m from private investors for urgently needed nature restoration in Scotland has fallen through without the Scottish parliament being told.The Guardian has learned that Aberdeen, the investment firm, decided to withdraw from a partnership with the agency NatureScot to raise at least 100m for conservation projects from commercial and private investors late last year. Continue reading...

Data from 22 police forces shows spending has more than tripled since the ban came into force in 2024Police spending on kennels and veterinary bills in England and Wales has more than tripled since the XL bully ban came into force, with some forces recording an almost 500% spending increase since the new law was enacted in 2024.Data from 22 police forces obtained via freedom of information requests showed police spending had soared from an average of 137,400 per force in 2022-23 to 423,136 in 2024-25. Continue reading...

Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Queen Latifah and Joy Division/New Order will also be inducted, along with the late Luther VandrossPhil Collins, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Queen Latifah, Oasis, Sade and Joy Division/New Order will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with first-time nominees Wu-Tang Clan and the late Luther Vandross.The list was revealed on Monday night in the US, during an airing of American Idol. To be eligible, artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years prior. Nominees were voted on by more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals. Continue reading...

Trips in electric vehicles will be exempt from the temporary fee of 5 cents a kilometre, rideshare firm says

Weakened economic activity, soaring fuel prices and rising inflation have created a horror scenario, RBA deputy governor says

Dispatch of vessel strike, like most of military's statements on strikes conducted in area, did not provide evidenceThe US military said it killed two people in a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday, claiming the targets were involved in narco-trafficking operations".The announcement, like most of the military's statements on the dozens of strikes it has conducted in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, did not provide evidence to support its claims that the targets were engaged in narco-trafficking. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed - our live coverage continues hereCircling back to Donald Trump's coming naval blockade, the US military said it would block all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 10am ET on Monday (5.30pm in Iran and 1400 GMT), effectively seizing control of maritime traffic in the strait of Hormuz.The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman," US Central Command said on X.This is like a game of chicken. It's who caves first. The Iranian regime is hoping that Trump will cave. Today, he showed he's not." Continue reading...

Peter Magyar would talk to Russian president, but won't initiate contact'; Ukraine welcomes defeat of Orban. What we know on day 1,511Peter Magyar, Hungary's new leader, said he would ask Vladimir Putin to end the killing in Ukraine if they speak, and plans to review Hungary's Russian energy contracts and renegotiate them if needed. Magyar said he would talk to the Russian president, but won't initiate contact. If Vladimir Putin calls, I'll pick up the phone," he said in his first news conference after his landslide win against Viktor Orban, a Putin ally. If we did talk, I could tell him that it would be nice to end the killing after four years and end the war. It would probably be a short phone conversation and I don't think he would end the war on my advice," he said.Ukraine welcomed with relief on Monday the defeat of Orban, its harshest critic in the EU, an outcome that paves the way for a 90bn ($105bn) loan that Kyiv urgently needs to fund the war with Russia.Higher oil prices caused by the war in the Middle East could raise inflation rates in Ukraine by 1.5 to 2.8 percentage points, Ukraine's top central banker said on Monday. The National Bank of Ukraine governor, Andriy Pyshnyi, said the central bank would stick to its target of lowering inflation to 5% in three years, using all available tools to ensure that goal was met. We're trying to walk on a razorblade," Pyshnyi said through an interpreter, noting prices have already started to rise.The Ukrainian military struck a Russian chemicals plant in Cherepovets in the Vologda region, Kyiv's drone forces commander said on Monday. The plant produces chemicals that serve as raw materials for TNT, hexogen and components for munitions, Robert Brovdi said on Telegram.Russian and Belarusian athletes will be permitted to compete in World Aquatics events with their respective uniforms, flags and anthems, the sport's governing body said on Monday. Competitors from both countries were banned from international sports events after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which was launched in part from Belarusian territory. Continue reading...

Kepner's body was found concealed under bed in a room she shared with two teens, including 16-year-old stepbrother

The US president's conservative, Christian supporters decried the Truth Social post, calling it disgusting'Less than a year after signing legislation that will pull nearly 12 million Americans off health insurance by gutting Medicaid, Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image of himself to Truth Social on Sunday depicting him as a Jesus-like figure, with divine light emanating from his hands as he heals a stricken man in a hospital bed with a demon from hell floating in the background.The president has since deleted the post, which also followed a lengthy tirade about Pope Leo XIV on the site the same day in which he called him weak on crime" and blamed the head of the Catholic church for being influenced by Barack Obama strategist David Axelrod. Trump refused to apologize to the pope, saying: He went public. I'm just responding to Pope Leo." Continue reading...

Iran warns Americans they face higher pump prices due to prohibition imposed on Monday evening

Leader of Catholic church says he will continue to speak out against war after president's extraordinary criticism

Gonzales, who admitted affair with aide who later died by suicide, says he will file retirement from office on Tuesday

FBI alleges Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, was captured on video throwing explosive device outside home of OpenAI chiefA Texas man was charged with hurling a molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and attempting to set fire to the AI firm's headquarters.Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, was captured on surveillance video throwing an incendiary device outside Altman's San Francisco residence, according to a FBI affidavit filed in federal court on Monday. Continue reading...

Galleries, theatres, museums and libraries to benefit from largest cash injection into the arts for a decadeMore than 100 cultural venues, museums, and libraries will share 130m extra funding as part of the largest cash injection into the arts for a decade, ministers have announced.The investment forms part of the Arts Everywhere Fund, a 1.5bn package to support cultural infrastructure projects over the course of this parliament, which was announced by the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, earlier this year. The fund aims to save more than 1,000 arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England. Continue reading...

Chief inspector for England and Wales says prison remains in precarious state' more than year after urgent notificationThe Prison Service has made very little progress" in enforcing a formal demand to stop drones from delivering drugs into one of its worst performing jails, a watchdog has concluded.Charlie Taylor, the chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales, said HMP Manchester remained in a precarious state" after a failure to fix broken windows and install security to stop contraband being delivered to gangs. Continue reading...

Decision comes after House ethics committee announced it had opened an investigation into congressmanRepresentative Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, said on Monday he would resign from Congress following multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct that ended his bid for governor.Swalwell was a facing a growing chorus of bipartisan calls for him to step down or face an expulsion vote, a day after he announced that he would suspend his campaign for governor of California. Continue reading...