Death toll includes women, children and journalists, nearly a week after Israel broke ceasefireIsraeli airstrikes have killed at least 65 people in Gaza in the past 24 hours, including women, children and two journalists, the Palestinian health authority said on Monday, nearly a week after Israel broke its ceasefire with Hamas.Palestinians in Gaza have again been fleeing for their lives after Israel launched its new offensive in the territory, which started on Tuesday last week with a wave of airstrikes that killed about 700 people, mostly civilians, ending two months of relative calm, according to the Palestinian health ministry in the territory run by Hamas. Continue reading...
Supermarket chain said it was mitigating extra cost from rise in employer national insurance contributionsMorrisons has put more than 300 jobs at risk as it shuts cafes, convenience stores and food counters as retailers grapple with rising labour costs.The supermarket chain said on Monday that it plans to close 52 cafes, 17 convenience stores, all 18 of its Market Kitchen hot food counters, 13 florists, 35 meat counters, 35 fish counters and four pharmacies. Continue reading...
by Miranda Bryant Nordic correspondent on (#6W4B5)
Greenland's prime minister says move is demonstration of power' and accuses US of interfering in its political affairsGreenland's prime minister, Mute B Egede, has called for the international community to step in after it was announced that Donald Trump's national security adviser and the US second lady will visit the Arctic island, accusing Washington of foreign interference".Mike Waltz and Usha Vance are due to arrive in Greenland this week as part of a delegation that will also include the US energy secretary, Chris Wright. Continue reading...
Move comes amid broader Republican-led culture war in US as Alabama cracks down on sexually explicit' contentThe public library in Fairhope, Alabama - a picturesque city on the shores of Mobile Bay - has found itself in the crosshairs of battles over library content.The Alabama public library service board of trustees recently voted to withhold state funding from the Fairhope public library after complaints from conservative parents about books in the teen section. In the same meeting, the board voted to immediately dismiss the executive director of the state library agency, who had been planning to resign. Continue reading...
Ismail Barhoum and medics die in attack, which Israel says was based on extensive intelligenceAn Israeli airstrike on Sunday night hit the largest hospital in southern Gaza, killing five people, including a Hamas political leader.The Gaza health ministry said the strike hit the surgery department at Nasser hospital in the city of Khan Younis. The Israeli military said its attack followed extensive intelligence and used precise munitions to minimise harm at the site. Continue reading...
Shiv Sena party supporters tore apart the Habitat comedy club after Kunal Kamra's satirical song about a top ministerA mob violently ransacked a Mumbai comedy club and its building has been partly demolished after one of India's most prominent comedians performed a satirical song about a local ruling politician during a performance there.Kunal Kamra has a reputation for his acerbic comedy which often pokes fun at political figures. Few comedians in India dare to make political jokes for risk of a backlash. Continue reading...
Actor, 76, is accused of groping two women on set during the filming of The Green Shutters in 2021Gerard Depardieu arrived at a Paris court on Monday for his trial over alleged sexual assaults on a film set, a case that places one of France's best-known film stars at the heart of the country's broader reckoning over sexual violence.Depardieu, 76, has faced allegations of rape or sexual assault from more than a dozen women, all of which he has denied, but this is the first time he has appeared in court to answer accusations. Continue reading...
Trump used their price as a campaign issue but has been unable to stop costs rising. Why do eggs matter so much?As the Trump economy continues to perform with all the robustness and reliability of a Tesla Cybertruck, one thing, above anything else, has come to be seen as a measure of how the US is faring: the humble egg.The egg holds a uniquely central place in American culture, egg experts say, and the soaring price in recent months, largely due to a bird flu outbreak, has been discussed and debated across the country. Continue reading...
Mass firings spark concern as department employees say cuts set stage for widespread fraud and abuseHundreds of firings inside the federal government's student aid department have sparked concern among workers and student loan advocates, who warn that the student loan system is at risk.Linda McMahon, the wrestling industry billionaire now serving as education secretary, has presented the sweeping cuts as an efficiency drive. But employees within the US Department of Education warn they set the stage for widespread fraud and abuse. Continue reading...
Iranian police are using digital tools to identify and punish women who defy the Islamic state's harsh dress codeLike many women in Iran, Darya is used to feeling under surveillance. Yet in recent months, the 25-year-old finance analyst from northern Tehran says that she never knows who could be watching her every move.She says she has received messages from the police before warning her of suspected violations of the country's strict hijab laws, but last November she was sent an SMS message containing her car registration plate that stated the exact time and place that she had been recorded driving without her head properly covered. Next time it happened, the SMS warned, her car would be impounded. Continue reading...
Police seize copies of novel to be forensically examined as 33-year-old charged with producing child abuse materialA Sydney woman has been charged with producing child abuse material in relation to a novel.New South Wales police said they began investigations in March following reports of a fiction novel containing child abuse material".Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: How a dubious scandal' about the scheme to help people with serious disabilities get a car made its way into the mainstreamGood morning. Motability really ought to be a boring subject. A government scheme designed to help people with serious disabilities get a car by using a portion of their benefits to pay for the lease doesn't sound like fertile territory for a scandal, after all. But over the last week, anyone who had never heard of Motability before would have got a much more lurid impression.First in the Daily Mail last Saturday, and then in a string of stories spinning off the same basic analysis, Motability was portrayed not as a useful mechanism for reducing some of the inequities that always accompany disability - but an outrageous example of con artists milking the taxpayer to live a life of luxury. The saga took in bedwetting boy racers", so-called sickfluencers" teaching fellow chancers how to cheat the system, an anonymous social media user who has previously caught the eye of Elon Musk and even the legacy of the Battle of Britain.UK economy | Keir Starmer has been warned against appeasing" Donald Trump as he considers reducing a major tax for US tech companies while cutting disability benefits and public sector jobs. Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed on Sunday that there were ongoing" discussions about the UK's 1bn-a-year digital services tax.Canada | Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, has called a snap election on 28 April, firing the starting gun on a contest expected to focus on the strained relationship with the US amid threats to Canada's economic and political future. Carney's decision comes as the Liberals experience an unprecedented polling swing putting them ahead of the Conservatives.Gaza | Malnutrition is spreading in Gaza, medics and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory are warning, as a total Israeli blockade of all supplies enters its fourth week. On Sunday, Palestinian officials said the total death toll from nearly 18 months of conflict had passed 50,000.Heathrow | There was enough power for Heathrow to remain open during the entire period it was shut down on Friday, the head of National Grid has said. Speaking for the first time since a fire forced North Hyde substation to close, the National Grid chief executive, John Pettigrew, said two other substations that serve Heathrow were working and could have supplied the airport.Turkey | An Istanbul court has formally arrested the city's mayor, Ekrem mamolu, on corruption charges, sending him to pre-trial detention on the day he received his party's nomination to run for president. Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city after days of tension sparked by mamolu's initial detention in a dawn raid earlier this week. Continue reading...
Talks to take place with operators about the scheme, announced in 2020, which has failed to make any grantsMinisters are considering diverting money from a 950m scheme to install rapid chargers for electric cars on the UK's motorways, announced five years ago, after it failed to make a single grant.Much of the cash allocated to the rapid charging fund (RCF) could be redirected to investments in other charging schemes, or to support the transition to electric vehicles more broadly, although decisions have yet to be made, according to a person close to discussions in government. Continue reading...
Labor admits it missed the mark' with social media posts sharing T-shirt that states This is Australia, we eat meat, we drink beer and we love Medicare!'
by Ruth Michaelson and Faisal Ali in Istanbul on (#6W44P)
Ekrem mamolu, rival of Recep Tayyip Erdoan, placed in pre-trial detention along with dozens of staff and officialsAn Istanbul court has formally arrested the city's mayor, Ekrem mamolu, on corruption charges, sending him to pre-trial detention on the day he received his party's nomination to run for president, while tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in the city.The mayor of Turkey's largest city and a rival of the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoan, was jailed on charges of leading a criminal organisation, bribery, misconduct and corruption, along with dozens of his staff and municipal officials. Continue reading...
Poll finds up to 48% of voters believe Scottish students who can afford it should pay, with 29% opposedScottish voters are divided over Scotland's policy of free tuition for Scottish studentsas the crisis over university finances intensified.A poll commissioned by the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland found that up to 48% of voters believe Scottish students who can afford it should pay for tuition, with 29% opposed. Continue reading...
Rami Battikh, 24, got caught up in five-year nightmare after stolen ID card was used in string of crimesA young German citizen has told how his life has been destroyed after a London criminal used his ID to rack up a string of convictions that now appear on the German database against his name.The phantom record has left the 24-year-old in despair, effectively blacklisted and unable to get a job for the past four years in his native Bonn, stymying a budding career and the start of his adult life. Continue reading...
Group received emails about Ahsan Mansur, the central bank official investigating money laundering allegationsBritish MPs believe they may have been targeted by a disinformation" campaign aimed at discrediting the man leading efforts to trace funds allegedly laundered from Bangladesh into the UK.MPs raised the alarm after receiving emails about Ahsan Mansur, who was installed as the central bank governor of Bangladesh last year, after a student-led revolution swept away the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina. Continue reading...
The ruling is the latest twist in months of political turmoil since suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration last yearSouth Korea's constitutional court has ruled against the impeachment of the country's prime minister, Han Duck-soo, and to restore his position as acting president, marking the latest political twist in months of political turmoil.Han took over as acting president after the country's leader, Yoon Suk Yeol, was himself impeached over his short-lived declaration of martial law late last year. Continue reading...
Children from poorer families growing up amid a mix in income groups are likely to earn more as adultsFriendships that bridge economic divides are good for social mobility, a major study has found, with low-income children growing up where there is more mixing among income groups likely to earn an extra 5,100 a year as adults.The research, combining anonymised Facebook data covering 20 million adults in the UK with official data, points to the benefits of what the authors call more economically connected communities". Continue reading...
Landlords are left with no choice to offset looming tax rises introduced by the chancellor, says trade bodyLondoners might not bat an eyelid at paying 5 for a pint but the national average is poised to rise above that watermark for the first time, with publicans blaming tax rises introduced by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves.The sobering milestone is likely to be reached next month, according to research by Frontier Economics, with the average price of a pint of beer on course to hit 5.01, up from 4.80. Continue reading...
As Washington signals hope for real progress', Moscow warns difficult negotiations' lie aheadUS and Ukrainian officials have met for further talks aimed at hammering out a ceasefire in Russia's war in Ukraine, with Washington signalling its hope for real progress" even as Moscow warned that difficult negotiations" lie ahead.The gulf in expectations marked the start of the latest round of negotiations in Saudi Arabia, which was set to follow with a meeting between American officials and Russia on Monday. The US is pushing for a broad ceasefire in Russia's war in Ukraine by 20 April, according to Bloomberg, though sources said the timeline may slip given the wide gap that exists between Kyiv and Moscow's positions. Continue reading...
Arrest of 16-year-old follows that of two other boys earlier this month after schoolboy died in Clarendon StreetPolice in Scotland have arrested and charged a third teenager in connection with the death of 15-year-old Amen Teklay in Glasgow.The arrest of the 16-year-old boy follows the arrests of two other boys, 14 and 15, earlier this month. Continue reading...
Ebrahim Rasool, declared persona non grata by Washington, was surrounded by crowds at Cape Town airportThe South African ambassador who was expelled from the US and declared persona non grata by the Trump administration was welcomed home on Sunday by hundreds of supporters who sang songs praising him.Crowds at Cape Town International airport surrounded Ebrahim Rasool and his wife Rosieda as they emerged in the arrivals terminal in their home town, and they needed a police escort to help them navigate their way through the building. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6W497)
Esther Ghey describes social media as absolute cesspit' at screening of film exploring teenage daughter's murderThe mother of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has said the under-16s should be banned from social media, describing it as an absolute cesspit".Esther Ghey was speaking at a screening of an ITV documentary that explores the murder of her 16-year-old daughter by two schoolchildren. Continue reading...
Children's magazine TV show, which first aired in 1958, will now be pre-recorded due to changing viewer habitsBlue Peter has recorded its final live episode as the show moves to a pre-recorded format, the BBC said.Airing weekly on Fridays, the longest-running children's show in the world began on 16 October 1958 with its intrepid presenters and characterful pets. Continue reading...
You can't cut your way to growth,' says PCS head as Reeves confirms move to cut administrative costs by 15% by 2030Rachel Reeves's planned cuts of 2bn to government departments will hit frontline services from jobcentres to HMRC phone lines and efforts to cut the asylum backlog, a union has said.On Sunday the chancellor confirmed plans to seek a 15% reduction in admin costs across Whitehall, amounting to about 2bn a year, by the end of the decade. She said this would also result in about 10,000 job losses in the civil service, although this was not a target. Continue reading...
Labour MP and Lib Dem leader express concern social media companies could be let off hook just as benefits are cutKeir Starmer has been warned against appeasing" Donald Trump as he considers reducing a major tax for US tech companies while cutting disability benefits and public sector jobs.His chancellor, Rachel Reeves, confirmed on Sunday that there were ongoing" discussions about the UK's 1bn-a-year digital services tax that affects companies from Meta to Amazon. Continue reading...
by Jason Burke and Lorenzo Tondo in Jerusalem on (#6W48H)
Israel continues to batter territory in renewed offensive as death toll from nearly 18 months of war passes 50,000Malnutrition is spreading in Gaza, medics and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory are warning, as a total Israeli blockade of all supplies enters its fourth week.There has been no sign that Israel will open entry points to allow essential aid to flow or ease its new offensive in Gaza, which started on Tuesday with a wave of airstrikes that killed 400 people, mostly civilians, ending two months of relative calm. On Sunday, Palestinian officials said the total death toll from nearly 18 months of conflict had passed 50,000. Continue reading...
Bridget Phillipson instructs Public Sector Fraud Authority to look into whether millions of pounds falsely claimedFraud experts will investigate the university loans system amid concerns that students are falsely claiming millions of pounds without intending to study, the education secretary has announced.Bridget Phillipson has instructed the Public Sector Fraud Authority to coordinate the response to allegations that individuals with no genuine academic intent are enrolling in degree courses to secure loans. Continue reading...
More than a thousand flights were cancelled on Friday after a fire at an electrical substation caused a power cutHeathrow airport has returned to normal business two days after it was forced to close when a fire at an electrical substation caused a power cut.Europe's busiest airport had more than 1,000 flights cancelled on Friday after the fire at the substation in Hayes, west London. Continue reading...
Actor, 76, denies claims made by assistant director and set designer who worked with him on Les Volets VertsGerard Depardieu will become the most high-profile French person to stand trial on #MeToo abuse allegations when he appears in a Paris court on Monday.The actor, a titan of French cinema with more than 200 films and television series to his name, is accused of sexually assaulting two women during a film shoot in 2021. Continue reading...
Prime minister launches contest expected to focus on US relations, as Liberals enjoy lead over ConservativesCanada's prime minister, Mark Carney, has called a snap election on 28 April, firing the starting gun on a contest that is widely expected to focus on the strained relationship with the US amid threats to Canada's economic and political future.We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetime because of President [Donald] Trump's unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty," he said. He wants to break us, so America can own us. We will not let this happen. We're over the shock the shock of the betrayal, but we can never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves. We have to look out for each other." Continue reading...
Age of command and control' is over, says Demos, with work needed from business, charities, unions and publicLabour's missions are at risk of failing unless the government does more to involve the whole country from businesses to the wider public, as the age of command and control" is over, a report from Demos has warned.The thinktank called on the government to embrace mass mobilisation" for businesses, charities, unions and the wider public to drive its flagship missions, which promise growth, clean energy, cutting crime, rebuilding the NHS and reforming education. Continue reading...
Host of Top of the Pops and My Top Twelve among other shows was one of last people to interview John LennonAndy Peebles, the former Radio 1 DJ and presenter who was one of the last people to interview John Lennon, has died aged 76, his family has confirmed.Peebles began his radio career in Manchester in 1973 and joined Radio 1 in 1978, where he was a familiar voice for 14 years. Continue reading...
by Yohannes Lowe (now) and Harry Taylor (earlier) on (#6W41G)
White House is said to acknowledge that timeline is ambitious given large gaps between Ukraine and Russia in ceasefire negotiationsMy colleagues Pjotr Sauer, Shaun Walker and Andrew Roth have filed this report on what we can expect when delegations from Kyiv, Moscow and Washington meet in Saudi Arabia on Monday for further so-called peace talks. Here is an extract from their story:Ukraine will have a delegation in Riyadh on the same day the US is holding ceasefire talks there with a Russian negotiating team led by a secretive former FSB chief who played a key role in planning Vladimir Putin's 2022 full-scale invasion. Continue reading...
Group says reporters at independent outlets suffer constant harassment, physical attacks and smear campaigns'Press freedom in Serbia is facing a dangerous turning point" after mounting pressure on independent outlets from ministers and state-backed media, a group of senior editors has warned.The editors, who are all from publications within the independent United Media group, said their reporters faced constant harassment, physical attacks and smear campaigns" after their reporting in the country, which has been gripped by protests against its autocratic president, Aleksandar Vui. Continue reading...
PM agrees with US president that Europe must bear greater burden for its collective self-defenceKeir Starmer has spoken of how he personally likes and respects" the US president, Donald Trump, and understands what he is trying to achieve.The prime minister made the comments in an interview with the New York Times, acknowledging that President Trump has a point when he says there needs to be a greater burden borne by European countries for the collective self-defence of Europe." Continue reading...
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