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Foreign minister issues warning after Israeli attack on South Pars gasfield that prompted retaliatory strike on Qatar. Plus, what happened to the Oscars red carpet after the ceremony?

Michael Randrianirina, who sacked PM and cabinet without explanation, claims measure is to root out corruptionMadagascar's military president has said new ministers will have to pass lie detector tests to root out corrupt candidates, after he dismissed the prime minister and cabinet without explanation earlier this month.Michael Randrianirina came to power in a coup in October after weeks of youth-led protests under the banner Gen Z Madagascar". However, young people were quickly disenchanted by his choice of government officials, which they saw as being part of the old, corrupt elite. Continue reading...

Kyiv sources say they think injection contained relaxant meant to make people more talkative in interrogationsHungarian security operatives administered a forced injection" to one of the Ukrainians detained earlier this month during a dramatic raid on bank vehicles carrying gold bars and tens of millions of dollars and euros in cash, sources have told the Guardian.Hungary's TEK anti-terrorism police detained seven Ukrainians from the state savings bank, Oschadbank, on 5 March. They were accompanying a convoy of two armoured cars from Vienna to Ukraine, as it transited Hungary in what Kyiv claims was a regular transfer of state funds. Hungarian officials have claimed it was money for the Ukrainian war mafia", without giving details. Continue reading...

Jesus Javier Gomez Islas, 23, says in filing against LAPD he has permanently lost vision in one eye due to unjustified munition fired at his faceA 23-year-old Los Angeles man who attended a recent immigration protest outside a federal building says he was blinded in one eye by a law enforcement projectile.Jesus Javier Gomez Islas filed a claim against the LA police department (LAPD) on Thursday stemming from permanent injuries he says he suffered at a 31 January demonstration outside the Metropolitan Detention Center. The federal facility has been the site of frequent protests against Donald Trump's immigration crackdown and was the site of ICE Out" rallies that week. Continue reading...

Group, which also owns Dove and Hellmann's, will focus more on personal care products if deal agreedUnilever, the owner of Marmite, Dove and Hellmann's mayonnaise, is in talks to combine its food business with the US-based spice and seasoning maker McCormick.The Anglo-Dutch food company - which last year spun off its ice-cream division, the home to Ben & Jerry's, Magnum and Wall's - has entered discussions over the future of the highly attractive" business. Continue reading...

Interim president announces changes after firing defence minister, who was close to Maduro, the leader ousted by USVenezuela's interim president has said she has replaced all her senior military commanders, the latest in a flurry of changes since the US ousted Nicolas Maduro.Delcy Rodriguez announced the changes in a social media post a day after firing the long-serving defence minister, who had been close to Maduro, and replacing him with a former intelligence chief. Continue reading...

Second landfall expected over weekend in NT as Queensland premier says relatively limited damage so far an incredibly good news story'

Exclusive: Richard Hermer, who is Jewish, says Tory leader and shadow minister seem to only have an issue with Muslim events'Richard Hermer, the attorney general, has challenged Kemi Badenoch to say whether she would object to Jewish prayer in public, after the Conservative leader backed one of her shadow ministers who said an Islamic prayer event was intimidating and un-British.Hermer, one of the UK's most prominent Jewish politicians, said Badenoch's decision to support the views of Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, put her on a par with Reform UK and Tommy Robinson, the far-right activist. Continue reading...

Unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week were up to 30F above average for the time of yearThe record-breaking heatwave scorching the US west this week would have been virtually impossible" if not for the climate crisis, a team of scientists has determined.Millions of Americans from the Pacific coast to the Rockies baked under unseasonably warm and even dangerous temperatures this week, with temperatures up to 30F (17C) above average for the time of year. Continue reading...

Sharon Graham tells party to wake up and smell the coffee' after shameful' handling of Birmingham bin strikeLabour will be decimated" in the upcoming local elections and should hang their heads in shame" over the handling of the Birmingham bin strike, Unite's general secretary has said.In a speech to refuse workers near a waste depot in Tyseley on Thursday, Sharon Graham said working people were moving away from Labour in droves and called on the party to wake up and smell the coffee". Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: Bereaved families say the latest findings confirm long-standing concerns about capacity, care and political choicesGood morning. Yesterday lunchtime the UK Covid-19 inquiry published its latest findings - this time on how the NHS, its staff and patients were affected during the pandemic. It delivered a stark verdict: the health service teetered on the brink of collapse" and only avoided it through the almost superhuman efforts" of staff.Heather Hallett, the inquiry chair, said healthcare systems coped, but only just" - and rejected the claim made by Conservative ministers at the time that the NHS had not been overwhelmed. For bereaved families, that language matters.Middle East | Iran said it would show zero restraint" if its energy infrastructure was targeted again as Qatar revealed that almost a fifth of its liquefied natural gas export capacity had been knocked out in an Iranian strike.Health | Meningitis vaccination has been expanded in Kent after cases linked to a Canterbury nightclub rose to 27. Two people have died, and officials say the outbreak is being contained.Politics | Muslim leaders have condemned Nigel Farage's call to ban public prayer by Muslims in the UK as bigoted and warned of a growing tide of hate" after Kemi Badenoch questioned whether the events fitted within the norms of British culture".EU | EU leaders have pledged to stand behind Cyprus as it seeks an open and frank discussion" on the future of the British bases on the island, which have become a target after the outbreak of the latest Middle East crisis.Immigration | A 16-year-old schoolgirl is stranded in Denmark after she was not allowed to board a flight to the UK due to new border rules on dual nationals. Continue reading...

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IEA makes 10 recommendations to help households and businesses prepare for a drawn-out disruption to energy marketsThe world's energy watchdog has advised governments to reduce highway speeds and encouraged workers to carpool or, ideally, work from home to combat soaring oil prices and impending fuel shortages caused by the Middle East conflict.It has also recommended countries consider limiting car access to designated zones in large cities, by giving vehicles with odd-numbered plates access on different weekdays to those with even-numbered plates.Work from home where possible to save petrol.Reduce highway speed limits by at least 10km/h to reduce fuel usage.Encourage public transport to reduce oil demand.Limit car access to roads in large cities through a number-plate rotation scheme.Increase car sharing.Encourage efficient driving for commercial vehicles through load optimisation and vehicle maintenance.Divert LPG use from transport to preserve it for essential needs like cooking.Avoid air travel where possible.Encourage electric cooking and other options to reduce reliance on LPG.Help industrial facilities switch between different petrochemical feedstocks to free up LPG. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Lack of enforcement is allowing people to drop rubbish with complete impunity, says Clean Up BritainScores of councils across the UK have in effect ended enforcement of fines for littering, while others are letting litterers off lightly and many more are neglecting to enforce fines for fly-tipping.At least 71 councils failed to issue a single fine for littering last year, while a further 67 issued fewer than 10, according to data from the Clean Up Britain campaign. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Testing in Bentham, home to UK's highest recorded Pfas levels, finds one in four have blood levels in greatest risk categoryAlarming levels of toxic forever chemicals have been found in the blood of people living in a town previously revealed to be contaminated with the UK's highest recorded level of Pfas.Pfas, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and commonly known as forever chemicals because of their persistence in the environment, have been linked to a wide range of serious illnesses, including some cancers. They are used in a variety of consumer products but one of their most prolific uses is in firefighting foam. Continue reading...

Archivist Jo Klett says the 40 boxes of material will provide a full picture of Roger's entire working career'It's a joy to be old," wrote Roger McGough, one of Britain's most popular, prolific and funniest poets. The dog dead and the car sold."Another joy might be decluttering. After the departure of dozens of boxes of notebooks, manuscripts, drafts, project files, journals, posters, letters, personal artworks and more, McGough has admitted his house is significantly emptier. If anyone wants to buy some old empty filing cabinets then get in touch ... through you," he joked. Continue reading...

Michael Kenny's daughter Juliette, a sixth-former at a school in Kent, died one day after showing symptomsThe father of an 18-year-old school pupil who died after the meningitis outbreak in Kent said his family's devastation is immeasurable" as he called for better protection for young people.Juliette Kenny died last Saturday, one day after first showing symptoms of vomiting and discoloration in her cheeks, her father, Michael Kenny, said. Continue reading...

Government faces political fight as industry says mooted 25% levy on exports would hurt Australia's economy and energy security

Flight 41 from Los Angeles encountered patch of rough air shortly before landing in Sydney, leaving four crew injured

Prime minister makes hasty exit after people heard yelling phrases including disgrace', shame' and genocide supporters'

Samoa and Tonga raise supply concerns with foreign partners as businesses and residents in Papua New Guinea grapple with higher fuel prices amid the Iran warThe leaders of some Pacific countries have appealed for help with oil supplies while others urge against panic buying" as the import-reliant nations grapple with fears over possible fuel shortages and escalating costs caused by war in the Middle East.Oil prices have surged to nearly $110 a barrel after strikes against energy infrastructure in Iran and the Gulf states. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed - our coverage of the Middle East crisis continues hereTurning to Australia now, a petrol tsar will manage unprecedented" supply issues caused by the Middle East conflict as the finishing touches are put on measures to address dire shortages in many regional areas.Prime minister Anthony Albanese convened a snap virtual meeting of the national cabinet on Thursday to discuss major price shocks and shortages driven by the US-Israel war on Iran.My government will be announcing more measures to prepare the nation for supply chain challenges over coming days and weeks.Our fuel supply is currently secure. However, I want us to be over-prepared. Continue reading...

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Colombia-born Estefany Rodriguez, whose detention had alarmed press freedom advocates, freed on $10,000 bondThe Nashville journalist who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month was released from a Louisiana detention center on Thursday after spending 15 days in custody.Estefany Rodriguez, who covers immigration and other topics for the outlet Nashville Noticias, was detained in Nashville on 4 March and spent a week at a county jail in Alabama before being transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana. Her lawyers said Rodriguez was detained without warrant. Continue reading...

As other Asian economies race to conserve energy, China has huge reserves of oil and gas as well as alternative energy sources like wind and solar

Minns Labor government criticised over strategy as no new mines have been proposed for several years

Federal law says living presidents can't appear on currency, but commission approves design for US's 250th birthdayA federal arts commission on Thursday approved the final design for a 24-karat gold commemorative coin bearing Donald Trump's image to help celebrate the US's 250th birthday on 4 July.The vote by the US Commission of Fine Arts, whose members are supporters of the Republican president and were appointed by him earlier this year, was without objection. It clears the way for the US Mint to begin production on the coin, whose size and denomination are still under discussion. Continue reading...

US president was meeting with Japanese PM when he said: Who knows better about surprise than Japan?'

Mother and child held in notorious Rio Grande Valley detention centre despite presenting visa, family saysA Canadian mother and her seven-year-old daughter, who has autism, have been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Texas since Saturday, family members have said.Relatives of Tania Warner and her daughter Ayla Lucas say they were detained unlawfully. They are uncertain about what problem ICE found with their immigration paperwork. Continue reading...

London museum defies drop in numbers seen elsewhere, attributed to cost of living and fall in international touristsLondon's Natural History Museum (NHM) was the most popular attraction in the UK during 2025, with its renovated gardens, new climate gallery and lack of entry fee leading to record-breaking numbers of visitors.More than 7.1 million people passed through its doors, a 13% increase in visitors year on year and an all-time record for any UK museum or gallery. Continue reading...

The price of popular branded eggs has risen by over 40% in some cases while some have also shrunk in sizeShoppers are shelling out for smaller eggs again this Easter as shrinkflation takes another bite out of the favourite seasonal treat.The price of popular branded chocolate eggs has risen by more than 40% in some cases while some have also shrunk in size, according to research by the consumer champion Which?. Continue reading...

Reform, Tory and some media rhetoric runs contrary to poll showing far more voters for net zero than against itPolitical elites are out of step with the public appetite for net zero, according to analysis that identifies rightwing media narratives as fuelling a false backlash against climate action.Media coverage of net zero is more than twice as likely to be negative than public attitudes and is driving a false perception that net zero policies are unpopular with voters, the analysis found. Continue reading...

Some highs in California, Nevada and Arizona recorded at 25-35F above normal, with widespread alerts and closuresStates across the US south-west recorded blistering temperatures at the tail end of winter, including some of the hottest March temperatures ever recorded in the US, with forecasts indicating hotter days are still to come.California, Nevada and Arizona were all under heat warnings on Thursday amid record-breaking temperatures. Continue reading...

Foreign minister issues warning after Israeli attack on South Pars gasfield and as Qatar reels from retaliatory strike

James Jimmy' Gracey was at nightclub in Spanish city for spring break when he separated from friends at about 3amThe body of James Jimmy" Gracey, a 20-year-old college student from Illinois, was found Thursday in the water off a Barcelona beach, police in Spain said.Gracey's body was found by police divers and positively identified, the press office for Catalonia's regional police in Barcelona told the Associated Press. Continue reading...

NT coroner ends inquest into Murdoch's death, which heard the outback killer refused to reveal where he hid Falconio's body right up until his death

Lawsuit says rescission of endangerment finding - which ruled greenhouse gases threaten public health - was illegal

Reform party leader criticised for making comments after event held in London's Trafalgar Square this weekMuslim leaders have condemned Nigel Farage's call to ban public prayer by Muslims in the UK as bigoted and warned of a growing tide of hate" after the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, questioned whether the events fitted within the norms of British culture".Farage was speaking at the launch of Reform UK's manifesto for the forthcoming Scottish parliament elections when he made the remarks. Continue reading...

US president says he told Netanyahu don't do that' as he distances himself from attack that has angered Gulf alliesThe US-Israeli war against Iran has exposed further divisions between the two countries after an Israeli strike on Iran's largest gasfield angered US allies in the Gulf and prompted Donald Trump to say he knew nothing in advance about the attack - a claim that Israeli officials disputed.Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said he had spoken to Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu following the strikes on Iran's South Pars gasfield - part of a reserve shared with Qatar - and had told the Israeli prime minister to refrain from further attacks that could escalate a regional war on energy infrastructure. Continue reading...

About a quarter of prison places are unsafe, Ministry of Justice admitsThe government has reneged on a pledge to make all prison cells fire-safe or take them out of use by the end of next year, meaning tens of thousands of prisoners in England and Wales will remain at risk.The Ministry of Justice has admitted it has known for almost two decades that about a quarter of prison places are unsafe, putting the people housed in affected cells at risk. Continue reading...

House of Lords decision welcomed as landmark moment' after attempt to strike out amendment is defeated

Massive storm tracking a path to Queensland coast, which intensified offshore Thursday morning to category 5, fuelled by warm waters in Coral Sea

Nigel Farage echoed Nick Timothy's comments after he said public prayer for Ramadan was an act of domination'

Duggar, 31, was taken into custody in Arkansas and was awaiting extradition to Florida, where he faces charges

The 2024 festival was cancelled after multiple authors pulled out over the non-profit's stance on the Israel-Gaza warThe literary free speech organization PEN America has announced plans for their 2026 World Voices festival. The four day event will take place in New York and Los Angeles from 29 April to 2 May and feature writers from over 140 countries, with in person appearances from authors including Judith Butler, Bill McKibben, Cory Doctorow, Megha Majumdar and Katie Kitamura.In a press release, the event is billed as a testament to literature's ability to unite us, and to counteract the closed mindedness that has resulted in a nationalist maelstrom. It continues to affirm PEN America's commitment to championing writers and their work." Continue reading...

Anyone who was at Club Chemistry in Canterbury from 5 March to 15 March advised to get antibiotics and vaccinationThe government has announced a major expansion in vaccination against meningitis in Kent after seven new cases of the disease were confirmed in the county, taking the total number of cases to 27.On a visit to the University of Kent, the health secretary, Wes Streeting, said anyone who attended the Club Chemistry nightclub in Canterbury from 5 March until 15 March should come forward for antibiotics and vaccination. Continue reading...

UK central bank has left rates on hold, and warned that CPI inflation will be higher in the near term as a result of the new shock to the economy' from Iran war

Heather Hallett says superhuman' efforts of workers were at times the only reason health service survived

US defense secretary suggests Thursday will be largest strike package yet ... death and destruction from above'

On second anniversary of his sister ending her life at Dignitas, Tony Marra will protest outside parliament with other campaignersTwo years after Paola Marra, on the eve of her death, appealed to politicians to change the law on assisted dying, the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill is stuck in the House of Lords. For her brother, the second anniversary of her death will be spent protesting outside parliament.Marra died aged 53 on 20 March 2024. She documented her solo journey from north London to Dignitas in Switzerland in photographs and a short film by the photographer Rankin, released posthumously, as well as in a powerful interview with the Guardian. Continue reading...