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What you need to know about Indian strikes in response to terrorist attack in Kashmir last monthGood morning. Shortly after midnight local time, India said it had conducted strikes on nine sites in Pakistan, reportedly killing at least eight people, in response to a recent militant attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir. Delhi claimed that it had hit sites of terrorist infrastructure", and said that its action was focused, measured, and non-escalatory". But Islamabad's response suggests that its analysis is dangerously different.The strikes constituted the largest such Indian attack on Pakistan in more than half a century, and marked the worst confrontation between the two nuclear-armed powers since 2019. Pakistan responded with shelling of Indian Kashmir, and there were claims - not corroborated, and to be treated with caution - that it has shot down five Indian jets. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that his country has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war".Middle East | An Israeli government minister has vowed that Gaza will be entirely destroyed" as a result of an Israeli military victory, and that its Palestinian population will leave in great numbers to third countries". The far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich's comments have raised fears of ethnic cleansing in the occupied territory.Trade | The UK and India have agreed a landmark' trade deal that ministers say could add 4.8bn to the economy by 2040. The deal follows three years of negotiations and could help mitigate the impact of Trump tariffs.Germany | Friedrich Merz has been confirmed as the new German chancellor after a second round of election votes in the German parliament. Merz suffered a humiliating loss in the initial voting round.Religion | Catholic cardinals from all over the world will begin casting their votes for a new pope in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday afternoon. The conclave is the largest and possibly the most unpredictable to ever take place.UK politics | Downing Street has insisted it will not consider reversing cuts to winter fuel payments despite last week's poor results in England's local elections.The unpopular policy, which will see many elderly and disabled people lose out, was needed to repair public finances, it said. Continue reading...

Segregation in cells and less gym time among measures to be introducedCriminals who refuse to attend their sentencing face segregation in prison cells and longer time in jail under new powers handed to judges.Tougher sanctions across England and Wales will include confinement to cells and less time in the gym among measures to be introduced to parliament on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Earl of Shrewsbury offers to reimburse taxpayer over use of first-class ticket and his erroneous' claimsA Conservative hereditary peer, who was previously punished for breaking the House of Lords rules, is facing fresh questions over whether he breached them again after he admitted he erroneously" made claims last year for travel expenses he did not incur.After inquiries by the Guardian, the Earl of Shrewsbury said he has offered to reimburse the taxpayer for the travel expenses he claimed, and any sums that could be due from part of a first-class ticket he used to attend a board meeting of a commercial company. Continue reading...

The deal, unveiled by Skipton building society, means buyers would not have to make any repayments for the first three monthsA one-of-a-kind mortgage offering a major financial perk - no repayments for the first three months - has been launched in the UK.The deal, unveiled by Skipton Building Society, is the latest innovation aimed at cash-strapped first-time buyers and is designed to provide them with a bit of breathing space as they settle into their new property. Continue reading...

Huge cuts by Trump administration to international aid budgets has left a vacuum and Britain is looking to lead efforts to find a path forwardThe huge US-led cuts to international aid programmes and to the UN budget has prompted the UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, to propose a global conference as part of what he described as a long overdue conversation about the future architecture of aid".UK Foreign Office officials said the conference was likely to be in the early autumn, and reflected a UK view that since aid cuts were not reversible in the foreseeable future, a discussion about priorities was required. Continue reading...

Move prompted by looming retirement crisis would help ensure consistent, reliable services'If train drivers - like police officers - start looking younger, it may not just be you. Britain's trains could soon have 18-year-olds in the cab, with the government likely to cut the minimum age to plug a shortage of drivers.Currently train drivers can obtain a licence from the age of 20 - although the vast majority of drivers are much older. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Attack damaged 1.5bn containment structure over nuclear reactor with repair costs likely to be borne by western governmentsA Russian Shahed drone costing up to 75,000 is estimated to have inflicted tens of millions worth of damage to the site of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, according to initial assessments and engineering experts.The cost of a full fix is likely to be borne by western governments including the UK, because initial estimates are that a complete repair will cost more than the 25m available in a special international contingency fund. Continue reading...

Aid officials and residents report breakdown in law and order as food and supplies run out during Israeli blockadeGaza has been hit by a wave of looting and theft as increasingly desperate Palestinians struggle to get food while criminal gangs exploit a breakdown in law and order.Aid officials and witnesses in the devastated territory describe armed men attacking humanitarian warehouses, firefights over remaining food stores and a spate of stealing of supplies vital for survival, such as solar chargers, batteries, phones and cooking pots. Continue reading...

Kangaroo Island mayor also notes a silky coat on the dog, while Kangala Wildlife Rescue says possums or cats out there were grooming her'

Secretary of state says opponents of Maduro have left diplomatic compound in Caracas and are safely on US soil'Five members of Venezuela's political opposition have left the Argentinian diplomatic compound in their country's capital, Caracas, where they had sheltered for more than a year to avoid arrest, and were in the United States on Tuesday, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said.Rubio did not provide details of the group's movements to reach the US, but he described the event as a rescue operation. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Conservatives ask Keir Starmer to stand against indefinite occupation' and reinforce international law'More than a dozen senior Conservative MPs and peers have written to the prime minister calling for the UK to immediately recognise Palestine as a state, breaking ranks with their own party to do so.Seven MPs and six members of the House of Lords have signed the letter to Keir Starmer urging him to defy the Israeli government and give formal recognition to Palestine in advance of key UN talks next month. Continue reading...

Germany's new chancellor issued warning after far-right AfD received strong backing from Donald Trump alliesGermany's new chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned the US to stay out" of his country's politics after the far-right AfD received strong backing from allies of the US president, Donald Trump.Merz, 69, a conservative who was elected as chancellor of Europe's biggest economy earlier in the day, also said he planned to speak by phone with Trump on Thursday. Continue reading...

Bronson's last parole hearing, in 2023, was one of the first to be held in public, but the board did not grant his latest applicationThe parole hearing for Charles Bronson, one of the UK's longest serving and most notorious prisoners, will be held in private, a judicial Parole Board member has decided.The decision comes after the 72-year-old - who later changed his name to Charles Salvador - took part in one of the country's first public parole hearings in 2023. Continue reading...

Deal could help UK industries hit by Trump tariffs, as ministers say it will add 4.8bn a year to economy by 2040Britain and India have agreed a long-desired trade deal that ministers said would cut tariffs and add 4.8bn a year to the UK economy by 2040.The agreement, which was finalised on Tuesday after more than three years of negotiations under successive governments, has long been touted as one of the biggest prizes of Brexit. Continue reading...

Bezalel Smotrich says Palestinians will leave in great numbers to third countries', raising fears of ethnic cleansingAn Israeli government minister has vowed that Gaza will be entirely destroyed" as a result of an Israeli military victory, and that its Palestinian population will leave in great numbers to third countries", raising fears of ethnic cleansing in the occupied territory.The declaration on Tuesday by the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, came a day after Israel's security cabinet approved a plan for Operation Gideon's Chariots, which an Israeli official said would entail the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories". Continue reading...

Polling finds two-thirds of voters would back a rethink on the policy and would not see it as a sign of weaknessDowning Street has been accused of being completely tone deaf" over the damage wreaked by winter fuel cuts as new polling suggested two-thirds of voters would back a rethink on the policy.Senior Labour ministers have privately warned the policy is an electoral disaster while Eluned Morgan, the Welsh first minister, said she was losing patience" with UK Labour as she urged the government to think again. Continue reading...

Man in his 30s, attacked in St Peter's Street, Derby, at about 2.35pm on Tuesday, police saidA bank customer has been stabbed to death in a city centre branch, Derbyshire police said.The man, in his 30s, was attacked inside Lloyds Bank in St Peter's Street, Derby, at about 2.35pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The Friends actor was at her Los Angeles residence when the man was arrested and taken into custodyA man was arrested after crashing a car into the front gate of Jennifer Aniston's home in Los Angeles, California, authorities said on Tuesday.Police told KABC-TV that the Friends star was home at the time of the crash. Continue reading...

The common perception is that Trump has largely moved on, leaving an emboldened Netanyahu to his own devicesThe Israeli plan to occupy and depopulate Gaza may not be identical to Donald Trump's vision of a new riviera, but his inspiration and America's walkaway diplomacy have ushered Benjamin Netanyahu to the precipice of a dire new chapter in the Israel-Gaza war.The common perception in both Washington and Israel is that Trump has largely moved on, leaving an emboldened Netanyahu to his own devices, while his offhand proposals for turning Gaza into a Riviera of the Middle East" have provided cover for rightwing Israeli politicians to enthusiastically support the forced resettlement of the Palestinian population. Continue reading...

Touching the breasts of the city's famous statue is supposed to bring luck, but not everyone is happy with the traditionEach time a tourist sidled up to the statue and reached for the most famous cleavage in Dublin, a voice called out: No touching please."Two city council stewards stood vigil over the landmark on Tuesday to notify would-be gropers that Molly Malone was to be left alone. After years of supposedly bringing good luck to whomever touched the breasts, they were now off-limits. Continue reading...

African country looks to position itself as a useful option for countries' anti-migration policies

Homeland security chief says people without new ID may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step'Kristi Noem, the head of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said on Tuesday that travelers without a REAL ID will still be able to fly when the updated identity system comes into effect on 7 May, but they may face extra scrutiny at transportation security agency (TSA) checkpoints.Noem told lawmakers that 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with the REAL ID requirements, and that those that don't may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step". Continue reading...

Ministers admit they did not assess impact of plan to cut thousands of jobsMinisters have admitted they did not assess the impact of axing thousands of NHS managers before pushing ahead, sparking charges that the controversial cull is reckless" and a huge risk".The NHS's 42 regional integrated care boards (ICBs) in England have been told to slash their running costs by 50% by the end of the year, in a move that will lead to around 12,500 job losses. It is a key part of government plans to radically overhaul the health service, which include abolishing NHS England, and use savings from a massive cut in management posts to improve its finances and free up funding for frontline care. Continue reading...

Order to cancel 11 military aid flights - which were quickly reinstated - originated in defense head Pete Hegseth's office

Scottish first minister criticises Keir Starmer's Labour in his programme for government statement

Bezalel Smotrich tells gathering at West Bank settlement that Palestinians will start to leave in great numbers to third countries'China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said Beijing is highly concerned about the current Palestine-Israel situation".We oppose Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza, and hopes all parties continuously and effectively implement the ceasefire agreement," Jian said.The government of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, hopes that the Israel Defense Forces' call-up of tens of thousands of reservists, the threat of the new offensive and the prospect of Israel seizing swaths of territory will force Hamas's leaders to make concessions.If it fails to do so, then physical possession of terrain will offer useful leverage in future negotiations and allow Hamas to be squeezed further in the meantime... Continue reading...

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereFor what it's worth, multiple German media are now suggesting that there won't be another round of voting today - exactly because Merz and his team worry about the risk of another hugely embarrassing defeat.Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bild and Stern's Julias Betschka all say the second vote is unlikely to take place today. Let's wait for the official confirmation, though. Continue reading...

Eluned Morgan says her government will move to the left' and urges UK Labour to reconsider budget cuts

Iran claims attacks in Yemen are attempt to disrupt negotiations with US over Tehran's nuclear programIran has urged the US to end its support for Israel's continuing strikes on Yemen, claiming Israel is trying to use its conflict with the Houthi-led government to drive a wedge between Iran and the US in the negotiations over the future of Tehran's civil nuclear program.The strikes have been criticised by the UN recognised Yemen government based in Aden , who said it had not been consulted and air strikes alone were not an integrated plan to remove the Houthis from power. Yemen has been divided between the Houthis and the official government since the Houthis captured the capital Sana'a in 2015. Continue reading...

Republican Jefferson Griffin had sought to throw out votes for Democrat Allison Riggs in supreme court election

Man expected to lead country is first postwar candidate to lose first voting round, described as complete catastrophe'

Associated British Foods' sale of Allied Bakeries would bring together two of the UK's biggest breadmakers

Daniel's likely loss in Goldstein would mark the first reversal of teal independent gains of 2022 federal election

Wagatha Christie' battle inches towards end, but judge told Vardy is still resisting payment of 300,000The long-running legal feud between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has inched closer to its end, with Vardy agreeing to pay almost 1.2m of Rooney's legal costs.But the high-profile Wagatha Christie libel battle is not yet finished, a judge has been told, with Vardy still resisting payment of a further 300,000. Continue reading...

Flights temporarily halted as mayor says at least 19 drones approached and apartment building reportedly hit

MP who stood down after assaulting constituent says election results showed government was making some big political mistakes'

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Ian Wilkinson, whose wife was among three who died, tells Victorian court the triple murder accused just seemed like a normal person to me'

Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates

In today's newsletter: Can a partial U-turn on the winter fuel allowance help the party set a new agenda - and keep support for Nigel Farage at bay?Good morning. After Reform UK's resounding success in last week's local elections, Keir Starmer has faced relentless questions over how Labour will change tack to deal with the problem. Now, we may have the beginning of an answer.On the front page of today's Guardian, Pippa Crerar and Jessica Elgot report that Downing Street is seriously rethinking the cuts to the winter fuel payment - the policy that above all others summarised Starmer and Rachel Reeves's shaky start to life in government. While a full reversal is not on the cards, No 10 sources say that the 11,500 threshold over which pensioners are no longer eligible for the allowance could be increased in the autumn.Israel-Gaza war | Israel is to expand its military operations in Gaza in the coming weeks, with the aim of conquering" and establishing a sustained presence" in the Palestinian territory, Israeli officials have said.Film | Donald Trump's threat to impose 100% tariffs on movies made outside the US could wipe out the UK film industry, ministers have been warned, as they came under immediate pressure to prioritise the issue in trade talks with the White House.Charities | Macmillan Cancer Support is to scrap its 14m-a-year specialist advice service, which helps tens of thousands of people every year, in what has been described as a betrayal of vulnerable patients. With the charity's income falling behind its expenditure, it said that the service was no longer sustainable.Wildfires | After the warmest start to May on record, a wildfire has destroyed about 5,000 hectares (12,500 acres) of moorland on Dartmoor in Devon. Emergency services were called to the blaze at about 2.25pm on Sunday, and firefighters spent almost 24 hours at the scene before it was extinguished on Monday.VE Day | The UK marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day with military pomp before large crowds who had gathered in central London. The royal family and war veterans were among the attendees at a 1,300-strong military procession while street parties were held around the UK. Continue reading...

Grandsons aged six and seven found dead at NSW property in case police are treating as double murderA woman whose two grandsons died in a regional town in New South Wales is in a mental health facility after what police are treating as a confronting" alleged double murder.The boys, aged six and seven, were found dead by police after officers forced entry to a property at Coonabarabran, in the state's north-west, during a welfare check about 2pm on Monday. Continue reading...

Queensland mental health specialist reveals she couldn't find someone to cover her role while giving evidence at Sydney inquest this week

Incoming chief commissioner Mike Bush, a self-described outsider' pick, says he will prioritise prevention and increased police visibility

Exclusive: Poll before 80th anniversary of VE Day finds tensions with Russia seen as most probable causeEighty years after the second world war, polling shows many Americans and western Europeans believe an even more devastating third global conflict could break out within a decade, with tensions with Russia seen as the most probable cause.As Europe prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the YouGov polling also showed large majorities felt that events during and before the second world war were relevant today and must continue to be taught to younger generations. Continue reading...

Exclusive: First minister of Wales hoping to counter threats to Welsh Labour from Reform and Plaid CymruThe Welsh first minister will criticise Keir Starmer's welfare reforms in a major speech on Tuesday, saying she will pursue a leftwing red Welsh way" and put a clear dividing line between Welsh Labour and the national party.Eluned Morgan will distance herself from Starmer's government in a speech on Tuesday billed by allies as a reset moment for Welsh Labour to counter the threats from Reform UK and Plaid Cymru. Continue reading...

Military armistice ending second world war was signed in this nondescript Reims schoolhouse before VE DayFor a building that witnessed one of the pivotal moments of European history, it is oddly unremarkable: a nondescript red-brick schoolhouse on an unexceptional street on the wrong side of the railway tracks in Reims, eastern France.In May 1945 it was the College Moderne et Technique. Students came and went. Passersby may have wondered, briefly, at the two US military police officers outside the doors, but Americans were everywhere - the city had been liberated in August 1944. Continue reading...

Candidates for Merseyside chief constable and Met deputy commissioner set to be appointed without competitionTwo of the most senior jobs in British policing paying more than 200,000 a year have attracted only one applicant each, the Guardian has learned.The roles were deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan police and chief constable of Merseyside police, based in Liverpool. Continue reading...

Actor was assigned by Trump to come up with a plan to save Hollywood, but his proposal only included tariffs in certain limited circumstances'US president Donald Trump announced his 100% tariff on films coming into our country produced in foreign lands" one day after meeting with actor Jon Voight to discuss his proposals to bring film production back to the US - which only suggested that tariffs could be used in certain limited circumstances".The Midnight Cowboy and Heat actor, who was appointed a special ambassador" to Hollywood by Trump, has been meeting with studios, streamers, unions and guilds for months to develop a plan to lure film and television productions back to the US. Production companies often seek more cost-effective locations or tax incentives in other countries such as Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Hungary, Italy and Spain. Continue reading...