by Carlos Mureithi in Nairobi and agencies on (#6WTZR)
Both sides say they have resolved to end conflict through peaceful means after frank' talks facilitated by QatarThe Democratic Republic of the Congo and a coalition of militias including the Rwanda-backed M23 have agreed to work toward a truce to end the fighting that has engulfed the eastern part of the country since January.In similarly worded statements released on Wednesday night, the government and Alliance Fleuve Congo (Congo River Alliance) said their representatives had held talks facilitated by Qatar and resolved to end the conflict through peaceful means. Continue reading...
by Robyn Vinter North of England correspondent on (#6WV2Z)
David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar running in memory of daughters and to raise money for charity and schoolThe fathers of two of the girls who were stabbed to death in the Southport attack will be running the London Marathon in memory of their daughters.David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar said their daughters, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nice-year-old Alice Aguiar, would be with them in spirit as they run the 26-mile course on Sunday. Continue reading...
Coalition allies of Pedro Sanchez said the purchase of millions of bullets jeopardised country's efforts to hold Israel to account over war in GazaSpain has scrapped a 6.6m (5.7m) order for millions of bullets from an Israeli company after the junior partners in its coalition government denounced it as a flagrant breach" of the alliance agreement that jeopardised the country's sustained efforts to hold Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza.The country's socialist prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has been one of the most outspoken critics of Israel's conduct during the war in Gaza, questioning whether it is following international humanitarian law and calling the number of Palestinian deaths truly unbearable". Continue reading...
The US musician was a major influence on post-punk and alt-rock scenes thanks to his spirited, chaotic styleDavid Thomas, who fronted the wild and free-thinking American rock band Pere Ubu, has died aged 71.A statement on Pere Ubu's Facebook page said that he died in his home town of Brighton & Hove, with his wife and youngest step-daughter by his side. MC5 were playing on the radio. He will ultimately be returned to his home, the farm in Pennsylvania, where he insisted he was to be thrown in the barn' ... We'll leave you with his own words, which sums up who he was better than we can: My name is David Fucking Thomas... and I'm the lead singer of the best fucking rock and roll band in the world.'" Continue reading...
by Aakash Hassan in Delhi and agencies on (#6WTWW)
Indian PM makes first speech amid increasing tensions with Pakistan after 26 men killed in contested Himalayan regionIndia's prime minister, Narendra Modi, has vowed to punish all those responsible for Tuesday's attack in Kashmir, pursuing them to the ends of the Earth".Twenty-six men were killed in the tourist hotspot of Pahalgam, in the deadliest attack on civilians in the contested Muslim-majority territory since 2000. Continue reading...
by Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent on (#6WTY8)
Booming fintech company gives details of initiative to improve working culture as profits more than doubleRevolut has been tracking staff behaviour, granting or docking points on an internal Karma" system that is feeding into the UK bank's decisions on bonus payouts.The practice was detailed in Revolut's annual report, which showed that profits had more than doubled last year, jumping 148% to 1bn in 2024. That increase was due to a rise in subscriptions, and revenues from its wealth and crypto trading divisions. Continue reading...
Victims include fans rushing to buy tickets at well over face value, data collected by Lloyds Banking Group suggestsOasis fans have collectively lost more than 2m to scams since tickets for its reunion tour went on sale last year, a major bank has estimated.Lloyds Banking Group based the calculation on the volume of fraud reports made by its own customers. Oasis fans make up more than half (56%) of all reported concert ticket scams so far this year, according to Lloyds' data, losing 436 on average. Continue reading...
Groundbreaking project has produced some of the world's most comprehensive studies on vaccine efficacy and safetyThe largest ever global study into the safety of Covid-19 vaccines has been terminated just 13 months shy of completion, after becoming caught up in the Trump administration's sweeping funding cuts.The Global Vaccine Data Network, which was established in 2019 by the New Zealand-based vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris and the US-based vaccinologist Steven Black, has already produced some of the world's most comprehensive studies on vaccine efficacy and safety, based on data from more than 300 million people. Continue reading...
Brazil has been the world's leading coffee producer due to the forced labour of enslaved Africans and Afro-BraziliansJohn" was just days from turning 16 when he was allegedly recruited to work on a Brazilian coffee farm that supplies the global coffeehouse chain Starbucks.Soon after his birthday, he embarked on a 16-hour bus journey to the farm in the state of Minas Gerais - only to discover that none of what he had been promised would be fulfilled. Continue reading...
by Presented by John Harris with Pippa Crerar. Produc on (#6WTVK)
The government began to roll out its free breakfast club scheme this week as part of plans to help struggling families. But with predictions that child poverty could increase by the end of this parliament, how serious is Labour about tackling the problem? John Harris hears from a headteacher, and speaks to our political editor, Pippa Crerar Continue reading...
With local election punishment looming, Conservative stress bubbled over after Jenrick's remarks about FarageSome veteran Conservatives are so convinced that Robert Jenrick, the ambitious shadow justice secretary, is intent on striking an election pact with Reform UK that they have nicknamed him Nigel's chancellor".The joke, however, gets to the heart of what many of them fear most: that the Tory party is in such a parlous state that their only hope of survival will be to work with Nigel Farage to unite the right. Continue reading...
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#6WTVP)
RNID survey finds half of sign language users did not understand diagnoses - some terminal - or how their treatment workedDeaf patients face systemic discrimination when it comes to learning about their own health due to NHS failings, with some not understanding that they might have a terminal illness, according to a damning report.The study by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) accuses the NHS of routinely failing" deaf people. Continue reading...
by Presented by Michael Safi with Ed Pilkington; prod on (#6WTTQ)
Is the US president exploiting popular resentment towards elite colleges to achieve his political goals? Ed Pilkington reportsHarvard University filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday on the grounds that a recent $2bn (1.5bn) funding freeze was unlawful. It is the most significant act of resistance taken by a US college in response to Trump's crackdown on higher education.Ed Pilkington, chief reporter for Guardian US, explains to Michael Safi that capitulating to Trump's demands would have severely undermined Harvard's reputation, and that the administration was targeting it for being a bastion of liberal thought. Continue reading...
Belfast rappers criticised by US conservatives and Sharon Osbourne for the pro-Palestine and anti-Israel content of their setIrish-language rap group Kneecap have responded to criticism of statements they made about Israel during their Coachella performance on the weekend, saying that statements are not aggressive" in comparison to Israel's attacks on Gaza.During their second set at the Coachella music festival in California on 18 April, the rap group, known for their political performances and support of Palestine, led the crowd in chants of free, free Palestine". Messages displayed on the stage's screens during their set read: Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people" and It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes." Another read: Fuck Israel. Free Palestine." Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6WTS6)
Investigation body also says medics are dying in car accidents while driving home after long shiftsNHS staff are so tired they are dying in car crashes and posing a major threat to patients, the service's safety watchdog will warn on Thursday.Fatigue among frontline personnel causing them to make mistakes is a significant" risk to patients, according to the Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB). Continue reading...
The 86 concerts this summer will include anniversary celebrations of Shostakovich, Ravel and Boulez, a Traitors-themed Prom presented by Claudia Winkleman - and a record number of female conductorsThe BBC today announce its eight-week Proms season featuring 86 concerts in London, Bradford, Belfast, Bristol and Gateshead. A record number of female conductors will be at the podium - 15 - and the Last Night will be the first to feature an all-female lineup of conductor and soloists: Elim Chan will conduct, with trumpeter Alison Balsom and soprano Louise Alder, plus the evening will feature two world premieres, by 34-year-old French composer Camille Pepin, and Rachel Portman, who was the first woman to win an Oscar for best original score, both making their Proms debuts.Also making her Proms debut will be Claudia Winkleman, who, fully cloaked, will present a Traitors Prom featuring a mix of symphonic pop and classical music exploring timeless themes of intrigue, treachery and betrayal. Suzy Klein, the head of arts and classical music TV at the BBC, promised that the concert would evoke all the drama of the Highland castle where the hugely popular reality TV show takes place. There won't be gameplay or interaction, she added, but it is going to be shaped and curated as a dramatic evening. There's so much music featured in the series that we wanted to take some of that and say to people, Welcome to the world of classical music, you're already listening to it and loving it without realising it!'" Winkleman will be joined by the BBC Scottish Symphony and the BBC Singers, with other guests and the full programme to be announced. Will season three fan favourite Linda Rands, a retired opera singer, be taking part? Potentially, said Klein. Continue reading...
Raymond McCourt, 59, was reported missing from HMP Castle Huntly in Dundee at 5.30pm on TuesdayPolice have launched a manhunt after a convicted murderer escaped from an open prison in Scotland.Raymond McCourt, 59, was reported missing from HMP Castle Huntly in Dundee at 5.30pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Emergency services clean up area after chemical reaction in gas tanker HGV sends orange plume into airEmergency services were called out to a chemical and gas leak from a lorry in Greater Manchester on Wednesday.Video footage circulating on social media showed a luminous vapour billowing from a gas tanker HGV in Oldham shortly after 3pm. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#6WTQ9)
Under the plan, those who flout the prohibition could face a maximum fine of 1,000A party of party poopers? Or defenders of the quiet majority"? Either way, the Liberal Democrats are redefining political battlebus" by proposing a ban on people playing music and videos out loud on their phones on public transport.Under the plan, those who blast out songs and TV shows from their phone on public transport, or while at stations or bus stops, could face a maximum fine of 1,000. Continue reading...
by Josh Butler and Sarah Basford Canales on (#6WTMZ)
The opposition leader says he won't be able to get to all' of the seven locations earmarked for flagship nuclear policy, while Labor says he has not been within 50km of any during election campaign
by Andrew Roth in Washington and Pjotr Sauer on (#6WTN3)
Russia said to have signalled it could halt war in return for US recognition of its control of Crimea and sanctions reliefThe contours of the White House's final" peace proposal to halt the Russian invasion of Ukraine have come into focus with proposals to freeze the frontlines in exchange for terms that critics have termed a surrender to Russian interests in the the three-year-old conflict.Three people with knowledge of the talks told the Guardian that Vladimir Putin had signalled a readiness to effectively freeze the frontlines of the conflict in exchange for numerous concessions, including US recognition of Russian control of Crimea and considerable US sanctions relief. The Financial Times first reported Putin's proposal on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Tensions rise between nuclear-armed neighbours who have fought three wars over territory as Delhi vows to respondThe brutal militant attack that killed 26 people in one of Kashmir's most scenic spots has shattered the region's relative calm, turning a popular tourist destination into a scene of horror - and raising fears of a fresh conflict between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan.Soon after the attack in which gunmen emerged from dense pine woods and opened fire on families picnicking and riding ponies, India's defence minister, Rajnath Singh, vowed a loud and clear response". Continue reading...
by Tom Phillips Latin America correspondent on (#6WTJ0)
Gustavo Petro hits back after Alvaro Leyva accused him of going awol during official visit to FranceA prominent Colombian politician and former minister has accused the country's president, Gustavo Petro, of being a drug addict who allegedly went awol during an official visit to France.In a damning letter to the South American leader, the former foreign minister Alvaro Leyva painted a dire picture of his one-time boss and ally, later publishing the text on his official X account. Continue reading...
by Léonie Chao-Fong (now); Tom Ambrose, Amy Sedghi a on (#6WT1G)
This live blog is now closed. For the latest on Ukraine, read more coverage here.Suspilne, Ukraine's state broadcaster, citing the Ukrainian air force, reports that overnight Ukraine claimed to have shot down 67 out of 134 drones used in Russian attacks.Additionally the air force reported that 47 drones did not reach their target. Attacks, it said, happened in the Kharkiv, Poltava, Donetsk, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhia regions. Continue reading...
Ed Miliband's looming decision on electricity market changes could mean regional bill disparities for householdsBritain's most senior government ministers could soon be drawn into a deepening row over plans to charge some households higher electricity bills than others, as Ed Miliband prepares to decide on sweeping energy reforms.The energy secretary is understood to be close to making a decision on whether to move ahead with proposals to replace the country's single electricity market with several market zones. Continue reading...
Pope's simple open casket lies on main altar of St Peter's Basilica as mourners say: It's a privilege to be here'Thousands of people queued for hours under the hot spring sun in St Peter's Square on Wednesday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose simple wooden coffin has been placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, where he will lie in state until Friday evening.The pope, the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, died at his home in Casa Santa Marta on Monday aged 88 after a stroke and subsequent heart failure. He had been recovering from double pneumonia, which had kept him in hospital for five weeks. Continue reading...
by Aakash Hassan in Delhi and Peter Beaumont on (#6WTEP)
Water treaty also suspended amid hunt for militants said to have executed men unable to recite Islamic versesIndia has closed a key land border with neighbouring Pakistan, cancelled a water-sharing treaty and barred Pakistan's citizens from entering under a visa exemption scheme following Tuesday's attack by Islamic militants in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.The moves come as India's defence minister, Rajnath Singh, said those who carried out and planned the Kashmir region's worst attack on civilians in years, including those behind the scenes", would see a swift response. Continue reading...
Labour sets out preferences as Commons standards committee looks at tightening rules on second jobsThe government has backed proposals to stop MPs taking second jobs they have been offered because of their role in parliament, and expressed concern that some paid media roles allow them to monetise" their privileged positions.It set out its detailed thinking on how the rules could be tightened on MPs' outside interests in evidence to the House of Commons standards committee. Continue reading...
Spokesperson for Tory leader says she agrees with colleague that we need to bring centre-right voters together'Rosie Duffield, the independent MP who left Labour after the election in part because she felt her gender critical views made her unwelcome in the party (although her resignation letter focused on welfare issues), has claimed that Keir Starmer no longer arguing a trans woman is a woman shows he is a manager rather than a leader".Speaking on LBC, Duffield said:It's just another sign of the prime minister's lack of leadership skills. I'm bound to say that, he's a manager rather than a leader. He responds and reacts rather than leads from the front, and this is what we're seeing again from him.Nigel Farage is peddling a dangerous fantasy by claiming the UK can be self-sufficient in gas.After sixty years of drilling, the truth is the UK has already burned most of its gas. That's down to geology, not politics, and no amount of hot air from Farage will change that. Continue reading...
by Tom Phillips Latin America correspondent on (#6WTBK)
Salvadorian president denounced as tyrannical' as he floats trading 252 prisoners with fellow authoritarian regimeThe families of prisoners being held by the authoritarian governments of El Salvador and Venezuela have condemned President Nayib Bukele's offer to swap 252 Venezuelan detainees sent to his jails by the Trump administration for the same number of political prisoners incarcerated by Nicolas Maduro's regime.Nelson Suarez, whose brother was among the Venezuelan immigrants sent from the US to a notorious maximum-security jail in El Salvador last month, said he was desperate for the release of his brother, from whom he has heard nothing in five weeks. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Meeting with Dfat deputy secretary not specifically about reported Russian military request, diplomatic sources say, but may have been canvassed
Francis will lie in state for three days at St Peter's Basilica before funeral is held on SaturdayThe coffin makes it way through the Vatican towards St Peter's Basilica, accompanied by the choir's singing, starting with Psalm 22.You can follow the ceremony live watching the stream at the top of the blog. Continue reading...
Nerys Lloyd had pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter over expedition in swollen River CleddauA former police officer has been jailed for 10 years and six months after leading a paddleboarding expedition on a rain-swollen river that ended in four people losing their lives.Nerys Lloyd, 39, pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work offence over the tragedy on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, south-west Wales. Continue reading...
by Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent on (#6WT8J)
Rick Haythornthwaite said bank was indebted to public for 46bn rescue package that kept it afloat in 2008The chair of NatWest has thanked UK taxpayers for the bank's 2008 bailout weeks before the bank returns into private ownership, assuring shareholders that bosses had fixed the issues of the past" and would not open up floodgates of risk" despite government pressure.Rick Haythornthwaite made the comments as a small group of shareholders gathered at the Gogarburn campus on the outskirts of Edinburgh on Wednesday for the bank's annual investor meeting. Continue reading...
Members of Board of Deputies who signed open letter about war in Gaza are now subject to a complaints procedure'Three dozen members of the largest body representing British Jews are facing disciplinary action after signing an open letter criticising Israel over the war in Gaza.Amid signs of deepening divisions among British Jews over the 18-month-old war, the Board of Deputies announced this week that all 36 signatories to the letter were now subject to a complaints procedure" after multiple complaints". Continue reading...
First penalties under landmark Digital Markets Act hands fines of 500m to Apple and 200m to Facebook ownerThe European Commission has fined Apple 500m (429m) and Meta 200m for breaking rules on fair competition and user choice, in the first penalties issued under one of the EU's landmark internet laws.The fines under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is intended to ensure fair business practices by tech companies, are likely to provide another flashpoint with Donald Trump's administration, which has fiercely attacked Europe's internet regulation. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian