An official statement said all reasonable possibilities of finding more survivors" had been exhausted in a disaster that has killed at least 184 people.Rescue workers in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday ended the search for survivors of a nightclub roof collapse as the death toll surpassed 180 in the Caribbean nation's worst disaster in decades.Emergency personnel late Wednesday reported 60 more deaths compared to the morning's count, with the total confirmed tally reaching 184. Continue reading...
The 73-year-old actor was diagnosed after her role in the John Wick franchise, and chose to keep it private - but is now speaking out in case it helps othersAnjelica Huston has revealed she was diagnosed with cancer six years ago, saying she is now in the clear".The 73-year-old actor declined to tell People magazine what kind of cancer she had, saying she wanted to keep that private, but did reveal she was diagnosed after the release of her 2019 film John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. Continue reading...
Jillian Lauren treated for non-life-threatening wound after incident where officers searched for hit-and-run suspectsWeezer bassist Scott Shriner's wife was shot by police on Monday as officers searched for hit-and-run suspects in her Los Angeles neighborhood.Jillian Lauren, 51, was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound at a local hospital after the incident, but later booked for attempted murder, according to Los Angeles police. Continue reading...
Presumed future chancellor says coalition has strong plan' after negotiations as polling shows popularity of far-right AfDEarlier today I brought you Donald Trump's comments overnight on major" tariffs to be announced very shortly" on pharmaceuticals (9:20).My colleague Lisa O'Carroll looked at the risks such measures could pose for Europe:Pharmaceutical companies in the EU have warned of a risk of exodus" to the US as stocks in the sector slid around the world on the back of Donald Trump's renewed threat to impose tariffs on US drugs imports.Drugmakers' shares across Europe and India, another foreign drugs hub, slipped on Wednesday after Trump indicated further carnage was on the way in addition to the 20% reciprocal tariffs" on imports that kicked in overnight. Continue reading...
by Amy Sedghi (now) and Tom Ambrose (earlier) on (#6WGBE)
This blog is now closed, you can read more of our Middle East coverage hereThe Gaza health ministry said on Wednesday that at least 1,482 Palestinians have been killed since Israel resumed intense strikes on the Gaza Strip on 18 March, taking the overall death toll since the start of the war to 50,846.Hamas's October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) tally based on Israeli official figures. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Union calls for inquiry more than a year after whistleblowers wrote to department about alleged abuseFemale defence workers feel little has been done to address sexual harassment more than a year after whistleblowers sounded the alarm about serious problems at the Ministry of Defence, a leading trade union has said.A survey of female members of the Prospect union working in defence showed a falling level of confidence in action to deter sexual harassment, from 47% in January 2024 to 39% in February 2025. Continue reading...
Since Trump's first trade war with China in 2018, Beijing has ramped up trade with other countries, making it less dependent on the USThe opening shots seem like a distant memory. Back in January, US president Donald Trump threatened to impose a tariff of 10% on Chinese imports. Less than three months later, the rate is now 104%.China has condemned the tariffs. As well as applying its own reciprocal tariff of 34% on US imports, Beijing has been fighting a war of words. Continue reading...
Shaista Gohir questions Tell Mama's use of public funds, creating debate over its role, accountability and futureA leading Muslim peer has called for an inquiry into the Islamophobia monitoring group Tell Mama over concerns about a lack of transparency" on how it is spending public money.Shaista Gohir, the chief executive of the Muslim Women's Network UK, has also accused Tell Mama of failing to provide detailed data on anti-Muslim hate crimes, being silent" when politicians have targeted Muslims, and questioned whether the Tories used it as a vehicle to monitor extremism. Continue reading...
Crews search for survivors after more than 160 injured at Jet Set in Santo DomingoAt least 58 people have died and 160 were injured in the Dominican capital early on Tuesday after the roof collapsed at a nightclub where politicians, athletes and others were attending a merengue concert, authorities said.Crews were searching for survivors in the rubble at the one-storey Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations. Continue reading...
Kim Leadbeater says she is absolutely confident' postponement will not delay legislation reaching royal assentThe next vote on legislation to introduce assisted dying in England and Wales has been delayed by three weeks to give MPs on all sides more time to consider its changes, the MP leading the issue has said.The bill, which has undergone a significant number of changes since the initial vote in November, will now return to the Commons on 16 May, instead of 25 April, for its report stage and votes if time allows. Continue reading...
by Rebecca Ratcliffe South-east Asia correspondent on (#6WFV9)
Paul Chambers detained under strict lese-majesty law, which can lead to 15 years in jail on a single chargeA prominent American academic has been detained in Thailand after being charged with insulting the monarchy, a rare case in which a foreign national has fallen foul of the country's strict lese-majesty law.Paul Chambers, who specialises in civil-military relations and democratisation in south-east Asia, was denied bail on Tuesday and is being held at Phitsanulok provincial prison in northern Thailand, his lawyers said. Continue reading...
Last year 72% of demands to censor books were initiated by pressure groups and government entities; with just 16% of ban attempts made by parentsA large majority of attempts to ban books in the US last year came from organised groups rather than parents.72% of demands to censor books were initiated by pressure groups, government entities and elected officials, board members and administrators, reported the American Library Association (ALA). Just 16% of ban attempts were made by parents, while 5% were brought forward by individual library users. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6WFEX)
Community-based approach in England has had good results so far in cutting urgent demand for GPs and A&EThe NHS is attempting to ease the pressure on GPs and A&E by sending a new type of health worker door to door in deprived areas to help detect illnesses before people need urgent care.Community health and wellbeing workers (CHWW) are already deployed in 12 areas of England, with 13 others to follow, in an attempt to improve poor and vulnerable people's access to care.82% more likely to attend a cancer screening.47% more likely to get vaccinated against major diseases.82% more likely to undergo an NHS health check. Continue reading...
Series of events mark 165th anniversary of birth of forgotten pacifist who exposed conditions in British concentration campsShe took on the might of establishment and empire to expose the suffering of women and children held in British concentration camps but her story has faded" from the history books.From 12 April a series of events are being held at the Cornish home where the pacifist, whistleblower and activist Emily Hobhouse grew up, around the 165th anniversary of her birth, part of efforts to shine a new light on her fight for justice. Continue reading...
Elections set for 3 June after months of political turmoil triggered by Yoon Suk Yeol's shock declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachmentSouth Korea will hold a presidential election on 3 June, the country's acting president said on Tuesday, after predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office over a disastrous declaration of martial law.The government is to set June 3 as the date for South Korea's 21st presidential election", prime minister Han Duck-soo said, adding that the day would be designated as a temporary public holiday to facilitate voting. Continue reading...
Prince Laurent had argued that his work entitled him to the same benefits as independent entrepreneurs but a court in Brussels disagreedA Belgian prince has lost a legal battle to claim social security benefits on top of his royal allowance, with a court ruling his claim - the first of its kind in the country's nearly 200-year history - unfounded".Prince Laurent, the youngest of three children of the former king and queen, had argued that his work entitled him to the coverage granted to independent entrepreneurs - and that he was acting out of principle" rather than for money. Continue reading...
Grace Davidson gives birth to baby Amy Isabel after receiving her sister's womb in 2023Surgeons are hailing an astonishing" medical breakthrough as a woman became the first in the UK to give birth after a womb transplant.Grace Davidson, 36, who was a teenager when diagnosed with a rare condition that meant she did not have a uterus, said she and her husband, Angus, 37, had been given the greatest gift we could ever have asked for". Continue reading...
Scott Chilton leaves post at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary with immediate effect after notice from IOPCThe chief constable of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has retired with immediate effect, on the same day he was given notice he was under investigation for two alleged workplace relationships.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it had notified Scott Chilton on Monday morning that he was under investigation for potential gross misconduct over a relationship from before he became chief constable and another after taking the force's top job. Continue reading...
EU trade commissioner Maro efovi says bloc in a tough spot' with 70% of exports being subjected to tariffsOutgoing German economy minister Robert Habeck is not mincing his words this morning in response to a question on US tariffs and how they were calculated.He says:The calculations, from my point of view, are nonsense. Even the basis of the calculation is nonsense.The assumption that a trade budget surplus or deficit is a problem in itself, is a wrong estimation, because in the end, globalisation serves all economies, and especially the American economy, [which] has [seen] huge growth figures in GDP, better than a lot of European countries. So you see, if we the rest of the world, are selling cheaper goods to the American economy, it's of use of the American economy. Continue reading...
The actor said he was barbecued' after a complaint on the set of Being Mortal in 2022, which shut down production on the filmBill Murray has said he feels he was barbecued" by a sexual misconduct allegation on the set of a 2022 comedy, which led to the film being cancelled and his reaching a financial settlement with the woman who accused him of straddling her and kissing her.
Ex-secretaries of state and ministers could also be required to take part in hearings into Manston scandalA roll-call of former UK prime ministers, secretaries of state and ministers could be called to give evidence into a scandal at a controversial processing centre in Kent for small boat arrivals, according to an internal government memo disclosed to the Guardian, following a legal challenge.The inquiry into Manston, a former military base used as a short-term detention facility to process people who crossed the Channel in dinghies, will probably be reputationally damaging for the Home Office", the memo said. Continue reading...
by Faye Hulton and Morgan Thomas for MetDesk on (#6WEQB)
Cold spell will move south this week with temperatures about 5-10C below average from Russia to GermanyAfter a cold weekend in north-eastern Europe, chilly conditions are expected to spread southwards this week. This cold spell is due to a large area of high pressure over the North Sea, which allowed very cold Arctic air to sink southwards over the weekend and will continue to do so this week.The chill began to be felt on Saturday in countries such as Poland and Lithuania, which had daytime highs of 11C and 6C (52F and 43F) respectively, compared with their high temperatures of 21C and 18C the previous day. As the week progresses, the cold will spread more widely, with temperatures about 5-10C below average from Russia to Germany, and from Estonia as far south as southern Italy and Greece. This means maximum temperatures in the single figures for much of eastern Europe, with highs in the low teens in Greece. Mountainous regions will also have subzero maximums, with some snowfall possible. Continue reading...
Exclusive: 136 organisations call on PM to stop using demonising language', after his remarks before crime summitMore than 130 refugee and human rights organisations have called on Keir Starmer to stop using language that demonises migrants, after he made controversial remarks before an international people-smuggling summit.The criticisms are contained in a letter to the UK prime minister, coordinated by the campaign coalition Together With Refugees. It has been sent to the prime minister in response to comments he made before the Organised Immigration Crime Summit on 31 March, where more than 40 countries came together in London to focus on tackling organised immigration crime including people-smuggling gangs. Continue reading...
Partner confirms death of prolific author, criminal lawyer and playwright after illness in her home city of MelbourneAustralian author Kerry Greenwood, best known for her Phryne Fisher murder mystery novels, has died at the age of 70 after an illness.She was given a suitably royal send-off" at a small service in Melbourne's Yarraville on Sunday, according to her partner, writer David Greagg. Continue reading...
by Quique Kierszenbaum in Tel Aviv and Oliver Holmes on (#6WEP8)
Combatants' testimonies describe how areas were destroyed to create a death zone of enormous proportions'Israel's military razed huge swathes of land inside the perimeter of Gaza and ordered troops to turn the area into a kill zone" where anybody who entered was a target, according to testimony by soldiers who carried out the plan.Israeli combatants said they were ordered to destroy homes, factories and farmland roughly 1km (0.6 miles) inside the perimeter of Gaza to make a buffer zone", with one describing the area as looking like Hiroshima. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6WEM7)
Exclusive: Met to be handed dossier of evidence alleging crimes including killings of civilians and aid workersA war crimes complaint against 10 Britons who served with the Israeli military in Gaza is to be submitted to the Met police by one of the UK's leading human rights lawyers.Michael Mansfield KC is one of a group of lawyers who will on Monday hand in a 240-page dossier to Scotland Yard's war crimes unit alleging targeted killing of civilians and aid workers, including by sniper fire, and indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, including hospitals. Continue reading...
Victoria Rance says the 1970s technology' will cause pollution that will damage health for decades, but London mayor and TfL claim it will reduce congestionA multibillion-pound road tunnel under the River Thames will be out of date the moment it opens, according to campaigners.The first cars and lorries are due through the Silvertown tunnel in east London on Monday, passing between Greenwich on the south side of the river and Newham in the north. Continue reading...
Despite its links to oral cancer, people in Hainan have for centuries produced and eaten betel nuts, which give a natural high. But sales are fallingMany cities across southern China are known for the art of relaxing. Chengdu in Sichuan province is the tea house capital. Guangzhou is the birthplace of dim sum, a time to share steamed dumplings and chew the fat with friends. And in Haikou, the capital of Hainan province, people have been chewing the betel nut for centuries.You don't have to walk far in Haikou to find a vendor. The small, hard, green fruits are sold in little piles alongside fresh coconuts and bottled water at pretty much any convenience store, for about five yuan (0.52) a piece. Some vendors, mostly women, sit by the side of the road to dish out betel nuts to passing drivers on mopeds, nearly all of them men. Continue reading...
Court hears media should take extreme care' over stabbing case as businessman whose daughter, Dawn Singleton, was murdered, questions inquest's purpose
The Coalition has also walked away from plans to sack 41,000 public service employees, raising questions about how it will pay for major election policies
Government officials and contractors long controlled spy operations. Now the likes of Musk and Bezos are in controlJust days before Donald Trump's inauguration in January, Blue Origin, the space company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, launched its New Glenn rocket, named for John Glenn, the Mercury astronaut who was the first American to orbit the Earth. Around 2am on 16 January, the 30-story rocket powered by seven engines blasted off into the Florida night from Cape Canaveral's historic launch complex 36, which first served as a Nasa launch site in 1962.The flight's end was marred by a failure to bring the booster rocket back for further use, but the successful launch and orbit still marked a watershed moment for Blue Origin in its bid to compete with SpaceX, the company owned by Elon Musk, for dominance over American spy satellite operations. During the Trump administration, it is likely that both companies will play significant roles in placing spy satellites into Earth orbit, which could mean that the United States intelligence community will be beholden to both Bezos and Musk to handle the single most complex and expensive endeavor in modern espionage. Continue reading...
by Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent on (#6WEDP)
Craig Donaldson challenging ruling by UK regulator, which accused him of misleading investors over 900m accounting blunderThe former chief executive of Metro Bank says he has been made untouchable", advised to move to Australia and even had trouble opening bank accounts after the UK regulator accused him of misleading investors over a 900m accounting blunder.Craig Donaldson, who resigned in 2019, told the upper tribunal in London that both his career and personal finances had suffered as a result of the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) 2022 ruling. Continue reading...
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