Coroner calls for action to avoid future deaths after four killed by drivers with failing eyesight in northern EnglandAn inquest into the deaths of four people killed by drivers with failing eyesight in northern England has found enforcement of visual legal standards for motorists is ineffective and unsafe".The HM senior coroner for Lancashire, Dr James Adeley, has sent a report to the transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, calling for action to be taken to prevent future deaths. Continue reading...
by Angela Giuffrida in Rome and agencies on (#6WPRZ)
Trump praises Italian PM and accepts invitation that could present chance to meet other European leadersGiorgia Meloni said Donald Trump had accepted her invitation for an official trip to Rome, as the pair met in Washington in an attempt by the Italian prime minister to bridge the gap between the EU and US amid trade tariff tensions.Meloni said Trump's trip could happen in the near future" and could present an opportunity for him to meet other European leaders. Continue reading...
Exclusive: backbenchers may be allowed to abstain, a major climbdown from previous votes when rebels were suspended from the partyMinisters are scrambling to avoid a damaging rebellion this summer when MPs vote on controversial cuts to disability benefit payments, even offering potential rebels the chance to miss the vote altogether.The government is due to hold a vote in June and dozens of Labour MPs are worried it will hurt their constituents and could cost them their seats. Continue reading...
by Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspon on (#6WPKZ)
Aix-Marseille University generates interest amid a US crackdown and calls for a scientific refugee' statusNearly 300 academics have applied to a French university's offer to take in US-based researchers rattled by the American government's crackdown on academia, as a former French president called for the creation of a scientific refugee" status for academics in peril.Earlier this year, France's Aix-Marseille University was among the first in Europe to respond to the funding freezes, cuts and executive orders unleashed on institutions across the US by Donald Trump's administration. Continue reading...
Moscow and Minsk ambassadors excluded over concerns they could exploit' event for anti-Ukraine propagandaThe ambassadors of Russia and Belarus will not be invited to the German parliament's commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war over concerns they could exploit" the event for anti-Ukraine propaganda.The ceremony in the Bundestag lower house on 8 May marking the allies' defeat of Nazi Germany will include several representatives of the diplomatic corps in Berlin but bar the envoys from Moscow and Minsk based on the government's assessment on the invitation of representatives", a parliament spokesperson said. Continue reading...
Most of 51 brands tested, including those for children, contained dangerous heavy metalToothpaste can be widely contaminated with lead and other dangerous heavy metals, new research shows.Most of 51 brands of toothpaste tested for lead contained the dangerous heavy metal, including those for children, or marketed as green. The testing, conducted by Lead Safe Mama, also found concerning levels of highly toxic arsenic, mercury and cadmium in many brands. Continue reading...
Deal will create third largest independent delivery business serving online retailers in BritainThe UK parcel delivery company Yodel has been snapped up by the Polish parcel locker firm InPost in a 106m deal that will create the third-largest independent delivery business serving online retailers in Britain.InPost, which placed its first locker in Krakow in 2009, said the takeover would combine its drop-off and collection network with Yodel's home delivery capabilities, seamlessly integrating out-of-home and to-door solutions" under a single brand. Continue reading...
Russia remains a key arms supplier in South-east Asia, and Trump's unstable leadership is providing more opportunities to make inroadsA defence industry report claiming that Russia requested a permanent base for its warplanes in Indonesia's remote Papua region, right on Australia's northern doorstep, sent Canberra into a tailspin. But in Indonesia, it was the frenzy whipped up in Australia's tight election campaign that came as the real surprise.Foreign policy and defence experts are highly sceptical about the prospect that Jakarta would ever acquiesce to such a Russian request, and besides, it is hardly new. Moscow has sought permanent basing rights for its planes at Indonesia's Biak airfield in Papua for almost half a century - and not once has it won approval. Continue reading...
City authorities still hope the scheme, which made an unexpected 2.4m last year, will help tackle overtourismVenice's entrance fee will resume from Friday, with the main novelty this year being that last-minute day-trippers will pay double.Last year, as part of an experiment aimed at dissuading day visitors during busy periods, Venice became the first major tourist city in the world to charge people to enter. Continue reading...
Government seeks ways to shield industry from possible US levies amid concern over effect on medicine supplyMinisters are having an active conversation" with UK pharmaceutical firms about the potential impact of US tariffs, amid calls for an emergency taskforce to make sure the supply of medicines is not disrupted.The UK government has been trying to head off the threat of tariffs to the pharmaceuticals industry, which exports about 7bn of goods to the US - just behind the 8.3bn of car exports. Continue reading...
Israel Katz says blocking aid is one of the main pressure levers' on Hamas while military announces it has turned 30% of Gaza into buffer zoneIsrael has said it will keep blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, as it vowed to force Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages from the 7 October attacks.Aid supplies including food, fuel, water and medicine have been blocked by Israel from entering Gaza since 2 March, more than two weeks before the collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group with a return to air and ground attacks on the territory. Continue reading...
A unambiguous decision by the supreme court helps MPs, MSPs and others dodge difficult questionsFor all the negative stereotypes, many politicians are thoughtful, diligent and caring. But they are also human, and it is their more self-serving instincts that may have caused some to breathe a sigh of relief at the supreme court ruling on gender recognition.After a challenge by the gender-critical group For Women Scotland - which started out as a dispute over Scottish government legislation about female representation on public boards - judges ruled that the terms woman" and sex" in the Equality Act refer to biological women and biological sex. Continue reading...
Officials discuss plan to exchange people who come to UK irregularly for some with family case for being in BritainThe British and French governments are involved in early talks about a returns agreement that would involve both countries exchanging people seeking asylum.Officials have discussed a pilot scheme under which a small number of people who come across the Channel to the UK by irregular means would be sent back to France. Continue reading...
Parents of Isaiah Haastrup and Zainab Abbasi, who died in 2018 and 2019, have said they want to tell their story'Doctors in two end-of-life cases can be named, the UK supreme court has ruled, after the parents of two children said they wanted to tell their story".Isaiah Haastrup, aged 12 months, and Zainab Abbasi, six, were at the centre of life-support treatment disputes at the high court in London before their deaths in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Continue reading...
Upheaval follows decision to shift timing of first debate over fears of clash with Montreal Canadiens ice hockey gameCanada's Green party has been removed from the country's two election debates amid accusations it would undermine the integrity" of the events, just hours before leaders square off in Montreal.The last-minute upheaval follows a decision to shift the timing of the first televised debate on Wednesday evening over fears the French language showdown would clash with a closely watched Montreal Canadiens ice hockey game. Continue reading...
Coalition frontbencher walks back claim that Russian defence minister and Chinese leader had said publicly they did not want Peter Dutton as prime minister
Lord forgive me. I am quite shameless', author playfully wrote in note weeks after horror novel published in 1897He had just unleashed one of the most famed gothic horror books on the world, a blood-curdling classic that chilled readers and has inspired countless authors, film-makers and video game developers ever since.But a rare note that Bram Stoker wrote just weeks after Dracula was published in 1897 gives a glimpse into the playful fun he must have had with the novel. Continue reading...
Providers reprimanded for pressuring customers, exploiting women's insecurities or trivialising medical risksThe Advertising Standards Authority has reprimanded six cosmetic treatment providers for pressuring customers, exploiting women's insecurities or trivialising medical risks after an investigation into adverts for liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs).The cosmetic procedure, which involves injecting fillers into the buttocks to enhance their shape and size, is unregulated in the UK and can carry significant health risks, not least from potentially life-threatening infections. Continue reading...
by Robyn Vinter North of England correspondent on (#6WNAV)
Exclusive: Number of 18- to 24-year-olds needing help in England and Wales doubles in five years as services take calls every day in 2024Honeypot locations posted on social media and poor-quality navigation apps are likely to be responsible for a record number of callouts for mountain rescue services, including a huge rise in young people needing saved, analysis reveals.For the first time, mountain rescue teams in England and Wales were called out every day of the year in 2024. Callouts in Scotland topped 1,000 for the first time. Continue reading...
The sector, which had been set a target to reduce spillages by 40%, needs radical reform', campaigners sayWater companies have missed their targets to reduce pollution with 2,487 incidents recorded in 2024 - twice the limit set by the Environment Agency.Data revealed under freedom of information law shows the companies were collectively set an Environment Agency target of a 40% reduction in pollution incidents, but instead recorded a 30% increase. Continue reading...
Post office says it definitely' won't collect tariffs on Washington's behalf and Hongkongers should prepare to pay exorbitant feesHong Kong Post said on Wednesday it had suspended goods mail services by sea to the US and will suspend its air mail postal service for items containing goods from 27 April due to bullying" US tariffs.When sending items to the US, people in Hong Kong should be prepared to pay exorbitant and unreasonable fees due to the US's unreasonable and bullying acts", Hong Kong Post said in a statement. Continue reading...
by Presented by Hannah Moore with Maanvi Singh; produ on (#6WN94)
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was deported, detained and flown to a notorious prison - before officials admitted they had made an error. Why is he still there? Maanvi Singh reportsKilmar Abrego Garcia was 16 when he came to the US, after his family were targeted by criminal gangs in his home of El Salvador. He joined his brother in Maryland and started a new life.In 2019, he was arrested by immigration officials and accused of being a gang member, but his lawyers argued there was no evidence for this, pointed out he had no criminal convictions and insisted he should not be sent back to a country where he was himself at risk from criminal gangs. A judge agreed and gave him protected status so he could not be deported. Continue reading...
Consumption and production falls in almost every market as industry fears a generational' change in drinking habitsWorldwide consumption of wine fell in 2024 to its lowest level in more than 60 years, the main trade body has said, raising concerns about new risks from US tariffs.The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) said on Tuesday that 2024 sales fell 3.3% from the previous year to 214.2m hectolitres. Continue reading...
Some dismissed for saying they couldn't be impartial, with no jurors picked for New York rape retrialAs jury selection started on Tuesday in Harvey Weinstein's New York City rape retrial, some prospective jurors made clear they couldn't be fair in judging the Hollywood mogul turned #MeToo pariah.
Court hands out sentences of over five years for extremism, accusing journalists of working for the late politician's Anti-Corruption FoundationA Russian court has convicted four journalists of extremism for working for an anti-corruption group founded by the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny and sentenced them to five and a half years in prison each.Antonina Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergey Karelin and Artyom Kriger were found guilty of involvement with a group that had been labelled as extremist. All four had maintained their innocence, arguing they were being prosecuted for doing their jobs as journalists. Continue reading...
Move follows Algiers' expulsion of diplomats, after France's arrest of man linked to abduction of influencer Amir DZFrance has expelled 12 Algerian consular and diplomatic officials and recalled its ambassador in Algiers, the French presidency said on Tuesday, in a retaliatory measure as a spat escalates between the two countries.The Algerian authorities are responsible for the sudden degradation of our bilateral relations," President Emmanuel Macron's office said. Continue reading...
Slow TV is attracting viewers with hits such as a knitting marathon, burning firewood and swimming salmonMost of the time, nothing much happens. A wide Nordic river, melting snow still lining its banks, meanders peacefully through a pristine forest of spruce and pine. But this spring, as every spring for the past six years, a lot of people will be glued to it.When Den stora algvandringen - variously translated as The Great Moose Migration or The Great Elk Trek - first aired on the public broadcaster SVT's on-demand platform in 2019, nearly a million people tuned in. Last year, it was 9 million. Continue reading...
Mark Rutte makes unannounced visit to Odesa and tells Zelenskyy that Nato support is unwavering'The EU has said that significant joint efforts will be needed" for a successful outcome to trade talks at the end of Donald Trump's 90-day pause on tariffs.The European Commission, which handles trade policy for the 27 EU member states, was reporting back on a meeting between its lead trade official Maro efovi and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Monday.The EU will continue to approach these talks in a constructive manner, with a view to identify areas of common interest. It is clear that significant joint efforts will be needed to achieve a successful outcome within the 90-day window.The EU is doing its part. Now it is necessary for the US to define its position. As with every negotiation this must be a two-way street... With both sides bringing something to the table." Continue reading...
Business secretary says plant may need different employment footprint' in future after government takeover of siteThe business secretary has refused to rule out redundancies at the Scunthorpe steelworks, despite calls from trade unions to end the programme of job losses started by its former owners.Jonathan Reynolds said on Tuesday the plant might need to have a different employment footprint" after the government's takeover, even as he promised to try to save the plant's two blast furnaces. Continue reading...
Andrew Tate being sued by four women and three-week trial scheduled for early 2027A civil case against Andrew Tate over allegations he subjected four women to sexual violence and coercive control is the first case of its kind, a judge has been told.The influencer is being sued by two women who worked for his webcam business in Luton, Bedfordshire, in 2015 and two former girlfriends in 2013 and 2014. Continue reading...
Airstrike prompts UN warning that humanitarian crisis is at its worst since fighting broke out 18 months agoA medic has been killed in an Israeli missile strike on a hospital in Gaza.The attack on Tuesday came two days after another major hospital was targeted, fuelling warnings from the UN that the humanitarian crisis in the territory is now the worst it has been since conflict began. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Social affairs correspondent on (#6WMNS)
GMB in pay dispute with council in Peterborough and Aberdeen staff to strike over working conditionsBin strikes could spread to other council areas across the country as cash-strapped local authorities make further cuts, a union leader has warned as the dispute between refuse workers and the city council in Birmingham continues.There have been warnings of a public health emergency in Birmingham as bin bags have piled up in the streets and there has been an influx of rats, more than a month after refuse collectors launched an all-out indefinite strike. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: In describing the bombing of the city of Sumy as a mistake" and sidelining dissenting voices, the White House's passivity towards Russia questions its commitment to peaceGood morning. Russia claimed that its ballistic missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy was aimed at Ukrainian army commanders. But the truth is that the attack's brutal toll was exacted against ordinary people.The deaths of at least 34 people made it the worst single attack on civilians in Ukraine this year. But the most Donald Trump would say was that he had been told it was a mistake". It appears unlikely he will take up Volodymyr Zelenskyy's invitation, issued yesterday, to visit Ukraine and see the consequences of the invasion for himself.British Steel | Senior Labour figures have urged the government to review Chinese investment in UK infrastructure in the wake of the British Steel crisis. Downing Street and the Treasury said they believed the row to be an isolated commercial dispute, even though the business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has not ruled out deliberate Chinese sabotage of the Scunthorpe plant.Sudan | Sudan is suffering from the largest humanitarian crisis globally and its civilians are continuing to pay the price for inaction by the international community, NGOs and the UN have said, as the country's civil war enters its third year. The UK is hosting ministers from 20 countries in London on Tuesday in an attempt to restart stalled peace talks.Politics | The former Conservative MP Craig Williams is among 15 people, including several other senior Tories, charged by the Gambling Commission for alleged cheating connected to bets based on the date of the 2024 UK general election.UK news | Bin workers have overwhelmingly" rejected a deal that would have ended an all-out strike in Birmingham, during which bin bags have piled up in the streets and the city has faced an influx of rats.Space | Six women safely completed a trip to the edge of outer space on a rocket belonging to Jeff Bezos, the Amazon co-founder. The crew included Bezos's fiancee, Lauren Sanchez, and the pop star Katy Perry, who said on landing that she was really feeling that divine feminine right now". Continue reading...
Issue is seen as a key stumbling block in talks with US as Washington seeks to scale back Iran's nuclear programmeIran is expected to resist a US proposal to transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country - such as Russia - as part of Washington's effort to scale back Tehran's civil nuclear programme and prevent it from being used to develop a nuclear weapon.The issue, seen as one of the key stumbling blocks to a future agreement, was raised in the initial, largely indirect, talks held in Muscat, Oman, between Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, and Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff. Continue reading...
NGOs warn of some difficult years' ahead as increasing humanitarian needs meet shrinking financesThe dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has captured headlines, but very regrettable" reductions in European aid budgets are also contributing to a void in support for some of the poorest people in the world's most fragile states, according to MEPs and NGOs.Isabella Lovin, a deputy chair of the European parliament's development committee, said USAID cuts would have very dramatic consequences around the world". But she also criticised recent decisions by EU member states to reduce their aid budgets as very regrettable" and wrong". It would be impossible for the EU to fill the gap, she added. Continue reading...
Owner of Michelin-starred Veeraswamy, London, heads to high court to object to heartless' plans to upgrade buildingIt has been a fixture of British-Indian dining since it first opened its doors in April 1926 on the day of Elizabeth II's birth, serving guests over the decades ranging from Marlon Brando to the late Queen herself.Yet despite surviving the Blitz and London's relentlessly competitive restaurant sector, a dispute with the current monarch's property developer threatens the survival of London's oldest Indian restaurant just short of its 100th anniversary. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian