World news | The Guardian

Leftwing challenger Luisa Gonzalez in statistical tie with President Daniel Noboa who champions iron fist' policyEcuadorians go to the polls on Sunday in a vote seen as a referendum on a war on drugs" offensive that has led to numerous human rights violations, as the incumbent Daniel Noboa faces the leftist Luisa Gonzalez in a tightly contested runoff.Noboa, 37, edged out Gonzalez, 47, in the first round in February by just 16,746 votes (0.17%) from a 13.7 million electorate. Continue reading...

Major incident declared and surrounding homes evacuated after suspected gas explosion in terrace house in WorksopA major incident has been declared following a suspected gas explosion at a home in Nottinghamshire on Saturday evening that partly destroyed the property.Nearby homes in Worksop were evacuated as fire crews and the East Midlands ambulance service worked to account for all residents. On Saturday night, it was unclear if the blast had caused any casualties. Continue reading...

Lord Peter Hendy apologises after being spotted texting behind wheel of vintage Routemaster in LondonThe rail minister, Lord Peter Hendy, has reported himself to the police after he was spotted using a mobile phone while driving a vintage Routemaster bus in London during a charity tour.The former Transport for London commissioner apologised for what has been described as an error of judgment" after a passenger saw him texting behind the wheel of the double-decker last month. Continue reading...

Australia's consumer watchdog says it is investigating complaints of social media ads purporting to be from local boutiques

Iranian foreign minister hails calm and respectful environment' to mediated talks in OmanIran and the US completed a successful opening round of indirect talks in Oman designed to prevent the weaponisation of Iran's nuclear programme. In a sign the talks over a joint agenda had gone well, they agreed to meet again on 19 April.A breakdown would have come if Donald Trump had demanded the complete dismantling of Iran's civil nuclear programme, something that Iran is not prepared to contemplate. Iran insists it is pursuing only a civil nuclear programme, but Donald Trump took the US out of the previous nuclear deal claiming Tehran's regime was seeking a nuclear weapon. Continue reading...

Musician best known for tracks such as Chase the Devil and War Ina Babylon rose to fame in the 1960sMax Romeo, the influential Jamaican reggae artist best known for tracks such as Chase the Devil and War Ina Babylon, has died at the age of 80.The singer, known to his family and friends as Maxie Smith, died after heart complications in Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica, on Friday. Continue reading...

Emergency legislation giving government power to instruct British Steel to keep plant open passed unopposed

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereIt's been a busy morning for Sarah Jones, who is now on BBC Breakfast.Asked whether the government had received any private offers for the company's Scunthorpe plant, Sarah Jones said:There is not at the moment, to answer your question, a private company that is there willing to invest at this point.When we came into government, there was a deal on the table with Tata Steel in Port Talbot.We negotiated in 10 weeks a much better deal, but there was a private company willing to invest, who are now investing.We are hoping that the company will co-operate with what we are asking them to do, we hope that we will give them a notice and they will continue.If they do not, we will step in. Now the company will be liable for any costs that we incur, and we will seek to get that money back.We have the 2.5 billion fund for steel which we had in our manifesto, that we will use if necessary, so there will be no extra costs to the Exchequer that we don't already have in our plans. Continue reading...

Senior Kyiv economist describes latest postion of Trump administration in talks as colonial-type' bullyingThe US has demanded control of a crucial pipeline in Ukraine used to send Russian gas to Europe, according to reports, in a move described as a colonial shakedown.US and Ukrainian officials met on Friday to discuss White House proposals for a minerals deal. Donald Trump wants Kyiv to hand over its natural resources as payback" in return for weapons delivered by the previous Biden administration. Continue reading...

Presenter given the all-clear after doctors found a benign colloid cyst during a health checkup last yearDavina McCall announced that her benign brain tumour is not coming back" after recent MRI scans.The former Big Brother presenter had surgery in November 2024 after doctors found a colloid cyst during a health checkup as part of her advocacy work for menopause. Continue reading...

Government introduces measure to prevent spread of foot-and-mouth disease after rise in cases across EuropeTourists from Great Britain who travel to the continent to satisfy their epicurean desires for cured meats and fragrant cheeses will be frustrated in their attempts to bring home some of their favourite foods after a ban on meat and dairy imports from EU countries came into force this weekend.From Saturday, holidaymakers will no longer be able to bring meat from cattle, sheep, goats or pigs, or dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use, in a move aimed at preventing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) after a rise in cases across Europe. Continue reading...

Only a quarter of staff are satisfied with how their department tackles bullying and harassment, FoI requests revealOnly a quarter of staff at Cambridge University are satisfied with how their department tackles bullying and harassment, according to an internal survey seen by the Observer.Cambridge undertook its staff culture survey in January 2024 and is now facing accusations from academics that it tried to cover up the grim" results, which have been released through freedom of information (FoI) requests. Continue reading...

Petition calls for official recognition of the historic and traditional serving method' that is unique to the UK'It is one of Britain's most historic drinks, still sold in thousands of pubs across the nation, but cask beer has long been in decline.Besides suffering from a reputation as an old man's drink" and the divisive debate over the cellar temperature" at which it is served, the number of establishments selling it, and the volume and value of sales, have all dropped dramatically in recent years. Continue reading...

Recall for steel debate is an unusual event but bout of presenteeism has not gone unnoticed by constituents on XFor the millions of people in the UK employed in industries where weekend working is the norm, the X feeds of MPs in Westminster may be a little hard to stomach.For while doctors, nurses, hospitality workers and, yes, journalists regularly put the hours in while others are enjoying their weekends, they rarely feel the need to take a selfie on the commute to prove it. Continue reading...

Trump's tariffs were sometimes played down, sometimes cheered but rarely seriously questioned by the rightWhile Donald Trump recently instituted and paused hefty tariffs, sparking a trade war and chaos in financial markets, most of the country's conservative media either applauded the US president or critiqued the policy but not the person behind it, according to journalists and observers of conservative media.Meanwhile, economists, business leaders, Democrats and even some Republicans warned that the tariffs, which prompted the largest American stock market drop since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, could cause a recession. Continue reading...

Prolific Canadian director also made one of the country's first internationally successful films, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, starring Richard DreyfussTed Kotcheff, the prolific Canadian director of films including First Blood, Weekend at Bernie's, Wake in Fright and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, has died aged 94. His daughter Kate Kotcheff told the Canadian Press that he had died of heart failure on Thursday in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, where he lived. His son Thomas said: He died of old age, peacefully, and surrounded by loved ones."In an amazingly varied career, Kotcheff's work ranged from hardhitting TV plays and low-budget features in the UK, to hit Hollywood comedies and prestige-laden award-winners and cult films. Kate Kotcheff said: He was an amazing storyteller. He was an incredible, larger than life character [and] he was a director who could turn his hand to anything." Continue reading...

Casual attitude as markets fall suggests man detached from anxieties of ordinary voters - and surrounded by yes menAfter lighting a fuse under global financial markets, Donald Trump stepped back - all the way to a Florida golf course. A week later, having just caved to pressure to ease his trade tariffs, the US president defended the retreat while hosting racing car champions at the White House.Trump had spent the time in between golfing, dining with donors and making insouciant declarations such as this is a great time to get rich", even as the US economy melted down. Continue reading...

Four senior officers say more controls needed, amid claims platforms are fuelling and enabling' crimeSenior UK police officers have called for the government to ban children under 16 from social media, amid claims the platforms are fuelling and enabling" crime.In the most recent development in the moral panic that has gripped the media since Netflix's Adolescence was released, four of the most senior policing figures in the country told the Times that further controls on social media platforms were necessary for public safety, national security and young people's mental health. Continue reading...

Inmates in several prisons given chance to study ethics and rhetoric to inform contemporary life' and skillsA classical education, once the preserve of Eton, Oxbridge and the likes of Boris Johnson, is being made available to inmates serving time in prisons.In a break from the kind of curriculum usually on offer inside - lessons in literacy, numeracy, tiling and decorating - a small number of prisoners are being offered the opportunity to learn life skills from the ancient philosophers. Continue reading...

Duke of Sussex says removal of security after he and Meghan left royal duties was difficult to swallow'Prince Harry has said he is exhausted" by his lengthy legal battle to reinstate his police protection.According to the Daily Telegraph, Harry believes that his UK security was removed to force" him back into Britain and establishment life". Continue reading...

Journalist shares details of broadcaster's dislike for Brummie accent as archives of her life and career to be cataloguedThe BBC had an unofficial league table of the most loved and despised accents, the war correspondent Kate Adie has revealed. And the most hated? Brummie.Geordie was liked, she told an audience in Sunderland, but from one end of the country to the other it was Birmingham that was particularly disliked. Continue reading...

Tehran's nuclear program at stake in Oman after Trump's surprise announcement - can a breakthrough be reached?Historical metaphor refers to them as Nixon in China" moments: diplomatic encounters where leaders representing political systems implacably opposed to each other overcome their mistrust to achieve unexpected breakthroughs.Yet few meetings can have held less obvious prospect of the success achieved by President Richard Nixon's historic 1972 visit to Beijing than that scheduled to take place in Oman on Saturday between representatives of the United States and Iran. Continue reading...

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Exclusive: Police set up taskforce to tackle online violence as young men seek victims on eating disorder forumsYoung men and boys fuelled by strongly misogynistic" online material are hunting for vulnerable women and girls to exploit on websites such as eating disorder and suicide forums, senior officers have said.The threat from young males wanting to carry out serious harm is so serious that counter-terrorism officers are joining the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the hunt for them, fearing they could go on to attack or kill. Continue reading...

Senator channels US president during election campaign event, but says Coalition's government efficiency unit not an ode to Donald Tump'

Golani troops were under command of reservist Armoured 14th Brigade, part of division led by Brig Gen Yehuda VachThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit involved in the killings of 15 Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers in the Gaza Strip last month was under the command of a brigade led by a notorious Israeli general previously accused by some of his own troops of having contempt for human life".The IDF has confirmed that troops from Golani, one of the army's five infantry brigades, opened fire on two convoys of ambulances in Rafah on 23 March and dug a mass grave to cover the bodies of those killed until the corpses could be retrieved by a UN team six days later. It has disputed allegations from two witnesses who exhumed the bodies and newly released postmortem results that found several of those killed had close-range gunshot wounds to the head and chest and were discovered with their hands or legs tied. Continue reading...

Matt Wrack in line to become leader of traditionally moderate union despite lack of teaching experienceMinisters have expressed concern at a teaching union's nomination of Matt Wrack for its next general secretary, criticising the appointment for his lack of education experience and for being out of step with the mainstream views" of members.Wrack, who was the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) until his re-election bid was defeated in January, would be the first leader in the NASUWT's history to have never been a qualified teacher or lecturer. Continue reading...

Thorburn was jailed for life after admitting to killing the 12-year-old foster child after his son Trent confessed to sexually assaulting herRick Thorburn, the Queensland man who was serving life in jail for the murder of 12-year-old foster child Tiahleigh Palmer, has been found dead in his cell.Queensland Corrective Services confirmed he had died in his Woodford Correctional Centre cell on Saturday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Survey by the Independent Cinema Office shows urgent need for capital investment in sectorAlmost a third of independent cinemas face closure within next three to five years without investment, according to new research.A survey conducted by the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) found that 31% of independent cinemas and mixed arts venues in the UK said they would not be able to remain operational without capital investment, while a further 28% were unsure of their future viability. Continue reading...

Swedes are stockpiling supplies of the drink amid cost hikes, with some saying the coffee culture is changingNursing an iced chai latte in a Stockholm department store, Emma Tomth says she has cut down her cafe coffee consumption considerably. The 28-year-old social media manager used to buy a latte most days, but with prices having gone up by about 15-20 kronor (about 1-1.50), she has cut down to two or three times a week.But it is not just about coffee. The economy also extends to fika - the historically hardwired Swedish tradition of meeting for a catch-up over a coffee and a biscuit or cake. Many I know are abstaining from meeting for fika to save money. So we do something else instead," Tomth says. Low-cost alternatives include meeting at home or going on walks, but it is not quite the same as fika, which plays a key social role in an otherwise often introverted society. Continue reading...

Weather bureau predicts high-pressure system will bring above-average temperatures across south-east Australia

International affairs editor was taken to hospital last year after appearing shaky and struggling to read newsThe broadcaster Rageh Omaar has carried out his first foreign dispatch for ITV since he was taken to hospital last year after falling ill while presenting the News at Ten.The ITV News international affairs editor, 57, featured in a prerecorded package on west Africa on ITV's News at Ten on Friday evening. Continue reading...

Mahdi, who killed an officer in 2004, endured torture in his childhood and argued he was denied a fair trialA prison firing squad in South Carolina executed Mikal Mahdi on Friday, the second recent death row killing in the state by authorized gunfire.Mahdi, 42, was shot dead by corrections employees inside the execution chamber, where authorities have carried out a rapid spree of killings as South Carolina aggressively revives capital punishment. Continue reading...

School district says DHS agents, seeking five students in first through sixth grades, were barred from enteringImmigration officials attempted to enter two Los Angeles elementary schools this week, but were turned away by school administrators. The incident appears to be the Trump administration's first attempt to enter the city's public schools since amending regulations to allow immigration agents to enter sensitive areas" such as schools.At a Thursday press conference, the Los Angeles unified school district superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, confirmed that agents from the Department of Homeland Security were seeking five students in first through sixth grades. Continue reading...

Move comes after professors sued and alleged investigation violated their constitutional free speech rightsThe US House education and workforce committee withdrew an investigation into Northwestern University's law school clinics after professors there sued and alleged that the inquiry violated their constitutional free speech rights.The professors secured what amounted to a legal victory for them on Thursday, when the House committee withdrew its investigative requests with respect to the university and its law school's Bluhm Legal Clinic program on Thursday. Continue reading...

Department seeks instances of bias, with emphasis on Christianity, that may have occurred under BidenThe state department is ordering staff to report colleagues for instances of anti-Christian bias" during the Biden administration, part of Donald Trump's aggressive push to reshape government policy on religious expression in his first months back in office.The internal cable, obtained by the Guardian, establishes a short seven-day window for employees to report perceived religious discrimination committed by state department officials, with particular emphasis on Christianity. Continue reading...

Actor claims working with Oscar nominee on set of thriller Girl is one of the all time worst experiences' of her lifeBella Thorne has accused fellow US actor Mickey Rourke of bruising her genitals with a metal grinder on the set of a movie that they filmed together during what she described as one of the all time worst experiences" of her career.In a story on her Instagram account on Friday, Thorne alleged that the episode was part of a broader campaign to humiliate her while they collaborated on the 2020 thriller Girl. She wrote: This fucking dude. GROSS" and relayed the account in writing over a copy of a BBC article reporting that Celebrity Big Brother's producers had reprimanded him for aiming homophobic comments at the singer JoJo Siwa while they competed on the reality show. Continue reading...

Vanessa Brown called police response in Cobham, Surrey, a complete overreaction' that left her catatonic'A history teacher has said she was arrested and blocked from seeing her daughters after she confiscated their iPads.Vanessa Brown, 50, described her unspeakable devastation and trauma" after spending seven-and-a-half hours in a cell on 26 March after a claim that she had stolen two iPads. Continue reading...

Parliament recalled on Saturday for emergency vote to pass bill taking assets into public control

Closing submission from Gavin Millar KC says actor's legal team tried to portray an elaborate conspiracy theory'Noel Clarke has been shown to be precisely the man" depicted in the Guardian's articles accusing him of sexual misconduct, vindicating its journalism, the high court has heard.In closing submissions in the former Doctor Who actor's libel claim against Guardian News and Media (GNM), Gavin Millar KC said Clarke had been forced to come up with an elaborate conspiracy theory" to try to rebut the overwhelming evidence" against him.Over 15 years, he used his power to prey on and harass female colleagues.He sometimes bullied female colleagues.He engaged in unwanted sexual contact, kissing, touching or groping.He engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments.He was involved in professional misconduct.He took and shared explicit pictures and videos without consent, including secretly filming a young actor's naked audition. Continue reading...

Kimberley Cookson, 22, faces one count of gross negligence manslaughter for Noah Sibanda's deathA nursery worker from Dudley has been charged with manslaughter over the death of a 14-month-old boy.Noah Sibanda, described by his parents as a beautiful, happy and easy-going little boy", died after an incident at Fairytales Day Nursery in Bourne Street in Dudley on 9 December 2022. Continue reading...

Average man from Derbyshire' shocked to find photo of tattoo celebrating child's birth was used to deport migrantsA British man was shocked to discover that a photo of his tattoo was included in a US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document used to identify alleged members of a notorious Venezuelan criminal gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA).Earlier this week, 44-year-old Pete Belton, who lives in the English county of Derbyshire, told the BBC that he was stunned to find a photo of his forearm tattoo featured in a DHS document among nine images of tattoos intended to assist in detecting and identifying" TdA members. Continue reading...

Call to prioritise reset with Europe comes after top adviser to Trump downplays prospect of US tariffs being reduced

Exclusive: Action comes five years after lack of legal recognition for humanist marriage in England and Wales was ruled discriminatoryTwo couples are taking the government to court over its failure to legalise humanist marriage in England and Wales five years after a ruling that the lack of recognition was discriminatory.Engaged couples Terri O'Sullivan and Edd Berrill, from Coventry, and Nicole Shasha and Rory Booth, from Leicester, are preparing to go to court in their fight to be married in line with their humanist beliefs. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Zahid Safi, who is running in Melbourne seat of Bruce, listed as last author on 2021 Senate submission which says victims of Afghanistan war not based on ethnicity'

In a single stroke, Donald Trump undid a century of US trade liberalisation -then, tried to pause it. What changed his mind?

Judge passes suspended sentence on Lisa Davenport, who smothered Barrie Davenport in 2022 in an act of mercy'A woman who killed her terminally ill father has been spared an immediate prison sentence, with the judge saying he had taken a merciful course".Dr Lisa Davenport, 55, smothered Barrie Davenport, 88, with a pillow at his home in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in October 2022. Continue reading...

California music festival to see record highs and headlining sets from Lady Gaga, Post Malone and Green DayStars such as Lady Gaga, Charli xcx, Ed Sheeran and Missy Elliott will face blazing temperatures this weekend at an unusually hot Coachella festival.The California-based festival will soar to potentially record-breaking highs of 103F (over 39C) in its first of two consecutive weekends, around 10-20 degrees higher than what's typically expected at this time of year. Continue reading...

Kremlin is also quoted as saying the pair will talk about Ukraine and may discuss Putin's meeting with Trump'Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov has offered an update on talks and commitments made in Brussels, as he posted about Germany's declaration it would offer 11bn in further military help to Ukraine up to 2029.He said:The deliveries from in 2025 will help us defend our skies (IRIS-T systems with missiles, PATRIOT missiles) and strengthen our positions on the battlefield (Marders, Leopards, artillery systems). Thank you, Germany, for standing by our side. Together, we will ensure a just and lasting peace in Europe. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Lawsuit says unconstitutional' order violates right to share information with court's chief prosecutorDonald Trump's executive order imposing sanctions on the international criminal court (ICC) is facing a legal challenge from two US human rights advocates who argue it is unconstitutional and unlawful".In a lawsuit filed in federal court on Friday, the advocates said the order had forced them to stop assisting and engaging with the ICC out of fear the US government would punish them with criminal prosecution and civil fines. Continue reading...