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Relief had been granted after president Nicolas Maduro promised to hold free and fair elections this yearThe Biden administration has reimposed crushing oil sanctions on Venezuela, admonishing the president Nicolas Maduro's attempts to consolidate his rule just six months after the US eased restrictions in a bid to support now fading hopes for a democratic opening in the Opec nation.A senior US official, discussing the decision with reporters, said any US company investing in Venezuela would have 45 days to wind down operations to avoid adding uncertainty to global energy markets. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss US policy deliberations. Continue reading...

IDS shares rise after reports that it rejected bid from Daniel Ketinsky's EP Group

Legislation to go back to Commons after peers stand up for rights of Afghans and scrutiny of refugees' treatmentThe parliamentary battle over Rishi Sunak's Rwanda deportation bill will spill into next week after the Lords refused to budge over the rights of Afghans and scrutiny of the treatment of refugees in east Africa.The move prompted an immediate backlash from the home secretary, James Cleverly, who blamed Labour for blocking the bill and being terrified" that the Rwanda plan would stop asylum seekers from travelling to the UK in small boats. Continue reading...

Move follows vote in Commons where MPs voted down four amendments inserted by Lords yesterdayHere is the list of MPs down to ask a question.PMQs is starting soon. Continue reading...

More than 800 people evacuated from Mount Ruang as alert level raised to four - highest in four-tier systemAuthorities in Indonesia have issued a tsunami alert after a volcano erupted several times in the country's southernmost region, spewing a column of smoke more than a mile into the sky and forcing hundreds of people to be evacuated from their homes.Mount Ruang, a stratovolcano in North Sulawesi province, first erupted at 9.45pm local time on Tuesday and then four times on Wednesday, Indonesia's volcanology agency said. Continue reading...

Alexander De Croo and Petr Fiala raise concerns about Russian interference as EU heads gather with Middle East also on the agendaFurther restrictive measures against Iran following Tehran's attack on Israel will be discussed over dinner tonight when the EU's leaders meet in Brussels.On the table are potential measures to impose sanctions on Iran's missile and drone programmes as well as Russia-style sanctions on individuals or companies that support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Man whose uncle died in 2017 disaster describes ad for pain relief gel Voltarol as insulting'Grenfell Tower has been edited out of a TV advert in a move described as insulting" by a family bereaved by the June 2017 disaster.Karim Mussilhy, whose uncle Hesham Rahman was among 72 people who died as a result of the fire, noticed the edit while watching the Channel 4 streaming service on Monday when an advert for the pain relief gel Voltarol showed people playing football on the Westway football pitches close to the council block. Continue reading...

Carers say Department for Work and Pensions warns financial penalties could increase if they challenge repayment ordersGovernment officials have been accused of using threatening and cruel" tactics towards unpaid carers by saying they could face even greater financial penalties if they appeal against vindictive" benefit fines.This month a Guardian investigation revealed that thousands of people who look after disabled, frail or ill relatives have been forced to pay back huge sums after being chased by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over honest mistakes" that officials could have spotted years earlier. Continue reading...

Shock in Brazil after woman is arrested and charged with violating a corpse and attempted theft through fraudWhen Erika de Souza Vieira wheeled her lethargic-looking uncle into a Brazilian bank, clerks quickly sensed something was amiss.I don't think he's well. He doesn't look well at all," remarked one distrustful employee as Vieira tried to get her elderly relative to sign off on a 17,000 reais ($3,250) loan. Continue reading...

IDF confirms buying thousands of tents for evacuation, raising fears over long-threatened attackIsrael has reportedly deployed extra artillery and armoured personnel carriers to the Gaza Strip periphery, suggesting that the military is preparing for its long-threatened ground offensive on Rafah, the only place of relative safety for at least 1.4 million displaced Palestinian civilians.Israeli daily Ma'ariv also said on Wednesday that troops had been put on alert and the governing principle of the operation" had been approved by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) general staff and Yoav Gallant, the defence minister. The IDF declined to comment on the reports. Continue reading...

Allan Leighton denies having received any warnings that the Horizon IT system was unreliableA former chair of Royal Mail has apologised for the tragic and diabolically unfair" prosecutions of post office operators, but denied ever having been informed of suspected problems with the Post Office's faulty Horizon computer system.Allan Leighton, who chaired Royal Mail from 2002 to 2009, when it also owned the Post Office, told a statutory inquiry that had absolutely not" received any warnings that the Horizon system was unreliable. Continue reading...

UK foreign secretary is probably first non-Israeli politician to admit military reprisal is inevitable but urges Israel not to escalateDavid Cameron has said it is clear Israel is making a decision to act" in response to last weekend's Iranian mass drone and ballistic missile attack, as Benjamin Netanyahu brushed off calls for restraint and said his country would make its own decisions about how to defend itself.Lord Cameron, the UK foreign secretary, speaking on a visit to Jerusalem, said he hoped the Israeli response would be carried out in a way that minimised escalation. Continue reading...

Record sum follows almost 320,000 train services being cancelled or part cancelled in past year in Britain

Andrzej Duda's visit comes as European leaders prepare for Trump's possible return to White HouseAndrzej Duda, Poland's conservative president, is expected to meet Donald Trump in New York on Wednesday evening, as some European politicians begin preparing for Trump's possible return to the White House.Many mainstream European leaders fear the potential impact of a US that is less engaged on the continent, and less committed to the future of Ukraine. Continue reading...

Actor had accused publisher of unlawful information-gathering in case that was due to go to trial alongside Prince Harry next yearHugh Grant has said he has settled a high court claim against the publisher of the Sun for an enormous sum".The actor had accused the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun of phone hacking, unlawful information-gathering, landline tapping, bugging his phone and burgling his flat and office. His case was due to go to trial at London's high court in January 2025, alongside those of other high-profile individuals including Prince Harry and the Labour peer Doreen Lawrence. Continue reading...

Letter by William DeHart Hubbard, first black athlete to win an individual gold medal at tournament, is arriving in UK for first time everFor many people, the 1924 Paris Olympics will - thanks to the 1981 film Chariots of Fire - always be associated with slow-motion images of British runners beating the Americans against the odds, while Vangelis's haunting score plays in the background.But an exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, timed to coincide with the event's return to the French capital, aims to show that the Parisian games a century ago were a turning point, not just for British athletics, but also for race, politics and the rise of celebrity. Continue reading...

Steve Green says vehicle, bought in Australia in 1998, is on way to totting up million milesThe owners of VW campervans often become deeply attached to their characterful vehicles, regarding them as companions in adventure, workhorses, part of the family.But Steve Green is prouder than most of his van - rejoicing in the name Cecil - which is well on the way to totting up a million miles and still gainfully employed clearing the Cornish coast of plastic. Continue reading...

President says attack would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defence equipment'Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Polish president Andrzej Duda on Wednesday in New York, reports the Associated Press (AP).

Benjamin Netanyahu's comments came after UK foreign minister David Cameron and his German counterpart travelled to Israel for talks

Existence of whistleblower allegations added to scandal over Horizon computer systemThe Post Office has said that its chief executive, Nick Read, has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an investigation after the existence of whistleblower allegations was dramatically revealed in parliament.Read has been exonerated of all the misconduct allegations" brought by a whistleblower following an investigation by an external barrister. Continue reading...

Lloyds Bank says more than 600 of its customers have been tricked by fraudsters so farA rise in fraud cases involving Taylor Swift fans desperate to buy tickets to her sold-out UK shows has prompted Lloyds Bank to issue an urgent warning" after more than 600 of its customers were scammed.With the superstar due to arrive in Europe next month, the high street bank said its data suggested that UK fans had lost more than 1m to fraudsters so far. Continue reading...

Lords also press ministers to allow independent Rwanda monitoring as deportation bill returns to Commons

Campaign that began in Michigan aims to push president towards a ceasefire in Gaza even as critics say Trump could benefitThe uncommitted national campaign has brought in nearly half a million dollars to finance the movement that is aiming to push Joe Biden towards a ceasefire in Gaza.The shoestring movement started in Michigan's presidential primary, where more than 100,000 voters cast ballots for uncommitted, a signal to the Biden campaign that he is out of step with his likely voters on the war in Gaza. Since then, other states - such as Minnesota, Washington and Wisconsin - picked up the idea, organizing rapidly to turn out people who wanted to send Biden a message. Continue reading...

GMP says investigation does not imply hard and fast evidence', as Labour says it is confident Rayner complied with rules

An investigation is under way after reports alleging horses had been butchered at a private property near the NSW regional city

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Military funding to undergo major shake-up Albanese government says will ensure ADF can project power further from Australian shores

Exclusive: Government ministries and offices behind most contentious of projects, which will create thousands of housing unitsIsrael's government has accelerated the construction of settlements across East Jerusalem, with more than 20 projects totalling thousands of housing units having been approved or advanced since the start of the war in Gaza six months ago, planning documents show.Ministries and offices within the Israeli government are behind all the largest and most contentious of the projects, sometimes in association with rightwing nationalist groups with a history of trying to evict Palestinians from their homes in parts of the city. Continue reading...

Solicitor general warns that ruling indefinite detention unlawful could turn federal circuit court into refugee tribunal'

Senators hear the Miles government held two concurrent reviews into the 2032 Games preparations

The university student has hired a defamation lawyer after the TV network incorrectly named him without confirmation from police

Time taken for Farhad Moshiri to attract new investors may have made a viable solution harder to findEverton fans are used to owner Farhad Moshiri telling them that better times will be arriving soon. He began his reign at the club in 2016 promising to give fans whatever I have" - the type of soundbite he would continue to deliver during the following eight years. He promised fresh financing for the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, a new star striker, and to bring in a wealthy and expert investor.In January 2023, Moshiri told Everton's Fan Advisory Board: The club is not for sale, but I have been talking to top investors of real quality to bridge a gap on the stadium. I can do it [fund it] myself ... We are close to having a deal done." Continue reading...

Health Foundation report also predicts people in poorest areas will be three times more likely to die by the age of 70A record 3.7 million workers in England will have a major illness by 2040, according to research.On current trends, 700,000 more working-age adults will be living with high healthcare needs or substantial risk of mortality by 2040 - up nearly 25% from 2019 levels, according to a report by the Health Foundation charity. Continue reading...

Swiss food firm's infant formula and cereal sold in global south ignore WHO anti-obesity guidelines for Europe, says Public EyeNestle, the world's largest consumer goods company, adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases, a report has found.Campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, sent samples of the Swiss multinational's baby-food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America to a Belgian laboratory for testing. Continue reading...

Party hopes to attend meetings of EU foreign affairs council should it win UK electionLabour wants to draw closer to Europe on key foreign and security issues by frequently attending meetings of the monthly EU foreign affairs council.The move, which is likely to trigger Conservative claims that Labour is prepared to abandon an independent foreign policy, builds on a pledge by Keir Starmer's party to try to negotiate a new security pact with the EU after the 2024 UK election. Continue reading...

British growers and sellers fear government measures starting on 30 April could result in delays and plants being damagedGarden centres and nurseries are stockpiling plants before Brexit checks are introduced later this month, amid concerns over whether new border posts will be ready to deal with the volume of deliveries.The Horticultural Trade Association (HTA), which represents garden retailers and growers, said many of its members had been increasing orders of plants in recent weeks, to increase stocks before the checks start on 30 April. Continue reading...

John Murray pursues case against former Gaddafi minister for alleged involvement in fatal shootingA retired police officer who was on duty with PC Yvonne Fletcher when she was shot dead outside the Libyan embassy in London 40 years ago today is to bring a private prosecution against one of her alleged killers.John Murray, 68, a close friend of Fletcher, who cradled her in his arms as she lay dying, is pursuing a case against Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk, having previously won a civil case against the former minister in Muammar Gaddafi's government. Continue reading...

National security adviser Jake Sullivan made the announcement as EU considers similar moves

Australia Institute says 2021 analysis had 15-year timeframe when modelling of the invasive species is usually over 20 to 30 years

Olaf Scholz says Chinese president agreed to back June peace talks that Russia is not attending while Xi says efforts for a resolution must involve both sidesGermany's chancellor, Olaf Scholz, says he has urged Xi Jinping to press Russia to end its senseless" war in Ukraine and that the Chinese president has agreed to back a peace conference in Switzerland.Scholz said after a meeting with Xi in Beijing on Tuesday that China's word carries weight in Russia". Continue reading...

Election closely watched for any impact on Pacific country's relationship with Beijing, while voters focus on struggling health and other servicesSolomon Islanders have begun voting in a national election, the first since the prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare, struck a security pact with China in 2022 and drew the Pacific Islands nation closer to Beijing.The election outcome will be closely watched by the US, China and Australia for its potential impact on regional security, although Solomon Islands voters will be focused on struggling health services, education and inadequate roads, opposition parties said. Continue reading...

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health urges ministers to follow lead of Scotland and WalesParents in England and Northern Ireland should be banned from smacking their children because doing so is unjust, dangerous and harmful, leading doctors have urged ministers.It was a scandal" that Scotland and Wales had outlawed smacking but not the other two home nations, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said on Wednesday. Continue reading...

25bn of public money would have been saved between 2019 and 2023 if north had same care entry rates as south, report saysOne in every 52 children in Blackpool are in care compared with one in 140 across England, leading to calls for more to be done to urgently tackle the widening north-south divide, brought on by decades of underinvestment".Nine in every thousand children are in care in the north, compared with six in the rest of England, according to a report by Health Equity North. Continue reading...

Legislation to return to the Commons with changes that would ensure conformity with UK and other law and protect claimantsThe Rwanda deportation bill has been delayed for at least one more day after the House of Lords voted for amendments that would ensure that it adheres to international and key domestic laws.The plan to spend 541m to send 300 people seeking asylum to east Africa was sent back to the House of Commons after peers voted several times to add protections for claimants to the bill. Continue reading...

Legislation is seen as similar to an anti-democratic Russian law and Brussels has said it would undermine hopes of EU membershipGeorgian lawmakers have agreed an early draft of a controversial foreign influence" bill, sparking fresh street protests against the legislation criticised for mirroring a repressive Russian law.The bill has sparked outrage in Georgia and concern in the west, with many arguing it undermines Georgia's bid for EU membership. Continue reading...

Prospective contenders Badenoch, Braverman, Jenrick and Mordaunt abstained or voted against the banIn his speech to the Tory faithful at the Conservative party conference in Manchester in October, Rishi Sunak declared that he wanted to ban smoking for future generations.His announcement - confirming a plan first reported by the Guardian - was met with applause from grassroots members then. But Tuesday night's vote demonstrates the challenges for a Tory prime minister championing what his own side deems an archetypal nanny state" policy. Continue reading...

UN human rights office expresses concern over escalating violence after deaths near Nablus over weekendThe UN and the UK have voiced grave concern over escalating violence in the West Bank, demanding that Israeli security forces immediately" stop supporting settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied territory.The comments came hours after two Palestinian men were killed by Israeli settlers in a northern village south of Nablus in the latest violent attack involving settlers in the increasingly tense West Bank. Continue reading...

Letter from 17 mostly NSW parliamentarians ays there must never again' be a repeat of people's visas being cancelled while they are in transit

Iran's charge d'affaires in London said his country would respond more severely if Israel attacked it again in another mistake'Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to trap the west into a total war across the Middle East that would have incalculable consequences for the region and the world, Iran's top diplomat in the UK has claimed, in his first interview since Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel at the weekend.Seyed Mehdi Hosseini Matin also warned that if Israel made another mistake" by launching an attack on Iran, there would be a response from Iran that was stronger, more severe, and administered without a warning like that issued before the weekend attack. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak's authority suffers blow as several Conservatives vote against bill, which clears first Commons hurdle with 383 votes to 67At 12.30pm a transport minister will respond to an urgent question in the Commons tabled by Labour on job losses in the rail industry. That means the debate on the smoking ban will will not start until about 1.15pm.Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, is one of the Britons speaking at the National Conservatism conference in Brussels starting today. The conference, which features hardline rightwingers from around the world committed to the NatCons' faith, flag and family' brand of conservatism, is going ahead despite two venues refusing to host them at relatively short notice.The current UK government doesn't have the political will to take on the ECHR and hasn't laid the ground work for doing so.And so it's no surprise that recent noises in this direction are easily dismissed as inauthentic.Any attempt to include a plan for ECHR withdrawal in a losing Conservative election manifesto risks setting the cause back a generation. Continue reading...