Polling finds two-thirds of voters would back a rethink on the policy and would not see it as a sign of weaknessDowning Street has been accused of being completely tone deaf" over the damage wreaked by winter fuel cuts as new polling suggested two-thirds of voters would back a rethink on the policy.Senior Labour ministers have privately warned the policy is an electoral disaster while Eluned Morgan, the Welsh first minister, said she was losing patience" with UK Labour as she urged the government to think again. Continue reading...
Man in his 30s, attacked in St Peter's Street, Derby, at about 2.35pm on Tuesday, police saidA bank customer has been stabbed to death in a city centre branch, Derbyshire police said.The man, in his 30s, was attacked inside Lloyds Bank in St Peter's Street, Derby, at about 2.35pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...
The Friends actor was at her Los Angeles residence when the man was arrested and taken into custodyA man was arrested after crashing a car into the front gate of Jennifer Aniston's home in Los Angeles, California, authorities said on Tuesday.Police told KABC-TV that the Friends star was home at the time of the crash. Continue reading...
The common perception is that Trump has largely moved on, leaving an emboldened Netanyahu to his own devicesThe Israeli plan to occupy and depopulate Gaza may not be identical to Donald Trump's vision of a new riviera, but his inspiration and America's walkaway diplomacy have ushered Benjamin Netanyahu to the precipice of a dire new chapter in the Israel-Gaza war.The common perception in both Washington and Israel is that Trump has largely moved on, leaving an emboldened Netanyahu to his own devices, while his offhand proposals for turning Gaza into a Riviera of the Middle East" have provided cover for rightwing Israeli politicians to enthusiastically support the forced resettlement of the Palestinian population. Continue reading...
Touching the breasts of the city's famous statue is supposed to bring luck, but not everyone is happy with the traditionEach time a tourist sidled up to the statue and reached for the most famous cleavage in Dublin, a voice called out: No touching please."Two city council stewards stood vigil over the landmark on Tuesday to notify would-be gropers that Molly Malone was to be left alone. After years of supposedly bringing good luck to whomever touched the breasts, they were now off-limits. Continue reading...
by Edward Helmore and Associated Press on (#6X3JS)
Homeland security chief says people without new ID may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step'Kristi Noem, the head of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said on Tuesday that travelers without a REAL ID will still be able to fly when the updated identity system comes into effect on 7 May, but they may face extra scrutiny at transportation security agency (TSA) checkpoints.Noem told lawmakers that 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with the REAL ID requirements, and that those that don't may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step". Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell, health policy editor on (#6X3HY)
Ministers admit they did not assess impact of plan to cut thousands of jobsMinisters have admitted they did not assess the impact of axing thousands of NHS managers before pushing ahead, sparking charges that the controversial cull is reckless" and a huge risk".The NHS's 42 regional integrated care boards (ICBs) in England have been told to slash their running costs by 50% by the end of the year, in a move that will lead to around 12,500 job losses. It is a key part of government plans to radically overhaul the health service, which include abolishing NHS England, and use savings from a massive cut in management posts to improve its finances and free up funding for frontline care. Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose (now); Yohannes Lowe and Martin Belam on (#6X35A)
Bezalel Smotrich tells gathering at West Bank settlement that Palestinians will start to leave in great numbers to third countries'China's foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, said Beijing is highly concerned about the current Palestine-Israel situation".We oppose Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza, and hopes all parties continuously and effectively implement the ceasefire agreement," Jian said.The government of the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, hopes that the Israel Defense Forces' call-up of tens of thousands of reservists, the threat of the new offensive and the prospect of Israel seizing swaths of territory will force Hamas's leaders to make concessions.If it fails to do so, then physical possession of terrain will offer useful leverage in future negotiations and allow Hamas to be squeezed further in the meantime... Continue reading...
This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereFor what it's worth, multiple German media are now suggesting that there won't be another round of voting today - exactly because Merz and his team worry about the risk of another hugely embarrassing defeat.Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Bild and Stern's Julias Betschka all say the second vote is unlikely to take place today. Let's wait for the official confirmation, though. Continue reading...
Iran claims attacks in Yemen are attempt to disrupt negotiations with US over Tehran's nuclear programIran has urged the US to end its support for Israel's continuing strikes on Yemen, claiming Israel is trying to use its conflict with the Houthi-led government to drive a wedge between Iran and the US in the negotiations over the future of Tehran's civil nuclear program.The strikes have been criticised by the UN recognised Yemen government based in Aden , who said it had not been consulted and air strikes alone were not an integrated plan to remove the Houthis from power. Yemen has been divided between the Houthis and the official government since the Houthis captured the capital Sana'a in 2015. Continue reading...
Wagatha Christie' battle inches towards end, but judge told Vardy is still resisting payment of 300,000The long-running legal feud between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has inched closer to its end, with Vardy agreeing to pay almost 1.2m of Rooney's legal costs.But the high-profile Wagatha Christie libel battle is not yet finished, a judge has been told, with Vardy still resisting payment of a further 300,000. Continue reading...
Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates
In today's newsletter: Can a partial U-turn on the winter fuel allowance help the party set a new agenda - and keep support for Nigel Farage at bay?Good morning. After Reform UK's resounding success in last week's local elections, Keir Starmer has faced relentless questions over how Labour will change tack to deal with the problem. Now, we may have the beginning of an answer.On the front page of today's Guardian, Pippa Crerar and Jessica Elgot report that Downing Street is seriously rethinking the cuts to the winter fuel payment - the policy that above all others summarised Starmer and Rachel Reeves's shaky start to life in government. While a full reversal is not on the cards, No 10 sources say that the 11,500 threshold over which pensioners are no longer eligible for the allowance could be increased in the autumn.Israel-Gaza war | Israel is to expand its military operations in Gaza in the coming weeks, with the aim of conquering" and establishing a sustained presence" in the Palestinian territory, Israeli officials have said.Film | Donald Trump's threat to impose 100% tariffs on movies made outside the US could wipe out the UK film industry, ministers have been warned, as they came under immediate pressure to prioritise the issue in trade talks with the White House.Charities | Macmillan Cancer Support is to scrap its 14m-a-year specialist advice service, which helps tens of thousands of people every year, in what has been described as a betrayal of vulnerable patients. With the charity's income falling behind its expenditure, it said that the service was no longer sustainable.Wildfires | After the warmest start to May on record, a wildfire has destroyed about 5,000 hectares (12,500 acres) of moorland on Dartmoor in Devon. Emergency services were called to the blaze at about 2.25pm on Sunday, and firefighters spent almost 24 hours at the scene before it was extinguished on Monday.VE Day | The UK marked the 80th anniversary of VE Day with military pomp before large crowds who had gathered in central London. The royal family and war veterans were among the attendees at a 1,300-strong military procession while street parties were held around the UK. Continue reading...
Grandsons aged six and seven found dead at NSW property in case police are treating as double murderA woman whose two grandsons died in a regional town in New South Wales is in a mental health facility after what police are treating as a confronting" alleged double murder.The boys, aged six and seven, were found dead by police after officers forced entry to a property at Coonabarabran, in the state's north-west, during a welfare check about 2pm on Monday. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Poll before 80th anniversary of VE Day finds tensions with Russia seen as most probable causeEighty years after the second world war, polling shows many Americans and western Europeans believe an even more devastating third global conflict could break out within a decade, with tensions with Russia seen as the most probable cause.As Europe prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the YouGov polling also showed large majorities felt that events during and before the second world war were relevant today and must continue to be taught to younger generations. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#6X330)
Exclusive: First minister of Wales hoping to counter threats to Welsh Labour from Reform and Plaid CymruThe Welsh first minister will criticise Keir Starmer's welfare reforms in a major speech on Tuesday, saying she will pursue a leftwing red Welsh way" and put a clear dividing line between Welsh Labour and the national party.Eluned Morgan will distance herself from Starmer's government in a speech on Tuesday billed by allies as a reset moment for Welsh Labour to counter the threats from Reform UK and Plaid Cymru. Continue reading...
Military armistice ending second world war was signed in this nondescript Reims schoolhouse before VE DayFor a building that witnessed one of the pivotal moments of European history, it is oddly unremarkable: a nondescript red-brick schoolhouse on an unexceptional street on the wrong side of the railway tracks in Reims, eastern France.In May 1945 it was the College Moderne et Technique. Students came and went. Passersby may have wondered, briefly, at the two US military police officers outside the doors, but Americans were everywhere - the city had been liberated in August 1944. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#6X331)
Candidates for Merseyside chief constable and Met deputy commissioner set to be appointed without competitionTwo of the most senior jobs in British policing paying more than 200,000 a year have attracted only one applicant each, the Guardian has learned.The roles were deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan police and chief constable of Merseyside police, based in Liverpool. Continue reading...
Actor was assigned by Trump to come up with a plan to save Hollywood, but his proposal only included tariffs in certain limited circumstances'US president Donald Trump announced his 100% tariff on films coming into our country produced in foreign lands" one day after meeting with actor Jon Voight to discuss his proposals to bring film production back to the US - which only suggested that tariffs could be used in certain limited circumstances".The Midnight Cowboy and Heat actor, who was appointed a special ambassador" to Hollywood by Trump, has been meeting with studios, streamers, unions and guilds for months to develop a plan to lure film and television productions back to the US. Production companies often seek more cost-effective locations or tax incentives in other countries such as Canada, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Hungary, Italy and Spain. Continue reading...
by Morwenna Ferrier and Ellie Violet Bramley on (#6X2XG)
This blog has now closed. You can see a gallery of the highlights hereThe night is still oh-so-young and co-chair Colman Domingo is already onto his second look (still custom Valentino designed by creative director Alessandro Michele), having shed his Andre Leon Talley-coded cloak in favour of a joyfully pattern-clashing look of grids and polka dots. It's busy but it works! The polka dots on the brooch have apparently been hand-painted on.That's already two looks down - can he beat the total of four different looks that Lady Gaga wore to the 2019 Met Gala? Only time will tell. Continue reading...
Government response comes amid outrage over the murder of the men who had been held captive for more than a weekPeru's president, Dina Boluarte, has suspended gold mining and announced a 12-hour curfew in Pataz, in the northern region, after criminals kidnapped and killed 13 gold mine workers.A Peruvian gold mining company La Poderosa said on Sunday that the bodies of 13 contract workers from a local firm had been found by police inside one of the mine's tunnels. Continue reading...
National Pharmacy Association says some patients hoard them for holidays despite threat posed by antimicrobial resistancePharmacists are facing inappropriate demands for antibiotics every day, with some patients stockpiling them for holidays despite the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance, a report says.Staff receive requests for the drugs to treat minor ailments such as coughs and colds even if they are not needed, according to the National Pharmacy Association, which represents 6,000 independent community pharmacies in England. Its survey found 79% of pharmacists were having to refuse requests for antibiotics from patients at least once a day. Continue reading...
Royal College of Emergency Medicine says many endured degrading and dehumanising' waits on trolleysMore than 1 million older people a year in England are forced to wait longer than 12 hours in A&E, with many having to endure degrading and dehumanising" corridor waits on trolleys.The number aged 60 and over waiting more than 12 hours to be transferred, admitted or discharged increased to 1.15 million in 2024, up from 991,068 in 2023. The figure was 305,619 in 2019, according to data obtained by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) under freedom of information laws. Continue reading...
Gerald Darmanin, now justice minister, called night of 2022 Champions League final biggest failure' of his careerThe former French interior minister has apologised to Liverpool fans for using them as a scapegoat" for the chaos surrounding the 2022 Champions League final in Paris, where supporters of the club, including children, were teargassed by police amid false claims they had caused a riot.Gerald Darmanin, who is now France's justice minister, called the night the biggest failure" of his career. On 28 May 2022, Liverpool supporters said they feared for their lives as they were forced to enter Stade de France via a narrow subway and boxed-in lanes that could not accommodate the thousands of people that had arrived. Continue reading...
Firefighters needed almost 24 hours to put out blaze on moorland in Devon, and area remains vulnerable to fireA wildfire has destroyed about 5,000 hectares (12,500 acres) of moorland on Dartmoor in Devon.Emergency services were called to the blaze at about 2.25pm on Sunday, and firefighters spent almost 24 hours at the scene before it was extinguished on Monday. Continue reading...
Several dozen prospective jurors got brief description of charges as hip-hop entrepreneur sat with lawyersThe federal sex trafficking trial of Sean Diddy" Combs, the hip-hop entrepreneur whose wildly successful career has been dotted by allegations of violence, began on Monday in New York City with jury selection that could last several days.Opening statements by lawyers and the start of testimony are expected next week. Continue reading...
Rebels' media office say at least six strikes hit the crucial Hodeida port on Monday afternoonIsrael's military has carried out a fresh round of airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen's Red Sea city of Hodeida, a day after the Iranian-backed rebels launched a missile that hit Israel's main airport.The rebels' media office said at least six strikes hit the crucial Hodeida port Monday afternoon. Other strikes hit a cement factory in the Bajil district in Hodeida province, the rebels said. Israeli media reported that dozens of Israeli air force took part in the operation. Continue reading...
Government fears further electoral losses from unpopular policy as well as from planned 5bn of benefits cutsDowning Street is reviewing its controversial winter fuel payment cut amid growing anxiety at the top of government that the policy could wreak serious electoral damage, the Guardian has been told.Keir Starmer's senior team has been discussing for several weeks how to handle public anger over the policy, which bubbled over in last Thursday's local elections, when the party lost two-thirds of the council seats it was defending. Continue reading...
Rachel Reeves concerned that lenders' restrictions are holding back growth in the SME sectorMinisters will meet bank bosses on Tuesday to discuss how big lenders can support the government's growth strategy as concerns mount inside Whitehall that small businesses are struggling to access the funds needed to make vital investments.Senior executives from HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds are expected to explain how they will meet the government's mission to increase lending after criticism from business groups about the lack of credit available after the pandemic. Continue reading...
Marcel Ciolacu quits after coalition candidate fails to make it to run-off against nationalist George SimionRomania's pro-EU prime minister, Marcel Ciolacu, has announced his resignation after his governing coalition's candidate came third in the first round of a presidential election decisively won by a far-right Trump admirer who opposes military aid to Ukraine.Rather than let the future president replace me, I decided to resign myself," Ciolacu, told reporters after a meeting at the headquarters of his Social Democratic party. Continue reading...
Largely expected decision by international court of justice marks second diplomatic victory for Gulf stateAn attempt by Sudan's government to make the United Arab Emirates legally accountable for acts of genocide in West Darfur has been rejected by the international court of justice after the judges voted by 14 to 2 to declare they had no jurisdiction. By a narrower majority the judges voted 9 to 7 to strike the case entirely from the ICJ list.There have been repeated allegations during the two-year civil war in Sudan that the UAE has been flying arms to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in an attempt to oust the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Continue reading...
Catholic charity says the late pontiff endorsed the idea of creating a vehicle of hope' to deliver medical aidJust over a decade ago, the converted Mitsubishi whisked Pope Francis through the streets of Bethlehem before it was left to gather dust. Now, in keeping with one of the late pontiff's last wishes, the popemobile is being given a second life - as a mobile health clinic for children in the Gaza Strip.In a region ravaged by more than 18 months of war, the initiative is both symbolic and practical, said Peter Brune, the secretary general of the Catholic charity Caritas Sweden. Continue reading...
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