Elections seem top-of-mind for the Maha movement as key polling indicates anti-vaccine views are a liabilityUS health officials appear to be shying away from voicing negative views of vaccines in public as November's midterm elections loom and key polling indicates anti-vaccine views are a liability.Health officials have made unprecedented changes to routine vaccine recommendations in the past year - slashing one-third of the US childhood schedule, including the recommendation for hepatitis B immunization at birth. But even before a federal judge essentially invalidated these moves, officials haven't championed their dramatic changes after Donald Trump's pollsters recommended veering away from anti-vaccine ideology ahead of the midterms. Continue reading...
No injuries reported and no suspect found after a search of park and surrounding area, agency saysThe US Secret Service said on Sunday it was investigating reports of overnight gunfire near Lafayette Park, which is across the street from the White House.No injuries were reported and no suspect was found after a search of the park and the surrounding area after midnight, the agency said in an online post. Continue reading...
Walker Smith, 54, who worked for retailer for 17 years, says he grabbed bag from thief before they escapedA Waitrose employee of 17 years has described his devastation after being sacked for stopping a shoplifter who had ransacked a display of Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs.Walker Smith, a shop assistant at a branch of Waitrose in Clapham Junction, south London, was going about his normal duties when a customer stopped him. They told me someone had filled up a Waitrose bag with the eggs," he said. Continue reading...
Letters to US agency raise concerns over tech firms' plans to use reflective satellites and expand numbers in low Earth orbitProposals to deploy reflective mirrors and up to 1m more satellites in low Earth orbit could have far-reaching consequences for human health and ecosystems, leading sleep and circadian rhythm researchers have said.Presidents of four international scientific societies representing about 2,500 researchers from more than 30 countries are among those who have raised concerns in letters to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Continue reading...
Ministry clarifies clause affecting those up to age 45 that is part of legislation that came into effect in JanuaryA little-noticed clause in sweeping changes to Germany's military service policy has caused uproar after it emerged that the law requires men aged up to 45 to get permission from the armed forces before any significant stay abroad, even in peacetime.The legislation, which went into effect on 1 January, aims to bolster the military and demands all 18-year-old men fill out a questionnaire to gauge their suitability to serve in the armed forces, but stops short of conscription. Continue reading...
Prosecutors say Anthony Odiong exploited his parishioners' emotional dependency to engage in sexual conduct with themA Roman Catholic priest with ties to Texas and south-east Louisiana and criminally charged with abusing his position as a clergyman to pursue sex with three spiritually vulnerable female congregants faces being taken to trial on all of those cases at once.The Texas district attorney's office prosecuting Anthony Odiong filed a motion seeking to consolidate the three cases in late March, ahead of a trial date that the Guardian understands has tentatively been set for 4 May. Prepared by McLennan county first assistant district attorney Ryan Calvert, the motion notes that Texas state law allows a defendant [to] be prosecuted in a single criminal action" if the crimes alleged are connected or ... are the repeated commission of the same or similar offenses". Continue reading...
Man working for V2X died in night attack as five sources say they are being placed in harm's wayA man employed by the US defense contractor V2X has been killed in a drone attack on Erbil airbase, amid concerns from colleagues that they are being placed in harm's way and pressured to remain in Iraq despite security risks, five sources said.The worker, from Kenya, died in a night attack in his sleeping quarters on the base on 24 March. Another five workers were injured. They are from Kenya and India, and are among a group of about 45 workers employed by V2X who have remained on the base. One of the workers is in a critical condition with severe burns, sources said. Continue reading...
Average traditional funeral now costs 4,623, up 1.3% since January, says report from Pure CremationThe war in Iran is pushing up the cost of living in the UK but it is also driving up the cost of dying" as higher gas prices feed through to funerals.A report has found the average cost of a funeral in Britain is running ahead of inflation, with the war seemingly partly to blame as it has pushed up the price of gas used in crematoriums. Continue reading...
Cultural figures sign open letter asking government for clarity on how long landmark collection will remain abroadOne of the world's most important collections of 20th-century Mexican art, including works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, is set to be exported to Spain under an agreement with Banco Santander, sparking outrage among Mexico's cultural community.Nearly 400 cultural professionals have signed an open letter calling on the Mexican government to offer greater clarity on what the deal means for the masterpieces, particularly the works by Kahlo, which the Mexican state has declared an artistic monument". Continue reading...
Shirine Khoury-Haq and other managers did not receive annual bonus after damaging cyber-attack in 2025The former boss of the Co-op collected almost 2m before her sudden departure last month despite a difficult year when the retailer was pushed into the red by a damaging cyber hack.Shirine Khoury-Haq's total annual pay package amounted to 1.9m in 2025, including a 165,000 rewarding growth" bonus that was approved by the mutual's board despite falling sales and the slide to an underlying loss of 125m. Continue reading...
Cornerstone of the UK's Employment Rights Act in danger of becoming a dead duck', says Unite bossThe government has asked its new employment rights watchdog to reduce the regulatory burden on business, it has emerged, a request that worker advocates said risks turning the agency into a dead duck".The Fair Work Agency (FWA), which is being launched on Tuesday, is a cornerstone of Labour's Employment Rights Act. It will bring together several existing labour enforcement bodies and its responsibilities will include policing the minimum wage, holiday pay and modern slavery. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Starmer urged to go further with exemptions if he wants to avoid widespread anger from his own MPsA number of ministers concerned about Shabana Mahmood's immigration changes are working behind the scenes with backbenchers to secure more exemptions, the Guardian has learned.Keir Starmer is consulting on the proposed changes, which would make it harder to achieve settled status in the UK, and is under pressure from within his own party to say the measures should not apply to people who have already entered the UK. Continue reading...
by Wendy Frew, Aneesa Ahmed, Marina Dunbar , Taz Ali, on (#74Q3W)
This live blog is now closed. Our coverage of the Middle East crisis continues hereIran has executed two men convicted of membership in a banned opposition group and carrying out disruptive actions aimed at overthrowing the Islamic republic, the judiciary said.The executions on Saturday were the latest in a series targeting members of the banned People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK), after four other convicted members of the group were executed earlier in the week. Continue reading...
At least 15 people injured in incident with authorities saying some of the injuries believed to be seriousAt least 15 people were injured on Saturday after an alleged drunk driver ploughed into pedestrians at a Louisiana parade celebrating the Lao New Year. Some of the injuries are believed to be serious, authorities said.Louisiana State Police said a man had been charged with driving while impaired, 18 counts of first-degree negligent injuring and careless operation, after the incident in New Iberia. Continue reading...
Total of four, including 17-year-old boy, in police custody after fatal incident in Cudworth area on Friday eveningTwo further suspects, including a 17-year-old boy, have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a fatal collision in Barnsley on Friday afternoon.This comes after two people, a 60-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, were arrested earlier in the day on suspicion of murder after a man died after a collision in the Cudworth area of Barnsley. These two suspects remain in custody. Continue reading...
Archbishop of Canterbury to issue urgent call for peace, as PM exhorts Britons to choose community over division'Religious and political leaders in the UK are highlighting the conflict in the Middle East in their Easter messages, calling for peace, justice and freedom" in the region.The archbishop of Canterbury will deliver her first Easter sermon at Canterbury Cathedral on Sunday as the Church of England's top bishop. Dame Sarah Mullally will call with renewed urgency" for peace in the Middle East and pray for an end to the violence and destruction" in the region. Continue reading...
Charities suggest gendered understanding' of crime means services often fail to recognise girls and young women as victimsAn increasing number of girls are being identified as victims of county lines exploitation, figures have shown.Data from Catch22, the charity that provides the national county lines support service, said girls and young women formed 22% of its caseload in 2025, up from 15% the previous year. Continue reading...
Astronaut calls fellow Canadian Ryan Gosling's movie extraordinary' ahead of Artemis II crew's lunar fly-aroundThe new space movie Project Hail Mary starring Ryan Gosling has gotten a rave review from more than halfway to the moon.Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen said on Saturday that he and his Artemis II crewmates got to watch the film with their families before launching on the lunar fly-around. He said it was a real treat" to view the movie while getting ready for his own space adventure. Continue reading...
Met police say 19-year-old was detained in connection with attack after officers recognised him at arraignmentA fourth person has been arrested in connection with the arson attack on Jewish volunteer ambulances in north-west London, the Metropolitan police has said.The force said the 19-year-old man was arrested on Saturday morning at Westminster magistrates court, where three other men were charged over the arson attack. Continue reading...
Roberto Mazzarella, head of a notorious Camorra clan, had been on the run for more than a yearAn Italian mafia boss, who was one of Italy's most dangerous fugitives, has been arrested on murder charges after more than a year on the run, Italian police said on Saturday.Roberto Mazzarella was the head of the notorious Mazzarella clan of the Camorra - the Naples-based organised crime gang. Continue reading...
Storm expected to cause Easter weekend travel disruption, though warm weather could return next weekStorm Dave is expected to cause travel disruption this Easter weekend, with warnings for heavy snow and gale-force winds issued across northern parts of the UK, but a reprieve from the cold snap could be on the way, with temperatures forecast to reach the mid-20s next week.The Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning in Scotland for heavy snow and blizzards causing some travel and power disruption. Up to 30 centimetres of snow could fall. An amber weather warning for wind has been issued for parts of northern England, Scotland and Wales on Saturday evening. Continue reading...
by Ashifa Kassam, Jessie Williams and agencies on (#74PW9)
Crew members can now see the moon, which one described as a beautiful sight', from their spacecraft's docking hatchThe Artemis II crew are now closer to the moon than the Earth, Nasa has said, as the four astronauts completed the third day of their flight to the moon.We can see the moon out of the docking hatch right now. It's a beautiful sight," said an unnamed member of the crew, which Nasa shared in a post on X on Saturday morning. Continue reading...
by Aamna Mohdin Community affairs correspondent on (#74Q9J)
Viral reviews of artisan cafes across the capital are sparking a debate over cost, culture - and who gets a slice of the cityThe video that started it all was innocuous enough: a woman in her 20s posted on TikTok about how she spends a perfect weekend in north London. On her list were the bakeries Jolene and Gail's, and the De Beauvoir Deli.The reaction, however, was anything but. Many locals commented that they had never heard of the businesses she mentioned. One north Londoner, Moses Combe, 21, was equally incredulous. If this is where all the north London girlies come in the morning, I'd be a bit surprised," he said in a viral video. Continue reading...
President has affixed his name to institutions and edifices, and his visage now glowers from several federal buildingsThe US has a history of naming things after its presidents.Washington DC has the Ronald Reagan airport, while John F Kennedy international airport is New York's main air transport thoroughfare. The Hoover Dam straddles Nevada and Arizona; Theodore Roosevelt is one of several former presidents to have a Washington DC building named after them; Franklin Delano Roosevelt has an island; Abraham Lincoln has the Lincoln Memorial; and George Washington has the nation's capital and an entire state. Continue reading...
by Ashifa Kassam and Flora Garamvolgyi in Budapest on (#74Q8C)
The rightwing populist has been in power for 16 years but a new generation of voters are preparing to vote for his opponent, polls suggestAs he rushed to finish off his cigarette before heading to class, Akos, 20, confessed that he has more at stake than most as Hungarians prepare to head to the polls in the coming days.If things remain the same, or get even worse, I can't see a future here," said the aspiring teacher. There are many people who want to try living elsewhere, and that's totally fine, but I'm not one of them. For so long I've dreamed of working and teaching here." Continue reading...
by William Christou and Abbas Abdelkarim in Tyre on (#74Q8D)
As Israel expands its invasion of southern Lebanon, people are having to bury their dead in temporary gravesIn Lebanon, the dead are usually given one last glimpse of their home town before they are laid to rest. Hoisted high above the heads of the living, their casket is slowly marched through the streets where they grew up.It is the hands of their loved ones that guide them into their final resting place, already dug, and gently sprinkle dirt on their body. Continue reading...
Despite hostile rhetoric Trump let a Russian ship break his blockade - could it herald a Venezuela-style outcome?When a sanctioned Russian oil tanker, the Anatoly Kolodkin, docked at Cuba's Matanzas oil terminal on Tuesday, unloading 700,000 barrels of crude, it was not immediately clear why the ship had been allowed to pass through Donald Trump's oil blockade.In January, the US president had proclaimed on social media: THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO!" yet last week he told reporters, If a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem with it" - and waved the Russian ship through. Continue reading...
Senior figures express concerns over medical union's refusal of pay rise that is higher than offer to other NHS staffTrade unions have privately expressed qualms about the forthcoming doctors' strikes, expressing frustration at the conduct of the talks and the demands of the British Medical Association.The BMA is pushing for a pay rise higher than the 3.5% offered to doctors by the government, with strikes planned for next week. Continue reading...
Initial reports suggested parts of arena's wall had collapsed, but Alianza Lima says there were no structural failuresOne person has been killed and dozens more injured at the Alejandro Villanueva Stadium in Lima, Peru, according to the football club Alianza Lima.Hundreds of fans were attending a flag-waving event" on Friday around the stadium, a day before a derby match between the home team Alianza Lima and local rivals Universitario de Deportes. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#74Q6D)
Fears of Easter chaos over scaling up of new EU border system are eased, with no facial IDs for Eurotunnel and Eurostar passengersPassengers crossing the Channel from the UK to France will not face new biometric checks in the coming weeks, despite an imminent deadline for the complete implementation of the EU's entry-exit system (EES), ports say.Airlines and airports across Europe have feared chaos over the Easter holidays. Continue reading...
Lack of regulation for specialist classes leaves UK fitness enthusiasts at risk, say professional bodiesThe boom in reformer pilates has created a wild west" of studios where poor regulation has resulted in inexperienced teachers and a rise in injuries, professional standards bodies have warned.Pilates is not formally or legally regulated, and as its popularity has surged, industry experts say, so too has the growth of packed reformer-based classes often led by instructors with limited training. Continue reading...
Riccione's leftwing mayor, Daniela Angelini, says public purchase is victory for town and act of love and vision'An Italian council has bought a villa where Benito Mussolini spent his summer holidays, partly to avoid the property falling into the hands of fascist nostalgics".Daniela Angelini, the leftwing mayor of Riccione, a town close to Rimini along Italy's Adriatic coast, said the acquisition of Villa Mussolini through an auction was an act of love and vision" and that bringing it back into public hands was a victory for the entire town. Continue reading...
Man and woman released pending further enquiries after arrests at separate properties in state's north-east on Saturday morningTwo people have been arrested as part of the investigation into how Porepunkah fugitive Dezi Freeman was able to survive on the run for seven months before he was shot dead last week.A man and a woman were arrested at separate properties in north-east Victoria on Saturday morning around 7am, before being later released. Continue reading...
by Bethan McKernan Wales correspondent on (#74Q57)
Reports on English policies seen in Wales as relating to whole of UK contribute to widespread confusion, researchers sayUK media is failing to report properly on devolved issues in Wales, leaving voters ill-informed about May's Senedd elections, a report has found.A Cardiff University study of more than 3,000 news items found repeated patterns in coverage across different broadcasters and platforms, including not signposting whether an issue was relevant to England or England and Wales only, widespread references to the government" rather than the UK government", and the use of you" and your" in contexts that apply only to people living in England. Continue reading...
Ray Blanchette admits he may be a little crazy' as he outlines chain's hopes of building 1,000 outlets globallyI am a little crazy maybe," admits Ray Blanchette, a former TGI Fridays kitchen manager who has taken on the revival of the bar-restaurant chain's UK business in the face of blasting industry headwinds.Blanchette's family investment firm, Sugarloaf, rescued the Dallas-based parent business from administration in 2025. He then went on to pick up its UK arm in January after the local franchisee got into difficulties, retaining 33 UK restaurants but closing 16, with the loss of 456 jobs. Continue reading...
Royal visitors have long been popular in the US, and Charles has decades of diplomacy under his belt. But can soft power save the special relationship?What's the worst that could happen when King Charles visits Donald Trump in Washington at the end of this month? And what will be the best outcome from Keir Starmer's point of view, since it is the prime minister who directed the visit to go ahead in the hope of improving our battered, supposedly special relationship? While the relationship is still apparently meaningful to Britain, to the US it appears to not mean so much - especially now.The king goes where he is told, whether he would prefer to stay at home or not. This time to a land whose president denounces our aircraft carriers as toys and accuses us of cowardice, and whose defence secretary talks derisively of our Royal Navy. Perhaps Charles ought to wear his naval admiral's uniform when he goes to the White House, medals and all. Continue reading...
by Adam Fulton (now); Lucy Campbell, Nadeem Badshah, on (#74PF7)
This blog is closed - our live coverage continues in a new blog hereAuthorities in Abu Dhabi have reported two incidents of debris falling from intercepted aerial threats in the UAE capital, with one sparking a fire at a gas facility,The official Abu Dhabi Media Office said authorities responded to an incident of falling debris at the Habshan gas facilities. Operations have been suspended while authorities respond to a fire," it said in a post on X, adding that no injuries were reported. Continue reading...
Russian advances slowing, thinktank's data shows; 14 killed in Ukraine in massive drone and missile salvo. What we know on day 1,501Russia's army recorded almost no territorial gains on the frontline in Ukraine in March for the first time in two-and-a-half years, according to analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) conducted by Agence France-Presse. The Russian army has been slowing in its advances since late 2025 - because of Kyiv's localised breakthroughs in the south-east of the country. Across the entire frontline, the Russian army seized only 23 sq km (8.9 sq miles) in March, losing territory in some areas, according to the analysis. This figure excludes infiltration operations conducted by Russian forces beyond the frontline, as well as advances claimed by the Russian side but neither confirmed nor denied by the ISW.The Russian army made 319 sq km of gains in January and 123 sq km in February, which was then the smallest advance since April 2024. Its advance in March was the smallest since September 2023. The ISW attributed the slowdown to Ukrainian counteroffensives, but also to Russia's ban on using Starlink terminals in Ukraine" and the Kremlin's efforts to restrict access to Telegram". The messaging app - very popular among Russians, including those fighting on the front - has been barely usable in recent months due to blocks imposed by the authorities. As in February, Russia lost ground on the southern section of the frontline, between the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.Russian strikes killed 14 people in Ukraine on Friday, officials said, as Moscow launched the latest in an increasing number of daytime barrages. Moscow has been firing aerial broadsides at Ukraine throughout its more than four-year invasion, mostly at night, but in recent weeks has stepped up daytime attacks. The Russian military used more than 500 drones and dozens of missiles in its salvo on Friday, according to the Ukrainian air force.Russia's Baltic oil export hubs at Ust-Luga and Primorsk remain unable to handle shipments after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks, prompting the country's refineries to find alternative routes for export, industry sources said on Friday. The attacks have damaged port infrastructure and continued through the last two weeks of March, with at least five strikes on Ust-Luga in the space of 10 days. Sources said the export restrictions, along with disruptions at large refineries, could lead to a decrease in oil production in Russia. Traders said refineries had been unable to deliver diesel fuel to Primorsk for export since 22 March, leaving refineries in European Russia and Siberia without their most viable export route. Traders said refineries were having to consider more expensive rail transport routes to other export terminals.Zelenskyy has called on lawmakers to pass key legislation next week to avert a funding crisis, help Ukraine fight the war against Russia, and enact key reforms required for EU accession. Due to lagging reforms and slow legislative progress in late 2025 and early this year, Ukraine missed deadlines to unlock billions from its key lenders, economists said. With the need for external financing standing at $52bn this year - equivalent to about a quarter of annual economic output - the budget situation is desperate. I have a list of key draft laws that are critical for securing funding," the Ukrainian president said in remarks released on Friday. They range from strengthening the court system to reforming energy sector procedures. I believe that members of parliament from all parties must understand the importance of these bills for Ukraine's budget," said Zelenskyy, who has a majority in parliament but its relations with his government have soured. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#74Q21)
Misogynistic abuse of female staff is increasing, leaving teachers feeling traumatised' and humiliated'Teachers' leaders have said a masculinity crisis" is fermenting in schools across the UK, with misogynistic abuse of female staff on the increase, leaving victims traumatised", demeaned" and humiliated".Almost a quarter of female teachers who took part in a union survey said they have been the target of misogyny from a pupil over the past 12 months - the highest proportion in the last four years of surveys. Continue reading...
by Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Aakash Hassan in Delhi a on (#74Q22)
Ripple effects of oil and fertiliser shortage felt by farmers in India and Sri Lanka despite governments saying there is enough stock to go roundGurvinder Singh never thought the war in Iran would touch his quiet corner of Punjab.Yet looking out over his smallholding, where he alternates between wheat and rice crops in the state known as India's breadbasket, the 52-year-old farmer can barely think of anything else. His anxiety over a conflict playing out thousands of miles away is crippling as he fears what will come of this season's rice crop. Continue reading...
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