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Endorsements came from business, policing and the heart of the establishment - the only question is how to avoid complacencyFrom corporations to counter-terrorism officers to coffee shop owners, Keir Starmer's launch event on Thursday was a stark display of how inevitable a Labour victory now seems.It had the feeling of an election launch - a party leader in shirt sleeves, tightly choreographed pitches from the most senior shadow cabinet ministers, candidates from target seats, and voters ready to explain why they were switching their vote. Continue reading...

Aid agencies poised to receive supplies and distribute to territory where people face imminent starvationThe US military has said the installation of a floating pier for the delivery of humanitarian aid off Gaza has been completed, with officials ready to begin ferrying supplies into the territory, where much of the population faces imminent starvation owing to the continuing Israel-Hamas war.Ordered two months ago by the president, Joe Biden, the US military transported the system overnight from the Israeli port of Ashdod, about 20 miles north of Gaza. Continue reading...

Late British painter's Les Distractions de Dagobert, the apotheosis of Carrington's oeuvre', was inspired by Hieronymus BoschThe auction record for British surrealist Leonora Carrington was smashed at Sotheby's in New York on Wednesday night, marking a new high point for the artist, who lived in Mexico for most of her life and was until her death in 2011 one of the last surviving participants of the surrealist movement of the 1930s.Carrington's 1945 painting Les Distractions de Dagobert was auctioned for $28m with fees, soaring over a presale estimate of $12m-$18m after 10 minutes of bidding. The sum fetched is nine times Carrington's previous auction record of $3.2m. Continue reading...

Les Distractions de Dagobert was the surrealist's definitive masterpiece', says Sotheby's expert in New YorkShe was worshipped as a muse by renowned surrealists including Andre Breton and Max Ernst, but the Lancashire-born artist Leonora Carrington quickly shrugged off the label to achieve an unprecedented level of mastery and freedom in her own painting.Now, on the 100th anniversary of Breton's publication of the Surrealist Manifesto, Carrington has become the most valuable British-born female artist at auction after one of her paintings sold for more than 22.5m. Continue reading...

Prime minister tells TV show panel he loves his constituents and home in Richmond, North YorkshireRishi Sunak has said he will of course" stay on as an MP if the Conservatives lose the next general election, in his first remarks about what he would do in that scenario.Asked on ITV's Loose Women whether he loved the job enough to carry on in those circumstances, the prime minister said: Yes of course I'm staying, I love being an MP, I love my constituents, I love my home in North Yorkshire, it's wonderful - and I love being able to get back there." Continue reading...

Some allege harassment, one claims she was sexually assaulted. His lawyers deny the allegationsIt was September 1991 in New York and the grand finale of Look of the Year, a prestigious modeling contest that had helped launch the careers of supermodels Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen.The celebrity magician David Copperfield, one of the judges, watched from the front row as 58 contestants paraded across the runway in their branded hot pink and sorbet yellow swimsuits. Nearly all the contestants were teenagers; some were as young as 14. Continue reading...

Manuel Guerrero Avina thought he was meeting a date, but was confronted by police who charged him for drug possessionThe family of a gay man who was arrested in Qatar say that he was trapped" by a fake Grindr account and that he urgently needs access to HIV medicine or his health could collapse.Manuel Guerrero Avina, who has dual Mexican-British citizenship, was arrested in February after arranging to meet a man named Gio" on the dating app. When he showed up to the meeting in his apartment lobby, Avina was instead confronted by police officers. Continue reading...

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Child thought to have fallen from upper floor of block on New City Road, Plaistow, shortly before 6amA six-year-old boy has died after falling from the upper floor of a tower block in east London.The child is said to have fallen from a height at New City Road, Plaistow, shortly before 6am on Thursday. Continue reading...

Upgrades to existing structures are required to address a surge' of need, especially among young people, professor says

Sir Graham Watson says rise of far right has led him to stand in North-East ItalyA former British MEP is hoping to stage a return to the European parliament in June after being invited to run in Italy by an alliance backed by the country's former prime minister Matteo Renzi.Sir Graham Watson, a Liberal Democrat, used to represent South West England between 1994 and 2014 and is running with the pro-European coalition Stati Uniti d'Europa (United States of Europe). Continue reading...

Comments come just hours after Senate passes motion urging senators to engage in debate and commentary respectfully'

Chris Minns said Labor MP Anthony D'Adam's comments in a speech to parliament were absolutely reprehensible'A Labor politician who criticised the actions of New South Wales police officers towards pro-Palestinian protesters has been sacked from his role as parliamentary secretary by the premier, Chris Minns.Minns took aim at the comments made by upper house MP, Anthony D'Adam, saying he had never raised his concerns about the police commissioner, Karen Webb, and officers before making his speech in parliament on Wednesday night. Continue reading...

University of Melbourne cancels classes as activists at Deakin defy directives on encampments

Exclusive: Labour mayor argues only fundamental rewiring' of political system can prevent more colossal' state failuresThe final report of the infected blood inquiry must not only deliver justice but act as a catalyst to prevent such colossal" state failures happening again, Andy Burnham has said.The mayor of Greater Manchester, a long-time advocate for victims of the scandal, said a fundamental rewiring of the political system" was needed as too many people were being harmed and then waiting decades for justice. Continue reading...

Christopher Marsh says he is determined to see the contaminated blood inquiry to the end'I lost both my brothers through it and I want to still be here, I want to see justice, I want to see it to the end," says Christopher Marsh of the contaminated blood scandal.Marsh, 49, and his two brothers, Gary and Kelvin, were all infected in 1981 through imported blood products used to treat people with haemophilia. Last year he was told his hepatitis C had become chronic and, with his brothers having long since died as a result of being infected, he is determined to see the end of the infected blood inquiry, which will publish its final report on 20 May, and the official response. Continue reading...

New campaign claims draft deal to improve global cooperation against outbreaks will cede UK sovereigntyThe World Health Organization has accused Nigel Farage of spreading misinformation after he launched a campaign to block an international treaty designed to improve global pandemic preparedness.WHO member states are negotiating a deal to shore up cooperation against new pathogens. If adopted, the legally binding treaty would commit countries to helping each other in the event of a pandemic, increase research and sharing of data, and promote fair access to vaccines. Continue reading...

Weed sprayers give evidence in trial of former Jetstar pilot who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Hill and Clay

Jordan Weston, 28, has been charged with 11 domestic violence offences and 14 counts of accessing or modifying restricted data

Company's artistic director David Hallberg says he was shocked' by critic's review and that critique of dancers' bodies is not acceptable'

Sergeant charged over 16-year-old's death plead not guilty and argue he was just doing his job when the boy hit his unmarked police car and diedPolice did not want to pursue charges against a sergeant accused of dangerous driving after an Indigenous teen riding a stolen trail bike hit an unmarked car and died, the officer's lawyer says.Benedict Bryant was behind the wheel when Jai Kalani Wright rode the bike into the police vehicle in inner-city Sydney on 19 February 2022. Continue reading...

Policy backflip applauded by property and development groups but some doubt it will have significant effect on prices

Former Australian PM said he discussed the Aukus deal with Trump and found a warm reception'

Australian prime minister says he charged about half' of market rent for four years to tenants who had previously praised him as a landlord

This blog has now closed. You can read all our coverage on the attack on Robert Fico here

Yoav Gallant, who Benjamin Netanyahu tried to fire in 2023, says he will not allow Israeli rule of GazaA long-festering split at the heart of Israel's war cabinet has burst into the open with the defence minister, Yoav Gallant, challenging the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to come up with plans for the day after" the war in Gaza, and saying he would not permit any solution where Israeli military or civil governance were in the territory.Gallant's comments, immediately backed by his fellow minister Benny Gantz, plunged Israel's leadership into a highly public row, in the midst of the Gaza conflict, raising immediate speculation over his future in the Israeli government and of Netanyahu's fractious coalition. Continue reading...

Nelson Shardey, 74, has lived in the UK since 1977 and ran a Merseyside newsagent for 31 yearsA former shopkeeper described as a Merseyside local legend" is pursuing a legal challenge against the Home Office after he was refused indefinite leave to remain, despite living in the UK for more than 45 years.Nelson Shardey, 74, came to the UK from Ghana at the age of 28 on a student visa in 1977 and has lived in the country ever since. The retired newsagent, who has two sons living in the UK, has no access to public funds or pension credits after the Home Office refused to grant him indefinite leave to remain and wrongly advised him to apply for the Windrush scheme. Continue reading...

Conservatives criticised over plans to ban sex and relationship lessons for children under nine in EnglandSchool leaders have accused the government of using children as a political football" over its proposals to restrict sex education lessons by age in England.The revised guidance, to be published on Thursday, outlines what topics could be taught to specific age groups, as well as allowing parents access to teaching materials used and further restrict how teachers address gender and sexuality, after pressure from Conservative MPs. Continue reading...

One-size-fits-all guidance will lead to some children accessing information via internet searchesWhen it comes to sex education in schools in England, teachers and experts agree on one thing: using age alone to determine what topics to cover and what to avoid risks leaving some children more vulnerable.Headlines announcing the new guidance, to be published under consultation this week, focused on its bar on teaching sex education in primary schools to children earlier than year 5, when they are aged 9. Continue reading...

Man, 31, re-arrested on suspicion of possession of articles for terrorist purposes after earlier arrest on non-terrorism chargesA man has been arrested by counter-terrorism officers after a number of suspicious substances" were found at a property in Bedfordshire.The 31-year-old man, from Bedfordshire, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of possession of articles for terrorist purposes and remains in custody, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Macron holds crisis meeting amid unrest over plan to increase number of French nationals eligible to vote in Pacific territoryFrance has said it will impose a state of emergency in New Caledonia for at least 12 days, after a second night of unrest over changes to voting rights in the overseas territory that has resulted in the deaths of at least four people.More than 130 people have been arrested and more than 300 injured, according to the french high commission. Continue reading...

Law change not anti-cycling' says Iain Duncan Smith, who brought the amendment to the criminal justice billA new offence of causing death or serious injury by dangerous, careless or inconsiderate cycling is to be introduced.The law will be changed after a deal was reached between the government and the former Conservative leader, Iain Duncan Smith, whose amendment to the criminal justice bill was backed by 37 fellow Tory backbenchers. Continue reading...

RedBird IMI deal effectively killed by new legislation blocking foreign states from owning UK newspapersThe former CNN executive who fronted a failed bid for the Telegraph newspaper by a UAE-backed consortium has suggested the government was not willing to listen to assurances about editorial neutrality.Jeff Zucker said there were figures in the UK who were scared" of the 600m deal, which would have seen the Abu Dhabi-backed consortium, RedBird IMI, take control of the Telegraph and Spectator. Continue reading...

Judge expresses concern that previous warnings about former NEU official Neil Foden, 66, were ignoredA former headteacher has been found guilty of sexual offences against four girls, with a judge expressing concern that warnings about him were ignored.Neil Foden, 66, who worked in schools in north Wales, was convicted of 19 offences and told he faces a lengthy jail term when he is sentenced in July. Continue reading...

Ex-leader who still does not have party whip will not be on shortlist and is likely to run as an independentLabour has kicked off candidate selection to run in Jeremy Corbyn's seat of Islington North, with the contender for the seat expected to be confirmed by 1 June.Corbyn, who is still suspended for comments he made in the aftermath of the equalities watchdog report into antisemitism in Labour, has been barred from standing again for the party. He won the seat with a majority of more than 26,000 in 2019. Continue reading...

Main suspect in Madeleine McCann case in court in Germany charged with three rapes and two indecent assaultsA woman who was raped at knife point by a masked man in Portugal 20 years ago has told a German court how the trauma of the ordeal had left her suffering from frequent panic attacks.Hazel Behan, 40, broke down as she recalled how a man dressed in black had entered her apartment in the resort of Praia da Rocha in the Algarve at 3am on 16 June 2004. She told how he stood over her bed and woke her by calling her name before proceeding to rape her repeatedly over several hours. Continue reading...

Common sense minister' denies plan to Channel 4 News despite saying earlier this week that lanyards should be a standard design'Labour says the Ministry of Justice's decision to delay court hearings because of prison overcrowing (see 10.39am) shows that people are less safe" under the Tories. That's a very convenient retort to Rishi Sunak, because only two days ago he gave a major speech arguing that security was a key reason why his party deserved to win the election.In a statement, Shabana Mahmood, the shadow justice secretary, said:The Tories continue to make major and unprecedented changes to the justice system without so much as a word to the public. It's completely unacceptable and the public will be alarmed at this latest panic measures.The government is stalling justice and leaving victims in limbo because of the mess they have created. This comes days after they hid from the public that they're now letting criminals out of jail earlier than ever before.The government is completely failing [on knife crime]. We've had an 80% increase since 2015 and rises all around the country. That's the first point.On stop and search, that is intelligence lead and evidence-based and is a really important tool. We've had, for example, the Inspectorate of Constabulary, an independent organisation, looking at this saying that what's essential is that it is done in that targeted way. Continue reading...

Opposition has seized upon killings that shine spotlight on two big issues: prisons crisis and violent drug tradeAs police continued to hunt the gunmen who killed two prison guards at a Normandy toll booth and freed a convict linked to gangland drug killings, the debate on law and order in France has intensified before next month's European elections.Both Gerald Darmanin, the hardline interior minister, and Jordan Bardella, the far-right president of Marine Le Pen's National Rally, used the same dramatic vocabulary to warn of savagery" in French society. Continue reading...

Israeli prime minister acknowledges split with Washington but says he will act to protest the life of our nation'

US secretary of state says ammunition, armoured vehicles and missiles will be rushed to frontline as Moscow says it has captured more territoryHere are some of the latest images from the newswires:Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak dismissed Russian president Vladimir Putin's comments on possible negotiations over his war in Ukraine as hypocritical" on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Sleepwalking expert Ramya Nagesh said she was suffering from post-Covid fatigueA barrister who wrote a book on sleepwalking who fell asleep during a coroner's inquest has been cleared of all professional misconduct charges.Ramya Nagesh, a member of commercial chambers in Gray's Inn Square in London, was accused by the Bar standards board (BSB) of harming the public's trust in the profession after falling asleep during a virtual hearing. Continue reading...

Release from agency and homeland security department does not mention any specific threats to any event or individualThe FBI and Department of Homeland Security have issued a warning that Pride month celebrations, which run through June, might be targeted by foreign terrorist organizations or their supporters.The release, dated 10 May, does not mention any specific threats or intelligence suggesting that any event, celebration or individual has been targeted. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Judge accused Robert Courts of mischaracterising evidence' against Trudi WarnerThe government's most senior law officer is to appeal against a decision not to allow a contempt of court action against climate campaigner Trudi Warner for holding a placard on the rights of jurors outside a British court, the Guardian can reveal.Mr Justice Saini ruled at the high court last month there was no basis to take action against Warner, 69, for holding up the sign informing jurors of their right to acquit a defendant based on their conscience. He said the government's claim that her behaviour fell into the category of criminal contempt was fanciful". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Russian customs records suggest firm owned by major Tory donor kept supplying machines after voluntary pause'The British digger maker JCB, owned by the billionaire Bamford family, continued to build and supply equipment for the Russian market months after saying it had stopped exports because of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the Guardian can reveal.Russian customs records show that JCB, whose owners are major donors to the Conservative party, continued to make new products available for Russian dealers well after 2 March 2022, when the company publicly stated that it had voluntarily paused exports" to Russia. Continue reading...

Trump is under investigation by House Democrats for hosting dinner where he reportedly asked oil and gas company executives for $1bn campaign contribution in exchange for scrapping environmental regulations. Plus: Antony Blinken picks up a guitarGood morning.House Democrats and the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) have launched investigations into Donald Trump and the dinner he hosted at his Mar-a-Lago home and club last month with more than 20 oil and gas company executives. The Washington Post has previously reported that Trump promised at the meeting to undo Joe Biden's restrictions on natural gas export permits, oil drilling and car pollution, if the executives gave him $1bn for his White House re-election campaign.Could these investigations lead to further fallout for the gas and oil industry? Sheldon Whitehouse, the senator from Rhode Island who chairs the Senate budget committee, which has subpoena powers, is also considering an investigation. Trump's offer of a blatant quid pro quo to oil executives is practically an invitation to ask questions about Big Oil's political corruption and manipulation," he said in an emailed statement.Has the fossil fuel industry already donated to the Trump campaign? Yes, firms and lobby groups have given $7.3m this election cycle so far to Trump's campaign and to groups backing his candidacy.How have executives responded to the investigations? One spokesperson for American Petroleum Institute (API), the fossil fuel industry's top lobbying arm in the US, said the organization meets with policymakers and candidates from across the political spectrum on topics important to our industry".What is the situation now in Rafah? Following Israeli warnings to evacuate eastern and central neighborhoods, it is believed that between 360,000 and 500,000 Palestinians have fled Rafah in the past week.Is there anywhere for the refugees to shelter? Hundreds of tent city shelters have been set up near Khan Younis. But here, there is no water, no food, no health care, not even a toilet", according to one refugee. Continue reading...

Owner of Dal Presidente and his wife among five arrested on suspicion of business being linked to Camorra's Contini clanA pizzeria in the heart of Naples that was founded by a man who made a pizza for Bill Clinton has been seized by police in a mafia-related investigation.The owner of Dal Presidente and his wife are among five people arrested on suspicion of the business being linked to the Camorra's Contini clan. Continue reading...

Violent messages left by Justin Stein after he is accused of shooting nine-year-old dead played to murder trial

Exclusive: Elderly woman was allowed to run up debts in disturbing' case, the latest to emerge in Guardian investigationGovernment ministers have formally apologised and repaid 7,000 to a 93-year-old woman whom they held responsible for running up benefits overpayment debts even though they were told she had dementia and was unable to manage her affairs.The case, which the minister for disability, Mims Davies, admitted was disturbing", was brought to light by the Guardian as part of its investigation into carer's allowance overpayments. Continue reading...

Philippines coast guard and navy watch as wooden boats head to Scarborough shoal to place buoys and hand food packs to local fishersA flotilla of about 100 mostly small fishing boats led by Filipino activists has set sail for a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, where Beijing's coast guard and suspected militia ships have used powerful water cannon to ward off what they regard as intruders.The Philippine coast guard and navy deployed one patrol ship each to keep watch from a distance on the activists and fishers, who set off on wooden boats with bamboo outriggers on Wednesday to assert Manila's sovereignty over the Scarborough shoal. Dozens of journalists joined the three-day voyage. Continue reading...

Deakin University has similarly requested that student protesters remove camps