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Reforms that address the decline in competition can deliver big economic benefits', the treasurer will tell the ACCC

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage hereThree people were killed in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's southern Kherson region by Ukrainian shelling on Monday, the Russian-installed regional head Vladimir Saldo said on Tuesday.More details to follow as we get them. Continue reading...

All agree that billions are missing from HMRC coffers but Rachel Reeves may not be looking for it in the right placesEach year His Majesty's Revenue and Customs know how much tax they would collect if all individuals and companies paid what they owed. They also know how much they have actually collected. The difference between the two figures is known as the tax gap.In the last year for which data is available, 2021-22, the tax gap stood at 35.8bn, up 5bn on the previous year. The amount of tax owing also rose, from 642bn to 739bn, so in percentage terms the tax gap remained unchanged at 4.8%. Continue reading...

Nicaragua asks UN's highest court to halt German weapons sales to Israel, alleging it is breaching obligation to prevent genocideGermany has said Israel's security is at the core" of its foreign policy because of the history of the Holocaust, but denied accusations at the UN's highest court that is aiding genocide in Gaza by arming Israel.Nicaragua has brought a case against Germany at the international court of justice (ICJ) urging judges to order a halt to German weapons sales to Israel, alleging it is in breach of its obligation to prevent genocide and ensure respect of international humanitarian law. Continue reading...

So-called TikTok taoiseach' will become Ireland's youngest ever leader when he is formally appointed by the presidentThe vote on Simon Harris' nomination has now started.Opposition parties are throwing (metaphorical) vinegar onto the anointment of Simon Harris as Ireland's new taoiseach, saying he is a product of a centre-right coalition government that has presided over a housing crisis and fraying public services and is scared of the electorate. Continue reading...

Ramsay El-Nakla charged with abduction and extortion in case linked to man who fell from block of flatsHumza Yousaf's brother-in-law has been arrested and charged following the death of a man in Dundee earlier this year.Ramsay El-Nakla, 36, has been charged with abduction and extortion in a case linked to a man who died in hospital a week after falling from a window in a block of flats in Dundee on 10 January. Continue reading...

Israel is facing mounting international pressure to allow more aid into Gaza amid threat of famineRecent tragedies in Gaza are not a reason to walk away from Israel", the former British home secretary, Suella Braverman, said.Asked if the UK should still be selling arms to Israel, Braverman told LBC: I don't think the fact that these tragedies happen is a reason to walk away from Israel, and to stop selling arms to Israel, because of that broader battle that they are engaging with." Continue reading...

County hit by severe flooding as forecasters warn heavy rain and strong winds will continue to batter parts of UKBeach huts have been blown into the sea, more than 200 people have been evacuated and fire services have warned people affected by flooding to get to high ground as Storm Kathleen hit Easter holiday hotspots along the south coast.Evacuations in West Sussex went ahead after the River Arun overflowed its banks, with further warnings that flooding may increase throughout Tuesday. Continue reading...

Some police forces in England and Wales now ask spouses to flag dangerous traits or mental health problemsSurvivors of gun crime committed by violent and coercive partners have worked with police to create a groundbreaking scheme designed to stop more dangerous offenders being allowed licensed firearms.The women have helped police frame a questionnaire that firearms officers will put to the partners of people wanting a licence, which it is hoped will flag up issues such as a propensity to violence or mental health problems. Continue reading...

Comments by Sam Rose, of the UN body for Palestinian refugees, come amid fears Israel plans to squeeze agency out of Gaza

Prosecution dropped day before trial of Dimitris Legakis, who was arrested working at a crime scene in SwanseaThe Crown Prosecution Service has admitted it was wrong to press on with a case against a news photographer arrested as he tried to lawfully take pictures at a crime scene.Judge Walters at Swansea crown court described the case against Dimitris Legakis, which was dropped on the eve of his trial, as disturbing" and said it seemed the high point" of the prosecution was that a police officer took offence" against someone whose job was to take photographs. Continue reading...

Bill, which passed the state senate and must still pass the house, is similar to one in Texas put on hold by an appeals courtLouisiana's Republican-controlled senate advanced a bill on Monday that would empower state and local law enforcement to arrest and jail people in the state who entered the US illegally, similar to embattled legislation in Texas.Amid national fights between Republican states and the Democratic president, Joe Biden, over how and who should enforce the US-Mexico border, Louisiana joins a growing list of legislatures seeking to expand states' authority over border enforcement. Continue reading...

Shadow chancellor says Labour would ramp up' number of HMRC staff to close gap between what is owed and paid

Tasmanian tribunal rules Museum of Old and New Art discriminated against NSW man by denying him entry to installation

Controversial investment bank could play important role in fate of Britain's biggest water firm

Higgins says any question about her evidence in the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case should take into account her trauma and the possibility she may have been drugged

Federal court announces a new date for the decision after original date delayed by fresh evidence

Australia, UK and US say they want to support regional stability and security but China gravely concerned'

Findings are due to be published from review by consultant paediatrician that has already had significant impactA long-awaited review into how the NHS should care for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria will be published on Wednesday.The findings of the review by the leading consultant paediatrician Dame Hilary Cass will shape NHS England's new services for children and young people who are questioning their gender identity or experiencing gender incongruence. Continue reading...

Advocates fear situation could escalate in Javari valley, a region plagued by violence and poor healthcareMore than 100 Indigenous people in Brazil's Javari valley have been diagnosed with flu-like symptoms, raising fears that the situation could escalate into an epidemic.The valley, where Indigenous advocate Bruno Pereira and journalist Dom Phillips were killed in 2022, is home to the largest population of Indigenous people in voluntary isolation and of recent contact worldwide. The Korubo people were first contacted by government officials in 1996, and they continue to live with little interaction with other Indigenous groups and local authorities. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: As Alan Bates prepares to speak on the devastating impact on thousands of former post office operators, we look at where the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal goes from here Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.It is, in the words of the prime minister, one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation's history". The Post Office Horizon scandal led to 236 innocent subpostmasters being sent to prison, and more than 4,000 others suffering - whether it be losing jobs, bankruptcy, family breakdowns or homelessness. At least four of those accused have since killed themselves.Israel-Gaza | David Cameron will set out the UK's reasoning for continuing to export arms to Israel on Tuesday as ministers face ongoing pressure to disclose the official legal advice on the trade. On Monday evening, the foreign secretary

Doctors describe rise in infections and amputations among dangerously malnourished patientsEvery morning, starving mothers arrive at the doors of al-Awda hospital in northern Gaza desperately seeking baby formula. Many mothers of newborns are unable to breastfeed, the head of the hospital said, because they are so underfed.Inside the hospital, where doctors are undergoing treatment for malnutrition alongside their patients, surgeons say they are carrying out increasing numbers of amputations owing to the effects of acute hunger. Continue reading...

Premier says review of public money spend is appropriate and necessary' after Guardian Australia reveals $700,000 was paid out to former NSW police media officers

Thailand PM says army is weakening after junta requests permission to land evacuation flight from Myawaddy across the borderMyanmar's embattled junta has evacuated personnel from a key border position after hundreds of soldiers surrendered to opposition groups, in another humiliating defeat for the army.The military is now on the brink of losing control of Myawaddy, in Karen state, one of the most important border crossings in Myanmar and crucial to the flow of goods between the country and Thailand. It has been controlled by the military for decades. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Rank and file group wants a doubling of social housing at the 44 tower sites and a guarantee all the land will stay in public hands

The 21-year-old appeared in Ballarat magistrates court after remains found in burnt out car in Scarsdale

Star Wars actor says he believes actors should be free to do anything you want to do', in a discussion about Laurence Olivier's performance in OthelloBilly Dee Williams has said that actors should be able to perform in blackface, with the Star Wars actor revealing that he believes, If you're an actor, you should do anything you want to do".Speaking to Bill Maher on the Club Random podcast, the 87-year-old actor recalled laughing while watching the 1965 film Othello, where the titular character played by Laurence Olivier is in blackface. Williams said he thought the performance was really interesting". Continue reading...

Johnston to be first chief of defence from the navy in more than two decades, with Air Marshal Robert Chipman announced as vice chief

Watchdog said post was found to mock his gender identity and equated transgender identity with a psychiatric condition

Welfare experts say people need to choose pets with natural body shapes so their health doesn't sufferWould-be dog owners should avoid bulging skulls, protruding eyes and shortened twisted legs and instead opt for a naturally healthy body shape, an international team of experts has urged.The health and welfare implications of extreme canine body forms has become a pressing issue, with experts repeatedly warning of the myriad problems faced by breeds with flat faces - from breathing challenges to difficulties exercising and giving birth.Flat-facesLarge and protruding eyesShortened, twisted legsFacial or body skin foldsLack of tailA clearly overshot or undershot jawA disproportionately broad head and shouldersEyelids turned in or outA bulging or domed skullA sloped back with an excessively low rear end and excessively flexed hind legs Continue reading...

People find landscape in southern Gaza city marked by shattered buildings and stench of death from under the rubble

Foreign secretary's intervention comes as pressure grows on ministers to reveal legal advice over Gaza conflictDavid Cameron will set out the UK's reasoning for continuing to export arms to Israel on Tuesday as ministers face ongoing pressure to disclose the official legal advice on the trade.The foreign secretary will discuss the Middle East crisis with his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, on a visit to Washington where he is also expected to give an update on the UK's arms export regime. Continue reading...

Gordon Brown and three former education ministers say New Labour's acclaimed early-years programme benefited millionsVeterans of the last Labour government have called on Keir Starmer to put a new Sure Start-style programme at the heart of his election manifesto after research showed its transformational impact on poor children.Gordon Brown, the former prime minister who first announced the Sure Start initiative as Labour chancellor in 1998, was among those urging the opposition leader to prioritise the early years last night. Continue reading...

Sector enjoyed best month in more than two years in March, consumer spending report showsAn early Easter boosted consumer spending in March and gave Britain's retailers their best month in more than two years, according to a report.Prompting hopes that the retail sector might be emerging from a protracted soft patch, the latest snapshot of spending in shops and online showed the value of sales above the current inflation rate for the first time since the early days of the cost of living crisis. Continue reading...

Jorge Glas brought to naval hospital from maximum security prison three days after his controversial capture in Mexican embassyEcuador's former vice-president Jorge Glas has reportedly been taken to hospital from the maximum security jail where he was being held - three days after the politician was captured inside Mexico's embassy in Quito during a police raid that drew outrage across Latin America.Glas, 54, was sent to the Alcatraz-inspired prison La Roca (the Rock) in Guayaquil on Saturday, one day after being detained by Ecuadorian security forces inside the Mexican mission where he had sought asylum. Continue reading...

Funding needed after Tories scrapped non-dom status to pay for tax cuts will be used for school breakfast clubs and NHSRachel Reeves has said an incoming Labour government would launch a 5bn crackdown on tax avoiders to close a gap in its spending plans exposed by Jeremy Hunt scrapping the non-dom regime to finance tax cuts.Warning households and businesses that Labour was prepared to adopt tough measures to tackle tax fraud and non-compliance, Reeves said the funding would be used to pay for free school breakfast clubs and additional NHS appointments. Continue reading...

Habibur Masum was previously charged with assault and threatening to kill 27-year-old who was stabbed to death in Bradford on SaturdayA woman who was stabbed to death while pushing her baby in a pram in Bradford city centre has been identified, as it emerged her suspected attacker is on bail for allegedly assaulting and threatening to kill her.West Yorkshire police on Monday named the victim as Kulsuma Akter, aged 27, who died on Saturday. Continue reading...

CCTV footage shows couple beginning their hike on the mountainous Shakadang trail just 25 minutes before the 7.2 magnitude earthquake struckRescue efforts are still under way in Taiwan's Taroko national park to find two missing Australian nationals, who have not been seen for six days after a massive earthquake hit the island.The couple, identified by local government officials as Neo Siew Choo and Sim Hwee Kok, went missing after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the island at 7.58am on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Dublin politician says he is looking forward to a different chapter' after tendering resignation to presidentLeo Varadkar has said he has no regrets" about standing down, as he officially resigned as Ireland's taoiseach.The Dublin politician, who has been the country's prime minister for four years, said he was looking forward to a different chapter". Continue reading...

Shadow health secretary says quicker treatment to stop working class families being left behind is more important than ideologyMiddle-class lefties" will not stop a Labour government from using private hospitals to tackle the NHS's huge care backlog, the party's shadow health secretary has pledged.Wes Streeting rejected the idea that paying private health providers to treat patients amounted to a betrayal" of the NHS and insisted that quicker treatment was more important than ideology. Continue reading...

Campaigners accuse party of trying to weaponise' climate crisis by suggesting scrapping targets could fund NHSThe Reform UK party has been accused by green campaigners of trying to weaponise" the climate crisis as a wedge issue in the general election after the party leader claimed funding the NHS and reaching net zero were at odds.At a press conference in Westminster on Monday, Reform's leader, Richard Tice, suggested that scrapping the UK's pledge to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 would free up cash for the NHS. Continue reading...

Inquest hears Charlie Millers struggled with self-worth for years before self-harming in understaffed Prestwich hospital wardA 17-year-old trans boy who killed himself on a mental health ward felt worthless" and could not think of anything positive about himself" shortly before he died, an inquest heard.Charlie Millers, from Stretford, had been bullied at school and misgendered by healthcare staff in the five years up to his death and he struggled with his mental health, Rochdale coroner's court heard.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Former foreign minister recalls ferocious' discussion with Abbott about having only one woman in 20-member cabinet

Man and woman, 44 and 48, are being held on suspicion of murder after discovery of 38-year-old's remains in Rowdown FieldsHuman remains discovered in a south London park have been identified by police as those of a 38-year-old woman.The remains of Sarah Mayhew were discovered in Rowdown Fields in New Addington, Croydon, on the morning of 2 April. Continue reading...

Proposed penalty, intended to boost creaking health service, is criticised by doctors' unions and patients' groupsPatients in France who fail to turn up to a doctor's appointment without a good excuse will be fined 5 (4.30) under a proposal from the government.Gabriel Attal said on Monday that medical professionals reported an estimated 27m no-shows every year, adding: We cannot allow this to continue." Continue reading...

Watchdog condemns reckless' attack after inspectors find damage at Russian-controlled power stationRussia and Ukraine have each accused the other of launching kamikaze drones at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in an incident condemned by the International Atomic Energy Agency for recklessly endangering safety.The nuclear watchdog said onsite inspectors had seen the damage caused by drone detonations at three locations, including superficial scorching" at the top of the roof of reactor 6, although it said its structural integrity was not compromised. Continue reading...

Remy Gordon and Kami Carpenter given minimum terms of 26 and 25 years at Birmingham crown court for nightclub attackTwo men have been jailed for life for the murder of footballer Cody Fisher in a nightclub attack in Birmingham on Boxing Day 2022.Remy Gordon, 23, and Kami Carpenter, 22, had blamed each other for stabbing the 23-year-old former Birmingham City academy player, who died at the scene from a chest wound. Continue reading...

Kevin Hollinrake has said in his view people should be prosecuted'I mentioned in the introduction that Reform UK are giving a press briefing that they have billed as being about Labour's betrayal of the working class". That will be starting in a few minutes and I will bring you any key lines that emerge ...John Harris writes for us today, cautioning against schadenfreude at the Tories' apparently inevitable defeat in the next election. He writes: Continue reading...

Exclusive: FoI documents show senator's office spoke to other members, duty-senators and some cross-benchers to prioritise marginal and target seats

Australians want wide-ranging reform of failing' housing system and back the Greens' public sector property developer, poll finds