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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

Controversial monument of a Tasmanian premier who beheaded the body of an Indigenous man damaged and graffitied

Family law has not kept up with social shifts, with marital rape, child marriage and lack of property and custody rights persistent problems, research findsDiscriminatory laws and customs across Africa are stalling progress on women's rights in the region, according to new research.The human rights organisation Equality Now studied family law and practices in 20 African countries and found that despite some progress in recent decades, inequalities persisted in marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance and property laws. Continue reading...

Albanese government's spending hailed by student safety advocates as a huge step' in holding sector accountable for student welfare

Witnesses are giving evidence in trial of airline pilot who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Hill and Carol Clay

Jim Chalmers' budget didn't answer all the questions about what projects will be funded but there is a lot more clarity now

Georgia PM GeorIrakli Kobakhidze pushes back against sanctions threat; Heroes Square blocked by demonstrators after controversial foreign agents' bill passes. This blog is now closed.

Package in congressional review process after Biden delayed shipment of bombs over fears they would be used to attack RafahThe US state department has moved a $1bn package of weapons aid for Israel into the congressional review process, two US officials said on Tuesday.The latest weapons package includes tank rounds, mortars and armored tactical vehicles, one of the officials told Reuters. Continue reading...

Australia's financials have generally improved compared with forecasts made a year ago but there are threats to the country's outlook lurking

Review of serious safeguarding failures finds young people from abusive environments less visible' to agenciesChildren who grow up in neglectful or abusive environments are safer attending school than being educated at home, according to a review of serious safeguarding failures in England in which six children died and 35 were harmed in one year.The report, by the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, emphasised that while home education was not a safeguarding risk, it found that vulnerable children were less visible" to safeguarding agencies than those regularly in school. Continue reading...

Commander says authorities scrambling to keep up with supply trends as knife crimes riseYoung people are using sites such as Telegram and TikTok to buy large knives for use in attacks and intimidation, with some linked to Britain's drug wars, police said.Stephen Clayman, national lead for knife crime for the National Police Chiefs' Council, made it clear on Tuesday that police want tougher action after a 7% year-on-year rise in knife offences, with a 20% rise in knife-point robberies. Continue reading...

Chris Philp says police should not tiptoe around using these powers in an aim to appease' despite concerns over racial biasPolice officers must carry out more stop and searches to address knife crime as the tactic is not used nearly often enough", according to the policing minister.Chris Philp said that police forces cannot afford to tiptoe around using these powers in an aim to appease". Continue reading...

Residents of suburbs in Fort McMurray ordered to leave as officials monitor a fire nearby that has grown to cover 9,600 hectaresResidents of four suburbs in the Canadian city of Fort McMurray have been ordered to evacuate as a wildfire approaches the city, stirring grim reminders of the country's costliest natural disaster.Officials in the western province of Alberta issued evacuation orders for the neighbourhoods of Beacon Hill, Abasand, Prairie Creek and Grayling Terrace on Tuesday, telling all residents to leave by 4pm MT. Continue reading...

450m Manchester venue opens doors with Elbow concert two weeks after debris falling from ceiling forced shutdownIt has been billed by its American owners as the greatest music venue ever built: a state-of-the art arena to put Manchester back on the musical map.But after a series of humiliating setbacks, the 450m Co-op Live - now referred to be some as Co-flop Live - opened its doors with a stagger rather than a swagger with a long-delayed concert by the local band Elbow on Tuesday night. Continue reading...

Cargo ship experienced electrical outage 10 hours before departing then lost power again before collision, preliminary report saysInvestigators examining the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore said in a preliminary report on Tuesday the cargo ship Dali experienced an electrical blackout about 10 hours before leaving the port of Baltimore while undergoing maintenance.The power outage was caused by a crew member mistakenly closing an exhaust damper, causing the ship's engine to stall, the report issued by the National Transportation Safety Board said. The ship lost power again and crashed into one of the bridge's supporting columns shortly after leaving the port on 26 March, which brought the bridge down in seconds. Continue reading...

Livestream artwork with 2.4m-wide screen allowed people in both cities to see but not hear each other, leading to offensive conductAuthorities in Dublin are to temporarily shut down the live video portal with New York because of unruly behaviour.The city council said in a statement on Tuesday it would switch off the interactive webcam at 10pm Irish time while technicians try to tweak - or censor - a project that has brought delight and notoriety. Continue reading...