by Eleni Courea Political correspondent on (#6M4AB)
Prospective contenders Badenoch, Braverman, Jenrick and Mordaunt abstained or voted against the banIn his speech to the Tory faithful at the Conservative party conference in Manchester in October, Rishi Sunak declared that he wanted to ban smoking for future generations.His announcement - confirming a plan first reported by the Guardian - was met with applause from grassroots members then. But Tuesday night's vote demonstrates the challenges for a Tory prime minister championing what his own side deems an archetypal nanny state" policy. Continue reading...
UN human rights office expresses concern over escalating violence after deaths near Nablus over weekendThe UN and the UK have voiced grave concern over escalating violence in the West Bank, demanding that Israeli security forces immediately" stop supporting settler attacks on Palestinians in the occupied territory.The comments came hours after two Palestinian men were killed by Israeli settlers in a northern village south of Nablus in the latest violent attack involving settlers in the increasingly tense West Bank. Continue reading...
Iran's charge d'affaires in London said his country would respond more severely if Israel attacked it again in another mistake'Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to trap the west into a total war across the Middle East that would have incalculable consequences for the region and the world, Iran's top diplomat in the UK has claimed, in his first interview since Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel at the weekend.Seyed Mehdi Hosseini Matin also warned that if Israel made another mistake" by launching an attack on Iran, there would be a response from Iran that was stronger, more severe, and administered without a warning like that issued before the weekend attack. Continue reading...
by Nadeem Badshah (now); and Andrew Sparrow (earlier) on (#6M3SD)
Rishi Sunak's authority suffers blow as several Conservatives vote against bill, which clears first Commons hurdle with 383 votes to 67At 12.30pm a transport minister will respond to an urgent question in the Commons tabled by Labour on job losses in the rail industry. That means the debate on the smoking ban will will not start until about 1.15pm.Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, is one of the Britons speaking at the National Conservatism conference in Brussels starting today. The conference, which features hardline rightwingers from around the world committed to the NatCons' faith, flag and family' brand of conservatism, is going ahead despite two venues refusing to host them at relatively short notice.The current UK government doesn't have the political will to take on the ECHR and hasn't laid the ground work for doing so.And so it's no surprise that recent noises in this direction are easily dismissed as inauthentic.Any attempt to include a plan for ECHR withdrawal in a losing Conservative election manifesto risks setting the cause back a generation. Continue reading...
Spokesperson says aircraft has landed safely and all passengers and crew have disembarkedBirmingham airport temporarily suspended operations on Tuesday because of a security incident on an aircraft.There had initially been reports of a suspicious item on a plane, but West Midlands police later confirmed that the item was not suspicious, and the airport reopened at 6pm. Continue reading...
Kansas City Chiefs tight end will make his TV series debut as the host of Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? for Amazon Prime VideoTravis Kelce has a new addition to his resume: gameshow host. The Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs tight end has landed his first TV series job as the host of a spin-off of the erstwhile Fox series Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? for Amazon Prime Video.The new series, titled Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?, will see adult contestants answering sixth-grade-level trivia questions with the help of famous faces from stage, screen and sports, rather than against actual elementary school students. Amazon has ordered 20 episodes of the spin-off hosted by the three-time Super Bowl champ, whose profile has shot to new heights in recent months thanks to his much-discussed, real-life romcom relationship with the pop star Taylor Swift. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6M47H)
Muslim pupil loses case against Michaela community school, run by former government social mobility tsar Katharine BirbalsinghA high court decision to uphold a prayer ban at one of the highest performing state schools in England has been welcomed by Rishi Sunak and Kemi Badenoch, who described it as a victory against activists trying to subvert our public institutions".The case against Michaela community school in Brent, north-west London, which is famous for its strict discipline code, was brought by a Muslim pupil, known only as TTT in court proceedings, who claimed the ban was discriminatory and breached her right to religious freedom. Continue reading...
Wartime speaker' indicates he will press forward with aid package, which would force him to rely on Democrats to pass itDefiant and determined, the House speaker, Mike Johnson, pushed back on Tuesday against mounting Republican anger over his proposed US aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other allies, and rejected a call to step aside or risk a vote to oust him from office.I am not resigning," Johnson said after a testy morning meeting of fellow House Republicans at the Capitol. Continue reading...
Swansea inquest hears how weak security at psychiatric ward enabled Daniel Harrison to escape and attack father an hour laterA string of serious failings in the care provided for a man with schizophrenia who killed his father an hour after absconding from a psychiatric ward contributed to the death, a coroner has ruled.Coroner Kirsten Heaven also said that security systems at the hospital where Daniel Harrison was being detained were inadequate and played their part in events leading to the killing of retired chest consultant Kim Harrison. Continue reading...
Opposition parties say women's rights dealt blow after package approved by Georgia Meloni's cabinetItalian opposition parties said women's rights in Italy had been dealt a heavy" blow after parliament passed a measure by Giorgia Meloni's far-right government allowing anti-abortion activists to enter abortion consultation clinics.The measure formed part of a package of initiatives approved by Meloni's cabinet that will be funded by the EU's post-pandemic recovery fund, of which Italy is the biggest beneficiary, and was put to the lower house in a confidence vote on Tuesday. The package of measures is expected to comfortably pass in the senate, too. Continue reading...
by Eleni Courea and Richard Partington on (#6M44E)
Separate report suggests number of people living in poverty aged between 60 and pension age has tripled under ToriesNearly 1 million people aged over 65 in the UK are living in deprivation, according to government statistics, the highest number since comparable records began.Labour, which analysed figures from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) records, has vowed to be the party for pensioners, with plans to insulate millions of homes and reduce energy bills. It has also committed to retaining" the triple lock which guarantees annual rises to the state pension. Continue reading...
Pouria Zeraati, who was stabbed outside his home, says IRGC should be proscribed as a terrorist groupAn Iranian journalist who was stabbed outside his home in London has joined calls for the UK to proscribe Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation.Pouria Zeraati, who works for the London-based broadcaster Iran International, was stabbed in the leg by three unknown individuals in Wimbledon on 29 March. Police believe the three attackers have fled the country. Continue reading...
Announcement of streaming service for content at risk of cancellation' comes as company shares continue downward slideDonald Trump's social media empire has announced plans to launch a streaming platform. Its shares continued to fall.Trump Media & Technology Group, owner of Truth Social, has come under pressure since its stunning stock market debut last month left the former president with a vast stake worth about $4.9bn on paper. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Board to release turnaround proposals on Friday amid uncertainty over future of firmThames Water is preparing to tap debt markets within weeks in an attempt to fund a rescue plan and repair its threadbare finances, the Guardian can reveal.It is understood the embattled water company is planning to publish a revised five-year spending plan within days, before a deadline next month. Its board is expected to meet on Thursday to rubber-stamp the plan, and executives hope to release it on Friday. Continue reading...
Packages allegedly sent to former Australian boxer and others were intercepted by federal police, US affidavit says. Fenech has not been charged, and his lawyer says he is not a suspect for any criminal offences
British bootmaker says it does not expect to increase prices this year as it reports poor US salesShares in Dr Martens plummeted to a new low as the UK bootmaker warned on profits and poor performance in the US, and announced the departure of its chief executive.The brand, known for its yellow-stitched thick-soled boots, warned sales would fall by a single-digit percentage in the year to the end of March 2025, compared with a year earlier. Profit before tax could be just a third of last year's 159m in a worst-case scenario. Continue reading...
David Miller, then chief operating officer, tells inquiry he does not remember 1999 meeting in which comment was madeA former Post Office executive has told a public inquiry that he should not have said" to its board that the Horizon IT system was robust and fit for purpose" and agreed there had been a missed opportunity" to investigate post office operators' concerns.David Miller, who retired in 2006 as chief operating officer of Post Office, had been told of problems with Horizon when he held meetings with post office operators in June 1999, the inquiry into the scandal has heard. Continue reading...
Acclaimed director Sam Gold will adapt the Shakespeare tragedy with new music from hitmaker and Taylor Swift collaborator Jack AntonoffWest Side Story's Rachel Zegler and Heartstopper breakout Kit Connor are set to play Shakespeare's tragic lovers Romeo and Juliet on Broadway.Romeo + Juliet will premiere later this year from Tony award-winning director Sam Gold, who has previously taken on other Shakespeare plays such as Macbeth, Othello and King Lear. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6M3VT)
Alison McGovern says UK would grind to a halt' without unpaid carers and confirms party will review system if it wins powerLabour will review the system of carer's allowance if it wins the general election, the party has confirmed, after the Guardian revealed that scores of unpaid carers were being forced to pay back thousands of pounds for minor breaches of benefit rules.Thousands of carers have run up huge debts, been given criminal records and been forced to sell their homes when chased by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over honest mistakes" that officials could have spotted years earlier. Continue reading...
Featuring stars including Riz Ahmed and Nabhaan Rizwan, the event aims to celebrate the rich tapestry of Muslim experiences via the medium of film'The UK's first major film festival dedicated to Muslim cinema announced its inaugural lineup on Tuesday, with a slew of award-winning films featuring the likes of Riz Ahmed and Informer's Nabhaan Rizwan.Ahmed, winner of an Oscar for best live action short film, will appear in Dammi, a short film directed by Yann Demange, the French film-maker best known for Top Boy and Northern Ireland-set drama '71. Ahmed co-stars with Isabelle Adjani in a story about a man confronting his French and Algerian heritage on a trip to Paris. Rizwan plays the lead in In Camera, a British feature directed by Naqqash Khalid that screened at the London film festival, as an actor struggling to make a career in the film industry in the face of repeated rejections. Continue reading...
Residents welcome removal of number 116 route, often used to get to Park GuellWhile some places will go to any lengths to attract visitors, residents of La Salut neighbourhood in Barcelona are celebrating a move to wipe themselves off the map.For years, residents had complained that they could not get home because the number 116 bus is always crammed with tourists visiting Antoni Gaudi's Park Guell. The park is the city's second most popular attraction after the Sagrada Familia basilica. Continue reading...
Dramatic images capture blaze at historic bourse where spire has collapsedA huge fire has broken out at Copenhagen's 17th-century former stock exchange, one of the Danish capital's most famous landmarks, engulfing the historic building's roof and toppling its distinctive spire.People were seen rushing in and out of the building carrying works of art to safety and Danish media reported an annexe of the parliament had been evacuated. Police asked people to avoid driving in the inner part of the city. Continue reading...
by Kiran StaceyPolitical correspondent on (#6M3SN)
Lucy Fraser calls on sporting officials to draw up unambiguous' guidelines on gender identityThe culture secretary has called for transgender athletes to be banned from competing in female-only events as she urged sporting officials to draw up fresh guidelines to clarify the rules governing gender identity.Lucy Frazer wrote in the Mail that sports' governing bodies needed to set out an unambiguous position" on the issue, amid rows over trans athletes participating in female-only events including such as cycling, swimming and darts. Continue reading...
A Seattle emergency preparedness expert has become the go-to guy for fans trying to reach Trump through Mike LindellThe voicemails and emails last year came from his supporters, praising his work and asking if he could connect them with Donald Trump.Not a weird ask for Mike Lindell, the pillow salesman who now makes a name for himself by questioning election results. Continue reading...
Groups led by Stephen Miller and Charlie Kirk among recipients of large sums from Bradley Foundation and Bradley Impact FundTwo powerful conservative non-profits have donated millions of dollars to a number of pro-Trump groups led by key far-right allies Stephen Miller, Charlie Kirk and others that have promoted election denialism, extremist anti-immigrant policies and legal challenges to bolster the Maga movement.Based in Wisconsin, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation and the Bradley Impact Fund in 2022 separately doled out six- and seven-figure checks to groups such as Miller's America First Legal and Kirk's Turning Point USA, and other Trump-friendly bastions such as the Heritage Foundation and Michael Flynn's America's Future. Continue reading...
by Cait Kelly (now), Emily Wind (earlier) on (#6M3GB)
Asio head says terror threat level unchanged after 16-year-old arrested over the alleged attack and hundreds of people clashed with police outside Wakeley church. Follow the day's news live
Former PM launches apparent attack on civil servants over plans she said had been put in the bin'Liz Truss has blamed unelected individuals" in the Department of Health and Social Care for the government's planned smoking ban as she launched an apparent attack on civil servants such as the chief medical officer for England, Sir Chris Whitty.The former prime minister also claimed Therese Coffey, her friend and health secretary in Truss's short-lived government, had put the plans in the bin" but that they had re-emerged like a bad penny". Continue reading...
by Tom Phillips and Etienne Côté-Paluck in Port-au- on (#6M3Q9)
Correspondents in Port-au-Prince face danger as they play a vital role in chronicling city's state of siegeEach day, Makenson Remy wakes in the hush of the night to tell the story of his shattered home town, Port-au-Prince. Each day, he fears he might die. I am very worried for the city. I am worried for my family. I am worried for myself too, because at any moment I could go out and never come back," said the Haitian journalist who is responsible for the crack-of-dawn radio broadcasts that help the capital's jittery residents stay alive.Remy uses a motorbike to move around the city, which a gang rebellion six weeks ago has almost entirely cut off from the outside world, gathering information on where is and isn't safe to tread. As he slaloms through barricaded streets under the cover of darkness, he has witnessed spine-chilling scenes. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: Government-funded care was extended to younger children this month, but a study that looked at international examples says the system needs a wholesale overhaul Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. If you want to make a toddler's parents furious - and they're always on a pretty short fuse, let's be honest - ask them how much of their salary they're spending on childcare. The cost and quality of provision is one of the most persistent questions of our time: it matters for working parents trying to make ends meet, but it is also important for society generally because a child's early years have an impact on them for the rest of their lives.While the government has recently increased the provision of free hours for working parents, there are huge concerns that, because those places are not fully funded, the move could result in a shortage of places and a spike in fees for the hours people have to pay for themselves.Middle East | Israel's top general has said it will respond to Iran's missile and drone attack, but it remains unclear what form that response will take and whether it will be so forceful it could tip a worsening spiral of violence into a full-scale regional war. US officials said some form of counter to Iran's attack was almost inevitable, but they were still hoping it would be a limited counterstrike and not aimed at Iranian territory. Rishi Sunak has urged Israel to show restraint. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli settlers have killed two Palestinians, according to Palestinian officials.Home Office | Dozens of Home Office staff are under criminal investigation over allegations including immigration crime, fraud and drug offences, the Guardian has learned.Education | Multi-academy trusts (Mats) in England have significantly higher annual turnover of classroom teachers at secondary level than schools maintained by local authorities. Research has found that turnover at Mats stands at 19.5% on average compared with 14.4% at the median local authority.Immigration and asylum | MPs have voted through plans to forcibly send asylum seekers to Rwanda if they arrive in the UK via small boats. Rishi Sunak's flagship deportation bill is expected to pass into law at some point this week after further criticism and amendment in the Lords.Environment | The UK government has been accused of double counting 500m of overseas aid as climate finance in an attempt to meet its commitments under the Paris agreement. Money for humanitarian work in Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia is being classified as climate finance, according to Carbon Brief. Continue reading...
by Elias Visontay, Stephanie Convery, Mostafa Rachwan on (#6M3J7)
NSW premier Chris Minns says a major and serious criminal investigation' is under way after incident at Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley, which Anthony Albanese described as extremely concerning'
Exclusive: rollout of fresh testing for contested rape and murder convictions should have happened a decade ago', Malkinson saysAndrew Malkinson has said that an announced rollout of fresh DNA testing for contested rape and murder convictions should have happened a decade ago when the science first became available, a move that would have spared him years in jail.Malkinson was cleared by the appeal court last year after spending 17 years in prison for a 2003 rape he did not commit. His exoneration came after new DNA testing linked another man to the crime. Continue reading...
by Nino Bucci Courts and justice reporter on (#6M3P0)
Victoria police say the 53-year-old became ill in Clunes, north of Ballarat, on SaturdayA woman has died and two other people have been taken to hospital after police say they consumed a drink at a retreat near the regional Victorian city of Ballarat on Saturday.A police spokesperson confirmed that Moorabool Crime Investigation Unit detectives were investigating the of a woman in Clunes, north of Melbourne, on 13 April. Continue reading...
The former prime minister spent just 49 days in office but wants to stay on the world stage. Her attacks on Biden and praise for Trump are aimed at the populist rightIn her new book, the former British prime minister Liz Truss directs scathing attacks and mockery at Joe Biden, president of her country's closest ally. Biden was guilty of utter hypocrisy and ignorance", Truss writes, when the US leader said he disagree[d] with the policy" of cutting taxes on the super wealthy" in the mini-budget Truss introduced in September 2022, shortly after taking power.I was shocked and astounded that Biden would breach protocol by commenting on UK domestic policy," Truss adds. We had been the United States' staunchest allies through thick and thin." Continue reading...
Newshub owner Warner Bros Discovery strikes deal with Stuff to provide bulletins amid concerns over the country's shrinking media marketNew Zealand news outlet Newshub, which is set to shut down due to economic woes, has been thrown a lifeline by local media organisation Stuff that will save its bulletins and website, in new formats.Last week, Warner Bros Discovery confirmed it would close down its New Zealand newsroom, Newshub, including its website, the morning television show and the 6pm news bulletin, resulting in the loss of roughly 300 jobs and prompting alarm over the state of New Zealand's media industry. The same day, state-owned television network TVNZ announced its own set of programme cuts and job losses. Continue reading...
Violence is reported to have escalated after a 14 year old Israeli shepherd went missing in the West Bank on FridayIsraeli settlers have killed two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian officials, after a weekend of escalating violence across the territory.The Palestinian health ministry named the victims of the attack near Nablus as Abdulrahman Maher Bani Fadel, 30, and Mohammed Ashraf Bani Jame, 21, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#6M3J6)
Research reveals long-lasting effects' caused by pressure from parents, families, bullies and the mediaParents who tease their children about their weight are putting them at greater risk of feeling bad about their bodies decades later, regardless of whether they grow up to have obesity or not, a groundbreaking study has found.Thirteen-year-olds who felt pressure from family members to shed pounds and endured weight-based teasing showed higher levels of internalised weight stigma when they turned 31, according to research by the University of Bristol published on Tuesday in the Lancet Regional Health Europe journal. Continue reading...
Patrice Runner, 57, of Canada was convicted in June of multiple counts of defrauding millions of older and vulnerable Americans'A Canadian conman, who swindled more than US$175m (C$241m) from his North American victims through a massive psychic mass-mailing fraud scheme" has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.Patrice Runner, 57, who holds citizenship with both Canada and France, was convicted by a jury in June of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, eight counts of mail fraud, four counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He was found not guilty on four counts of mail fraud. Continue reading...
MPs voted through plans on Monday and bill is expected to become law within daysRishi Sunak will hand over 50m to Rwanda as soon as his flagship deportation bill is passed into law, it emerged on Monday.On Monday night, MPs voted through plans to forcibly send asylum seekers to east Africa if they arrived in the UK via small boats. The bill, one of the most controversial pieces of legislation passed in decades, is expected to pass into law at some point this week after further criticisms and amendments in the Lords. Continue reading...
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