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Acoba chair Eric Pickles says rules on post-ministerial jobs are unenforceable' after former PM avoided answering questionsBoris Johnson was evasive", avoided answering specific questions" and has refused to be open" about his relationship with a hedge fund on whose behalf he met the Venezuelan president, a Whitehall watchdog has said.Johnson met Nicolas Maduro in early February in a paid role as a consultant to Merlyn Advisors, according to reports. This raised questions for the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) which is responsible for providing advice on post-ministerial roles for two years after a minister leaves office. Continue reading...

They not be Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, but the X Factor judges' ding-dong over Simon Cowell is a joyAll weekend and on into Monday, the row between the TV presenter and erstwhile wife of Les Dennis, Amanda Holden, and the managerial powerhouse Sharon Osbourne has been quite something. In brief: on Celebrity Big Brother Sharon slagged off their joint sometime-boss Simon Cowell. Holden then leapt to his defence in a Daily Mail interview, calling Sharon bitter and pathetic". Sharon then delivered a two-page diatribe against Holden, listing her many and lucrative achievements long before The X Factor entered her life, much though she enjoyed her judging stint. Simon paid me very well. Probably more than what you're receiving today, but all that, my darling, went on a few handbags." Continue reading...

PM criticised for consultation on personal independence payment amid spiralling' disability welfare billRishi Sunak is considering withdrawing a major cash disability benefit from some people with mental health conditions, prompting claims he has launched a full-on assault on disabled people".The prime minister announced fresh curbs on disability benefits on Friday, saying he wanted to explore whether some cash payments to claimants suffering from mental health conditions could be replaced by treatment or access to services.Shifting responsibility for issuing fit notes", formerly known as sicknotes, away from GPs to other work and health professionals" in order to encourage more people to get back into work.Confirming plans to legislate in the next parliament" to close benefit claims for anyone who has been claiming for 12 months but is not complying with conditions on accepting available work.Asking more people on universal credit working part-time to look for more work by increasing the earnings threshold from 743 a month to 892 a month, so people paid below this amount have to seek extra hours.Confirming plans to tighten the work capability assessment to require more people with less severe conditions" to seek some forms of employment. Continue reading...

Three brothers and family friend died at the scene in Clackline in the state's wheatbeltThree brothers, one of them only nine years old, and a family friend have been killed in a car crash in the Western Australian wheatbelt region.The brothers, aged 21, 19 and nine, died at the scene in Clackline in the early hours of Friday morning, along with a 45-year-old man, who was visiting from NSW. Continue reading...

Broken Hill's only newspaper, The Barrier Truth, closes due to cashflow problems, with staffer saying loss is really sad for the community'

Katie Fieldhouse says Conservative party failed to act after she reported incident in early JanuaryThe Conservative activist who has accused a Tory MP of making a late-night demand for money has said she is appalled by the party's response.Katie Fieldhouse has said Mark Menzies called her one night in December at 3.15am asking for 5,000 to pay bad people" who had detained him in a flat and were not letting him leave. Continue reading...

Reports of explosions in Iranian city of Isfahan prompt sell-off of stocks in Australia - and in other markets such as Japan. Follow the day's news live

Apple says Chinese government ordered it to remove two Meta-owned apps for national security' reasonsApple has removed WhatsApp and Threads from its Chinese App Store after the Chinese government ordered it to do so for national security" reasons.Apple confirmed it had withdrawn the two apps - both owned by Meta, also the owner of Facebook - under instruction from the Cyberspace Administration of China, which regulates and censors China's highly restricted internet and online content. Continue reading...

Davina Ware applied for benefits to help look after husband Mike, 72, who has lived with Parkinson's for 20 yearsThe pain cuts through Davina Ware's voice as she describes her experience of carer's allowance, the meagre weekly benefit given to those heralded by the government as Britain's unsung heroes".She feels humiliated," devastated," and treated like a conniving thief" by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) since she received its demand, three months before her retirement, to repay nearly 4,000. Continue reading...

Campaigners say underclaiming is a result of restrictions on taking on paid work and harsh penalties for accidental rule breachesAs many as half a million unpaid carers in the UK who look after frail, ill and disabled loved ones are failing to claim the 4,200-a-year carer's allowance despite experiencing high levels of poverty, according to new estimates.Campaigners said unpaid carers may have not claimed the benefit partly because of the strict limits dictating the amount of paid work they can undertake on top of their care duties, and the harsh penalties they face if they breach those rules. Continue reading...

Pilot to explore how to repurpose unused school space to increase capacity for funded childcareAn estimated 85,000 additional childcare places would be required by September 2025 to enable the government's planned expansion of funded childcare for working parents in England, according to the Department for Education.A pilot will explore how to repurpose unused school space to support childcare and increase capacity. If successful, the scheme will be rolled out to expand funded childcare for eligible families of children as young as nine months old. Continue reading...

Almost three in four services between London, Edinburgh and York will be cut in Aslef members' stoppageA train drivers' strike will lead to almost three in four services being cut on Saturday on LNER, which operates intercity trains between London, York and Edinburgh.Members of the Aslef union will take industrial action for 24 hours on 20 April - and also ban overtime during the weekend - in a dispute over terms and conditions, separate to the wider pay row that has led to strikes at all national rail operators across England. Continue reading...

Flights have been pushed back to summer after the House of Lords spoke out for Afghans and refugees - here's what to expect over the coming weeksRishi Sunak's plan to fly people seeking asylum to Rwanda this spring appears to have been put back to the summer after House of Lords insisted on changes to the scheme.On Thursday the prime minister's spokesperson said the Lords were responsible for any delay after attaching unwanted amendments to the deportation bill. Continue reading...

Women in Theatre Lab will act as incubator for playwriting and acting talent and address gender inequalityGemma Arterton, Joanna Scanlan and Stella Kanu are some of the figures backing an initiative to promote women in the theatre, who are being overlooked across the industry, according to the project's founder.Women in Theatre Lab will primarily act as an incubator for playwriting and acting talent. Its founder, Jennifer Tuckett, said the group would also put pressure on Arts Council England (ACE) to launch a review of gender inequality across the arts. Continue reading...

Doubling of related street, house and farm names since 1900 gives glimpse of flower ghosts', says National TrustOver the last century orchards and blossom trees have been slipping out of the British landscape at an alarming rate but the ghosts" of lost flowers are glimpsed in an increasing number of placenames recalling the vanished pinks and whites, researchers have found.A National Trust study has discovered that the number of street, house and farm names relating to orchards and blossom has doubled across England and Wales since the turn of the 20th century, a period in which more than half of traditional orchards have disappeared. Continue reading...

Surveys suggest EH Bildu's focus on health, housing and employment is attracting younger votersA leftwing coalition of Basque separatists, partly descended from the political wing of the defunct terrorist group Eta, could become the largest party in the Basque Country's parliament after an election in the northern Spanish region on Sunday.Latest polls suggest that EH Bildu, which is led by a convicted Eta member who later played a key role in persuading the group to end its armed campaign for an independent Basque homeland, has edged ahead of its rivals in the Basque Nationalist party (PNV). Continue reading...

Paperwork filed shows the royal has informed British authorities that he has moved and is now usually resident' in the United StatesPrince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has formally confirmed he is now a US resident.The acknowledgment is said to underscore the prince's increasing estrangement from Britain, after he and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, walked away from royal duties four years ago. Continue reading...

Bishop was injured in alleged attack in Wakeley with the teenager expected to appear at a bedside court hearing on Friday

Prime minister to express concern about over-medicalising' normal worries with diagnoses as mental health conditionsRishi Sunak will today claim Britain is suffering from a sicknote culture", as he warns there is a risk of over-medicalising" normal worries by diagnosing them as mental health conditions.In a speech on how to reduce people being signed off sick from work, the prime minister will say the government is planning to trial getting work and health professionals" to issue fit notes, shifting away from GPs carrying out this role. Continue reading...

Rising inflation and falling pupil numbers also forcing schools to cut spending on extracurricular activitiesPrimary schools across England are having to shed staff and cancel trips and activities this year as rising inflation and falling pupil numbers cause a rapid deterioration in their finances.A survey of more than 1,000 school leaders and teachers by the National Foundation for Educational Research found that three-quarters said their primary schools were cutting teaching assistant roles, while a third were also cutting teacher numbers. Continue reading...

Critics condemn reckless and cruel' expulsions and say deportees likely to be targeted by armed gangs who control much of countryMore than 70 Haitians expelled from the United States have been flown back to Haiti on the first deportation flight since heavily armed gangs launched a bloody insurrection which has paralysed the capital and forced the prime minister from office.The flight, which landed in the port city of Cap-Haitien early on Thursday, was described as inhumane" by human rights activists who warned that deportees would likely be targeted by the criminal factions who control most of the country. Continue reading...

Washington blocks security council resolution supported by 12 member countries, with two abstentions including UKThe US has vetoed a Palestinian request to the United Nations security council for full UN membership, blocking the world body's recognition of a Palestinian state.The vote in the 15-member security council was 12 in favor, the US opposed and two abstentions, the UK and Switzerland. Continue reading...

New post-Brexit border checks set to zero' to avoid what Defra calls risk of serious disruptionThe UK government has reportedly told port health authorities it will not turn on" health and safety checks for EU imports as new post-Brexit border controls begin this month.A presentation prepared by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) highlighted the risk of significant disruption" if the new measures were implemented, according to the Financial Times. It made clear that the systems would not be fully ready on time. Continue reading...

Poland's national prosecutor says man was preparing to share security details of airport used by Ukrainian presidentA Polish man has been arrested on allegations that he aided a plot by Russian intelligence services to assassinate the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, according to Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors.The office of Poland's national prosecutor said in a statement that the man, identified only as Pawel K, was accused of being prepared to pass airport security information to Russian agents and that he was arrested in Poland on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Rowaa Ahmar's claims were made in the court papers of a discrimination case against the Cabinet OfficeA former senior civil servant has said in court papers that a hostile racist working environment" in the Cabinet Office meant she was forced to resign".Rowaa Ahmar, who has now withdrawn a discrimination case against the Cabinet Office, said that the racism within the Cabinet Office appeared to be unrelenting and systemic" and claimed that she was frozen out of ministerial meetings after complaining about it. Continue reading...

Husband of Nicola Sturgeon was rearrested in connection with the embezzlement of funds' from party, say policePeter Murrell, the husband of the former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been charged in connection with embezzlement after being arrested for a second time by police investigating allegations regarding the funding and finances of the Scottish National party.Murrell, the former chief executive of the SNP, was first arrested and interviewed as a suspect by Police Scotland detectives in April 2023 at the home he shared with Sturgeon in Glasgow, but was released later that day pending further investigation. Continue reading...

High court hears arguments over prosecution of Trudi Warner for holding sign telling activists' trial juries of their rightsThe prosecution of a woman for contempt of court for holding a sign reminding juries of their rights is not in the public interest, the high court has been told.During a hearing on Thursday, the court heard arguments for and against an attempt by the solicitor general to bring a case against Trudi Warner, 69, who was charged last year for holding a sign - outside the trial of climate activists - reminding juries of their right to acquit a defendant based on their conscience, a principle known as jury equity. Continue reading...

Development follows Labour calling for investigation into Tory MP alleged to have misused funds to pay off bad people'

Prime minister also seeks to assure allies Israel's response to Iran will be measured, as officials urge him to focus on ceasefire dealBenjamin Netanyahu has told western diplomats that he will go ahead with a ground offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza, and has also suggested that Israel's anticipated reprisal for Iran's missile and drone salvo will be aimed at Iranian interests rather than Tehran's proxies.The Israeli leader has sought to assure anxious allies that Israel's response to Iran will be measured, while also claiming he will flood Gaza with aid and ensure that civilians and aid agencies are given ample opportunity to flee Rafah, the last relative refuge for at least 1.4 million displaced Palestinians. Continue reading...

Case comes after insiders warned of a potential ageism row last year following merger of BBC News and World News channelsThe BBC is facing another damaging row over equal pay, with the presenter Martine Croxall taking legal action against the broadcaster for age and sex discrimination.Croxall is suing the corporation after being off-air for more than a year following the merger of the BBC's News and World News channels, according to listings for London Central tribunal court for 1 May. Continue reading...

Pair also join two other siblings on board, further strengthening family's control of French luxury goods companyTwo sons of the world's richest man, Bernard Arnault, have joined the board of LVMH after a shareholder vote, further cementing the family's control on the French luxury goods company.The pair joined their elder siblings on the board of directors of the company, which houses brands such as Dior and Louis Vuitton, meaning four of Bernard Arnault's five children now sit on the board. Continue reading...

Mayor says brand Andy' move is utterly deliberate as people are sick and tired of Westminster'The West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, has said it is utterly deliberate" to exclude reference to the Conservative party from his campaign material, as he believes he is fighting an individual campaign and people are sick and tired of Westminster".Street is hoping to be elected to a third term in office in May's election in a vote that could be the strongest indicator yet as to how the two main parties will perform at the impending general election. Continue reading...

Chair Helen Pitcher says she is deeply sorry' for failing man jailed for 17 years for rape he did not commit Rape, DNA and injustice: a timeline of the Malkinson caseThe chair of the Criminal Cases Review Commission has offered an unreserved apology" to Andrew Malkinson for its handling of his case after he spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit.The apology from Helen Pitcher comes ahead of the publication of an independent review by Chris Henley KC of the CCRC's handling of the case. The review of the body set up to look into potential miscarriages of justice has been completed, and is expected to be critical and to be published imminently. Continue reading...

Former party chief executive and husband of Nicola Sturgeon taken into custody for further questioningPeter Murrell, the husband of the former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon, has been rearrested and questioned for a second time by police investigating allegations of financial wrongdoing by the Scottish National party.Murrell, the former chief executive of the SNP, was first arrested and interviewed as a suspect by Police Scotland detectives in April 2023 at the home he shared with Sturgeon in Glasgow, but was released later that day pending further investigation. Continue reading...

Noreen and Antonia, born last May, are among first cloned offspring of a native endangered species in the North AmericaTwo more black-footed ferrets have been successfully cloned in an attempt to save the endangered species, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced.The national agency shared news about the births of ferrets Noreen and Antonia, who were both born last May. Continue reading...

Internal investigation under way but party has not announced that police have been called inDuring questions in the Commons on next week's business, Penny Mordaunt, leader of the house, said that MPs would debate the latest Lords amendments to the Rwanda bill on Monday and that, if necessary, time would also be set aside on Tuesday for MPs to vote again on Lords amendments to the bill.But, at the No 10 lobby briefing, the PM's spokesperson told journalists that the government wants to conclude the ping pong" process (when the bill shuttles between the Commons and the Lords until both sides agree on its wording) on Monday night. He said:Our intention is to get this passed on Monday such that we can then set out the timetable for getting flights off as soon as possible. Continue reading...

Investor proposal to reduce levels of fat, salt and sugar in products is backed by only 11% of shareholdersNestle has fought off investor proposals that would have forced the world's largest consumer goods company to cut back on high levels of salt, sugar and fats in its food and drinks.The Swiss-headquartered multinational won the backing of 88% of shareholder votes at its annual meeting on Thursday, while 11% backed the resolution. Continue reading...

Police say girls aged six and 11 sustained superficial wounds in attack close to their school near StrasbourgA man has been arrested after two girls aged six and 11 were injured in a knife attack close to their school in the east of France.The 11-year-old was stabbed outside school in the town of Souffelweyersheim, just outside Strasbourg, while the six-year-old was allegedly attacked by the same man nearby. Continue reading...

Three works selected from 1,647 entries across 62 countries, with 50 selected for final displayThe artists Isabella Watling, Antony Williams and Catherine Chambers have been shortlisted for the National Portrait Gallery's annual painting prize.In total, 50 portraits have been selected for final display as part of the competition, which is returning for its 42nd year with its new sponsors Herbert Smith Freehills. The winning artist will receive 35,000 - one of the largest prizes for any global arts competition. Continue reading...

Glasgow-based Sandyford clinic issues update after Cass review found weak evidence' for use to treat gender incongruenceScotland's only clinic to offer treatment to gender-questioning young people has paused prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in light of last week's publication of the Cass review.The Sandyford clinic, based in Glasgow, which offers a range of services including emergency contraception, abortion and support for sexual assault victims as well as transgender healthcare, posted a service update online on Thursday morning. Continue reading...

Dozens died when a blaze tore through Stardust nightclub in Artane on Valentine's Day in 1981The 48 young people who died in the Stardust nightclub disaster in Dublin in 1981 were unlawfully killed, an inquest jury has found.The devastatingfire at the nightclub in Artane, north Dublin, broke out in the early hours of Valentine's Day 1981. Continue reading...

Painter replaced as country's representative by centrist coalition is showing his work under the banner Polonia Uncensored'In a world beset by culture wars - not to mention full-scale wars - it is no surprise that political tensions seethe beneath the surface of the Venice Biennale, a global art event.Take Poland. Its national pavilion this year hosts work by a collective, Open Group, from neighbouring Ukraine. But the artists were a last-minute replacements for a painter, Ignacy Czwartos, who was selected to represent his country under Poland's previous, right-wing government - and then deselected in December by the incoming centrist coalition. Continue reading...

Critics say plan to issue fines of up to 500 for climbing trees in Oderzo's public spaces is absurd'An Italian council has come under fire for banning people from climbing trees.Anyone caught climbing a tree in public spaces in the centre of Oderzo, a town in the northern province of Treviso, risks fines of between 25 (21) and 500 (428). Continue reading...

UN due to vote on Thursday on bid for full membership by Palestine in move the US is expected to block

Minister told London conference that Glorious Revolution of 1688 paved way for economic certaintyIt would be wrong to attribute the UK's wealth and economic success to its colonial history or racial privilege, the business and trade minister, Kemi Badenoch, has told an audience in the City.Addressing financial services bosses at TheCityUK's international conference in London, the business secretary said the UK's past exploitation and oppression of other countries and groups of people could not sufficiently explain the country's economic trajectory. Continue reading...

Charity that uses football to help pupils build relationships found to improve happiness in Greater Manchester projectIntensive mentoring for troubled schoolchildren using football kickabouts can significantly enhance wellbeing, increasing happiness equivalent to an unemployed adult getting a job, a study has found.A project involving more than 2,000 pupils in dozens of secondary schools in Greater Manchester showed that instead of wellbeing declining among pupils at risk of exclusion who had behavioural issues and special educational needs, their happiness scores increased. Continue reading...

Airline says demand has rebounded, with strong bookings at its holiday arm

Croatian Democratic Union and second-placed Social Democratic party both hoping to form governmentCroatia is heading for an extended period of political uncertainty after the ruling conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) emerged victorious in the parliamentary election, but with fewer seats than before and without a majority.Led by Andrej Plenkovi, who has served two terms as prime minister, HDZ won 61 seats in the 151-seat assembly with the votes from 99.8% of polling stations counted, the state electoral commission said on Thursday, down from 66 seats in the previous parliament. Continue reading...

Harry Potter star described wife, who founded dwarfism charity Little People UK, as greatest love of his life'Samantha Davis, the campaigner and wife of the Harry Potter star Warwick Davis, whom he called his soul mate", has died aged 53.Davis, who founded Little People UK - the dwarfism charity known as an essential resource for little people and their families" - was described by her husband as the greatest love of his life". Continue reading...

Mark Menzies allegedly spent 14,000 of campaign funds on medical costs and demanded 6,500 from aide to escape captors'A Conservative MP has lost the party whip over allegations he misused campaign funds and demanded thousands of pounds from an aide to pay off bad people" in the middle of the night.Mark Menzies, 52, was suspended from the Tory parliamentary party on Wednesday night while an investigation is carried out. Continue reading...