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Paul Chambers detained under strict lese-majesty law, which can lead to 15 years in jail on a single chargeA prominent American academic has been detained in Thailand after being charged with insulting the monarchy, a rare case in which a foreign national has fallen foul of the country's strict lese-majesty law.Paul Chambers, who specialises in civil-military relations and democratisation in south-east Asia, was denied bail on Tuesday and is being held at Phitsanulok provincial prison in northern Thailand, his lawyers said. Continue reading...

Last year 72% of demands to censor books were initiated by pressure groups and government entities; with just 16% of ban attempts made by parentsA large majority of attempts to ban books in the US last year came from organised groups rather than parents.72% of demands to censor books were initiated by pressure groups, government entities and elected officials, board members and administrators, reported the American Library Association (ALA). Just 16% of ban attempts were made by parents, while 5% were brought forward by individual library users. Continue reading...

Community-based approach in England has had good results so far in cutting urgent demand for GPs and A&EThe NHS is attempting to ease the pressure on GPs and A&E by sending a new type of health worker door to door in deprived areas to help detect illnesses before people need urgent care.Community health and wellbeing workers (CHWW) are already deployed in 12 areas of England, with 13 others to follow, in an attempt to improve poor and vulnerable people's access to care.82% more likely to attend a cancer screening.47% more likely to get vaccinated against major diseases.82% more likely to undergo an NHS health check. Continue reading...

Series of events mark 165th anniversary of birth of forgotten pacifist who exposed conditions in British concentration campsShe took on the might of establishment and empire to expose the suffering of women and children held in British concentration camps but her story has faded" from the history books.From 12 April a series of events are being held at the Cornish home where the pacifist, whistleblower and activist Emily Hobhouse grew up, around the 165th anniversary of her birth, part of efforts to shine a new light on her fight for justice. Continue reading...

Elections set for 3 June after months of political turmoil triggered by Yoon Suk Yeol's shock declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachmentSouth Korea will hold a presidential election on 3 June, the country's acting president said on Tuesday, after predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached and removed from office over a disastrous declaration of martial law.The government is to set June 3 as the date for South Korea's 21st presidential election", prime minister Han Duck-soo said, adding that the day would be designated as a temporary public holiday to facilitate voting. Continue reading...

Just 4% of Australia's rental properties, or less than one in 20, are occupied by international students, the property council says

PM promises better access to treatment and counselling, saying many Australians have issues that we need to talk about more'

Prince Laurent had argued that his work entitled him to the same benefits as independent entrepreneurs but a court in Brussels disagreedA Belgian prince has lost a legal battle to claim social security benefits on top of his royal allowance, with a court ruling his claim - the first of its kind in the country's nearly 200-year history - unfounded".Prince Laurent, the youngest of three children of the former king and queen, had argued that his work entitled him to the coverage granted to independent entrepreneurs - and that he was acting out of principle" rather than for money. Continue reading...

Grace Davidson gives birth to baby Amy Isabel after receiving her sister's womb in 2023Surgeons are hailing an astonishing" medical breakthrough as a woman became the first in the UK to give birth after a womb transplant.Grace Davidson, 36, who was a teenager when diagnosed with a rare condition that meant she did not have a uterus, said she and her husband, Angus, 37, had been given the greatest gift we could ever have asked for". Continue reading...

Wall Street swings in and out of red as turmoil from US president's assault on world trade enters second week

Scott Chilton leaves post at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary with immediate effect after notice from IOPCThe chief constable of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary has retired with immediate effect, on the same day he was given notice he was under investigation for two alleged workplace relationships.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it had notified Scott Chilton on Monday morning that he was under investigation for potential gross misconduct over a relationship from before he became chief constable and another after taking the force's top job. Continue reading...

Prime minister says UK faces a changing and completely new world' after Donald Trump's global tariffs

EU trade commissioner Maro efovi says bloc in a tough spot' with 70% of exports being subjected to tariffsOutgoing German economy minister Robert Habeck is not mincing his words this morning in response to a question on US tariffs and how they were calculated.He says:The calculations, from my point of view, are nonsense. Even the basis of the calculation is nonsense.The assumption that a trade budget surplus or deficit is a problem in itself, is a wrong estimation, because in the end, globalisation serves all economies, and especially the American economy, [which] has [seen] huge growth figures in GDP, better than a lot of European countries. So you see, if we the rest of the world, are selling cheaper goods to the American economy, it's of use of the American economy. Continue reading...

The actor said he was barbecued' after a complaint on the set of Being Mortal in 2022, which shut down production on the filmBill Murray has said he feels he was barbecued" by a sexual misconduct allegation on the set of a 2022 comedy, which led to the film being cancelled and his reaching a financial settlement with the woman who accused him of straddling her and kissing her.

Ex-secretaries of state and ministers could also be required to take part in hearings into Manston scandalA roll-call of former UK prime ministers, secretaries of state and ministers could be called to give evidence into a scandal at a controversial processing centre in Kent for small boat arrivals, according to an internal government memo disclosed to the Guardian, following a legal challenge.The inquiry into Manston, a former military base used as a short-term detention facility to process people who crossed the Channel in dinghies, will probably be reputationally damaging for the Home Office", the memo said. Continue reading...

Cold spell will move south this week with temperatures about 5-10C below average from Russia to GermanyAfter a cold weekend in north-eastern Europe, chilly conditions are expected to spread southwards this week. This cold spell is due to a large area of high pressure over the North Sea, which allowed very cold Arctic air to sink southwards over the weekend and will continue to do so this week.The chill began to be felt on Saturday in countries such as Poland and Lithuania, which had daytime highs of 11C and 6C (52F and 43F) respectively, compared with their high temperatures of 21C and 18C the previous day. As the week progresses, the cold will spread more widely, with temperatures about 5-10C below average from Russia to Germany, and from Estonia as far south as southern Italy and Greece. This means maximum temperatures in the single figures for much of eastern Europe, with highs in the low teens in Greece. Mountainous regions will also have subzero maximums, with some snowfall possible. Continue reading...

Exclusive: 136 organisations call on PM to stop using demonising language', after his remarks before crime summitMore than 130 refugee and human rights organisations have called on Keir Starmer to stop using language that demonises migrants, after he made controversial remarks before an international people-smuggling summit.The criticisms are contained in a letter to the UK prime minister, coordinated by the campaign coalition Together With Refugees. It has been sent to the prime minister in response to comments he made before the Organised Immigration Crime Summit on 31 March, where more than 40 countries came together in London to focus on tackling organised immigration crime including people-smuggling gangs. Continue reading...

Partner confirms death of prolific author, criminal lawyer and playwright after illness in her home city of MelbourneAustralian author Kerry Greenwood, best known for her Phryne Fisher murder mystery novels, has died at the age of 70 after an illness.She was given a suitably royal send-off" at a small service in Melbourne's Yarraville on Sunday, according to her partner, writer David Greagg. Continue reading...

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Majority of staff who leave each year have frontline jobs, meaning the Coalition will have to replace them or break its pledge

Combatants' testimonies describe how areas were destroyed to create a death zone of enormous proportions'Israel's military razed huge swathes of land inside the perimeter of Gaza and ordered troops to turn the area into a kill zone" where anybody who entered was a target, according to testimony by soldiers who carried out the plan.Israeli combatants said they were ordered to destroy homes, factories and farmland roughly 1km (0.6 miles) inside the perimeter of Gaza to make a buffer zone", with one describing the area as looking like Hiroshima. Continue reading...

Amelia Hamer, who is running in the Victorian seat of Kooyong, has also opposed construction of new apartments in Melbourne

Exclusive: Met to be handed dossier of evidence alleging crimes including killings of civilians and aid workersA war crimes complaint against 10 Britons who served with the Israeli military in Gaza is to be submitted to the Met police by one of the UK's leading human rights lawyers.Michael Mansfield KC is one of a group of lawyers who will on Monday hand in a 240-page dossier to Scotland Yard's war crimes unit alleging targeted killing of civilians and aid workers, including by sniper fire, and indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, including hospitals. Continue reading...

Victoria Rance says the 1970s technology' will cause pollution that will damage health for decades, but London mayor and TfL claim it will reduce congestionA multibillion-pound road tunnel under the River Thames will be out of date the moment it opens, according to campaigners.The first cars and lorries are due through the Silvertown tunnel in east London on Monday, passing between Greenwich on the south side of the river and Newham in the north. Continue reading...

Despite its links to oral cancer, people in Hainan have for centuries produced and eaten betel nuts, which give a natural high. But sales are fallingMany cities across southern China are known for the art of relaxing. Chengdu in Sichuan province is the tea house capital. Guangzhou is the birthplace of dim sum, a time to share steamed dumplings and chew the fat with friends. And in Haikou, the capital of Hainan province, people have been chewing the betel nut for centuries.You don't have to walk far in Haikou to find a vendor. The small, hard, green fruits are sold in little piles alongside fresh coconuts and bottled water at pretty much any convenience store, for about five yuan (0.52) a piece. Some vendors, mostly women, sit by the side of the road to dish out betel nuts to passing drivers on mopeds, nearly all of them men. Continue reading...

Court hears media should take extreme care' over stabbing case as businessman whose daughter, Dawn Singleton, was murdered, questions inquest's purpose

The Coalition has also walked away from plans to sack 41,000 public service employees, raising questions about how it will pay for major election policies

John Lithgow, Imelda Staunton, Romola Garai and Layton Williams are among the winners at the annual stage awards

Government officials and contractors long controlled spy operations. Now the likes of Musk and Bezos are in controlJust days before Donald Trump's inauguration in January, Blue Origin, the space company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, launched its New Glenn rocket, named for John Glenn, the Mercury astronaut who was the first American to orbit the Earth. Around 2am on 16 January, the 30-story rocket powered by seven engines blasted off into the Florida night from Cape Canaveral's historic launch complex 36, which first served as a Nasa launch site in 1962.The flight's end was marred by a failure to bring the booster rocket back for further use, but the successful launch and orbit still marked a watershed moment for Blue Origin in its bid to compete with SpaceX, the company owned by Elon Musk, for dominance over American spy satellite operations. During the Trump administration, it is likely that both companies will play significant roles in placing spy satellites into Earth orbit, which could mean that the United States intelligence community will be beholden to both Bezos and Musk to handle the single most complex and expensive endeavor in modern espionage. Continue reading...

Craig Donaldson challenging ruling by UK regulator, which accused him of misleading investors over 900m accounting blunderThe former chief executive of Metro Bank says he has been made untouchable", advised to move to Australia and even had trouble opening bank accounts after the UK regulator accused him of misleading investors over a 900m accounting blunder.Craig Donaldson, who resigned in 2019, told the upper tribunal in London that both his career and personal finances had suffered as a result of the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) 2022 ruling. Continue reading...

Visit would make Israel's president the first foreign leader to travel to Washington in attempt to negotiate a better dealBenjamin Netanyahu has announced a last-minute visit to Washington to meet with Donald Trump, where the Israeli leader is expected to discuss Iran, the war in Gaza, and tariffs with the US president.The Washington visit, Netanyahu's second since Trump was inaugurated in January, comes after the resumption of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, and underlines the strong relationship between the two men. Continue reading...

Just 2% of total penalties paid, raising concerns about agency given new powers to fight economic crimeThe UK government agency responsible for overseeing a national register of companies has collected just 1,250 in fines after being given new powers to crack down on corruption, it has emerged.Companies House is implementing a series of reforms, amid embarrassing revelations about fraudsters and jokers signing up to the corporate register with names such as Darth Vader" and Santa Claus". Continue reading...

Death of 15-year-old whose body was found in Beckenham Place Park on Friday is not being treated as suspiciousA 15-year-old boy who died after getting into difficulty in a lake in south-east London has been named by police.Izaiah Smith, whose body was recovered from the lake on Friday night, was named by the Metropolitan police on Sunday. Officers said that though his death was unexpected, it was not believed to be suspicious. Continue reading...

Book details how Biden's circle was reluctant to step down, Harris's handling of a listing ship and a lack of faith in bothIn their book Fight, Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes offer an account of the Wildest Battle for the White House" - and a scathing indictment of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the losers of that battle.By 2023, a year before the campaign, Biden's age and fitness to be president were the topic of conversation among senior aides. He had difficulty stringing together a coherent sentence yet, there was no serious discussion of his exiting the ticket until it was way, way too late. Harris, meanwhile, was isolated in her party and terrified of facing the press. She took the wheel of a badly listing ship. It sank.Fight is published in the US by HarperCollins Continue reading...

Recession fears are mounting, and anxiety is high - but the president remains unmoved by criticism of his trade plansSince Donald Trump returned to the White House, Americans have grown used to high drama and rapid-fire headlines, as executive orders from the Oval Office have reshaped the US, from stripping back LGBTQ rights to gutting environmental regulations amid a sense that America is slipping into authoritarianism.But even against that backdrop, last week stood out, as Trump launched a fierce global trade war, imposed tariffs on its trading partners and triggered a global market meltdown, including on Trump's own cherished Wall Street, where hundreds of billions of dollars of stock values evaporated. Continue reading...

David Lammy says it is unacceptable' the parliamentary delegation had been detained and deportedThe UK's foreign secretary has criticised Israeli authorities for denying two Labour MPs entry into the country and deporting them.

As the third season of the social satire draws to its finale, the costumes featured in the series are selling out fastThe third season of The White Lotus finishes on Monday, marking the end of group chats and column inches devoted to the Thai hotel and its super-rich guests.While some of this chatter has been dedicated to theories of who kills who in the finale, or the alleged fallout between creator Mike White and composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, a lot is focused on something else - the fashion. Continue reading...

The boss's bonus is an annual debating point at Britain's biggest company. But that's not the only issue this yearAstraZeneca is used to facing protests over pay at its annual general meetings, given the position of its chief executive, Pascal Soriot, as the best-paid FTSE 100 chief executive for most of the past five years. But pay is not the only issue overshadowing this year's virtual gathering on Friday.Britain's biggest listed company, valued at about 170bn, faces investigations in China over import and data breaches, while it ran into controversy when it ditched the planned 450m expansion of its vaccine site in Speke, near Liverpool, in late January, after failing to hammer out a state support package with the UK government. Continue reading...

Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh women say bill has insufficient safeguards' to protect those who are vulnerableThe legalisation of assisted dying in England and Wales could create a new tool to harm vulnerable women", particularly those subject to domestic violence and coercive control, say female faith leaders from different traditions.More than 100 women from Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh groups have warned in an open letter that the terminally ill adults bill has insufficient safeguards to protect some of the most marginalised in society, particularly women subjected to gender-based violence and abuse by a partner".In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Women's Aid. In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org Continue reading...

Survey says queues outside emergency departments are leading to car park care' and fatalitiesParamedics across England are watching patients die in the back of ambulances because of delays outside emergency departments, according to a survey by Unison.The gridlock of patients in some of the country's hospitals has led to queues of up to 20 ambulances outside casualty departments in certain areas. In a number of cases, crews have been forced to wait more than 12 hours before handing over patients. Continue reading...

Protesters gather at more than a thousand events across the US and in cities abroad, such as London, Berlin and Paris. This blog is now closed.Hundreds of protesters gathered in central London on Saturday as part of global demonstrations against Donald Trump's administration.Crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square with banners that read No to Maga hate" and Dump Trump". The rally is one of hundreds of so-called Hands Off" demonstrations around the world - including in cities across the US, Paris and Berlin.We see the foundations of our society, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, the very safety nets that people have fought for, for generations, to ensure that our country lives up to its promise, are being targeted by the billionaires and the oligarchs and the corporations.This insidious rise of authoritarianism is fueled by corrupt billionaires and mega corporations who believe that they have the right to control every aspect of our lives, our healthcare, to our schools, to our thoughts, to our very free speech under the false banner of patriotism and freedom ... Continue reading...

Party suspends North East Somerset MP after he is taken into custody following police raid on his constituency homeLabour have suspended Dan Norris, the MP for North East Somerset and Hanham, after he was arrested on suspicion of rape and child sex offences.Norris, a former Labour minister who defeated Jacob Rees-Mogg as MP at last year's general election, was taken into custody after police raided his constituency home on Friday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: young volunteers also allege spiritual abuse and controlling behaviour at bases of Youth With a Mission

Young people whose debts outweigh their assets are at risk of experiencing blighted earnings, and even poorer healthGen Z and young millennials are battling a negative wealth" problem due to growing debt burdens that limit their life chances, according to a new analysis from the Fairness Foundation.The thinktank says negative wealth, where debts outweigh assets, is linked to lower wages and worse health in later life, and that ministers should reintroduce the Child Trust Fund to give young people a greater stake in society. Continue reading...

Missile attack on Kryvyi Rih left 61 injured including three-month-old baby and elderly residentsEighteen people, including nine children, have been killed in a Russian missile strike on Volodymyr Zelenskyy's home city, a Ukrainian official has said.A further 61 people were injured in the attack on Kryvyi Rih on Friday, including a three-month-old baby and elderly residents, the regional governor, Serhii Lysak, said. Forty remain in hospital, including two children in critical condition and 17 in a serious condition. Continue reading...

Teenager was recovered from lake in Beckenham Place Park and taken to hospital, where he was pronounced deadA 15-year-old boy has died after he got into difficulty" in a lake in south-east London.Metropolitan police, the fire service and paramedics were called to Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham, shortly after 3pm on Friday 4 April after reports of a boy going missing. Continue reading...

Teenager, named by police as Ahmad Mamdouh Al Ibrahim, received a single wound to the neck and died in hospitalA man has been charged with murder after a 16-year-old boy was stabbed in the neck in Huddersfield.Officers were called to Ramsden Street in the town centre at about 2.45pm on Thursday, West Yorkshire police said. Continue reading...

Edinburgh University report authors say dietary changes could benefit women living with the diseaseDietary changes could reduce the pain of endometriosis for half of those living with the disease, a new study suggests. The largest international survey ever conducted on diet and endometriosis, involving 2,599 people, found 45% of those who stopped eating gluten and 45% of those who cut out dairy reported experiencing an improvement in their pain.When women cut down on coffee or other caffeine in their diet, 43% said their pain was reduced, while 53% of women who cut back on alcohol reported the same. Continue reading...

Woman who worked with western governments in her home country before fleeing the Taliban told to returnAn Afghan woman who risked her life to defend human rights in her home country before fleeing to the UK has been told by the Home Office it is safe for her to return after officials rejected her asylum claim.Mina (not her real name) worked for western government-backed projects and was involved in training and mentoring women across Afghanistan, which left her in grave danger even before the Taliban took over in 2021. Continue reading...

The open space' event will discuss the future of the form and use irreverence and play as a gateway to life's big subjectsThe world may be a pretty unfunny place at the moment and global leaders don't seem to have the answers. But this weekend a different sort of talking shop will take place when a clown congress" convenes in Bristol to discuss the role of the funny people in troubling times.One of the leaders, Holly Stoppit, a clown therapist, teacher, and facilitator, summed it up succinctly: Do you know what? I think there is no accident that the world is going to shit and who do they call? It's the clowns." Continue reading...