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Joint UK-French investigation alleges group advertised small-boat crossings of Channel on social mediaFour Vietnamese nationals have been arrested in London after an investigation into alleged people smugglers advertising small-boat crossings of the Channel on Facebook.The joint UK-French investigation alleges the group shared posts aimed at the Vietnamese community and charged migrants thousands of pounds to make the crossing. Continue reading...

More rallies to be held across the country on Sunday with attorney general claiming state and federal governments need to cooperate on plan of action

Stephen Timms says DWP letting unpaid carers incur enormous accidental overpayments'Ministers have been told to immediately" fix the issues causing tens of thousands of unpaid carers to incur enormous accidental overpayments" amid growing anger over the carer's allowance scandal.Stephen Timms, the chair of an influential parliamentary committee, said he was very troubled" that scores of carers were being forced into financial distress as a result of the government's mistakes. Continue reading...

Professors at Emory University arrested as campuses follow Columbia's lead in demanding ceasefire and divestment

The Azov brigade, which leaders say has a culture of mutual respect', is tasked with repelling relentless Russian attacks as the invaders make most of artillery mismatchFifteen miles east of the garrison town of Lyman, a desperate fight has been taking place on Ukraine's eastern front for months. The once verdant Serebryansky pine forest has been reduced to burnt-out stumps, reminiscent of images from the Somme, destroyed amid Russian attacks aimed at eliminating Ukrainian foxholes.Fearful that the frontline could crack last summer, Ukraine's commanders deployed the Azov infantry brigade to the sector. Their task was and is to repel what Maslo", a 29-year-old staff sergeant with the unit's first battalion, described as constant assaults, every day, sometimes for 24 hours". Occasionally the brigade makes dangerous counterattacks on foot. Continue reading...

Tower Hamlets criticised by its own mayor for taking down murals, while Redbridge reviews artwork after complaintsCouncil authorities have moved to take down pro-Palestine murals in east London, while another is being reviewed after complaints were made by pro-Israel lawyers.The latter, which depicts four journalists standing against a backdrop of ruins and under the words Heroes of Palestine", went up last month in Redbridge, east London, as local authorities came under pressure over similar murals. Continue reading...

US activist, 69, speaks to NBC amid growing effort to prevent I Am Ruby Bridges and other works being available to school studentsIncreasingly, the US civil rights icon Ruby Bridges - the first Black child to integrate a school in Louisiana - has seen some adults seek to prevent grade-school students from accessing the books and films that chronicle her story, saying the tale makes white children feel bad about themselves.But that justification is ridiculous" because my biggest fans are kids all around the world", Bridges told NBC's Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker in an interview airing on Sunday morning's episode of the show. Continue reading...

Over 100 firefighters, 30 lifeguards and 32 police officers called to help as flames tore through restaurant at end of California pierA historic southern California pier caught fire on Thursday, burning for several hours until firefighters battling the blaze from boats were able to extinguish the flames.Flames tore through a restaurant at the end of the Oceanside Pier, the longest wooden pier on the US west coast, and heavily damaged the closed diner and a neighboring business. Continue reading...

Exclusive: New research shows extent to which schools are struggling to provide qualified teachers for every classHundreds of thousands of pupils in England and Wales are being educated on the cheap" by low-paid teaching assistants (TAs) covering lessons for teachers who are off sick or have quit, according to new research.A desperate teacher recruitment crisis, compounded by inadequate funding, means schools across the country are struggling to put a qualified teacher at the front of every class, unions say. Continue reading...

Campaign Against Antisemitism, led by Gideon Falter, cites safety fears and promises more protests to comeCampaign Against Antisemitism has cancelled its planned counter-protest against a pro-Palestinian march through central London on Saturday.The group, led by Gideon Falter, had said it wanted to use the walk together" initiative to support its view that the area around the planned pro-Palestinian march was not safe for Jewish people. Continue reading...

SNP leader says he will take party into general election, as Scottish Labour submits motion against his governmentHumza Yousaf is fighting for his political life as he faces two no confidence motions submitted against him and his government in the space of 24 hours.Yousaf insisted he would not resign as first minister and vowed to fight on, amid intense speculation about his leadership after he axed the SNP's governing agreement with the Scottish Greens on Thursday morning, provoking a furious backlash that resulted in his former partners pledging to vote with the Tories against him. Continue reading...

Former PM's first-week sales compare with 21,000 for David Cameron's memoir and 92,000 for Tony Blair bookLiz Truss's book about her 49-day stint as prime minister sold 2,228 copies in the UK during its first week on sale, after a wall-to-wall promotional media blitz.Ten Years to Save the West: Lessons from the Only Conservative in the Room, combines an account of Truss's time in office with a call to arms for the political right. Continue reading...

Politicians decry shameful' incident on domestic flight in which Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak's headdress was taken by airline staffCanada's largest airline has apologized to a prominent First Nations chief after her ceremonial headdress was removed from the plane's cabin, wrapped in a plastic bag and moved to the baggage hold.Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the assembly of First Nations, was flying domestically on Wednesday when she said her headdress was taken by airline staff. Continue reading...

Pair from Sudan and South Sudan appear in court after Tuesday's incident on beach in northern FranceTwo people have been charged with immigration offences in connection with the investigation into the deaths of five people, including a child, who were trying to cross the Channel.One, from South Sudan, has been charged with assisting unlawful immigration and attempting to arrive in the UK without valid entry clearance. Continue reading...

First minister says he has every intention of winning' vote of no confidence and believes in ability to work with and negotiate' with opposition leadersHumza Yousaf is expected to make an announcement about housing this afternoon. It is expected early afternoon rather than late afternoon.Despite a report in the Times this morning saying he was considering his position, he is not going to be announcing his resignation, the BBC says. Continue reading...

The Social Network screenwriter is returning to digital chaos for a new film about how divisive material' led to the 2021 insurrectionAaron Sorkin is set to write a film about the January 6 insurrection and the involvement of Facebook disinformation.The Social Network screenwriter is returning to similar territory for an as-yet-untitled look at how social media helped radicalise Donald Trump supporters who went onto storm the US Capitol in 2021. Continue reading...

Attorney general decides atrocity that killed 15 people merits further scrutiny amid new evidenceNorthern Ireland's attorney general has recommended a new inquest into a bombing by loyalist paramilitaries that killed 15 people, including two children, in Belfast in 1971.Brenda King decided the massacre at the Catholic-owned McGurk's bar, in north Belfast, merited fresh scrutiny amid new evidence about the location of army observation posts near the atrocity. Continue reading...

All-share proposal had potential to be one of biggest deals in sector for decade but deemed opportunistic'

War has left estimated 37m tons of debris in area, requiring years of work with 100 trucks', says Pehr Lodhammar

Doctors' ability to sign people off work is crucial, say readers, particularly for those with mental health problems

Philip Pullman will help choose this year's winners of award set up in memory of the keen young writer who died aged 13 in 2021The Martha Mills young writers' prize has opened for entries on the theme of A Secret".The competition, run by the London Review Bookshop, invites 11- to 14-year-olds living in the UK to submit up to 500 words of any type of prose - such as a fictional story, a piece of schoolwork, or a diary entry - based on this year's theme. Continue reading...

Mykola Solskyi is first known minister under Volodymyr Zelenskiy to be named in a corruption caseFrance is working with Germany to convince their European partners to provide more air defence capacities to Kyiv, the French defence minister, Sebastien Lecornu, said today, Reuters reported.The advance of Russian forces west of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, has accelerated within the past week," according to a British intelligence update. Continue reading...

Infant dies five days after caesarean delivery after mother killed by Israeli airstrike in Rafah

Employment tribunal sought over claims firm tried to induce workers to leave union in long-running rowThe GMB is taking legal action against Amazon in the long-running battle for recognition at its Coventry warehouse, accusing the US firm of trying to induce" staff to leave the union.An employment tribunal claim is being lodged on behalf of five workers at the large site, known as BHX4. Continue reading...

Allies of Scottish first minister say he will come out fighting' after Greens say they would back no confidence motion

Gary Roden resigns as general manager after tickets cancelled and gigs forced to reschedule in ManchesterThe boss of Manchester's beleaguered Co-op Live arena has resigned in its opening week after tickets were cancelled and gigs rescheduled because the venue was not ready on time.Gary Roden quit as general manager of the new arena after also being criticised for saying some small music venues were poorly run". Continue reading...

Muslim organisations say they were not consulted before counter-terrorism raids that resulted in arrests relating to a church stabbing in Sydney

Rain in Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi has damaged farmland and infrastructureEastern Africa has experienced heavy rain in recent weeks, with Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi experiencing flooding. About 100,000 people have been displaced or otherwise affected in each country, with reported deaths reaching 32 in Kenya and 58 in Tanzania, alongside damage to farmland and infrastructure.There are also fears that large areas of standing water could give rise to outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Continue reading...

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Chris Philp gets in a muddle over neighbouring African countries when questioned on BBC showThe policing minister, Chris Philp, appeared to confuse the countries of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo on BBC Question Time.Responding to an audience member's question during the BBC One programme, the MP for Croydon South seemed to ask whether Rwanda is a different country to Congo?". Continue reading...

Micheal Martin says UK asylum seekers fearful of being removed to Rwanda are seeking sanctuary in IrelandThe UK government's Rwanda policy has been described as a kneejerk reaction" to migration by Ireland's deputy prime minister and said an influx of asylum seekers could arrive in Ireland as a result.Micheal Martin, Ireland's Tanaiste, reportedly said asylum seekers fearful of being removed from the UK to Rwanda are seeking sanctuary in Ireland. Continue reading...

Credit card holders who make minimum repayments warned they could be in debt for years longerSome Barclaycard customers who only make the minimum repayment each month will take an extra decade to clear their debt and pay hundreds of pounds in extra interest after the credit card provider changed its terms.Barclaycard - thought to be the UK's biggest credit card provider - has written to customers telling them it is cutting their minimum payments to give them more flexibility". Continue reading...

Arrests as Chinese authorities working with UK police and international trademark agencies seize millions of parcels bound for customers worldwideChinese authorities have targeted a major online sales platform accused of supplying counterfeit goods, raiding warehouses holding millions of packages destined for overseas buyers.Earlier this month police raided the Hangzhou office and several warehouses of Pandabuy after reported legal action by 16 brands over copyright infringement. More than 200 public security branch officers, 50 private sector investigators and local police were involved, according to reports. Continue reading...

Lehrmann will pay the columnist $4,616 to cover cost of producing documents during failed defamation case against Channel Ten and Lisa Wilkinson

Asic finds arrangements posed significant risk' of financial hardship but clothing store says it will appeal racist and paternalistic decision'

Exclusive: Action by organisation supporting migrants argues new rules are discriminatoryAn organisation that supports migrant workers has launched a legal challenge against the government's new policy to bar care workers from bringing children and partners to the UK, warning that it is tearing families apart".According to Migrants at Work, care workers have to choose between family life with their children and partners or getting a job as a health or social carer in the UK - they can no longer do both. Continue reading...

First payments to be made during an ongoing conflict is important step towards restoring justice', says first lady, Olena ZelenskaThe first reparation payments are to be made in the next few weeks to survivors of wartime rape by Russian soldiers during the invasion of Ukraine, in a move that Ukraine's first lady, Olena Zelenska, called an important step towards restoring justice".Up to 500 Ukrainian survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are being identified and awarded with interim reparations this year, including financial, medical and psychological support. Continue reading...

Those vying for job say it will put region on more equal footing with areas such as West Midlands and Greater ManchesterThe Conservatives are not taking accountability" for their part in leaving regions such as the east Midlands to suffer with poor infrastructure, growing inequalities and a skills gap, Labour's candidate for the region's first mayor said.Claire Ward, the former MP for Watford, said there was not enough to keep young people in the east Midlands and that people had lost hope". Continue reading...

Teachers say behaviour getting worse as survey also shows parents getting less supportive of school policiesOnly two in five children in England say they always feel safe at school, according to a government survey, and teachers from across Britain have told the Guardian they have seen pupils' behaviour deteriorate over the last two years.Teachers said violence and abuse aimed at school staff and other students had increased alongside displays of homophobia, racism and sexism, with women in particular bearing the brunt of aggressive sexual remarks. Continue reading...

Gideon Falter was in running to be adviser but government's antisemitism tsar warned against appointment

A 35-metre-tall wheel is set to open in South Wharf at Polly Woodside Park more than two years after Melbourne Star stopped operating

Police have arrested dozens of students across US universities this week after a crackdown on pro-Palestine protests on campuses. Erum Salam and Margaret Sullivan report from New YorkAs the Israel-Gaza war grinds on amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, the world's attention this week was captured by a battle on the campuses of elite US universities. Pro-Palestine student protesters were arrested en masse by New York City police at the prestigious Columbia University, prompting outrage that spread across other college sites.Guardian US reporter Erum Salam tells Michael Safi that the scene on Columbia's campus was one of orderly drum circles and organised anti-war demonstrations, not the all-out violent chaos that might have been imagined. Continue reading...

Court hears charges against Cobram man John Torney include assault and intentionally causing injury

About 1,000 US troops will support the military construction efforts, but Joe Biden has ordered them not to set foot on the Gaza shoreUS troops have begun construction of a maritime pier off the coast of Gaza that aims to speed the flow of humanitarian aid into the territory, the Pentagon has said, but the complex plan to bring more desperately needed food to Palestinian civilians is still mired in fears over security and how the aid will be delivered.I can confirm that US military vessels, to include the USNS Benavidez, have begun to construct the initial stages of the temporary pier and causeway at sea," Pentagon spokesperson Maj Gen Patrick Ryder told reporters. Continue reading...

Sexual assault, intentionally causing injury and unlawful assault among most common charges against police

Mogul's lawyers say decision in New York will strengthen appeal in Los Angeles but victims confident guilty verdict will be upheldHarvey Weinstein was already expected to spend the remainder of his life in prison for crimes in New York when a Los Angeles jury found him guilty of rape and sexual assault in 2022 and he was sentenced to an additional 16 years.But on Thursday New York's top court overturned Weinstein's 2020 conviction for two sex crimes and found he should receive a new trial, and the California case has taken on even greater significance. Continue reading...

Ministers considering more funding to protect important research sites, with China seen as a particular concernMI5 has warned universities that hostile foreign states are targeting sensitive research, as ministers consider measures to bolster protections.Vice-chancellors from 24 leading institutions, including Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London, were briefed on the threat by the domestic security service's director general, Ken McCallum, and National Cybersecurity Centre (NCSC) chief, Felicity Oswald. Continue reading...

A 26-year-old Beachmere man has been charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder

Suspects, aged 42 and 68, held on suspicion of murder after discovery of plastic-wrapped lower back, buttocks and thighTwo men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a torso was found wrapped in plastic at a nature reserve in Greater Manchester.Part of a dismembered body, consisting of the bottom of the back, buttocks and thigh, were found in clear plastic by a passerby at Kersal Dale Wetlands in Salford on 4 April. Continue reading...

Concern grows over legality of government's approach as new figures show more than 150,000 carers facing huge penalties