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Justin Welby says bill is ‘morally unacceptable’ and rules on protection of refugees are not ‘inconvenient obstructions’. This live blog is closedIn the House of Lords peers are just starting to debate the second reading of the illegal migration bill.Simon Murray, aka Lord Murray of Blidworth, is opening the debate. He is a lawyer who was made a Home Office minister, and a peer, when Liz Truss was PM.We now face a perfect storm of factors driving more people into homelessness while giving us fewer good options to help them when they do. These factors include soaring private rents (above the benefit cap), private landlords leaving the sector, a national shortage of affordable housing, and a backlog of court cases after Covid-relating housing support was removed. At the same time, we have a cost-of-living crisis which is reducing real-term incomes and putting further strain on relationships. Continue reading...

Ukrainian official says Russians in Bakhmut have been pushed back by up to 2km; Russia’s Transneft reports attack on oil pipelineA Ukrainian military commander said Russian forces in Bakhmut had been pushed back by up to 2km in some areas after counteroffensives. Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, who heads Ukraine’s ground forces, posted on Telegram: “In some areas of the front, the enemy could not resist the onslaught of the Ukrainian defenders and retreated.”Russia’s oil pipeline operator Transneft said a filling point on the Europe-bound Druzhba pipeline had been targeted in a “terrorist attack” near the border with Ukraine, according to the Tass news agency. Transneft said nobody was injured in the incident.Ukraine’s military said its forces had seriously damaged Russia’s 72nd independent motorised rifle brigade near Bakhmut, made up of thousands of troops. Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukrainian troops in the east, said the situation remained “difficult” in Bakhmut, but Moscow was increasingly having to use regular army units because of heavy losses among Wagner group fighters.The Wagner boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, complained that his fighters were still not getting enough shells from the defence ministry. In an audio statement, he said the defence ministry – which has promised to ensure that all combat units have the resources they need – had been holding long meetings on the shell issue, but there had been no breakthrough. “We’re not receiving enough shells, we’re only getting 10%,” Prigozhin said, according to Reuters.The French parliament called on the EU to formally label the Wagner group as terrorists, as the UK reportedly prepares to do the same. France’s parliament unanimously passed a non-binding resolution aimed at encouraging the 27 members of the EU to put Wagner on its official list of terrorist organisations.Russian forces plan to evacuate more than 3,000 workers from the town that serves the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, where there is a “catastrophic lack” of qualified personnel, Ukraine’s state-owned Energoatom company said. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of forcibly deporting its citizens from occupied Ukrainian regions to Russian Federation territory.Germany’s former chancellor Gerhard Schröder has been criticised again for his links to Russia after attending a Victory Day party at the Russian embassy in Berlin. Schröder was seen at a reception on Tuesday marking the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in the second world war, along with senior figures from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party and the far-left Linke party.Russia may formally denounce the treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe, which it pulled out of in 2015, according to a decree signed by Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. The decree formally appoints the deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov to represent Putin during parliamentary proceedings on denouncing the treaty, which aimed to regulate the number of forces deployed by Warsaw Pact and Nato countries. Continue reading...

Pathologist who examined 31-year-old’s body tells inquiry that restraint by officers could be responsibleSheku Bayoh’s struggle while being restrained by at least six police officers should be considered a major part of what caused his death, according to the pathologist who examined his body.The inquiry into Bayoh’s death in custody heard from Dr Kerryanne Shearer that the 31-year-old had taken ecstasy and another stimulant drug before being restrained by officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on 3 May 2015. Continue reading...

CEO Nick Read and other top bosses given thousands of pounds for cooperating with IT scandal inquiryThe UK government has said it will investigate after the Post Office admitted it had wrongly paid thousands of pounds of bonuses to top executives simply for cooperating with an inquiry into a long-running miscarriage of justice.The Post Office chief executive, Nick Read, agreed last week to return an undisclosed portion of the £455,000 bonus reported by the state-owned company in its annual report in March. Continue reading...

Cybersecurity experts drafted in to help thwart any sabotage attempt as UK stands in as host for UkraineThe risk of a cyber-attack by pro-Russian hackers is the “main worry” for broadcasters staging the Eurovision song contest on behalf of war-torn Ukraine, a BBC executive has said.Experts from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre have been drafted in to help thwart any attempts to sabotage the competition’s public vote on Saturday. Continue reading...

Payments were given in scheme to reduce electricity consumption during high demand to help avoid winter blackoutsHouseholds and businesses in Great Britain saved enough electricity over the winter to power 10m homes by reducing their energy use during peak demand hours to help the country avoid blackouts.About 1.6m households and businesses received payments to help reduce the pressure on the National Grid during the winter months as part of a demand flexibility scheme run by its electricity system operator (ESO). Continue reading...

Barrister acting for Prince Harry and others says former editor must have known about illegal behaviour

Prince Harry and other high-profile figures’ claims against Mirror Group Newspapers allege unlawful information gatheringSherborne refers to an email exchange dates 2002 in which editorial manager John Honeywell notes the “frightening” level of costs spent on private investigator services.Spending millions only makes sense if you’re profiting from the exercise, Sherborne says. Continue reading...

Research investigates the ‘revolving door’ between the tobacco industry and politics and how it influences policy

Liverpool artist Silent Bill says he stencilled work depicting rat that was auctioned for Channel 4 TV showA street artist from Liverpool has claimed to be the real creator of a stencil of a rat attributed to Banksy after it was bought for £250,000 by a renowned dealer on the Channel 4 television show The Greatest Auction.The artist, who goes by the name Silent Bill, and who has a history of making works inspired by Banksy, said it was well known within the local art scene that he had stencilled the piece in about 2013. Continue reading...

Retailer to remain employee-owned, vows chair after row about reported plans to sell stake in partnership to investorsThe boss of John Lewis pledged the group will always remain employee-owned, “no ifs, no buts”, after staff backed her to continue as chair but expressed their dismay at the retailer’s poor performance.Dame Sharon White had faced controversy after reports she was considering selling a stake in the John Lewis Partnership, which also owns Waitrose, to an outside investor in an attempt to raise £2bn. On Wednesday, her leadership was tested in a confidence vote at a twice-yearly meeting of the retailer’s 60-strong council, which is elected by employees to represent them. Continue reading...

Lawyer leading refugees’ case says British designation would also weaken Russian mercenary force straight away

Met left dozens of documents in locked cabinet instead of passing to inquiry into its own corruptionDozens of documents that Scotland Yard should have handed over to an official inquiry into its corruption were instead left in a locked cabinet located on the same floor as its commissioner, the Guardian has learned.The revelation relates to 95 pages of documents the force now accepts it should have given to the Daniel Morgan inquiry, investigating the unsolved murder of the private detective and the role corruption played in shielding his killers. Continue reading...

Officials say number of guards detained in March had been granted indefinite leave to remain by mistakeThe Home Office has admitted it made errors in the handling of the cases of some Nepali guards who risked their lives to protect British embassy staff in Afghanistan and were airlifted to safety in the UK after the Taliban took control of Kabul.Ten of the guards who were living and working in the UK were arrested on 27 March in an immigration enforcement operation, handcuffed and placed in immigration detention centres. Some were given removal directions. Officials have released six of the guards, and the remaining four are likely to be released imminently. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Calls for stricter checks after Guardian investigation into availability of controversial drugsOnline pharmacies operating in the UK are approving and dispatching prescriptions of controversial slimming jabs for people of a healthy weight, a Guardian investigation has found.Some pharmacies appear to be issuing prescriptions of such medications to people who lie about their body mass index (BMI) on an online form. In one case a reporter was issued a prescription after accurately saying their BMI was about 20. A healthy BMI lies between 18.5 and 24.9. Continue reading...

‘Challenging trading backdrop' for online fashion retailer, with sales dropping more than expectedAsos has dived £291m into the red after sales slumped in what the online fashion retailer called a “challenging trading backdrop”, with shoppers returning to physical high street stores and cutting spending on non-essentials.Sales fell by 8%, including a 10% drop in the UK, in the six months to 28 February – far worse than the 3% forecast by the City. The company said it had deliberately shifted away from unprofitable sales and suffered from weak consumer demand and the December postal strikes. Continue reading...

Philippe Hategekimana, 66, who started new life in France under false identity, is charged with crimes against humanityA former Rwandan military police officer who fled to France after the 1994 genocide and started a new life under a false identity is going on trial in Paris charged with crimes against humanity.Philippe Hategekimana, 66, fled to France five years after the genocide, obtaining refugee status under a fake name. He became a university security guard in the city of Rennes and gained French citizenship in 2005. Continue reading...

First British ministerial visit to Hong Kong since Chinese crackdown focused on attracting investmentThe first British ministerial visit to Hong Kong since the introduction of draconian Chinese security laws five years ago was a chance to demand that China unlock more than £2bn in pensions belonging to British overseas passport holders who fled for the UK, a raft of former cabinet ministers have told the Foreign Office.A letter signed by more than 90 MPs, including 10 former ministers, urges the trade minister Dominic Johnson to do more to release frozen savings belonging to thousands of Hongkongers. Continue reading...

Party faces uphill task in southern state but is hoping PM’s popularity can galvanise votes with general election loomingA shower of marigold petals were flung over the crowds and cries of “Modi, Modi” filled the ai. It could mean only one thing: election season has begun in India.Voting opened on Wednesday in India’s southern state of Karnataka to decide who will form the next state government, and the significance of these polls is likely to stretch far beyond state borders. On Saturday, thousands filled the streets of the state capital, Bengaluru, as the prime minister, Narendra Modi, drove 20 miles through the city waving from a car in an attempt to galvanise votes for his ruling Bharatiya Janata party, one of more than 9,000 rallies and roadshows held by the BJP across the state. Continue reading...

Tymofii Muzychuk, of Kalush Orchestra, urges world ‘not to keep silent’ about invasion as Liverpool hosts Eurovision on behalf of UkraineUkraine will “definitely” host Eurovision after “victory in this war” against Russia, a member of 2022 Eurovision winner, Kalush Orchestra, has said ahead of their performance in Liverpool this weekend.Tymofii Muzychuk, a musician who forms part of the Ukrainian rap and folk group, said the band were grateful the UK had taken over Eurovision hosting duties while the country remained under attack from Russia. Continue reading...

Chair of home affairs select committee says decision to be made whether to hold inquiry into use of Public Order Act

New laws to permit vehicles up to 18.55 metres long, but campaigners say they will increase fatal accidents

Legislative changes give inquiry power to compel commissioner to appear at hearings which will set foundations for treaty talks

Rockstar, Parton’s first foray into rock’n’roll, features nine originals and 21 covers of songs including Let It Be and Purple RainDolly Parton has announced a genre switch to rock music, and has tapped what will surely be the starriest supporting cast for any album this year.Her new album Rockstar – a 30-track epic with nine originals and 21 cover versions, which will be released on 17 November – features 42 guest artists straddling multiple genres and generations. Her cover of Let It Be features both surviving Beatles alongside Peter Frampton and Mick Fleetwood, while You’re No Good features one of Parton’s most creatively fruitful collaborators, Emmylou Harris, alongside Sheryl Crow.Rockstar (ft Richie Sambora)World on FireEvery Breath You Take (ft Sting)Open Arms (ft Steve Perry)Magic Man (ft Ann Wilson with Howard Leese)Long As I Can See the Light (ft John Fogerty)Either Or (ft Kid Rock)I Want You Back (ft Steven Tyler with Warren Haynes)What Has Rock and Roll Ever Done for You (ft Stevie Nicks with Waddy Wachtel)Purple RainBaby, I Love Your Way (ft Peter Frampton)I Hate Myself for Loving You (ft Joan Jett and the Blackhearts)Night Moves (ft Chris Stapleton)Wrecking Ball (ft Miley Cyrus)(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (ft Pink and Brandi Carlile)Keep on Loving You (ft Kevin Cronin)Heart of Glass (ft Debbie Harry)Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (ft Elton John)Tried to Rock and Roll Me (ft Melissa Etheridge)Stairway to Heaven (ft Lizzo and Sasha Flute)We Are the ChampionsBygones (ft Rob Halford with Nikki Sixx and John 5)My Blue Tears (ft Simon Le Bon)What’s Up? (ft Linda Perry)You’re No Good (ft Emmylou Harris and Sheryl Crow)

The group – a contractor for local authorities – takes further steps to ensure security of IT infrastructureThe outsourcing firm and government contractor Capita has revealed it will take a hit of up to £20m from a recent cyber-attack in which some customer, supplier and staff data was accessed by hackers.The group, which is a major contractor for local authorities, said investigations into the incident suggested that some data was accessed but that this was from less than 0.1% of its server estate. Continue reading...

Pub chain reports highest Easter week sales and busiest-ever SaturdayThe pub chain JD Wetherspoon has reported its highest Easter week sales and busiest-ever Saturday, with cash-conscious drinkers searching out cheaper options amid the cost of living crisis.Wetherspoon’s, which runs more than 830 branches across the UK and Ireland, said it had benefited from a rise in sales in the past two weeks, both of which included bank holiday weekends. Continue reading...

ACT director of public prosecutions Shane Drumgold tells inquiry of his concerns over the ‘passion’ a number of officers held about the case not proceeding

Angus Taylor repeats claims budget may have increased chances Reserve Bank will further increase interest rates

Mehajer found guilty of charges including common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intimidation and choking

Australian auditor’s office finds defence department’s procurement process lacked ‘value for money’ focus

Claims by high-profile figures including Duke of Sussex allege unlawful information gatheringA high court trial with a tabloid newspaper publisher in which Prince Harry will give evidence is due to begin.Claims by a number of high-profile figures including the Duke of Sussex allege unlawful information gathering by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) titles. Continue reading...

Chris Minns says committee will determine if the Kiama MP, charged with sexual assault, is again suspended from parliament

Cancellation comes after Guardian Australia revealed O’Brien’s previous links with a far-right ‘patriots’ group

Current workers blame policy of ‘open display’ for compromising safety of collection, in new allegations the museum rejects as ‘lies’

Move to reduce unnecessary packaging at the checkout is expected to take 230m plastic bags from circulation nationwide within a year

Rikki Mitchell went missing after becoming disorientated south of Townsville while going for a swim

Researchers say ‘studies not good enough’ to know whether medications work or not for painAntidepressants commonly used to treat chronic pain lack evidence as to whether or not they work, researchers have said, declaring the situation a global public health concern.Chronic pain, typically defined as pain lasting three months or more, is a widespread problem affecting up to one in three people, with conditions ranging from osteoarthritis to fibromyalgia. Continue reading...

Charles should adopt specific measures to build understanding of the legacy of enslavement, say activists and academicsKing Charles has been urged to go further towards offering reparatory justice for the UK’s role in transatlantic slavery, even as he was praised for reportedly ignoring Boris Johnson’s advice to avoid the issue at all costs.Academics and campaigners called on Charles to adopt specific measures to help build an understanding of the legacy of the enslavement of black people, as well as putting forward suggestions for how the UK could work towards making amends. Continue reading...

Cartoons of treasurer Jim Chalmers dominated front pages, while the budget works ‘a Chalm’ for the voter featured on the Daily Telegraph

While the 2023 budget is unlikely to budge the RBA, experts are watching for inflationary pressure from a population boom and energy prices

Governments urged to roll out chargers, reduce prices and recruit celebrities to mobilise public as one in four new vehicle sales predicted to be electric by 2025

PM cites increased workload for staff of all political stripes while treasurer points to ‘well-publicised court cases’ as motivation

Group reportedly got into difficulty as torrential rain hit during outing in Northland regionSearchers in New Zealand have found the body of a teenager who died on Tuesday as torrential rain fell during a school trip into caves in the Northland region.The deluge swamped parts of the North Island, including Northland, where damage from record floods in February was still evident. In New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, inspections of 120 water-damaged buildings began on Wednesday morning as the weather cleared. Continue reading...

Report says UK will also blacklist as terrorists the mercenaries who have led months-long assault on Bakhmut, UkraineThe French parliament has called on the EU to formally label the Russian mercenary group Wagner as terrorists, as the UK reportedly prepares to do the same.France’s parliament unanimously passed a non-binding resolution aimed at encouraging the 27 members of the EU to put Wagner on its official list of terrorist organisations. Continue reading...

BMJ Global Health article calls for halt to ‘development of self-improving artificial general intelligence’ until regulation in placeAI could harm the health of millions and pose an existential threat to humanity, doctors and public health experts have said as they called for a halt to the development of artificial general intelligence until it is regulated.Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise healthcare by improving diagnosis of diseases, finding better ways to treat patients and extending care to more people. Continue reading...

Watchdog says gaps in regulation are letting landlords offer costly supported accommodation ‘with little or no support’Increasing numbers of landlords are profiting from letting bad housing to some of society’s most vulnerable people, the National Audit Office has found.Gaps in regulation are allowing property owners “to profit by providing costly, sub-standard” supported housing “with little or no support, supervision or care”, the spending watchdog said. Continue reading...

Justin Welby to join peers condemning measures that seek to criminalise people seeking refuge in UKThe archbishop of Canterbury will make a rare intervention in the House of Lords to join dozens of peers condemning the government’s flagship asylum bill.Justin Welby will argue against measures championed by Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman that seek to criminalise people seeking refuge in the UK if they arrive on small boats. Continue reading...

Verdict for first time legally brands a former US president as a sexual predator but clears Trump of rape

Images released by US labor department show conditions over 100 children faced at Packers Sanitation Services IncorporatedHarrowing photos released by the US labor department taken at a slaughterhouse plant in Nebraska show the conditions more than 100 children faced while illegally working for Packers Sanitation Services Incorporated (PSSI) before the department cracked down on the company for violating child labor laws.The pictures show employees covered in protective gear, using chemicals to spray down and sanitize equipment. In some of the pictures, made public on Sunday by the television news show 60 Minutes, some of the employees appear to be young children, wearing protective face glasses and holding buckets. Continue reading...

Somerset experiences ‘different scale’ of rain as flood warning issued for EnglandParts of England have been battered by hailstorms among a deluge of rain as well as thunder, as a yellow weather warning remains in place for the UK until 10pm.Basingstoke was hit by an onslaught of hail on Tuesday, with one resident describing his worry over the storm damaging his car – while Somerset experienced a “different scale” of rain. Continue reading...