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Lord committee says chancellor and recent predecessors have allowed themselves too little room for manoeuvre

Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy say criticising Israeli government is not disloyalty but a Jewish obligationThe UK's most senior progressive rabbis have warned that Israel's current political direction risks becoming incompatible with Jewish values", while insisting that criticism of the country's government is a Jewish obligation" rather than an act of disloyalty.Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, co-leads of Progressive Judaism - the newly formed movement representing around a third of synagogues in the UK - said Israel's trajectory could pose an existential threat" not just to the country itself but to Judaism. Continue reading...

The RSF leadership, accused of committing genocide, used UAE as a safe haven' for family members and their wealth, records showA network linked to the leadership of a militia accused of genocide has amassed a vast property portfolio in Dubai as part of a sprawling paramilitary-industrial complex" across Africa and the Middle East, an investigation has revealed.Family members, sanctioned individuals, and entities linked to the leader of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, have acquired more than 20 luxury properties, worth 17.7m, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to the Sentry, a US investigative group. Continue reading...

Hollywood actor testifies in defamation case launched by Charlotte MacInnes, lead of musical comedy The Deb

Republican, who has Masters of Divinity, represented Virginia in Congress for two terms

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Alleged shooter, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, charged with three federal crimes in White House press gala attackThe suspected gunman who tried to storm the White House correspondents' dinner appeared in federal court on Monday and was charged with three federal crimes, including attempting to assassinate the president.The alleged shooter, identified by law enforcement agencies as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from Torrance in southern California, was charged with attempting to assassinate the US president, transportation of firearms to commit a felony, and unlawful discharge of a firearm during violence. Continue reading...

Efforts continue to free two trapped passengers in wreckage after long-distance train collides with commuter train outside Jakarta, injuring 81Rescuers were racing to reach survivors on Tuesday morning outside the Indonesian capital of Jakarta after two trains collided overnight, killing at least seven people and injuring scores.Rescuers were working to get to two people still trapped alive in the wreckage, a spokesperson for the state-owned KAI rail company told local television in the early hours. Continue reading...

Pakistan officials dismiss Afghan media reports and official statements about strikes on university in Kunar province as blatant lie'Mortars and missiles fired from Pakistan on Monday struck a university and civilian homes in north-eastern Afghanistan, killing seven people and wounding at least 85, Afghan officials said.Pakistan denied the accusation of targeting a university. Continue reading...

NAHT survey says widespread disrepair forcing closure of playgrounds and classrooms, with Send facilities also hitHalf of headteachers say parts of their school are either out of use or unfit for purpose due to leaks, damp, mould, asbestos, ageing boilers and malfunctioning fire doors, according to a new survey by the National Association of Head Teachers(NAHT).Among those who say their schools are suffering, almost three-quarters (73%) say they have toilet blocks that are either closed (8%) or not fit for purpose (65%). Continue reading...

Resolution Foundation report says crisis' stems from rising ill-health and a failing system of benefits and job supportBritain has the third-highest rate of young people not in work or education among Europe's richest countries because of rising ill-health and a failing system of benefits and job support, a report has warned.The Resolution Foundation thinktank said the UK was facing a crisis" in youth jobs amid a dramatic rise in the number of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (Neets) to almost 1 million - the highest level in more than a decade. Continue reading...

Police warn of violent pornography and toxic' influencers as suicides outstrip homicides for third year runningThe first teenage girl has been identified as having been driven to kill herself after domestic violence, as police chiefs blamed violent pornography and toxic" influencers for being behind a rise in teen abuse.Suicides after domestic abuse have outstripped homicides for the third year running, according to the Domestic Homicide Project, which records deaths in England and Wales after domestic abuse. Continue reading...

Royals pose for photographs with president and first lady at start of state visit before heading inside for private teaKing Charles and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House on Monday for a state visit in Washington, a city still rattled by a weekend shooting and a transatlantic alliance showing fresh signs of strain.British flags could be seen lining lamp-posts outside the White House, where Donald Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, greeted Charles and Camilla with handshakes. The four appeared to exchange pleasantries and posed for several photographs before heading inside the White House for a private tea. Continue reading...

Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei says actions of the United States strike at the heart of international law' as blockade continues in strait of HormuzIran is proposing that shipping companies should pay charges for specific services when they cross the strait of Hormuz, in a move that would enable it to raise money from shipping traffic without presenting the payment as a toll.Iran's framing is designed to maximise political and legal support for the plan it is developing with Oman. Iran has made a solution to its demands an essential precondition to winding down the conflict, including an end to its effective blockade of the Strait and the counter-blockade of Iranian ports being mounted by the US Navy. Continue reading...

Regime used its isolation after closing borders to escalate killings when global scrutiny disappeared, NGO claimsNorth Korea dramatically increased its use of the death penalty after closing its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic, using its isolation to escalate killings when international scrutiny disappeared, according to a report mapping 13 years of executions under the country's leader, Kim Jong-un.The number of documented cases of executions and death sentences increased by 117% in the nearly five years after North Korea sealed its borders in January 2020 compared with an equal period before the closure, according to a report by the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), a human rights NGO in Seoul. Continue reading...

Fiona Hill tells MPs UK is vulnerable' because it does not educate people on how to deal with information warfareBritain is becoming a soft target for Russian and other state propaganda because the UK is not prepared to educate people on how to deal with information warfare, according to a former White House adviser and security expert.Fiona Hill told a parliamentary committee that she feared the UK had become extraordinarily vulnerable" to online manipulation feeding into the electoral system because there was a lack of discussion about civil defence. Continue reading...

Ian Collard tells MPs he had not seen UKSV assessment summary before briefing Olly Robbins on clearanceA top Foreign Office security official who played a key role in granting Peter Mandelson's vetting clearance felt pressure to deliver a rapid outcome" because of contacts from Downing Street, MPs have been told.In testimony relayed to parliament via the Foreign Office (FCDO), Ian Collard said he had not seen the assessment summary produced by the vetting agency when he gave an oral briefing to Olly Robbins, the department's former permanent secretary. Instead, Collard had received an oral briefing from a member of the FCDO's personnel security team. Continue reading...

British officials pushed for White House meeting to be held privately fearing repeat of scenes when Trump berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of world's press

Severe storms put nearly 50 million at risk and follow a deadly weekend after tornado killed two people in TexasSevere storms are expected to sweep across the mid-Mississippi valley and midwest regions of the US on Monday, putting nearly 50 million people at risk.The storm prediction center has issued a level 4 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms across south-west Illinois and south-east Missouri, including major cities such as St Louis. Forecasters warned of multiple strong to intense tornadoes, widespread severe/damaging wind gusts and scattered large to very large hail", with some hail potentially reaching baseball size. Continue reading...

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle earlier confirmed that MPs will decide whether to let inquiry into Keir Starmer's statements over Peter Mandelson proceedDowning Street has said that the UK is in a good position" to handle the global supply problems caused by the Iran war not being resolved.Speaking at the morning lobby briefing, the PM's spokesperson said:We remain focused on a long-term, permanent solution to the crisis. As a result of the forward-planning, the government undertook over the past few months, the UK is in a good position.We're ramping up planning for all different potential impacts on the UK economy and consumers, and that means focusing on a live monitoring of stock levels and what plans are in place for addressing supply chain disruption.Even Boris Johnson didn't block his MPs voting for scrutiny. Labour MPs must be given a free vote on any motion to refer Starmer to the privileges committee, not forced into being accomplices to a cover-up.If Keir Starmer has misled the House and the public, he must be held to the same standard that we should expect of any prime minister. Continue reading...

The singer's company filed three applications on Friday after Matthew McConaughey launched similar strategyTaylor Swift has filed applications to trademark her voice and image in a move seemingly designed to protect against AI misuse.On 24 April, Swift's company TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications, Variety reports. Two of these are sound trademarks which cover Swift saying the phrases Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and Hey, it's Taylor." Continue reading...

Details about the shooting at the White House correspondents gala have started to surface as the alleged shooter is set to be charged.The suspect was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior officials were gathered, before law enforcement stopped him. It happened less than two years since Trump was the target of an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a subsequent attempt at a golf course in Florida.Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian's Washington bureau chief David Smith, who was in attendance. Continue reading...

Across country, at least 14 have been injured as Zelenskyy highlights importance of air defencesTop EU officials and Hungary's incoming government will discuss on Wednesday the changes Budapest needs to push through to release 17bn in EU funds that have been blocked due to rule-of-law concerns under the outgoing government of Viktor Orban.Some of the frozen funds, such as 11bn euros ($13bn) from the post-pandemic Recovery Fund, must be drawn by mid-August, or be irrevocably lost, Reuters noted. Continue reading...

Michael Glantz, a senior talent agent, says he wasn't scared' and wanted to watch' as chaos unfolded at the event

Russian backing for the ruling junta has not stopped rebel fighters striking significant blows in recent daysWhen Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali's military junta, sat down with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, in the Kremlin last summer, it symbolised Moscow's commanding sway over Mali at the expense of the west.As the two men spoke, roughly 3,500 miles to the south, about 2,000 Russian troops were propping up the regime in the landlocked desert country, as part of Moscow's broader push for influence across the Sahel region. Continue reading...

Show curated by Edward Enninful will highlight era's do it yourself' attitude and shift focus away from Cool BritanniaSteve McQueen's first major film, a Chris Ofili painting in tribute to Doreen and Stephen Lawrence and images of clubbers at the Hacienda will be exhibited at Tate Britain as part of its 90s exhibition.The show will explore art and fashion during a decade that reshaped Britain's cultural identity and established conditions that are still with us", said Edward Enninful, the former editor of British Vogue who is curating the exhibition. Continue reading...

Commons speaker to grant application by Tories for vote on investigation into whether PM misled MPs, say sources

Exclusive: Some donations to 2024 Tory leadership campaign allegedly originated from US businessman in breach of electoral rulesPolice are assessing evidence about donations to Robert Jenrick's campaign to become Conservative leader in 2024 after a referral from the elections watchdog, the Guardian can reveal.The information was passed on by the Electoral Commission, which the Guardian understands has been investigating allegations that almost 40,000 of donations to Jenrick's leadership campaign before he defected to Reform UK, were from a foreign source in breach of electoral rules. Continue reading...

Trump officials use incident at correspondents' dinner to pitch case for $400m project, arguing it will be safe space'

Experts say counterfeits lack UV filters, increasing the risk of eye damage, and urge shoppers to check for safety marksWhile many will be enjoying the spring sunshine, experts have cautioned against wearing fake designer sunglasses, warning they could do more harm than good.As the College of Optometrists notes, sunglasses not only protect the eyes against glare on sunny days, but can also shield them from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. Continue reading...

Former prime minister says policies will lose support without continued lower prices but sees some hope in US experience under Trump

Musician Chris Martin, tennis star Iga witek and footballer Robert Lewandowski join Piotr Garkowski in epic fundraiserA Polish social media influencer has raised more than 50m after a nine-day, nonstop online stream during which he was joined by a parade of celebrity guests to help a charity supporting children battling cancer.Streaming from a studio flat in right-bank Warsaw, social media influencer Piotr Garkowski, 23, nicknamed atwogang, listened to a charity song dedicated to children battling cancer on loop for nine days straight, filling time with entertaining dares and celebrity appearances. Continue reading...

Enough family reference samples collected to identify at least 60% of disinterred USS Arizona crew membersThe United States government could move to disinter the remains of unidentified USS Arizona crew members who were killed in the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 after the clinching of a key DNA-related milestone, officials recently announced.Before that announcement, officials determined enough family reference samples had been collected for comparison with DNA taken from remains - along with medical and dental records - for the individual identification of at least 60% of the battleship crew members to be disinterred, said a statement on Friday from the agency tasked with identifying US military personnel who are unaccounted for after past conflicts. Continue reading...

Secret Service director says security succeeded in stopping shooter before he could do further harm but others disagreeThe shooting in the White House correspondents' gala has prompted questions over security with some asking how a shooter was able to get close to where Donald Trump and many other senior administration officials were gathered and many others praising the actions of law enforcement that swiftly stopped the attack.As details about the shooting at the Washington Hilton continued to surface, the alleged shooter Cole Tomas Allen, 31, mocked an insane" lack of security at the Washington dinner in a manifesto reportedly send to his family 10 minutes before his assault started. Continue reading...

Heatwaves reach 45C across India as unseasonably cold weather affects parts of central CanadaWidespread heavy rain is sweeping over southern China. By Wednesday, rainfall totals are expected to exceed 100mm across many parts of Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, and in some areas as much as 150-200mm.As a result, the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management have been holding meetings with meteorological and hydrological departments to emphasise the importance of reinforced patrols and emergency responses to mitigate against the probable flooding that the intense rainfall is expected to bring. In particular, reservoirs with known safety concerns must remain empty during the period, as well as through the coming rainy season. Continue reading...

Images in Helen Polley's post included a marching band, people laying wreaths and ex-serving members giving speeches set to a track by US rapper Chingy

Booing by right-wing groups of Indigenous leaders giving speeches marred Anzac Day ceremonies for a second year running

Rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid announce new party before Knesset vote expected later this yearTwo of Benjamin Netanyahu's most formidable political rivals say they are joining forces in an attempt to oust the Israeli prime minister's coalition government in the election expected later this year.The former prime ministers - rightwing Naftali Bennett and centrist Yair Lapid - issued statements announcing the merger of their parties, Bennett 2026 and Yesh Atid (There is a Future). Continue reading...

Owner of Pink Punters vows to reopen club as police call on the public not to speculateA man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after a fire at an LGBTQ+ nightclub, police have said.Officers have called on people not to speculate about why the fire may have been set at Pink Punters in Fenny Stratford, near Milton Keynes, saying it is too early to tell. The club's owner said he was relieved no one was hurt - and vowed the club would reopen. Continue reading...

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Queensland and NSW set for lower than usual rainfall in May, June and July, while temperatures in most of the country likely to be higher than normal

James Sherwin-Smith will be up for election after securing more than 250 nominations to run alongside existing directorsNationwide building society could have a customer on its board for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century after one of its longtime members secured enough support for a spot on the lender's annual ballot.James Sherwin-Smith will be up for board elections at Nationwide's annual general meeting (AGM) in July, having gathered more than the 250 peer nominations necessary to run alongside existing directors. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: After the dramatic events of Saturday night, White House security arrangements are under scrutiny and political violence is once again in the spotlightGood morning. On Saturday night the annual Washington ritual of the White House correspondents' dinner descended into chaos as the US president and first lady were evacuated after the event was interrupted by gunfire.Journalists ducked under tables as authorities rushed Donald Trump and members of his cabinet out of the room. The president and his wife were unharmed, and a suspect is in custody - identified as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old man from southern California. In today's newsletter, I will bring you the latest updates on what we know about the incident. First, the headlines.UK politics | Labour figures from across rival factions have begun circulating informal proposals for an orderly transition" of power away from Keir Starmer, the Guardian understands, shifting their discussions from whether the prime minister could be removed to how.Europe news | Private jets laden with the spoils of those whose wealth swelled during Viktor Orban's years in power have been taking off from Vienna, while other individuals are racing to invest their assets abroad.Trade | UK business leaders have called on the government to build an EU-style trade bazooka" to protect Britain's economic interests in response to the latest tariff threats from Donald Trump.Middle East | Hopes of a breakthrough in negotiations between Iran and the US faded further on Sunday, amid a deepening sense of a deadlock in the nearly two-month-long conflict.Science | Simultaneous exposure to toxic chemicals and climate change's impacts likely contributes to the broad global drop in fertility. Continue reading...

Woman's body found in Iwate prefecture last week, soon after a police officer was injured in bear attack nearbyRested but famished bears emerging from hibernation in Japan are already coming into contact with humans, with the pace of sightings outstripping that seen in 2025, a record year for bear attacks.According to media reports, the animals have been spotted with surprising frequency in urban areas in the country's north-east, with authorities urging caution among people planning to spend the coming Golden Week public holidays in the countryside. Continue reading...

Candle-making kits and rubber toys among products recalled after revelation about play sand sold by HobbycraftMore than 30 children's toys have been recalled in the UK after the Guardian revealed that play sand sold by Hobbycraft was contaminated with asbestos.Over the past three months, other children's products ranging from candle-making kits to stretchy rubber toys have been recalled by retailers including Tesco, Primark, Matalan and M&S after being found to contain the substance. Continue reading...

Half of respondents to RCN poll said patients frequently come to harm' because caseloads are too highMental health patients in the UK are routinely coming to harm because of high caseloads, understaffing and overwhelming administrative work, according to a poll that found only a fifth of specialist nurses felt their workload was manageable.Prof Nicola Ranger, the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said mental health nurses were caught in a perfect storm" and unable to keep up with rising demand, with patients paying the price by missing out on crucial care. Continue reading...

Families say Ulm 5' have been detained under extreme prison conditions since arrest last SeptemberFive pro-Palestinian activists are due to appear in court over an attack on an Israeli arms company in Germany, in proceedings their families say could become a show trial".The Berlin-based activists, who are British, Irish, German and Spanish citizens, have been held in pre-trial detention in separate prisons since 8 September. They are alleged to have broken into Elbit Systems, in the city of Ulm in Baden-Wurttemberg, in the early hours of 8 September, causing hundreds of thousands of euros of damage before calling the police to arrest them. Continue reading...

Engineer and two drivers killed in recent weeks as scarcity of clean water fuels spread of preventable diseasesIsraeli forces in Gaza killed a water engineer and two drivers who transported water to displaced families over four days in mid-April, exacerbating severe shortages of clean water that are fuelling the spread of preventable disease.Israeli limits on the shipment of soap, washing powder and other hygiene products into Gaza have also forced prices up, adding to the challenge of keeping clean and avoiding infection in overcrowded shelters and tent encampments. Continue reading...

The king faces possibly his most important ever speech and a thin-skinned president, in the shadow of the Sussexes and the Epstein scandal. What could go wrong?On his high-stakes four-day state visit to the US, King Charles will have to walk a diplomatic tightrope as the guest of an erratic Donald Trump against the backdrop of Iran and security concerns after Saturday night's shooting at the White House correspondents' dinner.Many challenges lie ahead as he takes up his UK government-decreed task to reaffirm and renew" bilateral ties amid a worsening special relationship" on the 250th anniversary of American independence. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Health Foundation says Britain is going backwards' compared with most other rich countries