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Is the US president exploiting popular resentment towards elite colleges to achieve his political goals? Ed Pilkington reportsHarvard University filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday on the grounds that a recent $2bn (1.5bn) funding freeze was unlawful. It is the most significant act of resistance taken by a US college in response to Trump's crackdown on higher education.Ed Pilkington, chief reporter for Guardian US, explains to Michael Safi that capitulating to Trump's demands would have severely undermined Harvard's reputation, and that the administration was targeting it for being a bastion of liberal thought. Continue reading...

Belfast rappers criticised by US conservatives and Sharon Osbourne for the pro-Palestine and anti-Israel content of their setIrish-language rap group Kneecap have responded to criticism of statements they made about Israel during their Coachella performance on the weekend, saying that statements are not aggressive" in comparison to Israel's attacks on Gaza.During their second set at the Coachella music festival in California on 18 April, the rap group, known for their political performances and support of Palestine, led the crowd in chants of free, free Palestine". Messages displayed on the stage's screens during their set read: Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people" and It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes." Another read: Fuck Israel. Free Palestine." Continue reading...

Investigation body also says medics are dying in car accidents while driving home after long shiftsNHS staff are so tired they are dying in car crashes and posing a major threat to patients, the service's safety watchdog will warn on Thursday.Fatigue among frontline personnel causing them to make mistakes is a significant" risk to patients, according to the Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB). Continue reading...

The 86 concerts this summer will include anniversary celebrations of Shostakovich, Ravel and Boulez, a Traitors-themed Prom presented by Claudia Winkleman - and a record number of female conductorsThe BBC today announce its eight-week Proms season featuring 86 concerts in London, Bradford, Belfast, Bristol and Gateshead. A record number of female conductors will be at the podium - 15 - and the Last Night will be the first to feature an all-female lineup of conductor and soloists: Elim Chan will conduct, with trumpeter Alison Balsom and soprano Louise Alder, plus the evening will feature two world premieres, by 34-year-old French composer Camille Pepin, and Rachel Portman, who was the first woman to win an Oscar for best original score, both making their Proms debuts.Also making her Proms debut will be Claudia Winkleman, who, fully cloaked, will present a Traitors Prom featuring a mix of symphonic pop and classical music exploring timeless themes of intrigue, treachery and betrayal. Suzy Klein, the head of arts and classical music TV at the BBC, promised that the concert would evoke all the drama of the Highland castle where the hugely popular reality TV show takes place. There won't be gameplay or interaction, she added, but it is going to be shaped and curated as a dramatic evening. There's so much music featured in the series that we wanted to take some of that and say to people, Welcome to the world of classical music, you're already listening to it and loving it without realising it!'" Winkleman will be joined by the BBC Scottish Symphony and the BBC Singers, with other guests and the full programme to be announced. Will season three fan favourite Linda Rands, a retired opera singer, be taking part? Potentially, said Klein. Continue reading...

Raymond McCourt, 59, was reported missing from HMP Castle Huntly in Dundee at 5.30pm on TuesdayPolice have launched a manhunt after a convicted murderer escaped from an open prison in Scotland.Raymond McCourt, 59, was reported missing from HMP Castle Huntly in Dundee at 5.30pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Emergency services clean up area after chemical reaction in gas tanker HGV sends orange plume into airEmergency services were called out to a chemical and gas leak from a lorry in Greater Manchester on Wednesday.Video footage circulating on social media showed a luminous vapour billowing from a gas tanker HGV in Oldham shortly after 3pm. Continue reading...

Under the plan, those who flout the prohibition could face a maximum fine of 1,000A party of party poopers? Or defenders of the quiet majority"? Either way, the Liberal Democrats are redefining political battlebus" by proposing a ban on people playing music and videos out loud on their phones on public transport.Under the plan, those who blast out songs and TV shows from their phone on public transport, or while at stations or bus stops, could face a maximum fine of 1,000. Continue reading...

The opposition leader says he won't be able to get to all' of the seven locations earmarked for flagship nuclear policy, while Labor says he has not been within 50km of any during election campaign

Russia said to have signalled it could halt war in return for US recognition of its control of Crimea and sanctions reliefThe contours of the White House's final" peace proposal to halt the Russian invasion of Ukraine have come into focus with proposals to freeze the frontlines in exchange for terms that critics have termed a surrender to Russian interests in the the three-year-old conflict.Three people with knowledge of the talks told the Guardian that Vladimir Putin had signalled a readiness to effectively freeze the frontlines of the conflict in exchange for numerous concessions, including US recognition of Russian control of Crimea and considerable US sanctions relief. The Financial Times first reported Putin's proposal on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Tensions rise between nuclear-armed neighbours who have fought three wars over territory as Delhi vows to respondThe brutal militant attack that killed 26 people in one of Kashmir's most scenic spots has shattered the region's relative calm, turning a popular tourist destination into a scene of horror - and raising fears of a fresh conflict between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan.Soon after the attack in which gunmen emerged from dense pine woods and opened fire on families picnicking and riding ponies, India's defence minister, Rajnath Singh, vowed a loud and clear response". Continue reading...

More than 60 MPs sign letter calling for time-limited visas for 18- to 30-year-olds to travel freely

The aim in No 10 is to Make Brussels Boring Again and never say the words single market' or freedom of movement'

Gustavo Petro hits back after Alvaro Leyva accused him of going awol during official visit to FranceA prominent Colombian politician and former minister has accused the country's president, Gustavo Petro, of being a drug addict who allegedly went awol during an official visit to France.In a damning letter to the South American leader, the former foreign minister Alvaro Leyva painted a dire picture of his one-time boss and ally, later publishing the text on his official X account. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For the latest on Ukraine, read more coverage here.Suspilne, Ukraine's state broadcaster, citing the Ukrainian air force, reports that overnight Ukraine claimed to have shot down 67 out of 134 drones used in Russian attacks.Additionally the air force reported that 47 drones did not reach their target. Attacks, it said, happened in the Kharkiv, Poltava, Donetsk, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhia regions. Continue reading...

Ed Miliband's looming decision on electricity market changes could mean regional bill disparities for householdsBritain's most senior government ministers could soon be drawn into a deepening row over plans to charge some households higher electricity bills than others, as Ed Miliband prepares to decide on sweeping energy reforms.The energy secretary is understood to be close to making a decision on whether to move ahead with proposals to replace the country's single electricity market with several market zones. Continue reading...

Pope's simple open casket lies on main altar of St Peter's Basilica as mourners say: It's a privilege to be here'Thousands of people queued for hours under the hot spring sun in St Peter's Square on Wednesday to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, whose simple wooden coffin has been placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, where he will lie in state until Friday evening.The pope, the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, died at his home in Casa Santa Marta on Monday aged 88 after a stroke and subsequent heart failure. He had been recovering from double pneumonia, which had kept him in hospital for five weeks. Continue reading...

Water treaty also suspended amid hunt for militants said to have executed men unable to recite Islamic versesIndia has closed a key land border with neighbouring Pakistan, cancelled a water-sharing treaty and barred Pakistan's citizens from entering under a visa exemption scheme following Tuesday's attack by Islamic militants in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.The moves come as India's defence minister, Rajnath Singh, said those who carried out and planned the Kashmir region's worst attack on civilians in years, including those behind the scenes", would see a swift response. Continue reading...

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says deadly Russian strike on workers' bus in Marhanets a deliberate war crime'

Labour sets out preferences as Commons standards committee looks at tightening rules on second jobsThe government has backed proposals to stop MPs taking second jobs they have been offered because of their role in parliament, and expressed concern that some paid media roles allow them to monetise" their privileged positions.It set out its detailed thinking on how the rules could be tightened on MPs' outside interests in evidence to the House of Commons standards committee. Continue reading...

Spokesperson for Tory leader says she agrees with colleague that we need to bring centre-right voters together'Rosie Duffield, the independent MP who left Labour after the election in part because she felt her gender critical views made her unwelcome in the party (although her resignation letter focused on welfare issues), has claimed that Keir Starmer no longer arguing a trans woman is a woman shows he is a manager rather than a leader".Speaking on LBC, Duffield said:It's just another sign of the prime minister's lack of leadership skills. I'm bound to say that, he's a manager rather than a leader. He responds and reacts rather than leads from the front, and this is what we're seeing again from him.Nigel Farage is peddling a dangerous fantasy by claiming the UK can be self-sufficient in gas.After sixty years of drilling, the truth is the UK has already burned most of its gas. That's down to geology, not politics, and no amount of hot air from Farage will change that. Continue reading...

Salvadorian president denounced as tyrannical' as he floats trading 252 prisoners with fellow authoritarian regimeThe families of prisoners being held by the authoritarian governments of El Salvador and Venezuela have condemned President Nayib Bukele's offer to swap 252 Venezuelan detainees sent to his jails by the Trump administration for the same number of political prisoners incarcerated by Nicolas Maduro's regime.Nelson Suarez, whose brother was among the Venezuelan immigrants sent from the US to a notorious maximum-security jail in El Salvador last month, said he was desperate for the release of his brother, from whom he has heard nothing in five weeks. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Meeting with Dfat deputy secretary not specifically about reported Russian military request, diplomatic sources say, but may have been canvassed

Exclusive: Survey by Griffith University found 38% of respondents extremely concerned by the prospect of a reactor being built near their home

Political ads on online video platform surge by 40% during first half of 2025 election campaign

Francis will lie in state for three days at St Peter's Basilica before funeral is held on SaturdayThe coffin makes it way through the Vatican towards St Peter's Basilica, accompanied by the choir's singing, starting with Psalm 22.You can follow the ceremony live watching the stream at the top of the blog. Continue reading...

Nerys Lloyd had pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter over expedition in swollen River CleddauA former police officer has been jailed for 10 years and six months after leading a paddleboarding expedition on a rain-swollen river that ended in four people losing their lives.Nerys Lloyd, 39, pleaded guilty to four counts of gross negligence manslaughter and a Health and Safety at Work offence over the tragedy on the River Cleddau in Haverfordwest, south-west Wales. Continue reading...

Shadow justice secretary says he wants parties to avoid competing against each other, but sources deny pact

Rick Haythornthwaite said bank was indebted to public for 46bn rescue package that kept it afloat in 2008The chair of NatWest has thanked UK taxpayers for the bank's 2008 bailout weeks before the bank returns into private ownership, assuring shareholders that bosses had fixed the issues of the past" and would not open up floodgates of risk" despite government pressure.Rick Haythornthwaite made the comments as a small group of shareholders gathered at the Gogarburn campus on the outskirts of Edinburgh on Wednesday for the bank's annual investor meeting. Continue reading...

Members of Board of Deputies who signed open letter about war in Gaza are now subject to a complaints procedure'Three dozen members of the largest body representing British Jews are facing disciplinary action after signing an open letter criticising Israel over the war in Gaza.Amid signs of deepening divisions among British Jews over the 18-month-old war, the Board of Deputies announced this week that all 36 signatories to the letter were now subject to a complaints procedure" after multiple complaints". Continue reading...

First penalties under landmark Digital Markets Act hands fines of 500m to Apple and 200m to Facebook ownerThe European Commission has fined Apple 500m (429m) and Meta 200m for breaking rules on fair competition and user choice, in the first penalties issued under one of the EU's landmark internet laws.The fines under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA), which is intended to ensure fair business practices by tech companies, are likely to provide another flashpoint with Donald Trump's administration, which has fiercely attacked Europe's internet regulation. Continue reading...

More than 9,000 files downloaded from NSW JusticeLink system but authorities say no personal data compromised

Irish language group uses Coachella gig to denounce Gaza attacks, saying Palestinians have nowhere to go'Sharon Osbourne has urged US authorities to revoke work visas for Kneecap after the Irish language rap group used a performance at Coachella to denounce Israeli attacks on Gaza.The TV presenter accused the band of hate speech and supporting terrorist organisations and said it should not be allowed to perform in the US. I urge you to join me in advocating for the revocation of Kneecap's work visa," she exhorted followers on X on Tuesday. Continue reading...

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Exclusive: TikTok claims Silicon Valley rival got sweetheart deal' from government after Michelle Rowland made surprise policy shift

Ryan Donnelly alleges that Jacqui Burfoot has made vicious' and malicious' claims about him online

Experts call for redesign of financial services and improved Centrelink processes to protect older Australians from fraud

Opposition leader insists costings will be released prior to the election as Andrew Hastie says America-first' US means Australia's defence must be prioritised

A ruling on equality law has caused relief, fear - and confusion. Libby Brooks reportsOn paper it does not sound like something that would spark nationwide interest. Last week the UK supreme court gave its judgment on a case brought by a women's group against the Scottish government over the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018.But its judgment - that the word woman" in equality law refers only to biological sex - has upended years of legal interpretation. And the news of the ruling led to celebrations, protest and an outpouring of emotion. Continue reading...

Preliminary information indicates the 4.6-magnitude quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km

Seven Regions Nuclear Free alliance launches campaign representing groups who oppose the Coalition's proposed nuclear reactors in their communities across Queensland, NSW, SA, Victoria and WA

Labor's Richard Marles says announcement is a pathetic whimper' rather than a defence policy

Internet Watch Foundation report shows 380% increase in illegal AI-generated imagery in 2024, most of it category A'Images of child sexual abuse created by artificial intelligence are becoming significantly more realistic", according to an online safety watchdog.The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said advances in AI are being reflected in illegal content created and consumed by paedophiles, saying: In 2024, the quality of AI-generated videos improved exponentially, and all types of AI imagery assessed appeared significantly more realistic as the technology developed." Continue reading...

Russell George, who is among 15 people under investigation, says he wants to focus on clearing his nameA Welsh politician who is among 15 people charged after bets were placed on the timing of the 2024 general election is to quit at the next Senedd election.

Panel unanimously accepts charges against six more key allies of ex-president over alleged plan to keep him in officeA panel of Brazil's supreme court justices has unanimously accepted criminal charges against six more key allies of former president Jair Bolsonaro over an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat.Last month, the panel unanimously accepted charges against Bolsonaro and seven close allies over the alleged coup plot following his loss to current president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and ordered the former rightwing leader to stand trial. Continue reading...

Minister for women and equality makes statement after supreme court ruling on gender recognitionSome MPs and peers are calling for President Trump not to be invited to address parliament when he visits the UK. In 2017, during Trump's first presidency, the then Speaker, John Bercow, vetoed a proposal for Trump to address parliamentarians in Westminster Hall.In an interview with Times Radio this morning, Stephen Morgan, an education minister, said Trump should be allowed to give a speech in parliament. Asked if Trump should be allowed to address MPs and peers, Morgan said:I look forward to the US president addressing parliament in due course. Continue reading...

Moscow turns down proposal to extend Easter ceasefire as Ukraine officials head to London to discuss US peace plan

Group of gunmen open fire on holidaymakers in Indian-controlled region in midst of US vice-president's visit to countryAt least 28 tourists have been killed after suspected militants opened fire at a popular local tourist destination in Kashmir during a scheduled four-day visit to the country by the US president JD Vance.The attack occurred in the Baisaran Valley, a picturesque meadow in Pahalgam, a well-known tourist town located 90 kilometres south of Srinagar, the region's main city, in what officials are describing as the deadliest attack on civilians in the region in recent years. Continue reading...

Rawal Rehman had been on a cocaine binge when his van collided with Louisa Palmisano and her parents on 22 FebruaryA convicted drug dealer has pleaded guilty to killing a three-year-old girl while driving recklessly, shortly after being released from prison on licence.Rawal Rehman, 35, had been on all-night cocaine binge when his van collided with Louisa Palmisano and her parents in Manchester city centre on 22 February. Continue reading...

Social justice secretary says Holyrood fully accepts' supreme court ruling and will amend guidanceThe Scottish government has no plans" to return to its controversial bill on gender recognition, the high-water mark of Nicola Sturgeon's progressive agenda, as it attempted to reassure the trans community that you are valued".In a statement to MSPs on Tuesday afternoon, the social justice secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said Holyrood fully accepts" the judgment of the supreme court, which ruled against Scottish ministers last Wednesday in the culmination of a long-running legal action brought by the campaign group For Women Scotland. Continue reading...

Union welcomes announcement company is closing consultation on laying off up to 2,700 Scunthorpe workersBritish Steel will not continue with a consultation on making up to 2,700 steelworkers at its Scunthorpe plant redundant, after the government took control of the firm earlier this month.The Chinese company Jingye, which promised a new chapter" when it bought British Steel in 2020, last month proposed closing Scunthorpe's two blast furnaces, putting the roles under threat and ending Britain's ability to produce steel from scratch. Continue reading...