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Shadow health secretary says party correct ‘to take the gloves off’ and will be more of the same to comeWes Streeting has vigorously defended Labour’s highly personal attack adverts targeting Rishi Sunak, saying the party was “absolutely right to take the gloves off” and that there would be more such campaign tactics to come.Labour has faced considerable criticism, and some doubts from within the party, over a series of online ads which began with one claiming that Rishi Sunak does not believe people who sexually abuse children should be sent to prison. Continue reading...

Atiq Ahmed, jailed since 2019, was in police custody and taking questions from journalists when attackers struckA former Indian MP convicted of kidnapping and facing murder and assault charges has been shot dead along with his brother in a brazen attack broadcast live on TV in northern India.Atiq Ahmed – jailed since 2019 – and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were being taken handcuffed by police to a hospital in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, when three men targeted them from close range as they took questions from reporters. Continue reading...

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Initiative at heart of next month’s royal event could fall flat after steady decline in number of people in UK offering their timeAn event at the heart of the king’s coronation festivities is at risk of being a “damp squib” because of a volunteering crisis across Britain, the government has been warned.The Big Help Out is inviting people across the country to mark the occasion by signing up to volunteer in their communities on the one-off bank holiday Monday on 8 May in the hope of inspiring more people to start volunteering amid record shortages. Continue reading...

Boy sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries when set upon by the dingo on Friday night at a campground in Karijini national parkA mother has been praised for her bravery after she fought off a dingo that attacked her two-year-old son at a remote Western Australia national park.The boy sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries when set upon by the dingo about 7pm on Friday at Dales Campground in Karijini national park.Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Continue reading...

Residents and members of bereaved families call on BBC and National Theatre to scrap productionsThe BBC and the National Theatre are facing rising hostility over two high-profile productions about the Grenfell Tower fire disaster, with survivors and bereaved family members urging both institutions to drop their plans.Some have even threatened to disrupt BBC attempts to film near the tower for its series, Grenfell, which will dramatise the tragic events around the night of 14 June 2017 in west London, when 72 people died as a result of the blaze. Others claim the National Theatre is stealing their experiences, despite its play being based on survivors’ first-hand accounts. A petition calling on the BBC to scrap its series has so far attracted more than 50,000 signatures. Continue reading...

Coalition senator echoed Peter Dutton’s accusations of child sexual abuse in Alice Springs and reiterated her opposition to the voice

Holy Fire rite has traditionally attracted about 10,000 Christian worshippers but numbers have been limited in recent yearsThousands of Christians in Jerusalem have celebrated the traditional Holy Fire rite ahead of the Orthodox Easter, despite a security clampdown limiting access to their most holy site.The ancient Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the thousand-year-old rite takes place, was built over the site where Christian tradition says Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and resurrected. Continue reading...

Death toll from Russian attack on Sloviansk apartment block rises to 11; Moscow claims Wagner forces have captured two more areas of Bakhmut

Army rejects assertions by RSF that they have seized palace and airports in KhartoumSudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces says it has gained control of Khartoum international airport, Merowe airport, al-Obeid airport and the presidential palace, after an attack on its military base in south Khartoum at about 9am local time today.Khartoum airport has shut down, with clips circulated on social media showing the RSF storming the airport. Continue reading...

Animal rights group Animal Aid says change needed after ‘brutal horrors’ at Aintree as three horses die during festivalAnimal rights campaigners have called for jump racing to be banned and “much more stringent” safety measures put in place for the sport after three horses died at the 175th annual Grand National festival.The third fatality, Hill Sixteen, is said to have suffered a broken neck at the first fence at the Aintree racecourse in Liverpool before being put down. Continue reading...

Veronica Nelson’s mother among critics of Thirrili, which encouraged people to contact it if they didn’t feel its support was adequate

Paramilitary group reports seizing control of presidential palace, army chief’s home and Khartoum airport• Fighting in Sudan’s capital – latest updatesSudan was plunged into a long-feared violent crisis on Saturday as a bitter struggle for power appeared to break out between the two main factions of the ruling military regime.At least 25 people were reported to have been killed in clashes in the vast and strategic east African country during heavy fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Force (RSF), according to the Sudan Doctor’s Committee, a local NGO. Continue reading...

Agreement in principle follows strikes and 11 months of negotiations over pay, jobs and conditionsRoyal Mail and union leaders have reached an agreement in principle after 11 months of negotiations in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.Royal Mail said it had reached a negotiators’ agreement with the Communication Workers Union (CWU), the details of which will be made public once it has been ratified by the union’s executive committee, which is expected to take place next week. Continue reading...

Doctors could join coordinated strike as Royal College of Nurses announce national ballot on mass actionEngland’s biggest nursing union is to ballot its members on whether to join a “make or break” mega-strike that would lead to mass action by nurses in every hospital trust in the country, the Observer can reveal.The move by the Royal College of Nursing to “up the ante” by holding a single national vote – rather than conducting ballots in each individual trust as it did last October – would, if passed, mean twice as many trusts being hit by industrial action by nurses as have been so far. Continue reading...

Melvin’s roles included parts in Torchwood, The Phantom of the Opera and A Taste of HoneyTributes have been paid to the actor, director and theatre archivist Murray Melvin, who has died aged 90.Melvin died at St Thomas’ hospital in London on Friday, according to friends. Continue reading...

Luxury train operator cuts service ahead of biometric passport checks so passengers will have to join train in ParisWhen the Orient Express began operating in the 19th century, passports were optional – the only paperwork required by British travellers was a copy of the Thomas Cook Continental Timetable.But Brexit and 21st-century biometric checks are killing off the romance of crossing borders for modern passengers looking for the nostalgia of the luxury train journey that inspired Agatha Christie and Hollywood. Continue reading...

Police say suspects held on conspiracy to cause public nuisance as activists gather at Aintree racecoursePolice have arrested three people at Aintree racecourse ahead of the Grand National.A 25-year-old woman from London was detained outside the venue at about 11.20am on Saturday while a man was arrested around 30 minutes later. They were both arrested on suspicion of conspirapy to cause public nuisance. Continue reading...

Second day of exchange involving nearly 900 detainees comes amid peace talks to end eight-year warA flight carrying rebel prisoners of war has arrived in Yemen from Saudi Arabia, and Saudi prisoners are due to be released later in the day, the International Committee of the Red Cross has said.The flights are part of a large-scale, multi-day exchange involving nearly 900 detainees and comes amid peace talks which have raised hopes of an end to Yemen’s eight-year war between Iran-backed rebels and a Saudi-led coalition. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Labour figures show scale of issue in England despite Conservatives vowing to abolish the practice four years agoAn estimated 40 families have been threatened with a “no-fault” eviction every day in England in the four years since ministers first promised to scrap them, analysis shows.The Conservatives first promised to end the practice in 2019, but the government has yet to pass legislation despite repeated promises from ministers and former prime ministers. Continue reading...

Wife, parents and sister praise the father of one’s compassion, kindness and love for his job as an ambulance paramedic

France’s highest constitutional court approved the law on Friday, leading to widespread demonstrationsFrench president Emmanuel Macron has signed his controversial pension reform into law, defying three months of protests and pleas from unions not to implement the legislation.The alterations became law on Saturday, after the text was published overnight in France’s official journal. This followed the approval on Friday by France’s highest constitutional court of the essence of the legislation, including the banner change of raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. Continue reading...

Thousands being caught out by little-known requirement to pre-register vehicle with TfLA French driver has been handed fines totalling nearly £25,000 for driving in London’s low-emissions zone, even though his minibus was exempt from the emissions charge.Fernando Neiva, who runs a transport service for French tourists to the UK, has received 12 fines of £2,000 each after one of his drivers entered the Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) and three fines totalling over £700 for breaching Ultra Low Emissions (Ulez) rules after visits to London last October and November. Continue reading...

Closures, delayed after Russia reduced Europe’s gas supplies, leave conundrum for energy policymakers

Readers say they are afraid to let children outside after warnings from authorities and neighbours’ threatsCars, dog poo and delivery drivers: why children don’t play out anymoreFamilies are facing threats and police warnings for letting their children play in the street, Guardian readers have reported, leaving parents afraid to let their children spend time outside.Liz Swift thought a basketball hoop on wheels pushed to the corner of her street on sunny afternoons would be a great way to keep her 13-year-old active. But the local authority did not agree. The family received letters from Waltham Forest council warning them that children playing in the street were “causing a nuisance to neighbours”. Continue reading...

Aevin Dugas wins Guinness world record for third time in 13 years, with a circumference of 5ft 5inThe Louisiana woman who has set the Guinness world record for the largest afro three different times in the last 13 years says she keeps breaking the mark to personally vouch for the beauty of natural hair.“I didn’t decide to grow an afro as much as I decided to go natural,” Aevin Dugas told Guinness World Records in an interview earlier this month. “It’s about pride in textured hair which leads to self-love.” Continue reading...

Yulia and Tetiana knew they would have to marry abroad – but never in the context of an invasionYulia and Tetiana had spent a while deliberating over a date for their wedding before they decided it had to be 1 March – exactly a year to the day they fled the war in Ukraine.“That date should be a sad anniversary, the anniversary of us leaving our old life behind, but we decided to rewrite this story and made it our special anniversary,” said Tetiana, 42. “We lost a lot and there is a lot of evil in this world, but we’ve turned that evil into something good.” Continue reading...

Up to 2.6 million people aged 18-34 in damp, draughty and cramped living conditions, says thinktankOne in six young adults in the UK are living in poor-quality housing, according to research that says damp, draughty and cramped living conditions are harming the physical and mental health of millions.Resolution Foundation said Britain was facing a twin housing crisis as soaring rents and mortgage payments added to the pressure on people living in substandard accommodation, with young adults bearing the brunt. Continue reading...

Damaging 90km/h winds forecast for parts of the Simpson district and a flood watch remains in place for the western inland region

Secretary of state to break ground on new US embassy while Hanoi reluctant to antagonise its powerful neighbourChina has reportedly refused to reschedule a visit from the US secretary of state, as Antony Blinken kicked off a trip to Vietnam, a crucial South-east Asian trade partner that Washington is looking to bolster ties with as it works to balance Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the region and beyond.In his first visit to the country as the top US diplomat, Blinken will meet with top Vietnamese officials, including Vietnam’s general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong, and formally break ground on Saturday on a new US embassy compound in Hanoi. On Sunday he travels to Japan for a meeting of the Group of Seven wealthy nations. Continue reading...

Alexander Csergo, 55, was arrested in the Sydney suburb of Bondi on Friday on one count of reckless foreign interference

Nine killed and 21 wounded in Russian missile attack on apartment blocks in Sloviansk; Vladimir Putin signs bill sparking fears of new wave of mobilisation

Schnitzels are in and souffle is out as the cost-of-living crisis bites and diners seek more affordable, flexible dining options

Greens to use Parliamentary Budget Office costing to push Labor to clamp down harder on tax concessions for gas producers

Constitutional council’s ruling means government can pass law to increase minimum eligible age as early as next weekFrance’s highest constitutional court has approved Emmanuel Macron’s proposals to raise the minimum pension age from 62 to 64.The ruling means the government can pass the French president’s unpopular plans to increase the minimum eligible pension age as early as next week, to be in force by the end of this year. Continue reading...

RCN members refuse offer recommended by union leaders by 54% to 46% in ballotNurses are to launch fresh strike action across England later this month after rejecting the government’s pay offer, sparking fears stoppages could go on until Christmas.In a major blow to ministers, union leaders and health service bosses, members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) voted narrowly, by 54% to 46%, on a turnout of 61%, to reject the government’s offer of a 5% pay rise this year and a cash payment for last year. Continue reading...

Police say they want to speak to people among large group present in area of incident, after death of Tyler McDermott, 17A murder investigation has been launched after a teenager died following a shooting in north London. Tyler McDermott, 17, died on Friday afternoon after the incident in the early hours of Thursday.Scotland Yard said it was vital that officers spoke to a “large group of people” who may have heard or seen something suspicious in the area of the shooting in Norman Road, Tottenham. Continue reading...

This blog has now closed, you can read more of our Ukraine war coverage hereChina’s defence minister, Li Shangfu, will visit Russia from 16 to 19 April, and meet Russian military officials, Reuters reports the Chinese defence ministry said on Friday.The UK’s Ministry of Defence has claimed in its daily intelligence briefing that Ukrainian troops have been forced to make ‘orderly withdrawals’ from positions they previously held in the highly contested town of Bakhmut, and that the last two days have seen an intense artillery bombardment from Russian forces.Russia has re-energised its assault on the Donetsk oblast town of Bakhmut as forces of the Russian ministry and Wagner group have improved cooperation.The Ukrainian defence still holds the western districts of the town but has been subjected to particularly intense Russian artillery fire over the previous 48 hours. Continue reading...

Charges filed against cartel leaders, alleged chemical suppliers, lab managers, traffickers and others in fentanyl investigationThe US justice department has charged 28 members of Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa cartel, including sons of notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, in a sprawling fentanyl-trafficking investigation.The attorney general, Merrick Garland, announced the charges on Friday alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief, Anne Milgram, and other top federal prosecutors. The charges were filed against cartel leaders, as well alleged chemical suppliers, lab managers, fentanyl traffickers, security leaders, financiers and weapons traffickers. Continue reading...

This live blog has now closed, you can read more on this story hereNurses in England are preparing to go on strike until Christmas after members of the country’s biggest nursing union voted against the government’s pay deal, the Guardian has learned.The Royal College of Nursing will announce that members have rejected the government’s offer and will at the same time announce a new ballot for more aggressive strikes likely to last for the next six months.The vote has closed and the figures are being verified. There is no result until that point. We will make an announcement later today and tell our members first.Members of the GMB union at the company’s Coventry fulfilment centre will walk out on Sunday for three days.Further strikes are planned from April 21 to 23. Continue reading...

Government’s limiting of average pay rise to between 4.5% and 5% prompts fresh strike dates and potential FDA emergency ballotThe UK’s most senior civil servants could take their first strike action in more than a decade after ministers imposed an average pay rise of between 4.5% and 5%, in a move described as “unconscionable” by union leaders.The Cabinet Office published pay remit guidance limiting awards to an average of 4.5%, plus an additional 0.5% for the lowest pay bands. Continue reading...

Greater Manchester police confirms case against unnamed footballer arrested in 2021 has been droppedGreater Manchester police are to take no further action against a Premier League footballer who was arrested on suspicion of child sexual abuse offences.The unnamed player had been arrested in connection with an investigation that began in June 2021. Continue reading...

Social services were working to protect him before he was even born. Yet he died at 10 months. How did things go so wrong?September 2019: Shannon Marsden informs social services she is 20 weeks pregnant.October 2019: Derbyshire county council social services begin court proceedings in relation to the unborn child, and its parents, Marsden and Stephen Boden, are subject to regular drug-testing and checks on their home. Continue reading...

Guardian investigation estimates Charles has inherited gems worth at least £533m from the queenA 94.4-carat pear-cut diamond will have an unexpected starring role in the coronation of King Charles III. The stone will sit in the centrepiece of the crown worn by Camilla, the Queen Consort, replacing the Koh-i-noor, the better known but controversial jewel that was plundered from India.Unlike the Koh-i-noor, the replacement diamond is not part of the state-owned crown jewels. In fact, the Cullinan III is one of two large diamonds known as the Lesser Stars of Africa – the second being the Cullinan IV – that were privately owned by the late queen. They usually sit in what is probably the most valuable brooch in the world; one that, with its royal connections, could be worth well over £180m. They are also now the stars of what are likely to be the king’s own treasure chest of gems. Continue reading...

‘No substance in it,’ former chief justice Robert French says, while experts split on whether amendment should include ‘executive government’

Former ABC journalist tells joint select committee on voice wording that it is a ‘simple and unambitious and unthreatening’ proposal

The ‘lateral vascular neck restraint’ cuts blood supply to the brain and was used in combative arrests

Star and creator of show that’s taken the world by storm will discuss their careers at 2023 Vivid festival event

Company denies breaking the law but agrees to pay $210,000 penalty imposed by Liquor & Gaming NSW

Supreme court found no ‘special’ reason to continue bail after former NRL player found guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent