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Casualties unknown after morning airstrikes fell within an hour of each other, say officials

Manuscript entitled A Book of Ryhmes (sic) measures 10cm by 6cm and was written by the author when she was 13A tiny book, smaller than a playing card and containing 10 tantalisingly unpublished poems, is returning home to the West Yorkshire parsonage where it was lovingly written in 1829 by the 13-year-old Charlotte Brontë.Thought lost, it was bought in New York for $1.25m (£1m) with Haworth in mind and given it measures just 10cm by 6cm it is probably the most valuable literary manuscript ever sold. Continue reading...

Met says drug gangs in capital finding it difficult to source and move around firearmsDrug gangs are finding it increasingly difficult to get guns to terrorise rivals and their own members as London approaches six months without anyone being shot dead, Scotland Yard has said.Met police chiefs are trying to work out what has led to the fall in gun deaths and gun attacks in the capital. Not since 31 October 2021 has anyone been killed in a shooting on the streets of London. Fifteen people were shot dead in London in 2018, one fewer the year after, and 12 in 2021. Continue reading...

Lawyers for Melissa Lucio say she was coerced into confessing and was falsely convicted of killing her toddler daughterNearly half the jury members who sentenced a Texas woman to death for the murder of her young child in 2007 are asking for her execution to be halted and for her to receive a new trial.Five of the 12 jurors who sentenced 52-year-old Melissa Lucio of Cameron county to death for killing her two-year-old daughter, along with one alternate jury member, have questioned their original decision and asked for a new trial, reports the Associated Press. Continue reading...

Two countries could apply for membership simultaneously as soon as mid-May, according to reportsSweden and Finland have agreed to submit simultaneous membership applications to the US-led Nato alliance as early as the middle of next month, Nordic media have reported.The Finnish daily Iltalehti said on Monday that Stockholm had “suggested the two countries indicate their willingness to join” on the same day, and that Helsinki had agreed “as long as the Swedish government has made its decision”. Continue reading...

Numbers ticking up again after Canadian border police had refused entry to all asylum seekers to try to stop Covid spreadSnowy northern winters tend to see a drop in asylum seekers crossing from the United States into Canada at Roxham Road in Quebec. Not this past winter.In December, the number of asylum seekers entering Canada outside formal land border crossings reached its highest point since August 2017, government statistics show. Continue reading...

Gap at birth is 19.3 years for girls and and 18.6 years for boys, and overall life expectancy for poorest has fallenGirls born in the poorest areas of England will have almost 20 fewer years of good health compared with those in the wealthiest, according to figures that also reveal overall life expectancy in the most deprived areas has dropped significantly.Female healthy life expectancy at birth in the most deprived areas was 19.3 years less than in the least deprived areas in 2018 to 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). For males it was 18.6 years less. Continue reading...

Forensic specialists carrying out autopsies north of Kyiv say they ‘still have hundreds of bodies to examine’

President is touring Brazil in bid to win back voters before October election – and appears to be making headwayHe came on horseback and ​wore a scowl as he spoke, telling thousands of yellow-clad believers they faced a momentous battle of good versus evil.“Good has always triumphed – and this time it will be no different. Good will prevail!” the outsider bellowed as his followers encircled the stage that had been erected to welcome him to this sweltering satellite town in north-east Brazil. Continue reading...

ONS says a quarter of households in survey are struggling to pay bills such as fuel and foodAlmost 90% of British households reported an increase in their cost of living last month as they were hit by escalating fuel, food and borrowing costs.Heaping further pressure on Rishi Sunak to increase his support for those on low and middle incomes, the Office for National Statistics said a quarter of all those in its survey were struggling to pay their bills and 17% had turned to loans or borrowing on credit cards to make ends meet. Continue reading...

Olha, 36, says she was told to leave Brighton home when she was unable to pay money being demanded of herA Ukrainian refugee has been left homeless just days after moving in with a host in Brighton who demanded money from her to pay for utility bills.Olha, 36, who asked for her real name not to be used, moved in with her host who had registered with the government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme. But she was told to leave when she said she was unable to pay the money her host demanded. Continue reading...

Big chains try to preserve market share amid rising inflation and competition from Aldi and LidlAsda has said it will spend £73m to cut or freeze prices on 100 products, while Morrisons says it will cut prices on 500 products as Britain’s supermarkets fight to keep customers amid rising inflation.The Morrisons products subject to price cuts represent 6% of its total sales, and include items such as eggs, cereal, cooking sauces, chicken and sausages. Asda said its price reductions would be on fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meat, rice and noodles. Continue reading...

Estimated crowd of 50,000 listen to Last Post at Shrine of Remembrance after Covid restrictions lifted

After belatedly realising rationality wasn’t enough to win, the president needs to heal a ‘fractured’ society’s sense of injusticeOn the campaign trail in Denain, one of the poorest towns in France, Emmanuel Macron walked into a crowd of voters to “take the pulse of the nation” and a woman pushed forward to sum up the mood. “We’re living in misery,” she said. Others shouted: “This country doesn’t work” and “We’ve had enough”. When one father described not managing to make ends meet, Macron said: “That’s what I’m fighting for.” The man shot back: “That’s not the impression I have.”Macron, a young, former banker, who had loosened labour laws and promised the biggest overhaul of the French welfare state since the war, was lauded internationally for making France a “star economic performer” of the pandemic era – growth had bounced back faster than expected from the Covid crisis, unemployment was at its lowest level for more than a decade, and government caps on gas and electricity prices kept French prices from rising as fast as those in European neighbours. Continue reading...

Trenches are dug and teachers receive gun training in last large city in south-east under Ukrainian controlOutside Zaporizhzhia there are several lines of deep trenches, ringed by sandbags, armed men, and more sandbags and armed men.But life in the city is surprisingly normal – even busy – for wartime Ukraine. As the only large city in south-east Ukraine under Ukrainian control, Zaporizhzhia has become a destination for the hundreds of thousands of people who fled Russian occupation. Continue reading...

Fifteen remain missing as questions grow as to why the Kazu I sailed in rough weather off the hazardous Shiretoko peninsulaRescuers searching since a tour boat carrying 26 people apparently sank off far north-eastern Japan have found the body of an 11th victim – a child – as questions intensify about why the vessel sailed in rough weather at a known hazardous location.The child was found late Sunday and later confirmed dead, the coast guard said Monday. The bodies of 10 victims – seven men and three women – were found earlier Sunday. Continue reading...

Defence force works to match medals with families of up to 500 men who served in decorated unit during second world warNew Zealand is working to get medals to the rightful homes of up to 500 men from the country’s Māori Battalion, who were not properly recognised for their service.The Māori Battalion, also known as the “28th”, was one of New Zealand’s most-decorated units during the second world war, fighting in Italy, Egypt, Crete and north Africa, but many of the men who served never received their medals. Continue reading...

As Russia and Ukraine mark Orthodox Easter, Russia continues assault with Zelenskiy set to request more weapons from US

Freedom Movement predicted to have won 35.8% of parliamentary election vote over populist PM Janez JanšaExit polls in Slovenia’s parliamentary election suggest an opposition liberal party won by a landslide, dealing a major defeat to the populist prime minister, Janez Janša, who has been accused of pushing the small EU country to the right while in office.The Sunday polls showed that Freedom Movement won 35.8% support, compared with 22.5% for the ruling conservative Slovenian Democratic party.

Luke Symons was captured by Houthi rebels and accused of being a spy but was never put on trialA British man who was held captive in Yemen without charge or trial for five years has been released from jail.In 2017, Luke Symons, 30, was detained by Houthi rebels at a security checkpoint on suspicion of espionage. Continue reading...

National Trust exhibition reveals the riches of Surrey country house that hosted royalty and heads of stateA Fabergé egg with a tiny diamond clasp in the shape of a snowflake and a miniature frog carved from Siberian nephrite jade are among more than 100 treasures on show in a exhibition at Polesden Lacey, the home of the Edwardian society hostess Dame Margaret Greville.The objects – many of them gifts to Greville from royalty, aristocracy and heads of state – include a delicately carved jasper owl on a perch that is attributed to Fabergé for the first time. Four other objects are also confirmed as creations of the master craftsman. Continue reading...

Tory MP calls for more support for victims, and confirms he intends to transition to living as a womanThe Conservative MP Jamie Wallis has said “a part of me died” when he was raped, as he called for more support for victims and confirmed he intends to transition to living as a woman.Wallis, who is the MP for Bridgend, said since making a statement last month about being raped he had been contacted by a “shocking” number of men and women who had had similar experiences. Continue reading...

Boris Johnson’s government faces new defeat over what critics say is democratic meddlingBoris Johnson is facing another damaging parliamentary defeat on Monday over controversial plans that would give ministers new powers to determine the remit of the independent watchdog that oversees UK elections.A cross-party group of peers is this weekend rallying behind an amendment to the elections bill that would strike out key clauses which, they believe, would seriously undermine the Electoral Commission’s independence and open the way for political interference in the conduct of elections. Continue reading...

Deputy prime minister made comments in coal community of Gladstone in Queensland as Scott Morrison makes $300m NT energy and jobs announcement

Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet US secretary of state Antony Blinken in Kyiv on Sunday as Russia continues attacks on southern and eastern Ukraine

The inevitable end to the brutal siege shows Russia’s logistical strengths – but also why invasion is ultimately so futile

Lloyds is to close the Isles’ last branch meaning the nearest bank will be 44 miles and a ferry ride awayFor many, the ferry ride between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly marks the beginning of a relaxing weekend away. For residents of the islands wanting to visit their nearest bank, it’s about to become an expensive necessity.Lloyds, which ran the Isles’ last remaining branch, is about to close the site on the island of St Mary’s because of a persistent fall in customer numbers. Continue reading...

Food and water running out in Azovstal stronghold as Ukraine says mass graves seen on satellite near city could hold 9,000 civilian dead

The K-pop superstars add billions to the economy, so should they be exempt from conscription?They generate billions for the South Korean economy and have helped turned the country into a cultural superpower, but must Jin, Jimin, V, RM, J-Hope, Suga and Jungkook – the seven members of the K-pop phenomenon BTS – start swapping their stage outfits for military uniforms?Less than three weeks before South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, takes office, the country is gripped by a debate over who, if anyone, should be exempt from compulsory national service – long seen as essential preparation for a potential conflict with its volatile neighbour, North Korea. Continue reading...

Police arrest man, 33, after what police describe as ‘nasty incident’ in town of Bedworth on Saturday morningA man has been stabbed and at least 10 others injured by a lone attacker in the Warwickshire town of Bedworth.A 33-year-old man has been arrested, while a man in his 20s is in a stable condition in hospital after being stabbed on Saturday morning, Warwickshire police said. Continue reading...

The health secretary is planning an overhaul of services offered to young people who question their gender identity, the Times reportsAn inquiry into how under-18s who question their gender identity are treated by the NHS is to be launched by the UK government, according to reports.The health secretary, Sajid Javid, is said to be concerned that vulnerable children are being given gender hormone treatment before alternatives have been explored, according to the Times, and is planning an overhaul of services. Continue reading...

Warringah MP Zali Steggall accuses former prime minister of using ‘appalling sexist language’

US says it will ‘respond accordingly’ if China allowed to establish military base in Solomon Islands. This blog is now closed

News UK chief oversees launch of national news channel that could define her time in charge of the companyAccording to one leading British media executive, only a deluded person would launch a new television news channel in the UK. The enormous costs of creating an outlet from scratch meant it was “not commercially viable” – and the future instead lay in streaming services rather than traditional live broadcast channels.That person was Rebekah Brooks, the boss of Rupert Murdoch’s News UK, speaking in April 2021 as she abandoned her company’s broadcast television plans. Exactly a year later, after a rapid volte-face, she is overseeing next week’s launch of talkTV, a new national channel fronted by Piers Morgan that could define her time in charge of the company. Continue reading...

June promotion will include 10 top prizes of £100,000 rather than the usual threeThe Halifax is “supersizing” its prize draw for savers for one month only and will be giving away £1.35m in June, including 10 top prizes of £100,000.It is the latest bit of encouraging news for longsuffering savers, who are starting to see interest rates creep up after the recent Bank of England base rate rises. Continue reading...

Taiwan opts to live with the virus in contrast to Shanghai, which has been criticised for measures taken as part of zero-Covid approach

Troops tell of facing tanks and planes while armed only with rifles as they attempt to thwart Russia’s attack

Zelenskiy warns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine just the ‘beginning’ as the Kremlin will push to capture other countries

While some government moderates say Australia’s sporting codes are already managing the issue, the Christian lobby warns issue is not ‘going away’

Russia begins long-awaited push to seize eastern Ukraine … fight to the death in Mariupol … and the cost of war in Russia

Rustam Minnekayev speaks of aim for land corridor to Crimea, despite Putin’s earlier claims

PM says he will close loopholes that allow components to be smuggled via India for use by Russian military

Black women occupy prominent pavilions with some venues showing work from non-binary, disabled and trans artistsThere is no shortage of art’s big beasts in Venice, as the world’s most prestigious international art event, the city’s biennale, opens to the public.Georg Baselitz has made works to hang in the 18th-century stucco frames that once held portraits of the Grimani family in their palazzo. Marc Quinn is showing in the National Archaeological Museum. Anselm Kiefer has covered the walls of a colossal room in the Palazzo Ducale with paintings encrusted with shoes, clothing, metal, and even a ladder. Continue reading...

Government accused of ‘shocking complacency’ over awards to seven Putin croniesSeven Russians now under sanctions were awarded controversial “golden visas” by the UK after Vladimir Putin’s regime first invaded Ukraine in 2014, the government has admitted.The government closed the “tier 1 investor visa” scheme in February amid the build-up of Russian forces on Ukraine’s border as it prepared to broaden its occupation beyond Crimea, which it annexed in 2014. Continue reading...

Zelenskiy says Russia rejected a proposed Easter truce, but remains hopeful of prospects for peace, as Moscow faces accusations of war crimes in Mariupol

Sports Direct owner’s ‘head of elevation’ Michael Murray is engaged to founder’s daughterThe incoming boss of the Sports Direct owner Frasers Group has been handed his biggest ever payout, netting a near-£21m consultancy fee as he prepares to take over from the founder, Mike Ashley, next month.Michael Murray, the Frasers “head of elevation”, who is engaged to Ashley’s daughter Anna, is being handed a cash payment three times larger than any previous sum he has earned from Sports Direct. It is being made under a controversial agreement in which Murray is paid a consultancy fee based on value generated under property deals made for the company. Continue reading...

Up to 1,000 people could be holed up in Azovstal factory with group of outgunned Ukrainian fighters

Second world war code-breaking centre in Buckinghamshire was the forerunner of GCHQIt was called the Intelligence Factory: a warren of rooms and offices in which, by the end of the war, thousands of people worked round the clock decoding and processing enemy communications.Block A at Bletchley Park, the top secret second world war code-breaking centre in Buckinghamshire that was the forerunner of GCHQ, has been restored and opens to the public for the first time on Thursday. Using testimonies from veterans, surviving documents and photographs, and interactive reconstructions, the exhibition shows the industrial scale of the operation that was critical to the allied victory. Continue reading...

Billionaires’ excesses are under scrutiny like never before after Russia’s invasion of UkraineThe secretive world of superyachts is the ultimate in billionaire excess, where tycoons cavort with celebrities, politicians and sex workers, and where privacy is protected by non-disclosure agreements ensuring absolute discretion from well-paid staff.Insider accounts are rare, but as owners and their crew come under scrutiny like never before after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a captain who has worked for some of the wealthiest boat owners has come forward to share details of his 15 years at sea. Continue reading...