World news | The Guardian

MP describes watchdog’s investigation as a ‘witch-hunt’, saying he disputes ‘every syllable’ of the report

Policy that allows parents to choose how they split 20 weeks of leave criticised as a ‘step backwards’

Russia’s pledge to cut back its military activity in the north is greeted with widespread scepticism, as Volodymyr Zelenskiy says signs from talks are ‘positive’

Ukraine says it may accept neutral country status if the West provides binding security guarantees but legal hurdles remain

Airline could set distance record by rerouting its New York to Hong Kong service over the Atlantic instead of the Pacific, covering more than 16,600kmCathay Pacific is planning the world’s longest passenger flight by rerouting its New York to Hong Kong service over the Atlantic instead of the Pacific, the airline has said, in a new path that steers clear of Russia.The flight path will cover “just under 9,000 nautical miles” (16,668km, or 10,357 miles) in 16 to 17 hours, Cathay said in a statement to Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...

Report says health department has paid £737m for storage, with 3.6bn items considered unsuitable for frontline useSome 1.5bn items of personal protective equipment (PPE) in storage in England have passed their expiry date, the public spending watchdog has revealed, as health officials are urging the government to “get a grip” on stocks and contracts.More than 3.6bn PPE items are being stored by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) because it considers them unsuitable for frontline services, accounting for 11% of all PPE it has received, the National Audit Office (NAO) said after its investigation into the management of PPE contracts. Continue reading...

Disability insurance agency argued man should instead get aged care services at an earlier age

Politicians from the warring countries descended on Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace for another round of negotiations

Move by police appears to shatter prime minister’s claim Covid lockdown rules were followed at No 10Boris Johnson faced a renewed threat to his position over the partygate scandal after the police decision to fine 20 people for lockdown breaches appeared to shatter his claim that Covid rules were followed in No 10.The move by the Metropolitan police was seen as clearcut confirmation of lawbreaking at the heart of government, yet Downing Street provoked fury and derision by refusing to accept that the fixed-penalty notices meant the rules had definitively been broken. Continue reading...

Experts and western diplomats voice caution over pledge on first day of face-to-face talks in Istanbul

Six Pakistanis, a Russian and a Serb victims of fatal reconnaissance mission, officials sayEight UN peacekeepers – six Pakistanis, a Russian and a Serb – were killed on Tuesday when a Puma helicopter crashed in the troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UN and Pakistani officials said.“While undertaking a reconnaissance mission in Congo, 1 Puma Helicopter crashed. Exact cause of crash is yet to be ascertained,” the Pakistani military’s media wing said. It added that six Pakistani troops were among those killed. Continue reading...

More than 160 signatories want the memorial moved to a less prominent place of Jesus College, CambridgeLeading black figures in the Church of England including two prominent bishops are among more than 160 signatories to a letter objecting to a recent judgment that a memorial to the slave trader Tobias Rustat should remain in the chapel at Jesus College, Cambridge.The letter to the Church Times, which is also signed by the former archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, warns the judgment could have far-reaching consequences for the Church of England, leading to a loss of respect and questions about the church’s authority and leadership. Continue reading...

From 1 April most people will have pay for a test even if they have symptoms, ministers confirmFree Covid testing will end for most people in England from Friday, ministers have confirmed, meaning most people who want to know if they are infected will have to pay for a test, whether they have symptoms or not.The health secretary, Sajid Javid, also said that free parking for NHS staff working in hospitals in England will come to an end on Friday. Continue reading...

Hilaria wrote on Instagram that the pregnancy is ‘a blessing and a gift during such uncertain times’After a nearly month-long social media break, Hilaria Baldwin announced on Tuesday on Instagram that she is expecting her seventh child with her husband, the actor Alec Baldwin.Hilaria said she is due this fall, posting a video of the couple breaking the news to their brood. Alec Baldwin quickly reposted her reveal. Continue reading...

Conservative whips allow MPs to abstain in vote on publication in U-turn after backbenchers threaten to support Labour motionBoris Johnson has suffered a fresh humiliation after Tory rebels joined with Labour to force the publication of security advice relating to Evgeny Lebedev’s peerage.Labour launched a bid to reveal information about Johnson’s appointment of his friend to the House of Lords, following the revelation that the intelligence services had concerns about the Russian-born businessman and son of a former KGB officer. Continue reading...

A reprieve from floodwaters on Tuesday afternoon did not last, with Lismore locals waking to news the town’s levee is again set to be topped

Voters trust French president over his handling of war in Ukraine but accuse him of ducking political debate at homeThe French president Emmanuel Macron is aiming to kickstart his re-election campaign this week with walkabouts outside Paris and a big rally in the capital, after the diplomatic pressures of the war in Ukraine limited his canvassing at home – leading to a dip in the polls and worries of a low turn-out.Macron, 44, is hoping next month to be the first French president to win re-election in 20 years, but he has recently dropped two to three points in the polls as the gap between him and the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen narrows. While he remains favourite the next 10 days of campaigning are seen as fraught and risky amid anger over the cost of living, disillusionment with the level of campaign debate and politics in general. Continue reading...

Analysis: Scotland Yard issuing fixed-penalty notices will only revive doubts in PM’s leadership among Tory backbenchersIt was an electrifying development that has given renewed hope to some Tory rebels hoping to oust the prime minister.After all the bluff and bluster from Boris Johnson, the Metropolitan police announcement of 20 fixed-penalty notices for people over Downing Street parties is concrete confirmation that the authorities believe the rules were broken during lockdown. Continue reading...

Reports say suspected Arab gunman killed at least five people in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, before he was fatally shotIsraeli paramedics have said at least five people were killed in a shooting attack in a Tel Aviv suburb.Amateur video broadcast on Israeli television stations showed a man dressed in black and pointing an assault rifle walking down a street in Bnei Brak, a Jewish ultra-Orthodox city east of Israel’s commercial capital. Continue reading...

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Scotland and Wales set to make the postal service permanent, while ministers in England end the trialWomen in England will only be able to access abortion tablets online illegally because ministers are ending the “pills by post” trial, MPs have been warned before a crucial Commons vote on the scheme.Medical groups, pro-choice campaigners and women’s organisations say the government’s decision to end the two-year experiment will lead to those seeking to end a termination breaking the law and risking criminal charges. Continue reading...

Roman Hrybov, released in a prisoner swap, was stationed on Snake Island when he told a Russian invader to ‘go fuck yourself’A Ukrainian soldier who told an officer on a Russian warship to “go fuck yourself” at the start of the invasion has been released as part of a prisoner exchange, and awarded a medal for his services, the Ukrainian ministry of defence said on Tuesday.Roman Hrybov, a Ukrainian border guard, was serving on Snake Island – a rocky outcrop south of the port of Odesa – when it came under Russian air and sea bombardment on the first day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

One video shows a man with a blue armband shooting three prisoners in the leg in Malaya Rohan’A senior UN official has said they have seen videos purporting to show the abuse of prisoners of war on both sides in Ukraine, as Russia raised the mistreatment of its soldiers at the first day of the latest peace talks.Matilda Bogner, head of the UN’s human rights office in Ukraine, said a number of videos of the abuse of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners were being examined, adding that “on the face of it, it does raise serious concerns”. Continue reading...

John Cole is on trial at Cardiff crown court alongside boy’s mother and teenagerA man accused of murdering five-year-old Logan Mwangi has a string of previous convictions including for violence and once claimed he was an ex-special forces soldier, a jury has been told.John Cole, who is on trial alongside Logan’s mother, Angharad Williamson, and a 14-year-old boy, has convictions including assault causing actual bodily harm, battery and possessing a blade in public as well as offences of dishonesty. Continue reading...

Memorials foundation says war in Ukraine is overshadowing events to mark anniversary of Buchenwald liberationThe memorial foundation at the former Nazi concentration camp Buchenwald has said that official representatives of Russia and Belarus have not been invited to ceremonies next month marking the 77th anniversary of its liberation.“Official representatives of Russia and Belarus are not welcome at the ceremonies this year,” the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation said in a statement, adding that the two countries’ embassies in Berlin had been informed of the decision. Continue reading...

Sarah Boorman says the killer, Can Arslan, lit a cigarette and smiled as her husband lay dying on front lawnThe widow of man killed by a neighbour has described watching her husband being stabbed to death as if he were an “animal” and told a court the attacker smiled and lit a cigarette in apparent triumph as his victim lay dying on their front lawn.Sarah Boorman said the killer, Can Arslan, had repeatedly threatened to murder her, her husband, Matthew Boorman, and their children, telling them he would only serve 10 years in prison if he did so. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Supporters concerned they lack numbers needed to pass bill after Kiama MP’s suspension

MP Clifford Hayes says reform is needed to rebuild public trust in political parties

Exclusive: extract of leaked letter reveals school withdrew student counselling on sexuality and gender issues

Palaszczuk government’s push to extend Covid pandemic powers meets opposition in parliament

Drinks firm AG Barr says pornstar martinis and mojitos are among UK’s most popular cocktailsBritons are drinking cocktails in record numbers at home and in bars according to drinks group AG Barr, as consumers opt for a pornstar martini or mojito in a trend accelerated during the pandemic.The Scottish company, which makes Irn-Bru, Rubicon and cocktail brand Funkin, said 7.4 million people drink cocktails when they go to a bar, club or restaurant, a 13% increase compared with pre-pandemic levels. About 43% of those cocktail drinkers indulge at least once a week. Continue reading...

The 20-year-old is understood to have been hurt during a tackle and died in hospital on 25 MarchA 20-year-old university rugby player has died a fortnight after being injured during a match.Friends and teammates paid tribute to Maddy Lawrence as a bubbly, talented young woman who loved the game. Continue reading...

Vessel owned by Russian businessman is first to be held in UK after invasion of Ukraine

Two other organisations to be proscribed are the Labour Left Alliance and the Socialist Labour NetworkLabour is to proscribe three leftwing groups including the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty, a movement connected to a number of current and former MPs that also has links with pro-European campaigns.Sources on the party’s national executive committee said it was right to ban Labour members from being members of the AWL, describing it as “an entryist group that was banned until very recently” which had historically stood candidates against Labour. Continue reading...

Pierre Zakrzewski and his colleague Oleksandra Kuvshynova died in gunfire outside Kyiv earlier this monthAn Irish journalist killed alongside a Ukrainian colleague when their Fox News team came under fire near Kyiv paid “a terrible price” for his love of “truth telling”, the congregation at his funeral mass has heard.Pierre Zakrzewski, 55, a cameraman and Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova, 24, died in gunfire earlier this month in Horenka, on the north-west outskirts of the Ukrainian capital, along with the British correspondent Benjamin Hall, who was injured in the attack. Continue reading...

Peace talks begin in Turkey; UK intelligence says Ukraine forces continuing to conduct counterattacks outside Kyiv

Senator, who has been relegated to an unwinnable spot on the Liberal party’s NSW upper house ticket, says in parliament ‘the fish stinks from the head’

Force says recipients will not be named and further fines could be issued if there is sufficient evidence

Monarch, 95, leads royal family at event in honour of husband Philip at Westminster AbbeyThe Queen is attending the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh, Buckingham Palace has said.The monarch, 95, has rallied to make an appearance and lead her family at the high-profile and personally significant occasion in honour of husband Philip. Continue reading...

Patrons of the Old Forge in Inverie, Scotland, celebrate success after year-long struggle to raise fundsLocals at mainland Britain’s most remote pub are celebrating a community buyout of their beloved establishment after a year-long struggle to raise funds and secure a sale – and hope to be pulling pints again by Easter.The Old Forge is accessible only by ferry or via a two-day trek through the Knoydart peninsula on the west coast of Scotland. But it is a vital social hub for more than a hundred residents in Inverie, the main settlement. Continue reading...

Discount supermarkets gaining record market share as price inflation soars, Kantar survey findsUK shoppers are choosing to shop at discount supermarkets in greater numbers as grocery price inflation reaches its highest level in a decade amid a mounting cost of living crisis.Aldi grabbed its biggest share of the grocery market to date and Lidl matched its previous peak as grocery price inflation reached 5.2% in March, the highest level since April 2012, according to the latest figures from the analysts Kantar. Continue reading...

Places for Afghan nationals had previously been allocated within the overall humanitarian program, which is capped at 13,750 a year

Paris, Frankfurt and Dublin are most successful in luring roles from UK, say consultantsMore than 7,000 finance jobs have moved from London to the EU as a result of Brexit, down 400 from the total anticipated in December, the consultants EY said on Tuesday.While the total is well down on the 12,500 job moves forecast by firms in 2016, when Britain voted to leave the bloc, more could follow, EY said in its latest Brexit tracker. Continue reading...

British-Iranian excluded from deal leading to release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anooshseh AshooriMorad Tahbaz, the British-Iranian left behind when two others were released from Iranian detention a fortnight ago, has ended a nine-day hunger strike at the pleading of his family, his daughter has said.He remains in jail in Tehran contrary to an agreement the British claimed it had struck with the Iranians. Continue reading...

Legal action launched in response to government’s refusal to order inquiry into findings of Russia reportA coalition of MPs and peers from a host of different parties is using the European court of human rights to challenge an alleged failure to investigate Russian interference in UK elections.The legal action has been launched in response to the UK government’s refusal to order an inquiry into the findings of the Russia report, published by the intelligence and security committee (ISC) in July 2020, which reported credible evidence of attempts by Russia to interfere with the UK’s electoral processes.

The actor, best known for playing the Flash and their role in Fantastic Beasts, was charged with disorderly conduct and harassment, police sayEzra Miller has been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment after an alleged incident at a Hawaii bar on Sunday evening.Police say the 29-year-old actor, best known for playing DC superhero the Flash and their recurring role in the Harry Potter spin off franchise Fantastic Beasts, was arrested in Hilo on Monday morning. Continue reading...

Model for integrated early-years care that inspired Sure Start programme to lose ‘75% of our funding’It has been called the world’s most famous children’s centre, a globally influential early-years family project that grew out of one of the UK’s most deprived communities and provided the inspiration for Sure Start. Now this Great British success story faces disaster – at the hands of its local Tory-run council.North Northamptonshire council’s executive meets on Tuesday morning to discuss proposals to take an axe to the funding of Pen Green, a trailblazing state-funded nursery school in the former steel town of Corby. There is a growing outcry. “Why are they punishing the people who need their support?” said one incredulous parent at a drop-in session. Continue reading...

English Heritage hopes revamp of 800-year-old landmark will improve visitors’ experienceIt should be celebrated as one of England’s most important buildings but even its most fervent cheerleaders would admit that Clifford’s Tower has long been a terrible place to visit.From the weekend that will no longer be the case, English Heritage hopes, as the covers come off a £5m transformation radically altering the building’s interior. Continue reading...