Keir Starmer defends plan for closer alignment with EU rules

Tehran said the move would be a breach of the ceasefire. Plus, Viktor Orbán ousted in Hungarian election in blow to global far rightGood morning.Donald Trump has said the US will begin blockading the strait of Hormuz in an attempt to wrest control of the vital waterway from Iran after peace negotiations between the countries failed.When would the blockade start? US Central Command (Centcom) announced the blockade would begin on Monday at 10am ET. Experts have said it could risk further increasing oil prices.Which vessels will the blockade affect? Centcom said it would be confined to ships transiting through Iranian ports – and that it would permit passage of ships headed to ports belonging to the US’s Gulf allies.How could a blockade help the US reopen the strait? The strategy appears to be that the US hopes to eliminates Tehran’s greatest point of leverage – its chokehold of the strait – by stopping Iranian oil exports. Tehran has indicated that it would like to keep control of the strait after the war has ended, and to charge fees to ships. Continue reading...

Inspection reveals use of force after protest by detainees being deported under ‘one in, one out’ schemeAsylum seekers who protested against being forcibly removed to France under the Home Office’s controversial “one in, one out” scheme, were transported out of the UK in waist and leg restraints, an inspection report has revealed.The report by HM chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, inspected a flight to France that took place on 20-21 January this year and on which it found no force was used. Continue reading...

Official report says system ‘completely failed’ because some form of violence by Axel Rudakubana had been ‘unambiguously signposted over many years’Southport attack inquiry report – latest updatesAxel Rudakubana was able to carry out the Southport atrocity because of “catastrophic” failures by multiple agencies and the “irresponsible and harmful” role of his parents, a damning inquiry has found.Sir Adrian Fulford condemned the “inappropriate merry-go-round” of state bodies passing the buck and their “frankly depressing” refusal to accept responsibility, saying: “This culture has to end.” Continue reading...

Presidential elections in Djibouti and Benin at the weekend highlighted how a costly electoral system is reshaping democracyAlexis Mohamed would have loved to stand against his former boss. A longtime adviser to Djibouti’s president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, Mohamed resigned last September, citing democratic regression in the country.But at the election at the weekend, Mohamed was not on the ballot. Now outside the country, he says he cannot return home to file nomination papers or campaign freely without credible security guarantees. Even if he were allowed to compete, nomination costs would still loom as a steep barrier in a political environment many critics describe as ceremonial, with Guelleh the habitual winner. Continue reading...

Experts say climate pattern could supercharge extreme weather events and push temperatures to record highsThere is a high likelihood that the phenomenon known as “El Niño” will emerge this summer – and it could be exceptionally strong. A so-called “super El Niño” could supercharge extreme weather events and push global temperatures to record heights next year if it develops, according to experts.Meteorologists are keeping a close eye on the climate patterns developing in the Pacific Ocean that will enable stronger predictions about what’s to come in the year ahead. Continue reading...

LA28 set aside tickets for LA and Oklahoma City residents, but some say they faced exorbitant prices and high feesSince tickets for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles went on sale for local residents on 2 April, excitement for the Games has given way to sticker shock among some Angelenos over what they describe as exorbitant prices and an unexpected service fee.LA28 had made a wave of slots in the presale ticket lottery available for residents throughout southern California, where the majority of contests will take place, and in Oklahoma City, which will host the canoe slalom and softball events. Tickets ranged in price from $28 into the thousands. Continue reading...

Inquiry heard evidence about state involvement with Axel Rudakubana, who killed three young girls at a dance workshop in summer 2024Chairman Adrian Fulford, who will publish his report at midday, said the obligation was to provide answers to victims and their families.Concluding the hearings in November, he said:Our principal responsibility lies to them, to provide the best possible explanation as to why and how this terrible event occurred, and to be brave about suggesting the changes that ought to be made to prevent, if we can, a repetition.Sitting through the extensive list of failings exposed during the first phase of the inquiry provoked an understandably complex mix of emotions for our clients, who battle the daily consequences of survivors’ guilt.We hope the report will expose every entity that failed to act in time to prevent this catastrophic attack, and any agencies that are found to be at fault are committed to not just learning lessons but demonstrating, publicly, that they are committed to taking every step to prevent such an atrocity from happening again.There is no regulatory mechanism to ensure that recommendations are properly considered and acted upon at the end of an inquiry, which is why we are strongly urging the chair to implement a process to monitor the progress of all recommendations and provide evidence to support them, as happened at the Manchester Arena Inquiry.Since that harrowing day, our clients’ thoughts have remained with the bereaved and will remain so today. Continue reading...

As Trump’s actions spark a desire for stability, analysts say Carney is in effect assembling a union governmentCanada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, is on the brink of securing a majority government, with his Liberal party poised to win at least two closely watched byelections and courting an “almost unprecedented” string of defections from rival parties.Carney’s ability to turn a strong minority into a narrow majority through electoral gains and floor crossing has strengthened his reputation as a pragmatic leader above the cut and thrust of partisan politics. But his efforts to bring in lawmakers from across the political spectrum has also sparked a fierce internal debate over the Liberals’ values and the risks of consolidating more power. Continue reading...

Resolution Foundation says households face rising costs from higher bills for energy and filling upHigher energy prices as a result of the Iran war are likely to deal a blow to Britons’ living standards, leaving them nearly £500 worse off this year, a thinktank has warned.The Resolution Foundation said households faced rising costs from both higher gas and electricity bills and at the petrol pump. Continue reading...

Former Australian PM, who has been associated with pro-Orbán Danube Institute since 2023, praises ousted Hungarian leaderGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTony Abbott has likened Viktor Orbán to “[Donald] Trump with brains” and labelled him Hungary’s “greatest modern leader”, as the future of his work for the ousted leader’s pet thinktank hangs in the balance.Orbán’s 16-year grip on power in Hungary has ended after the rightwing populist leader conceded his Fidesz party had lost to the opposition Tisza party led by Péter Magyar, which won at least 138 of the 199 seats in the country’s parliament. Continue reading...

PhenMap tool could spare thousands of patients from treatment that would be ineffective for themA new AI-driven way of identifying how patients with advanced bowel cancer will respond to a drug that was recently introduced by the NHS has been announced.Researchers at London’s Institute of Cancer Research and the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin have developed the method with the goal of sparing potentially thousands of patients from being given drugs that would be ineffective in fighting their cancers. Continue reading...

Tarot card reader Ashley Guillard, who falsely accused history professor Rebecca Scofield, plans to appealSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA self-proclaimed psychic who in TikTok videos falsely accused a University of Idaho professor of being involved in the murders of four of the school’s students in 2022 is appealing for relief after a civil court jury ordered her to pay $10m in damages to the educator.In a recent legal filing that she prepared herself, tarot card reader Ashley Guillard called the case brought against her by history professor Rebecca Scofield “fraudulent” and asked the federal court in Idaho where a jury delivered a verdict against her to set aside the judgment. Continue reading...