Orla Wates, 19, who died after incident on popular Ha Giang loop, described as ‘beautiful, independent and very funny’The family of a British teenager have paid tribute to their daughter who died after a motorcycle crash on a popular route in Vietnam.The incident occurred on the Ha Giang loop in the country’s north and Orla Wates, 19, died at the Viet Duc University hospital in Hanoi, according to Viet Nam News. Continue reading...
In today’s newsletter: A Waitrose worker’s dismissal after confronting a shoplifter has become a flashpoint in a wider debate over rising retail crimeGood morning. Overnight, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire, which included a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz. It followed a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan, but the Israeli government have said the deal does not include Lebanon.You can read our main report here and our live blog will be tracking news throughout the day. My colleague Martin Belam will have more details on what the pause in the fighting means in tomorrow’s First Edition. Today, we are covering the scourge of shoplifting in the UK.Middle East | Donald Trump said he had agreed to a Pakistani-brokered two-week ceasefire, shortly before a deadline at which he had threatened to end the “whole civilisation” of Iran. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, issued a statement saying: “For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordinating with Iran’s armed forces.”UK news | Millions of graduates will have the interest on their student loans capped at 6% from September as a temporary measure to protect them from the risk of rising inflation driven by war in the Middle East.Entertainment | The Wireless music festival has been cancelled after the artist formerly known as Kanye West was banned from entering the UK amid a deepening political row over his previous antisemitic statements.Politics | Reform UK would stop issuing visas to people from any country that continues to demand compensation from the UK for its role in the transatlantic trade in enslaved people, the party has said.World news | Australia’s most decorated soldier, Ben Roberts-Smith, has not applied for bail and will remain in custody after being charged with war crimes. The former SAS soldier and Victoria Cross-recipient is charged with five counts of “war crime – murder” in relation to alleged offences in Afghanistan between April 2009 and October 2012. Continue reading...
Charlie Taylor, inspector of prisons for England and Wales, says dealers should be isolated and ‘assertively managed’Jailed criminals who are flooding prisons with drugs should be isolated like radical extremists and “assertively managed”, the England and Wales prisons watchdog has said.Charlie Taylor, HM inspector of prisons, said major dealers were living “consequence-free” in jail when they should be separated from the majority of inmates, subjected to regular searches for phones, and punished and rewarded according to their behaviour. Continue reading...
• Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin lost a confidence vote on April 7 after opposition parties united against his administration, citing corruption allegations and mishandling of economic policy.
• The vote count was 272 to 198 against the government; Thavisin announced his resignation and said the coalition government has become unviable, triggering a constitutional crisis over succession.
• Thailand's King has been briefed on developments; political analysts warn the instability could undermine investor confidence as the nation faces economic challenges and recovery from recent banking sector stress.
They have degrees, expertise and years of experience – but can’t find work. For many Americans, AI training has become a last refuge in a brutal job marketWhen Patrick Ciriello lost his job and couldn’t find work for nearly a year, his family’s foundation crumbled.“You hear about people who hit rock bottom,” Ciriello told the Guardian. “Well, I was there.” Continue reading...
JP Morgan boss appears to condemn president’s tariff regime in annual letter to shareholdersMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe head of America’s largest bank has pressed the White House to strengthen America’s allies economically in order to “avoid truly adverse consequences”, in the latest instalment of an increasingly testy relationship with the Trump administration.As the Middle East conflict sparked by US and Israeli attacks on Iran enters its sixth week, Jamie Dimon, the chair and chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, said in his annual letter to shareholders that “good” US foreign policy should put America first “though not alone”. Continue reading...
Fake image of airman surrounded by smiling military members has been reshared more than 21,000 times on the X platformSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxRepublican politicians were hoaxed over the weekend by an image purporting to be a downed US warplane crew member rescued by military special forces in Iran on Saturday, igniting a call for a national “crash course in media literacy”.Greg Abbott, the Texas governor, Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general and a US senate candidate and Mike Lawler, a New York representative, were all caught out for “liking” a fake picture of the airman, who has not been publicly identified. Continue reading...
• Academy Awards nominations announced April 5 in Los Angeles, with sci-fi drama 'Eclipse' topping at 14 nods, followed by 'The Reckoning' at 12.
• Director Ava DuVernay's 'The Reckoning' earned Best Director and Best Actress for Zendaya, while 'Eclipse' star Timothée Chalamet got Best Actor.
• Nominations reflect diversity push, with 45% women and 40% people of color among acting nominees, per Academy stats.
• A UN report released April 5, 2026, warns of famine in Sudan affecting 25 million people, prompting the US to announce $500 million in emergency food aid amid ongoing civil war.
• USAID Administrator Samantha Power highlighted clashes between RSF and SAF displacing 4.5 million since last year, with child malnutrition rates at 30% in Darfur.
• The crisis underscores US humanitarian leadership but strains budgets amid domestic priorities, potentially influencing congressional funding debates.
Man working for V2X died in night attack as five sources say they are being placed in harm’s wayA man employed by the US defense contractor V2X has been killed in a drone attack on Erbil airbase, amid concerns from colleagues that they are being placed in harm’s way and pressured to remain in Iraq despite security risks, five sources said.The worker, from Kenya, died in a night attack in his sleeping quarters on the base on 24 March. Another five workers were injured. They are from Kenya and India, and are among a group of about 45 workers employed by V2X who have remained on the base. One of the workers is in a critical condition with severe burns, sources said. Continue reading...
