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PM also criticises business figures and opponents of changes, many of which come into force on MondayWorkers, pensioners and children: all better off. Ignore the critics – we really are standing up for working peopleKeir Starmer has used a series of new workers rights that come into force on Monday to attack the Green party, saying a vote for Labour’s rivals puts such progress on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts at risk.The prime minister also took a swipe at business figures and opponents of what he described as the biggest strengthening of workers’ rights in a generation, dismissing “vested interests” who had warned against them. Continue reading...

• New Star Wars series 'Echoes of Mandalore' launched on Disney+ April 5, starring Pedro Pascal and Katee Sackhoff, drawing 25 million global views in premiere day. • Five-episode season explores Mandalorian civil war post-'The Mandalorian' Season 3, with $150 million budget evident in practical effects. • Boosts Disney+ subscribers by 2% overnight, reinforcing franchise's streaming dominance amid cord-cutting trends.

PM says antisemitism is ‘abhorrent’ after booking of West, who has song called Heil Hitler and last year advertised swastika T-shirtKeir Starmer has said it is “deeply concerning” that Kanye West, the US rapper who has made a series of antisemitic comments, is to appear at a British music festival.The prime minister joins others who have criticised Wireless festival for booking the musician, also known as Ye, to headline all three nights of the forthcoming event in London. Continue reading...

• Anthropic acquired Coefficient Bio, a startup founded eight months ago with fewer than 10 employees, for roughly $400 million in shares, despite it having no product or revenue. • The platform uses AI for pharmaceutical tasks like drug research planning and identifying new drug opportunities, positioning Anthropic's models for scientific discovery in life sciences. • This bet signals a strategic push into AI-driven biotech, potentially accelerating drug development amid growing competition in applied AI verticals.

• Graham Nash launches his 2026 solo U.S. tour on April 4 at Lansdowne Theater in Landsdowne, Pennsylvania, with a spring leg along the East Coast. • The tour includes 12 dates through May 2, hitting cities like Ridgefield CT on April 6, Tarrytown NY on April 8, and ending in Ponte Vedra, Florida. • Nash hints at performing rarities and deep cuts from his Crosby, Stills & Nash catalog, exciting longtime fans with exclusive setlist teases.

PM gets widespread backing after president’s mocking impersonation takes US-UK relationship to new lowKeir Starmer has been warned his relationship with Donald Trump may be beyond repair after the US president derided the prime minister for consulting his team about military decisions, in a mocking impersonation.In a new low for UK-US relations, Trump appeared to imitate Starmer in a weak voice during an Easter lunch speech at the White House, and said the UK was “not our best” as an ally. Continue reading...

Petrol has risen 19% and diesel 35%, and in England the north has had the sharpest increasesFuel prices have risen faster in Northern Ireland than in any other UK region since the beginning of the Iran war.Analysis of official data shows that petrol has jumped by 19% in Northern Ireland since the end of February, and diesel is now 35% more expensive. The rises are among the largest in Europe. Continue reading...