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Where Olly Robbins relied on recollections, Cabinet Office’s top civil servant was at pains to link her account to paper trail Seen through the Westminster bubble, the Peter Mandelson vetting affair looks like an age-old conflict pitting ministers against mandarins. Yet the latest top civil servant to testify to parliament over what some are now calling “Mandygate” gave an intriguing account that suggested it has never been as simple as that.Cat Little, the top civil servant at the Cabinet Office, did not put it in these terms, but what she revealed was an extraordinary dispute between the country’s most senior civil servants. Continue reading...

Eurail, which sells passes, says data being ‘offered for sale on dark web’ after December breach affecting 300,000 peopleHolidaymakers across Europe are facing the stress and expense of getting new passports after their personal data was posted on the dark web after a hack of the Interrail company Eurail.Personal data, including passport numbers, names, phone numbers, email and home addresses and dates of birth of more than 300,000 European travellers was accessed in December. But this week Eurail revealed to customers that “data copied during the security incident has been offered for sale on the dark web and a sample dataset has been published on Telegram”. Continue reading...

• Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs sustained a concussion on a hard fall during the second quarter of Game 2 playoff loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, played only 12 minutes before exiting. • Spurs lost 106-103, evening the first-round series at 1-1; coach Mitch Johnson confirmed Wembanyama is in protocol and out for the game, emphasizing proper steps will be taken. • The incident occurred with 8:57 left in the second quarter while driving to the basket defended by Jrue Holiday, landing chin-first and briefly appearing knocked out.

• Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors announced on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. • Clingan's selection recognizes his impactful rookie season contributions in rebounds and defense for the Blazers. • The honor boosts his profile entering offseason amid Blazers rebuild efforts.

US president’s hubristic and contradictory social media statements are key stumbling block to ending the warDonald Trump’s blend of threats and hubristic commentary, often casually dismissive of Iran, has, as much as the continuation of the US naval blockade of Iranian ports, been the key stumbling block to restarting peace talks between the two countries under Pakistan’s mediation in Islamabad.However much the Iranian foreign ministry insists it would not respond to every social media utterance issued by the US president on Iran, and sometimes there are as many as seven a day, Tehran cannot ignore them all, even if they contradict what the Iranians are being told in private about Trump’s true intentions. Continue reading...

• Portland Trail Blazers open NBA playoffs against San Antonio Spurs and rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama on April 19, 2026. • Wembanyama's defensive prowess and scoring threat challenge Blazers' playoff aspirations after strong regular season finish. • Matchup highlights young talent clash, with implications for first-round seeding.

• Netflix unveiled the official trailer for 'The Midnight Club' Season 2 during a virtual fan event on April 16, 2026, promising darker supernatural twists in the horror anthology series created by Mike Flanagan. • The eight-episode season features returning stars Iman Benson and Igby Rigney, with new cast members including Auli'i Cravalho, set to premiere on October 31, 2026. • Flanagan stated in a Variety interview, 'This season dives deeper into the unknown, blending grief and the paranormal like never before,' boosting subscriber excitement amid streaming wars.

Exclusive: Minns government announces contract with Snowy Energy to power public transport in seven-year contractGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastElectric bus, train and light rail services in New South Wales will run on fully renewable energy from next year under a new $1.9bn deal, the state government says.The Minns government on Friday announced it had signed a contract with Snowy Energy to bring all public transport operations in the state under a single renewable energy agreement for the first time. The seven-year deal comes into effect from July 2027 and will last until 2034. Continue reading...

NSW government urged to investigate if transport department refused to share cost of sensors that would detect a person entering coupling areaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe potentially life-saving safety upgrades to Sydney’s light rail, which a former Transdev employee has alleged were cancelled in order to save money, would have only cost about $2.2m, according to the whistleblower.The New South Wales government has been urged to investigate whether its transport department declined to share the cost of installing sensors that would detect a person entering the coupling area between two joined trams after a fatal incident in 2023. Continue reading...

Locals say the Ha Giang loop is rugged, unpredictable and congested, with some guides not prioritising safetyThe recent death of a British gap-year student on the Ha Giang loop, a popular motorcycle tour through the mountains in north Vietnam, has heightened concerns about a trail reputed to be one of the most dangerous in the country.Orla Wates, 19, from Surrey, was riding as a pillion passenger when she fell off and was hit by an oncoming truck, according to local media. She was taken to hospital in Hanoi, where she died from her injuries last week. Continue reading...

Campaigners say birds could die trying to access ancestral nests that were sealed during rail refurbishmentSome swifts returning to Britain to breed will be unable to access their ancestral nesting holes after they were blocked in a £7.5m refurbishment of a Derbyshire railway viaduct, campaigners say.Nature lovers had appealed to Network Rail to unblock three holes which were among at least nine swift nesting sites on the twin viaducts at Chapel Milton, on the edge of the Peak District. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Transdev undertook ‘coupling project’ after teen trapped between carriages in 2023. Trial restarted after second fatality, ex-employee claims, while Transdev denies ‘assessment’ ever shelvedThe company that operates Sydney’s light rail investigated safety upgrades following a fatal incident in 2023, but cancelled the project due to its cost before a second person died, a whistleblower alleges.After the first death, Transdev successfully trialled sensors that would detect a person entering the coupling area between two joined trams, according to the former employee who requested anonymity. But the project was stopped before another death in 2025, they said. Continue reading...

Colleagues left anti-Islam leaflet in locker belonging to Parmjit Bassi, who is not a Muslim, and accused him of knife attackA Network Rail worker has won a race harassment case after his colleagues left an anti-Islam English Defence League [EDL] leaflet in his locker.Parmjit Bassi, who is not a Muslim, was found to have been the victim of a racist attack when his co-worker stuffed an EDL leaflet in his locker that asked “what individuals were doing to protect their children from Islam”. Continue reading...

Police and animal rights activists say trail hunting is frequently used as a ‘smokescreen’ for illegal foxhuntingThe government has said it will ban trail hunting, the rural sport that police and animal rights activists have long accused of being a “smokescreen” for illegal foxhunting.“We pledged to ban trail hunting in our manifesto and that is exactly what we intend to do,” said Sue Hayman, the animal welfare minister. “The nature of trail hunting makes it difficult to ensure wild and domestic animals are not put at risk of being killed or injured – that is clearly unacceptable.” Continue reading...

• American Airlines integrated Google AI forecasts into its flight planning on a trial basis to suggest routes avoiding contrail-forming areas or altitude changes. • The technology significantly reduces contrails that trap heat, presented as a cost-effective, scalable climate solution for aviation amid industry pressure. • Announced Thursday, this collaboration highlights AI's role in sustainable aviation practices for US carriers.

• Portland Trail Blazers beat the Indiana Pacers 127-119 in NBA action on March 18, 2026, extending Indiana's losing streak to 15 consecutive games. • Ivica Zubac led the Pacers with 18 points in the loss, as the team prepares for a two-game road trip starting Saturday in San Antonio. • This defeat highlights Indiana's ongoing struggles late in the season, impacting their playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

The final instalment in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi trilogy brings back Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Florence Piugh and introduces a nasty new villainTimothée Chalamet may have finally escaped Oscar season, but not movie promotion – the first look at Dune: Part Three is here.The first trailer released for the final installment in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi trilogy sees further war and political upheaval in the galaxy beyond Arrakis – plus, a possible future child for Chalamet’s Paul Atreides and Chani, the Fremen warrior played by Zendaya. “If we have a girl, what should be name her?” Chani asks, suggesting the two have reconciled since the end of Part Two. Continue reading...

Refund systems for individual train operators to be merged into single service under nationalised rail bodyRail passengers will be able to claim compensation for delayed trains directly from the website where they bought their ticket, the government has said, as part of a shake-up to make rail travel simpler.Passengers who use third-party retailers such as Trainline to buy tickets currently, have to submit applications for refunds to the relevant train operator for processing. Continue reading...

Frailty can typically only be lessened through lifestyle changes, but a stem cell therapy seems to target the underlying causes of the condition, boosting the mobility of frail older people

We’re learning that frailty can quietly arrive decades before old age, with some people in their 30s or 40s unknowingly in a pre-frail state. There are surprising ways to stay strong – and it’s not all about weight training