Body of New Zealand man swept away by floods found, as Wellington recovers after widespread damage

Philip Sutton was looking after a property for his sister when a torrent of flood water smashed through it

The body of a man who was swept away after severe flooding tore through his home in New Zealand’s capital has been found, police confirmed on Wednesday, as the city picked up the pieces after widespread damage.

Philip Sutton was looking after a property for his sister in Karori, in Wellington’s west, when a torrent of flood water smashed through it early on Monday.

Millions in India stripped of vote before critical state election, as government seeks to ‘purify’ electoral roll

Experts say Muslims and other minorities have been disproportionately deleted from the electoral roll ahead of the West Bengal elections this week

Millions of people in the Indian state of West Bengal have been stripped of their vote ahead of a critical state election this week, after a controversial electoral revision described by critics as a “bloodless political genocide” and mass disenfranchisement of minorities.

In West Bengal, a total of 9.1 million names have been deleted from the register, more than 10% of the electorate. While many were dead or duplicates, about 2.7 million people have challenged their expulsions, but still been removed.

From Barcelona to Paris, cities thrive with women in charge. It’s all about sharing public space | Melissa and Chris Bruntlett

Female mayors have had notable successes in making transport in urban areas benefit everyone, not just a wealthy few

According to the UN 68% of the global population will be urban dwellers by mid-century. Urbanisation at this rate, unprecedented in modern times, means cities are facing an equally unprecedented convergence of crises, from a shortage of affordable housing to increased traffic congestion causing pollution, while reducing safety and liveability.

The consequences are exacerbated by the climate emergency bombarding many regions with severe heatwaves, rainfall, flooding and other extreme weather events. While everyone will feel the effects of these changes, the fallout from failing to cater for them is disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable groups.

Criminal Record season two review – Peter Capaldi is just devastating in this intense crime thriller

Cush Jumbo is excellent in Apple’s unsettling tale of police corruption. But the former Time Lord, whose death-stare is turned up to 11, is this show’s heart

’Ello, ’ello. What’s goin’ on ’ere, then? Criminal Record, is it? A second series, you say? Well, strike a light, guv, cos here it comes, nee-nawing through London’s perp-spattered streets with another investigational pea-souper. In the thick of it, once again, is DCI Daniel Hegarty (Peter Capaldi), baring his lower teeth while glowering at us through the windscreen of his Skoda Malfeasance.

Not that Capaldi’s peerlessly unsettling presence is the Apple TV drama’s sole distinguishing feature, mind. There is its depiction of London as a city impervious to natural light, with conversations, interrogations and “roughings-up” conducted against a backdrop of faulty streetlights and flickering tower-block TV sets. There is its portrayal of systemic corruption, with everything from the CID’s dimpled glass doors to the foreheads of its junior plods slick with an oily sheen of venality. And there are the questions it poses re the nature of control, with DS June Lenker (the ever-excellent Cush Jumbo) tormented by notions of who is in charge, and who ought to be.

Israel’s death penalty law could spell suspension from rights body role, says chief

Not using capital punishment ‘really a requirement’ for Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly, says president

Israel’s observer status at the Council of Europe’s parliamentary assembly could be suspended over the country’s new law mandating the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of some offences, the president of the body has said.

Petra Bayr, an Austrian Social Democrat and president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Pace), said not using the death penalty was “really a requirement” of having observer status at the pan-European human rights body, which has no connection to the EU.

To see or not to see? Every single Shakespeare play – ranked!

Antony and Cleopatra? Exhausting. Lear? Magnificent but flawed. Hamlet? Limitless. For Shakespeare’s birthday, the Guardian’s former theatre critic ranks all the plays

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Judge dismisses Kash Patel's defamation lawsuit over claim he frequented 'nightclubs'

The lawsuit against Frank Figliuzzi was dismissed a day after FBI Director Kash Patel sued The Atlantic magazine over claims he abused alcohol.

Ukraine war briefing: Quick loan in pipeline as Druzhba reopens

Russian oil can flow again, says Ukrainian president, leaving ‘no grounds’ for blocking €90bn EU package; warning of all-out Kremlin cyberwar. What we know on day 1,519

The Druzhba pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia is ready to resume operations, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday, after Ukraine repaired the damage from a Russian attack. Kyiv now expects the EU to unlock a €90bn EU loan after Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán, spent months blocking it. Orbán is about to leave office after losing badly in national elections.

“There can now be no grounds for blocking it,” said Ukraine’s president, referring to the loan. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, speaking after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, said she expected a positive decision on the loan within 24 hours. Reuters, quoting an industry source, said pumping oil through the pipeline would resume on Wednesday.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly called on Europe to diversify energy supplies and not resume flows via Druzhba from Russia. “No one can currently guarantee that Russia will not repeat attacks on the pipeline infrastructure,” he said on Tuesday.

Guns were fired as Ukrainian authorities arrested military draft officers in Odesa for allegedly snatching people from the street and extorting money using the threat of being sent straight to the frontline. The Security Service of Ukraine said four officers working for the local territorial recruitment centre – which carries out conscription and recruitment – were detained after agents including special forces shot at the tyres of a vehicle in which they tried to escape. The group was being investigated for extortion, said the SBU. “The perpetrators face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.”

Moscow is taking its Ukraine war tactics and techniques “beyond the battlefield” to target the UK and Europe in cyberspace, the head of Britain’s cybersecurity force at GCHQ will say on Wednesday. Richard Horne will point to “sustained Russian hybrid activity” and warn that companies must learn how it is done in order to defend themselves. Horne is head of the national cybersecurity centre at Britain’s signals intelligence agency. He is due to speak at the CyberUK conference in the Scottish city of Glasgow.

In recent months, Sweden, Poland, Denmark and Norway have all reported hackers linked to Russia have targeted their critical infrastructure including power plants and dams. Horne will say that in Britain the NCSC currently handles around four “nationally significant” cyber incidents a week with the most serious threat coming from cyber-attacks carried out directly or indirectly by other states. He mentioned Russia, China and Iran.

In a conflict, Horne will say, the UK would probably face cyber-attacks “at scale” but – unlike with ransomware deployed by organised criminal hackers – companies would not be able to pay their way out. For that reason, he will say, every organisation needs to understand the “full extent” of the risk they face and improve their cyber defences.

Virginia voters OK a Democratic effort to redraw the state's congressional map

Virginia voters have delivered a significant win to Democrats, as the party aims to pick up four more U.S. House seats in the state.

4/21: The Takeout with Major Garrett

President Trump extends ceasefire with Iran; Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns before facing ethics panel meeting.

Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on federal fraud charges

Todd Blanche announces 11-count indictment over payments to informants in extremist groups including Ku Klux Klan

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The Southern Poverty Law Center, the prominent civil rights organization, has been indicted on federal fraud charges related to past payments it made to confidential informants to infiltrate extremist groups including the Ku Klux Klan, the justice department has announced.

In a statement, Bryan Fair, the SPLC’s chief executive, called the allegations “false” and said the justice department’s actions “will not shake our resolve to fight for justice and ensure the promise of the civil rights movement becomes a reality for all”.

Duffy on AI replacing air traffic controllers: "That's not gonna happen"

"Am I gonna replace a controller and have AI manage the airspace? The answer to that is hell no, that's not gonna happen," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told CBS News.

Ethics panel to decide penalty for Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick over theft allegations

The Florida Democrat is accused of stealing $5 million in FEMA funds for her campaign.

Cherfilus-McCormick resigns from Congress before Ethics hearing on sanctions

The Florida Democrat stepped down shortly before a House Ethics Committee hearing to determine whether she should be punished.

Tim Cook to step down as Apple CEO, with John Ternus tapped as successor

Apple CEO Tim Cook will step down in August and become executive chairman of Apple's board.

John Ternus prepares to take over Apple after Tim Cook resignation

Tim Cook announced he would be stepping down as Apple CEO on Monday. Jo Ling Kent reports on John Ternus, the mechanical engineer preparing to take the wheel.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: "AI is a tool, but we do not replace humans"

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke with Kris Van Cleave about artificial intelligence technology in air traffic control, and Spirit Airlines' request for a government bailout.

Condom prices could rise 30% due to Iran war, says world’s top producer Karex

Karex produces more than 5 billion condoms annually and is a supplier to leading brands like Durex and Trojan, as well as the NHS

The world’s top condom producer, Malaysia’s Karex Bhd, plans to raise prices by 20% to 30% and possibly further if supply chain disruptions drag on due to the Iran war, its chief executive has said.

Karex is also seeing a surge in condom demand as rising freight costs and shipping delays have left many of its customers with lower stockpiles than usual, CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

Mexican officials reveal new details about pyramid shooting

Mexican authorities say a gunman atop the Pyramid of the Moon, one of Mexico's most popular archaeological sites, shot at tourists and taunted first responders on Monday. CBS News chief correspondent Matt Gutman reports on the new details.

Trump extends ceasefire in Iran indefinitely

President Trump said he's extending the ceasefire until Iran has submitted a proposal in talks with the U.S. "and discussions are concluded."

How picking up trash helped a Wisconsin retiree rediscover purpose

Four years ago, Berny Clarke of Wisconsin longed for a purpose after retirement. Her doctor told her to walk in nature. What he didn't prescribe, but what really changed everything, was the trash she found on her walks.

Parents of slain Loyola student Sheridan Gorman say, "We've got to make changes"

Sheridan Gorman, an 18-year-old Loyola freshman, was shot and killed in Chicago last month and an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela is under arrest.

Louisiana shooting exposes "dangerous gaps" in domestic violence, gun laws

After the mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, advocates are urging policymakers to reform domestic violence and gun control legislation.

Apple’s Tim Cook leaves behind complicated legacy on privacy

Outgoing CEO took stood up for users in battle with FBI but concessions abroad undermine claims of protecting ‘fundamental right’

In his 15 years as Apple’s top executive, Tim Cook has projected an image of the company as a champion of privacy rights. As he prepares to leave that role in September, that legacy has come back into focus. Cook trumpeted the iPhone maker’s commitment to privacy at home in the US and the EU, calling privacy “a fundamental right” but his acquiescence to government demands abroad call his dedication to protecting users into question.

Cook cemented Apple’s pro-privacy reputation in 2015 when he resisted the FBI’s demands to unlock the iPhone of a mass shooter in San Bernardino, California. The company played up that public image in 2019 with playful ads that read, “Privacy. That’s iPhone”, positioning Apple as the obvious choice for people who cared about privacy. In 2021, Apple added a feature, App Tracking Transparency, that allowed iPhone owners to limit an app’s ability to track their mobile activity. Apps that tracked users without permission would be removed, Cook said.

‘Stop sucking up to America’: Japan’s youth rises up to protect pacifist constitution

Protests are growing against moves to change Japan’s ‘supreme law’, a document written by the US that is now being challenged by Iran war

It may be a toy, but Gohta Hashimoto’s lightsaber is symbolic of the battle he and his fellow protesters face as they attempt to derail moves by Japan’s government to change the country’s pacifist constitution for the first time in its 80-year history.

“I’ve been interested in the constitution for about a year, ever since the rise of far-right parties in Japan,” says Hashimoto, a 22-year-old university student. “I wanted to be part of a movement that keeps my country peaceful and protects the constitution.”

Trump officials consider sending 1,100 Afghans who aided US forces to Congo

Discussions reportedly come after Trump’s decision to stop initiative that allowed group to apply to resettle in the US

The Trump administration is in discussions to potentially send up to 1,100 Afghans who helped US forces during the war in Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a non-profit confirmed on Tuesday.

The resettlement talks, first reported by the New York Times, come after Donald Trump’s decision to stop an initiative that allowed Afghans who assisted US war efforts to apply to resettle in the US.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns House seat instead of facing punishment from colleagues

Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida became the latest U.S. lawmaker to step down amid allegations of ethics violations. It happened minutes before a vote to decide whether she should be forced out. Nikole Killion reports.

Murphy wins tense decider while O’Sullivan makes fast start at Crucible

• Murphy beats Fan Zhengyi; O’Sullivan leads by five

• Judd Trump sees off Gary Wilson to reach second round

Shaun Murphy clawed back a 36-point deficit in the deciding frame to secure a nail-biting 10-9 win over the Chinese qualifier Fan Zhengyi in the first round of the World Snooker Championship.

The pair traded blows throughout a thrilling second session and Fan moved to the verge of victory after taking the first chance in the last – but Murphy, who won the title in 2005, drew on all his years of experience to nudge home with a superb break of 50.

U.S. forces ready to restart fighting if necessary, officials say

The largest U.S. military presence in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq has gotten even larger in recent weeks with the deployment of additional forces and a third aircraft carrier. Charlie D'Agata reports on the president's 21st-century "gunboat diplomacy."

DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud over secret funding of extremist groups

The Southern Poverty Law Center said it is "outraged" by what it called the "false allegations" by the Department of Justice.

Trump extends ceasefire, calls Iranian regime "seriously fractured"

President Trump threatened new attacks on Iran Tuesday and said he didn't want to extend the ceasefire. But later, he said he would extend the pause "indefinitely." Ed O'Keefe has the details.

Slow-moving monster storm hammers Michigan, dubbed "ice tsunami"

Homes along the Black Lake in Northern Michigan got hammered by a rare, slow-moving storm on Tuesday evening. Rob Marciano reports on this and has the weather forecast.

Black children in England and Wales almost eight times more likely to be strip-searched than white peers – report

Demographic also overrepresented when police officers use force such as handcuffs, firearms or Tasers, says children’s commissioner

Black children across England and Wales are almost eight times more likely to be strip-searched by police than their white counterparts, a report has disclosed.

Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, said Black children are also overrepresented when officers use force and were more likely to have their “size, gender or build” cited as justification.

FBI investigating deaths, disappearances of staff at government labs

The disappearances and deaths of 10 government workers tied to nuclear or space technology have sparked speculation online. President Trump said the cases are "hopefully, coincidence."

Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on federal fraud charges

The Justice Department alleges that the SPLC improperly raised millions of dollars to pay informants to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan and other extremist groups.

Trump recounts Tim Cook call to 'kiss my ass,' in stark look at White House dealmaking

Tech executives from Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta have dined with Trump and donated millions to his inauguration fund and the White House ballroom.

DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud

A federal grand jury indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on wire and bank fraud-related charges on Tuesday, the Justice Department says, accusing it of paying members of extremist groups as part of its efforts to investigate them.

Trump announces extension of Iran ceasefire until ‘discussion concluded’

Declaration comes amid intense efforts to bring two sides together in Pakistan for new round of talks

Donald Trump unilaterally announced an extension of the two-week ceasefire with Iran on Tuesday amid frantic efforts to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.

Hours after announcing that he “expected to be bombing”, the US president said he would extend the ceasefire until Iranian negotiators submitted a proposal for peace.

4/21: CBS Evening News

Slow-moving monster storm hammers Michigan; President Trump extends ceasefire with Iran.

Contract reveals fundraising deal for Trump's East Wing overhaul

The agreement, which was signed this fall, ensures donor anonymity, establishes a fee structure and institutes a ban on foreign contributions.

Lawmakers demand answers at hearing on hospice fraud

Congress asks experts, advocates and victims how to combat hospice fraud, after a CBS News investigation uncovered widespread signs of potential fraud in California.

Trump administration discussing currency swap line with United Arab Emirates

Such a move would provide liquidity in dollars to the oil-rich UAE, but could be politically tenuous for the administration amid higher prices at home.

United Airlines slashes 2026 forecast as fuel costs surge

The carrier's first-quarter earnings topped Wall Street's expectations.

Florida opens criminal probe over ChatGPT's alleged role in FSU shooting

Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office launched a criminal investigation into OpenAI after reviewing conversation logs between ChatGPT and a Florida State University student accused of killing two people last year.

Meta failed to protect social media users from scam ads, lawsuit alleges

The Consumer Federation of America accused Meta of allowing scam advertisements to "proliferate on its platforms."

Parents of Loyola student fatally shot in Chicago call for change: "This can't happen"

The parents of Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman called for change after a Venezuelan man, who was illegally in the U.S., allegedly shot and killed their daughter in Chicago last month. "This can't happen. We've got to make changes," they said in an exclusive interview with CBS News' Matt Gutman airing Wednesday on "CBS Mornings."

Guardiola dismisses ‘stupid things’ said about City celebrations after beating Arsenal

• Rooney and Murphy question scenes after victory

• Guardiola: ‘They won. How can they not celebrate it?’

Pep Guardiola has hit out at criticism of Manchester City’s celebrations following Sunday’s victory over Arsenal, describing such comments as “stupid things”.

At the final whistle of the 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium, one that took City to within three points of the Premier League leaders with a game in hand, Gianluigi Donnarumma jumped into the crowd behind his goal while many of City’s others players also celebrated in emphatic fashion.

Florida to open criminal investigation into OpenAI over ChatGPT’s influence on alleged mass shooter

State attorney general said inquiry will look into whether AI tool offered ‘significant advice’ to campus shooting suspect

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Florida’s top prosecutor is to launch a criminal investigation into how the tech company OpenAI and its software tool ChatGPT may influence users’ threats of harm to themselves or others, including whether it “offered significant advice” to a gunman accused of conducting a mass shooting in the state last year.

State attorney general James Uthmeier said at a news conference on Tuesday that his office is expanding an examination of OpenAI, saying a “criminal investigation is necessary” and the state had issued subpoenas to the $852bn California-based tech firm.

Gates Foundation reviewing Jeffrey Epstein ties, will slash 20% of staff, WSJ reports

Berkshire Hathaway Chair Warren Buffett had told CNBC he hasn't spoken to Bill Gates since details of Jeffrey Epstein's communications with him were revealed.

Trump extends ceasefire in Iran, citing 'seriously fractured' Iranian government

Trump's announcement came after an expected trip by Vice President JD Vance to Pakistan for a peace talks with Iranian officials was put on hold.

Brighton subject Chelsea and Rosenior to fifth league defeat in a row without scoring

Perhaps time to celebrate Brighton’s achievements, though it would be hard not to view this windswept South Coast evening through the lens of Chelsea’s latest crisis. Following another grim chapter in the Liam Rosenior saga, his name taken in vain by angry away fans, Chelsea look on at Brighton as an example of responsible stewardship, of careful recruitment, a model they have failed to emulate and now lag behind in the Premier League table.

Brighton’s return to the European football enjoyed under Roberto De Zerbi is fully on the cards. Fabian Hürzeler, an appointment in which there was considerable doubt earlier this season, has revived his team. He has still never been defeated by an opposing English manager. Goals by Ferdi Kadioglu and Jack Hinshelwood had done damage to Chelsea, even if much of it was self-inflicted. The margin of victory might have been far more by the time Danny Welbeck scored the third in stoppage time to complete as convincing a win– and defeat – as it gets.

Senate GOP advances budget resolution, kickstarting process to fund ICE

Senate Republicans advanced a budget resolution to begin the process of funding immigration agencies under DHS without help from Democrats.

MasterChef review – the BBC’s disgraced cookery show is warmer, sharper and funnier than ever

New hosts Grace Dent and chef Anna Haugh have shaken off the show’s crusty, stale feel. They’re a real improvement on John Torode and Gregg Wallace

MasterChef is back, emboldened by the strange and giddy euphoria of an enforced refresh. For nigh on 20 years, the BBC’s premier cookery contest was judged by John Torode and Gregg Wallace and was just sort of … there. Not bad, but not very exciting either. That the hosts might have become a little crusty and stale wasn’t widely noticed or discussed.

One unsavoury year of allegations, investigations and cancellations later, not one but both of the show’s long-serving overlords have abruptly departed. Yet there’s something freeing about an unplanned change and MasterChef, happily, has embraced that by hiring two relatively low-profile women to replace the old men: season 22 is brought to you by Myrtle chef patron Anna Haugh and Guardian restaurant critic Grace Dent.

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns, third House member to quit this month

Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted in November in Miami federal court on charges accusing her of stealing $5 million in Covid-19 disaster funds.

Instead of civil war, a naked mole rat colony changed queens peacefully

These matriarchal rodents often have bloody succession wars to replace their queen. But in a colony in California, Queen Tere ceded the throne to her daughter, Arwen, without violence.

As Pakistan seeks to broker U.S.–Iran peace, citizens watch for gains at home

As Pakistan works to broker peace between the U.S. and Iran, many Pakistanis are watching closely to see whether the diplomatic boost will translate into improvements at home.

UPS, FedEx and DHL file for tariff refunds. What it means for consumers.

Shippers have pledged to share refunds with customers who paid tariffs once the government issues refunds.

Florida AG launches criminal investigation into ChatGPT over FSU shooting

Florida's attorney general is launching a criminal investigation into the alleged role of ChatGPT in a mass shooting at Florida State University last year.

Head’s up: 12 main-course cauliflower recipes from easy to ambitious

From quick and easy roasts to warming curries and a centrepiece wellington, these dishes make for filling dinners, with plenty left over for lunch

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Cauliflower looks like the ghost of broccoli, or a human brain that has been drained of blood. As is the case with many overlooked vegetables, boiling is the absolutely second-worst way to cook it (we do not talk about cauliflower rice), while roasting is best, to coax out its sweet and nutty flavours. A whole head is very good and affordable in Australia at the moment and can easily feed a whole family.

Analysis: Warsh emerges from a difficult hearing with his Fed 'regime-change' plan intact

The Fed chair faced many questions about his finances, but few about his plan to overhaul the central bank.

Microsoft cuts Game Pass subscription prices after new Xbox CEO promises to 'recommit' to gamers

Microsoft's new gaming leader, Asha Sharma, is making the Xbox flagship subscription more affordable. But it won't have every game at launch.

Vance trip to Pakistan for Iran talks is on hold, NYT reports

Trump told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday morning that he thinks the U.S. is "going to end up with a great deal" with Iran to end the war.

Florida Democrat Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, facing possible expulsion, resigns

The Florida Democrat faced a potential expulsion vote in the House as she prepares for a federal trial on allegations that she stole disaster funds and used some of the money to finance her campaign.

Victims of sexual violence distressed by MPs’ ‘pugnacious’ questioning

Exclusive: Victims’ commissioner makes formal complaint after committee session left one attender ‘shocked, upset and extremely distressed’

Victims of rape and sexual violence have told parliamentarians they felt anxious and distressed during a Westminster evidence session, with one stating that witnessing “pugnacious” questioning had resulted in her “breaking down, sobbing and struggling to breathe”.

The victims’ commissioner has made a formal complaint to the chair of an influential group of MPs after a highly charged evidence session carried out by the public bill committee for the courts and tribunals bill about controversial changes to jury trials.

The Olympics’ trans policy polices womanhood | Moira Donegan

Sports bans have humiliated trans women and girls across America. Now, the Olympics joins in

Last month, the International Olympic Committee announced that transgender women athletes would be barred from competing in all Olympic events in the women’s category – but not the men’s events. In addition to trans women athletes, cisgender women with conditions known as DSDs – differences in sexual development – will also be banned from competition. The new rules effectively redefine womanhood – but not manhood – as a novel and previously unrecognized category consisting only of those with a specific set of genetic prerequisites. To comply with this new requirement, women athletes – but not male ones – will be made to submit to genetic testing, to determine whether their womanhood meets the committee’s standards. The rule will be in effect for the upcoming summer Olympics, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in 2028.

The move comes as increased political and media attention to the issue of trans rights and visibility over the past years – along with pressure from the Trump administration – has led athletic federations to ban trans women from sports competitions, a demand that has largely not been made for transgender men in women’s or men’s sports. The vitriol and intensity of this controversy has been acute. Twenty-eight states ban trans girls and women from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity; last year, the NCAA announced a ban on trans athletes competing in women’s collegiate leagues.

The Guardian view on Starmer and Mandelson: when process follows power | Editorial

Olly Robbins exposed a deeper failure: when the prime minister’s decision came first, security vetting was left to catch up after the fact

It was a classic Whitehall performance: understated and explosive. Sir Olly Robbins did not bluster in front of MPs. The sacked Foreign Office chief calmly stuck to the language of process. He admitted clearing Peter Mandelson to be US ambassador despite UK Security Vetting (UKSV) – in his own words – “leaning against” approval. But the context was key: Downing Street had already set a “very, very strong expectation” that the peer would be in Washington fast and had a dismissive attitude to vetting. The decision to back the peer had effectively been made before the system could catch up.

On Monday, MPs skewered Sir Keir Starmer over appointing Lord Mandelson. The issue was not what the prime minister knew, but what he chose to do with the knowledge. By December 2024, he had seen Cabinet Office “due diligence” and was aware of the peer’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after the financier’s child sex conviction. Sir Keir went ahead anyway. Announcement, royal approval and US “agrément” swiftly turned that judgment into policy – before vetting had even begun. Sir Keir insisted that he should have been told Lord Mandelson was, in his words, denied security clearance for the role of US ambassador. Diane Abbott cut through this defence with a single question: “Why didn’t you ask?”

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

The Guardian view on the true cost of the Iran war: bombs kill – but so does the economic fallout | Editorial

There is growing international concern as the fragile two-week ceasefire reaches its Wednesday deadline. Whatever happens next, the poor will pay

More than 3,300 Iranians, including 383 children, have been killed since the US and Israel launched their illegal war, authorities said this week. Asked about Wednesday’s ceasefire deadline, Donald Trump first said that he expected to resume bombing, then unilaterally announced that he was extending the truce “until discussions are concluded”. Whatever happens – or doesn’t – with the US-Iranian peace talks due to take place in Islamabad, the costs of this disastrous conflict will keep growing. The only thing that the sides have in common is that each needs peace, but thinks that it can force the other into significant concessions.

Iran has deployed its drones and missiles to punishing effect, but knows that its chief weapon is the economic pain it can inflict, primarily through control of the strait of Hormuz. The International Monetary Fund warned last week that a further escalation could trigger a global recession. Its head, Kristalina Georgieva, had already said that the crisis would remain a threat to the global economy even if it ended overnight. The costs mount over time. But while the pain is widely spread, it is far from evenly shared. The combination of higher energy, food and fertiliser costs will increasingly hammer poorer and heavily import-reliant nations.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Bill banning people born after 2008 from buying tobacco clears UK parliament

Ministers hope tobacco and vapes bill, which will become law next week, will create a ‘smoke-free generation’

A bill banning anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco in the UK has completed its progress through parliament in a move that ministers hope will create a “smoke-free generation”.

Under the tobacco and vapes bill anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be able to be legally sold tobacco across the UK, in an effort to save lives and reduce the burden on the NHS.

Prolific unregulated sperm donor loses UK legal fight to be named as child’s father

Robert Albon cannot be declared four-year-old’s father because he ran illegal sperm donation business, court rules

A prolific unregulated sperm donor described in the high court as a “highly dangerous man” has lost a legal fight to be named as the father of a child conceived using his sperm.

Robert Albon, who calls himself Joe Donor, was not entitled to be declared the father of a four-year-old child because he was running an illegal sperm donation business, Britain’s most senior family court judge ruled.

Taiwan president blames China for forced cancellation of Eswatini trip

Lai Ching-te abandons visit after Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar revoke overflight permission

Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, has cancelled his trip to Eswatini, the democratic island’s only diplomatic ally in Africa, after his government said several countries had revoked overflight permits because of “intense pressure” from China.

Lai was to leave on Wednesday for the 40th anniversary of King Mswati III’s accession.

‘I’ll key your car’: ChatGPT can become abusive when fed real-life arguments, study finds

Researchers find model starts to mirror tone when exposed to impoliteness – sometimes escalating into explicit threats

ChatGPT can escalate into abusive and even threatening language when drawn into prolonged, human-style conflict, according to a new study.

Researchers tested how large language models (LLMs) responded to sustained hostility by feeding ChatGPT exchanges from real-life arguments and tracking how its behaviour changed over time.

Tim Cook turned Apple into a $4 trillion juggernaut by not trying to be Steve Jobs

Tim Cook's 15-year tenure at the helm of Apple was highly profitable for Wall Street, as the company's market cap swelled from $350 billion to $4 trillion.

Senate Republicans unveil immigration funding framework as DHS shutdown drags on

Democrats have opposed funding for ICE and Customs and Border Patrol since federal immigration enforcement agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis.

Terrible poll ratings would bother some politicians. Donald Trump isn’t one of them | Arwa Mahdawi

A low approval rating will not cause the US president to hang his head in shame. He’s more likely to dig in

You’ll know the famous quote, bastardised from a 1926 column by the Baltimore journalist HL Mencken, that “No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” The rest of the quote, less often cited, is: “Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.” It’s hard to disagree when you look at the polls. Because, despite everything, more than a third of Americans continue to think Donald Trump is doing a great job.

I’m not saying all is rosy for Trump: a new NBC News poll has found Trump’s popularity has plummeted to a second-term low. The cost of living in the US is rocketing and the country is embroiled in an immoral and economically disastrous war: two-thirds of Americans say the country is on the wrong path. But 37% still approve of Trump’s overall performance. That’s down from 42% in December but it’s still pretty damn high considering the US is being led by an adjudicated sexual predator who has started wars with both Iran and the pope recently, while making life at home harder. Trump can’t be blamed for everything, but there is evidence his policies have negatively affected growth, jobs and inflation.

Hegseth scraps mandatory flu shots for troops

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said U.S. service members will no longer be required to get annual flu shots.

Brady’s stadium own goal means her West Ham exit will not be mourned by fans | Jacob Steinberg

Karren Brady, who is stepping down as vice-chair at West Ham after 16 years, leaves a questionable legacy

The “No More BS” campaign led by dissenting West Ham fans needs an update. One half of the double act has left the building but the protesters do not see it as job done. They are celebrating the departure of Karren Brady, who has stepped down as vice-chair after 16 years, and will not stop pushing for change in the way their dysfunctional club is run until David Sullivan has followed her out of the door.

That, though, is not happening yet. No sooner had Brady’s departure been announced than some fans started predicting that Sullivan would not be far behind. But a move by the Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky to increase his West Ham stake by lining up a deal to buy a chunk of the Gold family’s shares is not expected to lead to Sullivan going. Kretinsky, it is said, is merely strengthening his hand. Sullivan, who is also planning to buy some of the Gold shares, is not going anywhere. Kretinsky will match the 77-year-old’s old stake, slightly diluting the era of Sullivanism, but the outcome could have been different.

New Call of Duty games will no longer be part of Xbox’s Game Pass

Microsoft has also reduced the price of its Xbox Game Pass video game subscription service, Microsoft Gaming boss Asha Sharma has announced

Microsoft’s gaming subscription service Xbox Game Pass will be coming down in price from today, but future Call of Duty titles will no longer be available on the service at launch. Other games from Microsoft-owned studios will still be playable on Game Pass from the day of their release, and older Call of Duty games will remain available, the company has clarified.

Last October, Microsoft increased the price of its top-tier Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription by almost 50%. From today the price will reduce from £22.99/month to £16.99/month in the UK, and from $29.99 to $22.99 a month in the US. PC Game Pass will also drop from $16.49 to $13.99/£13.49 to £10.99 a month.

The snuggle is real: what happens when you can’t fall asleep without your partner?

Experts share why you might sleep better with that special someone and how couples can find healthy sleep dynamics

• Tell us: do you use AI for fitness?

I don’t live with my partner, but when we sleep in the same bed, I doze off almost instantly. When I’m alone in my own bed, I toss and turn throughout the night.

Between talk of “sleep divorces” being key to a healthy relationship and boyfriends being embarrassing, it’s been hard to admit that I sleep much better with my partner.

Jannik Sinner says Alcaraz’s absence from Madrid Open ‘tough to swallow’

• Injured Alcaraz out of event for second year in a row

• ‘It is different when Carlos and Novak are not in the draw’

Jannik Sinner described Carlos Alcaraz’s injury withdrawal from the Madrid Open as “tough to swallow” for the tournament and believes the absence of his greatest rival will make a big difference as he tries to win a record fifth straight Masters title.

“It’s a very tough thing for the tournament,” said Sinner. “Last year he didn’t play, so twice in a row is tough. And also Novak [Djokovic] is not here, it’s tough to swallow for the tournament. It is always different when Carlos and Novak are not in the draw. I would say [this situation is] unique because we have shared since last year a lot of tournaments.”

Trump tells CNBC he expects U.S. to make ‘great deal’ with Iran

President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he expects the U.S. and Israel war against Iran to end soon since it began in late February.

UK agriculture deal with EU will not remove all red tape, peers told

Lords told sales of Scottish shellfish among areas that may benefit – but agreement will not erase all paperwork

• Europe live – latest updates

A new agriculture agreement with the EU will not wipe out all Brexit paperwork but might pave the way for sales of Scottish langoustines and oysters, the House of Lords has heard.

The UK and EU are close to finalising a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to reduce Brexit trade barriers, and while it will have “modest” impact on the UK economy the agreement will be significant, peers on the European affairs committee were told on Tuesday.

Ellen DeGeneres’ Oscars selfie: was this the moment pop culture shattered into a billion pieces?

When DeGeneres posted her A-list snap at the 2014 Academy Awards, it made a splash. But it was probably the end of monoculture – and now we’re all alone in our TikTok bubbles

Name: The Oscars selfie.

Age: Once upon a time (2 March 2014, to be precise), at the Oscars, the actor Bradley Cooper, who was nominated for best supporting actor, took a selfie with the host, Ellen DeGeneres, and a whole load of A-listers …

UnitedHealth tops quarterly estimates, hikes profit outlook as insurer manages high medical costs

The nation's largest private insurer expects 2026 adjusted earnings of more than $18.25 per share, up from a previous outlook of greater than $17.75 per share.

Meet the 2026 National Teacher of the Year

"CBS Mornings" exclusively revealed Leon Smith, who teaches at Haverford High School in Pennsylvania, as the 2026 National Teacher of the Year.

The tooth fairy is ridiculous but kids need rituals. I know I do | Anthony N Castle

Invoking a night imp might be ludicrous, but the superstitious and the sacred are often the same thing

• Sharing the load is a column about parenting children of all ages

I held my daughter up to better see the passing parade. She was still small enough to lift high with my hands and I watched her reaction from below, her joy, growing in the morning light. The colour and noise moved past. “You’re missing it,” I heard someone say. But I had never seen something as beautiful as that; it seemed perfect, her smile looking down at me.

My daughter appeared above me again the following morning, though something had changed. Her mouth, blood-streaked, opened to reveal a gap. She had lost her first tooth. We celebrated but I felt something else as well; it all changes from here. I wondered if it was grief.

The Hours won awards for Nicole Kidman’s fake nose – and hearts as a queer classic

Stephen Daldry’s 2002 film, which secured Kidman an Oscar for her depiction of Virginia Woolf, is a groundbreaking depiction of queer sexuality across the 20th century

Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer prize-winning book The Hours – inspired by Virginia Woolf’s seminal 1925 novel, Mrs Dalloway – imagines one day in the lives of three women separated across time periods. The triptych follows Woolf in the throes of writing Mrs Dalloway; Laura Brown, a depressed housewife who is reading Woolf’s novel in postwar America; and Clarissa Vaughan, a New Yorker who acts as a contemporary embodiment of Woolf’s titular character.

Cunningham’s 1998 text, though widely acclaimed, was initially deemed unadaptable due to its nonlinear structure and stream-of-consciousness approach that paid homage to Woolf’s pioneering style. However, since its publication, The Hours (which takes its name from Mrs Dalloway’s working title), has been reinterpreted as an opera and, most notably, a 2002 film directed by Stephen Daldry.

Timor-Leste parliament questions president over proposed resort’s links to ‘scam’ empire

Jose Ramos-Horta urged by opposition to explain diplomatic passport given to businessman behind resort project, who denies any involvement with organised crime

Timor-Leste’s opposition has questioned how foreign investors in a proposed cryptocurrency resort obtained prime beachfront real estate in the country’s capital, and has called on the president to explain why he issued a diplomatic passport to a Chinese businessman involved in the project.

Speaking in parliament in Dili on Monday, Fretilin opposition party MP Florentino Ximenes da Costa “Sinarai” raised concerns about the proposed AB Digital Technology Resort, which was the subject of a months-long investigation by the Guardian and Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

Trump says 'maybe' government should help struggling Spirit Airlines

Trump told CNBC's "Squawk Box": "I think I'd love somebody to buy Spirit, as an example."

What to expect at Kevin Warsh's Fed chair confirmation hearing

Senators are likely to press Warsh, President Trump's nominee to succeed Jerome Powell as Fed chair, on his views about inflation and interest rates.

Trump says 'I'll remember' companies that don’t seek tariff refunds

Trump said he was "not happy with the Supreme Court" for ruling IEEPA tariffs were illegal, and for not allowing the U.S. to keep tariffs already collected.

Alan Osmond, eldest of the Osmonds family band, dies at 76

Alongside siblings Donny and Marie, the musician was a 1970s teen idol with family hits such as Crazy Horses

Alan Osmond, the eldest sibling of the Osmonds family band, has died aged 76. A spokesperson confirmed that he died at 8.30pm local time in Salt Lake City, Utah. His wife and eight children were by his side.

“My brother has now stepped into the presence of our Father in Heaven with honor and peace,” Merrill Osmond, his brother, wrote on Facebook. “He gave everything he had to the Lord, to his family, and to all of you … He truly was a saint.”

Want to lighten your mental load? First, let go of these gender myths

"Men can't see the mess." "Women are better at chores." These myths position women to take on more emotional thinking, says researcher Leah Ruppanner. She shares what works to reclaim your headspace.

‘Is it life? We can’t tell’: Nasa’s Curiosity rover finds organic molecules on Mars

Scientists think they are looking at chemical building blocks of life preserved for 3.5bn years

Nasa’s Curiosity rover has detected organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals widely considered building blocks for the origin of life on Earth.

Five of the seven molecules identified in a dried lakebed near the equator had never previously been observed on the red planet. The analysis performed by the robotic rover cannot establish whether the organic compounds are linked to potential ancient life on Mars or were delivered by meteorites or formed through geological processes. However, the finding implies that if microbial life once thrived on Mars, chemical fingerprints should remain there today.

Olly Robbins says he faced ‘constant pressure’ to get Mandelson in post

Sacked civil servant discloses he overturned vetting ruling without knowing full extent of national security concerns

The sacked senior civil servant Oliver Robbins has said he was subject to “constant pressure” when he started working at the Foreign Office to get Peter Mandelson in post as soon as possible.

He said the Cabinet Office urged the Foreign Office to allow Mandelson’s appointment as the UK’s ambassador to the US without the usual vetting process but the Foreign Office pushed back and the vetting eventually went ahead.

It’s a nightmare on Downing Street: Starmer has no one left to blame for this Mandelson horror show | Marina Hyde

Olly Robbins’s testimony will have been painful for the PM. The No 10 omnishambles was publicly laid bare – and Keir’s fresh out of scapegoats

‘How dare Olly Robbins not have made me look like a chaotic, unprincipled plonker?” is an interesting defence for a prime minister to go for. But we are where we are. Never mind “this is the future liberals want”: this is the past that Keir Starmer wants. What follows is the alternative branch of history the endlessly victimised PM apparently wishes we’d lived through instead.

In this version, he chooses a career liability to be US ambassador, who is well known to have been big pals with a notorious sex trafficker of underage girls and to have spent years involved in questionable business associations, some with Russian and Chinese firms. He immediately announces the appointment. When that guy is deemed a risk by the famously stringent developed national security vetting process – seriously, who’d-a-thunk-it?! – then Starmer has to go out and tell the public that the wrong ’un isn’t actually going to be his US ambassador after all, for “reasons”. Not to be one of the many people who has to explain how basic politics works to the PM, but after that notional fiasco, we’d have spent a very long time indeed talking about his bad judgment. Just like we are now. It’s almost as if all branches of history lead to a discussion about Keir Starmer’s bad judgment. The only person who doesn’t judge this to be the situation is Keir Starmer, which is another instance of his bad judgment. Monday found him chuntering away at the dispatch box like an arsonist complaining about the price of matches.

Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist

Brits fled to Dubai for low taxes — now war is making some rethink the deal

The U.K. is seeking to lure British residents back from the UAE as war in the Middle East rattles confidence in Dubai’s safe‑haven image.

Here's what to expect from Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh's Senate hearing Tuesday

In a much-anticipated hearing before the Banking Committee, the former Fed governor will face questioning over a variety of subjects

Amazon 'strong-armed' Levi's, Hanes to hike prices on rival sites, California AG says

Amazon allegedly coerced major vendors into convincing rival retailers like Walmart, Target and Home Depot to raise prices

Kevin Warsh would be the first tech bro Fed chair. How Silicon Valley shaped him

The nominee to lead the Fed is an AI optimist who counts tech titans Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen among his friends.

Michael review – cliched Jackson biopic is bland, bowdlerised … and bad

Rammed with every music-movie cliche, an almost mute supporting cast and a Michael who only produces endless smiley blandness, this is a frustratingly shallow film

Antoine Fuqua’s demi-biopic of Michael Jackson gives you the chimp, the llama, the giraffe … but not the elephant in the living room. It’s like a 127-minute trailer montage assembling every music-movie cliche you can think of: the producers’ astonishment in the recording studio, the tour bus, the billboard chart ascent, the meeting with the uncool corporate execs in their offices.

The film skates through Jackson’s life from the early days of the Jackson Five, terrorised by belt-wielding dad Joe, to his emergence as a stunningly original, globally adored solo act, culminating in the colossal Wembley Stadium concert in 1988, at which stage he was 30-years-old. And there we leave it, with the baffling surtitle flashed up on screen before the end credits roll: “The story continues”. It certainly does. Does this mean a second, darker movie is in the works? Maybe. Producer Graham King and the Jackson family estate are reportedly considering a “Michael 2”; if this happens, they will have to find a very different film-making style, something other than this bland, slick, corporate hagiography. And there is certainly no clear commitment to anything. All concerned might well think it’s best to exit here, and avoid the controversy, like the stage show MJ: The Musical.