Do No Harm activist group alleges ‘racial discrimination’ in program designed to support under-served communities Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Conservative campaigners are targeting a decades-old federal scholarship program designed to provide Native Hawaiian students with funding to pursue healthcare careers and place practitioners in the state’s most medically under-served communities. Do No Harm, a Virginia-based advocacy group for healthcare clinicians “focused on keeping identity politics out of medical education, research, and clinical practice”, filed its federal lawsuit challenging the US health department’s Native Hawaiian Health Scholarship Program (NHHSP) last week. Continue reading...

Kremlin proposes 32-hour ceasefire starting on Saturday afternoon – with Ukraine expected to agree to plan Vladimir Putin has declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend, after an earlier call from Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a pause. The president’s decree, released by the Kremlin on Thursday, orders Russian forces to observe a ceasefire starting on 4pm Saturday and lasting until the end of Sunday. Continue reading...

Authorities arrest driver and passenger of car after finding large amounts blood and unresponsive man in rear seat Northern California law enforcement officals pulled over the driver of a Chevrolet Suburban on Easter Sunday morning for a suspected registration violation, and came upon a grisly scene that ultimately led them to two homicide victims. The California highway patrol said in a statement that two people, the person driving the vehicle and a passenger, had been arrested in connection with the killings. The passenger attempted to flee when officers stopped the SUV in Clearlake, about 100 miles north-east of San Francisco, but was quickly detained, according to CHP. Continue reading...

Trump is on the verge of squandering a ceasefire that serves US interests for the sake of an unreliable ally When Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, announced that the US and Iran, along with their allies, had agreed to an immediate ceasefire on Tuesday night, he made clear that the truce applied “everywhere including Lebanon”. But hours later, the Israeli government insisted that the deal did not include halting its attacks on Lebanon, which had become one of the deadliest fronts of the regional war instigated by the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. By Wednesday afternoon, Israel had launched its largest and most destructive attack on Lebanon in years, killing at least 300 people and wounding more than 1,100. Dozens of Israeli warplanes dropped bombs on 100 targets across Lebanon within 10 minutes, with the Israeli military claiming it was targeting Hezbollah “command centers” in an operation it called “Eternal Darkness”. But Israeli warplanes leveled several buildings in crowded residential neighborhoods of Beirut, spreading panic in the Lebanese capital and overwhelming hospitals with hundreds of casualties. Israel also continued bombing Lebanon’s infrastructure, destroying the last remaining bridge that linked southern Lebanon to the rest of the country. Mohamad Bazzi is director of the Center for Near Eastern Studies, and a journalism professor, at New York University Continue reading...

They’re pricier than the competition, but have key features: the music doesn’t skitter when you step out of Bluetooth range and they can handle water and dust How do Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 compare against hearing aids? I put them to the test Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly guide to buying fewer, better things Over the past eight years, I’ve reviewed dozens of portable speakers from every top brand. And I can confidently say that Sonos makes three of the best portable speakers of them all. There’s Sonos Play, the brand’s newest portable and the Goldilocks of its lineup in size, sound and features. The Roam 2, a Toblerone-shaped speaker that’s small enough to go anywhere. And the Move 2, a powerhouse that doesn’t sacrifice bass performance. The little one: Sonos Roam 2 Continue reading...

Singer, 55, said he had broken his sobriety after three ‘devastating’ bereavements and has not drunk alcohol since Chico Slimani, a memorable X Factor contestant, was found guilty of drink-driving on Thursday, telling the court that his arrest came just hours after he broke his sobriety. The singer, 55, whose real name is Yousseph Slimani, reached the quarter-final of the TV talent show in 2005, later releasing a No 1 single, It’s Chico Time. Continue reading...

Left-back who joined in 2017 is out of contract in summer Napoli, Juventus, Atlético and Spurs keen on the left-back Andy Robertson is to bring his illustrious Liverpool career to a close at the end of the season, the club have confirmed. The 32-year-old is out of contract this summer and will follow another iconic player of the Jürgen Klopp era, Mohamed Salah, in leaving Anfield on a free transfer. Napoli, Juventus, Atlético Madrid and Tottenham are all keen on signing the Scotland captain, who rejected a move to Atletico last summer. A return to Scotland is not thought to be in Robertson’s plans at this stage. Continue reading...

New study describes what may be the first case of a unified community of chimps, in Uganda, turning on itself On a June day in 2015, primatologist Aaron Sandel was quietly observing a small cluster of the Ngogo chimpanzee group in Uganda’s Kibale national park when he noticed something strange. As other members of the chimpanzees’ wider group moved closer through the forest, the chimpanzees in front of him began to display nervous behaviour. They grimaced and touched each other for reassurance, acting more like they were about to meet strangers than close companions. In hindsight, Sandel said, that moment was the first sign of what would become a years-long bloody conflict between a once close-knit group of chimps. Continue reading...

Cuba accuses US of ‘extorting’ countries in pushing them to axe deals with Havana to send doctors on medical missions Cuba’s foreign minister has accused the United States of “extorting” Latin American countries by putting pressure on them to cancel decades-old deals with Havana for the supply of doctors. Bruno Rodríguez said the United States was trying to “strangle” the economy of the communist island, which earns billions from its foreign medical missions, after several countries stopped deploying Cuban doctors. Continue reading...

Iconic star ball design has been in place since 2001 Nike to pay $45m a year to supply Uefa club competitions The iconic Champions League ball will be redesigned next year after Nike entered exclusive talks with Uefa to become the official match ball provider for the 2027 to 2031 cycle of the competition. The US sportswear group has beaten off competition from incumbent supplier Adidas and fellow challenger Puma after offering to double Uefa’s current fee to around $45m per year. Continue reading...

The artist will follow in the footsteps of Ariana DeBose, Cynthia Erivo and Kevin Spacey this June The Tony awards have turned to a singer with a reputation for a high-energy, physical live show to be the next telecast host – Pink. The three-time Grammy award winner will make her debut as emcee for the awards on 7 June at its familiar home of Radio City Music Hall. Continue reading...

We should not be at the mercy of events abroad. That’s why, from energy to defence to key social policies, we aim to remake our country Britain has been buffeted by crises for nearly two decades now. And from the 2008 financial crash, through austerity, to Brexit, Covid, the Ukraine war and Liz Truss, the response from Westminster has always been the same. Manage the crisis, find a sticking plaster and then desperately try to reassert the status quo. This time, it will be different. The war in Iran must now become a line in the sand, because how we emerge from this crisis will define all of us for a generation. And instead of hoping to return to the world of 2008, we will forge a new path for Britain – one that strengthens our energy, our defence and our economic security in a new age. Because the reality is the world has changed: no longer do we live in the benign conditions found during the early part of this century. The world today is more volatile and dangerous than at any other point in my lifetime. That will test and test again every element of our security. And over the years, that is a test for which Britain has too often been found wanting. Keir Starmer is the UK prime minister Continue reading...

In article for Guardian, PM also calls for Iran conflict to become watershed moment for future UK security Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon “shouldn’t be happening”, Keir Starmer has said on his visit to the Middle East, as he called for the Iran conflict to become a watershed moment for the future security of the UK. In an article for the Guardian, the prime minister said the UK’s response to the crisis must involve a fundamental reset in terms of making the country more resilient, including by boosting defence and having closer links to Europe. Continue reading...

Defeat for Viktor Orbán on Sunday would be celebrated in Brussels, mourned in Washington and Moscow, and would give his country its democracy back Hungary has a population of less than 10 million and an economy that produces a modest 1.1% of the European Union’s GDP. But on Sunday it will hold the most important election in Europe this year. After 16 years as prime minister, during which he has dismantled the checks and balances customary in a democracy, Viktor Orbán faces the most serious threat to his power in that time. Polls consistently place the centre‑right party led by his main challenger, Péter Magyar, ahead by a substantial margin. Mr Orbán was once described by Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon as “Trump before Trump”. In his political hour of need, luminaries of the global far right have duly turned up en masse to support him. Last month, Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini and Geert Wilders made the pilgrimage to Budapest. This week, the US vice-president, JD Vance, paid a tub‑thumping election-eve visit, as his boss issued apocalyptic threats to have Iran “taken out in one night”. Risibly, given the explicit purpose of his trip, Mr Vance spent much of it inveighing against alleged EU interference in the forthcoming vote. Continue reading...

⚽ Europa League news from the first leg; kick-off 8pm BST ⚽ Porto v Nottm Forest – live | Join us on Bluesky | Mail Taha Aston Villa are getting pretty used to European quarter-finals. This is their third on the bounce: they beat Lille in the Conference League two years ago and fell just short against Paris Saint-Germain, the eventual champions, last April in the Champions League. Now it’s time for the Europa, with a visit to Bologna. Unai Emery is in his element. Yes, this is where the Spaniard really turns it on; he’s won this trophy four times, more than anyone else. Villa have already beaten Bologna this season and Emery has Youri Tielemans back after two months out with an ankle injury. Things have been a little ropey in the league but they’re fourth and in with a serious shot at a first major trophy in 30 years. Continue reading...

⚽ Europa League updates from Portugal; kick-off 8pm BST ⚽ Bologna v Aston Villa – live | Join us on Bluesky | Mail Will Pre-match reading, courtesy of your man Ben Fisher who is literally in Porto. Who can forget that night in October when Sean Dyche won his first game in charge of Nottingham Forest against Porto in the Europa League? It looked like things were set at the City Ground, having moved onto their third head coach of the season. Six months on and plenty has happened in between but, against the odds, they are still flying in high in Europe and face Porto for a second time. Continue reading...

The novelist says she couldn’t accept the award after being told it would entail ‘extensive promotion’ US writer Helen DeWitt has spoken out after being chosen as one of the original eight recipients of this year’s Windham-Campbell writing prizes, worth $175,000 (£130,000) each, but ultimately having to turn down the award because she was unable to participate in the promotional activities that the prize requires. In a blog and a series of posts on X, the cult author of books including The Last Samurai said that she had been told she had won the award in February, but that receiving the money was “contingent on extensive promotion”, including participating in a festival, a podcast and a six- to eight-hour filming session for a promotional video. Continue reading...

More is needed to tackle inequality and deprivation in Britain, but the importance of this week’s step must be recognised Fairness was what the then chancellor George Osborne said he was aiming at when he introduced the two‑child benefit cap. Each child costs a family more, he argued, and yet only some consider the full costs when family planning. It was an ungenerous take, reducing the complex reasons why people might have larger families to poor choices and welfare incentivisation, and ignoring the impact of events beyond their control, such as illness. If Mr Osborne wanted to change behaviour, he failed: 11 years after the limit for child‑linked benefits was announced, poorer people haven’t had fewer children, they have just suffered more. Above all, his policy punished children, who made no decision at all about the number of their siblings. This was the legacy: 350,000 children pushed into poverty and another 700,000 deeper into deprivation. Affected households were more likely to be among the poorest universal credit claimants. A disproportionate number were Muslim and Jewish. Children went without new uniforms or extracurricular activities and families skipped meals – all in the name of fairness. Continue reading...

Up to 2m e-readers made before 2013 will no longer be able to download new titles Amazon is to stop supporting older Kindle models leaving longtime e-book fans unable to access new content from the Kindle store. Devices released during or before 2012 will no longer receive updates from 20 May, affecting owners of older Kindles, including the earliest models such as the Touch and some Fire tablets. It is thought that 2m e-readers could be affected. Kindle: Kindle 1st generation (2007), Kindle DX and DX Graphite (2009 and 2010), Kindle Keyboard (2010), Kindle 4 (2011), Kindle Touch (2011), Kindle 5 (2012) and Kindle Paperwhite 1st generation (2012). Kindle Fire: Kindle Fire 1st generation (2011), Kindle Fire 2nd generation (2012), Kindle Fire HD 7 (2012), Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (2012). Continue reading...

Seafarer tells of ‘impossible’ situation, with strait still so unsafe that crew would not cross even if told to sail Maritime and port workers: how is the Middle East conflict affecting you? ‘You can try to minimise the impact that this situation has on your mental health but it’s becoming impossible.” After six weeks stranded in the Gulf, one of the 20,000 seafarers trapped by Iran’s chokehold on the strait of Hormuz is reaching their limit. Yet with the fragile Middle East ceasefire already fraying, the oil tanker worker – who first spoke to the Guardian a month ago – said any hope they may soon be free to leave had already evaporated, if it ever felt real at all. Continue reading...

Mayor says disinformation, including about London crime rates, is ‘eating away at basic bonds of trust’ Sadiq Khan has called on ministers to take significantly stronger action against social media companies that spread disinformation after a study showed a surge in hostile accounts posting falsehoods about London’s crime rates and integration. In an intervention on what he called “the outrage economy”, the London mayor, who has also written to social media firms demanding change, said a lack of action could prompt more domestic terrorism by people who believe conspiracy theories they find online. Continue reading...

Government investment in Tata-owned Agratas plant expected to boost economic growth and secure jobs The Somerset battery factory due to supply Jaguar Land Rover is to receive £380m in UK government funding as it pushes ahead with construction despite delays. JLR, Britain’s largest automotive employer, is due to receive batteries from the site to make electric versions of its Range Rover and Jaguar models. The Indian conglomerate Tata owns JLR and the electric vehicle (EV) battery factory under its Agratas subsidiary. Continue reading...

English forward has been the perfect loan signing. And yet, there is an ‘and yet’, absurd though that can seem At the end of Barcelona’s 2-1 win at Atlético Madrid on Saturday night, as the players stood celebrating before the small pocket of supporters applauding them from high in the north-west corner of the Metropolitano, Diego Simeone approached Hansi Flick, shook his hand and reminded him of something: “You’ve got to come back.” It came as an invitation, born of admiration, and also a warning. This was only the start of a trilogy in which they face each other three times in 10 days, and the concluding chapter there would be different. A different competition, for a start. Goals from Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski, the latter on 89 minutes, had virtually secured Barcelona the league title but it was going to get bigger and mean more. Atlético, already adrift, had rested players; the last time Barcelona had been there – in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg – they had beaten them 4-0; and the next time the Catalan club came it would be the Champions League quarter-final, second leg. And, back in the Metropolitano, that really would be a battle: tougher than this and, it turns out, tougher than anyone had imagined. Continue reading...

Jennifer Abbott, a film-maker, was found dead in her Camden flat with Nancy Pexton, 69, accused of her murder A woman killed her older sister before stealing her gold diamond-encrusted Rolex watch, a court has heard. Nancy Pexton, 69, appeared before the Old Bailey on Thursday accused of murdering Jennifer Abbott in her north London flat on 10 June last year. Continue reading...

Brighterdaysahead set for chasing ranks after success Irish trainer has quintet ready for Saturday’s big prize Gordon Elliott opened the Grand National meeting with a 15-1 Grade One double on Thursday ahead of his five-strong challenge for the Grand National on Saturday, when a fourth success in the world’s most famous steeplechase would give the trainer a share of the all-time record. The highlight of Elliott’s afternoon was a two-and-a-quarter length defeat of Dan Skelton’s The New Lion in the Aintree Hurdle, a result which confirmed the form of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, when the pair finished second and third. It was also a second course-and-distance success for Brighterdaysahead, who has yet to register a win at Cheltenham in three attempts. Continue reading...