Exclusive: The Independent predicts the worst traffic jams will be on the M5, M6, M25 and A303

Both walkouts have fallen on the same day, shoring up potential wide disruption to flights in Europe

Advanced CT scanners at some UK and European airports mean liquids and laptops can stay in the travelleras bag a but the 100ml size limit remains

The Man Who Pays His Way: Do you agree that aearly is on-time and on-time is latea?

Millions took to the streets worldwide on Saturday to protest Donald Trump and Elon Muskas policies

Charles to become first British sovereign to address both houses of the Italian parliament

Singer remains under medical supervision due to high-risk pregnancy condition

Protein is a must-have but that doesnat mean itas a more-is-better situation, Nick Fuller writes

Initial signs can include stiffness, losing your sense of smell and smaller handwriting

From communal creches to single dads, humans can learn a lot from animals

Experts say not all cholesterol is bad; in fact, your body needs it for various functions

aI canat just go out on a week night to a pub to meet someone,a presenter said

Customers should contact Walkeras Wine Juice to determine how to dispose of the juice

Brittany Balinski uses TikTok to talk about the aversatilitya of wool

The brideas TikTok received over 29 million views

aYou can reset and start from zero,a presenter said

aHeall never lose 2 truths and a lie,a one person joked in the comments section

Thompson is the longest-serving cast member on aSaturday Night Livea

Hanks was married to Susan Dillingham from 1978 to 1987

The breakout star of aWhite Lotusa season three has instantly won hearts with her Manchester accent and happy-go-lucky charm. But itas her refreshingly real face that makes her a true role model for the rest of us, argues Helen Coffey

Shoppers ave been expressing concern after itemas lengthy absence

Obama opened up about recent struggle in surprise admission

From fabulous florals to showstopping fascinators, the best dressed from Ladies Day 2025

Why cleansing matters, as a new study reveals one in five Brits donat wash their face every day

Keep yourself fit and healthy by addressing these common habits and thought processes

Faked deaths. Fat-shaming. Stolen design patterns. How did an ostensibly wholesome pastime become a hotbed of feuds and conflict? Newfound knitter Kate Ng digs into the strange world of aKnitToka and beyond

Overcooked lamb, dry chicken, pork with no crackle a the Easter roast can be a battlefield. Hereas how to nail every joint, every time, with timings that actually work and tips that donat involve guesswork or blind hope

Imelda Staunton and Romola Garai were among the winners of the night

aWe finna get fined for that,a Nwodim said in shock

Leaked version, uploaded ahead of movieas big release, showed incomplete CGI and green screens

Actor was only 13 when he became an overnight star thanks to the Netflix hit

aThat was the first time I met Hugh,a actor said

Coon first played villain Proxima Midnight in 2018as aAvengers: Infinity Wara but didnat return for 2019 film

Executive producer David Bernad said this season had three key secrets during filming

Singer made a foray into acting with numerous roles in West End plays and TV dramas

aIt forced me to make an extremely hard decision,a actor revealed

Is Gaitok about to go postal? Is Tim finally going to live out his murder-suicide fantasies? And what the hell is going on with Rick? Weave been speculating about what might play out in the season three finale

In 2008, Patrick Bringley took up a post as a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art after the untimely death of his older brother. Now, 17 years later, heas preparing to talk about his experience in an off-Broadway play inspired by his bestselling memoir. Tom Murray joins Bringley where it all began: the Met

Duo will be areuniteda on screen in new aThe Grand Toura specials

Full list of every single title being taken down in next 30 days

Youall immediately want to add this to your watchlist

Actoras alleged behavior brought the 2022 production of Aziz Ansarias directorial debut aBeing Mortala to an indefinite pause

Culkin won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Jesse Eisenbergas aA Real Paina

Dancer did not mince his words as he spoke about the showas legacy and current line-up

aAll hell is going to break loose,a Ben Semanoff said

A glut of video clips and personal testimonials have ignited a fierce debate over cinema etiquette

It was considered one of the biggest upsets in awards history

aIave never let being bad at things stop me doing them,a comedian said

Musician was accused of snubbing a long-running aSaturday Night Livea tradition

Craig Mazin, the showrunner of HBOas hit post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us, has pushed back against a recurring criticism about Bella Ramseyas character.

aI wasnat being a normal person,a actor said

aYou know, the depression is going to be so great. We"ll be the ones eating the cats and the dogs. That"s going to be funa

British actor said he found the interaction ainsultinga

aIave admired her work for years,a Thor actor said

Itas one of the most talked about British shows of the last 20 years

The CIA wanted them to spy as well as perform. The Communist Party insisted that fans were not to dance to them or learn their ways. Forty years ago, George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were the first Western band to tour China a Mark Beaumont revisits an event that influenced both Cantopop and the rebellion in Tiananmen Square

Commerce secretary insists on CBS that tariffs will astay in placea as treasury secretary tells NBC negotiation is possible

Senior officials within Donald Trumpas administration officials gave conflicting messages on Sunday about the US presidentas global tariffs that have caused a meltdown in stock markets, prompted warnings of a world recession and provoked rare expressions of dissent from within his Republican party.

Cabinet members fanned out across Sundayas political talk shows armed with talking points on Trumpas 10% across-the-board tariff on almost all US imports, with higher rates targeted at about 60 countries. If the intention was to calm nerves with a clear statement of intent, then it backfired as top officials gave starkly contrasting signals.

Labour agobsmackeda by Tory leader acheerleadinga decision to deport Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed

• UK politics live a latest updates

Labour and the Tories have become embroiled in a war of words after the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, defended Israelas decision to deny two MPs entry into the country and deport them.

The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, criticised the decision to expel the Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, and said he had taken the matter up with the Israeli government.

John Lithgow, Imelda Staunton, Romola Garai and Layton Williams are among the winners at the annual stage awards

• Olivier awards: full list of winners

The play Giant, which portrays childrenas author Roald Dahl amid an outcry about his antisemitism, has triumphed at the Olivier awards on a star-studded night at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

US star John Lithgow took home the best actor prize for his performance as Dahl, Elliot Levey won best supporting actor (for playing publisher Tom Maschler) and Mark Rosenblatt received the award for best new play.

Phone footage contradicts IDF claims vehicles were not using emergency lights when troops opened fire

Israelas military has backtracked on its account of the killing of 15 Palestinian medics in Gaza last month after footage contradicted its claims that their vehicles did not have emergency signals on when Israeli troops opened fire.

The military said initially it opened fire because the vehicles were aadvancing suspiciouslya on nearby troops without headlights or emergency signals. An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations late on Saturday, said that account was amistakena.

The almost seven-minute video, which the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said on Saturday was recovered from the phone of Rifat Radwan, one of the men killed, appears to have been filmed from inside a moving vehicle. It shows a red fire engine and clearly marked ambulances driving at night, using headlights and flashing emergency lights.

Far-right leader tells supporters she is victim of awitch-hunta, while radical left says RNas mask has slipped

aC/ What is Marine Le Pen guilty of in National Rally embezzlement case?

The French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has told supporters in Paris she would fight aa political, not a judicial rulinga that could bar her from the next presidential election, as a rival rally denounced an aexistential threata to the rule of law after her conviction for embezzling public funds.

aThis decision has trampled on everything I hold most dear: my people, my country and my honour,a the figurehead of National Rally (RN) told a crowd of flag-waving supporters as the countryas three main political movements staged events in the Paris.

Emergency crews deploy helicopters to douse flames as blaze reaches Loch Doon after change in wind direction

Emergency services are continuing to battle a wildfire that started in Galloway, south of Scotland, and has spread north into East Ayrshire, forcing the evacuation of walkers and wild campers.

The blaze started in the Newton Stewart area on Friday, then spread northwards over the weekend after a change in wind direction to reach Loch Doon. Residents living nearby were advised to keep windows and doors closed and police told people to avoid the area.

Energoatom CEO, Petro Kotin, says amajor problemsa need to be overcome before it can safely generate power

It would be unsafe for Russia to restart the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant and would take Ukraine up to two years in peacetime if it regained control, the chief executive of the company that runs the vast six-reactor site has said.

Petro Kotin, chief executive of Energoatom, said in an interview there were amajor problemsa to overcome a including insufficient cooling water, personnel and incoming electricity supply a before it could start generating power again safely.

Lawsuit would be first of its kind against police officers, police chiefs and government departments

More than 100 relatives of people who have died after contact with the police in the UK since 1971 have joined plans for a class action lawsuit in pursuit of compensation and justice.

The plan for group legal action was announced at the Peopleas Tribunal on Police Killings, a two-day event in which bereaved families presented evidence to a panel of international experts on how their relatives died and the long-term impact this has had on them.

Just 2% of total penalties paid, raising concerns about agency given new powers to fight economic crime

The UK government agency responsible for overseeing a national register of companies has collected just APS1,250 in fines after being given new powers to crack down on corruption, it has emerged.

Companies House is implementing a series of reforms, amid embarrassing revelations about fraudsters and jokers signing up to the corporate register with names such as aDarth Vadera and aSanta Clausa.

Craig Donaldson challenging ruling by UK regulator, which accused him of misleading investors over APS900m accounting blunder

The former chief executive of Metro Bank says he has been made auntouchablea, advised to move to Australia and even had trouble opening bank accounts after the UK regulator accused him of misleading investors over a APS900m accounting blunder.

Craig Donaldson, who resigned in 2019, told the upper tribunal in London that both his career and personal finances had suffered as a result of the Financial Conduct Authorityas (FCA) 2022 ruling.

British-born painter Sarah A Boardman disputes US presidentas claim that she apurposefully distorteda his image

The British artist called atruly the worsta by the US president, Donald Trump, after he derided a portrait she created of him, has said the criticism called her aintegrity into questiona and is threatening her career.

Sarah A Boardman painted Trumpas official portrait for the Colorado state capitol building in Denver, where it hung for six years from 2019.

Government officials and contractors long controlled spy operations. Now the likes of Musk and Bezos are in control

Just days before Donald Trumpas inauguration in January, Blue Origin, the space company owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, launched its New Glenn rocket, named for John Glenn, the Mercury astronaut who was the first American to orbit the Earth. Around 2am on 16 January, the 30-story rocket powered by seven engines blasted off into the Florida night from Cape Canaveralas historic launch complex 36, which first served as a Nasa launch site in 1962.

The flightas end was marred by a failure to bring the booster rocket back for further use, but the successful launch and orbit still marked a watershed moment for Blue Origin in its bid to compete with SpaceX, the company owned by Elon Musk, for dominance over American spy satellite operations. During the Trump administration, it is likely that both companies will play significant roles in placing spy satellites into Earth orbit, which could mean that the United States intelligence community will be beholden to both Bezos and Musk to handle the single most complex and expensive endeavor in modern espionage.

As his attackers are jailed for eight years, Kashti speaks about resilience, recovery after being targeted in attack

As he lay on the floor of a remote Welsh cottage, having been battered by a gang of masked kidnappers and handcuffed to a radiator pipe, musician and record producer Itay Kashti was heartbroken to imagine he would never see his family again.

aI thought: aThis is it. Iam going to die and this is the end of my story.a I felt it was the final scene from a movie. I was thinking about my children.a

Three detectives involved in the investigation speak of their relief at finally solving the puzzle

DC Beth Colbourne was walking out of Chester crown court when she got the email that brought an end to one of the longest baby death mysteries in recent times. It started: aAre you sitting down?a

As an officer in Cheshire constabularyas major crime review team, Colbourne had been tasked with solving a puzzle that had confounded police for 25 years: who was Baby Callum?

The older you are, the more likely it is that a fall, a knock or just gravity will break bones that have been weakened by osteoporosis. But there are ways to protect yourself a and the earlier you start, the better

Iave broken just one bone in my 61 years a my fibula, the smaller of the two that connect your knee to your ankle. I was skiing, I caught my left foot on some ice and the rest of my body just rotated around it until something snapped. Yeah, ouch. I made a full recovery, but Iad rather not break anything else. I definitely donat want to become so frail that just sneezing or coughing might fracture a rib, or gravity alone could crack my spine.

Like broken hips and wrists, these are all possibilities with the bone disease osteoporosis. In Britain alone, an estimated 3.5 million people live with porous and fragile bones a and one in two women and one in five men over 50 will have a fracture as a result, according to the Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS). The older you are, the more likely you are to be affected.

On Celebheights.com, thousands of users measure the statures of the rich and famous. The methods are scientific and the debates are fiery

As someone brushing up on 6a3a, height is one physical insecurity Iave never agonised over. Instead, itas a source of frustration as I crunch my legs into airplane seats and wait for them to go numb.

Only after discovering Celebheights.com did I truly understand the depth of feeling a both excitement and rage a that height can inspire.

Servings of 250ml and 175ml are becoming rarer in restaurants and bars as customers opt for smaller tastings

It may be a sign of changing tastes, of a health-conscious nation, or yet another example of the cost of living crisis encroaching on our few simple pleasures a but it seems the large glass of wine may soon be a thing of the past.

While a 250ml option used to be commonplace, it is becoming harder to find on the menus of bars and restaurants up and down the country as venues increasingly favour smaller 125ml servings.

Some of the countryas most loved native species, including the koala and the hairy-nosed wombat, are on the brink. Is this their last chance at survival?

• Explore the series a Last chance: the extinction crisis being ignored this election
• Get Guardian Australia environment editor Adam Mortonas Clear Air column as an email

Most parliamentarians might be surprised to learn it, but Australians care about nature. Late last year, the not-for-profit Biodiversity Council commissioned a survey of 3,500 Australians a three times the size of the oft-cited Newspoll and representative of the entire population a to gauge what they thought about the environment. The results tell a striking story at odds with the prevailing political and media debate.

A vast majority of people a 96% a said more action was needed to look after Australiaas natural environment. Nearly two-thirds were between moderately and extremely concerned about the loss of plants and animals around where they live.

Get Guardian Australia environment editor Adam Mortonas Clear Air column as an email

Book highlights performeras wartime contribution and how she used her fame to provide cover and promote equal rights

She was, according to US wartime counter-intelligence officer Lt Paul Jensen, aour No 1 contact in French Moroccoa, supporting the allied mission aat great risk to her own life a and I mean that literally. We would have been quite helpless without her.a

The British intelligence agent Donald Darling had her down as an especially acherished agent of [Charles] de Gaulleas governmenta. Well aware of her importance, the UK foreign intelligence service MI6 called her athe pet lady agenta of the Free French.

When the worldas oldest woman passed away at 117, much was made of her three yoghurts a day diet. But what role does yoghurt actually play in longevity?

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Supercentenarians a humans who live beyond 110 years of age a are objects of great fascination in our death-fearing culture. Interviews with them inevitably demand to know that one simple ingredient that is the secret to their extraordinary longevity; was it a shot of whisky before bedtime, maintaining good friendships, a happy marriage or always having a pet?

In the case of Spainas Maria Branyas Morera a who was the worldas oldest person until she died at the very ripe old age of 117 last year a one possible answer to that question was yoghurt.

Could you be the worldas next worm-charming champion? Or maybe toe wrestling is more your thing? These (real) sports are ripe with joyful eccentricity a but for contestants and supporters, itas serious competition

aThe sheer madness of it is the appeala

As the third season of the social satire draws to its finale, the costumes featured in the series are selling out fast

The third season of The White Lotus finishes on Monday, marking the end of group chats and column inches devoted to the Thai hotel and its super-rich guests.

While some of this chatter has been dedicated to theories of who kills who in the finale, or the alleged fallout between creator Mike White and composer CristA3bal Tapia de Veer, a lot is focused on something else a the fashion.

Blunt and tame, this 196th AManchester derby was a curio that failed to ignite despite the cross-town rivalry. Towards the close, Joshua Zirkzee had the contestas clearest opening: the No 11 swung a boot at Patrick Dorguas cross and connected cleanly but AEderson saved, cat-like, and AManchester City escaped; as they did, also, when a later�penalty shout for Mateo AKovacicas challenge on Casemiro was correctly waved away.

So this finished as a non-event in the sun, with scant incident and only marginally more goalmouth action.

Britainas No 1 starts the clay-court season in buoyant mood after Indian Wells and is now looking to win majors

There is an odd paradox at play when it comes to sport at elite level. Aspiring professionals spend most of their youth dreaming of making it, only to get there and then wonder if they truly belong. Even Roger Federer doubted himself for many years.

It has taken Jack Draper a long time to truly believe he deserves to be considered as one of the worldas best players. Tipped from a young age as a future star, he had obvious talent as a junior but, as with Andy Murray, his body has taken a while to catch up, with a number of injuries interrupting his momentum.

That Liverpool will be deserved a but far from infallible a Premier League title winners has been obvious for some time. There is no need to panic just yet after defeat by the Thames. Collecting silverware while requiring further growth and repair can be taken as a positive sign.

Fulham, with the brilliant Alex Iwobi turning on the style, showed top-tier English football is full of quality, that laurels can never be rested on. Just about everyone has a Amaverick talent who on his day can take apart the best.

• Juric: aFor me this is something completely newa
• Ange Postecoglou focusing on Europa League

When the final whistle went, Ivan Juric advanced on to the pitch and stared across at the corner where the away fans were gathered. Southampton had just suffered the earliest relegation in Premier League history, with seven games still remaining, but there was no bitterness. Juric, who seemed almost moved by their reaction, ensured his players applauded them.

aFor me, this is something completely new, a new experience,a Juric said. aI said to the players they have to be really thankful that they have fans like this.

• Last 16: Toulouse 38-15 Sale
• Stricken army captain was dangling 30 metres up

As the great entertainers, it is rare that Toulouse are upstaged by the pre-match pageantry but it is not every day a paratrooper attempting to land on the pitch gets snagged on the stadium roof and suspended in midair for half an hour. As it was, the paratrooper in question was rescued by the fire brigade a and you suspect pre-match protocols may be changed in the future a before Toulouse dug in to beat a dogged Sale side, who return home with heads held high.

The Sharksa defeat, though, capped a miserable weekend for the Premiership clubs and for the first time since 2019 there will be just one representative a Northampton a in the last eight. As far as Englandas British�&�Irish Lions hopefuls are concerned, it has not been a great weekend either and Andy Farrell will anxiously await news of Tom Curryas wrist injury even if Saleas director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, is hopeful the flanker has avoided a fracture.

• Brighton player earns first call-up in Nations League
• Chloe Kelly also out of England squad with injury

The in-form Arsenal striker has been forced to withdraw from the England squad because of injury before their Womenas Nations League fixture away against Belgium on Tuesday.

In her place the Brighton striker Michelle Agyemang, on loan from Arsenal, has been added to the squad, the 19-year-old receiving a senior call-up for the first time.

• Dutchman led from pole to win fourth Japanese GP
• McLaren duo Norris and Piastri finish second, third

While it may have been short on thrills, the Japanese Grand Prix was at the very least a demonstration of intent from Max Verstappen. AFormula One might prefer the spectacle and drama but it is all a bagatelle to AVerstappen in his pursuit of a fifth consecutive world title.

His victory at Suzuka, ground out with a relentless series of controlled laps while hounded to the flag by the two McLarens, was a pointed reminder that the Dutchman will not go quietly into the night. At the close he had beaten Lando Norris and�Oscar Piastri into second and third by just over a second. They had been on his tail throughout, ready to pounce on any moment of weakness at a track that punishes the smallest errors. There were none.

• Slovenian takes title in style after 19km solo attack
• Lotte Kopecky makes history and adds to previous wins

Tadej Pogacar denied Mathieu van der Poel a record fourth Tour of Flanders title when the Slovenian won the second Monument of the season in Belgium for the second time in his career on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Pogacar, who skipped the 2024 edition to focus on a Giro daItalia-Tour de France double, had won the Tour of Flanders in 2023. Second in the 268.9-km race, which started in Markt in Bruges and concluded in Minderbroedersstraat in Oudenaarde, was the Dane, Mads Pedersen with Belgium-born Van der Poel coming third to complete the podium. Home heros Wout Van Aert and Jasper Stuyven rounded up the top five.

For many of us, the United States means music, progress, hope. Whatever their president does, plenty of Americans continue to believe in those too

It seems as inevitable as the economic chaos let loose by Donald Trumpas mad avalanche of tariffs: a precipitous drop in the number of tourists visiting the US, which is now forecast to be even worse than initially feared. In February, overseas travel to the country was down by 5% compared with the previous year a and, now, reputable forecasters are predicting a drop of nearly twice that size.

We all know why. Trumpas hostile words about Canada and Mexico have hit the USas top two markets for tourism. Finnish, German and Danish transgender and non-binary people have been advised by their governments to contact a US diplomatic mission before travelling there. Note also a trickle of reports about outsiders falling foul of the cruel stringency apparently now gripping the American authorities: a 28-year-old woman from north Wales held for 19 days in a detention centre and escorted on to her plane home in chains; the French scientist who was summarily denied entry into the US after his phone was found to contain messages criticising the president. Those stories intensify the Trump administrationas general air of brutality and belligerence, which also brings familiar fears to the surface: of guns, politicised thuggery and a country in a frighteningly volatile state. The result is the sudden understanding of the US as somewhere that may be best unvisited a which, for millions of people, brings on a very painful pang of loss.

The blue-and-purple hoop is supposedly there to answer questions that arise in chats, but itas a slippery slope from providing bus times to annihilating the human race

There are five stages of grief, but only two stages of discovering the little Meta AI circle on your WhatsApp screen. Fear, then fury.

When I first saw the small blue-and-purple hoop last week, I was terrified that it meant I was now livestreaming my life to the entire metaverse, something I presumed I had agreed to when accepting but (of course) not reading the terms and conditions. As the saying goes, if�youare not paying for the product, you are the product.

Instead of standing up to Trump, the PM is encouraging people who want to destroy our values to come and do it in our country at reduced tax rates

On 1 April, the TV comedian John Richardsons, who you will have seen on many panel shows, announced he was becoming a teacher, having already completed the training in secret. I was humbled by Richardsonsas decision to do something genuinely worthwhile and by his foolhardy bravery. How would he control a class of teenagers pre-armed with clips of him clowning around with Russell Brand on The Great Celebrity Bake Off?

But it turned out Richardsonsas story was merely an April fool prank. Daoh! The fact that the inspiring tale wasnat true left me deeply saddened, like the time I wept when my mum finally told me Father Christmas hadnat been eating the mince pies Iad made for him. I was 28 years old.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a letter of up to 250 words to be considered for publication, email it to us at observer.letters@observer.co.uk

The TSSA tried to prevent former female employees from making allegations of sexual harassment

Unions exist first and foremost to protect employee rights, and there are many examples of where theyave done that well. But it turns out unions donat always make for the best, or even adequate, employers themselves.

In last weekas parliamentary debate on the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) by employers to cover up abuse and discrimination in the workplace, Labour MP Louise Haigh recounted how unions have used confidentiality agreements to hush up appalling behaviour.

Garment workers in countries such as Cambodia among those who fear they will lose pay cheques if companies move production elsewhere

aThis is very messed up. If Trump wants Cambodia to import more American goods: look, we are just a very small country!a

Khun Tharo works to promote human rights in the Cambodian garment sector, which employs about 1 million people a many of them women.

I get why wedding DJs are increasingly discerning. Our job is to spread joy on the dancefloor a not upset and division

I have DJed at some impressively esoteric weddings in my time. I started playing clubs in 1999, but in the mid-2000s I started advertising myself as a wedding DJ on the era-defining digital noticeboard Gumtree. One heroic couple only wanted the music of abrasive Manchester geniuses the Fall for the entirety of their nuptials. Another sweet couple wanted to evoke the night they met at 5am at the London gay club Fire a so hired me to bang out punishing hard house from 5pm in a hotel function room.

From experience, people who hire wedding DJs are usually fairly clear about what they like. They may provide a short list of songs they love, usually across a few genres, and trust a DJ to fill in the gaps. Itas rarer that people are clear what they explicitly donat like.

The US vice-presidentas avid concern for Livia Tossici-Boltas conviction is plain sinister

You know the feeling: youare feeling sociable, why wouldnat you make a sign saying aHere to talk, if you want toa, and head for a spot outside the nearest abortion clinic? And why wouldnat some of its arriving patients want to pause before their appointments and satisfy your entirely innocent interest in their reproductive intentions?

This, give or take, amounted to the case by the prominent anti-abortion campaigner, Livia Tossici-Bolt, who was on Friday found guilty of twice breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). Her sign-holding outside a Bournemouth abortion clinic was, she had argued, not covered by a council-imposed safe zone, being aa mere invitation to speaka. And thus an invitation she could have happily extended to strangers just a little further from the clinic. But that did not suit Tossici-Boltas purpose. Nor does anything prevent her from staging anti-abortion rallies, distributing literature, or expressing her views on abortion anywhere except right in abortion patientsa faces outside clinics. These details, although similar regulations exist in parts of the US, routinely fail to surface in accounts by her prominent US supporters, with whose help Tossici-Bolt has been misrepresenting the illegal undermining of UK womenas reproductive rights as a noble quest for free speech.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a letter of up to 250 words to be considered for publication, email it to us at observer.letters@observer.co.uk

The justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, should reject false, inflammatory rhetoric and focus on the real issues

Courts knowing more about the people they are sentencing is a good thing. Last monthas attack by the shadow justice secretary, Robert Jenrick, on guidelines recommending that individuals from ethnic and religious minorities, as well as women and young adults, should have pre-sentence reports written about them, typifies the corrosive cultural politics he specialises in.

Mr Jenrick wants to undermine the independence of�the judiciary by changing the law so that the secretary of state, and not the 14-member Sentencing Council for England and Wales, has the final say. The guidelines have now been paused, after the government introduced legislation that would make parts of them illegal.

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.

Russiaas military threat and the juntaas war in Myanmar have undermined the international treaty against them

Eleven years ago, members of the Ottawa treaty banning the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of antipersonnel mines agreed a deadline for�completing their obligations: 2025.

The ambitious timeline reflected the immense progress made since the pact was signed in 1997. Back�then, 25,000 people were killed or injured each year by�landmines; by 2013, that number had fallen to 3,300. Tens of millions of mines have been destroyed, and by last year, 164 countries had committed themselves to the agreement.

Money-making potential | Cost of living alphabet | Antisocial cats | The value of bin collectors | Manspreading

After Donald Trump raised a range of tariffs, the US stock market tanked (Report, 4 April). If Trump rescinded these, within weeks the stock market would bounce back. Wouldnat it be interesting to know in advance when that was going to�happen? Somebody could make�a great deal of money.
John Kinder
Romsey, Hampshire

aC/ In the past, we referred to the ABC of the cost of living crisis: Austerity, Brexit, Covid. Now, it seems, we have to add D for Donald and E for Elon. I donat want to think about what F might stand for.
Ruth Eversley
Paulton, Somerset

Creativity has always atraineda on the work of others, says Andrew Vincent

Authors say they are angry that Meta�has used their material to train its artificial intelligence (Authors call for UK government to hold Meta accountable for copyright infringement, 31 March). But hasnat that been going on for thousands of years? Isnat all human thought an iteration of what has gone before? Artists and scientists have been mining the work of others for generations; thatas how human thought evolves.

Ian McEwan was influenced by LP Hartleyas The Go-Between. George Orwellas Nighteen Eighty-Four was inspired by Yevgeny Zamyatinas We. Did Richard Osman invent the genre of cosy crime? The publishing industry as a whole is guilty of putting out bandwagon books, which ape the style, themes and tropes of a hit.

The film, combined with The Little Mermaid, created more carbon emissions than some major airports do in a year

At a screening of the new Snow White movie in London last month, influencers walked through an artificial fairytale forest, complete with a full-size thatched cottage filled with models of furry animals. In the US, Disney paraded an actual bunny in a brown knitted jumper down the red carpet at the filmas Hollywood premiere.

But the filmas theme of being at one with nature seems not to have extended to the real-life environment, with company documents showing the making of Snow White generated more greenhouse gas emissions in the UK than the latest Fast & Furious film, despite the latteras reliance on an array of gas-guzzling cars.

Defence officials believe Trident nuclear fleet is latest target in Putinas agreyzonea war with the UK

Britain is abehind the curvea in tracking Russiaas deep-sea operations, an ex-minister has said, after spy sensors targeting Royal Navy submarines were found in waters around the UK.

Tobias Ellwood, a former defence and Foreign Office minister, called for a huge expansion of the navyas surveillance capability after it was revealed that a number of Kremlin spy devices had been seized by the military.

Move comes after Keir Starmer tells cabinet to stop aoutsourcinga decisions to regulators

• UK politics live a latest updates

Ministers could introduce legislation to abolish a swathe of quangos in one go as part of the UK governmentas plans to restructure the state and cut thousands more civil service job cuts, the Guardian understands.

Government sources said they were considering a bill that would speed up the reorganisation of more than 300 armas-length organisations that between them spend about APS353bn of public money.

Death of 15-year-old whose body was found in Beckenham Place Park on Friday is not being treated as suspicious

A 15-year-old boy who died after getting into difficulty in a lake in south-east London has been named by police.

Izaiah Smith, whose body was recovered from the lake on Friday night, was named by the Metropolitan police on Sunday. Officers said that though his death was unexpected, it was not believed to be suspicious.

Peter Reynolds, 79, detained with his wife, Barbie, since February, says prison is anearest thing to hell I can imaginea

A Briton held captive by the Taliban for more than nine weeks has said he is living in dire conditions in a prison in Kabul, describing it as athe nearest thing to hell I can imaginea.

In a recording of a phone call from Pul-e-Charkhi prison, Peter Reynolds, 79, also spoke of his fears for the safety of his wife, Barbie, who is being held in the womenas section of the the maximum-security jail.

My husband, Marshall Stewart, who has died aged 88, worked in broadcasting for 50 years, first within BBC radio and then in independent TV and radio.

In 1970 he took over as editor of the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, transforming it from what its presenter Jack de Manio had described as a alighthearted miscellanya into a hard-hitting current affairs programme, and introducing the acerbic Robert Robinson as a co-presenter with John Timpson.

Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh women say bill has ainsufficient safeguardsa to protect those who are vulnerable

The legalisation of assisted dying in England and Wales could create aa new tool to harm vulnerable womena, particularly those subject to domestic violence and coercive control, say female faith leaders from different traditions.

More than 100 women from Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Sikh groups have warned in an open letter that the terminally ill adults bill has ainsufficient safeguards to protect some of the most marginalised in society, particularly women subjected to gender-based violence and abuse by a partnera.

In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Womenas Aid. In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org

Unions urge energy giant EDF to take action as concerns mount over health of construction staff

Workers building the troubled Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor in Somerset have raised concerns that the construction site is overrun by rats.

The Unite and GMB trade unions are understood to have warned the developer, the French energy giant EDF, that urgent action is needed because the rodents are aeverywherea.

Survey says queues outside emergency departments are leading to acar park carea and fatalities

Paramedics across England are watching patients die in the back of ambulances because of delays outside emergency departments, according to a survey by Unison.

The gridlock of patients in some of the countryas hospitals has led to queues of up to 20 ambulances outside casualty departments in certain areas. In a number of cases, crews have been forced to wait more than 12 hours before handing over patients.

Internal investigation cleared the national security adviser Mike Waltz, but the mistake was months in the making

Donald Trumpas national security adviser Mike Waltz included a journalist in the Signal group chat about plans for US strikes in Yemen after he mistakenly saved his number months before under the contact of someone else he intended to add, according to three people briefed on the matter.

The mistake was one of several missteps that came to light in the White Houseas internal investigation, which showed a series of compounding slips that started during the 2024 campaign and went unnoticed until Waltz created the group chat last month.

Visit would make Israelas president the first foreign leader to travel to Washington in attempt to negotiate a better deal

Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a last-minute visit to Washington to meet with Donald Trump, where the Israeli leader is expected to discuss Iran, the war in Gaza, and tariffs with the US president.

The Washington visit, Netanyahuas second since Trump was inaugurated in January, comes after the resumption of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, and underlines the strong relationship between the two men.

Power and gas shut off in regions as flooding worsens, threatening waterlogged and badly damaged communities

After days of intense rain and wind killed at least 18 people in the US south and midwest, rivers rose and flooding worsened on Sunday in those regions, threatening waterlogged and badly damaged communities.

Utility companies scrambled to shut off power and gas from Texas to Ohio while cities closed roads and deployed sandbags to protect homes and businesses.

Pam Bondi, Trump loyalist and top law enforcement official, expresses skepticism about recent third-term talk

Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, has expressed skepticism about the idea of Donald Trump serving a third term in the White House, saying that when her bossas current presidency ends on 20 January 2029, he is probably agoing to be finisheda.

Bondias comments come just a week after Trump gave his most blunt indication yet that he was seriously considering trying for a third term to follow up ones that began in 2017 and this past January a despite the clear prohibition against doing so enshrined in the US constitution.

It would be silly *not* to buy this TikTok-famous $6 rollerball just to try out the oh-so-delicious scent for yourself.

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Your "no gatekeeping" policy is about to be tested by how much you love the new Laneige "Strawberry Sprinkles" lip serum and this Tree Hut "Lotus Water" scent that"s already selling out.

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Once you hit a certain decade, the siren calls of these hidden noise-dampening earplugs and a FridgeTok-famous "DeliKeeper" are too loud to resist.

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"Reacting calmly to someone else being aggressive. In situations that could have turned into unnecessary confrontation with others, even physical, itas very valuable to trust that someone is not gonna be easily provoked a and will actually help de-escalate a situation."

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An electric scrubber, a desk fan, and a satin pillowcase to take the edge off.

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Your friends will catch you sporting Cartier, Gucci, and Chanel... or at least that"s what they"ll *think*. d

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Products that"ll make you laugh and prevent some stress = don"t mind if I do.

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With days to go until the finale, we"ve rounded up all of the mysteries that remain unsolved.

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"Where. Is. The. Lube?"

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Those weird body issues you thought were utterly hopeless are about to become a lot more manageable.

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"Americans are sleeping on this condiment for fries; I know that much..."

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"The risk of permanent injury or death is just not worth it."

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"I thought it was funny."

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If you"ve ever felt personally victimized by too-tight jeans, you"ll want this flowy maxi dress to frolic in.

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"I lost my husband almost six years ago when I was 25. I have yet to have one single real date. I kissed someone, and the guilt was overwhelming. Death doesn"t end love."

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Packable picks for handling their non-existent attention spans, hyper-specific sleep needs, and constant desire for snacks.

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Get everything in and outside of your home ready for spring.

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This $4 Lottabody mousse will have your curls defying gravity so well you"d think Elphaba worked her magic on your locks.

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Can"t really blame them.

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"You know you"ve nailed a role when most of the world knows you by your character"s name, not your real name."

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Outside is nice and all, but inside has this gooorrgeous ~floating~ plant terrarium and these yummy floral cocktail syrups dd,.

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Gear up and get outside. You"ve got this.

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"Realizing that living a small, quiet life is the ultimate luxury afforded to few, and to embrace it. It is the best."

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Tough toenails, right there.

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This marble cheese slicer is so beautiful that wine and cheese nights will feel like you"re at the Louvre.

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Some of these really made me giggle.

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"The stuff horror films are made of."

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"You would think the poverty in which he grew up would give him some empathy, but instead it did the opposite."

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Low-stake additions to your life that will keep you entertained this spring.

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Don"t be surprised when your friends start calling you ~doctor~ and coming to you for product recommendations.

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Get your synapses snappin"!

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Winter is finally over. Now, let"s enjoy every warm day outside to the fullest.

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These things can help prevent children from growing up with a sense of entitlement.

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A stain remover that parents swear by, a skincare oil one reviewer says "must be made of pixie dust," and 39 other things you won"t regret trying.

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Smells are like time travel for the senses a fast, emotional, and completely unexpected!

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"From a person who has cooked for 30+ years, I can say is one of the best items I have ever had in my kitchen." aa reviewer of the TikTok-famous veggie chopper

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Cut to everyone thinking you own a pair of Miu Miu sunglasses and a rainbow of Lululemon Align tops when you secretly bought lookalikes for a fraction of the price.

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I have a lot of questions about where, exactly, that arrowhead came from.

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Prepare to be *obsessed* with your living space.

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Millions took to the streets worldwide on Saturday to protest Donald Trump and Elon Muskas policies

Charles to become first British sovereign to address both houses of the Italian parliament

Singer remains under medical supervision due to high-risk pregnancy condition

Protein is a must-have but that doesnat mean itas a more-is-better situation, Nick Fuller writes

Initial signs can include stiffness, losing your sense of smell and smaller handwriting

From communal creches to single dads, humans can learn a lot from animals

Experts say not all cholesterol is bad; in fact, your body needs it for various functions

aI canat just go out on a week night to a pub to meet someone,a presenter said

Customers should contact Walkeras Wine Juice to determine how to dispose of the juice

Brittany Balinski uses TikTok to talk about the aversatilitya of wool

The brideas TikTok received over 29 million views

aYou can reset and start from zero,a presenter said

aHeall never lose 2 truths and a lie,a one person joked in the comments section

Thompson is the longest-serving cast member on aSaturday Night Livea

Hanks was married to Susan Dillingham from 1978 to 1987

The breakout star of aWhite Lotusa season three has instantly won hearts with her Manchester accent and happy-go-lucky charm. But itas her refreshingly real face that makes her a true role model for the rest of us, argues Helen Coffey

Shoppers ave been expressing concern after itemas lengthy absence

Obama opened up about recent struggle in surprise admission

From fabulous florals to showstopping fascinators, the best dressed from Ladies Day 2025

Why cleansing matters, as a new study reveals one in five Brits donat wash their face every day

Keep yourself fit and healthy by addressing these common habits and thought processes

Faked deaths. Fat-shaming. Stolen design patterns. How did an ostensibly wholesome pastime become a hotbed of feuds and conflict? Newfound knitter Kate Ng digs into the strange world of aKnitToka and beyond

Overcooked lamb, dry chicken, pork with no crackle a the Easter roast can be a battlefield. Hereas how to nail every joint, every time, with timings that actually work and tips that donat involve guesswork or blind hope