No 10 asked Foreign Office to find job for senior Starmer aide, says Olly Robbins 21. April 2026 (11:40) Ex-civil servant says he was asked to find diplomatic role for Matthew Doyle, who was later suspended from LabourUK politics live – latest updatesDowning Street asked the Foreign Office to find a senior diplomatic role for Keir Starmer’s then communications chief, Matthew Doyle, the department’s former lead civil servant has revealed.Testifying to MPs at parliament’s foreign affairs select committee on Tuesday, Olly Robbins said he had several conversations with No 10 about finding a role for Doyle, who was later suspended as a Labour peer after it emerged he had campaigned for a friend charged with possessing indecent images of children. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US ‘restricts intelligence sharing with South Korea’ after minister identified suspected nuclear site 21. April 2026 (11:26) Washington reportedly limits satellite data after minister spoke publicly about suspected facility in North KoreaThe US has partly restricted intelligence sharing with South Korea after the country’s unification minister publicly identified a suspected North Korean nuclear site, according to reports in South Korean media.Chung Dong-young told lawmakers in March that North Korea was operating uranium enrichment facilities in Kusong, a north-western area that had not previously been officially confirmed as a nuclear site alongside the known facilities at Yongbyon and Kangson. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sam Neill says New Zealand goldmine supporters have threatened him with violence 21. April 2026 (11:25) Actor says his opposition to South Island development near his farm has led to personal abuseThe actor Sam Neill says he has received threats of violence from supporters of a controversial goldmine that could be opened several kilometres away from his farm in New Zealand’s Central Otago district, after he publicly objected to the New Zealand government’s plans to fast-track the mine.The Australian mining company Santana Minerals is pushing to expedite a 85-hectare (210-acre) open-cast goldmine, called Bendigo-Ophir in the Dunstan mountains, an area dubbed “outstanding natural landscape” by the Central Otago district council. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Minnesota boy fighting for life after rescuing younger brother from creek 21. April 2026 (11:00) Ashkan Thibodeaux, five years old, saved his kid brother Wyatt after he fell into ‘icy water’ of creek they were exploringSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA five-year-old Minnesota boy reportedly jumped into frigid water after his younger brother fell in on Easter Sunday to successfully rescue him – and has subsequently had to fight for his life at a hospital, a battle in which he is making steady progress, according to his family.Ashkan Thibodeaux’s story, which has captured widespread attention in corners of the internet dedicated to spotlighting remarkable displays of bravery, began with exploring a creek in Minnesota’s Itasca county alongside his kid brother, Wyatt, on 5 April, his family and their supporters say. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Guardian owner heralds next phase in Legacies of Enslavement restorative justice plan 21. April 2026 (11:00) Scott Trust identifies priorities for communities in Jamaica and US Sea Islands with plans to allocate millions of poundsWe asked what repairing the harm of enslavement would look like. This is what we foundThe owner of the Guardian has announced the next phase of its 10-year restorative justice plan to address and atone for the news organisation’s historical links to transatlantic enslavement.The Scott Trust launched the Legacies of Enslavement programme in 2023, acknowledging that the founder of the Manchester Guardian, and his backers, profited from the enslavement of African people in Jamaica and the US. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Experts call for restrictions on pet flea treatments that harm UK songbirds 21. April 2026 (11:00) Chemicals known to affect brains of common garden birds, and to kill unborn chicks, found in most feather samplesConservationists have called for restrictions on pet flea treatments after research found songbird feathers widely contaminated with substances that can damage the birds’ brains and kill unborn chicks.Almost every feather sample tested from five common species of UK garden birds contained either permethrin, imidacloprid or fipronil – all insecticides that are banned for agricultural use but still common in pet tick and flea treatments. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Teenager charged with arson after attack on synagogue in London 21. April 2026 (10:55) Boy, 17, charged after footage showed bottle of liquid set alight and thrown through window of Kenton united synagogue in HarrowA 17-year-old boy has been charged with arson after an attack on a synagogue in north-west London.The teenager, a British national from Brent, north-west London, who has not been named because of his age, is due to appear at Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Rebel Wilson labelled ‘nuts’ by PR team she allegedly hired to attack colleague, court hears 21. April 2026 (10:19) Wilson is being sued for defamation by actor Charlotte MacInnes over social media posts alleging a sexual harassment complaintGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRebel Wilson was labelled “nuts” by a PR team she allegedly hired to create websites attacking a co-producer of her directorial debut, a court has heard.The Pitch Perfect actor directed, co-produced and acted in The Deb, a musical comedy set in rural NSW that remained unreleased for two years due to legal disputes. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘The witches are back’: first look at Practical Magic 2 as Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return for spooky sequel 21. April 2026 (10:11) The Kissing Booth’s Joey King and Game Of Thrones’ Maisie Williams star alongside the original cast members as the next generation of the cursed Owens familyGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailThe midnight margaritas are officially back on the menu. Within 24 hours of its debut, the first official teaser for Practical Magic 2 has surged into the Google Trends top 10, attracting millions of views and signalling an enthusiastic appetite for the return of the Owens family and all things witchy.Academy Award winners Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman will return as sisters Sally and Gillian, with Kidman sharing a video of her and her fellow star on set last year, captioned: “The witches are back”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Music executive behind K-pop group BTS faces arrest in South Korea 21. April 2026 (09:04) Police seek warrant for Bang Si-Hyuk over allegations he illegally gained millions in investor fraud schemeSouth Korean police said on Tuesday they were seeking to arrest Bang Si-Hyuk, the chair of the agency behind the K-pop band BTS, as they expand an investigation into allegations that he illegally gained more than $100m (£74m) in an investor fraud scheme.The Seoul metropolitan police agency confirmed it had asked prosecutors to request a court warrant for arresting Bang, founder and chair of HYBE. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
