Charlie Moloney

Nigel Farage is facing allegations that longtime aide George Cottrell funded staff, security and housing connected to his political operation without the benefits being declared. The Liberal Democrats have asked parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg to investigate, while Farage says he followed the rules and describes the reporting as an establishment attack. Reform UK argues that the support was provided by a personal friend before Farage became an MP and therefore did not require declaration. The allegations are separate from Greenberg’s investigation into a £5m gift from crypto entrepreneur Christopher Harborne, which Farage has variously described as personal security funding and a reward for his Brexit campaigning. A serious finding could lead to sanctions, including suspension from the Commons and potentially a recall petition in Clacton.

A 22-year-old experienced skydiver died after a parachuting incident near Langar airfield in Nottinghamshire. Emergency services found her in a nearby field and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Skydive Langar expressed condolences and is cooperating with police. Authorities confirmed an investigation is under way, and the coroner will review the case. Fire and rescue teams also assisted at the site, which hosts the UK’s busiest civilian skydiving center.

A suspected makeshift or parcel bomb exploded in the lobby of a residential building in Monaco near the French border, injuring three people. Two adults were reportedly in critical or life-threatening condition and a 13-year-old suffered less serious injuries. CCTV allegedly showed a man leaving a backpack before fleeing on foot toward France, prompting a police hunt. Officials said the blast was very likely an attack, but no motive or target had been established.

Garfield AI helped freelance HR consultant Tamires Camal Taquidir pursue a £7,000 unpaid-debt claim for about £400, preparing the legal work, witness statements and court documents before a human barrister represented her at trial. Wandsworth County Court ruled in Taquidir’s favour, in what is believed to be the first English trial won with assistance from an AI lawyer. Garfield co-founder Philip Young described the result as a landmark for access to justice, while barrister Dominic Li stressed that courtroom advocacy remained fundamentally human. The case comes amid concern over AI-related legal errors, including Pinsent Masons’ referral to the regulator after relying on inaccurate internal AI search results.

The UK government is proposing to update its nutrient profiling model so that naturally occurring free sugars are included alongside refined sugar when determining whether foods are high in fat, salt or sugar. The change could classify bran flakes and other fibre-rich breakfast cereals as less healthy, potentially restricting their advertising and promotion. Kellanova managing director Dean O’Brien argues that the reforms could undo years of sugar and salt reduction, while the government says the 20-year-old rules no longer reflect dietary advice and that the new model would encourage higher-fibre diets. Earlier Which? research found that several cereals marketed as healthy contained substantial amounts of sugar.

One Stop dismissed 56-year-old worker Eileen Fox after she confronted a woman suspected of stealing bacon at a store in Bootle, Merseyside. Fox said she grabbed the woman’s sleeve and that the suspect collided with a metal stand, while a One Stop letter described the incident as following and slamming the woman into the stand. The company said staff must not put themselves at risk and should follow its safety training. Fox’s dismissal comes amid wider criticism of Waitrose and Morrisons for disciplining employees who intervened against shoplifters.

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was detained at Heathrow under section 3 of the Counter-Terrorism Border Security Act 2019, and police seized his iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phone. The reason for the stop was not disclosed, while Robinson's spokesperson described it as an attack on free speech and investigative journalism. The detention followed Robinson's increased social-media prominence amid racial tensions linked to the death of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in police custody in Southampton, protests that injured 13 officers and a police dog, and the circulation of footage from a suspected attempted murder in Belfast. Robinson had previously been cleared of a terror charge after refusing to provide access to his phone during a 2024 stop at the Channel Tunnel.

Rosamund Pike remained professional when a phone alarm rang for more than a minute during a performance of Inter Alia at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre. The incident followed her earlier reprimand of an audience member for texting during the play, renewing concerns about mobile-phone use and audience etiquette in theatres. Theatre staff described such disruptions as difficult to prevent, while examples involving Lesley Manville, Cynthia Erivo and Andrew Scott show that performers are increasingly challenging inappropriate audience behavior.

Labour culture secretary Lisa Nandy dismissed speculation that Keir Starmer will soon face a leadership challenge, calling it “froth and nonsense” and saying no formal challenge has been launched. The speculation has intensified after poor local-election results and the resignations of ministers, with Wes Streeting openly setting out a platform involving closer relations with the EU and possible eventual re-entry, while Andy Burnham prepares to seek a parliamentary return through the Makerfield by-election. Nandy backed Burnham’s national role but urged Labour to focus on delivering change rather than Westminster personality politics. The live coverage also reported criticism of Starmer’s approach to online child sexual abuse, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s defence of her party’s election performance and Brexit stance, and her condemnation of racist comments linked to a Reform candidate.

Keir Starmer’s leadership came under acute pressure after more than 70 Labour MPs publicly called for his resignation following crushing local election defeats and a speech intended to stabilise his position. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood were reported to have urged an orderly transition, while John Healey and David Lammy discussed a responsible approach to what might follow. Other ministers defended Starmer, who said he would fight any challenge and promised a new direction, stronger links with the EU and legislation to nationalise British Steel. Several ministerial aides and MPs resigned or called for his departure, while Angela Rayner backed Andy Burnham’s return to parliament and potential leadership role. No formal challenge had yet emerged, but the scale of opposition signalled a major crisis for Starmer and the Labour government.

The live coverage reports a sharp deterioration in the Iran ceasefire after the United States launched “Project Freedom” to escort commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The US military said it sank six Iranian small boats and intercepted missiles and drones, while Iran denied the claims and threatened to attack approaching US naval vessels. The UAE reported Iranian missile and drone attacks, including damage and injuries at Fujairah’s oil hub, prompting Saudi Arabia and the UK to call for de-escalation and diplomacy. A fire aboard the South Korean-operated HMM Namu was extinguished without reported casualties, although its cause remained under investigation. Japan reportedly received its first Russian crude shipment since the war disrupted Middle Eastern supplies, highlighting the energy crisis and Tokyo’s efforts to diversify imports. Financial markets weakened, oil prices remained elevated, and the IMF warned that a prolonged conflict could bring substantially worse global economic conditions, including oil prices near $125 a barrel and renewed inflation.

Two people, a 46-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, were arrested in Romford on suspicion of arson following a suspected attack near a memorial wall in Golders Green. Counter-terrorism police are investigating, although the incident is not being treated as terrorism, and the memorial wall itself was not damaged. The arrests form part of wider investigations into attacks on Jewish-linked premises in north-west London, including the torching of Hatzola ambulances. Police said 30 people had been arrested and nine charged across the related investigations, as the national threat level remains severe.

A Peter Kay performance at Utilita Arena Birmingham was halted and the venue evacuated after a report of a suspicious bag. Police searches found nothing suspicious, but Omar Majed, 19, of Washwood Heath, was charged with false communications relating to a bomb hoax and remanded to appear before magistrates in Birmingham on 4 May. Audience members were safely evacuated, and the arena said ticket holders would be contacted.

A drive-by shooting on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton left four people hospitalized, including a 25-year-old man with life-threatening injuries. The Metropolitan Police described the incident as an act of indiscriminate violence and said no arrests had been made. Detectives are working to identify those responsible, while police increase their presence locally and appeal for witnesses, footage and information.

A chronological account traces Prince Andrew’s military and royal career, his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, Virginia Giuffre’s allegations of sexual assault, and the legal and reputational consequences that followed. Andrew denied the allegations, but his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview intensified public criticism, leading him to step back from public duties. After a New York judge allowed Giuffre’s civil lawsuit to proceed, Andrew reached a settlement in principle in February 2022 that included a substantial charitable donation and recognition that Giuffre was an established victim of abuse. Later developments included disputed evidence, unsealed court documents, controversy over Andrew’s relationship with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, Giuffre’s death in 2025, and the removal of Andrew’s royal titles, honours and lease on Royal Lodge.

The Justice Department began releasing a long-awaited cache of Jeffrey Epstein files but said it would not disclose the entire collection by the legal deadline, prompting Democrats and some Republicans to accuse the Trump administration of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The coverage reviews earlier releases involving Epstein, Donald Trump and other prominent figures, while noting that photographs do not by themselves establish wrongdoing. Other developments included Trump’s announcement of drug-price agreements with nine pharmaceutical companies, pressure on unaccompanied children to return to their countries, threats against a convicted Wisconsin judge, possible unsealing of Ken Paxton’s divorce records, continued US pressure on Venezuela, stalled Russia-Ukraine peace efforts, another failed Pentagon audit and a public clash between Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson at a conservative youth conference.

EU leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a €90bn loan to meet urgent financial and defence needs, but abandoned the preferred plan to secure it against frozen Russian central-bank assets because of legal and retaliation concerns raised by Belgium. Instead, the bloc will use unallocated EU budget funds as collateral for collective borrowing, with Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic opting out of the costs. Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the decision as a signal of European unity, while Donald Tusk said Poland’s security depended on Ukraine’s resistance to Russia. Vladimir Putin maintained Russia’s hardline war aims, rejected the assets-backed proposal as “robbery,” and blamed Ukraine and the west for the lack of a peace deal. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations had made progress but that the hardest issues remained unresolved.

A gun attack targeting a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 11 people, including London-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, while a gunman was killed and a second was wounded and arrested. Nearly 30 victims, including two police officers, were taken to hospitals, and suspicious devices were found. A bystander who tackled one shooter was praised for potentially saving lives. Australian authorities classified the incident as terrorism, promised a full inquiry and faced calls for stronger gun-control and antisemitism measures. Leaders in Australia and abroad condemned the attack, while police increased security around Jewish communities in the UK.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said victims of rape and sexual offences face a postcode lottery because police responses vary significantly between areas, with up to half of officers on specialist squads reportedly still trainees. The government plans to establish specialist violence-against-women-and-girls teams in every police force and publish a new strategy. The live coverage also reports warnings that proposed limits on magistrates’ court appeals and jury trials could undermine justice, criticism of Department for Work and Pensions failures in the carer’s allowance scandal, plans for a gay-conversion-therapy bill, and tensions over NHS resident-doctor strikes during a serious flu outbreak. Andy Burnham rejected reports that he is preparing a Labour leadership challenge, while Keir Starmer expressed condolences after a shooting in Australia.

The Guardian’s live coverage reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Operation Southern Spear, an anti-drug military mission with few details, prompting fears that the Trump administration may be preparing strikes against Venezuela. The administration also revoked limits on oil drilling in Alaska, faced a lawsuit over California’s redistricting maps, and reopened the federal government after a record shutdown. Much of the political focus centered on newly released Jeffrey Epstein emails and allegations concerning Donald Trump, which the White House dismissed as a Democratic distraction. The coverage also details lawsuits against Bank of America and BNY Mellon over their alleged dealings with Epstein, Pentagon concerns about transferring F-35 technology to Saudi Arabia, the BBC’s apology to Trump over a Panorama edit, and legal challenges involving James Comey, Letitia James and other perceived Trump opponents.