British crypto billionaire Ben Delo says he has given £4m to Reform UK 08. April 2026 (21:32) Delo, pardoned by Trump after violating US banking law, describes himself as champion of free speechA British billionaire convicted in the US for failing to implement adequate anti-money-laundering controls in his cryptocurrency business has given £4m to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.Ben Delo, 42, who is now based in Hong Kong, wrote in the Telegraph that he had made the donation since the start of the year, before the government’s cap on donations to political parties by British citizens living abroad. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Relief in financial markets after Iran ceasefire – but it is far from absolute | Richard Partington 08. April 2026 (20:38) Situation still volatile as Tehran and Washington issue conflicting messages about opening of Hormuz channelA plunge in the oil price, stock market rally and renewed hopes for the global economic outlook. After the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war, the relief in financial markets was palpable. But it is far from absolute.For the past six weeks, the economic damage had been steadily mounting, as the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz by Tehran triggered the worst energy crisis of the modern era. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Democrats renew push to curb Trump’s Iran war as calls to use 25th amendment mount 08. April 2026 (20:23) Over 70 Democratic lawmakers are calling for amendment to be invoked to remove Trump from office amid warDemocratic party leaders have vowed to renew the effort to curb Donald Trump’s war in Iran next week after several days of escalating tactics that culminated in a temporary ceasefire on Tuesday evening.In recent months, several war powers resolutions have failed in Congress after a handful of Democrats continued to vote alongside Republicans. But Trump’s aggressive overtures this week – including a Truth Social post that said “a whole civilization” could be wiped out if Iran didn’t agree to demands, have pushed some to act. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
California sheriff who seized ballots ordered to halt election investigation 08. April 2026 (20:18) Attorney general says court ruling against Chad Bianco ‘reins in the destabilizing actions of a rogue sheriff’The California supreme court on Wednesday ordered a county sheriff and gubernatorial candidate who seized more than half a million 2025 election ballots to pause his investigation into election fraud allegations while the judges review the legal challenge against it.The order came after the California attorney general, Rob Bonta, last month asked the court to step in, arguing the sheriff has no authority over election materials. A voting rights group is also challenging the ballot seizure. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pam Bondi will not appear at scheduled House hearing on Epstein files, DoJ says 08. April 2026 (20:16) Justice department says Bondi will not appear for House deposition since she was ousted as US attorney generalFormer US Attorney General Pam Bondi, the former US attorney general, will not appear next week for a scheduled deposition before the House oversight and government reform committee to answer questions about the justice department’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and its release of the Epstein files, the committee said.In a statement on Wednesday morning shared with the Guardian, a spokesperson for the House oversight committee said: “The Department of Justice has stated Pam Bondi will not appear on 14 April for a deposition since she is no longer attorney general and was subpoenaed in her capacity as attorney general.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East ceasefire in serious doubt as Israel assaults Lebanon and Iran blocks oil tankers 08. April 2026 (20:13) Inclusion of Lebanon is significant difference in interpretation of truce agreed at 11th hour on TuesdayMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe fate of the two-week ceasefire in the Iran conflict looked uncertain on Wednesday as both sides gave divergent versions of what had been agreed, Israel intensified its bombing campaign in Lebanon and Iran halted the passage of oil tankers because of an alleged Israeli ceasefire breach.Iran and Pakistan, which brokered the 11th-hour truce, both asserted that the ceasefire included Lebanon. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, disagreed and Israeli forces unleashed their heaviest attack of the war so far on more than 100 targets and killing at least 254 people. Donald Trump, after initially remaining silent, said Lebanon was “a separate skirmish” and not part of the deal. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
How Pakistan secured ‘biggest diplomatic win in years’ with Iran ceasefire 08. April 2026 (20:09) Analysts say Pakistani officials’ efforts led to breakthrough that has helped avert catastrophe, at least for nowMiddle East crisis – live updatesPakistan’s leaders had almost lost hope. After more than two weeks of frantic negotiations, phonecalls and diplomatic summits to try to end the US-Israeli war with Iran, it looked like the conflict might instead be escalating into Islamabad’s worst nightmare.In a cabinet meeting held at about 5pm on Tuesday, Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, was morose. “We should brace ourselves for the impact of the war,” he told his cabinet ministers. “The situation has really become very bleak. The chance of peace has become dim.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Starmer says UK wants to help with opening of Hormuz strait on Gulf visit 08. April 2026 (19:58) PM is in Saudi Arabia before expected wider trip to regional allies, who may see him as more reliable than TrumpMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe UK has a “job” to help reopen the strait of Hormuz, Keir Starmer has said, as Iranian reports said the key shipping route was closed again just hours after a supposed ceasefire.The prime minister met UK and local personnel at an airbase in Taif, Saudi Arabia, at the start of what is expected to be a wider trip to Gulf allies, one billed as a mirror to his efforts to pull together a plan for how a ceasefire might operate in Ukraine. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘It’s not AI, it’s real’: shock as RSPCA releases images of 250 dogs found at property 08. April 2026 (19:56) Dozens of dogs were found crammed into single living room space at property in undisclosed location in UKMore than 250 dogs have been found at a property in scenes so shocking that the RSPCA was forced to deny allegations that the images were faked by artificial intelligence.The animal welfare charity said it took in 87 dogs from the property at an undisclosed location in the UK and the remainder went to the Dogs Trust, another charity. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Britain breaks solar energy record twice as UK’s biggest solar farm gets approval 08. April 2026 (19:35) Record high set on Monday and raised on Tuesday, with 14.4GW of electricity generated in sunny spring weatherBritain’s sunny spring weather powered the grid to new solar energy records on two consecutive days this week.Solar farms in England, Wales and Scotland generated 14.1GW of low-carbon electricity at lunchtime on Monday, surpassing the previous high of 14GW in July last year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
