Middle East crisis live: Iran war ceasefire doesn’t include Lebanon, says Israel; Trump says uranium will be ‘taken care of’ 08. April 2026 (08:47) Pakistan’s PM had said the ceasefire would cover Lebanon; Iran says passage through the strait of Hormuz will be allowed for the next two weeksUS and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire with Tehran saying it will reopen strait of HormuzIran war ceasefire announcement – what we know so farA genocidal threat, and then the US president, Donald Trump, blinked – without any apparently meaningful concessions from Iran. As in so much concerning the second Trump administration, the two week ceasefire “deal” that will see the strait of Hormuz reopened – if it can be described as such – is maddeningly vague and short on detail, apparently kicking the can on key issues down the road.Iran’s nuclear issue, Trump said, would be solved “perfectly.” “It was a big day for world peace”, Trump posted on Truth Social. “Iran can start reconstruction” he added. “Big money” could be made. Yada. Yada. Yada. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Landlords evicting tenants before law to prevent practice comes into force in England 08. April 2026 (08:00) No-fault evictions made up one in three reports made to renters’ union Acorn in JanuaryIncreasing numbers of landlords are evicting tenants at the last minute before the law changes to outlaw the practice in next month, charities have said.The renters’ union Acorn told the Guardian that no-fault evictions made up one in five of the reports they received from members in October, rising to nearly one in three by January. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Matt Canavan’s ‘economic revolution’ is little more than a populist mirage – and Australians would pay the price | Patrick Commins 08. April 2026 (07:14) Nationals leader’s solution to the high cost of living is to force us to buy more expensive, locally made goodsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMatt Canavan’s “economic revolution” is a populist mirage masquerading as an answer to a generational challenge that will define our prosperity in the decades to come.That challenge is: how do we create a new economy that is more resilient, secure and affordable, without undermining our prosperity? Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Oil prices plunge and stocks jump after Trump announces conditional ceasefire with Iran 08. April 2026 (07:03) Brent crude oil dropped to $93 a barrel after Trump ceasefire announcement and Iran’s pledge to reopen strait of Hormuz under its managementMiddle East crisis – live updatesFull report: US and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire with Tehran saying it will reopen strait of HormuzOil prices plunged by almost 15% after Donald Trump held off on his threat to bomb Iran into the stone ages on Tuesday night, and Iran’s foreign minister said passage through the strait of Hormuz would be allowed for the next two weeks under the management of its military.With just over an hour until his deadline was due to pass, the US president said he was holding off on threatened attacks on Iran, subject to Tehran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire and reopening of the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Palestinian girl who lost arm in Israeli missile attack on Gaza arrives in UK 08. April 2026 (07:00) Mariam Sabbah, 10, to get specialist care in Britain instead of US, after Trump halted visitor visas for PalestiniansA Palestinian child who lost her arm during Israel’s bombardment of Gaza arrived in the UK for specialist treatment on Tuesday, amid ongoing pressure on the British government to step up efforts to help evacuate critically ill and injured children from the territory.Mariam Sabbah arrived at Heathrow airport with her mother, Fatma Salman, and two brothers. They were met by a small crowd bearing gifts, balloons and bouquets. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Modern heroes and a ravaged Earth: reboot of 1950s space comic Dan Dare has liftoff 08. April 2026 (07:00) Beloved characters reinvented in graphic novel coming later this year – just as interest rockets in all things spaceSufferin’ satellites! The quintessential British space hero Dan Dare is back, 76 years after he first appeared in iconic comic magazine the Eagle.With all eyes on Nasa’s Artemis II moon mission, and with the big-screen adaptation of Andy Weir’s science fiction novel Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, going stratospheric at the box office, our love affair with space has been reignited. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK opening new oil and gas fields would imperil global climate goals, experts say 08. April 2026 (07:00) Senior climate figures warn North Sea drilling would encourage fossil fuel exploitation by developing countriesOpening new oil and gas fields in the North Sea would “send a shock wave around the world”, imperilling international climate targets, undermining the UK’s climate leadership and encouraging developing countries to exploit their own fossil fuel reserves, experts have warned.The UK government is under stiff pressure from the oil industry, the Conservatives, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, some trade unions and parts of the Treasury to give the green light to new oil and gas fields, despite clear evidence that doing so would not cut prices and would have almost no effect on imports. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Treat jailed drug dealers like radical extremists, says prisons watchdog 08. April 2026 (07:00) Charlie Taylor, inspector of prisons for England and Wales, says dealers should be isolated and ‘assertively managed’Jailed criminals who are flooding prisons with drugs should be isolated like radical extremists and “assertively managed”, the England and Wales prisons watchdog has said.Charlie Taylor, HM inspector of prisons, said major dealers were living “consequence-free” in jail when they should be separated from the majority of inmates, subjected to regular searches for phones, and punished and rewarded according to their behaviour. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Petrol prices rise again as Albanese government warns Iran war ceasefire won’t make fuel cheaper 08. April 2026 (06:23) Chris Bowen says Australians should ‘not get ahead of ourselves’ by expecting prices to fallFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTrack current petrol and diesel prices across AustraliaPetrol prices are rising again and diesel wholesale prices have hit new record highs as the government warns the US ceasefire with Iran will not make fuel cheaper.The average unleaded prices at service stations rose in some cities on Wednesday for the first time since late March, as fuel tankers hiked their charges. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Turkey to race ahead of EU on battery storage amid fossil fuel crisis 08. April 2026 (06:00) More than 33GW of battery capacity approved for Turkish grid since 2022 compared with 12-13GW in GermanyTurkey has given the green light to more batteries to buffer its electricity grid than any EU member state, a report has found, in a further sign of rich countries losing steam in the race to a clean economy.More than 33GW of battery capacity have been approved in Turkey since 2022, according to the climate thinktank Ember, while the total planned and operational capacity in European frontrunners that started deploying them earlier, such as Germany and Italy, is 12-13GW. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
