Continuing levels of inactivity due to ill-health and caring responsibilities suggest all is not well UK unemployment rate leaps to 4.2% amid fears of job cuts The government has patted itself on the back in recent years for presiding over a period of low unemployment, but underneath the latest headline figures there are concerning trends. First among the worrying signs is an increase in the number of working age people leaving the labour market because of ill-health, who need to take on caring responsibilities or retire early ..read more

Commons leader known to have reservations about PM’s plan, as Liz Truss swipes at ‘unelected’ officials UK politics – latest updates Penny Mordaunt, a potential Conservative leadership challenger to Rishi Sunak, is among the cabinet ministers wavering over whether to support the prime minster’s generational smoking ban. Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, is known to have reservations about the prime minister’s tobacco and vapes bill and the precedent it would set for banning other unhealthy things ..read more

Democratic members have argued the articles are a matter of policy dispute and not ‘high crimes’ outlined in the constitution House Republicans on Tuesday are expected to formally present their articles of impeachment against Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, to the Senate, part of the party’s attempt to force an election-year showdown with the Biden administration over immigration and border security. In February, House Republicans bypassed skepticism within their own ranks and unified Democratic opposition to narrowly approve two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, m ..read more

Painting by Graham Sutherland is being displayed at Blenheim Palace before being auctioned in June An intimate study of Winston Churchill that has been in private hands for seven decades has gone on show in the room at Blenheim Palace in which Britain’s most famous prime minister was born, before being auctioned in June. It was the work of Graham Sutherland, one of the most highly regarded artists of his time. Sutherland was commissioned to paint Churchill by the Houses of Parliament to mark the wartime leader’s 80th birthday in November 1954. Sutherland’s portrait of Churchill will be on publ ..read more

Former home secretary says including ECHR withdrawal in general election manifesto will ‘set cause back a generation’ At 12.30pm a transport minister will respond to an urgent question in the Commons tabled by Labour on job losses in the rail industry. That means the debate on the smoking ban will will not start until about 1.15pm. Suella Braverman, the former home secretary, is one of the Britons speaking at the National Conservatism conference in Brussels starting today. The conference, which features hardline rightwingers from around the world committed to the NatCons’ ‘faith, flag and fami ..read more

About 27 children have died of hunger and malnutrition, raising concerns many more will suffer lifelong effects. Plus, dozens of potential Trump trial jurors excused Good morning, Iran’s attack on Israel tested the country’s air defences, but has for now repaired Tel Aviv’s fractured relationship with Washington – pushing the war and tightening famine in Gaza out of the headlines and down the diplomatic agenda. What’s the latest on famine in Gaza? The UN World Food Programme says malnutrition is spreading at record pace among children. More than 90% of young children and pregnant and breastfee ..read more

Lucy Frazer calls on sporting officials to draw up ‘unambiguous’ guidelines on gender identity The culture secretary has called for transgender athletes to be banned from competing in female-only events as she urged sporting officials to draw up fresh guidelines to clarify the rules governing gender identity. Lucy Frazer wrote in the Mail that sports’ governing bodies needed to set out an “unambiguous position” on the issue, amid rows over trans athletes participating in female-only events including such as cycling, swimming and darts ..read more

Curators protesting against Gaza conflict say ‘art can wait but women, children and people living though hell cannot’ Middle East crisis – live updates The artists and curators of the Israeli national pavilion at the Venice Biennale have announced their decision not to open until “a ceasefire and hostage release agreement is reached” in the conflict in Gaza, on the opening preview day of the largest and most prominent global gathering in the art world. A sign on the front of the Israel pavilion in the Giardini, or public gardens, in Venice, one of the main venues for the Biennale, conveyed t ..read more

A Seattle emergency preparedness expert has become the go-to guy for fans trying to reach Trump through Mike Lindell The voicemails and emails last year came from his supporters, praising his work and asking if he could connect them with Donald Trump. Not a weird ask for Mike Lindell, the pillow salesman who now makes a name for himself by questioning election results ..read more

Heavy rain likely to cause low yields in Britain and other parts of Europe, with drought in Morocco hitting imports Which UK foods are at risk? The UK faces food shortages and price rises as extreme weather linked to climate breakdown causes low yields on farms locally and abroad. Record rainfall has meant farmers in many parts of the UK have been unable to plant crops such as potatoes, wheat and vegetables during the key spring season. Crops that have been planted are of poor quality, with some rotting in the ground ..read more