Evening briefing: Today's essential headlines
Record taxes | The Treasury has raked in more tax than ever before, a year after the Chancellor froze the thresholds in a stealth tax raid. These graphs show how the tax haul has soared, piling pressure on Rishi Sunak, and read five ways to avoid the Chancellor's stealth tax grab.
- Sexist slur | Angela Rayner shows Tory MP who wears the trousers
- Bermondsey stabbings | Four family members identified by police
- Tim Westwood | DJ accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women
- Adrift | P&O ferry loses power in Irish Sea
- World's poorest monarchs | I'm not that rich, says king of Spain
The big story: Russia could target British diplomats
As refugees continue to flee Ukraine, the diplomats are returning.
The US will send its embassy staff back to Ukraine this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.
Yet there are concerns just days after Britain announced it would be sending its diplomats back to Kyiv, after the Kremlin warned it could target them if the UK continued to "provoke" Ukraine into striking targets in Russia.
Those threats come after Britain backed Ukraine using weapons supplied by the West to hit targets on Russian soil to disrupt its supply chains, as Moscow warned such a move risked provoking a third world war.
James Heappey, the armed forces minister, also claimed shipments of arms by the UK and its Nato allies were "entirely legitimate" targets for Russian forces.
Our live blog will keep you up to speed with developments as they happen.
Russia has said it would "like to avoid" intervening in Transnistria after the pro-Russian separatist region of Moldova reported a second unexplained attack on its infrastructure just miles from the Ukrainian border.
In a worrying sign for Moldova's separatist enclave hosting Russian troops not far from EU member Romania, Transnistria ordered schools to shut down and set up checkpoints.
Ukraine has suggested the attacks could be "false flags" aimed at extending Russia's invasion.
German tanks U-turn
Germany will send tanks to Ukraine in an about-turn by chancellor Olaf Scholz after weeks of tensions in his coalition government and pressure from his international allies.
The decision is likely to further ratchet up tensions with Moscow, after Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said weapons sent to Ukraine would be a "legitimate target" and warned of the risk of the conflict escalating into World War Three.
Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, the weaponsmaker, is reportedly set to be given permission to sell refurbished Gepard (Cheetah) anti-aircraft tanks from German Army stocks.
Less than a week ago, the chancellor said that he would not send tanks to Ukraine in case it started a nuclear war.
James Crisp analyses why he flip-flops between hesitancy and decisive action.
Kidnapped son
Fifteen days since Russian forces kidnapped his teenage son, Oleh Buriak is a man struggling to control his emotions.
Mr Buriak, 50, heads the city council of Zaporizhzhya, a city of 750,000 on the Dnipro River in southeastern Ukraine.
Until recently his son Vladislav, 16, was living with Mr Buriak's ex-wife in nearby Melitopol, a city now under Russian-occupation.
After staying in Melitopol during the final stage of his grandfather's terminal cancer, Vladislav left on April 8 to rejoin his family in Zaporizhzhya. He never arrived.
Read how the city council chief now finds himself left in an impossible position.
Comment and analysis
- Jeremy Warner | How Britain just got 10pc poorer
- Robert Taylor | Hoyle's response on Rayner is Bercow-like overkill
- Michael Deacon | If Tories pick this outsider, Starmer will be toast
- Thom Gibbs | Let them drink pints: Treat football fans like adults
- Jamie Carragher | Why this Liverpool team may become the greatest
Around the world: Baldwin 'always wanted' real gun
Alec Baldwin "always wanted his real gun" on set, a new trove of evidence from an investigation into a deadly shooting during filming for the movie Rust has revealed. Text messages released on Monday said the actor "never liked anything fake like guns and even the rubber knife" when filming. Mr Baldwin's gun mistakenly fired on the set of Rust, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. Watch footage of him being interviewed by police, as dramatic police bodycam video showed medics battling to save Ms Hutchins' life. Read on for what we have learned from the new Rust police files.
Tuesday interview
'There are so many unhealthy ways to grieve'
Lola and Serena Bute know more than most about dealing with loss. They tell Eleanor Steafel about their experiences
Sport briefing: Emma Raducanu splits from coach
Emma Raducanu has announced her latest change of coaching direction. Seven months after splitting with Andrew Richardson – the coach who helped guide her to the US Open title – she has now ended her partnership with Germany's Torben Beltz. In football, Erik ten Hag is set to offer Donny van de Beek a career lifeline and start pre-season with the Holland midfielder in his Manchester United squad following his loan at Everton. Meanwhile, Ben Bloom reckons Tyson Fury's expensive mismatch proves British fans will pay anything for sport.
Editor's choice
- Historically significant | An American classic finally lands in the UK – seven decades late
- 'I'm competing with millions for food' | What life's really like in locked-down Shanghai
- F1 | Mercedes' 'unsustainable' and 'extreme' porpoising is no longer just a performance issue
Business briefing: What Musk plans to do with Twitter
Left-wing celebrities and activists have expressed their horror over Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, claiming his commitment to free speech will trigger an outpouring of "bigotry and misogyny". Charities and politicians used Twitter to criticise the Tesla billionaire's $44bn (£35bn) acquisition of the social media network after he said he would support freedom of expression online. Democrats are reportedly concerned that Donald Trump will soon return to the platform. Laura Onita examines what Mr Musk plans to do to Twitter – and whether it will work.
Tonight starts now
Man City v Real Madrid | Having seen off Atlético Madrid in the last round, Manchester City now turn their attentions to Real Madrid in this must-watch Champions League semi-final first leg at the Etihad Stadium (kick off 8pm). City are favourites but Real seem blessed this season and, in Karim Benzema, possess Europe's in-form striker. Watch on BT Sport 2, from 7pm, while Sam Dean analyses how Man City could solve a problem like Luka Modric? Here are the rest of tonight's TV listings.
Three things for you
- Theatre | Barry Humphries, the old wizard of Oz, remains a wonder
- Exhibition | The Tate's Walter Sickert show is a foggy panorama
- Play | Telegraph Puzzles featuring today's crossword and sudoku
And finally... for this evening's downtime
'If I complain, people may say I've a chip on my shoulder' | As she takes her biggest role since 'Bend It Like Beckham', Parminder Nagra tells Martha Hayes about Hollywood, box-ticking and ageing.
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