Arsonists used crude methods but disruption to opening of the Olympic Games in Paris was severeIt was about 1.15am when the SNCF maintenance workers, carrying out repairs by moonlight, spotted the group of people a little further down the railway line near a signal box outside the sleepy village of Vergigny, in the northern French department of Yonne.They were concerned enough by the unlikely sight at such an hour to approach the intruders, and then to make a call to the local police as those they had interrupted ran off into the dark. Continue reading...
Writer Russell T Davies says drama The War Between the Land and the Sea will shake the Whoniverse to its foundations'Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw are to star in a Doctor Who spin-off called The War Between the Land and the Sea, it has been announced.They will lead the cast alongside Jemma Redgrave and Alexander Devrient in the series, which was created by Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies. He has co-written the series with Pete McTighe, who has also worked on Doctor Who. Continue reading...
Vyacheslav Zinchenko, 18, remanded in custody for 60 days after Iryna Farion shot in Lviv on 19 JulyA Ukrainian court has remanded an 18-year-old man in custody over the murder of a nationalist former lawmaker, state media reported.Iryna Farion - a divisive hardline campaigner against the use of Russian language - was shot near her flat in the western city of Lviv on 19 July. Continue reading...
Three others sentenced to up to five years in young offender institution for revenge attack against teenagerFour teenagers have been sentenced for killing a 16-year-old boy out of revenge in a fatal attack where a single stab pierced his heart".Kennie Carter died after being stabbed in the chest once in Stretford, Greater Manchester, on the evening of 22 January 2022. Continue reading...
Acasia Welburn pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual activity with child by person in a position of trustA school worker has been jailed for sexually abusing an autistic boy who was under 16 at the time, police said.Acasia Welburn, now 26, had been working at a school in North Yorkshire in a trusted care position" when she abused the child. Continue reading...
by Robyn Vinter North of England correspondent on (#6PGZG)
Yorkshire club's supporters decry Red Bull's logo bringing colour of Man Utd and Lancaster rose to all-white shirtWith the football season fast approaching, fans young and old will be looking forward to getting their hands on their club's new kit.But Leeds United supporters have to contend with the beloved white of their home shirt being blemished with their most hated colour: red. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6PGSP)
Officer under investigation by IOPC having already been suspended from duty after being filmed kicking teenagerAn armed officer who was filmed kicking a teenager in the face as he lay prone on the ground is facing possible criminal charges, the police watchdog has said, as community leaders attempted to calm tensions over the barbaric" assault.The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said on Friday it was exploring a criminal prosecution against the unnamed officer, who has been suspended by Greater Manchester police (GMP). Continue reading...
by Amy Sedghi (now) and Charlie Moloney (earlier) on (#6PGJG)
Controversial measure is paused with the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, indicating that it could be repealedThe cost of England's four biggest killer diseases could rise to 86bn a year by 2050, prompting calls for a crackdown on alcohol, junk food and smoking.The ageing population means the annual cost of cancer, heart disease, dementia and stroke combined will go from the 51.9bn recorded in 2018 to 85.6bn in 2050 - a rise of 61%.More importantly, you must now come clean on where the axe will fall under your plans and whether you intend to cut public services, raise taxes or both - having previously denied you would do either."The excuses currently being lined-up will set alarm bells ringing that the Labour government plans to continue Tory cuts and public services will be starved of the cash they need - just as we have seen with the failure to scrap the two-child benefit cap this week.The SNP is ready and willing to work in cooperation with the Labour government to deliver the change voters in Scotland were promised - but we also have a duty to stand up for Scotland's interests and hold the Labour government to account where real change isn't forthcoming." Continue reading...
Danielle Carr-Gomm fell fatally ill when she stopped taking insulin during Wiltshire workshop run by Hongchi XiaoAn alternative healer who promoted a slapping therapy" taken up by millions of people across the world has been found guilty of the gross negligence manslaughter of a British woman who died at one of his workshops.Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, who had type 1 diabetes, fell fatally ill in 2016 after she stopped taking her insulin and fasted during a paida lajin therapy retreat run by Hongchi Xiao at a country house in Wiltshire. Continue reading...
by Redwan Ahmed in Dhaka and Hannah Ellis-Petersen in on (#6PGS0)
Strength of prime minister's crackdown shows her nervousness and that climate of fear is breaking down, say criticsHasan still has the metal pellets Bangladesh police fired at him lodged deep in his bones. Fearful he will join the growing ranks of those thrown behind bars by the state for participating in protests that have swept Bangladesh this month, Hasan has been in hiding for a week and described his state as one of constant panic and trauma".Whenever I hear the sound of a car or a motorbike, I think it might be the police coming for me," he said. Continue reading...
Former first lady, who has been mostly absent as her husband campaigns, has never told her own story at length beforeThe former first lady Melania Trump has a memoir coming out this fall, Melania, billed by her office as a powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has carved her own path, overcome adversity and defined personal excellence".It's the first memoir by Trump, who has been mostly absent as her husband, the former president Donald Trump, seeks to return to the White House. Continue reading...
Biden praises law enforcement for fentanyl charges against members of one of the deadliest enterprises in the world'The US justice department has arrested two leaders of Mexico's powerful Sinaloa cartel, including the cartel's co-founder, for leading deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks.The attorney general, Merrick Garland, announced the charges against cartel leaders Ismael Zambada Garcia, known as El Mayo", one of the group's co-founders, and Joaquin Guzman. Both men face several charges in the United States for allegedly leading the cartel's criminal operations. Continue reading...
Arrest of Dmitry Bulgakov is latest high-profile incident in ongoing purge within Moscow's military top brassA former senior Russian defence official has been arrested and charged with corruption in the latest high-profile incident in an ongoing purge within the country's military top brass.Dmitry Bulgakov, who was a deputy defence minister in charge of military logistics for almost 15 years until he was dismissed in September 2022, was detained by the FSB security service on Friday and placed in the notorious Lefortovo prison in Moscow. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Senate to gain two frontbenchers with PM expected to give NT senator the Indigenous affairs job and skills post to NSW senatorAnthony Albanese is set to promote two senators into his ministry, the Northern Territory's Malarndirri McCarthy and Jenny McAllister from New South Wales, as part of a limited frontbench reshuffle to be confirmed on Sunday.The prime minister is expected to promote McCarthy and McAllister from their assistant ministerial roles into the ministry proper, after announcing on Thursday that two of his current ministers are stepping down. Continue reading...
Protesters are first to be jailed in any of 10 countries where airport disruption campaigns have taken place this weekEight people have been remanded to prison after being arrested at or close to Heathrow airport, making them the first to be jailed in any of the 10 countries where airport protests have taken place so far.All were charged with conspiracy to interfere with key national infrastructure, an offence introduced last year to tackle disruptive protests by climate activists. Two others were bailed at a court hearing in London on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Increase of 18% in a year attributed to more diagnoses, especially among younger womenA record number of people in England are taking medication used to treat ADHD, data shows, underlining a surge in the number of diagnoses.Almost 278,000 patients in England were prescribed central nervous system stimulants (CNS) and drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between April 2023 and March 2024, latest NHS Business Services Authority data shows. Continue reading...
Organisers hope dogs will mimic behaviour of wolves that in past would have helped disperse wildflower seedsBackpack-wearing dogs are being enlisted to act like wolves" to help rewild an urban nature reserve in the East Sussex town of Lewes.Before wolves were persecuted to extinction in the UK in about 1760, they were known to roam large areas, typically covering 12 miles (20km) or more each night. Continue reading...
Half a million people evacuated, 21 deaths confirmed so far and capsized tanker in Manila causes huge oil spillTyphoon Gaemi has been wreaking havoc, with the Philippines government forced to declare a state of calamity last week in its capital Manila, and flooding and at least three deaths in Taiwan. . Manila received more than 300mm of rainfall, with resulting floods reaching as high as one-storey buildings in places. More than half a million people have been evacuated or displaced, with 21 deaths confirmed so far.Gaemi initially developed on Sunday as a tropical storm to the east of the Philippines and then tracked north-west, strengthening until it achieved typhoon status on Monday as it drew level with the northernmost tip of the Philippines. Despite not making landfall in the Philippines, the typhoon interacted with existing monsoon weather systems, worsening the already heavy rains across the island of Luzon and causing several landslides. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6PGJJ)
Police complaints watchdog to investigate actions of armed officer who kicked Muhammed Fahir, 19, in faceThe family of the man who was kicked in the face by an armed officer have appealed for calm after a second night of protests over the barbaric" arrest at Manchester airport.Paul Waugh, the Labour MP for Rochdale, said the traumatised" family wanted to make clear they had no political agenda whatsoever" and called for calm in all communities". Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey Political correspondent on (#6PGGQ)
Former work and pensions secretary announces candidacy, saying Tories have lost the trust of the British people'Mel Stride has become the latest Conservative MP to announce he intends to run for the leadership of his party, saying the Tories have substantially lost the trust of the British people".The former work and pensions secretary said on Friday morning he had won enough parliamentary support to run as a candidate in the leadership contest, which formally begins next week and will run until November. Continue reading...
Keir Starmer under pressure to allow vote as private member's bill to be introduced in upper chamberKeir Starmer is under pressure to fulfil a promise to allow a parliamentary vote on legalising assisted dying as a bill is to be introduced into the House of Lords on Friday.Lord Falconer, who was lord chancellor in Tony Blair's government, will propose a private member's bill to allow assisted dying for terminally ill adults after coming second in a ballot of peers last week. Continue reading...
Yasmine Ahmed of Human Rights Watch says the UK should not challenge the international criminal court's right to seek justice for alleged war crimesThe new UK government must withdraw Rishi Sunak's legal challenge to the international criminal court's jurisdiction over alleged war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, the UK director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said.Yasmine Ahmed said that it is absolutely critical" that the UK does not continue to challenge the right of the ICC to seek arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minster, Benjamin Netanyahu, and defence minister, Yoav Gallant, who the court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, believes could bear responsibility for crimes against humanity. Continue reading...
Former NSW premier sought review of corruption watchdog decision that she failed to declare a personal conflict of interest regarding two government grants
Ukraine's foreign minister calls on Hong Kong to prevent Russia from using region to circumvent sanctions; drone debris lands in Romania. What we know on day 884The Pentagon has found $2bn worth of additional errors in its calculations for ammunition, missiles and other equipment sent to Ukraine, increasing the improperly valued material to a total of $8.2bn, a US government report revealed on Thursday. In 2023, the Pentagon said staff used replacement value" instead of depreciated value" to tabulate the billions in materials sent to Ukraine. The $6.2bn error created a path for billions more to be sent to Kyiv.Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on Hong Kong to prevent Russia and Russian businesses from using the region to circumvent sanctions. Kuleba met with Hong Kong leader John Lee as part of a visit to China. He called on the administration to prevent Russia from using Hong Kong to circumvent restrictions resulting from Russia's war in Ukraine, according to a statement from the Ukrainian foreign affairs ministry. These restrictive measures are necessary to weaken Russia's potential to wage war and kill people in Ukraine," the statement said.A court in Moscow on Thursday ordered the head of a defense ministry's construction division to be detained for two months on suspicion of abuse of power, Russian news agencies reported, the latest in a series of arrests of high-ranking ministry officials this year. Andrei Belkov heads the Military Construction Company, which builds bases, hospitals, schools and other facilities for the military, according to its website.Russian and Chinese bombers flew together for the first time in international airspace off the coast of Alaska, in a new show of expanding military cooperation that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday raises concerns. The flights Wednesday were not seen as a threat but it was the first time that Chinese bomber aircraft have flown within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone. And it was the first time Chinese and Russian aircraft have taken off from the same base in northeast Russia.The Turkish navy intercepted a marine drone in the Black Sea off Istanbul, authorities said, with media reporting that it contained explosives and might be Ukrainian. Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a number of mines suspected of having floated down from the conflict zone have been spotted off the Turkish coast. The public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.Debris from what is believed to be a Russian drone landed in a rural area of Romania, the country's Defense Ministry said Thursday, in the latest apparent incident of drone wreckage from the war in neighbouring Ukraine falling on to the Nato member's soil.The Netherlands and Denmark are to deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine before the end of summer", the Dutch defence minister announced Wednesday, saying Kyiv urgently" needed more military support. The two countries bought the German-made tanks last year for 165mn euros ($186m) before sending them for refurbishment.With Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters Continue reading...
Voice actors and motion capture performers to strike over AI protections after nearly two years of negotiationsHollywood's video game performers voted to go on strike Thursday, throwing part of the entertainment industry into another work stoppage after talks for a new contract with major game studios broke down over artificial intelligence protections.The strike - the second for video game voice actors and motion capture performers under the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (Sag-Aftra) - will begin at 12.01am Friday. The move comes after nearly two years of negotiations with gaming giants, including divisions of Activision, Warner Bros and Walt Disney Co, over a new interactive media agreement. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor on (#6PG6D)
Chancellor may raise some taxes in the autumn due to what Labour describes as its shocking inheritance' from ToriesRachel Reeves is expected to reveal a 20bn hole in government spending for essential public services on Monday, paving the way for potential tax rises in the autumn budget.Labour sources said the blame lay with the Tory government, describing it as a shocking inheritance" and accusing the former chancellor of presiding over a black hole and still campaigning for tax cuts". Continue reading...
Doctors and nurses who have returned say death toll is more than 92,000, describe gruesome injuries and a sick and traumatized peopleDozens of US doctors and nurses who worked in Gaza have written to Joe Biden claiming that the true death toll from Israel's months-long assault is much higher than previously reported, demanding the US withdraw diplomatic and military support for Israel until there is a ceasefire.The eight-page letter, delivered on Thursday and addressed to Biden, the First Lady Jill and the vice-president Kamala Harris, said the medics saw evidence of widespread violations of laws governing the use of US weapons supplied to Israel, and of international humanitarian law. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6PG4K)
From experiencing a sudden headache at work to being found slumped under a coat in hospital with a brain haemorrhage Inquest finds hospital missed two chances to treat Inga RubliteInga Rublite was on a break at work when she came down with a sudden headache. Less than 24 hours later, she lay dying on the floor of an overcrowded A&E waiting room under a coat, hidden in plain sight. The sequence of events that led up to her death show an NHS under strain and the risk of patients falling through the cracks. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6PG33)
Triage did not uncover full extent' of Inga Rublite's symptoms as she waited under coat for hours in Nottingham Timeline of events leading up to Inga Rublite's deathStaff at a hospital in Nottingham missed two opportunities to treat a woman found dying under a coat in a crowded emergency department, a coroner has concluded.An inquest into the death of Inga Rublite, 39, found she died of natural causes but medical staff failed to recognise persistent and escalating symptoms of brain haemorrhage" as she waited in A&E for more than eight hours. Continue reading...
Former security minister's slogan altered after eagle-eyed social media users spot scatological shorthandFrom Donald Trump's Make America great again" (Maga) to Margaret Thatcher's There is no alternative" (Tina), political acronyms have long distilled what leaders stand for. Tom Tugendhat has now inadvertently created his own four-letter calling card: Turd.The Tory leadership hopeful briefly adopted the slogan Together we can, Unite the party. Rebuild trust. Defeat Labour" when he launched his bid on Wednesday. A graphic breaking it down into four lines was visible on his campaign website. Continue reading...
And the best news is the leadership contenders can no longer do any harm to anyone but themselvesGo on. Admit it. There's a small part of you that's missed the psychodramas. Not necessarily the existential angst of lying in bed each night wondering what fresh hell the government was going to unleash on us the following day. But certainly the infighting. For the last five years or so, watching the Tories implode with little help from the opposition parties had become one of the country's favourite spectator sports.The general election had put an end to that. Most of us had forgotten what serious government looked like. Ministers going about their business in a calm and capable manner. No major crises. No meltdowns. Even seven Labour MPs losing the whip over the two-child benefit cap blew over in a matter of 24 hours. Hardly a ripple. Continue reading...
Alert comes as hospitals in England asked to restrict use of O-type blood as aftershocks of June cyber-attack continueThe NHS has made an urgent appeal for more blood donors after a national alert over supplies dropping to an unprecedentedly low" level.O-negative blood - known as the universal blood type - is safe for all patients requiring blood transfusions. Making up about 16% of all hospital orders, it is used in emergencies or when a patient's blood type is unknown. Continue reading...
Warning of serious harm risked as synthetic drug spice found in vapes used by pupils at 28 schoolsOne in six vapes confiscated in English schools are spiked with the highly addictive zombie drug" spice, according to research.Analysis from 38 schools revealed that the synthetic street drug, classified as class B alongside ketamine and GHB, was in hundreds of devices. The researchers said they believed the substance was being put into vapes marketed as containing cannabis oil. Continue reading...
by Lanre Bakare Arts and culture correspondent on (#6PFXV)
Artist known for photographic work was commissioned to create A Taste of Home in Terminal 4 tube stationThe UK needs more public art that confronts the major issues of the day, according to Joy Gregory, the award-winning artist who has just unveiled a new project at Heathrow airport that was inspired by more than 100 asylum seekers.Gregory, who is known for her photographic work and won the 110,000 Freelands award recently, was commissioned by Transport for London (Tfl) to create 24 billboards mounted in the airport's Terminal 4 underground station ticket hall. Continue reading...
by Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent on (#6PFJ1)
Move paves way for fintech firm to hold customers' deposits and offer own-branded loans, including mortgagesRevolut has secured a UK banking licence - with restrictions" - more than three years after Britain's most valuable fintech firm lodged its application with regulators.It is a milestone for the company, and will help pave the way for an eventual stock market listing, but it may still be some time before it can hold its customers' deposits. Continue reading...
by Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspon on (#6PFWN)
Sounkamba Sylla reportedly reaches compromise after France's strict laws on secularism threatened to bar herA French sprinter is expected to swap her headscarf for a cap in order to participate in the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics, in a compromise reportedly struck after the country's strict laws on secularism threatened to bar her from the event.Earlier this week Sounkamba Sylla, a Muslim member of France's 400m women's and mixed relay teams, said she would not be able to take part in Friday's ceremony because she wears a hijab. Continue reading...
President seeks to reassure attendees including Elon Musk that France is still a good investment despite political crisisOver vintage bottles of wine from the Elysee Palace cellars and a cordon bleu lunch, Emmanuel Macron has sought to reassure 40 of the world's richest businessmen that the country remains a good investment despite its ongoing political crisis.Guests at the French president's event included Tesla's Elon Musk, Coca-Cola's James Quincey, AirBnB's Brian Chesky, Youtube's Neal Mohan and Eli Lilly's David Ricks. Continue reading...
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