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Tehran says it will take action if western countries help block Iranian retaliatory strikes against Israel

Aviation ministry says Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner reached height of 650ft before rapidly descending and hitting ground 2km from airportMayday, mayday," was the final radio message sent by the pilot of the Air India 171 flight bound for London, moments before it crashed to the ground, killing more than 270 people.In a briefing by India's aviation authorities on Saturday, authorities confirmed that Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was piloting the flight, sent a distress call to air traffic control less a minute after it took off from Ahmedabad airport at 1:39pm on Thursday. Continue reading...

Fifty-three Britons were onboard, among them young families, students and business people on their way homeTributes are being made to the passengers who died on the Air India flight bound for London Gatwick airport that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in western India.There were 242 passengers and crew onboard the plane, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. Continue reading...

Whitehall must work more with frontline services as part of plans to move offices from London, says Georgia GouldThe Whitehall civil service is too remote from people's lives and needs to be turned inside out" as part of plans to drive three of Keir Starmer's missions from outside London, a Cabinet Office minister has said.Georgia Gould, a former leader of Camden council who had a meteoric rise after her election as a Labour MP last year, said the government's plan to move thousands more civil service jobs out of London was not about just having offices in places" - and Whitehall civil servants needed to be more familiar with the day-to-day problems in frontline services from health centres to family hubs. Continue reading...

Victor Adebowale says failure to detect his mother's cancer was example of black service, not NHS service'A senior figure in the health service has criticised it for deep-seated racism after his mother got a black service, not an NHS service" before she died.Victor Adebowale, the chair of the NHS Confederation, claimed his mother Grace's lung cancer went undiagnosed because black people get disproportionately poor" health service care.Black British mothers are up to four times more likely to die during pregnancy or within six weeks of giving birth than white mothers.Those of black and African or Caribbean origin are twice as likely to have a stroke, and younger, than white counterparts.Black African patients are two and a half times more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act than white British patients. Continue reading...

Everyday people taken by surprise by overnight strikes and left wondering how to prepare for what may come nextAs dawn broke over Tehran, firefighters and other rescue workers saw for the first time the full extent of the damage done by overnight Israeli strikes.Among the first locations reached by responders in the capital was a 12-storey block of flats looming above a road junction and a shopping mall in the northern suburbs. A huge blast at around 4am had gutted two upper levels, showering debris into the street below. Continue reading...

Sheffield band were last at the top with This Is Hardcore, while Sabrina Carpenter is at No 1 in the singles chart and breaks an album chart recordPulp have topped the UK album chart for the first time since 1998, with the release of their new album More.The Sheffield band, fronted by Jarvis Cocker, were last at the top with 1998's This Is Hardcore, the follow-up to the similarly chart-topping Different Class in 1995. Continue reading...

James Sheen given four-year term and Michael Jones 27 months after theft of toilet during exhibition in OxfordshireTwo men have been jailed for their roles in the bold and brazen" theft of a 4.75m gold toilet from an art exhibition at Blenheim Palace.James Sheen, 40, and Michael Jones, 39, were sentenced at Oxford crown court for their roles as part of a gang who planned and carried out the burglary at the Oxfordshire stately home, receiving a four-year prison sentence and a 27-month prison sentence respectively. Continue reading...

Israel says Iran launched 100 drones towards its territory after attack on Iranian nuclear sites and killing of military leaders

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh must have acted fast to seize his unlikely chance to escape, say experts in crashes and safety

Craig Williams and 14 others appear in court over allegations of cheating by betting on 2024 election dateA former Conservative MP and 14 other people facing allegations of cheating by gambling on the date of last year's general election are to go on trial.Craig Williams, who was the MP for Montgomeryshire and a senior aide to the then prime minister, Rishi Sunak, appeared in the dock at Westminster magistrates court on Friday after charges were brought by the Gambling Commission. Continue reading...

Tehran says strikes are declaration of war' while Donald Trump warns of further, more brutal strikes

Jamie Varley and co-accused John McGowan-Fazakerley were in process of adopting 13-month-old Preston DaveyA secondary school teacher has appeared in court accused of the sexual assault and murder of a 13-month-old baby boy he was adopting.Jamie Varley, 36, who was a head of year at a school in Blackpool, is also accused of a number of counts of assault, cruelty and taking and distributing indecent images relating to Preston Davey. Continue reading...

Flight AI171 was bound for London when it crashed into residential area of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff

Gambling losses and calls to helplines both up but Minns government has no benchmarks or measures to assess its harm minimisation strategy, report says

Exclusive: Party to consider bailing out former leader with loan charged at commercial interest rate to cover balance of costs he owes Moira Deeming

Reinstating offences goes against recommendation of 1991 royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody

In today's newsletter: The unrest in Ballymena escalated, as tensions over immigration spiralled, leaving police injured and homes damagedGood morning. Over the past three nights, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, has been rocked by riots. At least 17 police officers have been injured, while homes, businesses and vehicles have also been damaged.The unrest erupted after a vigil on Monday for a teenage girl allegedly sexually assaulted by two 14-year-old boys. The boys had appeared in court earlier that day and were charged with attempted rape, where a Romanian interpreter read them the charges.UK politics | Rachel Reeves has pledged to ensure working people are better off" and invest billions into energy, housing, transport and infrastructure after the government's spending review announcement.US news | Los Angeles police made more than 300 arrests as protesters defied an overnight curfew imposed after Donald Trump's crackdown against demonstrations.Israel-Gaza war | Israeli forces killed at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, most of them as they were seeking food from a US-Israeli distribution scheme, according to local health authorities.Austria | A 21-year-old former student who shot dead 10 people including pupils and a teacher at his former school in Austria before killing himself had planned to detonate a homemade explosive there, police have said.Music | Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys musician, songwriter and producer who created some of pop's most beautiful and groundbreaking songs, has died aged 82. Continue reading...

J-15 fighter jet took off from Chinese aircraft carrier off Japanese coast and came within 45 metres of Japanese Self-Defence Force aircraftJapan has voiced serious concern" over a near miss involving one of its military planes and a Chinese fighter jet in the Pacific, where recent manoeuvres by Chinese aircraft carrier groups have raised tensions across the region.The Chinese aircraft took off from a moving aircraft carrier, the Shandong, and reportedly flew within 45 metres of a Japanese Self-Defence Force (SDF) patrol plane shortly afterwards. On Thursday, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, urged Beijing to prevent a repeat of the incident, which took place at the weekend. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Cross-party group including peers warns of risk of potential Chinese state influence' in private equity firmA cross-party group of MPs and peers has called on ministers to investigate how a US private equity company is funding its 500m takeover of the Telegraph.In a letter sent to the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, last week, the MPs said there was a risk of potential Chinese state influence" in RedBird Capital. Continue reading...

Patterson tells court her children were mistaken when they said she served herself leftover beef wellington the night of the lunch

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As Alaa Abd el-Fattah's mother remains on hunger strike, supporters say activist's continued detention is campaign of vengeance by Egypt's presidentFamily, friends and supporters of the jailed British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah have spoken about the conditions of his long imprisonment as his mother, Laila Soueif, remains in a London hospital in declining health on a hunger strike to secure his release.Amid a mounting campaign to put pressure on British ministers to intervene more forcefully on Abd el-Fattah's behalf, supporters say his continued detention is part of a campaign of vengeance motivated by the personal animus of the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, towards him. Continue reading...

Richard Marles says support for trilateral agreement still strong in Washington and Australia knew about review weeks ago

National Anti-Corruption Commission concludes no inappropriate intervention' by Labor over payment to Liberal staffer following alleged Parliament House assault

Local MLA blames masked thugs' for attack on centre that had been hosting people in need after Ballymena riotingA fire broke out at a leisure centre during a third night of disorder in Northern Ireland on Wednesday.People wearing masks smashed windows at the Larne leisure centre in County Antrim and set fires outside which spread inside the building. Continue reading...

After music, publishing, sports and philanthropy, rapper expands into film-making with lead role in Big Man, a short film premiering on YouTubeAfter conquering the charts, Glastonbury's Pyramid stage and launching his own publishing imprint, Stormzy is taking his first steps into the world of movies with starring in a short film about the travails of an ex-rapper.Big Man will be made by the rap star's own production company Merky Films in association with Apple, and feature Stormzy - in a sizable wig - as the lead character Tenzman, a former rap star now navigating a restless and uncertain chapter of his life". Continue reading...

Dozens more wounded as crowds approached food distribution centres run by Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian FoundationIsraeli forces killed at least 60 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, most of them as they were seeking food from a US-Israeli distribution scheme, according to local health authorities.Medical officials said at least 25 people were killed and dozens wounded as they approached a food distribution centre run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), near Netzarim in central Gaza. Continue reading...

State department move comes amid increasing concerns about nuclear talks between US and Iran that appear to be deadlockedThe United States has ordered the departure of non-essential" diplomatic staff and their families from embassies in the Middle East amid growing diplomatic tensions in the region.The US diplomatic draw-down came as Iran threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, while Donald Trump said he was less confident" about reaching a nuclear deal. Continue reading...

Actor had over 100 credits including Scarface, Training Day, Rush Hour 2, Frasier, Ozark and Clear and Present DangerHarris Yulin, a character actor with more than 100 film and TV credits, has died at the age of 88.According to Deadline, his death was announced by his family and his manager. He died on 10 June of a cardiac arrest in New York City. Continue reading...

Future of $240bn defense pact in doubt as Trump administration reviews it to see it aligns with America first' agendaThe Pentagon has launched a review of the Aukus defence pact to make sure it is aligned with Trump's America first" agenda, throwing the $240bn agreement with Britain and Australia into doubt.The review may trigger more allied anxiety over the future of the trilateral alliance designed to counter China's military rise. Australia in particular is relying on Aukus to renew its entire submarine fleet. Continue reading...

Hundreds of fathers protest with children to call for two weeks' statutory paternity leave to be increasedHundreds of fathers took to the streets of London and Edinburgh on Wednesday to demand better paternity leave, in a protest that was billed as the world's first dad strike.They came with babies in papooses and pushchairs, as they brandished placards and dad jokes to call for an overhaul of the meanest paternity leave system in Europe. Continue reading...

The chancellor has announced extra money for housing, energy, the NHS, defence and more, so is this the start of a new phase for the government? And should they have done it sooner to combat the rise of Reform? John Harris is joined in Westminster by our political editor, Pippa Crerar, and political correspondent, Kiran Stacey, to discuss the spending review and what it tells us about Labour's plans and priorities Continue reading...

Chancellor wants to use of hotels to house claimants, but by speeding up the asylum process not putting them up elsewhereExperts have questioned whether Rachel Reeves will be able to meet the spending promises she made on Wednesday, given how many of them require a sudden and unprecedented drop in the asylum backlog.The chancellor said on Wednesday she would save 1bn by drastically reducing the number of asylum seekers waiting for a decision on their claims and ending the use of hotels to house them. Continue reading...

Trans people who feel they've lost rights should distinguish between rights in law and preference for things to be a certain way', EHCR chair saidTransgender people may be asked about their gender status in the workplace, the equalities watchdog has said, with its chair arguing people should distinguish between rights in law, and a preference for things to be a certain way".Giving evidence to the women and equalities select committee, the chair and chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said trans people should not be fearful of the repercussions of April's supreme court ruling, which found the word woman" in the Equality Act refers only to a biological woman. Continue reading...

New agreement would see cities such as Karup and Skrydstrup fall under US jurisdictionDenmark has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new defence agreement giving the US sweeping powers on Danish soil, including unhindered access" to its airbases.The deal, which has been strongly criticised by politicians and human rights experts, means US soldiers in Denmark will remain under US jurisdiction. It gives US soldiers access to Danish airbases in three Danish cities - Karup, Skrydstrup and Aalborg - and grants American soldiers and military police powers over Danish civilians at these locations and outside them. Continue reading...

People to be able to move across land border with no checks, and airport to have Eurostar-style dual border checksThe UK and Spain have struck a historic" deal over Gibraltar's future, ending the long-running dispute over the territory after Brexit and easing the movement of people and goods across the border with Spain.The Foreign Office said London and Madrid had reached an agreement that resolves the last major unresolved issue from Brexit", while the Spanish foreign minister said it brought down the last wall" on the continent. Continue reading...

The chancellor roamed the country from Aberdeenshire to Weymouth, rattling off a rolodex of places along the wayBirmingham got four mentions. Derby and Merseyside two.During her 45-minute statement to MPs on Wednesday, Rachel Reeves also squeezed in references to Padeswood sidings and Southport pier. Continue reading...

Her capital-heavy approach will fuel pressure for commitments that make a more immediate difference to people's lives

Vigils held in Graz and country enters period of mourning as details of 21-year-old former pupil's bomb plot emergeA 21-year-old former student who shot dead 10 people including pupils and a teacher at his former school in Austria before killing himself had planned to detonate a homemade explosive at the site, police have said.As the small Alpine country came to a standstill to remember the dead, security officials said on Wednesday that the gunman, named in local media as Arthur A, had built a pipe bomb, but had then discarded plans to use it" in his attack on Tuesday in Graz. He told his parents in a suicide note that he had acted of his own free will". Continue reading...

Report raises concerns that money allocated to combat fires not reaching areas where it could make biggest differenceEuropean funds to prevent forest fires have been poorly targeted and sometimes distributed in a hurry, according to a report from the EU's spending watchdog.The number of forest fires in EU countries has increased dramatically over the last two decades as the climate crisis fuels ever bigger conflagrations. An area twice the size of Luxembourg has been consumed by flames in an average recent year, killing people, destroying homes and wildlife and sending megatonnes of planet-heating emissions into the air. Continue reading...

Consumer group tested 20 popular SPF 50 and 50+ brands and found 16 didn't meet the claims, while some companies dispute the findings

Only 8% of the top 10,000 artists streamed in Australia in 2024 were Australian, an analysis in a Creative Australia report finds

Department of Health wants refund of 122m spent on unused surgical gowns, but PPE Medpro says it went into contract with eyes wide open'Personal protective equipment supplied by a company linked to the Conservative peer Michelle Mone did not meet required safety standards and could seriously harm or kill patients" if used, the UK government has argued in court.Opening a high court trial for the Department of Health and Social Care, Paul Stanley KC said that the company, PPE Medpro, had not complied with technical manufacturing processes to ensure that the 25m surgical gowns it provided were sterile. Continue reading...

Chancellor pledges to end spending on asylum hotels, as she contrasts Labour investment with Tory austerity

Community groups say people who attended cultural events have faced questioning when visiting TurkeyMembers of the Turkish and Kurdish community in the UK have accused the Turkish government of intimidating and interrogating them for holding arts and cultural events in London parks.They claim that about 150 people who have participated in activities organised by Gik-Der - Refugee Workers' Cultural Organisation have been detained by Turkish authorities when visiting Turkey and questioned about their involvement with the organisation. Continue reading...

Payment of $2.3m in defamation costs Pesutto owes would have been delayed until 2027 under deal, which was not accepted by Liberal party

Beatle wrote in 1962 letter to Cynthia Powell that he wished he was on his way to her flat with chocies and a throbber'John Lennon is considered by many to be a poet. But the Beatle revealed his more prosaic side in a letter penned in 1962 to his future wife Cynthia Powell, in which he declared: I wish I was on the way to your flat with the Sunday papers and chocies and a throbber."The intimate missive, which includes a complaint about his bandmate Paul McCartney's snoring, is now being sold at auction by Christie's with a 30,000 to 40,000 estimate. Continue reading...

Andrew Gwynne and Paul Foster express concerns about safeguards as growing number of MPs change stance on bill

Paris Match agrees to pay 40,000 to two charities after publishing photos of Pelicot and companionGisele Pelicot, who survived almost a decade of rape by dozens of men after she was drugged by her ex-husband, has settled an invasion of privacy case with the French magazine Paris Match.Pelicot, who became a feminist hero after she decided to waive her right to anonymity in the trial of her ex-husband and 50 other men last year, took legal action against Paris Match in April. Continue reading...