Writer, who died in his Los Angeles home, also worked without credit on The Godfather and Bonnie and ClydeRobert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Chinatown, considered one of the greatest screenplays of all time, has died at age 89.Towne, the screenwriter also nominated for his films Shampoo and The Last Detail, died on Monday among family members at his Los Angeles home, said his publicist, who did not disclose a cause of death. Continue reading...
Rightmove calls on new government to prioritise sector as rents outside London climb 7% in a yearAverage private rents in Great Britain have climbed to record highs, prompting a call for the next government to prioritise measures to help create an extra 120,000 rental properties.Data shows that the typical advertised rent outside London reached a record 1,316 a calendar month in May, the property website Rightmove said. The figure for London was 2,652 a month - almost three times the 894 asked for in north-east England. Continue reading...
Ex-PM claims Labour will be most leftwing government since the war' at Tory election rally in National Army MuseumBoris Johnson made his only appearance on the general election campaign on Tuesday night, less than 48 hours before voters head to the polls, and did not appear with or praise Rishi Sunak.The former prime minister made a surprise appearance at a Tory rally in Chelsea, accusing Keir Starmer of trying to usher in the most leftwing Labour government since the war" and claiming he would increase taxes and fail to stand up to Vladimir Putin. Continue reading...
The last time five women made it through to the second round of the tournament was in 1987Britain's female tennis stars have enjoyed a record-breaking start to Wimbledon, with five players through to the second round for the first time in 37 years.Katie Boulter, the British No 1, and Harriet Dart, 27, were triumphant in their first-round matches on Tuesday. They joined former US Open champion Emma Raducanu, the 28-year-old wildcard Yuriko Lily Miyazaki, and London-born Sonay Kartal, 22, who won on Monday. Continue reading...
Labour administration says globally pioneering' legislation will be brought in before next Senedd elections in 2026The Labour-led Welsh government has committed to introduce globally pioneering" legislation that would in effect make lying in politics there illegal.Members of the Senedd described it as a historic moment that would combat the existential threat" that lying in politics poses to democracy. Continue reading...
Jury sent out three times during address by Roger Hallam, who is on trial for alleged role in organising M25 blockadeA climate protester ignored a judge's instructions and refused to leave the witness box, instead delivering an hours-long speech telling jurors that his alleged role in a conspiracy to block the M25 was justified by the risk of human extinction.Roger Hallam, 58, spoke for more than two hours on why a judge was wrong to rule that he and co-defendants could not bring evidence in their defence on the impacts of climate breakdown, and why such evidence justified the sort of acts of which they are accused. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6NY9E)
Former neonatal nurse is convicted in retrial after jury in original trial last year was unable to reach verdictLucy Letby has been found guilty of trying to kill a two-hour-old baby girl on the hospital ward where she murdered seven other infants.The cold-blooded, calculated killer", who is serving 14 whole-life prison terms, was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to murder the extremely premature" infant after a retrial at Manchester crown court. Continue reading...
Thinktank polled 15 European countries and only 1% expect Russia to emerge victoriousA negotiated outcome with Russia, as opposed to an outright Ukrainian military victory, is now seen as the most likely outcome in most European countries, according to a major poll of 15 countries.Support for Ukraine's cause remains strong across Europe despite battlefield reverses, but European voters increasingly regard arming Ukraine as necessary not to achieve a complete Ukrainian battlefield victory, but instead to strengthen Ukraine's hand in future negotiations with Russia. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday North of England editor on (#6NYAE)
Prosecution case rested largely on testimony of Dr Ravi Jayaram, who was said to have walked in on murder attemptEven as a doctor who has appeared regularly on television, Dr Ravi Jayaram may have felt some trepidation about his latest lead role. The consultant paediatrician, 56, who has appeared on the BBC's The One Show and ITV's Good Morning Britain, was the key prosecution witness in the trial of Lucy Letby over the attempted murder of a newborn baby girl.Letby, 34, was found guilty on Tuesday of trying to kill the two-hour-old infant by tampering with her breathing tube on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester hospital. She will be sentenced on Friday. Continue reading...
Artist behind controversial piece in Linz cathedral says vandalism shows there are still people who question women's right to their own bodies'Vandals have beheaded a sculpture of the Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus on display in the cathedral in the Austrian city of Linz. The work had drawn criticism from some Catholics, who said it was blasphemous.The sculpture had been on view at the St Mary Cathedral, Austria's largest, as part of an art installation about women's roles, family images and gender equality, the Linz diocese said in a statement. It said the vandalism, which occurred on Monday, had been reported to police. Continue reading...
Party appealed to engineering firms and management consultancies, requesting help with policy workMore than a dozen private sector lobbyists and consultants have been embedded in the shadow cabinet teams, after Labour approached businesses for help with shaping its policies.The party is understood to have sent out an appeal to private companies to send staff to assist it with policy work, particularly in complex areas such as artificial intelligence (AI). Continue reading...
Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, regarded Hongchi Xiao, who ran the workshop in Wiltshire, as messenger sent by God'A woman with diabetes who died after stopping her insulin while taking part in a four-day slapping therapy workshop regarded the person who ran the retreat as a messenger sent by God", a jury has heard.Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, wrote glowing testimonials about Hongchi Xiao saying she believed he was starting a revolution in healthcare, Winchester crown court was told. Continue reading...
Antoine Kolias invented own branding and said the medicines were a natural remedy' for erectile dysfunctionA Manchester University graduate has been jailed for importing and selling illegal medicines on eBay and Amazon.Antoine Christopher Kolias was sentenced on Friday to three and a half years in prison. Continue reading...
by Pjotr Sauer in Kyiv and Flora Garamvolgyi on (#6NY1Q)
Hungarian PM, an outspoken critic of aid to Ukraine, makes first trip to country since start of Russia's full-scale invasionHungary's prime minister has made a surprise visit to Kyiv for talks with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the first trip by Europe's most pro-Russian leader to the Ukrainian capital since the start of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion 28 months ago.The visit on Tuesday morning by Viktor Orban, an outspoken critic of western military and financial aid to Ukraine, came a day after Hungary took over the rotating EU presidency until the end of the year, to the dismay of many other European politicians, given the country's frequent clashes with Brussels over domestic rule-of-law issues and foreign policy. Continue reading...
Mark Keel arrested in connection with death of 36-year-old Maxine Clark in RiddrieA man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a woman at a house in Glasgow.Maxine Clark, 36, was found dead at home in Riddrie in the north-east of the city last Thursday evening. Officers from Police Scotland had been responding to reports of woman with serious injuries at the property. Continue reading...
by Ramon Antonio Vargas in New Orleans on (#6NY3D)
Ruling leads to claims that BG's right to free speech unfairly challenged in another case putting rap lyrics on trialA US federal judge has refused prosecutors' request to prohibit the maker of the 1990s rap classic Bling Bling from promoting and glorifying future gun violence/murder" in songs and at concerts while on supervised release from prison, saying such a restriction could violate his constitutional right to free speech.But the artist known as BG must provide the government with copies of any songs he writes moving forward, ahead of their production or promotion - and, if they are deemed to be inconsistent with his goals of rehabilitation, prosecutors could move to toughen the terms governing his supervised release. Continue reading...
As the election nears, we scrutinise how each of the main contenders would deal with problems around the worldConflicts and environmental disasters are stretching humanitarian resources, and a new UK government will have to decide what role it will play on the world stage in dealing with global problems, especially after budget cuts and closure of the Department for International Development by the Conservatives, and with priorities so focused on Ukraine. We've talked to the main parties and looked at their manifestos to see what their plans are. Continue reading...
Rapper was booked for misdemeanour battery over altercation with security guard, but will not be charged after completing community serviceKiller Mike will not face charges over an alleged assault at the Grammys in February, officials announced on Monday.The US rapper, whose real name is Michael Render, was arrested and booked with misdemeanour battery after an altercation with a security guard at the ceremony at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Continue reading...
In the Lincolnshire constituency of Grantham, a statue of the Iron Lady reflects a sense of loyalty that is now waveringThere were hints of a sunny afternoon in Grantham on Monday when the skies kept clouding over, producing on-off moments of drizzle. But if the weather was undecided, that was nothing compared to the voters, with less than two days left until the general election.We watched the debates but we still don't know," said John Lyon, a retired bricklayer going to the bank with his wife, Jane, a retired chef. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: 12% of the electorate are believed to be unsure how to vote, and they might change the demographic of voters. Could the polls be wrong? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. The UK general election is on Thursday, yet about one in eight people have still not decided who they are going to vote for. The polls heavily suggest Labour are on course for a historic victory, but the scale of the Conservatives' defeat - from heavy to catastrophic - may be decided by the large group of as-yet undecided voters.Labour are projected to win 428 seats, giving the party a stonking majority of 102. The Tories are expected to fall to just 127 seats, and some polls question whether they will even reach three figures. The Liberal Democrats could climb from 11 at the 2019 election to 50. Reform UK, while projected to win as much as a 16% share of the vote, are unlikely to win more than two seats, but will cost Conservatives seats (to Labour and other parties) across the country.General election 2024 | Recriminations have begun to fly around the Conservatives as a senior figure called the last few weeks the worst campaign in my lifetime" and criticised the party for failing to tackle the threat from Reform.Donald Trump | While Republicans applauded the supreme court's decision to grant Donald Trump immunity for official acts undertaken as president, Democratic leaders expressed outrage over a ruling that legal experts warn could undermine the foundations of US democracy.France | French left and centrist parties are scrambling to cobble together a united front after Marine Le Pen's resounding victory in the first round of snap parliamentary elections on Sunday brought her far-right, anti-immigration party a step closer to power.Science | A brain-controlled bionic leg has allowed people with amputations to walk more quickly and navigate stairs and obstacles more easily in a groundbreaking trial.Theatre | Sir Ian McKellen is withdrawing from the national tour of Player Kings after he fell off a West End stage last month. The veteran actor said he was taking medical advice with the greatest reluctance" to protect my full recovery". Continue reading...
Large financial backers are returning to the party after abandoning it during the Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn erasLabour HQ was shocked and delighted to discover the party had raised 4m during the first two weeks of the election campaign, while the beleaguered Tories managed just 290,000.But according to a Labour donor who used to raise funds for the party, the adage when power shifts, so too does the money" rings true. Continue reading...
Contest condemned by animal rights groups sees children and adults hunt cats, which threaten native wildlifeA controversial competition that allows children to hunt feral cats in rural New Zealand for cash prizes has produced its biggest haul yet, with roughly 340 animals killed - about 100 more than last year's event.The annual North Canterbury fundraising event, which wrapped up this weekend, is open to children and adult participants and targets deer, pigs, ducks, possums and rabbits. Continue reading...
Rishi Sunak accused of failing to tackle threat from Reform while candidates complain of lack of support from CCHQRecriminations have begun to fly around the Conservatives as a senior figure called the last few weeks the worst campaign in my lifetime" and criticised the party for failing to tackle the threat from Reform.Rishi Sunak started the week with warnings against handing Labour a supermajority" and a blank cheque" and claimed a vote for Reform would hand more power to Keir Starmer. Continue reading...
Much-lauded Praiseworthy joins works by Gregory Day, Andre Dao, Sanya Rushdi, Jen Craig and Hossein Asgari competing for Australia's highest literary honour
Toll of dead and injured at anti-government rallies where police opened fire is almost double earlier figure disclosedAt least 39 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in anti-government demonstrations in Kenya, the national rights watchdog has said, as activists geared up for a new round of protests this week.The toll announced by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) is almost double the figure previously disclosed by the authorities for those killed while contesting a set of unpopular tax increases that have now been withdrawn. Continue reading...
Force admits use of undercover officers was indefensible' and had corrosive effect' on public trust, inquiry hearsThe Metropolitan police has issued a series of wide-ranging apologies to campaigners for the indefensible" use of undercover officers to spy on them, a public inquiry has heard.The Met admitted to serious failings and wrongdoing" by some of the undercover officers, conceding there was a general failure" by senior managers to supervise them properly. Continue reading...
Jimmy Lippert Thyden Gonzalez alleges country engaged in plan to steal babies from perceived enemies in 70s and 80sA Chilean-American man raised in the United States has filed a criminal complaint against the Chilean state, alleging that it engaged in a systematic plan to steal thousands of babies from perceived enemies of the state in the 1970s and 1980s.The case filed by Jimmy Lippert Thyden Gonzalez, 43, aims to advance the task of Chilean prosecutors and human rights groups working on accountability for crimes committed under Gen Augusto Pinochet. Continue reading...
Sexual violence experts concerned about health risks and lack of consent after survey shows almost 60% of respondents under 35 had been choked at least once
Exclusive: Veteran actors fast-tracked into venerable London club in wake of men-only rule being jettisoned after 193 yearsThe Garrick Club has named Judi Dench and Sian Phillips as distinguished members, making them the first women to be allowed to join the club in its 193-year history.The actors were given fast-tracked membership during the club's annual general meeting on Monday evening. Until now, no woman had been allowed into the Garrick unless invited in and accompanied around the building by a man. Continue reading...
Chuck Schumer calls ruling a sad day for our democracy' that will undermine supreme court's credibilityWhile Republicans applauded the supreme court's decision to grant Donald Trump immunity for official acts undertaken as president, Democratic leaders expressed outrage over a ruling that legal experts warn could undermine the foundations of US democracy.The court's six conservative justices ruled that presidents have absolute immunity" for official acts but no immunity from unofficial acts. The distinction could hamper the federal case against Trump over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and makes it even less likely that the case will go to trial before election day in November. Continue reading...
Hongchi Xiao denies manslaughter by gross negligence of Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, in Wiltshire in 2016An alternative healer failed to get help for a woman with diabetes who lay dying after taking part in his slapping therapy" workshop at a British country house, a jury has been told.Hongchi Xiao, a champion of paida lajin therapy, in which patients are slapped or slap themselves to expel poisonous waste", should have sought urgent medical assistance after Danielle Carr-Gomm stopped taking insulin and fell seriously ill, the court heard. Continue reading...
Steelworks owner says withdrawal of threat of industrial action means it can continue to operate one furnace safelyThe owner of the Port Talbot steelworks, Tata Steel, has cancelled plans to begin shutting down both of the plant's blast furnaces this week after Unite called off a strike, but cutbacks expected to cost 2,800 jobs will still go ahead later this year.Members of the union were scheduled to begin industrial action on 8 July, days after Indian-owned Tata began a wind-down process that will ultimately end more than 70 years of making steel from scratch at the plant. Continue reading...
Al-Shifa's Mohammed Abu Salmiya alleges Israel tortured him across seven months of detention without chargeThe head of the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital has accused Israel of torturing him and other detainees, following his release after seven months in Israeli prisons and detention facilities.Mohammed Abu Salmiya, the director of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, was among dozens of Palestinians freed and returned to Gaza on Monday, according to Israeli authorities. Continue reading...
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