Handwash and bubble bath sales also fall in first six months 2023, with cost of living blamedShoppers in Britain are shunning soap and similar items, as leading supermarkets report a drop in the sales of personal hygiene products amid the cost of living crisis.Figures from Britain's leading supermarket chains show demand for soap has fallen by 48% in the first six months of 2023 compared with the same period last year. Sales of handwash are down by 23%. Bubble bath sales decreased by 35% and shower gel by 1%. Only hand sanitiser has bucked the trend, with sales up by 29%. Continue reading...
Rev Michael Hall, who died in 2021, belittled and humiliated members of his Buckinghamshire congregationA Church of England vicar spiritually abused" members of his congregation for almost 20 years, silencing dissent, commanding obedience, belittling and humiliating parishioners, locking people in rooms, and causing fear and shame, a report has concluded.The Rev Michael Hall retired as vicar of St Margaret's church in Tylers Green, Buckinghamshire, in 2000 and died in 2021. One of his former parishioners killed himself in 2020, citing trauma caused by Rev Hall" more than two decades earlier. Continue reading...
David Hunter, 76, who killed his wife, Janice, found not guilty of her murder by judgesA district court in Cyprus has ruled that a British man committed manslaughter when he asphyxiated his terminally ill wife in their retirement home on the island in December 2021.Judges sitting in the coastal city of Paphos said they had not found the former miner, David Hunter, 76, guilty of premeditated murder - the charge he had faced, which carries a life sentence. Continue reading...
The $145m-budgeted film, starring Margot Robbie, has hit cinemas worldwide, bringing all-pink superfans out in drovesLike it or not, we are all citizens of the state of Barbieland - or at least we were on the eve of Barbie's opening.Following a year-long wink-wink, think-pink marketing blitz that shaded every corner of the public consciousness in Pantone 219C, masses of film and pop culture devotees squeezed into their rosiest garments and headed to the cinema to see writer-director Greta Gerwig's sparkly tribute to the wasp-waisted Mattel doll. Made in conjunction with the Los Angeles-based toy brand, Barbie is the first of 45 Mattel IP productions in the works. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey, Helen Pidd and Mabel Banfield-Nwachi on (#6D5P1)
Labour leader hails Selby byelection victory but says London mayor must consider expansion of ultra-low emission zoneKeir Starmer has lauded his party's historic win in the Selby byelection, but urged the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, to reflect" on the impact of his extension of the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) into Uxbridge, where Labour was unexpectedly defeated.The Labour leader sounded upbeat on Friday during a visit to the North Yorkshire seat of Selby and Ainsty, which his party won for the first time since it was created in 2010, doing so with a 24-point swing. Continue reading...
Publicist confirms death of American pop and jazz singer who became torchbearer for Great American SongbookTony Bennett, the American pop and jazz singer who became the torchbearer for the Great American Songbook during a seven decade career, has died aged 96, his publicist said on Friday.Bennett was perhaps best known for his 1962 signature song I Left My Heart in San Francisco as well as for staging an astonishing career comeback during the 80s and 90s that delivered him sustained popularity into old age. He won 19 Grammy awards, including a lifetime achievement award in 2001, and has sold more than 50m records worldwide. Continue reading...
Police say further arrests expected over incident captured in viral video that prompted nationwide outrageFour men have been arrested in connection with the case of women who were stripped naked, publicly paraded and allegedly gang raped in the Indian state of Manipur, in an incident that caused outrage after it was captured in a viral video.The arrests took place on Thursday, a day after the footage of the assault prompted anger across India and was condemned by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, and the supreme court. The police said more arrests were expected soon. Continue reading...
Vadym Prystaiko's removal follows TV interview questioning president's sarcasm' towards Ben WallaceVolodymyr Zelenskiy has dismissed Ukraine's ambassador to London after a row over the Ukrainian president being asked to be more grateful for the military help the west was providing to his country.Vadym Prystaiko's dismissal was announced in a presidential order, with no official reason being given. He has also been removed as Ukraine's representative to the International Maritime Organization. Continue reading...
Alberto Nunez Feijoo says female deputy PM knows a lot about makeup' as he queries employment figures at election rallyThe leader of Spain's conservative People's party (PP), which is leading the polls before Sunday's snap general election, has been accused of sexism after making an apparent reference to the deputy prime minister's makeup during a campaign rally.Speaking in Madrid on Thursday, Alberto Nunez Feijoo accused Yolanda Diaz, who is also the labour minister, of massaging Spain's employment figures, claiming that while the socialist-led coalition government was attempting to pass off workers on temporary contracts as being employees, the truth lies in the embellished employment figures". Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6D5HS)
About 13m holidaymakers will take to Britain's roads, airports and ferry ports this weekendHolidaymakers have begun taking to Britain's roads, airports and ferry ports as the great summer getaway reaches its peak this weekend.About 2 million people are expected to fly overseas from the UK between Friday and Monday, with about 13 million forecast to hit the roads in the coming days for trips abroad or a holiday at home. Continue reading...
After state botched three executions last year, judge says inmate should not be used as a guinea pig'Alabama has executed a man, resuming its use of the death penalty after three botched killings last year.James Barber was pronounced dead on Friday at 1.56am after receiving a lethal injection at a south Alabama prison. Continue reading...
by Constance Malleret in Rio de Janeiro on (#6D5H1)
Experts believe numbers partly reflect effects of lockdowns and trickling down of Jair Bolsonaro's ultra-conservative viewsBrazil saw a disturbing increase in sexual violence against women and children in 2022, according to new figures which paint a worrying picture of a country that is failing to protect its young and female population, particularly in their own homes.The data, published on Thursday by the Brazilian Public Security Forum showed that reported rapes increased 8.2% to an all-time high of 74,930 last year, while rape cases among minors grew 15.3%. Women make up 88.7% of rape victims, and a staggering 61.4% are children aged 13 or younger. Continue reading...
by Martin Belam, Guardian staff and agencies on (#6D579)
Agricultural produce destroyed in latest Russian strike on Odesa; US-supplied cluster bombs now confirmed to be in use by UkraineRussia struck the Ukrainian port city of Odesa for the fourth consecutive night after pulling out of the Black Sea grain deal. Odesa's regional governor Oleh Kiper said that 100 tons of peas and 20 tons of barley were destroyed in a strike on an agriculture facility which injured two people, and saw damage to emergency equipment after it was struck twice in a double-tap" attack. Ukrainian military spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk saying The enemy is continuing terror, and it's undoubtedly related to the grain deal."US-supplied cluster bombs, which are banned by more than 120 countries, have been deployed in Ukraine against Russian forces, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has said. We have gotten some initial feedback from the Ukrainians, and they're using them quite effectively," Kirby told reporters.Russia's navy carried out a live fire exercise" in the north-west Black Sea, Moscow's defence ministry has said, days after the Kremlin said it would consider ships travelling to Ukraine through the waterway to be potential military targets. The Black Sea Fleet carried out live firing of anti-ship cruise missiles at the target ship in the combat training range in the north-western part of the Black Sea", Russia's defence ministry said in a statement on Telegram according to AFP. The target ship was destroyed as a result of a missile strike," it said.Ukraine had warned that it could target all shipping out of Russian and Russian-occupied ports and signalled its readiness to fight on the Black Sea, after Moscow's declaration of a naval blockade and bombardment of Ukrainian ports. The tit-for-tat moves come after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea deal.Poland has decided to move military formations from the west to the east of the country due to the potential threat posed by the Wagner group's presence in neighbouring Belarus. Training or joint exercises between the Belarusian army and the Wagner group is undoubtedly a provocation", PAP quoted Zbigniew Hoffmann as saying.President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has dismissed Vadym Prystaiko as Ukraine's ambassador to Britain. Prystaiko was recently critical of Zelenskiy on television in the UK over comments the president had made after UK defence secretary had called for a show of more gratitude from Ukraine.CIA head William Burns has suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin is biding his time over deciding what to ultimately do with Yevgeney Prigozhin. In comments at the Aspen security forum Burns said What we are seeing is a very complicated dance. Putin is someone who generally thinks that revenge is a dish best served cold. In my experience, Putin is the ultimate apostle of payback so I would be surprised if Prigozhin escapes further retribution". He added If I were Prigozhin, I wouldn't fire my food taster."The UN's atomic watchdog says it has been unable to inspect the roofs of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant which is occupied by Russian forces. Ukraine accuses Russia of turning the plant into a shield for its artillery guns and dynamiting the reactor roof, turning the site into an atomic bargaining chip.The US imposed Russia-related sanctions against nearly 120 individuals and entities aimed at blocking Moscow's access to electronics and other goods that aid its war against Ukraine. The new measures are designed to reduce Russia's revenue from the metals and mining sector, undermine its future energy capabilities and degrade Russia's access to the international financial system," the treasury department said in a statement.Russia said Thursday it was imposing restrictions on British diplomats, requiring them to give five days' notice of any plans to travel beyond a 120km radius, due to what it called London's hostile actions".Ukraine's deputy economy minister held talks with China's vice-commerce minister in Beijing in the first high-level visit by a Ukraine government official to the country since 2019. Continue reading...
by Helen Pidd, Mabel Banfield-Nwachi, Sammy Gecsoyler on (#6D5A6)
Keir Mather, 25, is Selby's next MP, as Labour narrowly fails to take Boris Johnson's old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip and Lib Dems romp to victory in Somerton and Frome
Quantity of goods bought rose by 0.7%, with supermarkets benefiting from hottest June on recordThe hottest June on record gave an unexpected boost to retail sales last month, with households in Great Britain buying more food and furniture despite continued pressure on budgets.Officials figures showed that the quantity of goods bought rose 0.7% month on month, much higher than average analyst forecasts of a 0.2% bump in sales volumes, with most retailers reporting purchases were up, aside from petrol and diesel sellers. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: a pair of major defeats for the Conservatives, but the PM will be relieved to have at least retained Boris Johnson's old seat Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning and welcome to a special First Edition, brought to you this morning - thanks to a great deal of coffee - with the very latest from a dramatic night in British politics. This was a night, of course, that saw three byelections that put Rishi Sunak's government to an important test, with a general election looming within the next 18 months.And the headline result might suggest that everyone is happy this morning - with each of the three major parties, remarkably, capturing one of the seats on offer.Politics | Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng received about 400 in severance pay for every day they were in office, according to government accounts. The former prime minister and former chancellor each received more than 16,000 on leaving their jobs after just a few weeks, while Tom Scholar, the department's most senior civil servant, received 457,000 after being sacked by Truss.Finance | The head of NatWest has apologised to Nigel Farage for what she called deeply inappropriate comments" about the former Ukip leader in an internal report that led to the closure of his accounts at the group's exclusive private bank, Coutts.UK news | A man who was jailed for stalking Jeremy Vine has apologised in court after being sued by the broadcaster for defamation and harassment.Environment | Hailstorms have hit northern Italy as near-record temperatures begin to ebb, but forecasters have warned of a fourth heatwave hitting southern Europe next week, with temperatures of up to 48C.Monarchy | King Charles III is to receive a huge pay rise from the UK taxpayer. Figures published by the Treasury on Thursday show the royal family's grant is due to increase from 86m to 125m by 2025. It comes against the backdrop of the cost of living crisis. The monarchy's annual budget, known as the sovereign grant, is pegged against the profits from a national property portfolio called the crown estate. Continue reading...
Opposition leader Raila Odinga rallies his supporters to the streets where there have been clashes with armed police in Nairobi and western city of KisumuTeargas and live ammunition were used against demonstrators as pockets of violence broke out in Kenya during a second day of protests against tax increases and rising living costs.Despite relative calm in Nairobi on Thursday morning, there were clashes in the informal settlements of Kibera and Mathare in the capital, and in the western city of Kisumu. Protesters threw stones at police, who had mounted a heavy presence in Nairobi after the deaths of at least six demonstrators and more than 300 arrests around the country on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Some in Extremadura region see local outcome as latest example of People's party putting pragmatism over principlesTowards the end of last month, Maria Guardiola, who leads the conservative People's party (PP) in the Extremadura region of south-west Spain, gave a speech in which she tore into the far-right Vox party for its denial of gender-based violence, its demonisation of migrants and its attacks on the LGBTQ+ community.Guardiola was far from alone in her aversion to Vox's views and tactics. The party's most recent stunt in the run-up to Spain's general election this Sunday - which could put the far right in government for the first time since the return to democracy after the Franco dictatorship - had been the unveiling in Madrid of a massive banner showing a giant hand tossing symbols representing feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, Catalan independence, environmental programmes and communism into a bin. Continue reading...
Inspectorate calls for urgent improvements, particularly in treatment of prisoners with mental health problemsScotland's prisons are repeatedly breaching the human rights of inmates put in solitary confinement, particularly those with severe mental health problems, the prisons inspectorate has said.Prisons are routinely failing to provide segregated inmates with at least two hours of human contact a day, are using segregation to contain" inmates with severe mental health issues who need specialist care, and are failing to properly reintegrate troubled prisoners, it found.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...
Controversial munitions have been deployed against Russian forces on the battlefield after the US made the decision to supply themUS-supplied cluster munitions have been deployed in Ukraine and are having an impact on the counteroffensive against Russian forces, a senior White House official has said.We have gotten some initial feedback from the Ukrainians, and they're using them quite effectively," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday. Continue reading...
Rightmove says average advertised rent in Great Britain is at all-time high of 1,231 a month outside the capitalPrivate rents in Great Britain have soared to fresh all-time highs and the average amount being asked for outside London is now a third higher than four years ago, figures from Rightmove show.Despite rental growth running well ahead of inflation, the property website said homes were continuing to be let quickly, with many landlords still being met with long queues of prospective tenants wanting to view and rent their property". Continue reading...
M&S says short-sighted act of self-sabotage' leaves no choice but to review position on UK's premier shopping streetMarks & Spencer has been refused permission to demolish and rebuild its main store on Oxford Street in the West End of London in a win for campaigners concerned about the carbon footprint of redevelopment.The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities confirmed that Michael Gove, the secretary of state, disagreed with the recommendation from inspectors to approve the plans and had decided to refuse permission". Continue reading...
Move by city council follows action to limit public cannabis use and to discourage wild partying by young BritonsAmsterdam's city council has decided to close a cruise ship terminal in its centre, in the latest attempt to limit mass tourism in the Dutch capital.Polluting cruise ships are not in line with the sustainable ambitions of our city," said a statement from the centre-right party D66, which runs the city with the social democrats PvdA and GroenLinks environmentalists. Continue reading...
This August's festival will mark 75 years since HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury DocksThe organiser of Notting Hill carnival has said the mistreatment of the Windrush generation is a dark stain on our history", as the world famous festival prepares to honour people who moved from the Caribbean to the UK in the aftermath of the second world war.The three-day carnival in west London at the end of August will mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks. Members of the Windrush generation helped found the Caribbean carnival in the late 1950s, the forerunner of today's festival. Continue reading...
Exclusive: NHS Confederation boss says some trusts are losing 500,000 for every day that strikes over pay continue in EnglandThe cost of the NHS strike action is eye-watering" and could run into billions of pounds, a health boss has said as he urged ministers to resolve the row over pay.Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents the healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said some NHS trusts were losing 500,000 for every day of industrial action. Continue reading...
Travis King had finished prison term in South Korea for assault and was supposed to be returning to TexasNorth Korea is not responding to US attempts to discuss the American soldier who crossed the heavily armed border and whose prospects for a quick release are unclear when military tensions are high and communication channels inactive.Pte Travis King, who was supposed to be heading to Fort Bliss, Texas, after finishing a prison sentence in South Korea for assault, ran into North Korea while on a civilian tour of the border village of Panmunjom on Tuesday. He is the first known American to be held in North Korea in nearly five years. Continue reading...
by David Pegg, Rob Evans and Severin Carrell on (#6D4X1)
Details published by Treasury show royal family's grant is expected to increase from 86m to 125m in 2025King Charles III is to receive a huge pay rise from the UK taxpayer, according to government plans to boost public funding of the monarchy by 45% from 2025.Details of the increase, which comes against the backdrop of a cost of living crisis, were contained in a review of royal funding published by the Treasury on Thursday. It revealed the royal family's grant is due to increase from 86m to 125m. Continue reading...
Judge agrees with prosecutors to look into two possible cases as the singer faces trial over alleged failure to pay over 14mPop star Shakira is facing more trouble from Spain's tax office after a court near Barcelona said on Thursday that it had agreed to open an investigation into a second case of alleged tax fraud by the Colombian singer.Shakira is already set to face trial at a date to be determined for allegedly failing to pay 14.5m ($13.9m) in taxes on income earned between 2012 and 2014. The entertainer has denied any wrongdoing. Continue reading...
Man in his 30s, believed to be known to woman in her 60s, arrested on suspicion of murderA murder investigation has been launched after a female patient in her 60s died at Cornwall's main hospital.Devon and Cornwall police were called on Wednesday afternoon to the Royal Cornwall hospital in Truro, where the patient came to harm. A man in his 30s believed to have been known to the woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Continue reading...
Michael Gove decided to refuse permission,' in a win for campaigners concerned about the carbon footprint of redevelopmentOn that subject, the maker of Mr Kipling cakes, Oxo cubes and Bisto gravy granules has said it believes recent food cost inflation has peaked, and it is not planning any more price rises for its food products for the rest of the year.The news came as owner Premier Foods reported a 21% increase in sales in the first quarter of the financial year, compared with a year earlier.Evidence to date indicates high food price inflation has not been driven by weak retail competition, but competitive pressure is important as input prices fallNext phase of CMA probe will examine competition and prices across the supply chain for the product categories identifiedRules on unit pricing should be tightened and retailers must comply to help shoppers compare prices easilyNot everyone is able to benefit fully from strong competition, particularly those who cannot travel to large stores or shop online, and therefore may rely on higher-priced convenience stores.Now that some input costs are starting to fall, there are some signs that grocery retailers are planning to start rebuilding their profit margins. The CMA will monitor this carefully in the months ahead, to ensure that people benefit from competitive prices as input costs fall. Continue reading...
by Nicola Slawson (now) and Alexandra Topping (earlie on (#6D4CV)
Voters are picking new MPs in the constituencies of Somerton and Frome, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, and Selby and AinstyThe education secretary, Gillian Keegan, has confirmed that the controversial guidance to schools on trans pupils will now be delayed.Rishi Sunak had promised the guidance would be published before the end of the school year but it has been beset by ministerial in-fighting and legal wrangles.It is vital that the guidance we publish gives clarity for schools and colleges and reassurance for parents. So, we have made the decision to allow more time - to speak to teachers, parents, lawyers and other stakeholders - in order to ensure this guidance meets the high expectations that these groups rightly have for it.We have been clear from the start that this legislation threatens to undermine the rule of law and access to justice.Whilst the act will soon come into force on paper, it will be unworkable in practice because it doesn't provide solutions to the asylum backlog, and there isn't capacity in the legal aid sector to provide the immigration advice needed. Continue reading...
Alex Belfield called into question Vine's honesty and tried to publish family and friends' phone numbers, court hearsA man who was jailed for stalking Jeremy Vine has apologised in court after being sued over the campaign of harassment and abuse he waged against the broadcaster.Vine sued Alex Belfield for defamation and harassment less than a year after Belfield's conviction for stalking him and others. The high court heard that Belfield had made several untrue allegations against Vine that called into question his honesty, as well as trying to publish his family and friends' phone numbers online and encouraging people to call him while he was working. Continue reading...
The comedian, who died in 2018, will be remembered in a new exhibition that brings together props, costumes and an interactive giggle map'Tickling sticks, a Dicky Mint puppet and a Yorick skull complete with protruding teeth will go on display in September as the Museum of Liverpool pays tribute to the city's beloved comedian Sir Ken Dodd.Dodd, who died aged 90 in 2018, is to be remembered in the exhibition Happiness! which is named after his signature song and will explore the two sides of the much-loved Doddy" said curator Karen O'Rourke. As well as the larger than life, quick-witted performer we know best" it will reveal the deep-thinker and private man off stage, who diligently filled more than 1,000 notebooks with his jokes, observations and philosophy of comedy". Continue reading...
Eugene Shvidler claims oppressive treatment' as he launches case that could set a precedent for oligarchsEugene Shvidler, a long-time ally of the billionaire Roman Abramovich, has accused the UK government of oppressive treatment" as he launched a legal challenge against sanctions imposed upon him after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.In a high court case that experts say could lead to a precedent for oligarchs seeking to free themselves of sanctions, lawyers for Shvidler, who is reportedly worth 1.3bn, are seeking to have his designation for sanctions declared unlawful and quashed, as well as pursuing restitution of his costs. Continue reading...
People urged to stay inside as officials track down dangerous animal' in south-west of capitalResidents on the south-western outskirts of Berlin are being urged to stay indoors after overnight sightings of a loose, dangerous animal", suspected to be an escaped lioness.Brandenburg police advised people living in the districts of Kleinmachnow, Stahnsdorf and Teltow on the borders of the German capital to refrain from walking in the woods and to keep pets or farm animals indoors on Thursday. Nurseries were allowed to open but were urged to avoid letting children play outdoors. Continue reading...
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