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Apology follows anger among Catholics and other groups at opening ceremony segment that resembled biblical sceneParis 2024 organisers have apologised to Catholics and other Christian groups angered by a kitsch tableau in the Olympic Games opening ceremony that parodied Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper painting.The segment, which resembled the biblical scene of Jesus Christ and his apostles sharing a last meal before his crucifixion and featured drag queens and a singer made up as the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, drew dismay from the Catholic church and the religious right in US. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Centre for Crime and Justice Studies says rules result in overcriminalisation and discriminatory outcomesLabour is being urged to fulfil its pledge, made in opposition, to reform the law on joint enterprise in England and Wales, which is causing systemic injustice".A report by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS) says that the law on joint enterprise - where two or more defendants are accused of the same crime in relation to the same incident - has led to overcriminalisation, over punishment, discriminatory outcomes and convictions where there is no compelling evidence of intent. Continue reading...

Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia could upset Nicolas Maduro's run for a third term - but several obstacles can prevent a regime changeVenezuelans go to the polls on Sunday against a backdrop of hope and fear in a presidential election that could end 25 years of socialist rule - if a free and fair vote is allowed.Opinion polls suggest that the president Nicolas Maduro, 61, who is seeking his third term, could be defeated by the opposition coalition candidate, retired diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, 74. Continue reading...

Kit Harington hails decision to stage performances of his new play for black-only audiences as incredibly positive'It is a topic that has been weaponised in the culture wars including by the previous prime minister, but now one of Britain's leading actors has defended black out" nights at theatres.The Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has said the initiative of his new play to stage some performances for black-identifying audiences only was an incredibly positive thing" and denied the claim it discriminated against white people. Continue reading...

Delivery of first medical aid since Covid raises hopes that country could open up again to UN agencies and NGOsMore than 4 million vaccine doses have been flown toPyongyang, raising hopes that North Korea could open up again to UN agencies and NGOs amid reports of a worsening health situation in the authoritarian state.The return of essential vaccines marks a significant milestone towards safeguarding children's health and survival in this country," Roland Kupka, Unicef's acting representative for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, said in a statement. Continue reading...

Russian leader says Washington risks triggering cold war-style missile crisis and promises to respond in kindVladimir Putin has warned the US that if Washington deploys long-range missiles in Germany from 2026, Russia will station similar missiles within striking distance of the west.The US would start deploying long-range fire capabilities in Germany in 2026 in an effort to demonstrate its commitment to Nato and European defence, the Washington and Germany said earlier this month. Continue reading...

Critics argued laws were rushed through parliament' and will result in more Aboriginal children becoming incarcerated

Eleven Premier League teams start season with major bookmaker backing as industry watchdog report says stats can mask' scale of problem bettingOfficial figures on rates of problem gambling in Britain - which have been put as low as 0.3% - can mask" the scale of harms by including people who never bet, a report published by the industry regulator has warned.Various surveys suggest a problem gambling rate in Britain in a range of between 0.3% to 2.5%. But in the new report that figure rose sharply when non-gamblers were excluded - and was even higher among those who gambled on online casinos. Continue reading...

In 2023 John Pesutto was booed at the Victorian Liberal state council. This year, most rose to give him a standing ovation

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Alongside prosperity in Holborn and St Pancras are thousands of households for whom lifting the two-child benefit cap could mean an end to hunger The two-child benefit cap: what is it, does it work and how much would it cost to scrap it?It's been one of Cat Onyac's better days. Her two children are concentrating on their crochet project, sitting in the sunshine at HvH Arts in north London. And they've eaten. All the children get a hot meal," she says.The family is at a summer scheme for children in Camden on the edge of Keir Starmer's constituency, and food is just as important as learning photography, painting or music. Continue reading...

Reforms to inheritance and capital gains taxes could reduce 20bn shortfall and combat UK's widening wealth gapRachel Reeves could quickly find around 10bn a year to plug half of the fiscal hole left by the Conservatives if she were to raise taxes on soaring levels of unearned wealth, according to leading economists.New research by the independent Resolution Foundation published today finds that Britain is a country of booming wealth" but busted wealth taxes", leaving ample potential for the chancellor of the exchequer to raise desperately needed funds by raising taxes on the richest. Continue reading...

Military officials aim to strengthen war efficiency by following any attack order by Kim Jong-un anytime and without delay'North Korea has vowed to totally destroy" its enemies in case of war when leader Kim Jong-un gives an order, state media KCNA reported on Sunday, as the regime marked the end of hostilities in the Korean war.Senior military officials including Col Ri Un-ryong and Lt Cdr Yu Kyong-song made the comments out of surging hatred" towards the US and South Korea at a meeting on Saturday attended by Kim, marking the 71st anniversary of the Korean war armistice, according to KCNA. Continue reading...

One in three Australians live in an area where there is just one childcare spot for every three or more children, study finds

As the Park fire rages near Chico, residents who were evacuated from the deadly Camp fire in 2018 are evacuated againAs the biggest fire of the season raged through northern California on Saturday, Stephen Murray wasn't taking any chances.The Paradise resident loaded up his vehicle and prepared to flee with his wife and children. Almost six years after the Camp fire destroyed his hometown and killed 85 people, the community was under an evacuation warning due to the Park fire, which had scorched nearly 350,000 acres. Continue reading...

Far-right activist accused of contempt of court for making documentary, in which he repeats false claimsThe far-right activist Tommy Robinson could face jail" after screening a documentary against high court orders at a demonstration in central London on Saturday, according to the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate.The film, Silenced, repeated false claims he made about a Syrian refugee that led to him losing a libel case in 2021. Robinson is due to appear at a high court hearing on Monday accused of contempt of court for making the documentary. Continue reading...

Double-digit increases in insurance costs and rising petrol prices contributing to significant' spike in supply of repossessed vehicles

The deputy PM is to announce new rules to boost affordable homes as a 20bn shortfall in UK public finances is revealed Angela Rayner: Labour's radical housing plan will be smart, tailored and strategicA sweeping overhaul of planning rules to trigger the building of many more affordable homes will be announced by the government this week as it confronts the economic and social legacy of 14 years of Conservative rule.Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner will unveil a new National Planning Policy Framework to MPs on Tuesday before they depart for the summer recess in a move that will strengthen requirements for far higher numbers of affordable homes to be built in areas of need, starting this autumn. Continue reading...

Far-right leader talks of new Asia-oriented world order and throws support behind Donald TrumpHungary's nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, said on Saturday that the EU was sliding toward oblivion, in a rambling anti-west speech in which he warned of a new, Asia-oriented world order" while throwing his support behind Donald Trump's US presidential bid.Europe has given up defending its own interests," Orban said in Bile Tunad, a majority ethnic Hungarian town in central Romania. All Europe is doing today is following the US's pro-Democrat foreign policy unconditionally ... even at the cost of self-destruction. Continue reading...

As Jude Law's ripe and revolting portrayal of the Tudor monarch opens in cinemas, we look at the film and TV stars who have played him - as comedian, tyrant or heart-throbGreasy, hairy, large and smelly are not words that instantly summon up the image of Jude Law. Until now. Because the actor's latest role, Henry VIII in the film Firebrand, will show him in an almost entirely unflattering light. And the effect will be topped off in later scenes by the pustulant ulcers shown on his legs.Law is, perhaps unfairly, still best known for his line in clean-shaven leading men, from the inconstant Alfie to the suave Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr Ripley. He has clearly relished the chance to look so unappealing on the big screen. Continue reading...

Palestinian officials say at least 30 killed in strike on school in Deir al-Balah where thousands were seeking shelterA wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting central and southern Gaza have killed at least 50 people and injured an estimated 200, with one strike hitting a school where thousands were seeking shelter.Palestinian health ministry officials said at least 30 people were killed in an airstrike on the Khadija school in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip. Continue reading...

Chancellor attempts to plug 20bn hole in spending but will commit to above-inflation public sector pay riseRachel Reeves is to delay a number of unfunded" road and hospital projects on Monday as part of the Treasury's anticipated plans to plug an apparent 20bn hole in spending left by the Conservatives, while committing to an above-inflation public sector pay rise.The chancellor is expected to argue she has inherited capital projects that are unfunded with unfeasible timelines" as part of her Treasury audit report to the Commons. The audit will be seen as an indication of the government's early commitments and priorities. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereReuters has the following breaking news line: at least 12 Palestinians were killed on Saturday in an Israeli attack on a school housing displaced people west of Gaza's Deir al-Balah, Gaza's civil defence service said.There has been no comment yet from the Israeli military.By recognising Palestine, we recognise a sovereign people who cannot have their land stolen by illegal settlements or be subjected to the inhumane bombardment that we are seeing right now.We need two states living side by side ... we recognise the spirit of Palestinians and their dream of self-determination, and it will never be broken." Continue reading...

Production workers at Strictly Come Dancing allege BBC refused to take their complaints seriouslyProduction staff who formerly worked on Strictly Come Dancing have complained of a toxic work culture and accused the BBC of failing to take their complaints seriously, in a fresh blow to the corporation's primetime show, the Observer can reveal.One former staff member alleged they had been subjected to sexist and sexualised comments, including intrusive questions about their sex life, while another claimed they witnessed talented co-workers treated with cruelty". Continue reading...

Most French newspapers praise the Olympics spectacle but far-right commentators reject woke propaganda'They had waited 100 years for it and the French, mostly, were determined to love their kitsch, crazy, subversive, waterborne and very rain-drenched Olympics opening ceremony. Less happy were far-right figures, who spied wokeist" propaganda.A thoroughly unscientific poll on the rue de Rochechouart in Paris - where the far right have never had so much as a look-in - found plenty of enthusiasm. Continue reading...

Children among group led ashore by UK Border Force as number crossing Channel since last Saturday nears 400Small boat crossings continued on Saturday as the UK Border Force brought a group of people from the Channel into Dover.Children were among the group of about 50 people who were led ashore from the first boat that docked. Other Border Force vessels remained in the Channel. Continue reading...

Migrants at Work founder Ake Achi claims police failed to act on letter sent to his home warning of harm to his familyA leading modern slavery expert who pursues employers on behalf of exploited overseas workers, recovering thousands of pounds for them in the process, has received a threat on his life.Ake Achi, founder and chief executive of Migrants at Work, an organisation which protects workers' rights, says the letter was posted to his home. Continue reading...

Family of a man seen being kicked by police call for time to heal' as far-right groups and others try to exploit the falloutFriday prayers are often seen as the most important event in the weekly calendar for Muslims. But in Rochdale last week, they were more vital than usual. Three days on from the video that shocked the world, many feared the town was teetering on the brink of serious unrest.The footage showed an armed officer, Taser drawn, forcefully kick the head of a man who lay face down on the ground, already apparently incapacitated, as police responded to reports of an assault at Manchester airport. He then stamped on the man's head and violently kneed him in the side, as onlookers screamed. Continue reading...

The rail operator has pulled four of 15 trains from its Saturday schedule, affecting more than 3,000 peopleEurostar passengers hoping to catch the start of the Paris Olympics have continued to face difficulties after an arson attack in France caused train cancellations.People travelling by Eurostar from London to Paris on Friday were asked to postpone trips if possible after the rail operator cancelled one in four trains over the weekend as a result of arson attacks that lead to widespread disruption to France's high-speed rail network hours before the start of the Olympics. Continue reading...

Data shows overall resistance to masks, but lower Paxlovid prescription and vaccination rates for people of colorCovid is surging across the US, with levels of the virus on track to exceed last summer's wave nationally and approaching the peak of last winter's wave in the west, according to wastewater data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Yet vaccination and antiviral uptake, plagued by inequitable access, have remained low, and other precautions like mask-wearing are being met with increasing resistance. Continue reading...

Home Office urged to extend year-end date for expiry of biometric residence permits after postponing eVisas rolloutThe controversial rollout of digital visas for non-EU migrants has been delayed, but without any change to the cliff edge" year-end deadline. This leaves more than 4 million UK residents facing a race against time to avoid effectively becoming undocumented migrants. Having said people would be able to apply to access the new eVisas" from June, the Home Office is now advising that applications will open later in 2024".Immigration lawyers have written to the Home Office expressing great concern" at the delay as there has been no change to the 31 December deadline for the transition to eVisas. Continue reading...

US vice-president has been called a border czar' by Trump and a champion for Dreamers' by immigration advocatesThis week the House passed a Republican-led resolution condemning Kamala Harris for her role in the Biden administration's handling of migration, part of a ramped up effort to portray the presumptive Democratic nominee as dangerously lax on border security.Following Joe Biden's decision to bow out of the presidential race, Donald Trump has also unleashed a barrage of fresh attacks on the US vice-president's record on immigration, a politically volatile issue expected to play a central role in the November presidential election. Continue reading...

Visitors will need to pay up to 15 to stroll - and take photos - along romantic 900-metre walkway in Liguria, ItalyStifling though the crowds of tourists can be at the height of summer, a hint of love is in the air across the five villages of Italy's Cinque Terre as a Ligurian riviera coastal path famed as a meeting point for courting couples reopens after an almost 12-year closure.Sculpted into the steep cliffs wedged between the villages of Riomaggiore and Manarola, the Via dell'Amore (Path of Love) had been closed since being damaged by a September 2012 landslide that injured four Australian tourists. Continue reading...

MPs and candidates who faced abuse discuss polling station buffer zones and action to tackle social media

Firefighters found the building on Bridge Road, Richmond engulfed in flames on Saturday morning

Kai McKenzie, 23, expresses gratitude for outpouring of support in first public comments after attack by biggest shark I've ever seen'

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...

Court urges federal and Ontario governments to make pay outs after dishonourably' neglecting 174-year-old deal

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...

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...

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...

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...

Government move to engage archaeological specialists comes after suspicious' locations identified at Kinchela Aboriginal institution

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...

Prosecutors open formal investigation after coordinated attacks cause severe disruption on France's busiest lines

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...