Actor, best known for playing Wolverine, and Deborra-Lee Furness say they are pursuing individual growth'Hugh Jackman and his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, have announced they are ending their marriage after 27 years.The Australian actors married in 1996 and have two children, Oscar, 23, and Ava, 18. Continue reading...
Actor apologises for controversial decision to resume production of show, saying she didn't want to upset or hurt anyone'Drew Barrymore has posted a tearful apology after coming under fire for bringing her talkshow back during the writers' strike.The actor and host had announced that The Drew Barrymore Show would return, while in accordance with the Sag-Aftra and WGA strike rules. But the decision led to an immediate backlash, with protesters demonstrating at the CBS studios during the first day of production. Audience members were also reportedly thrown out for wearing WGA pins. Continue reading...
Exclusive: oil giant to put particular focus on senior managers after shock departure of CEO Bernard LooneyBP has launched a review of all personal relationships between its staff, particularly at senior levels, to root out any problematic" conduct, the Guardian can reveal.The oil and gas company's chief executive, Bernard Looney, quit on Tuesday night after an investigation into his personal relationships with colleagues. His departure left the company facing questions over its governance and culture. Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose, Martin Belam and Jordyn Beazley on (#6ES3D)
Belarusian president's suggestion comes during a meeting with his Russian counterpart. This live blog is closed.In its daily public intelligence briefing on the war in Ukraine, the UK's Ministry of Defence appears convinced of Ukrainian claims to have inflicted significant damage on the Russian Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol. Citing satellite imagery, it writes:Despite the Russian ministry of defence downplaying the damage to the vessels, open-source evidence indicates the Minsk [landing ship] has almost certainly been functionally destroyed, while the Rostov [submarine] has likely suffered catastrophic damage.Any effort to return the submarine to service is likely to take many years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. There is a realistic possibility that the complex task of removing the wreckage from the dry docks will place them out of use for many months. This would present the Black Sea fleet with a significant challenge in sustaining fleet maintenance. Continue reading...
Adidas trainers appear to be Keir Starmer's answer to the PM's Timberlands as he rekindles the spirit of dressed-down BlairismKeir Starmer hoped to win support for his small boats plan on Thursday on a trip to the Europol headquarters. But he was also likely hoping that the casual note he struck en route to the meeting would garner some backing as well.While he donned a more traditional suit to head to The Hague later, arriving into the airport he wore dark blue jeans, a signature dark shirt and a pair of Adidas trainers - perhaps an attempt to signal calm in the eye of the political storm. Continue reading...
Canada issues hurricane watch for parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with storm expected to bring high winds and floodingJoe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Maine as Hurricane Lee rapidly approaches the north-easternmost US state amid the likelihood of a landfall there or more likely in Canada over the weekend.About 7 million people are now under tropical storm warnings across Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Canadian Hurricane Center also issued a hurricane watch for parts of the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Alfie Meadows underwent brain surgery after being struck by officer at tuition fees demonstrationThe Metropolitan police have apologised and agreed to pay a six-figure settlement to a man who needed emergency brain surgery after being hit by an officer's baton during the 2010 university tuition fees protests.Alfie Meadows, then a 20-year-old philosophy student at Middlesex University, sustained a brain injury after he was struck on the head during demonstrations against the tripling of tuition fees. He needed more than 100 staples in his head and was left with a large scar. Continue reading...
Former nurse found guilty of murdering seven infants files bid to challenge her convictionThe child serial killer and former nurse Lucy Letby has formally filed a bid to challenge her conviction at the court of appeal, officials have said.More details soon ... Continue reading...
PM says breed, responsible for series of attacks, will be banned once it has been properly definedHere is the full text of what Rishi Sunak said in his video statement about banning American XL bully dogs. (See 11.50am.)The American XL bully dog is a danger to our communities, particularly our children.I share the nation's horror at the recent videos we've all seen. Yesterday we saw another suspected XL bully dog attack, which has tragically led to a fatality.It's clear the American XL Bully dog is a danger to our communities.I've ordered urgent work to define and ban this breed so we can end these violent attacks and keep people safe. Continue reading...
National Theatre and Royal Ballet among 21 groups to receive grants from new fundVogue World will donate 2m to London-based arts organisations through a newly established fund, Conde Nast has announced.The star-studded event at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Thursday night was masterminded by the Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, and the Bafta- and Olivier-winning director Stephen Daldry. Its aim was to celebrate London's heritage as a cultural powerhouse and to raise money for the UK's cash-strapped performing arts scene. Continue reading...
Father, stepmother and uncle of girl, whose body was discovered in Woking last month, will appear at Old BaileyThe father, stepmother and uncle of Sara Sharif have been remanded into custody by a district judge after being charged with the 10-year-old's murder.Urfan Sharif, 41, Beinash Batool, 29, and Faisal Malik, 28, from Woking appeared at Guildford magistrates court on Friday after being arrested at Gatwick airport on Wednesday evening. Continue reading...
Shop thefts have more than doubled in the past three years, costing retailers 953m a year, according to the British Retail ConsortiumIn recent months, David, the manager of a Leeds Co-op store, and his staff have been threatened with razors, knives, screwdrivers, needles and hammers by shoplifters who have become more brazen and aggressive.It feels like these offenders can simply come in and take what they want, and do what they want," the 36-year-old says. Not one or two items - they come in with bags, sacks or clothing, which can conceal hundreds of pounds worth of stock - coffee, meat, wine, laundry gel, anything that can be re-sold. It is looting. They are known in the city centre as repeat offenders... They know the police don't have the resources or can't attend quickly enough." Continue reading...
Former Spanish football federation president prevented from approaching World Cup-winning player Jenni HermosoA Spanish court has imposed a restraining order on the former president of the country's football federation, forbidding him from communicating with, or coming within 200 metres of, the female player he controversially kissed after Spain's World Cup victory last month.Luis Rubiales - whose decision to kiss Jenni Hermoso prompted a national and international debate on sexism and eventually led him to resign five days ago - was handed the order on Friday by a judge at the audiencia nacional, Spain's highest criminal court. Continue reading...
After an earthquake in Morocco and flooding in Libya, civilians are losing out in the disaster-struck north African nationsThe world has been struck by not one but two natural disasters in recent days - the earthquake in Morocco and devastating flooding in Libya.At least 2,900 people are known to have died in the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck in Morocco's High Atlas mountains a week ago, and the authorities say the death toll will rise. Continue reading...
by Philip Oltermann and Kate Connolly in Berlin on (#6ESAN)
Jorg Prophet, who wants Germany to abandon its guilt cult', could become party's first city mayorDirectors of a memorial at a former Nazi concentration camp have raised alarm about the revisionist views of a far-right politician expected to become its local mayor, saying he will be barred from attending events to commemorate the Holocaust if he is elected.The Alternative fur Deutschland politician Jorg Prophet last Sunday finished almost 20 points clear of the runner-up in municipal elections in Nordhausen, a city of about 42,000 in the eastern state of Thuringia. Continue reading...
Relatives grieve and search in desperation as Derna's mayor fears death toll from floods may exceed 20,000Omar al-Rifadi has been searching for his missing 20-year-old daughter ever since disaster struck the Libyan city of Derna on Sunday, when she disappeared, lost in the darkness amid a catastrophic flood that claimed the lives of thousands and swept many into the sea.I walked on foot to look for her. I went to all the hospitals and schools. But luck was not on my side," the 52-year-old said, tears streaming down his face. Continue reading...
Happiness among girls and young women in UK at lowest since 2009 as 37% report being sent upsetting contentAs a society, I think that there's a lot more that we could be doing to make young girls feel more accepted," says Anthony Asfour, reflecting on the findings of a UK study showing happiness among girls and young women is at its lowest since 2009.A supervisor for the charity Childline, Asfour and his team of volunteers in London are contacted 84 times a day, on average, by children and young people in distress. Many of the issues highlighted in the report by Girlguiding this week, especially those around online abuse, ring true with them. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6ES85)
Payout relates to article that wrongly claimed pair had received 500,000 to promote tax avoidance schemesMailOnline has agreed to pay Gabby and Kenny Logan substantial damages" in relation to an article falsely claiming they had received 500,000 for promoting tax avoidance schemes to their celebrity friends and had sought to disguise the income as loans.Statements read at the high court on Friday, said the former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie had also agreed to pay substantial damages to the BBC TV presenter and her businessman husband for a tweet he posted about the story. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6ES86)
Police arrest 30-year-old after man attacked by dogs in village of Stonnall dies in hospitalA man has died after being attacked by two dogs near a school in Staffordshire, the West Midlands ambulance service (WMAS) has said.Paramedics were called to the incident in the village of Stonnall on Thursday afternoon and treated a man who had multiple life-threatening injuries". Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6ES87)
Finley Cook, 20, will appear in court over the fatal stabbing of Matthew Daulby, 19, in Ormskirk in JulyPolice have charged a second man with the murder of a teenager who was stabbed during a late-night altercation.Matthew Daulby, 19, from Liverpool, was stabbed shortly after midnight in the centre of Ormskirk, Lancashire, on 29 July. Continue reading...
Country hit by record rainfall that followed Mediterranean storm with similarities to tropical cycloneAfter battering Greece last week, Storm Daniel caused further devastating floods, this time affecting Libya. As the storm moved across the Sahara, it developed into what is informally known as a medicane, a storm in the Mediterranean that develops characteristics similar to those seen in tropical cyclones, notably a central eye. The particularly warm Mediterranean water fuelled by the extreme heat seen over southern Europe this summer, helped strengthen Daniel as it approached Libya.By Saturday 10 September, Daniel had reached north-eastern Libya, with winds of 70-80mph according to Libya's National Meteorological Centre. The devastation then came from extreme rainfall, as 24-hour totals of 150mm-240mm were widely recorded in the region. One station in the city of Al-Bayda recorded a rainfall total of 414.1mm in 24 hours, a new record for the area. These torrential rains caused two dams to collapse, which resulted in devastating flash flooding that has killed thousands of people. Continue reading...
Zuzana aputova has said she got death threats after Robert Fico made unwarranted accusations' about herSlovakia's president, Zuzana aputova, a former civil rights lawyer, activist and standard bearer for progressive causes, has sued Robert Fico, the populist head of the country's main opposition party, for spreading lies about her amid rising tensions before a key parliamentary election at the end of this month.The election on 30 September pits Fico, whose SMER-SSD party is in the lead, according to the latest polls, against Progressive Slovakia, which is running second. Continue reading...
Police claim the woman, 47, threatened officers with an axe in Stockton before barricading herself inside an apartment where she was shot with less than lethal options'
Li Shangfu, who has not been seen for two weeks, is under house arrest', claims US ambassador to JapanChina's defence minister has not been seen in almost three weeks with speculation he is under investigation, the latest case of a senior Communist party official to disappear from public view.Gen Li Shangfu was last seen on 29 August when he gave a speech to the China-Africa peace and security forum. His last overseas trip was to Moscow and Minsk in mid-August, where he met Russian officials on the sidelines of a security conference, and with the Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. Continue reading...
Russian president also gave Kim at meeting the gift of a glove from a space suit that has been to space' amid warnings from US and South Korea about any weapons dealKim Jong-un has visited a factory that builds advanced fighter jets, as his tour of Russia moves into its third day and the Kremlin revealed he and Vladimir Putin had exchanged gifts of rifles during their summit this week.Two days after meeting Putin at a space base in Russia's far east, where they discussed satellite technology and - possibly - a deal to provide North Korean arms for the war in Ukraine, Kim's armoured train arrived in the city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, where he visited a factory that makes Russia's most modern fighter jets, Russian news agencies reported. Continue reading...
Excitement about Netflix and Amazon's investment has evaporated as strikes, falling ad spend and a glut of completed shows leaves crews out of workEarlier this year things appeared to be looking up for the UK's 6bn TV and film production industry, with US streaming firms revealing billions had been spent on shows and films made in Britain.An announcement from Amazon that it had doubled its investment in the UK, where it now makes dramas including the Lord of the Rings prequel, The Rings of Power, followed news from Netflix that it was spending about $1.5bn (1.2bn) annually on British-made movies and series such as The Crown and Heartstopper. Continue reading...
Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik charged after Sara, 10, found dead at her Surrey home in AugustThe father, stepmother and uncle of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have been charged with murder after police found her body at their Surrey home in August.Sara's father, Urfan Sharif, 41, her stepmother, Beinash Batool, 29, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 28, flew to Pakistan with five children in August. Shortly after arriving, Sharif called emergency services in the UK to report that Sara was dead at their house in Horsell, near Woking. Continue reading...
by Rajeev Syal, Peter Walker and Diane Taylor on (#6ERWY)
Labour leader accused of pandering to anti-migrant sentiments by those on the left while Tories seize on proposal for deal with EUKeir Starmer was under attack from left and right on Thursday after he set out plans to stop small boat Channel crossings in Labour's first big intervention on the issue.Fleshing out his party's proposals, the Labour leader promised to ditch the use of barges, hotels and military sites to house asylum seekers. He also promised to recruit 1,000 caseworkers to end the asylum backlog. Continue reading...
Son calls on UK to intervene in case of Gubad Ibadoghlu, critic of Azerbaijani government who was arrested there in JulyThe family of a UK-based Azerbaijani academic and prominent opposition figure have raised concerns over his health after he was detained during a visit to the country and have called on the UK government to intervene.Gubad Ibadoghlu, a senior visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, was arrested and held by Azerbaijan authorities while visiting family in July. He is facing up to 12 years in prison for the production, acquisition or sale of counterfeit money by an organized group and allegedly possessing extremist material - charges he denies. Continue reading...
Temporary air traffic control restrictions led to 22 flights being cancelled and others divertedFlights have been cancelled, delayed and rerouted at Gatwick due to short-notice staff absences in the air traffic control team, the airport has said.The transport hub in West Sussex has apologised to those affected by the temporary air traffic control restrictions enforced on Thursday evening which led to 22 flights being cancelled. Continue reading...
Fresh uncertainty for high-speed line as leak suggests Sunak and Hunt have discussed cost implications of Manchester phaseThe HS2 high-speed rail line is at risk of further cuts to its route north of Birmingham as the government considers whether it can afford high-cost projects in advance of the autumn budget.The project has been mired in fresh uncertainty after the prime minister's spokesperson refused to guarantee on Thursday it would run to Manchester, after publication of a photographed document suggesting further cuts were under discussion. Continue reading...
Beijing's action crosses the line from influence to interference', government says in response to ISC reportChina has tried to headhunt British nationals from the government, industry and the military, Downing Street has said, days after it emerged a parliamentary researcher had been arrested for alleged spying on behalf of Beijing.Number 10 said on Thursday that Beijing's cyber and human intelligence gathering was prolific, adding that more needed to be done to protect British institutions, in a summary of the threat from China prepared for MPs. Continue reading...
Russia's total-war attacks on Ukraine citizens show up limits of UK's air defence systems, Adm Sir Tony Radakin tells conferenceBritain's most senior military officer has said the war in Ukraine had revealed a potential vulnerability of the UK to missile and drone attack, arguing it is time for greater discussion about improving homeland security.Adm Sir Tony Radakin told a defence industry conference in London that there was an aggressive world out there in terms of state threats", noting specifically that it was becoming easy to get close to a country and fly drones in". Continue reading...
The piece, which Diana, Princess of Wales wore in 1981, weeks before her wedding, is most valuable sweater sold at auctionAlthough often photographed in fine gowns and jewellery, a red jumper decorated with a flock of sheep is one of the most enduringly recognisable of all of the old clothes of Diana, Princess of Wales. Worn to attend a polo match in June 1981, it sold for $1.1m (885,000) in New York on Thursday, making it the most valuable sweater ever sold at auction and setting a record for any article of clothing worn by her, according to Sotheby's.The auction house had estimated that the jumper would sell for between $50,000 and $80,000 as part of its Fashion Icons collection. Given the attention that Diana's style has enjoyed in recent years, it might have been expected to smash expectations, but perhaps not by 14 times - it may even have helped that it showed signs of wear, with some damage at the cuff. Continue reading...
The return of Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane comes 30 years after the original premiered, now joined by Nicholas LyndhurstFrasier is back - and in Boston. The first trailer for the Paramount+ reboot of the beloved sitcom, a successful spin-off of Cheers, finds Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane in a new city, working as a professor and trying to connect with his adult son, Freddy, played by Jack Cutmore-Scott.The 10-episode series will follow Frasier back from Seattle - the setting of the original show, which ran from 1993 to 2004 on NBC - back to Boston, where he has new challenges to face, new relationships to forge and an old dream or two to finally fulfill", according to a press release. Continue reading...
Attorney general asked to investigate amid allegations warnings ignored about dangerous state of two damsLibya's attorney general has been asked by senior politicians to launch an urgent inquiry into the catastrophic floods that have killed tens of thousands of people, including into allegations local officials imposed a curfew on the night Storm Daniel struck.The Libyan Red Crescent put the death toll at more than 11,000 people, with nearly 20,000 still missing, the highest estimate yet from an official source. It said almost 2,000 bodies were swept into the sea by the floods. Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science correspondent on (#6ERKZ)
A report suggests widening inequalities as black babies and those from deprived backgrounds more likely to be stillbornStillbirths have risen for the first time in seven years, with striking increases seen in babies of black ethnicity and from the most deprived backgrounds.The findings in the perinatal mortality report from the group Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries (MBRRACE-UK) highlight widening inequalities, with babies of black ethnicity more than twice as likely to be stillborn compared with white babies. Overall, stillbirths in 2021 (the most recent data reported by hospitals) increased to 3.54 per 1,000 from 3.33 per 1,000 in 2020, ending the year-on-year reduction across the UK since 2013. Continue reading...
Parliament votes to cut mining red tape and diversify its supplies of raw materials such as lithium and siliconThe EU has voted in a plan to secure more of the critical materials needed to make solar panels, electric car batteries and other key elements of its green transition.The European parliament agreed on Thursday to diversify its supplies of critical raw materials and cut red tape for mining companies. In an attempt to reduce its dependency on China, it plans to ensure that by 2030 it does not rely on a single country for more than 65% of its supply of any strategic raw material. Continue reading...
Brokers say borrower confidence likely to lift after the first below 5% deal surfaces since June with more offers likely soonA fixed-rate mortgage priced at below 5% has gone on sale for the first time since June as leading lenders announced a fresh wave of home loan reductions.Brokers said a mortgage rate war is well and truly under way" and that the lower pricing should provide a boost to borrowers worried about the imminent end of their current deal, as well as would-be homebuyers who have been sitting on the sidelines. Continue reading...
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