Meeting comes after strike announced on 13 July by actors' union, joining writers to negotiate for new contracts with producersSome of Hollywood's biggest stars met on Monday to discuss the actors' strike as their union warned that without transformative change" the entire profession is under threat.Members of Sag-Aftra, a labor union for US actors, gathered over Zoom on Monday to go over talking points and answer questions about their ongoing strike, Variety reported in an exclusive. The meeting was attended by about 500 agents, publicists and actors, including Lupita Nyong'o, Laverne Cox and Melissa McCarthy. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#6D1ZQ)
Force targets top 100 violent offenders against women as commissioner launches promises to rebuild public trustThe Metropolitan police has started using counter-terrorism tactics to hunt down the worst male offenders targeting women. Scotland Yard said it will rank the worst male offenders and then use the organised crime or terrorism approach" against those assessed to be the most harmful top 100.The announcement came as the force's commissioner launched a new set of promises - called A New Met for London - aimed at dragging Britain's largest force out of crisis. Mark Rowley vowed that it would be shaped by communities. Continue reading...
Jorge Minaya-Garay confessed to killing Karla Godoy but then pleaded not guiltyA man who strangled and buried his partner while on holiday in Peru has been found guilty of her murder.Jorge Minaya-Garay killed Karla Godoy, 37, then wrapped her body in a tarpaulin and dumped her in a makeshift grave on land owned by his family in Lima, Kent police said. Continue reading...
Letter from cross-party MPs and campaigners says slow progress on legislation is a moral failing'Senior Conservative MPs have accused the government of a moral failing" for delaying the long-promised ban on conversion practices that they say damage the lives of LGBT+ people.In a letter to Rishi Sunak, a cross-party group of politicians and campaigners criticised the slow progress in bringing forward new legislation since the pledge was made five years ago. Continue reading...
Caroline Dinenage, who is scrutinising proposed changes to media legislation, sponsored event this monthThe Tory MP in charge of scrutinising the British media hosted a parliamentary drinks party for GB News, the Guardian has learned.Caroline Dinenage sponsored an event for the rightwing television channel in a room on the parliamentary estate earlier this month. Continue reading...
Authorities announce new campaign to force women to wear the Islamic headscarf, after period of scaled-back policingAlmost 10 months after Mahsa Amini died in police custody, triggering weeks of protest across Iran, police vans are again patrolling the country's streets looking for women who are not wearing the hijab correctly". Now, however, the vans and officers will not bear the name morality police", and patrolmen will be wearing body cameras.The announcement on Sunday followed widespread reports that unmarked vans had been spotted on the streets of cities such as Tehran and Shiraz, stopping people not wearing the hijab. The move has already prompted demonstrations: on Sunday, protesters took to the streets in Rasht after three women were reportedly arrested. Continue reading...
Leftwing regional mayor hits out at Keir Starmer over broken pledges in scathing resignation letterA leftwing regional mayor who has been blocked from being Labour's representative to contest the north-east mayoralty has announced that he is resigning from the party to try to run as an independent candidate.The party has become embroiled in a factionalism row since Jamie Driscoll, the serving mayor of the North of Tyne, was excluded from the race in a move linked to an onstage appearance with Ken Loach, the film director and expelled Labour member. Continue reading...
No tougher penalties announces for offence formerly known as involuntary homicide by a driverThe French government has announced a clampdown on people who drive while unfit, months after a crash involving a high-profile comedian accused of drug-driving.The prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, announced the creation of a new offence, of causing a road killing", specifically aimed at those who are unfit to be behind the wheel. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6D1HF)
Longer post-Brexit passport checks will significantly lengthen delays as peak holiday season gets under wayCross-Channel ferry passengers will face waits of up to two and a half hours at Dover this weekend, the port has warned, as the peak holiday season gets under way.Longer post-Brexit passport checks will significantly lengthen delays as holidaymakers head for France, despite a number of mitigation measures put in place by the port. Continue reading...
Inquiry relates to Greatest Hits Radio's Face the Family' campaign, promoted on Bruce's morning showKen Bruce is under investigation for a potential breach of broadcasting rules after his new radio station demanded the government change the law to force criminal defendants into courtrooms.The former Radio 2 presenter moved his morning show to Greatest Hits Radio in March but is now having to deal with an Ofcom inquiry into the station's Face the Family" campaign, which was promoted on his show. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: In April, fighting broke out between two rival factions - with no end in sight, the UN is investigating Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Last week the United Nations discovered a mass grave in Sudan's West Darfur in which 87 people were buried, prompting the UN high commissioner for Human Rights to demand a thorough and independent investigation" into activity in the region.Ukraine | Explosions have reportedly hit the Kerch bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to Russia, a heavily guarded road and rail link that is among the Kremlin's most important infrastructure projects. The head of the Russian-controlled administration in Crimea, said traffic had been stopped because of an emergency situation". Two people have been killed and a child was injured.Environment | Southern Europe is bracing for a second heat storm" in a week. Record temperatures across the Mediterranean could be broken on Tuesday, and people in Italy have been told to prepare for most intense heatwave of all time'. Meanwhile in the US more than 100 million people were under extreme heat advisories this weekend.Iran | Iran's morality police" have returned to the streets 10 months after the death of a woman in their custody sparked nationwide protests. It comes as authorities announce a new campaign to force women to wear the Islamic headscarf.Hospitals | The government is on track to break a key election promise from Boris Johnson to build 40 new hospitals in England by the end of the decade, a damning report by the public spending watchdog has found.Music | France's favourite petite Anglaise", the British-born singer and actor Jane Birkin, has died at her home in Paris aged 76. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, paid tribute to Birkin, saying she embodied freedom and sang the most beautiful words in our language". Continue reading...
Average was once every 16 seconds across 10 matches last season, with a total of 3,522 in West Ham v ChelseaBetting company logos appear as often as 3,500 times during the course of a televised football match, the majority on pitchside hoardings, prompting renewed scepticism about top-flight clubs' plan to give up front-of-shirt betting ads only.A study led by psychology experts from four universities measured the volume of gambling adverts during 10 matches that took place last season, featuring every Premier League club. Continue reading...
by Aubrey Allegretti Senior political correspondent on (#6D12S)
National Audit Office research finds delays and lack of value for money, and that only 11 projects are wholly new buildsThe government is on track to break a key election promise from Boris Johnson to build 40 new hospitals in England by the end of the decade, a damning report by the public spending watchdog has found.Delays to projects mean the target is unlikely to be met, with work on buildings in the second cohort of the scheme yet to have started as of May, according to the National Audit Office. Continue reading...
Israeli prime minister fitted with monitoring device after being kept overnight with dehydrationIsrael's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been discharged from hospital after heart monitoring tests showed no irregularities during an overnight admission for dehydration.Netanyahu, 73, was taken to hospital near his private residence in the coastal town of Caesarea on Saturday afternoon after complaining of dizziness and kept overnight for observation, his office said. Continue reading...
Firefighters says nobody injured in blaze that broke out on Saturday afternoonHigh winds hampered firefighters tackling a blaze at a hotel in Brighton, the East Sussex fire service has said.Fifteen fire trucks went to the scene just before 5.30pm on Saturday. At 5am on Sunday, the fire service said it was scaling back operations" but six fire trucks and two aerial ladder platforms remained on the scene. Continue reading...
A remarkable season in Kyiv has given artists and audience a brief respite from the horror of warMuch of the troupe is still abroad, performances are interrupted by air raid sirens and the number of tickets sold for each performance is limited to the number of people who can fit in the theatre's basement shelter.But as the curtain comes down on Sunday afternoon at the National Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv - the end of the storied theatre's 155th season - the artists can reflect on a remarkably full year of performances for a theatre operating in the heart of a country at war. Continue reading...
Airline and airport staff action comes at busiest travel time and amid record heatwave in EuropeStrikes by airport and airline staff have grounded hundreds of flights and left thousands of travellers stranded in Europe at the height of the busy summer tourism season.In Italy, about 1,000 flights, both domestic and international, were cancelled as a result of the strike by ground crew, according to airport and airline authorities. Continue reading...
Dorset police conclude Dorset Belle pleasure cruiser did not contribute to Joe Abbess and Sunnah Khan drowning in MayNo criminal offences were committed in relation to the death of two young swimmers off Bournemouth beach in May, a police force has concluded.A man in his 40s who was initially arrested on suspicion of manslaughter will face no further action, Dorset police said on Friday. Continue reading...
January death of Elvis Presley's daughter, 54, ruled as being from natural causes due to effects of small bowel obstructionLisa Marie Presley died from complications from bariatric surgery she had several years ago, authorities have said.The 12 January death at age 54 of the singer, songwriter, daughter and heir of Elvis Presley was ruled as being from natural causes due to effects of a small bowel obstruction. Continue reading...
The hiring of former PM and Treasury chief was to lend credibility to broader Beijing brand, intelligence watchdog toldDavid Cameron's appointment as vice-chair of the 1bn China-UK investment fund and Sir Danny Alexander's appointment as vice-president of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank were in part engineered by the Chinese state, parliament's intelligence and security committee (ISC) found.Their appointment was to lend credibility to Chinese investment as well as the broader Chinese brand, according to confidential evidence given to the intelligence watchdog. Continue reading...
by Richard Adams and Aubrey Allegretti on (#6CZQM)
Exclusive: Move penalises courses with a high proportion of working-class or minority ethnic students, critics sayRishi Sunak will force universities to limit the number of students taking low-value" degrees in England, a measure which is most likely to hit working class and black, Asian and minority ethnic applicants.Courses will be capped that do not have a high proportion of graduates getting a professional job, going into postgraduate study or starting a business, the prime minister will announce on Monday. Continue reading...
Move by Gambling Commission leads company to break off talks with prospective leadership trioOnline betting group 888 Holdings, the owner of William Hill, has said its licence to operate in Britain is under review, after a dramatic intervention from the Gambling Commission that derailed a leadership bid from three gambling industry veterans.Shares in the London-listed online casino and bookmaking business slid by more than 25% after it issued a lengthy statement that spooked investors. Continue reading...
by Carmen Aguilar García, Sally Weale, Lucy Swan and on (#6CZKW)
Guardian analysis highlights how dependent sector has become on countries such as China and IndiaOne in every five pounds received by UK universities last year came from international students, according to Guardian analysis that reveals the scale of the sector's growing dependence on overseas tuition fees for financial survival.With the annual dash to allocate university places for the next academic year about to begin, there are fears UK students could lose out to their overseas counterparts, whose higher fees have become critical to university budgets. Continue reading...
Tom Somerset-How was held as if he was cattle', Portsmouth crown court hears, going a year without brushing his teethA wife and a live-in care worker have been jailed for 11 years each for enslaving her vulnerable disabled husband in what is believed to be the first case of its kind.Sarah Somerset-How and George Webb, who were having an affair, kept Tom Somerset-How in dirty conditions and treated him like a piece of property". Continue reading...
President tells newspaper he met mercenary chief to negotiate terms for fighters' continued participation in Ukraine warVladimir Putin has said that he sought and failed to have Yevgeny Prigozhin replaced as the leader of Wagner's fighters in Ukraine after the mercenary chief rebuffed his proposal during a meeting at the Kremlin this month.Putin's version of events, which appeared in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper, was a surprise admission that the Russian president was still negotiating a takeover of the Wagner mercenary group. Continue reading...
Social care, prevention and public health services could be cut if government insists on funding 6% pay rise from health budgetVital services could be cut if the government insists on funding NHS pay rises from existing health budgets, the leader of England's hospital bosses has said.Sir Julian Hartley, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said the health service could not afford to finance the increases itself and that without additional funding, social care, prevention and public health services were at risk. Continue reading...
Alfred Guenigault, his daughter and son-in-law are told it could be months before council can rehouse themA 98-year-old D-day veteran has been evicted from his rented bungalow in Dorset and moved into a single room in a hostel.Alfred Guenigault lived for seven years in the rented property in Ferndown with his daughter Deb Dean, who is his carer, and her husband, Bert Dean. All three have been forced to move after being served with a no-fault eviction notice by their landlord. Continue reading...
Sweltering temperatures in Europe are directing low-pressure systems towards UK and yellow wind warning is in placeSweltering temperatures in Europe are forecast to lead to 55mph winds and heavy rain in the UK due to low-pressure systems being directed towards the country.The Met Office has issued a yellow wind warning that is in place across south-west England and Wales until Friday evening, while another covering areas of central and southern England will come in on Saturday morning. Continue reading...
Former Manchester City player has now been found not guilty of all of the allegations made against him by six womenThe former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of raping one woman and attempting to rape another.The former French international wept as a jury cleared him after a retrial at Chester crown court. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#6CZER)
Analysis using AI-assisted facial recognition reveals faces in de Brecy Tondo are identical to those in Sistine MadonnaA mystery painting found to be undoubtedly" by Raphael is to go on public display for the first time in Bradford.The de Brecy Tondo has been the subject of research and debate for more than 40 years due to its resemblance to Raphael's Sistine Madonna. Recent analysis using artificial intelligence-assisted, computer-based facial recognition showed the faces in the painting were identical to those in Raphael's famous altarpiece. Continue reading...
by Ajit Niranjan Europe environment correspondent and on (#6CZES)
Tourists collapse in Greece and Italy and worker killed near Milan amid heatwave worsened by carbon pollutionA ferocious heatwave inflamed by carbon pollution is baking southern Europe, posing severe health risks to older people and those with underlying health conditions.Scorching heat has already hit several countries, with local media reports of tourists collapsing in Greece and Italy, and an outdoor worker dying near Milan. Temperatures are expected to hit 42C in Athens on Saturday, 41C in Seville on Monday and 40C in Rome on Tuesday. Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose (now) and Tobi Thomas (earlier) on (#6CZ7F)
Spokesman for PM also rules out further talks on wage increases with junior doctors and consultants in EnglandA parliamentary committee is renewing an inquiry into sexism and misogyny in the City after a spate of sexual harassment allegations rocked the business world.MPs on the influential Treasury committee said the new inquiry would examine the barriers faced by women in financial services, and determine whether meaningful progress had been made since its last investigation in 2018 raised concerns over the gender pay gap, stigmas against working mothers, and an alpha male" culture. Continue reading...
Faith leaders say the proceedings, brought by a transgender woman, are an attempt to legitimise sinful acts'Scores of religious groups and churches took to the streets of several cities in Malawi on Thursday to denounce same-sex marriage before a constitutional court hearing next week.The court is expected to sit for two days from 17 July to consider a case brought by Jana Gonani, a transgender woman who was charged with unnatural" behaviour. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian