by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#6FY5W)
Vue cinemas add an interval to Scorsese's bladderbusting 206-minute Killers of the Flower MoonWe have all felt it: that numbness in the back and legs, a full bladder, or desperately avoiding checking your watch to see how long is left of the film.But the experience seems to be happening more and more for cinemagoers, who say the growing trend for long movies is putting them off going altogether. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6FY5X)
Emergency doctors say figures are aggregated with those of minor injury centres to get closer to targetsNHS bosses are using misleading figures to hide dangerously poor performance by A&E units in England against the four-hour treatment target, emergency department doctors claim.Some A&Es treat and admit, transfer or discharge as few as one in three patients within four hours, although the NHS constitution says they should deal with 95% of arrivals within that timeframe. Continue reading...
Aid trucks trickle into Gaza while Israel steps up operations and the UN's general assembly calls for an immediate truceFourteen more aid trucks crossed the border from Egypt to Gaza, joining the 20 aid trucks that had entered the previous day, which was the first aid convoy to arrive in the territory since Hamas's terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October. Continue reading...
UN refugee agency says 10 of 50 bakeries it helps have been hit and fuel is running out to transport flour to those that remainA fifth of bakeries supported by the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza have been bombed so far, as warnings have been issued of catastrophic" food shortages due to a lack of fuel.The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said 10 of the 50 bakeries it supplies with flour, helping to lower the soaring cost of bread, have been hit in airstrikes and fuel is running out for vehicles to transport flour to those that remain. Continue reading...
Collins's notes on his collaborator's weakest book' and astonishingly bad' work were sold at auction in 1890Charles Dickens may be lauded by many as the greatest Victorian novelist, but one close friend did not demur from fierce criticism after the writer's death.Wilkie Collins, the author of The Woman in White, collaborated on drama and fiction with Dickens and the two enjoyed a long, close friendship until Dickens's death in 1870. Continue reading...
Resolution, passed by 120 votes to 14, is not binding, but carries great political and symbolic weightThe UN general assembly has overwhelmingly called for an immediate, durable and sustainable humanitarian truce" between Israel and Hamas and demanded unhindered aid access to the besieged Gaza Strip.The motion drafted by Jordan is not binding, but carries political weight, reflecting the degree to which the US and Israel are isolated internationally as Israel steps up its ground operations. Continue reading...
As the former prime minister lands a job as a GB News host, we look back at his previous TV appearances, from that doomed zip wire stunt to hiding in a fridge toBoris Johnson is set to join GB News, in his first formal job as a TV presenter. But the former prime minister has long been a star of the small screen, famed for his cringe-worthy on-camera gaffes.As a politician, Johnson was often loose with the facts and vague on matters of policy. But even when appearing to act (if he was indeed acting) the idiot, he had a genius for lodging himself in the public consciousness. Despite the litany of missteps that marked his time in politics, he had a knack for getting the public to laugh with, rather than at, him. Here are some of his more memorable moments on screen. Continue reading...
Secretary of state Antony Blinken made request of Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed during frantic trip to DohaThe US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has reportedly asked Qatar to moderate Al Jazeera's coverage of Israel's war against Hamas, amid concerns within the Biden administration that the channel is inflaming public opinion and heightening the risks of a wider conflict.Blinken raised the satellite news channel's coverage with the Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, according to the website Axios, which said the US's top diplomat had disclosed the request in a meeting with US Jewish leaders. Continue reading...
Gillian Keegan says to trust in due process as eighth Conservative loses whip over sexual misconduct allegations since 2019A cabinet minister has said there is no cultural issue" with Tory MPs after Crispin Blunt became the eighth Conservative this parliament to lose the whip over allegations of sexual misconduct.Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, said all the individual incidents were separate and the prime minister expected due process in the investigation into Blunt. Continue reading...
The latex-clad individual has caused much distress in the sleepy West Country area, though others say they feel sorry for them'Search for the Somerset villages of Claverham, Yatton, Cleeve and Bleadon on the local police website and one topic dominates. Not appeals relating to burglaries, car crime or missing people - but sightings of a figure who slips out from the shadows at night, dressed top to toe in black bondage-like gear.Since the so-called Somerset gimp first emerged five years ago, he has caused a mishmash of distress, fear and concern in this picturesque, usually peaceful, rural area 10 miles south of Bristol, set just back from the coast. Continue reading...
Only 29% of those surveyed backed an immediate offensive, while 49% said it would be better to waitAfter the murderous onslaught by Hamas on 7 October Israelis rallied around the prospect of a swift invasion of Gaza.Benjamin Netanyahu's government mobilised tanks and reservists amid widespread agreement that Israel needed to enter the enclave and destroy Hamas. Continue reading...
French president says Hungarian leader's meeting risks weakening European unity against RussiaThe French president, Emmanuel Macron, has condemned the Hungarian leader Viktor Orban's recent meeting and handshake with Vladimir Putin.In the situation we are in with Russia, we should not use these bilateral contacts to negotiate things about ourselves that would weaken our unity [on Ukraine]," Macron said after a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. Continue reading...
Yonat Or, 50, was killed during the October 7 attack but her husband and two of her children are missingA British-Israeli lawyer is holding out hope of being reunited with family members held hostage by Hamas after being told the gunmen had murdered his sister.Ahal Besorai said his sister Yonat Or, 50, her husband, Dror, 50, and two of their three children, who are 15 and 13, were spotted being dragged out of the safe room of their burning home in Be'eri kibbutz by Hamas militants on 7 October.
Cosmetic industry becoming more attractive as new rules considered and discontent in health service growsDoctors and nurses are increasingly training to administer Botox due to the pressures involved in working for the NHS, data suggests.The Harley Academy in central London - one of the only institutes in the UK that trains medical professionals to provide injectables such as Botox and dermal fillers, as well as cosmetic dermatology - has seen a 24% rise in new recruits every three months. Continue reading...
Group says it will use third-quarter earnings of 1.52bn to invest in the business and reduce its debtBritish Airways owner IAG has reported a jump in profits in the last quarter due to strong performances on its North and South Atlantic routes.Operating profits rose to 1.745bn (1.52bn) in the July-September quarter, up from 1.216bn in the third quarter of 2022, as IAG became the latest airline group to benefit from the boom in leisure travel. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: Wars around the world can have a huge impact on children. So how do we help them navigate the endless cycle of bad news? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. With the cost of living crisis, political chaos, and two full-blown wars, the news cycle is possibly the bleakest it's ever been. Waking up to more bad news every day is hard. It's hard for you to read, and it's hard for us to report on. But it's hardest of all for the children - in Gaza, Israel and Ukraine, of course, but also those hearing about it from a distance and perhaps encountering the horrors of war for the first time.In less than three weeks, it is thought that more than 2,360 children have been killed in Gaza, while more than 30 children were killed by Hamas during the attack in Israel and dozens have been taken hostage. Unicef described the simply staggering" child death toll as a growing stain on our collective conscience" as it called for an immediate ceasefire to stem the loss of young lives.Israel-Gaza | The US military has launched airstrikes on two locations in eastern Syria linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Pentagon has said, amid growing fears that the war between Israel and Hamas could escalate into a regional conflict.Maine shooting | A suspect in the killing of 18 people and wounding of 13 in two shootings in Maine was on the run on Thursday as authorities issued arrest warrants for multiple counts of murder.Westminster | A senior Conservative MP, Crispin Blunt, has been arrested on suspicion of rape and possession of drugs. Blunt, who has since been suspended by the party, made a statement after Surrey police said a man in his 60s had been arrested on Wednesday and later released on bail.Domestic violence | Wiltshire police force is reviewing thousands of applications made under Clare's law, which gives people the right to ask whether a partner has a violent past, after it came to light that wrong or incomplete information had been given. One member of staff has been suspended, the chief constable has apologised and told anyone who felt they were in immediate danger to dial 999.Music | Now and Then, the long-awaited final" Beatles song featuring all four members, is to be released next week thanks to the same AI technology that was used to enhance the audio on Peter Jackson's documentary on the band, Get Back. Continue reading...
This blog has now closed. You can read our full report on the EU summit hereAhead of the leaders' summit, a group of Irish members of the European parliament from different political families called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
by Pippa Crerar, Rowena Mason and Vikram Dodd on (#6FWNJ)
MP for Reigate makes statement after Surrey police said man in his 60s was arrested and later released on bailA senior Conservative MP, Crispin Blunt, has been arrested on suspicion of rape and possession of drugs.Blunt, who has since been suspended by the party, made a statement after Surrey police said a man in his 60s had been arrested on Wednesday and later released on bail. Continue reading...
Mid-morning programme now heard by 6.9m people as opposed to 8.2m who tuned in before veteran's departure in MarchVernon Kay's BBC Radio 2 show has lost 1.3 million listeners since he took over from the presenter Ken Bruce, the latest figures show.Bruce, 72, worked at the station for 31 years before leaving in March and joining Greatest Hits Radio (GHR) the following month. Kay, 49, took over the station's mid-morning slot in May. Continue reading...
Police say five men have been arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous drivingSix children are in hospital in Oxford after a BMW collided with the people carrier in which they were travelling.Thames Valley police said officers tried to stop a car driving erratically" at high speed on the city's eastern bypass at 11.10pm on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Marten and Gorden plead not guilty to all charges, after daughter's remains found in Brighton in MarchAn aristocrat and her partner accused of the manslaughter of their baby have denied all the charges they face.Constance Marten and Mark Gordon pleaded not guilty to five counts relating to their daughter, Victoria, during a hearing at the Old Bailey on Thursday. Continue reading...
The wife, son, daughter and grandson of Wael al-Dahdouh, the bureau chief in Gaza, were targeted at a relief camp, outlet saysAn Al Jazeera correspondent is mourning the loss of his entire immediate family after they were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.The family of Wael al-Dahdouh, Al Jazeera's bureau chief in Gaza, had moved to a house in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza after Israel's warning on 13 October to those in the northern half of the territory to leave. Continue reading...
Then foreign secretary said in 2022 there was a credible threat of mass suicide' from group stuck on Diego GarciaLiz Truss recommended that a group of Tamil asylum seekers stranded on a tiny British territory in the Indian Ocean be brought to the UK due to a credible threat of mass suicide", documents show.Diego Garcia is part of the Chagos Islands, which the UK calls the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) and over which it continues to claim sovereignty despite a UN court ruling that they are part of Mauritius.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...
The resort city of Acapulco was devastated by the category 5 hurricane, with hundreds of windows blown out and electricity cutAt least 27 people died due to Hurricane Otis and four others were still missing, Mexico's government said after one of the most powerful storms to hit the country smashed into the Pacific resort city of Acapulco a day before.President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said the government was working to re-establish power and clean up the devastation wrought by the category 5 hurricane that tore through the southern state of Guerrero, and left Acapulco incommunicado. Continue reading...
Business that bought rights to Neil Young and Beyonce back catalogues must now restructure or face being wound upShareholders in the music royalties investment fund Hipgnosis have voted overwhelmingly against continuing the business in its current form, throwing the future of the group into question.At an extraordinary general meeting on Thursday, 83.2% of shareholders voted against Hipgnosis Songs Fund securing another five-year mandate to run as an investment trust. Continue reading...
Amina Noor, 39, found guilty of assisting non-UK person to carry out FGM - in first conviction of its kindA woman has been found guilty of handing over a three-year-old British girl for female genital mutilation (FGM) during a trip to Kenya in the first conviction of its kind.After a trial at the Old Bailey, Amina Noor, 39, was convicted of assisting another person to carry out the procedure in 2006. The conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, is the first for assisting in such harm under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. Continue reading...
Court upholds law against indecent acts' between military personnel, as well as law criminalising HIV transmissionSouth Korea's constitutional court has upheld two anti-LGBTQ+ laws including the country's notorious military sodomy law" for the fourth time, in a ruling that activists are calling a setback for equality rights.The court, in a five-to-four vote, ruled that article 92-6 of the military criminal act, which prescribes a maximum prison term of two years for anal intercourse" and any other indecent acts" between military personnel, even while on leave and consensual, was constitutional in response to several petitions made challenging the law. Continue reading...
Artist creates new edition of Orwell classic after Swansea charity shop had its fill of Dan Brown bestsellerSix years after an Oxfam shop amusingly, but seriously, pleaded for no more copies of The Da Vinci Code, the artist David Shrigley has completed a project to collect and recycle 6,000 copies of the novel into a new edition of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.This weekend copies of the new Pulped Fiction" edition of the Orwell classic will be displayed and sold at the Swansea charity shop that inspired the project. Continue reading...
by Aubrey Allegretti Senior political correspondent on (#6FWBE)
Deputy PM, Oliver Dowden, calls Cobra meeting to discuss hostages and aid but rules out call for ceasefire Israel and Hamas at war - live updatesUK government ministers are to hold an emergency committee meeting as work intensifies to secure pauses" in the conflict between Israel and Hamas after a tank raid of Gaza.Oliver Dowden, the deputy prime minister, said he would chair a Cobra meeting with figures from the Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office on Thursday morning. Continue reading...
Changes to Queensland law allow for naming of Lehrmann, who was thrust into national spotlight after being accused of raping Brittany Higgins, a claim he strenuously denied
by Helen Sullivan (now); Léonie Chao-Fong, Martin Be on (#6FV87)
This blog is closed. Our latest live coverage is here.A Palestinian American woman whose 6-year-old son was killed in a Chicago suburb in what police called a hate crime has asked the public to pray for peace" as she recovers from her injuries, Associated Press reports.Hanaan Shahin thanked authorities, doctors and others and remembered her son Wadea Al-Fayoume as an intelligent and funny child who cared about the planet and liked to join her in prayers. Continue reading...
World news | The Guardian