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Russian PM holds talks with Xi Jinping and signs bilateral pacts to further investment, exports and sports cooperation

Benson Lossing’s A History of the United States was checked out in 1927 and returned this monthA history book about the US has been returned to a library in California, almost 100 years overdue. The copy of Benson Lossing’s A History of the United States, published in 1881, was returned to St Helena public library in Napa Valley earlier this month. It had been due back on 21 February 1927.At the time the book was borrowed, fines for overdue titles were a nickel (five cents) a day, meaning Jim Perry, who had the book, theoretically owed about $1,756 (£1,417). Luckily for him, the library scrapped late fines in 2019. Continue reading...

Alun Michael refuses to say he was initially wrong to claim no pursuit took place before fatal crash that sparked riotsThe South Wales police and crime commissioner has conceded that officers may have pursued two teenagers shortly before they were killed in a road accident, sparking a riot in Cardiff.But Alun Michael said on Wednesday that no police vehicles were on the road where the fatal crash happened and refused to say he was wrong to have initially claimed that no chase took place. Continue reading...

UK home secretary was accused of seeking special treatment after she was caught breaking speed limit

Judges clear academic and Islam scholar of all charges in case brought by Swiss womanThe prominent Swiss academic and Islam scholar Tariq Ramadan has been acquitted of charges of rape and sexual coercion against a woman in a Geneva hotel in 2008.The lawyer for the complainant immediately announced that she would appeal. The woman, a Swiss convert to Islam, had told the court she was raped on 28 October 2008. Continue reading...

The 15-year-old boy fired three shots, according to Western Australia police

Helen Holland, 81, died from injuries sustained in accident with police motorcycle in Earl’s Court, LondonThe Duchess of Edinburgh has said she is “deeply saddened” by the death of a woman who was hit by her police motorcycle escort.Helen Holland, 81, was struck on West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road in Earl’s Court, London, on the afternoon of 10 May. Continue reading...

Health minister says he fears referendum could follow path of 2017 marriage equality plebiscite which saw LGBTQ+ people become targets for vilification

Body of Melbourne lawyer Jake Herd found at high altitude in poor weather near Big Almaty Lake

Premier says levy is ‘tax deductible’ as ATO says 304,942 Victorians used negative gearing in 2019/20

Holly Brown was 6 metres off the ground when she made the decision to leap from her seat on 14 May

Bacari-Bronze O’Garro, 18, charged with failing to comply with a community protection noticeAn 18-year-old man is to appear in court after an investigation into TikTok “prank” videos showing people entering homes in London without permission.Bacari-Bronze O’Garro was charged on Tuesday evening with failing to comply with a community protection notice, the Metropolitan police said. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Surviving victims of ‘farm school’ abuse will only receive £2,000 each from Prince’s Trust, which took over liabilities of Fairbridge Society

The Fairbridge Society, which merged with the trust in 2012, was among operators promising poor children a ‘better life’ abroad – but many suffered terrifying abuse

Coming rainy season threatens 80,000 living in ‘heartbreaking’ conditions in vulnerable border region after fleeing war at homeTens of thousands of Sudanese refugees, many of them children, who have crossed the border into Chad risk a “major humanitarian disaster” when the rainy season begins within weeks, a Red Cross official has warned.About 80,000 people have sought refuge in the country to the west of Sudan as weeks of fighting between two warring generals forces hundreds of thousands from their homes. Continue reading...

The 15-year-old was allegedly chased down and attacked with a metal pole as he walked home from school with friends in PerthFour people accused of fatally bashing Indigenous Perth teenager Cassius Turvey have pleaded not guilty to his murder and been committed to stand trial.Cassius, a 15-year-old Noongar Yamatji boy, was allegedly chased down and attacked with a metal pole as he walked home from school with friends on 13 October 2022. Continue reading...

Revamped Wroxeter Roman City in Shropshire will display beauty items including a strikingly large number of tweezersAs Monty Python fans know, the Romans have done nothing for us apart from giving us sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, a fresh water system and public health.Roman experts may also suggest they have given us public relations, street food, town planning, currency, our calendar, underfloor heating and bureaucracy. Continue reading...

Problem drinking in England costs NHS £25bn a year, with deaths nearly doubling in two decades, Commons committee warnsThe government’s failure to tackle alcohol harm in England has led to a serious public health crisis affecting millions of people, MPs have warned.Problem drinking is fuelling violent crime and costing the NHS £25bn a year, with the number of deaths almost doubling in two decades, according to a damning report by the public accounts committee. Continue reading...

Fearing heavy election losses and Labour’s return to northern heartlands, Tory MPs are to exit parliament at above-average rateApproximately 10% of Conservative MPs have announced plans to retire at the next election, sparking suggestions that they are jumping ship in the expectation of losing the next election.Having resigned as justice secretary over bullying claims, Dominic Raab is the latest high-profile Tory politician to confirm they are serving their final term in parliament. Continue reading...

Campaigners call for rigorous testing of waterways to protect species after analysis reveals scale of problemChemical cocktails that are harmful to wildlife have been found in 81% of river and lake sites tested in England, a study has found.Wildlife organisations are calling on the government for more rigorous testing of waterways for chemical cocktails, and new legal protections against dangerous mixtures, including requiring assessments of potential hazardous chemical mixture impacts before any new chemical is allowed on the market. Continue reading...

Exclusive: clampdown flagged as part of wider leasehold overhaul for England and Wales being considered by partyProperty management companies would be banned from operating in England and Wales if they persistently ripped off leaseholders, under plans being considered by Labour.Lisa Nandy, the shadow housing secretary, is looking at proposals to clamp down on the sector, amid complaints from leaseholders about escalating fees and essential maintenance being left undone. Continue reading...

Hundreds of students and graduates vow not to work for ‘climate wreckers that insure those responsible for the climate crisis’Hundreds of students and recent graduates of top UK universities are pledging a “career boycott” of major insurers, saying they will not work for firms including Lloyd’s of London if they support controversial fossil fuel projects.More than 500 current and recent students from the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London, University of Edinburgh and others have warned they will keep a close eye on firms that fail to shift to climate-friendly policies. Continue reading...

‘We will not accept any elements that harm the friendly and warm ties between India and Australia by their actions or thoughts’, says Indian PM

Broadcaster says it received only 169 ‘good faith’ responses from viewers about coronation coverage, 59 of which have been referred to ombudsman

Councillors vote to acknowledge Indigenous Australians on 26 January through cultural events and activities

Detective also questioned over liking a social media post that said ‘Lerhmann is innocent until proven otherwise’ but denies it demonstrates bias

Dr Kay Patterson questions whether mental health team would be more appropriate while David Shoebridge says police tools are ‘wrong resource’

Federal police try to identify crime syndicate behind elaborate smuggling scheme into NSW, after drugs found at port inspection in Sydney

Artificial ‘culinary companion’ will suggest meals based on what you have in your refrigerator and has a chatbot featureAs media companies sort through the ways artificial intelligence will impact their operations, BuzzFeed on Tuesday launched Botatouille, a personalized recipe generator powered by generative AI.In addition to Botatouille, which BuzzFeed describes as, “the first AI-powered culinary companion” that suggests recipes based on factors like what you already have in your refrigerator, there’s also a chatbot feature that allows people to ask culinary questions while they cook, according to a press release from the company. Continue reading...

David Littleproud left parliament early in February to travel to the Gold Coast, three days after he and his spouse settled on a new apartment there

Members of militias, however, insist their operations in Belgorod are ongoing

Officials seize 164 watches from Pride collection, with watchmaker promising to ‘replenish the stock and display them on-shelf’Swiss watchmaker Swatch has said Malaysian authorities seized 164 rainbow-coloured watches worth a total of US$14,000 from its Pride collection.LGBT people are discriminated against in Malaysia where homosexuality is forbidden and sodomy can be punished with imprisonment and corporal punishment, although enforcement is rare. Continue reading...

Report raises concerns about near 23% rise in children in care over 10 years amid serious shortage of social workersRadical reforms to the care system in Wales are needed to address a “shocking” rise in the number of looked after children, a Welsh parliament committee has concluded.The committee said the number of children in care was up by almost 23% since 2013 while at the same time there were shortages of qualified social workers. Continue reading...

Thinktank warns against wholesale switch to working from home and raises fears over lost productivity in capitalOffice workers in central London are spending on average 2.3 days a week in the workplace, according to a report that warns against a wholesale switch to working from home.The thinktank Centre for Cities carried out polling of office workers in the capital and found they were spending 59% of the time in their workplace compared with pre-Covid levels. Continue reading...

Three detained after racist slurs directed at Real Madrid forward, with four more held over mannequin hanging from bridgeSpanish police have arrested three people in connection with the racist abuse suffered by Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior during a match with Valencia on Sunday, and detained a further four suspects over an effigy of the player that was hung from a bridge in Madrid four months ago.In a brief statement on Tuesday morning, the Policía Nacional said three young men had been arrested in Valencia over the “racist behaviour” that took place during the match at the city’s Mestalla stadium. Continue reading...

Police say West Virginian who died 40 years ago raped and killed 16-year-old Sharron Prior in a Montreal suburb in 1975Canadian police say they have solved one of the highest-profile cold cases in Quebec history, linking the 1975 rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl to a West Virginia man who died more than 40 years ago.Police in Longueuil, Quebec, said that DNA evidence allows them to be 100% certain that Franklin Maywood Romine murdered teenager Sharron Prior in the Montreal suburb. Continue reading...

Only students on courses designated as research programmes will be able to bring dependants under home secretary’s policy

More than 20,000 people throng stadium for event that plays to confidence of India’s diaspora

Streaming video company alerting users that their accounts cannot be shared for free outside of their householdsNetflix on Tuesday expanded its crackdown on password sharing to the United States and more than 100 other countries, alerting users that their accounts cannot be shared for free outside of their households.The streaming video pioneer has been looking for new ways to make money as it faces signs of market saturation, with efforts including limits on password borrowing and a new ad-supported option. Continue reading...

David Johnston warns that subversive efforts represent ‘increasing threat’ to democracy but public inquiry would be the wrong choice

South Wales force refers itself to police watchdog following deaths of Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey EvansPolice are facing serious questions and community anger after taking almost 24 hours to admit potential involvement in the pursuit of two teenagers, whose deaths sparked riots in Cardiff.Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, were killed in the Ely area of the city just after 6pm on Monday, minutes after CCTV footage appeared to show them being followed by a police van as they rode together on an e-bike. Continue reading...

Streaming company tells millions of British subscribers that the service can no longer be used free by other householdsNetflix has begun its crackdown on the millions of UK subscribers who share their passwords with friends and family who live outside of their household.The streaming company has sent a letter to almost four million British subscribers that it has identified as giving friends and family members outside their home free access. Continue reading...

Impact of unrest following death of two teenagers will be long-lasting as police face questions on handling of incidentIt began with a tragedy: the death of two friends out riding an e-bike through the streets of a Cardiff estate on a warm spring evening.The night ended in an outburst of extraordinary violence as up to 150 rioters attacked cars and the lines of police that arrived to restore order. Continue reading...

Dan Kaszeta is one of at least eight speakers banned by opaque vetting scheme in ‘attack on free speech’A chemical weapons expert has been disinvited from giving a keynote speech at a UK-run expert conference after civil servants discovered social media posts he wrote criticising Conservative ministers and government migration policy.Dan Kaszeta is one of at least eight speakers banned from government events by an opaque vetting scheme introduced by Jacob Rees-Mogg in 2022, a policy that the banned expert described as an attack on free speech. Continue reading...

Kent police bungling meant Sarah Everard’s murderer was not linked to indecent exposure report in Dover, finds IOPCWayne Couzens escaped being identified as a sex offender six years before he murdered Sarah Everard, despite police having the registration of a car he had allegedly used to flash passersby, as well as his name and address, an official report has revealed.The full extent of Kent police’s bungling of their investigation, which could have caught Couzens, can only now be reported for the first time. Continue reading...

Attorney general releases investigation into abuse between 1950 and 2019 and hails survivors ‘who have long suffered in silence’An Illinois attorney general’s office investigation released on Tuesday found that 451 Catholic clergy sexually abused nearly 2,000 children in the state over a nearly 70-year period, which was more than four times the 103 individuals the church named when the state began its review in 2018.The attorney general Kwame Raoul said at a news conference that investigators found that Catholic clergy abused 1,997 children in Illinois between 1950 and 2019. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Home secretary under further scrutiny as sources say she has repeatedly made ‘basic errors’ in No 10 meetingsSuella Braverman is facing fresh controversy after it was claimed civil servants in her department were forced to “fact-check” the home secretary’s statements to cabinet on up to six occasions.Concerns have been raised about the under-fire minister’s competence, as Downing Street denied Rishi Sunak was dithering about whether to launch an investigation into a potential breach of the ministerial code over her bid to avoid a speeding fine. Continue reading...

BBC Studios to look for overseas commercial opportunities for long-running radio show – and others, and focus on podcastsThe BBC has announced plans to hand over control of Desert Islands Discs to its for-profit division, with the aim of making more money from the show by targeting listeners outside the UK.The long-running interview programme, presented by Lauren Laverne, is currently made by the BBC’s public service division, which focuses on producing shows for British licence fee payers. Continue reading...

Records of visits were allegedly found in official diary by lawyers as they were preparing for Covid public inquiryBoris Johnson has been referred to police by the Cabinet Office over claims he broke lockdown rules by hosting family and friends at Chequers during the pandemic.The visits to the former prime minister’s grace-and-favour residence were found in his official diary by his government-funded lawyers as they were preparing for the public inquiry into the Covid pandemic. Continue reading...

Former editor allegedly told reporter to obtain details of Campbell’s mortgage payments in 1999Piers Morgan told reporters to hack into Alastair Campbell’s bank account in the hope of finding incriminating transactions, it has been claimed at the high court.Morgan, then editor of the Daily Mirror, allegedly told reporter Gary Jones to obtain details of Campbell’s mortgage payments in 1999. The court heard that Jones then subcontracted the work to private investigator Jonathan Rees. Continue reading...