Woman arrested on suspicion of publishing written material to stir up racial hatred as police warn of misinformationA 55-year-old woman has been arrested in relation to a social media post containing inaccurate information about the identity of the suspect in the Southport murders.The woman, from near Chester, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of publishing written material to stir up racial hatred and false communications. She is being held in custody by Cheshire police. Continue reading...
The ex-model was apprehended on return from Turkey after no-show at hearing relating to her bankruptciesThe former model Katie Price has been arrested at Heathrow airport after failing to appear at court.Price, 46, from Surrey, has been remanded in custody at a west London police station after returning from Turkey and is due to appear at the Royal Courts of Justice on Friday. Continue reading...
by Ben Quinn, Vikram Dodd and Jessica Elgot on (#6PTYC)
PM emphasises there is no doubt' targeted policing and rapid sentencing are acting as deterrents to further unrestKeir Starmer has told a Cobra meeting of cabinet ministers and police chiefs of the need to maintain high alert", despite the absence of expected disorder on Wednesday night.A government source said the prime minister emphasised there was no doubt" that high levels of targeted policing alongside the rapid sentencing of rioters - including a three-year sentence - was acting as a deterrent to further unrest. Continue reading...
Beijing website asks for information about supposed crimes' of secessionist' current and past Taiwan officialsChina's government has called for people to denounce die-hard secessionists" and give information about their criminal activities" as it intensifies its legal and rhetorical intimidation of Taiwan.The Taiwan affairs office and ministry of public security this week launched new webpages with lists of 10 current and former officials in Taiwan who have been named as die-hard" separatists. Continue reading...
At Edinburgh fringe event, former first minister uses colourful language in recalling events that led to his resignation from HolyroodThe former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf has admitted that he fucked up" by sacking the Greens from his government.Earlier this year, the Greens forced a vote on the Bute House agreement - the alliance of the Scottish National party and the Greens - over the ditching of a key climate pledge. Continue reading...
Lawrence Hecker will face court on kidnapping and rape charges in September pending a final competency rulingA doctor's report says that Lawrence Hecker, the retired New Orleans priest who faces charges of raping a teenager after strangling him unconscious in 1975, has dementia - but it says nothing about Hecker's competency to stand trial.On Thursday, after seven hearings and still no definitive determination on Hecker's competency, his trial on rape and kidnapping charges has been set for 24 September. Continue reading...
by Robyn Vinter North of England correspondent on (#6PV1H)
Retired welder William Morgan thought to be oldest person charged as a result of recent unrestA man thought to be the oldest person charged for taking part in the far-right-led riots, and two brothers who looted a library, were among those jailed on Thursday for their part in a crime committed against the whole community".William Nelson Morgan, 69, was sentenced to 32 months in prison, having previously admitted violent disorder and carrying a cosh during a riot on County Road in Liverpool on Saturday. Continue reading...
Latest housing data show 151,630 children in temporary accommodation - the most since records beganMore than 150,000 children in England are living in temporary accommodation, prompting calls for the government to address what it calls a national scandal".Living in temporary accommodation is considered a form of homelessness and can involve people staying in hostel or bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation. Continue reading...
The Conservative leadership candidate has been described as missing in action', despite role as shadow communities secretaryKemi Badenoch, one of the candidates for the Conservative leadership, has been criticised by fellow Tories for adopting a submarine" strategy by keeping a low national profile during the riots that have spread across England over the past week.While rivals James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel and Mel Stride have been appearing across broadcast TV channels and social media, Badenoch has not been prominent during the unrest. Continue reading...
by Hamish Mackay (now) and Martin Belam (earlier) on (#6PTGT)
This live blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereLabour's policing minister Diana Johnson has said that MPs have a responsibility for being moderate in their language" after being asked about Robert Jenrick's comments yesterday.Jenrick, who is one of those contesting the leadership of the Conservative party sparked criticism when he said I thought it was quite wrong, that somebody could shout about Allahu Akbar out on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested". While the phrase has been associated with Islamist terrorism, it is simply the Arabic for God is great", and is used every day by Muslims in prayers.I think all politicians at this stage need to be very careful about the language that they use. The country over the last few days, you know, the terrible events in Southport, I think the country has been very shocked by that tragic event and then the public disorder that we've seen.So I think all politicians have a role in being moderate in their language, supporting the police, and speaking on behalf of the law abiding majority in this country. That's what I would say all politicians should be doing at this stage. Continue reading...
by Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent on (#6PTWR)
Dropping the EU-imposed measure allows for staff to receive payouts worth up to 10 times their salariesBarclays has become the first UK bank to formally lift the cap on bankers' bonuses originally imposed by the EU, opening the door for staff to receive 10 times their salaries in payouts.The announcement was made through an internal memo to staff on Thursday, four months after shareholders at Barclays' AGM approved the move to drop the measure, which previously limited bonuses to two times bankers' salaries. Continue reading...
Ricky Jones arrested after video emerged in which he appeared to call for violence against Nazi fascists'A suspended Labour councillor has been arrested on suspicion of encouraging murder after a video emerged where he appeared to call for far-right protesters' throats to be cut.Ricky Jones, who was a councillor in Dartford, Kent, was filmed making the call at a counter-demonstration in Walthamstow on Wednesday evening. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh in Kyiv and Pjotr Sauer on (#6PTRB)
Zelenskiy aide says root cause of any escalation', including into Kursk, is Moscow's unequivocal aggression'Ukraine has publicly justified its attack into Russian territory for the first time, amid reports that its forces are advancing towards a village 13 miles (20km) inside the Kursk region.Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior aide to Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said the root cause of any escalation", including into Kursk, was unequivocal aggression" on the part of Russia in believing it could invade Ukraine with impunity. Continue reading...
National government is investigating Chidimma Adetshina, who had faced a public furore over her citizenshipA South African beauty pageant contestant has withdrawn from the competition after the government accused her mother of fraud and identity theft, following questions over the contestant's citizenship.Chidimma Adetshina, 23, said she had made the difficult decision" to protect herself and her family before the Miss South Africa final on Saturday, and a day after the home affairs ministry said her mother may have stolen a South African woman's identity. Continue reading...
Warner Bros Discovery this week wrote down $9bn as it - and others - play catch-up with streaming and video servicesWarner Bros Discovery's announcement this week of a $9bn (7bn) writedown in the value of its TV networks is a stark acknowledgment of the damage the streaming wars are inflicting on traditional broadcasting models.The astonishing figure, which pushed the US entertainment group to a quarterly net loss of $10bn (7.9bn) and sent shares sliding 12% in early trading on Thursday, lays bare how channels such as CNN, TLC and the Food Network can no longer rely on a captive cable subscriber base. Continue reading...
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#6PTVQ)
Experts warn there are no quick fixes' as NHS goes through really tough' rise in patients seeking emergency careThe NHS in England has had its busiest summer ever in A&E with 4.6m attendances over the past two months, while 1.5m hospital appointments were rescheduled because of the junior doctors' strikes, according to the latest figures.The three busiest months for A&E staff in history have been in 2024, with 77,945 attendances a day in May, 76,469 in June and 74,459 in March. Continue reading...
North of England worst impacted by looting fears as people stay away from shops and delay day tripsShoppers have avoided high streets in recent days after rioting across England and Belfast saw shops vandalised and looted, hitting footfall for retailers and neighbouring businesses, according to new figures.Footfall on UK high streets declined by an average 4.8% between Sunday and Wednesday from the same period the week before, according to the real estate software firm MRI Software. This compares with a smaller fall of 2.7% in all UK retail destinations, including shopping centres and out-of-town retail parks. Continue reading...
Progressives largely commended Walz's actions, but he also drew critique for deploying National Guard during protestsFor his handling of George Floyd's killing by police, Tim Walz has largely been commended by progressives both nationwide and on the local level. The vice-presidential candidate and Minnesota governor's role in the 2020 case has come back into view since being selected as Kamala Harris's running mate on Monday.
Mayor says Israel not invited because of risk of protests at ceremony honouring victims of 1945 nuclear blastThe US ambassador to Japan will skip this year's nuclear bombing memorial service in Nagasaki because Israel has not been invited, the embassy said.Rahm Emanuel would not attend the event on Friday because it was politicised" by Nagasaki's decision not to invite Israel, the embassy said. Instead, he would honour the victims of the Nagasaki bombing at a ceremony at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo and a lower-ranked US official would attend the Nagasaki event, it said. Continue reading...
No immediate signs of damage reported after 6.9-magnitude quake hits off eastern coast of KyushuA powerful earthquake struck off Japan's southern coast on Thursday, triggering a tsunami advisory, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said, but there were no immediate signs of major damage.
Austrian, 19, arrested alongside 17-year-old for allegedly planning Islamist attack at Vienna venueThe 19-year-old prime suspect in an alleged plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna that led to the cancellation of the singer's three-night run in the Austrian capital had collected chemicals that could have been used to make a bomb, a senior Austrian security official has said.The Austrian suspect was arrested along with a 17-year-old for allegedly planning an Islamist attack. A third person, also 17, was taken into custody late on Wednesday in connection with the investigation. Authorities said they had reason to believe one of the Swift concerts was a target. Continue reading...
by Tobi Thomas Health and inequalities correspondent on (#6PTJY)
Data from government body shows England cases passed 10,000 in year to June with 10 deaths in current outbreakAnother infant has died after contracting whooping cough, bringing the total number of infant deaths from the disease in England during the current outbreak to 10, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).The death comes as the latest UKHSA data showed the number of confirmed laboratory cases of whooping cough in England passed 10,000 in the year to June. Continue reading...
After apparent efforts to steal the election, the president sent forces to round people up in Operation knock-knock'Cristina Ramirez was readying her sofa bed in Buenos Aires for the arrival of her friend visiting from Venezuela when she received a text message suggesting Edni Lopez could be delayed. Officials in Caracas airport had stopped her, apparently over an issue with her passport.Four days, later Lopez remains under the detention of the Venezuelan authorities and her family grows increasingly worried by the minute that the university professor could be caught up in a brutal crackdown on protests over Nicolas Maduro's apparent efforts to steal the presidential election. Continue reading...
Adam Britton guilty of 56 offences related to the torture and sexual exploitation of dogs on his rural propertyWarning: this story contains graphic content
In today's newsletter: More than 100 far-right rallies were anticipated at immigration centres, lawyers' offices, and charities. Instead, a tide of anti-racist counter-protesters took to the streets Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. It was billed as a night of bigotry and bloodshed: more than 100 far-right rallies were anticipated across England and Wales, with the potential for the worst unrest of the last two weeks. Shops were boarded up, and workers stayed at home; 41 of 43 local police force areas were preparing for the threat of violence. But something else happened, instead.In Birmingham and Bristol, Southampton and Sheffield, and in many other towns and cities besides, anti-racist protesters gathered in their hundreds and thousands to stand up against the extremists. And while handfuls of far-right sympathisers did come out in some places, they were almost universally outnumbered. In many places, they simply didn't turn up at all. At the end of the night, and with very few reports of trouble, the counter-protesters went home peacefully, their message sent with absolute clarity.Opioids | Millions of people are addicted to, or at risk of becoming dependent on, prescription opioid painkillers, according to international research. The study found that one in three people taking opioids including codeine and oxycodone show symptoms of being dependent on them.UK news | Shamima Begum's legal fight to restore her UK citizenship has received a significant blow after the supreme court refused to hear an appeal. Three judges from the UK's final court of appeal ruled the grounds of appeal do not raise an arguable point of law".Austria | Three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna this week have been cancelled over an apparent plot to launch an attack on a public event in the Vienna area. Austrian authorities said they had arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly planning an Islamist attack.Reform UK | The chair of Reform UK, Zia Yusuf, was a member of the Conservatives until last week when party officials were approached by the Guardian. Richard Fuller, the Conservative party chair, emailed Yusuf to tell him his membership had been revoked last Friday afternoon.Travel | The huge passenger vessels sometimes known as cruisezillas" are getting bigger than ever, according to new research finding that the world's largest cruise ships have doubled in size since 2000. If the industry's growth does not slow, the biggest ships in 2050 will be eight times larger than the Titanic. Continue reading...
Thousands took to the streets to take part in anti-racism protests in London, Brighton, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle and SheffieldThe home secretary, Yvette Cooper, thanked police officers working tonight to protect and support local communities" after large-scale far-right riots failed to materialise, while thousands of anti-racism protesters took to the streets in several English cities on Wednesday to oppose days of far-right violence.In many towns and cities shops were boarded up over fears of further rioting after a week of violent disorder which started in Southport on 30 July, but in most places, planned anti-immigration protests did not take place. Continue reading...
Zoopla puts average viewing time at 49 minutes, as eye tracking study shows focus on mirrors and plants, not floors and wallsA fifth of homebuyers spend less than 20 minutes looking at a home before deciding to make an offer, with viewers more likely to focus on artwork and furniture than structural features, research suggests.The average time for looking around a property before settling on buying it was about 49 minutes, according to a survey of people who have attended viewings in the past five years. Continue reading...
by Eleni Courea Political correspondent on (#6PTG7)
Exclusive: Zia Yusuf's membership remained active until last week, when it was revoked after being pointed out by the GuardianThe chair of Reform UK, Zia Yusuf, was a member of the Conservatives until last week when party officials were approached by the Guardian.Richard Fuller, the Conservative party chair, emailed Yusuf to tell him his membership had been revoked last Friday afternoon, after the Guardian asked the party whether it was still active. Continue reading...
by Richard Partington Economics correspondent on (#6PTG8)
Survey reveals net fall in permanent jobs last month amid lengthening slowdown in employment marketThe UK's largest employers have warned the jobs market is cooling amid a slowdown in wage growth in July and a fall in vacancies, extending an almost two-year downturn in hiring demand for permanent staff.Figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and the accountancy firm KPMG showed a fall in permanent staff placements in July as large employers made more redundancies and hired fewer new starters. Continue reading...
UK papers focus on thousands of people who turned out to protest against far-right ralliesUK headlines were dominated by far-right rallies and the protesters who set out to counter them, with much of the expected violence failing to materialise. Even as shops shut up early and local police forces in England and Wales braces for unrest, far-right gatherings either did not take place or were outnumbered by counter-protesters who formed human chains around asylum centres.The Guardian splashed on Thousands take to the streets to counter threat from far right" with a picture of crowds in Walthamstow, east London waving placards reading Refugees welcome" and Stop the far right". Continue reading...
EU, UK and France urge Israel's government to distance itself from comments by its finance minister, Bezalel SmotrichThe EU, France and UK have condemned a senior Israeli minister for suggesting it might be justified and moral" to starve people in Gaza.The comments from Israel's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, in which he said no one in the world will allow us to starve two million people, even though it might be justified and moral in order to free the hostages", sparked international outrage. Continue reading...
Lawsuit seeks to hold American manufacturers responsible for trafficking of firearms to drug cartels across borderA US judge has dismissed much of Mexico's unprecedented $10bn lawsuit seeking to hold US gun manufacturers responsible for facilitating the trafficking of firearms to violent drug cartels across the US-Mexico border.US district judge Dennis Saylor in Boston dismissed claims against six of the eight companies Mexico sued in 2021, including Sturm, Ruger and Glock, citing jurisdictional problems. Continue reading...
More school leavers likely to gain places as survey finds higher number of vacancies advertised through clearingThe UK's leading universities have thousands of undergraduate places unfilled a week before A-level results are published, meaning more school leavers are likely to gain places than in recent years.A survey by the Press Association found that members of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities were advertising nearly 3,900 vacancies on courses for domestic undergraduates starting in autumn, compared with 2,000 at this point last year. Continue reading...
by Agence France-Presse in Johannesburg on (#6PT9Z)
South African government joins row over Chidimma Adetshina's heritage with suggestion mother may have committed identity theftSouth Africa's national beauty pageant has been thrown into turmoil, after the government accused the mother of a contestant who suffered a torrent of online abuse over her Nigerian heritage of fraud and identity theft.Chidimma Adetshina, 23, has been the subject of vicious, xenophobic attacks on social media since she was announced as a finalist in Miss South Africa in July, with many, including cabinet ministers, questioning her credentials. Continue reading...
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