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The WWE star and vocal supporter of Donald Trump died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Florida

Portraitist withdrew her National Portrait Gallery show over reports that a transgender Statue of Liberty painting could offend TrumpArtist Amy Sherald has decided to withdraw her upcoming show at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery over fears of censorship.Sherald, who gained wider recognition after her portrait of Michelle Obama, was set to become the first contemporary Black artist to have an exhibition at the gallery. Continue reading...

Don Farrell to caution against shift to system based solely on power and size' in Friday speech to Lowy Institute

Jeff Stewart, who played PC Reg Hollis in police drama, sits on suspect's legs in Southampton as officers handcuff himThe actor who played PC Reg Hollis in the TV series The Bill has helped real-life police officers arrest a shoplifter who was trying to escape on a bicycle.Jeff Stewart, who played Hollis for 24 years in the long-running ITV drama, sat on the suspect's legs while officers handcuffed him after he had fallen off the bike in Southampton, Hampshire, on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Hungarian government says scheduled performance at Budapest music festival posed a national security threatThe Irish hip-hop band Kneecap have been banned from entering Hungary for three years ahead of their scheduled appearance at a music festival there.The group, who are outspoken supporters of Palestine, were due to perform at Sziget festival on 11 August. But the Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs said it had been banned because its members repeatedly engage in antisemitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups". Continue reading...

Both countries accused the other of opening fire first after weeks of simmering tensions broke out into fighting at six locationsThailand and Cambodia fought in their most deadly border clashes in more than a decade on Thursday as Thai officials said 11 civilians and a Thai soldier were killed in rocket and artillery attacks.Clashes broke out on Thursday morning after weeks of simmering tensions over a long-running border dispute between the south-east-Asian neighbours. Both countries accused each other of opening fire first. Continue reading...

Daniel Gunter convicted for attack on Brendon Staddon, causing skull and neck injuries, while nurses worked nearbyA man has been found guilty of murdering his two-week-old son in a special care baby unit in Somerset by shattering his skull and breaking his neck while nurses worked less than 5 metres away.Experts said the injuries that Daniel Gunter, 27, caused to Brendon Staddon were like those they would expect to see in someone who had fallen from a high building, but the attack was so swift and silent that staff did not realise what was going on. Continue reading...

Wreckage of Angara Airlines flight found on mountainside not far from its destination of TyndaA Soviet-era passenger plane has crashed in Russia's far east as it prepared to land, killing all 48 people onboard.The flight, operated by Siberia-based Angara Airlines, and departing from the city of Blagoveshchensk, vanished from radar on Thursday and lost contact with air traffic controllers while approaching its destination of Tynda, a remote town in the Amur region bordering China. Continue reading...

Former Labour leader said he was founding the new party, which is being referred to currently as Your PartyBusiness secretary Jonathan Reynolds blamed Donald Trump's tariffs and competition from China for the slump in vehicle manufacturing.He told BBC Breakfast he was very concerned" about the industry, which he described as the jewel in the crown" of British manufacturing.I'm very concerned about automotive, the pressures on the system which come from the US trade agenda, but also an incredible increase in capacity from China.It's why as a government we've adopted so many measures specifically around the automotive sector.The UK state pension is already one of the worst in the entire developed world, which is a direct result of decades of governments transferring both our national and personal wealth to the super rich.Any decision to squeeze more out of working people by forcing us to work even longer would be a national disgrace. Continue reading...

Marianne Sorrell, a retired teacher from Somerset, says she is very traumatised' after arrest at Cardiff rallyAn 80-year-old woman arrested for holding a placard at a pro-Palestine rally has said she is deeply traumatised after she was held by police for almost 27 hours, during which officers forced their way into her house and searched it.Marianne Sorrell from Wells, Somerset was detained at a rally in Cardiff on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, which earlier this month became the first direct action group to be banned under UK anti-terrorism laws. Continue reading...

Thailand uses air power against military targets as planned', army says after neighbours accuse each other of opening fire first along border

Officers say triple murder and attempted suicide is one line of inquiry after deaths in County FermanaghPolice have named the mother and two children who were shot dead at their home in County Fermanagh.Vanessa Whyte, 45, a veterinary surgeon, and her son James Rutledge, 14, and daughter Sara Rutledge, 13, were killed on Wednesday at their detached house in Maguiresbridge, a village 8 miles from Enniskillen. Continue reading...

Former Labour MPs condemn rigged' system and promise a mass redistribution of wealth and power'

Peer Beeban Kidron says it is not nanny state' to stop firms investing billions on making their platforms addictive from targeting under-18sA leading online safety campaigner has urged the UK government to detoxify the dopamine loops" of addictive social media platforms as tech companies prepare to implement significant child protection measures.Beeban Kidron, a crossbench peer, asked the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, to use the Online Safety Act to bring forward new codes of conduct on disinformation and on tech features that can lead to children becoming addicted to online content. Continue reading...

Free trade agreement projected to boost UK economy by 4.8bn a year and attract 6bn of investment

Fashion retailer wants to shut 33 stores and reduce rent costs, and says it needs 10m of funding in September

World's biggest news outlets urge Israeli authorities to allow reporters in and out of war-stricken strip

Former political prisoners face lengthy travel restrictions to stop them speaking out, says human rights organisationSaudi Arabia is banning large numbers of its own citizens from leaving the country in a cruel" attempt to silence criticism, say human rights activists.High-profile women's rights campaigners, including Loujain al-Hathloul, who pushed for the right for women to drive in Saudi Arabia, and Maryam al-Otaibi, one of three sisters targeted by the authorities for their activism, appear to have been given long travel bans. These restrictions frequently extend to family members. Continue reading...

Jonathan Reynolds says I understand the frustrations people have', as police brace for further unrestProtesters outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Epping are upset for legitimate reasons", a cabinet minister has said, as police brace for further unrest over the coming days.Jonathan Reynolds, the business and trade secretary, said there was huge frustration that is shared by the government" about the asylum system and the pressures it created on housing. Continue reading...

Broadcaster plans 15m in savings and flags 20m cut to programme budget amid continued dip in advertising

Seventeen of Ramsay Health Care's 20 clinics will close by the end of August, with only Cairns, Charlestown and Joondalup to remain operating

In today's newsletter: From mandatory age verification to criminal liability for non-compliant executives, the legislation marks a new era of digital accountability in keeping children safe onlineGood morning. From tomorrow social media companies must introduce child safety measures under the Online Safety Act. It is a key moment for a British government attempting, like so many others, to rein in tech firms and prevent children encountering harmful content on the internet.Passed by parliament in 2023, the landmark legislation significantly empowers the regulator Ofcom. Peter Kyle, the science and technology secretary, described the new codes as a watershed moment" that turned the tide on toxic experiences on these platforms".Israel-Gaza war | More than 100 aid agencies issued a dire warning that mass starvation" was spreading across Gaza and urged Israel to let humanitarian aid in.Environment | A clean, healthy and sustainable environment" is a human right, according to judges at the top court of the United Nations, in a landmark advisory opinion about countries' obligations to tackle climate change and the consequences they may face if they do not.US news | Microsoft says Chinese threat actors", including state-sponsored hackers, have exploited security vulnerabilities in its SharePoint document-sharing servers, with research indicating that several hundred government agencies and organisations have been breached.UK politics | Reform UK footed the bill for a 350 bottle of champagne at a luxury lunch and a 989-a-night hotel with hundreds of pounds in room service, its election campaign spending data shows.Media | The BBC is to broadcast a series of MasterChef featuring Gregg Wallace and John Torode, filmed before the presenters were dropped after facing upheld allegations over their behaviour. Continue reading...

Governor defends cautious approach, saying price pressures have been brought under control without surge in unemployment

Clip turned out to be a stunt, but strength of reaction speaks to genuine affront at Ireland's portrayal on big screenA man in a bar with a flat cap, bloodied knuckles and a dreamy look lays down his whiskey and writes a letter. Dear Erin," he begins, and a soundtrack of fiddles swells as he yearns for his lost love in the distant land of America.The trailer for the upcoming film - tagline: she was the Irish goodbye he never forgot" - ran in recent weeks in cinemas and online and was accompanied by a poster showing green mountains, shamrocks and a rainbow. Continue reading...

Ukraine's president says outcry is not falling on deaf ears' as European leaders voice concern at recent legislation weakening anti-graft watchdogsVolodymyr Zelenskyy promised a new bill to strengthen the rule of law in Ukraine on Wednesday, in an apparent attempt to assuage popular anger at his decision to weaken the powers of two independent anti-corruption agencies.Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Kyiv for a second day, while European leaders expressed concern at the Ukrainian president's contentious decision. The demonstrators gathered outside the presidential office, shouting anti-government slogans. Continue reading...

CEO Sundar Pichai says robust growth' in AI, search, YouTube and Google Cloud behind $2.31 in EPSGoogle exceeded Wall Street expectations for the quarter ending in June after closing out a few months of AI-related momentum.On Wednesday, the company reported $2.31 in earnings per share (EPS) on $96.4bn in revenue, surpassing analysts' projections of $2.18 EPS on $94bn in sales. Continue reading...

For Britain, this is a much-needed post-Brexit boost, and for India it shows decades of protectionism are in the pastKeir Starmer and Narendra Modi will sign their 4.8bn trade deal on Thursday morning, concluding three and a half years of negotiations and opening up trade between the UK and India for cars, whisky, clothing and food products.For the UK, the agreement promises a much-needed economic boost and serves as proof that the country can be nimble on the international stage after Brexit. Continue reading...

As hundreds of thousands of people face starvation in Gaza, this week the foreign secretary, David Lammy, joined a chorus of global condemnation over Israel's actions, describing the killing of innocent civilians seeking food and water as grotesque. But when will his words be followed by action? John Harris speaks to the UN's special rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese.Plus, will the Tory reshuffle do anything to take the wind out of Nigel Farage's sails? The Guardian's senior political correspondent, Peter Walker, joins John to discuss Continue reading...

More than 100 aid agencies, including Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children and Oxfam, say our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away'Irish premier Micheal Martin on Tuesday called for the war in Gaza to end, describing the images of starving children as horrific". Mr Martin called for a surge in humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.In a post on X, he said:The situation in Gaza is horrific.The suffering of civilians and the death of innocent children is intolerable. Continue reading...

Organisations working on route used by people trying to reach Europe say they are punished for saving livesItalian officials have detained NGO rescue vessels five times in the past six weeks, as campaigners criticise an escalating crackdown they fear will lead to more fatalities on one of the world's deadliest migration routes.On Tuesday the Berlin-based NGO Sea-Watch received confirmation that its vessel, the Aurora, had been detained in Lampedusa for 20 days. It was detained after the vessel had helped to rescue about 70 people in international waters, many of whom had been suffering from fuel burns, seasickness and dehydration. Continue reading...

Move is latest in pressure campaign on university over alleged failures to combat campus antisemitismThe state department is opening an investigation into Harvard University's eligibility as a sponsor for the exchange visitor program, the latest salvo in the Trump administration's pressure campaign on the university over alleged failures to combat campus antisemitism and inadequate support of Israel.The department announced the investigation will examine whether Harvard maintains proper standards for hosting international students, professors, researchers and other exchange visitors. All program sponsors must demonstrate transparency in reporting" and commitment to cultural exchange principles while ensuring their activities do not undermine the foreign policy objectives or compromise the national security interests of the United States", the agency said. Continue reading...

Other expenditures include 989 stay at London hotel but party sources say costs not incurred by Nigel FarageReform UK footed the bill for a 350 bottle of champagne at a luxury lunch and a 989-a-night hotel with hundreds of pounds in room service, its election campaign spending data shows.Receipts submitted to the Electoral Commission show instances of high spending at top London venues in the first half of last year. Continue reading...

London mayor adds voice to chorus of calls as international outcry grows over starvation and killings in Gaza

This blog is now closed, you can read more UK political coverage hereIndia's prime minister, Narendra Modi, is visiting London to sign a landmark free trade agreement between his country and the UK, a pact viewed as a political and economic prize amid global trade tensions unleashed by the US president, Donald Trump.For Britain, eager to score a post-Brexit win, the deal is its most economically significant trade agreement since leaving the EU. For India, it marks its first major free trade pact outside Asia. For both, analysts say, the agreement signals a long-term economic partnership. Continue reading...

Studio built for textile designer Bernat Klein by Peter Womersley put up for auction despite hopes of private saleA coalition of heritage and design groups has launched a last-minute attempt to save one of the UK's most threatened modernist buildings after its owners put it up for auction.The late modernist studio was built in the Scottish Borders in 1972 for the textile designer Bernat Klein, whose fabrics were worn by Coco Chanel and Jean Shrimpton, and is widely regarded as a jewel of late 20th-century architecture. Continue reading...

The musician once famously bit the head off of a bat but later worked with the animal-protection group on an ad campaignPerhaps the most notorious of Ozzy Osbourne's outrageous on-stage antics was biting the head off of a bat on stage. So as tributes for the late rocker poured in from around the globe, one stuck out as particularly surprising - from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta).The 76-year-old Black Sabbath frontman's death was announced Tuesday, with his family saying Osbourne - who suffered from various ailments, including a form of Parkinson's disease - was with his family and surrounded by love". Continue reading...

Thomas Woldbye speaks of damages claim as a possibility and expresses caution over a third runway

Corporation says broadcasting series that was made last year is right thing to do for sake of cooks who took partA forthcoming series of MasterChef which was filmed last year before allegations against Gregg Wallace and John Torode were upheld will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 6 August.Both MasterChef presenters will feature in the series, but the edit will be looked at in light of the findings, with focus being given to the contestants, it is understood. Continue reading...

Fundraising campaign launched after Grade II-listed Capel Rhondda, near Pontypridd, put up for saleA Welsh valleys community has launched a campaign to save the chapel where the popular hymn Cwm Rhondda, or Bread of Heaven, was first sung.The composer John Hughes wrote the hymn in 1907 to celebrate a new organ at Capel Rhondda in Hopkinstown, near Pontypridd. Continue reading...

Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2024 figures show median marriage age was 32.8 years for men and 31.2 for women

Supreme court also quashes conviction of banker Carlo Palombo over incorrect directions given to jury

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Former Geelong Revival Centre members tell inquiry abuse went unreported because group believed its authority was higher than the law of the land'

FRC examines whether accounting firm gave sufficient consideration to risk of non-compliance with laws'The accounting firm Deloitte is under investigation by the sector regulator over eight years of its audits into the FTSE 100 commodities and mining company Glencore and a UK subsidiary.The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said it was looking into whether Deloitte's audits of Glencore and its subsidiary Glencore Energy UK for the financial years ending 2013 to 2020 gave sufficient consideration to the risk of non-compliance with laws and regulations". Continue reading...

Jon Farley arrested under Terrorism Act at Leeds demonstration for holding sign making joke about Palestine Action banThe terror arrest of a man for holding up a Private Eye cartoon during a protest at the weekend was mind-boggling", the magazine's editor, Ian Hislop, has said, as the retired teacher called for an apology from police.Jon Farley was picked up by police at a silent demonstration in Leeds on Saturday, which he described as a pretty terrifying and upsetting experience", for holding a sign that made a joke about the government's proscription of the group Palestine Action from the last issue of the fortnightly satirical magazine. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: A year into opposition, Kemi Badenoch's party is still searching for its place in UK politicsGood morning. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party (remember them?), has announced a reshuffle of her top team a year into her leadership.The reshuffle itself has not come as a surprise - it was rumoured for months. Badenoch has kept much of her team in place, including the shadow home secretary, Robert Jenrick, shadow chancellor, Mel Stride, and the shadow foreign secretary, Priti Patel.Israel-Gaza war | Israel's government is pursuing an unacceptable and morally unjustifiable" policy in Gaza, the Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem has said after visiting a church in the territory that was attacked by Israeli forces and meeting survivors.Environment | The world is on the brink of a breakthrough in the climate fight and fossil fuels are running out of road, the UN chief said on Tuesday, as he urged countries to funnel support into low-carbon energy.Immigration | Officials are to start using artificial intelligence to help estimate the age of asylum seekers who say they are children, Angela Eagle, the immigration minister, said on Tuesday.UK news | A man has been found guilty of assisting a foreign intelligence service after handing over personal details of the then defence secretary, Grant Shapps, to two British undercover officers he believed to be Russian agents.Music | Ozzy Osbourne, whose gleeful Prince of Darkness" image made him one of the most iconic rock frontmen of all time, has died aged 76. His death comes less than three weeks after his retirement from performance. Continue reading...

Forty people who have been offered scholarships unable to travel without biometric data they have no way of gettingPressure is mounting on ministers to intervene on behalf of 40 students in Gaza who have been offered full scholarships to study at UK universities, but are unable to take up their places this September because of government red tape.A high-level meeting is understood to have taken place at the Home Office on Tuesday after MPs and campaigners highlighted the students' plight, calling on ministers to take action to help secure their safe passage to the UK. Some students are reported to have been killed while waiting, while others are said to be in constant danger. Continue reading...

Home Office orders diversion from usual landing place to Ramsgate to avoid clashes with far rightCharities have warned of the increasing danger to asylum seekers posed by far-right protesters after small boat arrivals were moved from their usual landing place in Dover to further along the coast to avoid clashes.The Guardian understands that Home Office officials received intelligence that some of those participating in what was billed the Great British National Protest in Dover on Saturday afternoon could have been planning to target Kent Intake Unit, where small boat arrivals are initially processed after being escorted to shore in Dover by the Border Force. Continue reading...

Operator says if rivals are allowed to squeeze into existing facilities it could jeopardise its investmentEurostar has urged the UK government to choose a credible long-term strategy" for international rail or risk falling behind" the rest of Europe, before a crucial decision by the regulator that could end its cross-Channel monopoly.The high-speed train operator warned that a premature" ruling from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to allow competitors to squeeze trains into existing facilities could jeopardise its planned investment and expansion. Continue reading...

Alastair Campbell and children's author Michael Rosen among advocates calling for oracy to be in curriculumThe children's writer Michael Rosen, one-time political strategist Alastair Campbell and former education secretaries Charles Clarke and Estelle Morris have urged the prime minister to honour his pre-election pledge to embed speaking skills in England's schools.They are among 60 signatories to an open letter to Keir Starmer, calling on him to establish oracy as a core part of Labour's revised national curriculum and make it the fourth R' in education, alongside reading, writing and arithmetic. Continue reading...