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Pharma group names Maziar Mike Doustdar as new CEO as it seeks to convince investors it is not lagging behind rival Eli Lily

Regulator to extend paths from London for private operators despite capacity concerns and impact on state-funded services

IPC alert reports mounting evidence of widespread starvation and says worst-case scenario' is playing out

Margherita Della Valle challenged at company's AGM by one of 62 former store operators involved in lawsuit

People like David Clune have been saved by medical breakthroughs, but many still don't know the risks or can't access doctors

Oil lamp fragments point to presence of previously unknown Jewish population in Ibero-Roman town of CastuloSeventeen centuries after they last burned, a handful of broken oil lamps could shed light on a small and long-vanished Jewish community that lived in southern Spain in the late Roman era as the old gods were being snuffed out by Christianity.Archaeologists excavating the Ibero-Roman town of Castulo, whose ruins lie near the present-day Andalucian town of Linares, have uncovered evidence of an apparent Jewish presence there in the late fourth or early fifth century AD. Continue reading...

Research notes lack of interventions for perimenopausal women despite finding that hot flushes and night sweats can be as severe as for those of menopause

Dinsmore will join Whitehall as civil servant in top communications role after reportedly impressing Starmer during interviewA former editor of the Sun will take up a senior communications role at the heart of government.David Dinsmore, editor of the tabloid from 2013 to 2015, will be a civil service appointment rather than a political adviser, tasked with improving the government's communications operation. The role is separate to the No 10 director of communications. Continue reading...

Police say only one set of human remains found after Alison Hernandez told meeting dead bodies' recovered from siteA police and crime commissioner has apologised for claiming that multiple human remains had been discovered in woodland in Cornwall at the centre of a murder investigation.Alison Hernandez told a meeting of the Devon and Cornwall police and crime panel that dead bodies" had been found at Sticker, near St Austell, and investigations were continuing to establish exactly how many. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Rayner and Cooper understood to back action as 221 MPs sign letter calling for UK recognition of statehoodKeir Starmer is under intense pressure from his most senior cabinet ministers and more than a third of MPs to move faster on recognising a Palestinian state in response to Israel withholding aid to starving civilians in Gaza.Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, and Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, are understood to be among ministers who believe the government should take the lead on Palestinian statehood alongside France. Continue reading...

Lawyer says Epstein associate answered every single question ... honestly, truthfully and to the best of her ability'The deputy US attorney general, Todd Blanche, held a second in-person meeting on Friday with Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker and longtime associate of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Blanche had confirmed the two met behind closed doors in Tallahassee, Florida, on Thursday, at the federal prosecutor's office within the federal courthouse in the state capital, and they met again on Friday. Continue reading...

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An inquest into the former England cricketer's death last year has recorded a conclusion of suicideThere were failings" in the provision of former England cricketer Graham Thorpe's care in the months before he died, a coroner has said, as a conclusion of suicide was recorded at an inquest.Thorpe, 55, died on 4 August 2024 after being struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey. Continue reading...

Picket-line turnout on first day of industrial action believed to be lower with hope of less disruption to NHS servicesThousands fewer resident doctors are thought to have joined picket lines on Friday during the first day of a five-day strike compared with last year's mass turnout.Although NHS England will only publish data on turnout and cancellations next week, hospital leaders are understood to have observed fewer resident doctors (previously known as junior doctors) on strike and less disruption to services than during the last round of industrial action, which ran from March 2023 until July 2024. Continue reading...

US president says Europe wants to make a deal very badly' but claims there is only 50-50 chance. This live blog is now closedSeparately, Reuters reported that Elon Musk's Starlink systems used by Ukrainian military units were down for two and a half hours overnight, a senior commander said, part of a global issue that disrupted the satellite internet provider.Starlink experienced one of its biggest international outages on Thursday when an internal software failure knocked tens of thousands of users offline, the agency reported.I have not communicated with Ursula von der Leyen in recent days. Everything that was written about it, everything that she allegedly told me, is a fake. We did not have a conversation." Continue reading...

Writers and academics urge charities regulator to investigate serious issues' with London institutionA bitter row at the Freud Museum in London has resulted in it facing an official investigation into allegations of political interference and autocratic" board decision-making that critics say put the future of the institution at risk.The museum, in Hampstead, was the final home of Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, and his daughter Anna Freud, a children's psychoanalyst, and is dedicated to promoting their intellectual and cultural legacy. Continue reading...

Commission chief to meet president on Sunday as Irish PM says deal will hopefully' be signed this weekendThe EU appears to be on the verge of signing a trade deal with Donald Trump after the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, announced she would meet the US president on Sunday during his four-day trip to Scotland.Trump was scheduled to land on Friday evening before the opening of his new golf course in Aberdeenshire and was planning to meet the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, on Monday. Continue reading...

Rise of 43% in Debbie Crosbie's maximum payout approved at building society's annual meeting despite criticismA 7m pay package for the Nationwide chief executive, Debbie Crosbie, has been labelled an obscenity" and hypocritical by members of the mutual, even as it gained approval at the building society's AGM on Friday.Concerned members who tuned into the online-only meeting on Friday morning criticised the board's plan to increase Crosbie's maximum payout by 43%, saying the move was out of touch and did not align with the mutual's principles. Continue reading...

Judges rule the former Syrian leader had head of state immunity when the document was issuedFrance's highest court has cancelled an arrest warrant for the former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity during the country's civil war.The Cour de cassation declared the warrant invalid under international law, which gives heads of state personal immunity from prosecution in foreign courts while they are in office. Continue reading...

More than half of 1,000 Reform voters polled would be more likely to vote Labour if hospital waiting lists come down

BMA members on Manchester Royal Infirmary picket line had hoped Labour government would end pay disputeOutside Manchester Royal Infirmary, car horns beep as striking medics wave orange placards demanding Pay Restoration for Doctors."Most are decked out in matching British Medical Association-branded tangerine baseball caps and bucket hats. Some carry homemade cardboard signs: Overworked, underpaid, undervalued" or Wes: stop (S)Treating us like [poo drawing]". Continue reading...

Health secretary says government doing all it can to minimise risk and disruption' as BMA says pay has fallen more in real terms since 2008 than rest of population

UK-first scheme aims to improve access to wider range of food for people with coeliac disease and gluten intolerancePeople with coeliac disease and gluten intolerance in Wales will be eligible for a prepaid card designed to help towards the cost of specialised foods.The debit-style subsidy cards will be rolled out in a UK-first this autumn, the Welsh government said on Friday. The scheme aims is to give people with conditions such as coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis access to a wider range of gluten-free food at supermarkets and online, rather than relying on prescriptions from a pharmacy. Continue reading...

Green leadership candidate says any decision on alliance would be one for party members

Household names are having to take drastic action as they lack resources to meet rising demand for their servicesA week ago the voluntary sector was being love-bombed by ministers at launch of the civil society covenant, an agreement designed to cement the role of charities in the government's economic growth plans and social renewal mission At one level, it was a heady moment of optimism for a sector used to being patronised and ignored.A few days later, news that the mental health charity Samaritans is to close about half of its 200 branches over the next few years was a reminder of the cold, hard economic reality gripping much of the sector. Samaritans is just the latest household name UK charity to take drastic action to stave off financial crisis. Continue reading...

Pop star's choice was surprisingly traditional - but brand has a legacy of clothing unconventional bridesCharli xcx is the British pop star known for pioneering trends. Last summer she turned the word Brat' into a cultural phenomenon complete with a uniform featuring a pack of cigs, a Bic lighter, and a strappy white top with no bra."So it came as somewhat of a surprise to fans when, last weekend, she opted for a more classic bridal look to marry George Daniel, the drummer in the band the 1975. Continue reading...

Official and ministers either deny that Palestinians are being affected by hunger or say it is not Israel's fault

Move comes as South Cambridgeshire becomes first UK local authority to vote to make work pattern permanentDozens of councils have been targeted by campaigners calling for a four-day week after it that emerged one local authority had become Britain's first to vote to adopt the pattern permanently.The move comes shortly after thousands of private-sector workers were also told they would be staying on shorter working weeks with the same pay after more than 200 businesses decided it worked for them - in some cases, after lengthy trials. Continue reading...

Versatile vocalist straddled jazz, classical, pop and musical theatre with four-octave range, and collaborated for decades with husband, John DankworthDame Cleo Laine, the UK's most successful and celebrated jazz singer, has died aged 97.A statement from her children Jacqui and Alec reads: It is with deepest sadness that we announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, Cleo, who died peacefully yesterday afternoon. We will all miss her terribly. The family wish to be given space to grieve and ask for privacy at this very difficult time." Continue reading...

British teenager was found dead on Spanish island after going missing while on holiday last summerJay Slater, the 19-year-old Briton whose disappearance in Tenerife last summer prompted a massive search, died by accident after falling from a height, a coroner has concluded.Slater had told his friends he was in the middle of the mountains" and in need of a drink, as he attempted a 14-hour walk home the morning after taking drugs and alcohol on a night out, Preston coroner's court has heard. Continue reading...

Civilian casualties on rise as Moscow launches salvoes of hundreds of missiles after ramping up production

The president is a master of look over there' - but not when his supporters' core beliefs about the deep state' are in playDonald Trump displayed the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Sitting in the Oval Office, he was asked by a reporter about the justice department's hunt for evidence about the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. I don't really follow that too much," he said. It's sort of a witch-hunt."And then the pivot: The witch-hunt you should be talking about is that they caught President Obama absolutely cold." Trump was claiming a plot by Barack Obama to rig the 2016 election, accusing his predecessor of treason". For good measure he warned: Whether it's right or wrong, it's time to go after people." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Finance minister to consider feedback from senators before making decision final

Profits rise 4.4% at lender, which plans to distribute interim dividend of 9.5p a share on top of fresh 750m buyback

Database of 8m handwritten census entries paints portrait of city that was hub for intellectuals, artists and young, single peopleIn 1926, James Joyce was working on his novel Finnegans Wake while living in a spacious apartment in the 7th arrondissement of Paris with his partner, Nora Barnacle, and their two adult children, Giorgio and Lucia.Joyce's neighbours in the elegant stone building at 2 Square de Robiac included a Syrian family whose three children had an English nanny called Jessie, Russian emigres, an Egyptian industrialist, and the US writers William and Elizabeth Placida Mahl. Continue reading...

Court asked to consider whether the coroner has jurisdiction to examine Shipley's arrest

Some areas expected to receive up to 25mm but downpour unlikely to help farmers in regions experiencing drought

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Former Labor foreign minister says Canberra must seek to be a world leader - not wait for the US or UK - and recognise a Palestinian state

Mental health charity says it plans to move volunteers into larger regional hubs and pilot remote call handlingSamaritans has announced plans to close at least half of its 200 branches across the UK and Ireland, move volunteers into larger regional hubs and pilot remote call handling, in a shake-up that has left some volunteers dismayed.The mental health charity told volunteers in a video last week it hoped within the next seven to 10 years, our branch network will have reduced by at least half" and that it would move to fewer but bigger regions". Continue reading...

Speaking at Comic-Con on Thursday, Trey Parker and Matt Stone revealed they spent days negotiating with producers to show the US president's genitalsSouth Park co-creator Trey Parker had the briefest of responses on Thursday to anger from the White House over the latest season premiere, which showed a naked Donald Trump in bed with Satan.We're terribly sorry," Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare. Continue reading...

While details of the treaty are yet to be announced, it's expected to cover cooperation in shipbuilding and other areas

Defence drops claim that recordings of phone calls between Lehrmann and his lawyers were illegally obtained' by Queensland police

The prime minister did not, however, follow French president Emmanuel Macron's lead with a commitment to recognise a Palestinian state

Analysts say the Japanese are suffering a crisis of confidence that is feeding xenophobia amid economic insecurity and a record number of foreign residentsThe emergence of a rightwing populist party in Japan's upper house election on Sunday running on a Trump-style Japanese First" slogan has raised concerns of a backlash against the growing foreign presence in the country.The party, Sanseito, has successfully tapped into unease around an expanding immigrant population and a huge influx of tourists after the pandemic. But many see the underlying cause as economic insecurity among a population that both understands the need for overseas labour and visitors, and feels anxiety at the changes they bring and symbolise. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. See our full report here: France to recognise Palestinian state at UN general assembly, Macron says

President's visit is landmark moment', says first minister, as SNP puts pressure on him to take strong stance on PalestineJohn Swinney has pledged to raise the unimaginable suffering we are witnessing in Gaza" when he meets Donald Trump over the weekend.The leader of the Scottish National party described the president's four-day trip as a landmark moment" in the relationship between Scotland and the US. Continue reading...

Announcement suggested setback for diplomatic efforts as Gaza endures cataclysmic humanitarian conditionsThe US is withdrawing its negotiating team from Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar after Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff pointed the finger at Hamas for a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire".While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith," Witkoff said on Thursday. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza." Continue reading...

Transit will transport concertgoers at a three-day concert series celebrating 60th anniversary of the band's formationThe summer of love is pulling back in to San Francisco - aboard three tie-dye and paisley-wrapped trains and buses.Designed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead's formation, the city's Muni transit vehicles will double as transport for concertgoers attending a three-day Dead & Company series at Golden Gate Park. Continue reading...

At least 10 clerks received queries as DoJ ramps up requests to states about how they keep ineligible voters off the rollsSteve Schleiker, the Republican county clerk in El Paso county, Colorado, got home from work on 16 July when he got a text message from a number he didn't recognize with a pressing request.The person sending the message introduced himself to Schleiker as Jeff Small, a political consultant with the 76 Group who had formerly served as Representative Lauren Boebert's chief of staff. He said he was working with the White House and was looking for Republican clerks in Democratic states they could partner with on election integrity. Small wanted to speak soon, Schleiker said, because there was going to be a meeting the next morning between the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice. Continue reading...