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Independents and Greens say national leadership needed after Guardian investigation reveals death toll from hanging points known to authorities

National Autistic Society says guidance risks stigmatising traits amid concern over number of autistic children referred to PreventOfsted, the body responsible for safeguarding in education in England, has been accused of offensive" and clumsy" discrimination after telling inspectors that children with autism are at increased risk of being susceptible to extremism".A training manual used to teach hundreds of school inspectors also claims that children who are autistic are more likely to develop special interests" and can be drawn into extremism" as a result. Continue reading...

SS troops killed inmates for target practice, according to account given in documentary Ghosts of AlderneyGuards at a prison camp on one of the Channel Islands entertained themselves at weekends by using prisoners for target practice, according to new evidence of Nazi atrocities committed there in the second world war.On Sundays, the SS would regularly pick about a dozen men incarcerated in Sylt, the camp they ran on Alderney, transporting them to a nearby light-gauge railway, where they tied them to tipper trucks and amused themselves by shooting them. Continue reading...

Regulator Ofwat concerned that plans do not write off enough debt to secure investment-grade credit rating

About 150,000 under-16s will benefit across West of England combined authority and North SomersetChildren under the age of 16 will be able to travel for free on buses in the west of England during the school summer holidays in a move benefiting about 150,000 young people.The West of England combined authority (Weca) - covering Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire - plus North Somerset will allow children aged from five to 15 to travel for free with no bus pass or registration required. Continue reading...

American songwriter lit up generations of dancefloors with his group Sly and the Family StoneSly Stone, the American musician who lit up generations of dancefloors with his gloriously funky and often socially conscious songwriting, has died aged 82.After a prolonged battle with COPD and other underlying health issues, Sly passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children, his closest friend and his extended family," a family statement reads. While we mourn his absence, we take solace in knowing that his extraordinary musical legacy will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come." Continue reading...

In speech in London Mark Rutte says he expects alliance members to agree to raise military spending to 5% of GDPRussia could be ready to attack Nato within five years" and leaders of the western alliance are expected to agree to increase military spending to 5% of GDP later this month to contain the threat, the alliance's secretary general has said.Mark Rutte said in a speech in London on Monday that Nato needed a quantum leap in our collective defence", which would include significant rearmament to deter an increasingly militarised Russia. Continue reading...

Carney says Canada will hit Nato target of 2% of GDP five years ahead of schedule amid dangerous and divided world'Mark Carney has promised to boost defence spending to its highest level in decades warning that in a dangerous and divided world", Canada must reduce its dependence on the US for defence.Speaking at the University of Toronto on Monday, Carney said Canada would reach Nato's 2% military expenditure target this fiscal year - five years ahead of his previously announced schedule. For years, Canada has been viewed as a defence loafer and successive prime ministers have failed to bring the country's commitments in line with allies. A recent Nato report found that Canada spent an estimated 1.45% of its GDP on defence last year. Continue reading...

Treasury says move to restore the funding for most pensioners will cost around 1.25bn

Habibur Masum, 26, is accused of murdering Kulsuma Akter, 27, after tracking her down to a women's refugeA man who killed his estranged wife in a ferocious attack in Bradford while she was pushing a pram stabbed her numerous times in the head, neck and body, a court has heard.Habibur Masum, 26, killed Kulsuma Akter after tracking her down to a women's refuge where she was living. She had moved out after suffering threats and attacks from him at their home in Oldham, a jury at Bradford crown court was told. Continue reading...

Jury seems far apart on a verdict as they returned to court for a third day of deliberationsJurors in Harvey Weinstein's #MeToo retrial appeared far apart on a verdict as they returned to court on Monday for a third day of deliberations.The jury asked to be reminded of the definition of reasonable doubt and rules about avoiding a hung jury, and the foreperson sent a note saying he wanted to speak to the judge about a situation that isn't very good". Continue reading...

The government is reinstating the winter fuel payment to most pensioners in England and Wales. We explain how it will work based on individual and household incomes

Shares jump 9% before market open as cable operations to be separated from movie studiosWarner Bros Discovery, the mega media conglomerate behind Hollywood movie studios and a string of TV networks, from HBO to CNN, has announced plans to break into two companies in a bid to revive its fortunes.The group will separate Warner Bros, the DC Studios comic book franchise, its Max streaming service and HBO, the premium cable network behind hit series including The Last Of Us, Game of Thrones and Succession, away from its other linear TV networks, which include CNN, Discovery Continue reading...

Florence in Italy could hit 39C as hot weather sweeps continent, while parts of South Africa braces for snowThe severe thunderstorms that have been lashing parts of Europe over recent days are expected to give way to high temperatures this week. Several regions could climb to 10C (50F) above seasonal norms, with Italy braced for the full force of the heat. Florence in Tuscany is forecast to soar to a sweltering 39C on Thursday and across the weekend.Germany, France and Belgium will also face hot weather from Wednesday, with widespread highs at least 9C above the June average. Many other parts of Europe are forecast to experience temperatures 5-7C above normal. This is the result of a high-pressure system creating a heat dome over the region, whereby sinking air compresses and warms as it descends, trapping heat near the surface. Continue reading...

Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal gardee to be performed for first time, replacing classics by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky after fundraising in LondonOne of the most English of ballets" will be performed for the first time at the National Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv after a boycott of the classic Russian repertoire, including Swan Lake and the Nutcracker.Sir Frederick Ashton's La Fille mal gardee, a celebrated romantic comedy, will be performed to a sell-out audience on Thursday after Ukraine turned away from the works of Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Prokofiev. Continue reading...

The Liaoning carrier, accompanied by two missile destroyers and a supply ship, entered Japan's exclusive economic zone before exiting to conduct military drillsA Chinese aircraft carrier group has entered an area of Japan's territorial waters for the first time, prompting concern in Tokyo over China's expanding naval reach.The Liaoning carrier, accompanied by two missile destroyers and a supply ship, entered Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Saturday evening, Japan's defence ministry said, before exiting to conduct military drills. Continue reading...

Groundbreaking commercial news and entertainment program to air final time on 27 June

Unicef UK found they were over twice as far from target of 75% of pre-schoolers reaching good level of development'Children in the most deprived areas of England are less likely to achieve good developmental goals by the age of five, according to the aid agency Unicef UK, which has urged ministers to lift the two-child benefit cap.A report by the UN agency mapped every local authority area across England measuring its level of deprivation and a range of early childhood health and educational outcomes such as oral health, weight and A&E attendance. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Common Wealth report argues debt, pollution and underinvestment justify process known as special administrationMinisters could bring water companies into public ownership for minimal cost through a process designed to safeguard vital public services when the companies running them are failing, a thinktank report has argued.According to the report by Common Wealth, ministers could use a process known as special administration to take over a company like Thames Water and, rather than transfer it to another private company, keep it under permanent public ownership. Continue reading...

Organisers say move to Co-op Live as part of 50th anniversary plans honours city's legendary music heritageIt has been one of the high points of London's music calendar for almost half a century, but the Brit awards has confirmed it is ditching the capital and moving to Manchester next year.The celebration of British music will be held at the Co-op Live arena in 2026 and 2027 - its 50th anniversary - as part of plans to invigorate" the show, organisers said. Continue reading...

Chancellor still at negotiating table on Sunday as Home Office demands more cas

Tonight's winners have so far included Purpose and Buena Vista Social Club and actors Sarah Snook and Kara YoungBest performance by an actor in a leading role in a play

UK government declined to conduct Wales-specific impact assessment for plans, despite calls from first ministerDisability benefit cuts planned by the UK government will disproportionately impact the lives of people in Wales, campaigners have said.Research released by the data analytics company Policy in Practice last week estimated that 190,000 people - 6% of the population - could have their incomes slashed by up to 60% by the end of this parliament if eligibility for personal independence payments (Pip) is tightened as proposed in a March green paper. Continue reading...

Launch comes as charities call on UK government to ban destructive' fishing industry practice in protected areasStephen Fry and Theo James are to star in a darkly satirical short film about bottom trawling, a controversial industrial process that drags heavy fishing nets across the seabed, killing everything in its path.Bottom Line, launching on World Ocean Day (Sunday), is by the ocean conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation. Before the United Nations Ocean Conference, Blue Marine Foundation, Only One and Oceana UK are calling on the UK government to impose an immediate ban on bottom trawling in all UK marine-protected areas. Continue reading...

Mark Carney declined to answer if he believed Indian PM had a role in murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh NijjarCanada's prime minister, Mark Carney, has defended his decision to invite India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, to the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta, despite the conclusion of Canada's federal police's that the murder of a prominent Sikh activist in British Columbia was orchestrated by the highest levels" of the Indian government.Carney declined to answer reporters' questions over whether he believed Modi had a role in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar - a killing on Canadian soil that shattered relations between the two countries. Continue reading...

Video footage shows animal charging past cars, with the council later saying it was in police carePedestrians in Birmingham were left questioning whether the statue guarding the Bullring shopping centre had come to life when a bull was spotted running loose on the city's streets.Video footage shared online on Friday morning showed a large black bull with white horns charging around streets in east Birmingham. The bull could be seen galloping past cars on a road near a roundabout and running along pavements. Continue reading...

Former footballer will take title of sir and wife Victoria will become Lady BeckhamDavid Beckham will be awarded a knighthood next week as part of King Charles's birthday celebrations, according to reports.Beckham has been in line for a knighthood for more than a decade after playing more than 100 times for England and becoming well known for his charity work, much of which is focused on improving the lives of underprivileged children. Continue reading...

Dairy is the country's largest export industry, but recent figures from Stats NZ show domestic butter prices have surged 65% and people are getting desperateNew Zealanders are driving cross-country for hours in pursuit of cheap butter while some are ordering it from Australia or even churning their own cream, as the country battles sky-high dairy prices.Despite dairy being the country's largest export industry, recent figures from Stats NZ show domestic butter prices surged 65% in the year to March, pushing the average price for 500g to $7.42 (3.30) - that's up about $3 from this time last year. Continue reading...

Only 941 of 29,000 exploited migrant workers reported finding new employer through multimillion-pound schemeLess than 4% of exploited care workers have reported finding new work in a multimillion-pound government scheme designed to rematch them with new employers.Analysis by the Work Rights Centre found just 3.4% of the 28,000 exploited migrant care workers signposted to a service to find them new jobs had reported being rematched with a new employer, while 131,000 social care vacancies remain unfilled. Continue reading...

About 90% of UK shoppers rely on reviews and CMA says people can now have greater confidence in what they buyAmazon has promised to do a better job policing fake reviews and to crack down on sellers using them to boost product ratings after an investigation by the UK competition watchdog.Ending the scourge of fake reviews is a priority for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) due to the influence they have over consumers. Continue reading...

Fire services responded to 211 ebike and e-scooter fires in 2024 as London film brigade warns of growing riskA record number of fires involving ebikes and e-scooters were reported in the UK last year, prompting renewed warnings over the dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries.New government figures show that fire services responded to 211 such incidents in 2024 - a slight increase from 207 in 2023, but a dramatic rise from just two recorded in 2017. Continue reading...

Alain Berset acknowledged growing criticism of the 75-year-old treaty, but said any changes must also respect our core values'The European convention on human rights (ECHR) must adapt while continuing to uphold its core values, the head of a European rights council has said.Alain Berset, the secretary general of the Council of Europe (CoE), acknowledged growing criticism of the 75-year-old treaty, but said reform should be approached with care and rooted in shared democratic principles. Continue reading...

Music mogul warned to desist from looking and nodding at jury during sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trialThe judge in the federal sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial of Sean Diddy" Combs threatened to remove the music mogul from court for looking and nodding at the jury during testimony on Thursday.The court also heard from a woman, under the pseudonym Jane" and who previously dated Combs, as she began testifying about feeling obligated" to take part in freak-offs" with other men. Continue reading...

The self-described British Muslim patriot' can take a lot of credit for Reform's recent success - but will his decision to leave make a difference?Delivered without warning in a 54-word tweet, Zia Yusuf's announcement that he was standing down as Reform UK's chair has seemingly come out of the blue.For close watchers of Nigel Farage's party in recent times, however, the departure of the man largely credited with professionalising" its operation before last year's general election performance and last month's local election breakthrough is not a shock. Continue reading...

US president casts doubt on peace efforts as German chancellor urges him to increase pressure on Moscow

Speaking at an SXSW London event, the actor outlined his desire to ignite the cinema experience for a new generation across the continentIdris Elba has spoken of his ambition to create the African Odeon" - a chain of cinemas to ignite the cinemagoing experience across the continent.Elba was speaking at an event at SXSW London in which he spoke to host Clara Amfo in a session called Creativity as Capital for Change. In remarks reported by the Hollywood Reporter and Screen, Elba said: There's a crazy number across the entire continent - less than about 3,000 cinemas, actual cinemas that you and I have grown up with. I would love to be able to tackle some of that, because I believe that the cinema experience that we all have gone through should be experienced by a new generation. I don't think it should all be on a phone." Continue reading...

Conservative party urged to draw a line' under the Liz Truss era and never again endorse her as candidateStride stresses the need for politicians to consider policy carefully, saying this is harder in the era of social media.Our modern digital world has many advantages, but in some ways it has ushered in the death of what we might call the age of thoughtfulness.By which I mean the careful consideration of arguments in order to establish the truth.We must accept that for too long governments of both colours have failed to free us from this malaise.For my party to find a path back to regaining trust, we must show that we are serious about listening to people and creating a better future underpinned by a credible plan.The fact is, for a large swathe of the population, our economy simply has not been working for them for some considerable time.Incomes have stagnated. Many feel that the system only works for the benefit of others, for large corporations or people from other countries, but not for them and their families. Continue reading...

For some reason, Stride used his first keynote speech as shadow chancellor to discuss the abject failure of his partySome things in life you just don't see coming. Like a lottery win. Like Spurs winning a European trophy. You can now add to those two: Mel Stride getting a full house for one of his speeches. Not even standing room was available.This just doesn't happen to Mel. Normally you can book him a broom cupboard and there will still be plenty of space. His reputation for never saying anything of interest precedes him. Just not today. Maybe it was a slow news day. Maybe the refreshments on offer at the Royal Society of Arts were top dollar. Continue reading...

Centrica's 10-year agreement with Equinor helps meet almost 10% of the UK's needs - enough to supply 5m homesThe owner of British Gas has struck a 20bn deal with Norway's state energy company to buy enough gas to meet nearly 10% of the UK's needs for the next decade.Under the agreement, Centrica will buy around 5bn cubic meters of gas from Equinor - enough to supply 5m UK homes - every year from this winter until 2035 at the prevailing market rate. Continue reading...

US-backed Israeli logistics group to reopen facilities today after closures following IDF warnings. This live blog is closedRussian president Vladimir Putin is ready to help resolve" the standoff between Iran and the United States over Tehran's nuclear programme, the Kremlin said on Thursday.We have a close partnership with Tehran. And President Putin said that he was ready to use this partnership to help resolve the Iranian nuclear issue," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Continue reading...

Judges rule 9-0 in case where Marlean Ames argued she was denied a promotion because she is heterosexualThe US supreme court made it easier on Thursday for people from majority backgrounds such as white or straight individuals to pursue claims alleging workplace reverse discrimination", reviving the case of an Ohio woman who claimed that she did not get a promotion at a state agency because she is heterosexual.The justices, in a 9-0 ruling, threw out a lower courts decision rejecting a civil rights lawsuit by the plaintiff, Marlean Ames, against her employer, Ohio's department of youth services. Continue reading...

UK footwear brand says it will continue to source bulk of its shoes from Laos and Vietnam through tough times'

More than 2,300 people were arrested on Tuesday after immigration officers were urged to increase enforcement

Deputy press chief Michael Forbes quit after also allegedly photographing women at gym but has faced no chargesNew Zealand's prime minister has suggested introducing new privacy laws after his deputy press secretary was allegedly caught making audio recordings of sex workers without consent.Michael Forbes, a senior aide, resigned after the local news outlet Stuff alleged he covertly recorded audio of sessions with sex workers and secretly photographed women at the gym. Continue reading...

With data showing one in four pupils already get free lunches, institute says short-term benefits over-estimatedThe expansion of free school meals will initially benefit far fewer children in England than claimed, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, as data shows more than one in four at state schools already receive free lunches.The figures from the Department for Education's annual school census show that 25.7% of all pupils now receive free school meals (FSM), up by more than a percentage point compared with last year and nearly double the 13.6% in 2017. Continue reading...

Many see attacks as part of a rise in antisemitism, while others object to conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitismOn the first night of Passover, it seemed like a one off - an arson attack on Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro's mansion. The arsonist, per police, took issue with Shapiro's stance on Israel and Palestine.Then, in late May, outside an American Jewish Committee young professionals' event for young Jews in the DC area to meet young diplomats, two Israeli embassy staffers were shot and killed; the shooter yelled, Free Palestine." Roughly a week and a half later, in Boulder, Colorado, a rally in solidarity with hostages held in Gaza was firebombed; the attacker also reportedly yelled, Free Palestine." Continue reading...

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Russia, China, France and the UK all voted in favour of immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire'The United States has vetoed a United Nations security council resolution calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" in Gaza while the 14 remaining countries on the council voted in favour.The vetoed resolution also called the situation in Gaza catastrophic", and demanded the immediate and unconditional lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and its safe and unhindered distribution at scale, including by the UN and humanitarian partners". Continue reading...

Laila Soueif is critically ill after nearly 250 days on hunger strike in protest against her son's imprisonmentThe Egyptian president is refusing to take a call from Keir Starmer, knowing it will be a plea to save the life of the mother of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a famous human rights activist and British Egyptian dual national, it has been claimed.Laila Soueif is in St Thomas' hospital in London with very low blood sugar levels as she suffers from the effect of nearly 250 days on hunger strike. Continue reading...

Music executive claims defamation in suit seeking $20m from the film-makers and distributors of On the RecordRussell Simmons is suing HBO and the film-makers of a 2020 documentary detailing allegations against the music mogul of sexual abuse, claiming that together they defamed him and ignored his version of events.On The Record, directed by Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick, expanded on reporting by the New York Times, the Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Times and other publications on numerous allegations against Simmons. It featured the testimony of several women who claim they were sexually assaulted by Simmons in the 1980s and 90s, when he was at the height of his influence as the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, the hip-hop label behind LL Cool J, Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys and other top acts. Continue reading...