Changes to welfare bill likely to win over moderates, but PM's reputation for embracing tough reforms damaged

Owner Comcast had been trying to offload lossmaking Sky Deutschland for number of yearsSky has sold its German pay-TV business to RTL, the former owner of Channel 5, in a deal that could ultimately value the business at almost 500m.Germany's biggest broadcaster, which is owned by the media conglomerate Bertelsmann, has agreed to buy Sky Deutschland for 150m (128m), and a further up to 377m depending on the future performance of RTL Group. Continue reading...

Crown tells court non-custodial sentence for former police officer was manifestly inadequate'

West Sussex resort comes last again in Which? survey but local residents and visitors are full of praiseJulia Smith was beaming on Bognor Regis beach, her toes wet after dipping them in the sparkling sea, when she discovered that her beloved home town had been named the UK's worst seaside destination. The 58-year-old carer had some stark words for Which?, who conducted the survey.I think it's a bit of snobbery," she said. You need to come down and see it for yourself, don't rely on so-called reports." Continue reading...

This blog is now closed.The foreign minister, Penny Wong, is expected to join a meeting of her Quad counterparts in Washington DC next week.The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said on Friday he would host foreign ministers from Australia, India and Japan on 1 July, with the meeting set to discuss geopolitical issues and China's treatment of Indo-Pacific nations. Continue reading...

Staffers from office of NSW premier and police minister grilled at parliamentary inquiry into Dural caravan plot

Third man sentenced to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter

Report finds black offenders less likely to receive mentoring to help them avoid getting criminal record at early ageBlack children detained by police are 15% more likely to be criminalised", that is charged and put into the criminal justice system, than white children detained for similar types of offences, a study has found.The report by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), which tackles youth violence, found that black children were 14.8% less likely to be offered diversion, which can include mentoring or counselling, that usually results in them avoiding getting a criminal record at an early age. Continue reading...

Law firm says it hears weekly from Ukrainians, including vulnerable women and children, who were turned downUkrainians who fled to the UK after the Russian invasion are being refused asylum by the Home Office on the grounds it is safe to return to Ukraine.Families are trying to obtain a route to settlement, which would enable them to build a life in the UK, commit their children to a British education and improve their prospects for jobs and housing. Some feel they have nothing to return to as they are from areas razed by conflict. Continue reading...

More than 45 individuals being investigated in relation to widespread miscarriage of justiceThe police criminal inquiry into the Post Office Horizon IT scandal is investigating more than 45 individuals, with seven formally identified as main suspects.The investigation, which the police described as unprecedented in size and scale, is the first to examine potential offences of perjury and perverting the course of justice by those who made key decisions" on Post Office investigations and supporting prosecutions of branch-owner operators. Continue reading...

Judges praise County Durham attraction's remarkable attention to detail' in bringing history to lifeBeamish, the Living Museum of the North, has won the prestigious Art Fund museum of the year award, the largest such prize in the world.Awarding it the 120,000 prize, judges called Beamish a joyous, immersive and unique place shaped by the stories and experiences of its community". Continue reading...

Two of those on doubledecker carrying sixth-form students are in serious condition after incident near EastleighSeven people have been taken to hospital after a doubledecker bus carrying sixth-form college students crashed into a river in Hampshire.About a dozen others were treated at the scene after the bus came to rest upright in the River Itchen. Continue reading...

Liberal Democrats say Conservative leader focused on cheap point scoring' and her MPs are in open revolt'In his final answer Starmer explained how he thought government and business should work together.A true partnership is not two people or two bodies trying to do the same thing. It's two people or bodies realising they bring different things to the table.Government shouldn't try to run businesses. It's done that in the past and it doesn't work particularly well. Continue reading...

Thirty-six Board of Deputies representatives hit by disciplinary action say they remain deeply concerned' about Gaza war

European Council will also discuss broader enlargement policy of European Union towards the western BalkansIreland's Martin also continues on the US trade situation:I do genuinely detect an atmosphere that's focused on getting a deal, both on the US side and on the European Union side, and that's where our focus in Ireland is.Actually getting a deal is important for certainty so that we know the landscape out ahead of us and that industry knows the landscape ahead of it, so that we can protect jobs, which is our number one priority." Continue reading...

Exclusive: Actor talks of difficulties of getting art film' made about tortured artist, played by Riccardo SmacarcioHe is one of Hollywood's biggest stars, having made his name in the 1970s gangster classic The Godfather. Yet, despite his fame and Oscars recognition, Al Pacino struggled for 30 years to make a movie about one of the 20th century's greatest artists because art films" are always difficult to get off the ground".He refused to give up on a drama about Amedeo Modigliani, a tortured genius who faced repeated rejection before his life was cut short in 1920 by tubercular meningitis, aged 35. Continue reading...

Campaign group say piece responds to tech billionaires' dangerous' mission to make humans interplanetaryIn the psychedelic south-east corner of the Glastonbury festival site a rocket has been built to carry Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos on a one-way journey to Mars.The construction is not a hallucinatory vision but a installation designed by the political campaign group Led By Donkeys in collaboration with Block9, an area of Worthy Farm known for its immersive stage designs and diverse music genres. Continue reading...

FCA boss says mortgage charter up for review amid pressure from the chancellor to remove red tape for firms

Colin Campbell fails to overturn convictions for murder of four women by injecting them with insulinA nurse found guilty 17 years ago of murdering four elderly patients has been unsuccessful in an attempt to appeal against his convictions.Colin Campbell was jailed for a minimum of 30 years in 2008 for the murder of four women and attempting to kill a fifth by injecting them with insulin. Continue reading...

This blog is now closedThe court has adjourned for a lunch break.Beale will continue instructing jurors from 2:15pm. Continue reading...

North Korean leader was accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae, widely presumed to be his heir, at opening of Wonsan Kalma tourist zoneKim Jong-un is more accustomed to overseeing ballistic missile launches and political purges, but this week the North Korean leader opted for a change of pace with a family visit to a new beach resort - the vanguard in a tourism drive that may one day include foreign visitors.Kim, who had swapped his trademark Mao suit for a dark suit, white shirt and tie that matched the sandy expanse of Wonsan Kalma, hailed the coastal resort as one of the country's greatest feats" of the year, the state-run KCNA news agency said in a report issued on Thursday. Continue reading...

Commons review into handling of motorcyclist's death will not scrutinise actions of US authoritiesA parliamentary review into how the UK's Foreign Office handled the death of the teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn will not include scrutiny of the role or actions of the US government, it is understood.

Marcus Monzo convicted of killing schoolboy in Hainault, north-east London last yearA man has been found guilty of murdering a 14-year-old schoolboy, Daniel Anjorin, with a samurai sword last year.Marcus Monzo, 37, carried out a marauding attack while in a state of cannabis-induced psychosis in Hainault, north-east London, on 30 April 2024, the Old Bailey heard. Continue reading...

More than 200,000 people expected at Worthy Farm for lineup including Olivia Rodrigo and Irish band KneecapThe gates to Glastonbury festival have opened for 2025 with more than 200,000 ticket-holders set to descend for a long weekend of performing arts and music.In what promises to be a politically charged gathering at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, campers can expect a mixed bag of sunshine and rain throughout the week. Continue reading...

Attraction at site of former brickworks in Bedford could boost UK economy by 50bn and create 28,000 jobsThe deal to build Universal's new theme park in Bedford was secured with a package of support that included 500m of public investment in rail and road infrastructure, it has emerged.Comcast, the parent company of Universal, is in negotiations over the final scale of the overall government assistance package, which could be expanded beyond infrastructure investment. Continue reading...

Mohammad went missing after becoming separated from his uncles. His family later found his body mutilated beyond recognitionMohammad's family spent four days searching for him after he became separated from his uncles at a food distribution point in northern Gaza.They clung to the chance that he had been arrested by the Israel Defense Forces, as the boy was not among the corpses recovered after troops opened fire. Continue reading...

Passengers urged to reschedule trips, with disruption affecting Nato summit in the Netherlands

This blog is now closed

Elected representatives of Board of Deputies were among signatories of open letter objecting to actions in Gaza StripFive elected representatives to the largest body representing British Jews have been suspended for two years after criticising the Israeli government's actions in Gaza.All 36 signatories to an open letter published in April have been found to have breached the Board of Deputies' code of conduct after a two-month investigation. Continue reading...

The 350 air defence missiles mark the first time the UK has used Russia-linked funds to buy weapons for KyivKeir Starmer has announced a fresh package of military aid for Ukraine - this time paid for using the UK's interest haul from frozen Russian assets.The UK will send 350 advanced air defence missiles, built in Britain and adapted in record time for ground launch, using 70m of interest raised through the government's extraordinary revenue acceleration (ERA) scheme. The move marks the first time the UK has used Russia-linked funds to directly bankroll weaponry for Kyiv. Continue reading...

Starmer to unveil purchase of 12 F-35A jets that can deliver tactical nuclear weapons, which may be kept at RAF basesThe UK is to substantially expand its nuclear deterrent by buying a squadron of American-made fighter jets that are capable of delivering US tactical warheads that are likely to be stored on British soil.The announcement by Keir Starmer at the Nato summit marks the most significant change in Britain's nuclear posture since the end of the cold war, with US bombs set to return to the UK, and is bound to provoke alarm among arms control experts and campaigners. Continue reading...

The teenage heartthrob, who become an LAPD instructor, had announced he had stage 4 cancer earlier this yearBobby Sherman, whose winsome smile and fashionable shaggy mop top helped make him into a teen idol in the 1960s and 70s with bubblegum pop hits such as Little Woman and Julie, Do Ya Love Me, has died. He was 81.His wife, Brigitte Poublon, announced the death Tuesday and family friend John Stamos posted her message on Instagram: Bobby left this world holding my hand - just as he held up our life with love, courage, and unwavering grace." Sherman revealed he had stage 4 cancer earlier this year. Continue reading...

James Harding and Jayes Kharouti discussed plan to recruit hitman to kill rival on encrypted messaging serviceA pair of drug kingpins are facing jail for plotting to murder a rival and smuggling millions of pounds worth of cocaine into the UK after one of the largest EncroChat investigations.James Harding, 34, and his loyal right-hand man" Jayes Kharouti, 39, ran a vast criminal empire which made 5m in profits from importing drugs over 10 weeks in 2020 alone. Continue reading...

Exclusive: London mayor is most senior party figure to call for plans to be dropped, as Starmer vows to press aheadSadiq Khan has become the most senior Labour figure yet to urge the government to drop its controversial disability benefit changes, supporting a growing Labour rebellion that threatens to derail the plans.The London mayor warned that the welfare bill, which more than 100 Labour MPs have already threatened to vote against in the Commons next week, would destroy the financial safety net" for millions of people. Continue reading...

Keir Starmer says investment in national security will also deepen Britain's commitment to NatoBritain will commit to spending 5% of its GDP on defence by 2035 after weeks of diplomatic pressure and intense negotiations with allies.The decision came as Keir Starmer, the prime minister, prepared to join Nato leaders at a summit dominated by global conflict and expectations of European military self-reliance. Continue reading...

Fifteen organizations call on GHF and other groups running aid delivery to cease operations or face legal consequencesFifteen international human rights organisations have called on the Israel- and US-backed Gaza food delivery group, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), and other private groups running humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza to cease their operations or face legal consequences.In a letter sent on Monday to GHF and the affiliated Safe Reach Solutions and UG Solutions, the rights advocates warned that private contractors operating in Gaza in collaboration with the Israeli government risk aiding and abetting or otherwise being complicit in crimes under international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide". They also noted that the contractors may be liable under US law and in other jurisdictions. Continue reading...

Copper-coated figures are being returned to cathedral's reconstructed spire after devastating blaze of 2019Sixteen giant statues are to be hoisted back on to the spire of Notre Dame in the latest step of the cathedral's 700m (600m) reconstruction after the devastating fire of 2019.The copper-coated figures, each weighing almost 150kg, escaped the blaze because they were removed from the Parisian landmark for renovation just four days before flames consumed the roof and destroyed the spire. Continue reading...

Australia Post's proposed rise in stamp price for ordinary letters, which still requires communications minister's approval, would take effect in July

Penny Wong refuses to say whether Pine Gap communications facility in NT was used in US bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites

Interior ministry says 145 people across the country reported being stabbed with needles at Fete de la Musique eventsFrench police have detained 12 suspects after 145 people reported being pricked with syringes during the country's annual street music festival, officials said on Sunday.Millions of people took to the streets across France on Saturday evening for the Fete de la Musique, with authorities reporting unprecedented crowds" in Paris. Before the party, posts on social media had called for women to be targeted during the festivities. Continue reading...

Eric Horvitz's comments come despite reports that Microsoft is lobbying with Google, Meta and Amazon to support banMicrosoft's chief scientist has warned that Donald Trump's proposed ban on state-level guardrails on artificial intelligence will slow the development of the frontier technology rather than accelerate it.Dr Eric Horvitz, a former technology adviser to Joe Biden, said bans on regulation will hold us back" and could be at odds with making good progress on not just advancing the science, but in translating it into practice". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Investigation finds 76% rise in water taken from rivers and lakes for industrial or public consumption in two decadesThe amount of water being sucked from England's rivers has surged to record levels, with potentially disastrous consequences for people and wildlife, it can be revealed.An investigation into licensing data by Watershed Investigations and the Guardian found that the volume of water taken from rivers and lakes for industrial or public consumption has jumped 76% in two decades: 11.6m cubic metres (410 cu ft) were abstracted in the five years to 2023, up from 6.6m in the early 2000s. Continue reading...

Dmytro Chorny tells of hunger, beatings and torture before a mass prisoner exchange freed him to go home to - and marry - his girlfriend, DianaDespite all they have endured, it doesn't take much to draw shy smiles from Diana Shikot, 24, and Dmytro Chorny, 23.You could ask them about Chorny's sweetly bungled marriage proposal the day after his release from Russia's notorious penitentiary system, in which he languished as a prisoner of war for three years. Continue reading...

White House flags potential Chinese access to sensitive communications of one of our closest allies'A US intervention over China's proposed new embassy in London has thrown a potential resolution up in the air", campaigners have said, amid concerns over the site's proximity to a sensitive hub of critical communication cables.The furore over a new super-embassy" on the edge of London's financial district was reignited last week when the White House said it was deeply concerned" over potential Chinese access to the sensitive communications of one of our closest allies". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Foreign secretary says training for 9,000 workers at European carriers is step towards more secure bordersThousands of European airline staff are being trained to stop people boarding flights to Britain without valid visas, in a move billed by the foreign secretary as a digital upgrade to border controls.David Lammy said the measures marked a step towards more secure, more digital and more effective" borders, but the move could raise questions about human rights safeguards. Continue reading...

Care Quality Commission demands urgent improvements at Leeds general infirmary and St James'sThe care of women and babies at two Leeds hospitals presents a significant risk to their safety, the NHS regulator has said, after the preventable deaths of dozens of newborns.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) demanded urgent improvements to maternity services at Leeds general infirmary and St James's hospital as it downgraded them to inadequate". Continue reading...

Government issued permit to shoot young female who entered Vilnius, despite only small number left in Baltic country

Former prime minister urges Labour PM to introduce proper sanctions amid concerns over promised ethics commission

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There are fears the crackdown against outsiders' is driving widespread persecution as expelled Indians are returned by Bangladesh border guardsThe Indian government has been accused of illegally deporting Indian Muslims to Bangladesh, prompting fears of an escalating campaign of persecution.Thousands of people, largely Muslims suspected of being illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, have been rounded up by police across India in recent weeks, according to human rights groups, with many of them deprived of due legal process and sent over the border to neighbouring Muslim-majority Bangladesh. Continue reading...