by Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo and agencies on (#6QP6C)
Rachele Mussolini, a city councillor in Rome, will join Forza Italia, a more liberal party in Meloni's ruling coalitionA granddaughter of Italy's wartime dictator Benito Mussolini said on Thursday she was leaving Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party because it was too rightwing.Rachele Mussolini, a city councillor in Rome, said she was moving to the group of Forza Italia, which is part of Italy's ruling coalition but seen as more liberal on civil rights. Continue reading...
Prosecutors presented evidence of three additional allegations dating back to the 2000s against Weinstein, 72Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been indicted on additional sex crimes charges ahead of his retrial in New York, Manhattan prosecutors said at a hearing Thursday.The indictment will remain under seal until Weinstein's arraignment, which is scheduled for 18 September. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler Social policy editor on (#6QNHW)
Carers UK estimates 600 people a day quit jobs to care for loved ones and calls for review of benefits systemMore than a million unpaid carers in the UK who look after disabled, frail or ill relatives are living in poverty, with one in 10 experiencing such extreme hardship they struggle to afford to eat regularly or heat their homes, new research shows.Campaigners said carers - routinely lauded by politicians as unsung heroes whose sacrifices help prop up the NHS - were paying the price for holding society together", and urged ministers to act to fix unacceptable" levels of hardship. Continue reading...
Downing Street impatient to begin recruiting, while Simon Case has yet to make his departure plans officialDowning Street is pushing to launch the formal search for a new cabinet secretary within the next month amid frustration with Simon Case, who is yet to officially announce his departure.Case has acknowledged he intends to leave in the new year due to health reasons, but the lack of a formal announcement means No 10 has not been able to kickstart the hunt for a successor. One Downing Street source said the government would like to begin the process imminently. Continue reading...
Softly spoken and easily startled, Campbell was imprisoned for murder in what has been called one of the longest miscarriages of justice in British criminal historyWhen Oliver Campbell's lawyer first visited his client a quarter of a century ago, he recalls a prison officer pointing him towards a tall, shy man grooming a horse.Despite serving a life sentence for murder, Campbell, who had severe learning difficulties, was so vulnerable that he was moved to an open prison at the earliest opportunity. Continue reading...
Cindy and Craig Corrie say they fear Eygi's death at West Bank protest will go unpunished like their daughter'sWhen Cindy and Craig Corrie heard about the death of Ayenur Ezgi Eygi, the American-Turkish woman killed at a protest in the occupied West Bank last week, it reopened a 21-year-old wound. You feel the ripping apart again of your own family when you know that's happening to another family. There's a hole there that's never going to be filled for each of these families," Craig Corrie said.In 2003, their daughter Rachel was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer during a protest in Rafah against the demolitions of homes in Gaza. This week, the couple have joined a chorus of human rights advocates calling for an independent investigation into Eygi's death, saying that they feared her case would go unpunished like their daughter's. Continue reading...
Figure is largely in addition to 7.8bn committed since Russia's invasion, says National Audit Office reportBritain has donated arms and equipment to Ukraine that would cost 2.71bn to replace, largely in addition to the 7.8bn committed by prime ministers since Russia's full-scale invasion, according to a National Audit Office report.The cost of replacing missiles, artillery and other munitions also significantly exceeds their 171.5m value on the government's books, because the Ministry of Defence wants to replace the old weapons supplied at current prices. Continue reading...
by Anna Bawden Health and social affairs corresponden on (#6QMNE)
Researchers say cost-effective treatment that cuts heart disease and stroke risk is linked to better health in older ageMost people over 70 should consider taking statins, researchers say, adding that they are cost-effective and linked to better health outcomes for the age group.Heart disease and stroke are leading causes of death and disability globally. As we age, our risk of heart disease or stroke increases. Statins are proven to reduce that risk by reducing levels of bad" cholesterol - low-density lipids - in the blood and are widely used by middle-aged patients. But they are less commonly taken by those over 70. Continue reading...
IDF expresses regret' over death of Ayenur Ezgi Eygi on West Bank while US calls it unprovoked and unjustified'Israel's military has said it was highly likely its troops fired the shot that killed Ayenur Ezgi Eygi, the American-Turkish woman killed at a protest in the occupied West Bank.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said her death was unintentional and expressed deep regret. Continue reading...
Foo Fighters frontman posts that he aims to be loving parent to new daughter and earn family's forgivenessDave Grohl has announced that he has become the father to a baby girl born outside of my marriage".The Foo Fighters frontman, 55, said he plans to be a loving and supportive parent" to his new daughter in an Instagram post on Tuesday. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6QMG4)
Guy's and St Thomas' trust tells inquest highly vulnerable Aviva Otte was given nutritional product containing deadly bacteriaAn NHS trust has admitted that a highly vulnerable baby died because of contaminated feed that it gave her, after denying that for more than a decade.At an inquest on Tuesday, Guy's and St Thomas' trust said it had given Aviva Otte a nutritional product containing deadly bacteria in January 2014. It had previously insisted to her mother, a coroner and the Guardian on multiple occasions that she had died of natural causes. Continue reading...
While Commons rebellion was small-scale, behind the scenes, anger over handling of the policy is said to run highIn the end, the vote to cut the winter fuel allowance passed easily. Hundreds of loyalist Labour MPs tramped through the lobbies to back the government's controversial plan. No 10 will hope the heat has gone out of the issue.But despite dodging a major rebellion, plenty in government were not taking much comfort from the result. Scores of MPs abstained in silent protest, fearful that they could be condemning vulnerable pensioners to a cold, hard winter. Continue reading...
Inspired by Finnish success story, mayor Andy Burnham says unconditional homes policy saves public money'The Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, has turned to Finland for bold lessons in how to tackle rough sleeping in the city.Burnham has said he is committed to making the region the first in the UK to adopt a housing first' philosophy like Finland". A scheme launched there in 2008 that gives people homes when they need them, without conditions attached, has brought down homelessness by 70% and eradicated poverty-based homelessness completely. Continue reading...
Ex-work and pensions secretary becomes second casualty of contest, leaving four MPs vying to succeed Rishi SunakMel Stride has been knocked out of the race to succeed Rishi Sunak as Conservative party leader after Robert Jenrick topped the poll of MPs for the second time.The former work and pensions secretary on Tuesday became the second casualty in the extended leadership contest, which is due to culminate in early November. Continue reading...
Spads' working for new government say they are not being paid as fairly as predecessors under the ToriesMany of Labour's newly recruited special advisers, known as spads", have joined a union over concerns about their pay.Aides working in Downing Street or for cabinet ministers have said they are not being paid as fairly as their predecessors under the Tories. Continue reading...
World body says two workers detained for questioning, live shots fired and vehicles damaged at checkpointIsraeli soldiers halted a UN convoy involved in the recent polio vaccination drive in Gaza and detained two staff members for questioning, in an incident during which live shots were fired and vehicles damaged by a bulldozer, the UN has said.Details of the incident, which occurred at the Al Rashid checkpoint, were revealed in a statement by the office of the UN humanitarian coordinator for Palestine, Muhannad Hadi, who said the lives of UN staff in the vehicles had been endangered. Continue reading...
Conservative motion to block winter fuel payment cut defeated but 53 Labour MPs abstain and one, Jon Trickett, votes with the Tories. This live blog is closed
Polish PM calls for urgent consultations with European neighbours over controls he says will break European lawThe Polish government is accusing Germany of acting unilaterally and unfairly over its unacceptable" plans to introduce temporary controls into in the passport-free Schengen zone at all the country's nine land borders, in what Warsaw says is a contravention of European law.Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said Germany had introduced a de facto suspension of the Schengen agreement on a large scale" after the interior minister, Nancy Faeser, announced Berlin's decision to confront what she called irregular migration" by introducing spot controls along Germany's 2,300-mile (3,700km) frontier after a recent spate of suspected Islamist attacks. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6QMDE)
Mini and Rolls-Royce models also affected by potential braking system fault set to cost BMW almost 1bnShares in BMW tumbled as the carmaker revealed it will have to recall 1.5m vehicles over a braking problem, costing it almost 1bn (0.84bn).The German manufacturer said its annual earnings would be considerably lower than expected, with the fault in the braking system now discovered to be far more widespread than initially thought. Continue reading...
Coroner finds insufficient evidence' that appearance on ITV show led Steve Dymond to take his own lifeAn inquest into a man who killed himself a week after appearing on The Jeremy Kyle Show has found insufficient evidence" to rule that participating in the programme caused his death.Steve Dymond, 63, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, is thought to have ended his life seven days after filming for the ITV show in May 2019.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counsellor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...
Storm expected to make landfall in Louisiana on Tuesday evening and bring heavy rainfall to Mississippi and TexasCommunities along the US's Gulf coast are bracing for possible impact as Tropical Storm Francine is expected to become a hurricane later in the day on Tuesday and make landfall in Louisiana the following morning.The storm has been moving northward, the National Hurricane Center said, and is expected to be just offshore the coasts of north-eastern Mexico and southern Texas by Tuesday evening. Continue reading...
Excavators in Belgium find 15 limbs and seven equine skeletons at site of decisive 1815 battle against NapoleonThe carnage and horror of the battle of Waterloo have been laid bare in an excavation by military veterans and archaeologists that has uncovered amputated limbs and the remains of horses which were shot to be put out of their misery.At least 20,000 men - and possibly many more - were killed in the epic 1815 battle when the Anglo-Irish military officer the Duke of Wellington and a European alliance defeated Napoleon's French forces in a decisive and bloody encounter that determined the power balance in Europe for nearly a century. Continue reading...
Three countries say action is escalation' by Iran and Russia and is direct threat to European security'I think it's a critical moment for Ukraine," Antony Blinken said, warning that Russia is ramping up attacks on cities and people, and in particular targeting energy infrastructure.The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, has said that Russia has received shipments of Iranian ballistic missiles, Reuters reported. Continue reading...
Thirlwall inquiry hears senior paediatricians said Letby should not have continued access to patients but the hospital did not actLady Justice Thirlwall has told the Thirlwall inquiry that she expects to publish her final report in the autumn of next year.The inquiry has opened today in Liverpool for four days of opening statements, with hearings expected to continue into early next year. Continue reading...
Based on a Jane Fallon novel and directed by Guy Unsworth, a new show is powered by the Swedish pop duo's songs. Co-founder Per Gessle reflects on Roxette's arrival at the operaGreeting visitors in the foyer of Malmo Opera is a formidable bronze sculpture of the Greek muse Thalia. Tonight, she holds a newly tied bunch of wonderful balloons. You could say she's got the look but you'd be required to add a la la la la la". After all, this is the world premiere of Joyride, a new jukebox musical featuring a barrage of bangers by Swedish pop royalty Roxette.Per Gessle, who formed the duo with Marie Fredriksson, is used to filling huge international arenas with the band's power ballads and party anthems. But when we talk before the musical's opening night, he points out that it is not the first time Roxette has been heard in an opera house - they played Sydney's in 2015. The difference with a musical is the opportunity to work on such a grand scale" with a 34-piece orchestra and resident team of craftspeople. It costs a fortune to do this," he says. I'm happy that they sold so many tickets!" Continue reading...
by Yohannes Lowe (now), Geneva Abdul and Jonathan Yer on (#6QKRV)
US secretary of state says Israeli forces need to make fundamental changes' to operations in occupied West Bank after Ayenur Ezgi Eygi was shot dead during protest
Hospitals and adoption agencies appear to have colluded to force single mothers to give up children, commission findsSouth Korea has found new evidence that mothers were forced to give up their children for adoption in countries including Australia, Denmark and the United States.At least 200,000 South Korean children had been adopted abroad since the 1950s, but allegations have emerged that hospitals, maternity wards and adoption agencies systematically colluded to force parents - primarily single mothers - to give up their children. Continue reading...
Eleanor Donaldson also in Newry crown court on allegations of aiding and abetting husbandJeffrey Donaldson has pleaded not guilty to sex offences after allegations triggered his resignation as the leader of the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) earlier this year.Donaldson, 61, appeared at Newry crown court on Tuesday and replied not guilty" to all the 18 charges - one of rape, four of gross indecency and 13 of indecent assault - that span 1985 to 2008. Continue reading...
by Kiran Stacey Political correspondent on (#6QM04)
2024 intake offers fresh eyes and fresh experience', says Marie Tidball, amid disquiet in party over rapid promotionsA newly elected Labour MP has urged colleagues not to overlook the 2024 intake, as she defended her decision to run for the chair of an influential select committee only weeks after being elected.Marie Tidball said the historically large 2024 cohort of MPs would offer fresh eyes and fresh experience" to parliament and government, as she bids to be head of the education select committee. Continue reading...
Woman dies in strike on residential building in Ramenskoye and three out of four Moscow airports shutUkraine has carried out one its biggest drone attacks on Russia since the beginning of the war, killing a woman in the Moscow region and forcing the closure of airports around the capital.Russia's defence ministry said overnight it had shot down 144 unmanned aerial vehicles, including 20 over Moscow. Others were intercepted in multiple other regions, it said. Continue reading...
US brand's British designer abandons strict perfection' for a more sustainable, carefree collectionThe luxury fashion industry has earned a reputation for championing a polished and slick aesthetic. But according to Stuart Vevers, the British designer and creative director of the US brand Coach, the pursuit of perfectionism is over.Before his show in New York on Monday, Vevers said he wanted to propose an idea of luxury that is personal rather than perfect. Perfection doesn't create desire. Something that is loved and worn has more appeal than something that is perfect and precise. The idea of strict perfection in luxury doesn't interest me very much." Continue reading...
by Aamna Mohdin Community affairs correspondent on (#6QKWN)
World Afro Day campaign urges MPs to update Equality Act to make afro hair a protected characteristicThe Labour MP Paulette Hamilton and singer Mel B are among leading Black Britons urging parliamentarians to make the UK the first western country to introduce a law to end afro hair discrimination.The World Afro Day (WAD) campaign has written an open letter to MPs, calling on them to vote for the recognition and prevention of afro hair discrimination by updating the Equality Act 2010 to make afro hair a protected characteristic. Continue reading...
by Bethan McKernan and Sufian Taha in Jenin on (#6QKVK)
Palestinians go back to work but struggle to see positive future after destruction of Israel's 10-day raid that killed 21 in cityIn the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, residents are struggling to return to normality after the longest - and deadliest - Israeli military operation in the area for 20 years. On Sunday - the start of the working week - traffic choked the city centre for the first time in nearly two weeks after roads were repaired; street vendors sold peaches and the first of the season's pomegranates as the city slowly came back to life.But in some places, sewage still flowed through streets dug up by military bulldozers. Many burnt-out buildings showed signs of fierce fighting, the upper floors now peppered with bullet holes and broken windows. Water and electricity infrastructure was severely damaged, and it is not clear when these services will be restored. Continue reading...
Resolution Foundation suggests proposals on capital gains tax, inheritance tax and national insuranceRachel Reeves is being urged by a left-of-centre thinktank to announce changes to capital gains tax, inheritance tax and national insurance in next month's budget that would raise more than 20bn a year for the Treasury.With the chancellor looking for ways to plug a 22bn hole that she has identified in the public finances, the Resolution Foundation said it was a time-honoured tradition that taxes were raised in the first budget after an election. Continue reading...
Media regulator describes change as a generational shift in the balance of news media'Online platforms have overtaken TV channels as the most popular sources for news in the UK, according to figures described as a generational shift" in viewing habits.More than seven out of 10 UK adults (71%) consume online news, said the UK's communications regulator, slightly ahead of TV, which is used by 70% of adults. Ofcom described the survey result, the first time websites and apps have moved in front of TV, as marking a generational shift in the balance of news media". Continue reading...
Chancellor tells meeting of parliamentary Labour party there will be more difficult decisions to comeLike the Telegraph (see 11.25am), the Times has also published a new article with a Tory endorsement for Kemi Badenoch, but this one is potentially more significant. Margaret Thatcher is no longer with us, but for Conservative party members she is still the one figure from the party's recent past whose authority is more or less unquestioned and Peter Lilley has written an article claiming that Badenoch would be a worthy inheritor of her mantle. He says Thatcher was a scientist, and Badenoch is an engineering graduate. Like Thatcher, Badenoch is focused on facts, and what works, he says. He goes on:Leadership candidates are under great pressure to make popular pledges, to abolish specific taxes or set a numerical limit on immigration. Kemi, rightly in my view, has refused to do so. Voters want lower taxes and much less immigration (as do I), but they have seen every glib promise broken. To convince them, a new leader will need to show first, that policies have been rigorously worked out in practical terms and second, that we truly believe in them rather than adopting them to win votes. As Margaret Thatcher said: To carry conviction, you must have conviction."Conviction is the fruit of hard-nosed scepticism. Kemi's approach is similar to Margaret Thatcher's, for whom I once worked. When ministers took a policy to her which was in line with all her prejudices, expecting instant approval, she would tear into it, challenging every weakness. Only when satisfied that a policy was totally robust would she take it on board - but then she pursued it with unwavering conviction. Kemi is likewise willing to challenge, criticise and expose weaknesses, which does not endear her to everyone. But we cannot afford to go on adopting half-baked, unworkable policies.We can rage at Labour's actions, but the public won't listen to our narrative - unless we have a leader who can communicate.Kemi Badenoch is that person. She is blessed with that rare gift in politics: the X-factor that means she can not only communicate but achieve all important cut-through', so that the public actually notice. Continue reading...
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