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Plucky defeats decorated with patches of excellence will not cut it for Australia with a home World Cup now looming largeThe camera found Joe Schmidt shortly after France had completed a 22-point swing. Australia's coach had seen a 21-12 half-time lead obliterated in 16 brutal minutes. Schmidt, one of rugby's sharpest minds, looked short of answers. The trouble was that the questions confronting him had obvious answers but almost impossible solutions.Why had Australia's discipline deteriorated? Because they were under pressure. Why had their tackle intensity and ruck speed fallen away? Because France had introduced fresh power from the bench. Why had the Wallabies gone from a nine-point half-time lead to a 13-point deficit in barely a quarter of an hour? Because one team had more large, skilful, Test-quality rugby players than the other. Continue reading...

Temperatures will stay above 30C on Sunday, with warnings of wildfires and heat health alerts in some areasThe scorching heatwave conditions experienced by much of England and Wales will last until at least next week, the Met Office has said.Temperatures in parts of England and Wales will continue to exceed 30C on Sunday and into next week, the forecaster said. Continue reading...

Nearly 17,000 injured and thousands more listed as missing amid calls by president Delcy Rodriguez and UN for financial helpThe death toll in Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes has passed 4,300, the government said on Saturday.At least 4,333 people were killed and 16,740 injured in the back-to-back quakes on 24 June that flattened entire districts in the coastal state of La Guaira, the Venezuelan parliament chief, Jorge Rodriguez, wrote on Telegram. Thousands more people are listed as missing. Continue reading...

Errol Musk says far-right activist is a fine young man' and held meetings with Russian business figuresElon Musk's family foundation took Tommy Robinson to Russia, according to the billionaire X owner's father, who was with the British far-right activist in Moscow as he encouraged anti-migration protests in Britain.Robinson - whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - appeared last month in Moscow, from where he issued calls for supporters to take to the streets after a knife attack in Belfast. He shared video of himself in a luxury Moscow hotel with the older Musk, whose son has been a vocal supporter of Robinson. Continue reading...

A brown huntsman is the quickest of more than 250 species analysed by scientists in the UK and GermanyIf arachnophobes were not frightened enough by the horrific ability of Australia's huntsman spiders to drag dead mice up the sides of fridges, they now have another reason.They might be the fastest spiders on the planet. Continue reading...

Devon and Cornwall force now looking for suspect believed to be a white male' after man arrested on Friday was released without chargeAlison and Simon Gilbert, who have lived in in Haytor Vale for over a decade, said Ann Widdecombe was a well-known figure locally. Ms Gilbert told PA media:She was a nice woman, really nice woman, and she had a great sense of humour. It's a lovely area - you talk to strangers.Everyone saw her as quite an opinionated politician, but to us she was just a person in the community.I never met (Ann Widdecombe) although I've lived here all my life.It's tragic, someone gives all their life to public service and then they end like that. Continue reading...

Watchdog says public being put in danger by closure of premises that accommodate most dangerous offendersNearly one in ten probation hostels where England and Wales' most dangerous offenders live after leaving prison have been closed after a staffing crisis.As ministers prepare the early release of thousands of inmates in September, a leaked memo revealed that staffing challenges" have led to temporary closures of the heavily-supervised approved premises". Continue reading...

Another 20 people were rescued from a campground after a building collapsed due to heavy rain and floodingHeavy rainfall and widespread flooding battered parts of Missouri on Friday, forcing the helicopter evacuations of more than 200 children and staff from a summer camp and the rescues of about 20 people who had moved to safety on a campground building that collapsed.With nearby roads washed away and more rain in the forecast, the children were trapped at Camp Taum Sauk in the small south-eastern community of Lesterville, according Sgt Eddie Young of the state's highway patrol. The army national guard used Black Hawk helicopters to fly them to a nearby elementary school and reunite them with their families, he said. Continue reading...

The former ITV, BBC and Sky News journalist died peacefully at home in London on Saturday, his family sayThe former BBC and Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan has died aged 68 after a period of illness with prostate cancer", his family have said.The journalist, who was long a fixture on British TV screens, was also known for hosting the quizshow Eggheads. Continue reading...

Increase in sightings may not reflect increase in sharks with little evidence that threat to swimmers has risenExperts say that despite recent increased investment in drones to monitor for sharks in states like New York, the machines have limited usefulness as a public safety tool and there does not appear to be evidence that the threat to swimmers from sharks has increased.There have, however, been more reports of sharks around local beaches. Continue reading...

Vigilantes also took part in the fight that raged all night and the following morning, residents sayNigerian soldiers killed more than 300 members of kidnapping and cattle bandit gangs in the north-western state of Zamfara this week, according to a government official.Government troops targeted the gangs in Gummi district in a two-day operation that led to the elimination of more than 300 terrorists", Zamfara's information commissioner, Mahmud Muhammad Dantawasa, said in a statement. Continue reading...

Microsoft, Amazon and Google say they still aim to achieve net zero output despite construction boomMicrosoft, Amazon and Google's collective carbon emissions have increased by nearly a fifth in the past year, driven largely by datacentre construction.In the financial year ending March 2026, the three tech companies emitted 119m mTCOe (metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), or about a third of those of France. Continue reading...

Exclusive: CCRC will test serial killer as part of inquiry into whether Michael Stone was wrongly convicted of 1996 murdersThe serial killer Levi Bellfield will have his DNA taken in an attempt to establish if he murdered Lin and Megan Russell in 1996.Michael Stone has protested his innocence since his conviction in 1998 for the killing of Lin, 45, and her daughter, six-year-old Megan, as well as a vicious attack on Megan's sister Josie, nine, who survived. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Alarming shortfall of specialists stops about 4,000 procedures a day, many for patients in urgent need of surgeryThe NHS is unable to perform 1.5m operations a year because of a drastic shortage of anaesthetists, a report reveals.More than 8 million patients are on waiting lists across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many are in urgent need of a surgical procedure. Continue reading...

Sculpture of Jewish army officer wrongly accused of treason has been moved around the city for decadesFor 40 years, the statue of Capt Alfred Dreyfus has been moved around Paris, never finding a permanent home.The French army twice refused to allow it to stand at l'Ecole Militaire, where Dreyfus, a Jewish officer it had wrongly accused of treason in 1894, was stripped of his rank in one of the most notorious acts of antisemitism in France's history. Continue reading...

The tube cannot easily be adapted to cope with heatwaves, making conditions almost unbearableAs the escalator descends below ground at King's Cross St Pancras station in London, the shift from what was already a hot station entrance to the furnace-like subterranean depths is perceptible.On the tube it's worse: a man leans back in his seat, eyes closed, sweltering; people hold electric fans an inch away from their faces. London commuters are known for their stoicism and the heat appears to be another tribulation to accept. They will need to: heatwaves in the capital are becoming routine. Continue reading...

Devon and Cornwall police say 26-year-old man no longer part of investigation after former MP found dead at home in HaytorA 26-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of the murder of the former MP Ann Widdecombe has been released from custody and is no longer part of the investigation, Devon and Cornwall police said early on Saturday.In a statement, assistant chief constable Matt Longman said: Our priority remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined. Continue reading...

Presidential bid by leader of far-right National Rally has no shortage of supporters in scenic MontargisIn the small French town of Montargis, Jean-Antoine, a retired decorator, was pleased Marine Le Pen had again shaken up French politics by launching a bid for the presidency, despite her legal woes.Even the judges said she didn't personally profit from the money, it was for her party," he said of Le Pen's newly upheld conviction for embezzlement. All politicians in France have always been schemers, it's just a fact of life." Continue reading...

As England prepare to take on Norway on Saturday, sales of pints, takeaways and new TVs continue to surgeFrom a cosy Norwegian pub to outdoor fan zones packed with hopeful England football fans, Saturday's World Cup quarter-final between the two nations is expected to generate a multimillion-pound windfall for venues showing the game.The quarter-finals will collectively generate a near half-billion pound sales increase for the wider UK economy, as fans drink 9.3m pints, order takeaways and splash out on new TVs, according to one estimate. Continue reading...

Ex-presenter of BBC Radio 4 show complains in Guardian of gratuitous gratitude' and gushing' between host and guestFor more than three decades, John Humphrys delighted and infuriated listeners in equal measure as he confronted the nation's politicians in his trademark, pointed style on the Today programme.Now a listener himself, the former presenter of the BBC's flagship radio news show is just as pointed in his assessment of the current incarnation of the programme. His verdict? It's irritating. Continue reading...

Teachers call for schools to be urgently adapted for hot weather amid reports of nausea, fainting and heatstrokeThe extreme heat that has hit the UK twice in the past few weeks has left teachers struggling to cope as temperatures in some classrooms climb above 40C, with pupils and staff suffering from heatstroke, nausea and headaches.Teachers say they have been desperately trying to keep children safe, with some covering younger pupils in wet paper towels as they lie on the floor, while older students have been given trays of water under their desks to put their feet in. Continue reading...

Thinktank urges prospective prime minister to reclaim UK's role as an international leader on developmentInfluential backbenchers are calling on Andy Burnham to reclaim Labour's leadership on international development and chart a course back to spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid.In a collection of essays to be published soon by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) thinktank, MPs lay out proposals for a Burnham-led government to rethink foreign policy. Continue reading...

Ahead of the census in August, campaign group suggests current poll design overstates the nation's religiousness

The airfare for a baby on your lap could cost more than your own ticket. Here's how airline charges and travel taxes can hit youRyanair recently stopped making parents pay to sit next to their children but depending on the airline the hidden extra costs involved in flying with children can be substantial. In some cases, you can even end up spending more for the baby on your lap than you paid for your own flight.Your baby might not need a seat, but you are still likely to pay fees for them to travel. Some airlines offer discounts for children over two, while others whack families with the cost of a full-grown adult. Continue reading...

Plans specify tolls must not be compulsory, as US officials urge Iran to make public statement that strait is open and that shipping can safely passEurope is studying proposals that may allow the charging of navigational fees in the strait of Hormuz so long as the tolls are not compulsory and have the support of the UN agency that regulates maritime transport.Britain's deputy prime minister, David Lammy, said the imposition of compulsory tolls would be disastrous. But some of his cabinet colleagues said they recognised that systems of payments for specific navigational services were permissible in many natural waterways, including the strait of Malacca and the Channel. Continue reading...

The people of Bryne are proud of local hero's rise to the top of world football as Norway prepare to face EnglandSurrounded by red hats, No 9 shirts and Erling Haaland action toys at her fabric shop in the small Norwegian town of Bryne, Olinda Haaland - no relation but proud to share the now world-famous name - said everybody in the striker's home town was a football fan these days.It's been pure joy," she said of her namesake's rise to the top of world football. We all love him so much and he's doing so much for Bryne." Continue reading...

NT police release body-worn camera vision of Bradley John Murdoch denying knowing where UK backpacker's body is weeks before his death

Crowd of more than 22,000 people - and the musician himself - filled Hyde Park with the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps'A tight plastic cap is not an attractive option for protective headwear in 30C (86F) heat. Yet 22,141 people opted for just that - along with a white shirt, black tie and aviator sunglasses - in Hyde Park, London, on Friday afternoon. It was both a homage to the rapper Pitbull, the night's headliner at the BST festival, and part of setting a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing bald caps".I'm speechless. Who would have thought a first-generation Cuban would be record-breaking and record-making?" said the rapper, accepting the award in an all-black suit. Continue reading...

Governor Mike Kehoe urges people to follow guidelines with more heavy rain expected through the weekendMissouri has declared a state of emergency in response to severe storms and flash flooding affecting the state's central, south-central, and south-eastern regions.In a news release, Governor Mike Kehoe said that under the order, the Missouri state emergency operations plan has been activated, allowing state agencies to coordinate directly with local jurisdictions to expedite emergency assistance. Continue reading...

Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet believed to have had private reunion with kingKing Charles has enjoyed a private reunion with the grandchildren he has not seen for four years, it is understood.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, were hosted by Charles and Queen Camilla at the king's private residence, Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, on Friday afternoon. Continue reading...

Former Tory minister, who later joined Reform UK and became an unlikely celebrity, was found dead on ThursdayOn Wednesday, shortly after Nigel Farage announced he would stand down from his parliamentary seat in Clacton to trigger a byelection, Ann Widdecombe appeared by video link on Talk TV to praise his decision.This is a very decisive man," Widdecombe told the interviewer, speaking with the same forthright conviction that had defined her controversial political career and more eccentric parliamentary afterlife. Continue reading...

Body of former MP, 78, found with serious injuries at her Dartmoor home on Thursday morningA man is being held on suspicion of the murder of the former MP Ann Widdecombe as political leaders across the spectrum express shock and horror at her alleged killing.Widdecombe's body was found with serious injuries" by the ambulance service at her home in Haytor, Devon, at 11.40am on Thursday, Devon and Cornwall police said. Continue reading...

Wildcard may have lost Wimbledon semi-final to the No 2 seed Alexander Zverev, but for fans he's an inspiration

Twenty-three people missing and four Britons thought to be among those who died trying to flee Almeria blaze

Duetting pair spend 16th week at No 1, a record for a British artist - but they'll need 19 weeks to beat Frankie Laine's all-time record from 1953Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have broken Wet Wet Wet's 32-year record for a British act's run at No 1 in the UK singles chart.Fender and Dean's duet Rein Me In has racked up its 16th week at No 1, beating Wet Wet Wet's Love is All Around, which spent 15 weeks at No 1 in the summer of 1994 after it appeared on the Four Weddings and a Funeral soundtrack. Unlike Wet Wet Wet's consecutive run, though, Fender and Dean's song has dropped in and out of the top spot since February. Continue reading...

Carmakers welcome ruling against suit claiming manufacturers including Nissan, Ford and Peugeot fitted devices to defeat emission testsCar manufacturers have welcomed a high court verdict that rejected most of the allegations in a dieselgate" claim brought on behalf of 1.6 million UK owners of polluting cars.In her judgment, Lady Justice Cockerill said that in the majority of instances, the court found that the relevant strategy did not constitute a prohibited defeat device" - software that enables the engine to behave differently in tests. Continue reading...

Range of potential measures announced by Ofcom include reducing risk of accounts being hijacked for scamsBig tech platforms will be required to ban scam advertisers in the UK under proposals to tackle online fraud.Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and YouTube will have to block bad actors who post fraudulent ads and prevent them from creating new accounts in measures targeted at the biggest services. Continue reading...

President's dismemberment of Election Assistance Commission called a brazen attempt' to control elections

Thames Valley police reportedly wish to talk to Virginia Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law about her allegationsDetectives investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are to travel to the US to speak with the family of his accuser Virginia Giuffre, it has been reported.Thames Valley police are believed to want to talk to Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law, Sky and Amanda Roberts, about their sister's allegations of sexual assault against the former Duke of York. The former prince has denied Giuffre's allegations. Giuffre, 41, took her own life in April last year. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Records obtained by the Guardian show property owned by Catholic order used to house at least two brothers with horrific histories of child sexual abuse

The telco has long banked on its reputation as having the most stable, widest mobile telco coverage. That is now badly dented

Exclusive: Resignation comes after abuse survivor said she was devastated her father, who was jailed for 48 years, was interviewed for the Shadow of Doubt podcast

Innocent man lynched by mob in West Bengal as police killing of suspect further escalates tensionsProtests have engulfed the Indian state of West Bengal after the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, the subsequent lynching of an innocent man and the police killing of one of the accused.Outrage erupted on Sunday after the body of a missing girl was recovered from a pond in a town just outside the state capital, Kolkata. Continue reading...

Serbian man reportedly saved by wife hanging on to his legs after window shattered on journey from GreeceA passenger on a Ryanair flight was reportedly almost sucked out of a window after it shattered in mid-air during a journey from Greece.The man was said to have been sucked out of his seat into the plane's slipstream and hung headfirst out of the window after an engine failure resulted in parts smashing the acrylic window, according to local reports. Continue reading...

Trump administration urged to relist a species in very, very serious trouble' under Endangered Species ActClimate change is driving a gray whale catastrophic mortality event" in the Pacific Ocean as melting sea ice depletes food sources and the animals starve, environmental groups warn.Meanwhile, a range of other issues, like ship strikes, oil spills, microplastic pollution, algal blooms and Russian harvesting are also probably contributing to the die-off that has nearly halved the whales' estimated population. It fell from 20,000 in 2019 to fewer than 13,000 this year, and the deaths appear to be accelerating. Continue reading...

The One Nation leader is set to be interviewed by Tommy Robinson as part of a media strategy that seems designed to seek scandal - and reach millionsPauline Hanson's highly publicised meetings with controversial far-right figures in the UK will drive international eyeballs to her content and continue building the global brand - and that's by design, far-right experts say.The One Nation leader is visiting on a fact-finding mission" with her chief-of-staff, James Ashby, ticking off a number of the country's most divisive personalities. Continue reading...

Prominent Eurosceptic and social conservative described as force of nature' by Farage and formidable' by Badenoch

As UK swelters in another heatwave, 50-minute Chris Packham film outlines threats to security, economy and healthMPs are calling on the UK government to host a televised national climate emergency briefing in response to what has been described as the most insidious threat to our society".In November, in the first-of-its-kind, national emergency briefing", nine experts gave stark assessments in Westminster Hall of the scale of the changes needed to adapt the country to the rapidly changing climate and ecological landscape. Continue reading...

Disturbances linked to false claims spread online by bad actors tapping into fears within the community'Scottish police have warned people to factcheck online claims before going to protests, after crowds gathered outside two homes in Glasgow this week, in one case as a result of mistaken identity.Police Scotland said that several nights of disorder in Scotland's biggest city had clearly been orchestrated by individuals who are not from Glasgow". Continue reading...