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National Weather Service warns heat index could reach 115F as heat grips midwest, Ohio valley and east coast

Claims against Israel Defense Forces battalion include deliberate targeting and destruction of residential buildings in 2023 and 2024 without military justification

Makerfield MP said he would consider reducing business rates as part of a package that could also include freeze on private rentsAndy Burnham promised to ease the cost of living if he becomes prime minister in his first interview since returning to parliament.The Makerfield MP told LBC that if he became prime minister later this month, as expected, he would look at reducing business rates for some high street businesses, bringing down water and energy costs by de-privatising companies and making bus travel free for 16- to 18-year-olds. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Findings cast doubt on Starmer claims that reallocation of funds to MoD will boost British jobsKeir Starmer's decision to cut billions of pounds of infrastructure spending to pay for more defence equipment will end up costing the UK 10,000 jobs, according to an analysis of the government's own figures.The prime minister announced this week he was putting an extra 15bn into defence investment to revamp the country's armed forces and boost British manufacturing. Continue reading...

NEC told it must take steps to address fears - including not hiring Everton stadium to announce new leader before nominations even openLabour chiefs have been warned they must placate disgruntled Labour members who are angry at the lack of party democracy because Andy Burnham is not expected to face a challenge to become Labour leader.MPs have told the party there are growing complaints from members about the lack of involvement from members if Burnham does not face a leadership contest from any other MP. Continue reading...

Study suggests even light activity such as ironing could reduce health risks linked to prolonged sedentary behaviourSitting for longer than half an hour at a time each day raises the risk of dying from cancer, a study suggests.Researchers who tracked more than 90,000 people over a decade found that sitting or lying down while awake for more than 30 minutes in one period each day was associated with an increased risk of cancer death. The risk increases for every additional hour of continuous inactivity, the findings suggest. Continue reading...

Victims say hearing Keir Starmer's acknowledgment of their suffering was emotional but want more mental supportThis summer's World Cup fever vividly takes Ann Keen back to 1966 and the day England won the tournament - she was 17 years old and it was the day she told her father she was pregnant. It was the worst thing that could ever have been said to him. I was told I'd put shame on the family and I must be sent away," the former Labour MP said.I was in an unmarried mother's home where I had to scrub the steps from morning until night. It was all about punishment. Even in the delivery room I was told I couldn't have anything for the pain, because I was a bad girl. And when NHS staff are telling you that, you start to believe it." Continue reading...

Security guard Hernan Alberto Gil Flores, 43, initially told rescuers not to tell his wife in case he did not surviveA 43-year-old security guard who survived last week's devastating earthquakes in Venezuela thanks to a pocket of air in his workstation cabin has been pulled from the collapsed basement of a shopping centre amid huge cheers from international rescue teams.Hernan Alberto Gil Flores had been trapped for eight days under the rubble of the Galerias Playa Grande in the hard-hit coastal port city of La Guaira since the back-to-back quakes struck. Continue reading...

Yorgen Fenech said to have spent 400,000 on fees for men convicted of car bombing that killed investigative journalistA businessman accused of commissioning the murder of the Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia spent more than 400,000 (343,000) on legal fees for the hitmen convicted of her killing, prosecutors claim.Yorgen Fenech, the 44-year-old heir to one of Malta's largest fortunes, arrived in court for the second day of his trial on Thursday in an unmarked armoured police vehicle. He is on house arrest having pledged a record bail estimated at 50m. Continue reading...

Eleven-year-old developed symptoms 19 days after encounter in exceedingly rare' case in CanadaDoctors in Canada say a child who awoke to find a bat resting on his nose and mouth while visiting an Ontario cottage later died of rabies, in an exceedingly rare case" that highlights the need for better public awareness.In a report published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, infectious disease physicians confirmed that the 11-year-old boy died from rabies, a fatality they said probably could have been prevented with greater awareness of how the virus is transmitted. Continue reading...

PM says whole country will be backing the team' for 1am game, as licensing hours extended after fierce backlash

The NHS will divert billions of pounds from essential services to pay for new medicines, under the terms of the US-UK trade deal agreed in December, which could lead to more than 200,000 excess deaths, analysis has found.Ministers have defended the deal as a way of helping British drug exports avoid US tariffs and giving patients access to vital medication, but critics accuse the Labour party of caving into pressure from Donald Trump.Lucy Hough speaks to columnist Aditya Chakrabortty - watch on YouTube Continue reading...

Commissioner asked to investigate Reform UK leader after private meeting with Bank of England governorThe standards watchdog has been urged to investigate whether Nigel Farage lobbied the Bank of England to drop a cryptocurrency plan that could be costly for the billionaire bankrolling his party, potentially in breach of parliamentary rules.The Reform UK leader has said his party's major donor, Christopher Harborne, wanted nothing in exchange for the 15m he donated to the party and the undeclared 5m gift to Farage the Guardian revealed in April. Continue reading...

After decades of campaigning by those affected, PM says British state did not do enough to protect' mothers and childrenKeir Starmer has formally apologised for the British state's role in past forced adoptions after decades of campaigning by mothers and children affected.The prime minister said the shame is ours" and that he was deeply and profoundly sorry" for what had happened, as he announced extra funding to help people access their adoption records and reconnect with biological families. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian analysis exposes evidence of racial inequalities in pain relief offered across healthcare

Damage recorded in 30 locations across in the city from overnight attacks, with most of them ordinary residential buildings'in DublinVolodymyr Zelenskyy has said he hopes not to wait too long for the results of an Irish government investigation into alumina exports to Russia thought to be feeding the Kremlin's war machine.Unfortunately there are companies in Europe that are owned or effectively controlled by Russia and its sanctioned oligarchs. They keep supplying the aggressor with essential materials even now." Continue reading...

Poll also finds perception of Donald Trump has soured since his re-election, with fewer than a third of respondents viewing him positively

Swiss bank UBS finds growing divide between the wealthiest and the broader population' as country adds more than 25,000 more millionaires

More than 70 missiles fired at Ukraine capital as Russia faces fuel shortages after strikes against its oil refineries

Keir Mather and Virginia McVea's claims follow decision by Maritime and Coastguard Agency to reject worker status of coastguard rescue officersA government minister and a senior official have been accused of misleading MPs over their plans to strip coastguard officers of their hourly pay.Keir Mather, the maritime minister, was said to have made false claims on Wednesday, while Virginia McVea, the chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), was accused of having done so during a meeting with MPs a week earlier. Continue reading...

Cross-party group writes to ministers of concerns children's show contains unsubtle propaganda content'

Charges yet to be filed over incident in Mukdahan involving 11-year-old, as police seek to establish circumstancesAn 11-year-old boy has driven his parents' truck into a Buddhist procession in Thailand, killing at least nine monks.CCTV footage shared by a local rescue group showed the moment the monks, wearing orange robes, were run over as they walked in procession along a road. The timestamp on the footage was shortly before 11am local time on Thursday. Continue reading...

Councils and schools urged to do more as figures show there is no information on whereabouts of 32,100 Neets'

Man once called godfather' of Calais migrant camps lives in Leicestershire and is said to be trying to claim asylumA convicted people smuggler who has reportedly been found living in Britain should be arrested and deported, the Conservatives have said.The man, once labelled the godfather" of the Calais migrant camps, was tracked down by the BBC to Leicestershire, where he reportedly changed his name from Twana Jamal and was working illegally while attempting to claim asylum. Continue reading...

Authorities say rainy season deadlier, with Ghana reporting 13 dead and floods also hitting Benin, Togo and NigeriaFloods in Cote d'Ivoire have killed 59 people since May, the communication minister told a cabinet meeting in Abidjan.There are fears the toll could further rise as rescue teams continue to search for victims during the rainy season, which runs from May until July, the minister, Amadou Coulibaly, added. Continue reading...

First phase of inquiry identified multiple failings to prevent murders of three girls, which government will urgently' addressDowning Street has accepted all recommendations for changes made by an inquiry that found the Southport killings could have been prevented and identified fundamental failings", the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has said.Mahmood said the government would do whatever is needed to protect the public" as she accepted the recommendations in full from the first phase of the Southport inquiry. Continue reading...

City bosses say move would be economically disastrous, but union leaders urge likely new PM to ignore vested interests'Battle lines are being drawn between City bosses and trade unions over a possible tax raid on UK banks to help fund Andy Burnham's package for struggling households this winter.While bankers have warned the move would be economic suicide", union leaders have said Britain cannot afford to be held hostage" by City lobbyists, given growing pressures to find money for defence and cost of living support. Continue reading...

If we don't know the source, not only do humans remain at risk but wildlife can suffer needlessly via retaliationWhile virologists and public health departments were palpitating over the news of an Andes virus infectious disease outbreak on a cruise ship (13 cases, three deaths), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo the Bundibugyo virus, the root of the current Ebola outbreak (currently more than 1,250 cases and at least 362 deaths), was smouldering under the radar.Bundibugyo virus is a horrifying, highly fatal pathogen. Symptom onset is sudden and includes headaches, diarrhoea, malfunctioning kidneys and liver, and, less frequently, internal and external bleeding (hence the term haemorrhagic disease"). Grimly, contagiousness remains after death, meaning the family and loved ones of the deceased can be exposed when they wash and clothe the body in preparation for the funeral. Continue reading...

Researchers say Moscow acted with substantial impunity' in 144 incidents, including over RAF LakenheathThe Kremlin orchestrated a concerted surveillance campaign using drones launched from shadow fleet vessels over an 18-month period which targeted nuclear sites in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands, researchers have said.Analysis by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) of 144 incidents in more than a dozen countries beginning in late 2024 concluded Russian intelligence had operated with substantial impunity", leaving authorities across Europe flat-footed and confused. Continue reading...

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Greens senator says appointment of Michael Ebeid risks entrenching the very culture and leadership that need to change'

Success of statins and blood-pressure drugs hailed as researchers find some people with obesity were better off'Many adults living with obesity have indistinguishable" cholesterol and blood pressure levels compared with those who are a healthy weight, largely because of the use of statins, according to a study.In some cases, people with obesity were better off" than those of a healthy weight, researchers added. Continue reading...

New study on fluazinam's neurotoxicity comes up with different findings from earlier report based on manufacturer's dataResearchers who re-ran a crucial fungicide study on neurotoxicity have come up with significantly different findings, and campaigners argue that the substance should now be withdrawn from the market.In 2005, a study conducted by Huntingdon Life Sciences on behalf of ISK, the manufacturer of fluazinam, on the development of neurotoxicity of fluazinam in pregnant rats concluded there were no statistically significant effects in relation to brain development in the rats' offspring. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Burnham-aligned thinktank calls for devolution of public services including social care, childcare and skillsMayors should be given power over a wide range of public services, including social care, childcare and skills, according to a paper written by one of the people helping shape Andy Burnham's devolution plans.JP Spencer, the head of devolution policy at the thinktank ThinkLabour, calls for mayors to take control over large parts of service provision in a paper that gives an indication of how the probable next prime minister could seek to shift power out of Whitehall. Continue reading...

Free choice of repertoire and an increased upper age limit part of the changes in a competition that will emphasise individuality and imaginationThe Leeds International Piano Competition is to be relaunched under the artistic direction of Sir Stephen Hough. The pianist is leading significant reforms to the triennial contest that first began in 1963. He will also chair an international jury that includes fellow pianists Piotr Anderszewski, Lucas Debargue, Yeol Eum Son, Kathryn Stott and Master of the King's Music, composer Errollyn Wallen.The 2027 competition will have its upper age limit increased to 35, and competitors will have complete free choice over the music they perform, be it Couperin or Copland, Boulez or Busoni. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Poll shows policies such as rent control and higher wealth taxes could fend off Reform UK in key seatsAndy Burnham is being urged to adopt an economic populist" approach to combating the cost of living crisis if he becomes prime minister, as a detailed opinion poll shows radical policies could help Labour to retain its majority at the next election.Senior figures advising the Makerfield MP have been circulating a seat-by-seat poll showing Labour's majority could be demolished at the next general election with the party on course to win fewer than 100 seats. Continue reading...

Concerns Catholic order's historical transfers of millions in assets were potentially inappropriate, NSW supreme court hears

Law comes into effect that critics fear will further erode rights of Uyghurs and Tibetans, as well as allow Beijing to pursue dissidents abroadA new ethnic unity law has come into effect in China despite warnings from Taiwan, the United Nations and rights groups that it could threaten freedoms, especially for minorities.The Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress aims to forge a shared" national identity among ethnic groups, for example by strengthening the status of Mandarin as the official language. But overseas campaigners have argued it will further degrade the rights of ethnic minorities, such as Uyghurs and Tibetans, that Beijing is accused of persecuting. Continue reading...

Fifteen-year-old unable to be saved after being left outside Craigieburn Community hospital

Watchdog criticises lack of proactive, effective casework quality assurance' but says CCRC ultimately fit for purposeThe Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) must urgently improve its investigations to avoid a repeat of failings such as those in the Andrew Malkinson scandal, a watchdog has found.Anthony Rogers, the chief inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service, delivered the warning after carrying out an independent inspection of casework by the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice. Continue reading...

Body of 18-year-old man located after search involving Mountain Rescue, police and the fire serviceA student has drowned while on a Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) trip in Wales, police have said.Emergency services were called to the River Wye in Glasbury, Powys on Tuesday evening after it was reported an 18-year-old male had entered the water and could not be found. Continue reading...

Analysis reveals extent of impact on NHS of placating Donald Trump over price of British medicine exportsThe NHS will have to divert 45bn from essential services to pay for new medicines under the terms of the UK-US trade deal agreed last December, leading to more than 200,000 avoidable deaths of patients, analysis has found.Ministers have defended the deal as a way of helping British drug exports to the US avoid tariffs, and giving patients in England access to potentially life-extending drugs that would otherwise be denied. Continue reading...

Yorgen Fenech, heir to property empire, on trial for alleged involvement in murder of journalist, which he deniesOne of Malta's wealthiest businessmen plotted to kill the investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, paying 150,000 (130,000) for three hitmen to carry out the murder, a jury has heard.Yorgen Fenech, the 44-year-old heir to a property empire that includes the Hilton Malta hotel and casino, is on trial for the 2017 murder. Continue reading...

Trump and US officials opted to keep USMCA alive on short leash of annual reviews rather than longer term renewalDonald Trump has refused to renew the North American trade pact he once championed as his signature deal, opting instead to keep it alive on a short leash of annual reviews rather than committing to another 16 years.Wednesday was the deadline built into the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for the three countries to jointly decide its fate, which is set to expire in 2036. Continue reading...

Hundreds watched England in first round of knockout stages at Prospect Building in Bristol

Proposed development of protected shorelines and wildlife zones violates EU environmental policy, says MEPMEPs have warned Albania that EU accession talks are at risk if the government does not change course" over plans for a luxury resort backed by Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.Tineke Strik, the Dutch MEP heading a European parliament fact-finding mission to the Balkan nation, said Albania's leadership was playing with fire" by pursuing the 1.4bn (1.2bn) real-estate venture that would, she said, wreak havoc on virgin coastline. Continue reading...

Avi Loeb's White House panel has asked the Pentagon for videos and files on unexplained aerial sightingsA controversial Harvard University cosmologist who has suggested alien lifeforms could be sailing into the solar system disguised as meteors is leading the Trump administration's secretive new scientific advisory panel on security risks posed by UFOs.Avi Loeb and his hand-picked committee have already begun looking into the origins of mysterious flying craft, now known as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and last month asked the Pentagon for dozens of videos, images and documents of reported encounters and incidents, the Associated Press reports. Continue reading...

Labour leader-in-waiting wants to close loophole preventing deportation of sex offenderAndy Burnham will explore all possible options", if he becomes prime minister, to close a legal loophole that prevented the deportation of a vile" Rochdale grooming gang leader.In his first significant intervention as Labour leader-in-waiting, Burnham said nothing would be off the table" in the case of Shabir Ahmed, 73, who is expected to be released from prison on Thursday. Continue reading...

Minister and MPs have raised concerns that his poisoned chalice' plan will take cash from much-needed road projects