Exclusive: Work and pensions secretary to double down on changes despite growing pressure within LabourThe work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, will double down on Labour's 5bn disability benefits cuts on Wednesday, claiming she is reforming the welfare state to save it from collapse.Opposition to the welfare package continues to mount within her party before next month's vote. Labour backbenchers claim more than 100 colleagues have signed a private letter telling party whips they are unable to support it. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6XDSC)
Baby charities' report shows that high rates of stillbirth and neonatal death are not reducing quickly enoughA delay in improving NHS maternity care is costing the lives of hundreds of babies a year, analysis has shown.At least 2,500 fewer babies would have died since 2018 if hospitals had managed to reduce the number of of stillbirths and neonatal and maternal deaths in England, as the government falls behind on its commitment to halve the rate of those three events. Continue reading...
UK justice secretary says victims should have chance to give impact statements as new bill goes through parliamentDefendants who refuse to appear in court for sentencing are giving a final insult to victims and their families", the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has said, as an impact statement from the mother of a murdered girl was read to MPs.During the second reading of the victims and courts bill, the Labour MP Anneliese Midgley read a statement on behalf of Cheryl Korbel, the mother of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was shot dead in her Liverpool home in 2022. Continue reading...
Trans rights and gender-critical campaigners condemn decision after party told it risks legal challenge if event goes aheadLabour has cancelled its national women's conference and restricted all-women shortlists as it awaits full guidance from the equalities watchdog, drawing criticism from transgender rights and gender-critical campaigners.The party's governing body, the national executive committee (NEC), met on Tuesday to sign off plans to cancel the women's conference, which was due to take place before the party's annual conference in Liverpool in September. Continue reading...
George Simion claims presidential election rerun was subject to foreign interference, like last year's annulled ballotThe defeated ultranationalist candidate in Romania's presidential election rerun has said he will ask the country's top court to annul the vote on the same grounds - foreign interference - that led to the original ballot being cancelled last year.George Simion, who was defeated in Sunday's runoff by the liberal mayor of Bucharest, Nicuor Dan, said on Tuesday he would ask the constitutional court to void the ballot for the same reasons they annulled the elections" last year. Continue reading...
King Charles's sojourn will make it clear that Canada is not for sale now, is not for sale ever'King Charles's visit to Canada will reinforce" the country's sovereignty against threats from Donald Trump, the Canadian high commissioner in the UK has said.Ralph Goodale reiterated his country's independence as Charles and Camilla visited Canada House in central London on Tuesday ahead of their trip to Ottawa later this month. Continue reading...
by Nadeem Badshah (now) and Martin Belam (earlier) on (#6XD8M)
Foreign secretary tells parliament that the Israeli government's egregious actions and rhetoric' are isolating the country from its friends and partnersThe Scottish secretary has said the new UK-EU trade deal provides 12 years of certainty and stability" for the fishing industry, amid criticism from the industry that the government has made too large a concession to the EU on fishing rights.The Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) has described the deal as a horror show", but Ian Murray said: I don't agree with that."It gives 12 years of certainty and stability for the industry, it doesn't change any of the deal that was put in place in 2019, which is 25% more quotas for UK and Scottish trawlers and it gives wide access, of course to the new markets of the EU, in terms of pushing away all that red tape that was there before.Not one more fish will be taken out of Scottish waters by an EU trawler as part of this deal and that provides that stability and certainty.We should never trust Keir Starmer. You know, he's screwing things up domestically, so he gets on the international bandwagon.He's selling us out, not just on Brexit, but on Chagos and ... we're hearing all sorts of things about Gibraltar. We'll hold them to account on this. Where Labour negotiates, Britain always seem to lose. Continue reading...
by Thomas Graham in Mexico City and agencies on (#6XDJV)
Members of Clara Brugada's team shot dead by gunmen on motorcycle in brazen attack in central part of the cityThe personal secretary and an adviser to Mexico City's mayor have been shot dead by gunmen on a motorcycle in a brazen daylight attack in a central part of the city.Mayor Clara Brugada called the murder of her personal secretary Ximena Guzman and adviser Jose Munoz a direct attack". Brugada said in a statement that the attack took place in the Moderna neighborhood.More details soon... Continue reading...
Kyra Hill died after getting into difficulties in lake in Berkshire, where there were no signs to warn of deep waterAn 11-year-old girl who drowned during a birthday party at a water park was a beautiful, beaming beacon of light", her father told an inquest where a coroner found she was unlawfully killed.Kyra Hill got into difficulty in a designated swimming area in a lake at Liquid Leisure near Windsor, in Berkshire, on 6 August 2022. On Tuesday the senior coroner Heidi Connor said there had been gross health and safety breaches at the park. Continue reading...
Union claims Epic Games replaced actors' work by using AI to generate Darth Vader's voice without noticeHollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic Games on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice.The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of the gaming giant, failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union" in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain" by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, Sag-Aftra said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Continue reading...
Suspect, who died in explosion, left behind nihilistic writings that indicated views against procreationInvestigators are combing through the writings of the 25-year-old man believed responsible for an explosion that ripped through a fertility clinic in Palm Springs, California, over the weekend.The blast on Saturday gutted the American Reproductive Center, a fertility clinic in the desert city, and was powerful enough to leave the windows of nearby buildings along a palm tree-lined street shattered. None of the facility's embryos were damaged. Continue reading...
by Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspon on (#6XDGM)
Court asks police to raid centre on outskirts of Las Palmas after extensive evidence and testimony' of alleged crimesA court in the Canary Islands has ordered the closure of a centre for unaccompanied migrant children, citing allegations that include physical abuse, hate crimes and threats.Police entered the centre on the outskirts of Las Palmas on Monday where 43 children were being housed. A court on the island - the first in Spain to specialise in violence against children and adolescents - said it had asked police to carry out the raid in light of the extensive evidence and testimony" of alleged crimes taking place in the centre. Continue reading...
China and Australia cut interest rates; Shell faces protests calling for clean-up in Niger DeltaHere's our full story on Greggs.Sales at Greggs have picked up after the UK's biggest bakery chain branched out into iced drinks, pizza boxes and a macaroni cheese that has gone viral on social media.These are important issues and we respect the right of people to express their view. But for many years the vast majority of spills in the Niger Delta have been caused by third parties acting unlawfully, such as oil thieves who drill holes in pipelines, or saboteurs.These challenges are managed by a joint venture which Shell's former Nigerian subsidiary, SPDC, operated, cleaning up every spill from the joint venture's facilities. Continue reading...
Ahmed Ebid, 42, helped bring nearly 3,800 people from Libya to Italy, some of whom made it to the UKA people smuggler based in the UK who helped to ruthlessly and cynically" exploit people seeking asylum as part of a 12m Mediterranean operation has been jailed for 25 years.Ahmed Ebid, 42, helped bring nearly 3,800 people, including women and children, on just seven fishing boat crossings from north Africa to Italy between October 2022 and June 2023, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said. Some eventually made it to the UK. Continue reading...
Man, 26, was arrested at Luton airport on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger lifeA second person who has been charged over fires at two properties and a car linked to Keir Starmer has been denied bail.Stanislav Carpiuc, 26, a Romanian national who was born in Ukraine, is accused of conspiring with Roman Lavrynovych, who has already been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life, and others unknown. Continue reading...
Laila Soueif announces life-endangering action in protest over continued detention of Alaa Abd el-Fattah in CairoThe mother of the imprisoned British-Egyptian human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has announced she has resumed a near-total hunger strike, stopping taking the 300-calorie supplements she had been consuming on her partial hunger strike for the past three months.Since the start of her hunger strike 233 days ago, Laila Soueif, 69, has lost 36kg, about 42% of her original body weight, and now weighs 49kg. She is taking the life-endangering step in protest at the continued detention of her son in Cairo beyond his five-year sentence. Continue reading...
by Hannah Ellis-Petersen South Asia correspondent on (#6XD8R)
Trump's interventions have infuriated India, which has not emerged from conflict as triumphant as it had hopedAgainst the odds, the ceasefire that followed Indian and Pakistan's almost-war has held; fragile, uneasy but still unbroken. Yet in the aftermath of four days of cross-border drones and missile strikes - the most technologically advanced conflict either side have ever engaged in - the question remains: what now?While both India and Pakistan have claimed victory, some experts fear that a return to hostilities is almost inevitable. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: A humanitarian worker outlines the situation on the ground following an 11-week blockade - and whether the country's announcement will make a differenceGood morning.As Israel intensifies its assault on Gaza, bombarding the already besieged strip with relentless airstrikes and expanding its ground operations to take control of all areas", the international community has urged Israel to open the border for aid. Countries including France, the UK and Canada have threatened action against Israel if it does not stop its assault on Gaza, which were described as disproportionate" and intolerable".Europe | Keir Starmer has vowed his EU reset deal will deliver cheaper food and energy for British people, heralding a win-win" as he sealed the high-stakes agreement with concessions on youth visas and fishing.Russia | Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have held a rare phone call, which the US leader described as excellent", but the Kremlin refused to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the war with Ukraine despite pressure from Washington and European allies.UK news | The personal data of hundreds of thousands of legal aid applicants in England and Wales dating back to 2010, including criminal records and financial details, has been accessed and downloaded in a significant" cyber-attack.Welfare | At least 357m in carer's allowance benefit was paid out in error over the past six years because of official failures, resulting in debt and misery being inflicted on tens of thousands of people.NHS | A senior doctor has been accused of wrongly failing to escalate the care of a 13-year-old girl whose death led to the adoption of Martha's rule, which gives the right to a second medical opinion in hospitals. Continue reading...
Simon Spurrell was forced to sell his business because of 600,000 loss caused by Brexit red tapeA British cheese maker who was forced to sell his business because of a 600,000 loss caused by Brexit red tape has welcomed the new deal with Brussels - but says it comes four years too late.Simon Spurrell, who made headlines when he highlighted prohibitive export costs after the UK's exit from the single market, said he was delighted the grownups are back in the room" and he will now consider relaunching his business as long as the details are confirmed. Continue reading...
John Yates, formerly the most senior detective in London's Met police, tells Sydney coroner that criticism of security guard's response was very harsh'
Payments of up to 5,000 to be made to hundreds of sub-postmasters whose details were published onlineHundreds of former sub-postmasters will reportedly be compensated by the Post Office after it accidentally leaked their names and addresses in June 2024.According to the BBC, the Post Office has confirmed that individual payouts will be capped at 5,000 although higher claims may still be pursued. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6XD39)
New study found a drop in enjoyment, trust and feelings of safety after year 7 and a largely positive primary experienceOne in four pupils in England disengage" when they move up to secondary school, with enjoyment, trust and a sense of feeling safe declining sharply, according to a new report.After a largely positive experience at primary school where children report high levels of enjoyment, there is a steep and lasting" drop in engagement after year 7 when pupils transfer to secondary at the age of 11, the survey of 100,000 pupils in England reveals. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6XD38)
While mortality from cancer has decreased, deaths from accidents and poisonings have risen, research findsThe UK is becoming the sick person of the wealthy world" because of the growing number of people dying from drugs, suicide and violence, research has found.Death rates among under-50s in the UK have got worse in recent years compared with many other rich countries, an international study shows. Continue reading...
Maria Jose Estupinan, 22, was killed by a suspect who arrived at her house disguised as a delivery man, police sayThe murder of a Colombian model and influencer, now being investigated as a possible femicide, has triggered widespread outrage and renewed criticism of the country's failure to protect women.Maria Jose Estupinan, a 22-year-old student, model and influencer from the north-eastern city of Cucuta, was killed on 15 May. According to the police, the suspect arrived at her house disguised as a delivery man and shot Estupinan in the face when she opened the door. Surveillance camera footage showed the suspect fleeing shortly afterwards. Continue reading...
As Palestinians are told to evacuate before unprecedented attack', the White House continues to publicly back IsraelAs Israel orders Palestinians to evacuate Khan Younis in advance of what it calls an unprecedented attack" on Gaza, much of Washington remains largely unmoved, even as Canada and European countries threaten concrete actions" if Israel does not scale back its offensive.Despite reports of growing pressure from the Trump administration to increase aid into Gaza, where widespread famine looms, the White House continues to publicly back Israel. National security council spokesperson James Hewitt told the Guardian in an email: Hamas has rejected repeated ceasefire proposals, and therefore bears sole responsibility for this conflict," maintaining the policy stance inherited from the previous Biden administration despite mounting evidence of humanitarian catastrophe. Continue reading...
He would punch her, choke her, slap her,' says Richard as second week of music mogul's sex-trafficking trial resumesThe second week of Sean Diddy" Combs's racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking trial began on Monday morning with the singer Dawn Richard returning to the witness stand.Combs, 55, is facing charges of sex-trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested in September 2024 and has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. Continue reading...
Site in French Guiana once received prisoners who were sent to notorious Devil's Island off the coastFrench plans to build a maximum-security prison wing for drug traffickers and Islamic militants near a former penal colony in French Guiana have sparked an outcry among residents and local officials.The wing would form part of a $450m (337m) prison announced in 2017 that is expected to be completed by 2028 and hold 500 inmates. The prison would be built in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, a town bordering Suriname that once received prisoners shipped by Napoleon III in the 1800s, some of whom were sent to the notorious Devil's Island off the coast of French Guiana. Continue reading...
Family of Kayden Moy, 16, say he will be sorely missed', while police continue investigation and call for informationA 17-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the death of Kayden Moy, 16, who died after a targeted" attack on a Scottish beach.Police were called to reports of a teenager being seriously injured at Irvine beach in North Ayrshire on Saturday at about 6.45pm. Continue reading...
Key allies call escalation egregious' and promise concrete' response if Israel does not end renewed offensive and allow aid into stripBenjamin Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will take control" of all Gaza, as three key allies attacked his egregious" escalation of the military campaign and blockade on humanitarian aid.Britain, France and Canada attacked Israel's expansion of its war as disproportionate, described conditions in Gaza as intolerable" and threatened a concrete" response if Israel's campaign continues. Continue reading...
Police make chance find of sculpture that adorned Doors singer's Paris grave until its 1988 disappearanceCarved out of white marble and covered in graffiti, the hefty bust disappeared in 1988. Now, 37 years later, the doe-eyed sculpture that once adorned the grave of the American singer Jim Morrison has been found, in what Paris prosecutors described as a chance discovery".Police in France said they had been carrying out a search related to a fraud case when they happened to stumble upon the bust of the frontman of The Doors. The announcement, made on social media on Monday, was accompanied by a photo showing the graying sculpture still covered in graffiti and missing a chunk of its nose, reportedly sliced off by souvenir hunters before its disappearance. Continue reading...
Data including criminal records downloaded in significant' cyber-attack at Legal Aid Agency in April, ministry confirmsThe personal data of hundreds of thousands of legal aid applicants in England and Wales dating back to 2010, including criminal records and financial details, has been accessed and downloaded in a significant" cyber-attack.Officials admit that the data may have included contact details and addresses of applicants, their dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts and payments. Continue reading...
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