Graham Mansfield, 73, said Dyanne, who had stage 4 cancer, was ‘the most precious thing in the world’A 73-year-old man accused of murdering his wife, who had cancer, has told a court that she asked him: “When things get bad for me, will you kill me?”Graham Mansfield, 73, was found lying in a pool of blood in his kitchen on the morning of 21 March 2021. The body of his wife, Dyanne, 71, was slumped in a chair in their garden. Continue reading...
The French midfielder and a male passenger were stopped by Italian police in Milan after he was mistaken for someone elseAC Milan footballer Tiémoué Bakayoko has spoken out against Italian police who held him at gunpoint after mistaking him for someone else.The French midfielder and a male passenger were stopped as they drove in the Porta Garibaldi area of Milan on 3 July as police searched for suspects involved in an alleged shootout the night before. Continue reading...
Director apologises for delays and says 550,000 applications were in the system at end of JuneThe Passport Office has admitted that more than 50,000 Britons have been waiting more than 10 weeks for their passport, as civil servants struggle with a record number of applications before the summer holiday getaway.MPs were told on Wednesday that there were 550,000 passport applications in the system at the end of June and that one in 10 had exceeded the 10-week turnaround that people are advised by the Passport Office to allow for. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#61KXZ)
Workers such as teachers on term-time contracts may be able to claim back pay after supreme court judgmentThousands of teachers on term-time-only contracts, and workers with similar arrangements, could be entitled to back pay after a ruling by the UK’s highest court.The supreme court judgment on Wednesday means such employees should receive the same amount of paid annual leave as their colleagues working all year around. Continue reading...
The daughter of the celebrated artist is suing the New York courts over claims that he is being mistreated in a case that could affect the entire systemThe daughter of a celebrated pop artist who created famous images of the “cosmic sixties” is suing the New York court system over what she claims are secretive communications between her father’s court-appointed guardian and judges that drastically impact his life and violate her basic rights.Libra Max lodged a federal lawsuit on Wednesday in which she alleges that her father, Peter Max, 84, is being held in virtual isolation by a court-appointed guardian. She claims multiple judges have allowed the guardian to communicate with them behind closed doors, without the family’s knowledge, leading to one-sided decisions that profoundly impact his life and that constitute a gross distortion of justice. Continue reading...
Tata Steel UK reported a pre-tax profit of £82m in the year to the end of MarchThe owner of Port Talbot steelworks in south Wales has made its first pre-tax profit in 13 years thanks to record steel prices and a recovery in demand across Europe as pandemic restrictions eased.Tata Steel UK (TSUK) reported a pre-tax profit of £82m in the year to the end of March, a dramatic improvement on the £347m and £654m losses of the previous two years. Continue reading...
by Harriet Sherwood Arts and culture correspondent on (#61KRN)
Antelope by Samson Kambalu depicts John Chilembwe wearing hat in defiance of colonial rule in Nyasaland, now MalawiA sculpture of a preacher who was killed in an anticolonialist uprising in what is now Malawi will be unveiled in September on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.Antelope by Samson Kambalu is the 14th contemporary artwork to be commissioned for public display in the historic central London square. Continue reading...
Profile: Six-time PM may be unacceptable to many of the same protesters who forced out predecessorThere are few who have been stalwarts of Sri Lankan politics in the last half-century quite like the man often referred to as “the fox”.Ranil Wickremesinghe, 73, who gained his nickname for his apparently wily ability to repeatedly resurrect his political career, has been prime minister six times since he first entered politics in 1977, though he has famously never completed a term. Continue reading...
A win for acting president Ranil Wickremesinghe could spark more protests by people furious with ruling elite over crippling shortagesSri Lanka’s parliament will choose between three candidates for president on Wednesday, hoping the new leader will be able to pull the island out of its worst economic and political crisis since independence in 1948.A win for the acting president, Ranil Wickremesinghe – one of the main two contenders but opposed by many ordinary Sri Lankans – could lead to more demonstrations by people furious with the ruling elite after months of crippling shortages of fuel, food and medicines. Continue reading...
by Samantha Lock (now); Richard Luscombe, Tom Ambrose on (#61J2N)
This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war hereThe self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in occupied Ukraine, which is only recognised as a legitimate authority by Russia, Syria and North Korea, has stated that as a result of shelling by Ukrainian forces, “one resident of Verkhnotoretske was killed, and three people were injured. Twenty-two residential buildings and seven civil infrastructure facilities were damaged.”The claims have not been independently verified. Continue reading...
ASA received complaints that ad encouraged unsafe behaviour, but firm said a ban would lead to gender stereotypingA Samsung ad featuring a woman running alone at 2am has avoided a ban by the UK advertising watchdog, despite complaints that it was irresponsible after a spate of late-night attacks on women.The TV and cinema ad for Samsung products including a smartwatch featured a woman getting up at 2am and going for a run through a large city while wearing wireless earbuds. A voiceover encouraged the idea of running at unusual hours, stating: “Sleep at night. Run faster. Push harder. Follow the herd. Not for me. I run on a different schedule. Mine.” Continue reading...
by Hannah Devlin Science Correspondent on (#61K8H)
Analysis: While elements of the strategy are thoughtful and will make a meaningful difference, others have either appeared out of the blue or slipped from view entirely
A 31-year-old man was shot and killed by an unidentified person while on the set in Brooklyn early Tuesday morningA crew member for Law & Order: Organized Crime was shot and killed while working near the show’s New York City set early on Tuesday.The crew member, who police identified on Tuesday afternoon as 31-year-old Johnny Pizarro of Queens, was sitting in his car in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, when an unidentified person approached the car at about 5.15am, opened the door, and shot him in the neck and head. No arrest has been made, and it is unclear if the two had a prior connection. Continue reading...
Though this is the second straight quarterly drop, the results for the streaming company are better than expectedNetflix reported better-than-expected earnings on Tuesday, seeing a smaller exodus of viewers than originally forecast even as the platform struggles to maintain its meteoric pandemic growth.Though Netflix reported its second straight quarterly drop in subscriber growth, and lost 1 million viewers in the second quarter of 2022, that number was lower than the 2 million it had projected in its previous report. Shares were up 10% in after-hours trading. Continue reading...
by Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent on (#61JYQ)
Neculai Paizan, 64, is believed to have attacked 20-year-old with a power tool in a converted shipping containerA man who hit a young woman over the head 20 times with a power tool is facing life imprisonment after being convicted of her murder.Neculai Paizan is believed to have attacked Agnes Akom, 20, in a converted shipping container in north-west London, wheeled out her body in a bin and disposed of it in a shallow grave. Continue reading...
Temporary closure of Nord Stream 1 prompts fears for private consumers as well as industryGermans are fretting about the coming winter freeze even while Europe sweats in record temperatures, amid uncertainty over whether a complete stopping of Russian gas deliveries would force energy rationing on private households as well as industry.Germany, which has managed to reduce its reliance on Russian gas from 55% to about 35% of its demand since the start of the Ukraine war, is still heavily reliant on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which closed down for 10 days from 11 July due to scheduled maintenance works. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor on (#61JXN)
Measure replaces patchwork of policies and, defence secretary says, reflects changing social attitudesBritain’s armed forces have introduced a ban on the use of sex workers abroad for the first time as part of an attempt to stamp out sexual exploitation and abuse across the military.Personnel found to have engaged in what the Ministry of Defence describes as “transactional sex” face the prospect of dismissal – and they could also be prosecuted if in countries where prostitution is illegal. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler, Denis Campbell, Sally Weale and Vi on (#61JR9)
Unions warn many workers will quit teaching, nursing and social care rather than take real-terms pay cutPublic sector unions raised the prospect of widespread strikes in schools and hospitals after being told millions of their workers are to receive below-inflation pay rises.Ministers announced the pay rises on Tuesday, with NHS staff receiving a rise of at least 4.5%, teachers at least 5% and £1,900 for police officers. Health unions angrily denounced the NHS pay rises as a “betrayal” and “a kick in the teeth”, and warned stoppages could be on the horizon.More than 1 million NHS staff – including nurses, midwives and paramedics –will get a pay rise of £1,400, equivalent to 4%. However, cleaners and porters will get 9.3% while doctors and dentists will receive 4.5%.Teachers have been awarded 5% – though newly qualified teachers will get 8.9%.Police officers in England and Wales will receive a consolidated pay award of £1,900, equivalent to a 5% increase overall. Prison officers will receive a 4% base pay increase.UK armed forces will receive a base pay rise of 3.5%. Continue reading...
by Martin Chulov Middle East correspondent on (#61JVB)
While diplomatic efforts continue over Ukraine, Syria risks becoming entrenched as the conflict that wasBefore Ukraine there was Syria, a war so vicious and consuming that it was once considered to be the most consequential conflict of the last 50 years.With more than half a million killed when the counting stopped seven years ago, nearly two-thirds of the country’s prewar population displaced or in exile, and its economy and social fabric in ruins, Syria is a shattered husk, its spoils eagerly eyed by the three leaders who gathered in Tehran on Tuesday. Continue reading...
Activists and athletes say this is an important and symbolic moment for rights of LGBTQ+ people in RussiaRussian human rights activists and fellow athletes have described the decision to come out as gay by the nation’s highest-ranked female tennis player, Daria Kasatkina, as a monumental and symbolic moment for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the country.“When I heard the news about Kasatkina, I couldn’t believe it, I was so proud,” said Nadya Karpova, a footballer, who became the first openly gay Russian national team athlete when she came out last month. “I was ecstatic, jumping around like crazy in my flat.” Continue reading...
Prices of butter, milk and pet food rise at the fastest rates as shoppers face cost of living squeezeSupermarket inflation is expected to reach the highest level since at least 2008 in August after rising to almost 10% this month, amid the worst squeeze on household budgets on record.Families are facing a £454 increase in average annual grocery bills, adding pressure to the cost of living crisis, with butter, milk and pet food among the biggest risers over the last year, according to figures from Kantar. Continue reading...
CWU members vote in favour of action after union said management hoped to impose 2% increaseThousands of Royal Mail workers have voted to strike in a dispute over pay.About 115,000 members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) were balloted on whether to stage a campaign of industrial action and voted 96.7% in favour of strikes, on a turnout of 77%. The result of the ballot was announced by the union’s general secretary, Dave Ward, and its deputy general secretary, Terry Pullinger, at the York Barbican. Continue reading...
‘Waiting for the autumn will be too late,’ says regional director as Omicron variants drive threefold surge in cases over past six weeksThe World Health Organization has called on European governments to urgently reinforce rather than reduce Covid-19 monitoring, warning of a potentially difficult winter as a new wave of infections sweeps across the continent.Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe, said it was now “abundantly clear” that the region faced a surge driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variants BA.2 and BA.5 and that it would intensify further as indoor mixing increased in the autumn. Continue reading...
UK at risk of breaking global commitment to help deliver UN sustainable development goals on poverty, environment and inequalities, say NGOsThe next British prime minister must halt the government’s “back-sliding” in its support for crucial global development targets, NGOs have warned.A report published by Bond, the network for British development charities, said that without urgent action the UK will break its global commitments to help deliver the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. Continue reading...
The decision to produce a film glorifying China’s Communist party in a town destroyed by civil war has been described as ‘appallingly bad taste’A Chinese action film executive-produced by Jackie Chan has triggered outrage after shooting scenes in al-Hajar al-Aswad, a Syrian town destroyed in the civil war.Home Operation, directed by Song Yinxi, is inspired by China’s evacuation of hundreds of its nationals from Yemen in 2015 during the civil conflict there, and is the first joint venture between Chinese and Emirati producers. AFP reported that Song said the film was intended to glorify the Chinese Communist party (CCP): “It takes the perspective of diplomats who are Communist party members, who braved a hail of bullets in a war-torn country and safely brought all Chinese compatriots on to the country’s warship unscathed.” Continue reading...
Welsh theatre company retells story of 1970s scientists and hippies in work billed as Breaking Bad meets The Good LifeOver the past half century it has been the subject of books, documentaries, a classic Clash song – and a great deal of mythologising.Now Operation Julie, the police drug bust in mid-Wales that broke up a global LSD supply ring, has been turned into a musical with a strong eco message created with the help of some of those at the centre of the saga. Continue reading...
Government seeks to shore up domestic energy supplies amid European crisisThe French government is poised to pay nearly €10bn (£8.5bn) to fully nationalise EDF as ministers attempt to tackle the European energy crisis.The French finance ministry said on Tuesday it had offered €9.7bn or €12 a share to buy the 16% of debt-laden EDF it does not already own. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Chief political correspondent on (#61J7G)
Foreign secretary says she would up defence budget to 3% of GDP by 2030 and rethink size of armed forcesLiz Truss will make an urgent attempt to overtake her main rival, Penny Mordaunt, in the Conservative leadership race with a pledge to raise defence spending and a vow to look again at the size of the UK armed forces.The foreign secretary is facing an uphill battle to join Rishi Sunak in the final two of the contest, as well as an insurgent campaign by the fourth-placed Kemi Badenoch, who picked up more supporters than Truss at the last round of voting. Continue reading...
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