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Boy, 17, charged over driving an allegedly stolen car in a fatal crash that killed a 28-year-old man in Burwood

Figures are a relief for the recovering industry but the growth is almost entirely business and fleet buyersCarmakers have sold more than a million cars in the UK in the first half of the year for the first time since before the coronavirus pandemic as the sector gradually recovers from years of turmoil.Sales in the first six months of 2024 rose by 6% to just over 1m, compared with 949,000 in the same period last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the UK industry's lobby group. Continue reading...

Families of two girls killed say there are unanswered questions about last year's incident in south-west LondonThe Metropolitan police have launched a review of the investigation into a car crash at a school which killed two eight-year-old girls.According to the force, the review was opened after concerns were raised by the families of Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, both eight, who died after the crash at the Study Prep school in Wimbledon, south-west London, on 6 July last year. Continue reading...

Post-election honeymoon will be brief unless Keir Starmer holds summit with unions within days, says TUC president

In today's newsletter: From Rishi Sunak's Drowning Street' announcement to Ed Davey's many stunts, we chart the memorable moments of each party's campaign with senior political correspondent Peter Walker Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.We've finally come to the end of the road.UK election | Keir Starmer has hailed a new age of hope and opportunity" as millions of people prepare to vote in a general election that could deliver the biggest shake-up of British politics in a generation.Israel-Gaza war | About 90% of the population of the Gaza Strip have been displaced at least once since the war between Israel and Hamas began, according to the UN's humanitarian agency.US politics | A group of leading Democratic governors offered words of support for Joe Biden on Wednesday as pressure mounted on the president to leave the race. The governors, including Tim Walz of Minnesota, Wes Moore of Maryland, Gavin Newsom of California and Kathy Hochul of New York, held a closed-door meeting with Biden in Washington as he sought to reassure his party - and the public - that he is up to the job after a shaky debate performance.Labour | Undercover police officers compiled numerous secret reports on Diane Abbott while she was campaigning against racism, a public inquiry has heard. Abbott, who has been an MP for 37 years, has criticised the activities of the undercover officers as racist and unjustified.Military | An 18-year-old Royal Marines recruit who believed training staff had called him a failure" took his own life, a coroner has concluded. Connor MacKenzie Clark was 19 days into a preliminary training course at a commando training centre in Devon when he was struck by a train. Continue reading...

The 12-metre high machine has coke bottle eyes and a crude Wall-E-like head, as well as large arms that can be fitted with blades or paint brushesIt resembles an enormous, malevolent robot from 1980s sci-fi but West Japan Railway's new humanoid employee was designed with nothing more sinister than a spot of painting and gardening in mind.Starting this month, the large machine with enormous arms, a crude, disproportionately small Wall-E-like head and coke-bottle eyes mounted on a truck - which can drive on rails - will be put to use for maintenance work on the company's network. Continue reading...

Pippa White's parents will spend the rest of our lives advocating to stop this from ever happening again', coroner's court hears

WA senator tells press conference she was deeply torn' amid disagreement with the Albanese government on Palestine

Children's experiences form basis of play that weaves 150 years of care system history into narrativeWhen theatre-makers Matt Woodhead and Helen Monks gathered with a small group of children in a theatre in Essex five years ago, the plan was simple: discuss the care system.Woodhead and Monks are co-directors of Lung Theatre, a company that has made a name for itself by tackling weighty subjects, such as the Chilcot inquiry, housing evictions and, most recently, the spate of self-inflicted deaths at Woodhill HMP, that are often investigative verbatim pieces.The Children's Inquiry runs 8 July to 3 August at the Southwark Playhouse Continue reading...

Exclusive: NHS Providers head says joining with private health firms and developers would help care backlog

Police say 7,500 charges laid, including against a man, 42, who allegedly stabbed a woman and assaulted a teenager in front of two younger children

Jamaican PM says worst is yet to come as category 4 storm hits southern coast after causing at least seven deaths in region

Greyhound Racing NSW allegedly breached licence that stipulates it must immediately disclose anything that brings industry into disrepute

Reducing press conferences, interviews and meetings with Congress members exposed as damage control measuresFor three and a half years, Joe Biden was wrapped in a metaphorical ball of cotton wool by an anxious White House staff eager to protect him from the worst of himself.Worried about signs of ageing and an increasing propensity for verbal missteps, they cut press conferences and media interviews to a minimum. Continue reading...

After years of critical coverage, tabloid backs Labour for first election since 2005, saying: It is time for a change'The Sun newspaper has made an abrupt volte-face on the eve of the general election, putting its support behind the Labour party for the first election since 2005.The Times, which is also a News UK paper, also offered cautious support for Starmer and his party, albeit seemingly as a result of the newspaper accepting Labour will win anyway. Continue reading...

Governor says tight schedule to blame for withdrawing proposal to crack down on theft and drug possessionThe California governor and top Democrats in the state have abandoned a last-minute plan to ask voters whether a landmark criminal justice bill should be reformed.California Democrats over the weekend had outlined plans to put a measure on the November ballot that would ask voters to approve major reforms to Proposition 47, a 2014 ballot measure that changed some theft and drug possession felonies to misdemeanors. Continue reading...

Military doctor should have flagged that 18-year-old Connor MacKenzie Clark had self-harmed, coroner says

Reform UK leader claims rise of misogynist influencer has been due to a society that creates feelings of emasculation'

Coco Gauff wears a Serena Williams-style dress while Naomi Osaka's ruffles divide fansForget stuffy traditions, Wimbledon's women tennis players have been pushing the boundaries this year with their imaginative on-court outfits.Coco Gauff, the world No 2, has worn a custom-made, cut-out dress that fans have said is reminiscent of Serena Williams' 2019 Wimbledon outfit. The 20-year-old US Open champion said she asked New Balance for a design featuring cut-outs, which gave her dress the appearance of being a two-piece. Continue reading...

Experts say cases could go to high court after thousands of voters complain of not receiving ballotsClose results in constituencies at the election could be challenged in the high court because of delayed postal votes, experts have said.Caroline Morris, a barrister and reader in public law at Queen Mary University of London, said people could get a hearing if four constituents petition the high court arguing their vote could have had a material impact on the result. Continue reading...

Marcus La-Croix, 36, and Michael Clarke, 34, accused of fatal shooting of Tanesha Melbourne-BlakeTwo men have been charged with the murder of a 17-year-old girl who was shot dead in north London seven years ago.Tanesha Melbourne-Blake died after being shot from a moving vehicle in Chalgrove Road, Tottenham. The gun was fired at a group of people she was with. Continue reading...

Company blames delay on weak demand and confusion over government policies on tariffs, timings, and taxation'Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Ineos has delayed the launch of its Fusilier electric SUV, blaming weak consumer demand and uncertainty about government policies.Ratcliffe only unveiled plans to produce the low-emission vehicles in February, with production expected to begin in 2027. Continue reading...

Roger Hallam and Daniel Shaw ignore cross-examination to speak about dangers of climate breakdownTwo climate activists on trial for conspiring to block the M25 have defied a court and attempted to address jurors about the perilous consequences of climate breakdown.Roger Hallam, who spoke extensively in the witness box on Tuesday and Daniel Shaw, who began his evidence on Wednesday, ignored attempts at cross-examination and directions from the judge, and spoke about the dangers the world faces. Continue reading...

Court of appeal reduces sentences of Finnegan Lee Elder, 24, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 23 over killing of Mario Cerciello RegaAn Italian court of appeal has upheld the murder convictions of two American men over the death of an Italian plainclothes police officer during a botched sting operation but reduced their sentences. The new trial was ordered after Italy's highest court threw out their original convictions.The court convicted Finnegan Lee Elder and sentenced him to 15 years and two months in prison and gave a sentence of 11 years to Gabriele Natale-Hjorth. Continue reading...

Senior field commander killed in Israeli strike outside southern Lebanese city of Tyre, Reuters reportsAl Jazeera is reporting that at least four people have been killed and 17 injured in Israeli bombardment in Gaza City's Shejaiya neighbourhood".More details soon ... Continue reading...

Hongchi Xiao accused of manslaughter of woman who died 18 months after boy with diabetes in AustraliaAn alternative healer accused of the manslaughter of a woman with diabetes who died after stopping taking insulin at his slapping therapy retreat should have learned a cruel lesson" from the death of a six-year-old boy who lost his life after a previous workshop, a jury has heard.Hongchi Xiao, 61, of Cloudbreak, California, is on trial at Winchester crown court accused of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Danielle Carr-Gomm, 71, from Lewes, East Sussex. Continue reading...

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Broadcaster who hosted BBC's election night coverage for 40 years says increasing accuracy of exit polls takes the fun away'

Actors Isild Le Besco and Julia Roy filed complaints for alleged attacks dating back to the late 90sFrench prosecutors have requested film director Benoit Jacquot be charged with raping actors Isild Le Besco and Julia Roy, the Paris prosecutor's office told AFP on Wednesday.Jacquot, 77, was held for questioning on Monday after actor Judith Godreche, 52, filed a complaint against him this year for allegedly raping her during a relationship of several years that started when she was 14. Continue reading...

Black MP Bernie Grant also spied on, with secret Met reports claiming he made inflammatory' speechesUndercover police officers compiled numerous secret reports on Diane Abbott while she was campaigning against racism, a public inquiry has heard.Abbott, who has been an MP for 37 years, has criticised the activities of the undercover officers as being racist and unjustified. Continue reading...

Activists forecast margins of less than 2,000 votes separating them from Farage's party - or even a shock defeat How boundary changes may affect key constituenciesLabour candidates and activists are privately braced for a surge in support for Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform UK in north-west England and the Midlands, with some forecasting a margin of less than 2,000 votes between the two parties in some seats in Thursday's general election.In certain Conservative-held seats, campaigners told the Guardian that the Tories were likely to be pushed into third place by Reform, with one citing the phenomenon of shy Reformers" affecting the results. Continue reading...

Next government urged to have a proper plan for food security, as UK's climate becomes more unpredictableUK fruit and vegetable production has plummeted as farms have been hit by extreme weather.The country suffered the wettest 18 months since records began across the 2023-24 growing year, leaving soil waterlogged and some farms totally underwater. The impact on harvests has been disastrous. Data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs shows that year-on-year vegetable yields decreased by 4.9% to 2.2m tonnes in 2023, and the production volumes of fruit decreased by 12% to 585,000 tonnes. Continue reading...

Homes flattened, apocalyptic scenes and at least four dead as St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada try to recoverThis should have been a week of celebration in the Caribbean country of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The annual Vincy Mas carnival, which attracts thousands of tourists, had advertised a packed schedule of costume parades, soca competitions, and beauty pageants.Instead, the Vincentian population is reeling from what the country's prime minister has described as the utter devastation" wrought by Hurricane Beryl, which ravaged the multi-island country and its eastern Caribbean neighbour Grenada. Continue reading...

Games allow players to rack up points for Portillo moments' and D:Ream plays as Labour landslide projectedEyes down for a full house on Thursday night: a Portillo moment" at this election could cause viewers across the country to leap out of their seats crying Bingo!" as a range of games and wallcharts have been released designed to celebrate a potential Conservative wipeout.Merchandise available on Etsy includes a Tory 2024 Meltdown Wallchart, which gives bonus points for any losing MP who has been previously made a sir or dame by their party. It has several lines of Conservative candidates ranked from the inevitable", including Jonathan Gullis, to there is a God", including Suella Braverman and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg. Continue reading...

Boundary changes mean the 2024 British general election will be fought in altered seats. Enter your postcode to see a map of your constituency and how these seats would have voted in 2019

Exclusive: Activist claims she was threatened with release of the footage in order to silence her, amid multiple reports of sexual violence inflicted upon imprisoned Afghan womenThe Guardian has seen video evidence of a female Afghan human rights activist being gang-raped and tortured in a Taliban jail by armed men.There have been mounting reports that sexual violence is being inflicted on women and girls being held in detention in Afghanistan, but this video is believed to be the first direct evidence of these crimes occurring. Continue reading...

Insolvency advisers are assessing the business while options for its sale or recapitalisation are explored

Two-year-old's sepsis death would likely have been prevented if necessary treatment had occurred 12-18 hours earlier, doctor tells coronial inquest

Experts believe songbird is suffering from Usutu virus, first detected in UK in 2020Beloved by Shakespeare and the Beatles, the blackbird and its sweet song have captured the imagination of Britons for centuries.But now the songbird is facing decline, and the British public has been asked to contribute to a survey by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to find out why. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: The Labour leader has kept details about his wife and children private, but that could prove difficult with a move to Downing Street Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. By this time on Friday we are likely to see the first images of Sir Keir Starmer moving into 10 Downing Street, but he's unlikely to pose for a family portrait outside the famous black door as other prime ministers traditionally do.In stark contrast to other wannabe leaders in the UK and across the world, Starmer has gone to great lengths to keep his family life separate from his public and political one. To the extent that many members of the public are unaware how many children he has, or what his wife's name is (it's Vic, short for Victoria). Several journalists have even published articles with her age wrong - by a decade.General election 2024 | Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of desperate tactics amid claims that Tory criticism of his defence of family time was insensitive and had antisemitic undertones.India | At least 116 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in a crowd crush at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India, and more than 80 others were injured, local police have said.UK news | Lucy Letby has been found guilty of trying to kill a two-hour-old baby girl on the hospital ward where she murdered seven other infants. The former neonatal nurse, who is serving 14 whole-life prison terms, was convicted on Tuesday of attempting to murder the extremely premature" infant after a retrial at Manchester crown court.Ukraine | Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, an outspoken critic of western aid to Ukraine, has held talks with president Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv, after a surprise visit by Europe's most pro-Russian leader to the Ukrainian capital. Elsewhere, a major poll of 15 European countries showed that a negotiated outcome with Russia, as opposed to an outright Ukrainian military victory, is now seen as the most likely end to the war.Politics | A charity for visually impaired people, Devon in Sight, has accused Tory canvassers of stooping to an all-time low" by allegedly suggesting that the Liberal Democrat candidate for Torbay, Steve Darling, is not actually blind. The comments were said to have been made by a Tory doorknocker calling at the house of an unnamed elderly couple in recent days. Continue reading...

Police arrest man, 19, and woman, 20, after allegedly seizing numerous items related to extreme rightwing ideology' while searching house

Mere existence of a reputation' not enough to justify Geelong grammar trademarking Timbertot', agency finds

Department of Homeland Security says it plans more such large charter flights', sparking concerns for safety of migrants escaping poverty or repressionThe US has sent back 116 Chinese migrants in the first such large charter flight" in five years, the Department of Homeland Security has said.We will continue to enforce our immigration laws and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States," homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. Continue reading...

Yasmin Catley says 14-year-old had been through government program run by NSW's department of community and justice

Beloved by residents of the Leith Park retirement village, the statue is set to be returned a month after being taken

The 12-year-old was last seen swimming at Mango Creek on Tuesday evening, near the remote Northern Territory community of Palumpa

Most of the dead are women or children, say officials, with suggestions a dust storm created panic as thousands were leaving a prayer meeting in Hathras, south-east of DelhiAt least 116 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in a crowd crush at a Hindu religious gathering in northern India, and more than 80 others were injured, local police have said.The crush happened when thousands of devotees tried to leave a prayer meeting, or satsang, with a local religious leader in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh state. The attendees were exiting the venue when a dust storm blinded their vision, leading to a melee and the subsequent tragic incident," Chaitra V, a divisional commissioner of Aligarh city in Uttar Pradesh, told Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...

BoM forecasts more frosty mornings ahead and says a ridge of high pressure is causing the run of cold' weather

The fire at Anglo American's Grosvenor coalmine in Moranbah broke out after methane ignited