Black bear apparently opened the vehicle by lifting door handle with its mouth, after breaking into same car last yearAfter a string of vehicle break-ins in a north Canadian town, local residents have identified the culprit: a black bear with a taste for upholstery foam.Awoken by a noise near midnight on 11 June, Kayla Seward, who lives in the Ontario township of Larder Lake, went outside to investigate - and found the sleepy black bear locked inside her car. Continue reading...
by Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem and Peter Beaumo on (#6NFN7)
Parallel reports describe serious crimes during Hamas attack and Israel's subsequent offensive in GazaA UN investigation has accused Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity on and since 7 October, the date of Hamas's surprise attack on Israel.The allegations were contained in two parallel reports prepared by a commission of inquiry formed in 2021 by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations in Israel and the Palestinian territories, chaired by the former UN human rights chief Navi Pillay. Continue reading...
Four vessels, including nuclear-powered submarine and frigate, greeted by sparse crowd on visit to CubaA fleet of Russian warships has arrived in the bay of Havana, in a visit seen as a show of strength amid tensions with the west over support for Ukraine.Four vessels, including the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan and the frigate Admiral Gorshkov, entered Havana Bay early on Wednesday, where they offered a 21-gun salute that was reciprocated from the battlements of La Cabana, the fortress where Che Guevara once had his office. Continue reading...
Shooter, getaway driver and organiser sentenced to 26-28 years for murder on busy Amsterdam street in 2021A Dutch court has convicted three men of murder for their roles in the 2021 shooting of an investigative reporter, Peter de Vries, on a busy Amsterdam street, a brazen attack that sent shock waves through the Netherlands.The shooter, getaway driver and organiser of the attack were convicted of direct involvement in the killing. The shooter and driver were sentenced to 28 years, and the man who organised the killing to 26 years and one month. Continue reading...
In an industry often focused on young debut talent, companies are using creative methods to nurture playwrights of all ages and experiencesIt is really, really awful for playwrights at the moment," says Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder, co-artistic director of new writing company Box of Tricks. Amid declining commissions and threatened literary departments, there has been a flurry of dire pronouncements about playwriting, with much of the discussion focused on London. Away from the capital, however, smaller companies are finding creative ways to support playwrights.In Manchester, Box of Tricks has brought together hundreds of northern writers through its PlayMakers Network, initially set up as a response to the pandemic. The network offers support, guidance, feedback and connection, as well as providing free hot-desking and workshopping space for members. It runs targeted schemes for playwrights, the most recent of which is Accelerate: a nine-month development programme for northern writers over 35, culminating in work-in-progress performances at Home in January. Continue reading...
Donations understood to include substantial cheque' from Holly Valance with funds also boosted by new membershipsReform UK has raised 1.5m worth of donations in the days after Nigel Farage's return as party leader, when he declared he would run to be an MP.While Reform's electoral fortunes have been transformed, its war chest has been boosted by money from thousands of new members as well as pledges from bigger donors, the Guardian has learned. Continue reading...
Culture ministry hopes to help people reclaim family property plundered by Franco regimeSpain's culture ministry has published a list of more than 5,000 items plundered by the Franco regime - including paintings, sculptures, jewellery, furniture and religious ornaments - to help people reclaim their family property almost a century after it was taken for safekeeping following the outbreak of the civil war.The inventory, which is part of the government's efforts to bring justice, reparation and dignity" to the victims of the conflict and the subsequent dictatorship, was posted online on Wednesday. Continue reading...
Temperatures expected to reach 43C in Athens and across country, prompting school closures and health warningsThe Acropolis, Greece's most visited tourist site, was closed to the public during the hottest hours of Wednesday as the season's earliest-ever heatwave swept the country, prompting school closures and health warnings.The culture ministry had said the Unesco-listed archaeological site in Athens would close from midday to 5pm (09.00 to 14.00 GMT), with temperatures expected to reach 43C (109F) on Wednesday and Thursday. Continue reading...
by Martin Belam (now) and Emily Dugan (earlier) on (#6NF9J)
US secretary of state says some Hamas proposals go beyond what group previously accepted but warns time is shortIsrael's military has issued a statement saying that it continues to operate in the central Gaza Strip and in the Rafah area. It claims it is carrying out intelligence-based, targeted operations" and to have eliminated a number of armed terrorist cells in close-quarters encounters."It says that Over the past day, the Israeli air force struck and dismantled over 30 terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including military structures." Continue reading...
Plans for the 1.9bn Smithfield scheme include a park that is smaller than a football pitch, falling short of the council's own guidelinesCampaigners are warning that a major development project that will be approved by Birmingham city council falls far short of the city's own guidelines for open green space.The 1.9bn Smithfield scheme will bring 3,500 new homes as well as restaurants and offices to 17 hectares (42 acres) of fenced brownfield land in the centre of the city. But the new park - Smithfield Park - will only be 0.8 hectares, smaller than a football pitch. Continue reading...
French president says calling snap election was the only path forward after the far right's success in the EU electionsMacron is now speaking about economic goals.Speaking at a press conference, Emmanuel Macron said that in Sunday's vote in the European election citizens have expressed their concerns and difficulties. We must bring a democratic response, he said.Returning to the sovereign people is, in my opinion, the only republican decision in this context.Do we think that (Republicans party leader) Mr. Ciotti - and The Republicans who follow him - who up until now explained that the ruling majority was too lax and that we needed to rein in our public spending faster, would govern effectively with the (far-right) National Rally, whose program has been independently costed at about 100 billion euros a year for our taxpayers?We must, first and foremost, continue relentlessly to act for greater security and (state) firmness, and implement the laws that have been passed, like our European texts, to reduce illegal immigration. Continue reading...
US government employee provides hearing into teenager's death with written statements but declines to attendAnne Sacoolas said she drove like an American", on the wrong side of the road, as she told an inquest about the crash in which Harry Dunn, a 19-year-old motorcyclist, was killed.The US government employee declined to give live evidence at the inquest, on Wednesday, providing two written statements that were read to the court. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6NFDJ)
Adam Carruthers of Wigton pleads not guilty at Newcastle crown court, while Daniel Graham is unavoidably detained'A trial date has been set for two men accused of felling the world-famous Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland.Daniel Graham, 38, of Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 31, of Wigton, have been accused of causing criminal damage to the tree and to Hadrian's Wall. Continue reading...
Food 4 Less workers to vote on action if new deal is not reached, as employees say wages and benefits lag behindAbout 6,000 grocery store workers are set to vote on strike action after the expiration of their union contract with the Kroger-owned Food 4 Less chain.The contract with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) expired on Saturday. Members are voting on whether to authorize a strike if a new deal is not reached, and results expected late on Friday. Continue reading...
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#6NFD0)
Kasikai Chinyanga arrested in connection with death of 42-year-old Chitsidzo Chinyanga in BroxburnA 46-year-old man has appeared in court charged with murder after the death of a much-loved'" mother in Broxburn, West Lothian.Kasikai Chinyanga was arrested in connection with the death of 42-year-old Chitsidzo (Veronica) Chinyanga, originally from Zimbabwe. Continue reading...
Party has vowed to end sewage scandal if it wins power, but experts say it will have to act quickly and ambitiouslySince the UK's general election was called, the Labour party has been seeking to capitalise on voters' fury over the sewage filling England's rivers and seas.The debt-ridden, leaking, polluting water industry, owned largely by foreign investment firms, private equity and pension funds, has overseen decades of underinvestment and the large-scale dumping of raw sewage into rivers. It has become one of the touchstone issues of this election, with voters across the political spectrum angry at the polluting of waterways treasured by local communities. Groups have sprung up to look after rivers and lakes; protests pop up most weekends along the coast. Continue reading...
Animal welfare groups have called for better regulation of the sale of wildlife after a fire swept through the pet zone of one of Bangkok's biggest marketsAnimal welfare experts have called for a crackdown on the sale of wildlife in Thailand, after a fire swept through the pet zone of Bangkok's most famous outdoor market, killing more than 1,000 animals.Puppies, cats, fish, snakes, swans, cockatoos and rabbits kept inside cages were all reportedly killed in the blaze, which began early on Tuesday morning and burned through about 1,300 square metres of the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Continue reading...
Legal firm says group failed to update shareholders on problems with bribery and corruption at its former Turkish operationInvestors could seek more than 100m in compensation from the owner of Ladbrokes and Coral for failure to update them on issues with bribery and corruption at the group's former Turkish operation.The planned action, led by the legal firm Fox Williams, follows Entain's agreement to pay almost 600m - one of the largest financial penalties ever imposed in the UK - in a deal with HM Revenue and Customs finalised in December 2023 after an investigation into alleged bribery. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Senior political correspondent on (#6NF8F)
Party's housing pledges include introducing rent controls and ending right to buy system for social propertiesThe Greens are reaching out to renters with a huge election commitment on new and environmentally-friendly housing, including a plan to let councils requisition empty properties or ones without proper insulation.Among other housing commitments in the party's manifesto being launched today is a proposed 49bn investment programme over the next five years to insulate homes and public buildings, and to fit properties with heat pumps. Continue reading...
More than half those who left recently headed to Australia with promises of higher pay and better working conditionsNew Zealand citizens are leaving the country in record numbers, with large numbers heading to Australia, new figures show.Stats NZ's provisional international migration data shows there were an estimated 130,600 migrant departures in the year to April - the highest on record for an annual period. Continue reading...
by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondent on (#6NF71)
The industry that has traditionally powered about a quarter of GDP has been in a downward spiral that policymakers have struggled to haltAll across China, from Beijing in the north, to Shenzhen in the south, millions of newly built homes stand empty and unwanted. There were nearly 391m sq metres of unsold residential property in China as of April, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. That is the equivalent of Manchester and Birmingham combined - and then some - sitting as vacant, unwanted property.This glut of idle property has caused a headache for the government, shaken the world's second largest economy and raised tensions over the purpose of housebuilding in a nation where property investment had been viewed as a safe bet. Continue reading...
Mayor Adrian Schrinner says property owners would now need appropriate planning approvals, body corporate support and a 24-7 property manager for short-term rentals
by Warren Murray with Guardian writers and agencies on (#6NF5V)
No evidence of gross human rights violations, says state department; formerly far-right group are heroes in Ukraine for Mariupol's defence. What we know on day 840 Continue reading...
Hamas was reportedly seeking some amendments to the proposal, as Antony Blinken puts pressure on both sides to accept the dealThe US has said it is evaluating" Hamas' formal response to its Gaza ceasefire proposal, as the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, attempts to channel global support for a UN security council resolution backing the proposal into pressure on the Palestinian militant group and Israel.Late on Tuesday, a Hamas official said they had submitted a response to Egyptian and Qatari mediators, seeking some amendments", and that their priority was to bring a complete stop" to the war. A separate Hamas spokesperson, Jihad Taha, said the response included amendments that confirm the ceasefire, withdrawal, reconstruction and [prisoner] exchange". Continue reading...
PM recalls his parents' sacrifices for his education in interview recorded after his return from D-day celebrationsRishi Sunak has said that he went without lots of things" as a child growing up in the UK, citing Sky TV as an example.In an interview with ITV to be broadcast on Wednesday, the prime minister said a lot of sacrifices were made by his parents as education was their priority. Continue reading...
Party pledges to defer new A27 bypass to fund repairs and break down planning barriers to facilitate upgradesLabour has pledged to fix 1m potholes every year if elected on 4 July and turn the tide on the neglect" of the UK's roads.Last year pothole damage cost drivers almost 500m, with the average damage worth 250, the party has claimed. Continue reading...
Scott Peden, whose partner and two children died after battery exploded, calls for compulsory regulationA man who narrowly survived an ebike battery fire that killed his partner and two children says he is tormented by grief and guilt but determined to fight to change the law to avoid similar tragedies.Scott Peden, 31, was placed in an induced coma for a month after suffering 15% internal burns when he tried to wrestle his burning ebike out of his Cambridge flat last June. He also smashed his heel in three places jumping from his bedroom after the battery exploded. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler Social policy editor on (#6NF43)
Four in five Britons dissatisfied with how they are governed, with collapse blamed on Partygate, Brexit and poor servicesPublic trust and confidence in government and politicians is at a record low, fuelled by anger over Partygate lies, perceived broken promises over Brexit and crumbling public services, according to the latest British Social Attitudes survey.Plummeting faith in the effectiveness and integrity of MPs and the wider UK political system reflects what the BSA calls significant changes in the public mood" as a result of political and economic turmoil since the last general election in 2019. Continue reading...
by Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent on (#6NF2Y)
First minister John Swinney under fire over public services and cost of living during ill-tempered TV showdownAnas Sarwar has said there will be no austerity under a Labour government as he fended off accusations from the SNP during an ill-tempered BBC Scotland leaders' debate.The first minister and SNP leader John Swinney repeatedly claimed on Tuesday evening that independent experts said there would be 18bn of cuts after this election whether the Conservatives or Labour party form the government". The audience loudly applauded Sarwar when he countered: Read my lips: no austerity under Labour." Continue reading...
Ban This Book by Alan Gratz banned in Indian River county after opposition from parents linked to Moms for LibertyA book about book bans has been banned in a Florida school district.Ban This Book, a children's book written by Alan Gratz, will no longer be available in the Indian River county school district since the school board voted to remove the book last month. Continue reading...
Following a mystery disappearance sparking outrage and rumour, the original damaged and fragile figure has been replaced by a very fine' copyA shadow has been lifted over a corner of Paris: Voltaire is back in the City of Light.The statue of the 18th-century philosopher, a key figure of the Enlightenment, vanished from its plinth almost four years ago, sparking a series of increasingly sombre rumours. Continue reading...
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