British Virgin Islands criticised for launching financial crime-fighting cartoon mascot before new legislationUK offshore havens have missed a deadline to publish their plans to improve corporate transparency, as MPs criticised the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in particular for launching a financial crime-fighting cartoon mascot before new legislation.Jurisdictions including the BVI and Bermuda pledged last year to approve laws allowing access to company ownership data to those with a legitimate interest" by April 2025, with implementation to follow in June. Continue reading...
Song made famous by Aretha Franklin is on military band's set list for handover of chancellery to Friedrich MerzThe German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is to be played out of office by a military band who will perform tunes chosen by him that are intended to sum up his mood and political life.Scholz will bow out to the Beatles, Johann Sebastian Bach and an Otis Redding hit made famous by Aretha Franklin. Continue reading...
by Hannah Al-Othman North of England correspondent on (#6X2MF)
Layton Carr, 14, described as a cheeky, happy lad' after his death in blaze at an industrial estate on FridayThe family of a 14-year-old boy who died in a fire in Gateshead has paid tribute to him, saying Layton Carr was loved by all that met him, and it showed".Layton was such a kind, caring and loving boy," his family said in a statement released by Northumbria police. From the minute he was born it was obvious the character he would turn out to be. Continue reading...
Vague and grandstanding as the US president's messaging may be, it has serious ramifications which could wipe out large sections of the film businessDonald Trump's bombshell announcement that Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands" will be subject to an 100% tariff has certainly caught the attention of Hollywood, as well as the international film industries it seems to be aimed at - principally Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as European countries such as Hungary and Italy that have often acted as bases for US film production.Vague and grandstanding at it is - Trump concluded his post with an all-caps WE WANT MOVIES MADE IN AMERICA, AGAIN!" - the chaotic roll out of previous Trump tariffs has triggered feverish speculation, as well as defiance, in the film industry in exactly how this might play out. Continue reading...
UK tech entrepreneur and his daughter were among seven killed when the Bayesian sank in a violent stormA 55-metre (180ft) barge carrying a heavy-lift crane has begun work to raise the British-flagged superyacht Bayesian from the seabed off Sicily, where it sank last summer killing seven people including the UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch.The barge, named Hebo Lift 2, with its 700-sq-metre deck, specialist diving apparatus and a remotely operated underwater vehicle, arrived last week in Porticello, a fishing port near Palermo, where marine salvage experts have started operations to raise the Bayesian. Continue reading...
Tipping point' as supermarket's move will increase amount of Fairtrade tea sold in UK by almost 50%Sainsbury's has drawn a line under a previous controversial attempt to create its own ethical label by agreeing a major tea deal with the Fairtrade Foundation.As a result of the move, all classic teabags in the by Sainsbury's" range will move to Fairtrade, with Kerrina Thorogood, the foundation's director of partnerships, describing the move as a tipping point" for ethical tea. Continue reading...
Signalling cable taken from four locations, delaying high-speed services between Madrid and Seville, week after massive power cutSpain's transport minister has said the country's rail network suffered an act of serious sabotage" after vital signalling cable was stolen over the busy bank holiday weekend, bringing severe delays to high-speed services between Madrid and Seville that affected more than 10,000 travellers.The country's state-owned rail operator, Renfe, said the problems on the line between the capital and the southern region of Andalucia had been caused by the theft of cable from four different locations in the Toledo area, south of Madrid, late on Sunday. Continue reading...
Home Office says it has a zero-tolerance approach' to illegal drug use and has introduced more robust' proceduresA total of 29 staff have been sacked after positive drug tests at the Manston migrant processing centre - a sixfold increase in the space of a year, the Guardian has learned.Thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in the UK after crossing the Channel on dinghies are processed at the site near Ramsgate in Kent by Home Office officials and contractors. Many of the new arrivals are vulnerable and arrive in the UK traumatised. Continue reading...
Inconsistent application' of Schengen rules on passport validity has seen people turned back at border by airlinesSome Britons flying to Scandinavia this summer risk being turned away at the gate if they are travelling on an older passport due to the inconsistent" application of Schengen travel rules, it has emerged.The Guardian was contacted by a British artist who was denied boarding by the airline Norwegian because her passport was issued more than nine years and nine months ago". She was due to fly from Gatwick airport to Copenhagen. Continue reading...
Severe thunderstorms around Delhi cause seven deaths, with western Europe also hit by stormy conditionsResidents of Delhi and surrounding areas woke last week to severe thunderstorms with intense rainfall, large hailstones and squally winds. The storms arrived in the early hours of the night, lasting six hours before easing by about 8.30am on Friday morning. At Safdarjung, the primary weather station in Delhi, 77mm of rain was recorded, the majority of which, 60mm, fell within the first three hours. The event itself was the second highest 24-hour rainfall total in Delhi during May since 1901. The deluge of rain led to flash flooding, felled trees, widespread disruption and claimed seven lives.Further sharp showers are forecast across India this week, alongside thunderstorms across western and central parts where relatively cooler air will become situated aloft through the course of Monday and promote convection. Some forecast models show the potential for thunderstorms to produce very heavy rainfall, particularly in Gujarat and south-west Rajasthan, until Thursday. However, due to the nature of thunderstorm formation, the exact intensity can be difficult to forecast days ahead, and often still proves too tricky to predict on the day. So the conditions in Delhi on Friday morning may not have been a one-off. Continue reading...
Police admit strip-search of Raya Meredith in July 2018 was illegal in a class action being heard in NSW supreme court on behalf of 3,000 alleged victimsPolice officers illegally strip-searched a woman at a Byron Bay music festival, the New South Wales supreme court has heard, subjecting her to a degrading and humiliating" inspection that included being told to remove her tampon while undressed in front of a police officer.NSW police admitted in court documents that its July 2018 strip search of Raya Meredith - which discovered nothing illegal - was unlawful and unjustified, and ignored laws protecting her rights. Continue reading...
Reported delays come as tax office says it is shutting free-to-use online filing service used by some small businessesHM Revenue and Customs has come under fire for taking more than four months to process tax refunds owed to some individuals and businesses that accountants say used to take a maximum of a few weeks.The reported delays coincide with anger over a separate HMRC announcement that it is shutting a free-to-use online filing service used by some small businesses. Continue reading...
Lawyers say evidence file outlines atrocities including torture and rape carried out by the Rapid Support Forces in the country's brutal civil conflictScotland Yard has received a dossier of evidence documenting myriad alleged war crimes committed by a paramilitary group during the conflict in Sudan.Lawyers have submitted a 142-page file of evidence to the war crimes unit of the Metropolitan police containing details of numerous atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Continue reading...
Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates
Event where fashion and politics meet puts editor Anna Wintour, a vocal Democrat supporter, in the spotlightOn Monday night, the party of the year will ask the question: can Vogue keep diversity in fashion in Trump's America?The Met Gala, the knotty point where fashion meets politics, will be in the spotlight. The annual event has become a pop cultural phenomenon by reinventing party dressing as a world of internet-breaking daredevil stunts. Kim Kardashian wearing the dress in which Marilyn Monroe serenaded John F Kennedy, Lady Gaga changing outfits four times in front of the cameras and Katy Perry dressed as a cheeseburger serve the thrills for the social media generation that a James Bond car chase did for their parents. Continue reading...
Inquest into deaths of six victims in April 2024 told Joel Cauchi's father and mother worried about weapons especially if he's going to lose contact with reality'
George Simion will face centrist Bucharest mayor Nicuor Dan in runoff voteAn ultranationalist who opposes military aid to Ukraine, has vilified the EU's leaders, and calls himself Donald Trump's natural ally" has won the first round of Romania's rerun presidential vote and will face a centrist in the runoff, as vote counting nears its end.With 99% of votes counted late on Sunday, George Simion, whose far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) began as an anti-vax movement during the pandemic, was comfortably in the lead on a projected 40.5% of the vote. Continue reading...
Two people have been arrested in connection to an alleged planned attack on Brazil's LGBTQ community at the singer's Sunday concert, police sayTwo people have been arrested in connection with an alleged plot to detonate explosives at a free Lady Gaga concert in Rio de Janeiro, in what authorities believe was an attempt to target Brazil's LGBTQ community.The Rio event on Saturday was the biggest show of the pop star's career. It attracted an estimated 2.1 million fans to Copacabana beach and had crowds screaming and dancing along. Continue reading...
by Patrick Butler Social policy editor on (#6X2AB)
Cross-party group's report emphasises risk of failure after finding 3.5 million people not getting care they needA cross-party group of MPs has warned attempts to reform adult social care are doomed to fail unless ministers accept major investment is needed to overhaul a broken" system that was failing millions of people.Reform of social care was typically seen by governments as a burden" on the taxpayer, and a drain on resources" rather than a positive boost to people's lives, the NHS and the economy, said the health and social care select committee. Continue reading...
PM writes of debt that can never be fully repaid' in letter marking 80 years since end of second world war in EuropeKeir Starmer has praised the selfless dedication" of those who have served in the military before the anniversary of VE Day as the government unveiled a new 50m support system for veterans.In an open letter to mark 80 years since the end of the second world war in Europe, the prime minister said the sacrifice made by members of the armed forces was a debt that could never fully be repaid". Continue reading...
Strike by Yemen rebel group came hours before security cabinet was due to vote on plans to expand Gaza offensiveBenjamin Netanyahu has promised Israel will strike back against Yemen's Houthis and their Iranian terror masters" after a missile launched by the militia movement hit the perimeter of Israel's main airport.On X, the Israeli prime minister said on Sunday that Israel would respond to the Houthi attack at a time and place of our choosing". On Telegram, Netanyahu said Israel had acted against the Houthis in the past and would act again in the future. Continue reading...
Death of Layton Carr, 14, has left community heartbroken' as police arrest more than a dozen childrenA 14-year-old boy whose body was found after a large fire in Gateshead was valued and much loved", his headteacher has said.Fourteen children have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over the death of Layton Carr, from South Tyneside. Continue reading...
by Josh Halliday, Vikram Dodd and Dan Sabbagh on (#6X1YV)
Counter-terrorism police disrupt separate suspected plots amid concern over rise in Tehran-backed hostile activityPolice have thwarted an alleged imminent terror plot in England with a number of Iranian nationals arrested amid concern about the growing level of Tehran-backed hostile activity in the UK.Five suspects, including four Iranians, were arrested as part of a suspected plan to target specific premises", the Metropolitan police said. Of those arrested, the nationality of the fifth was still being established. Continue reading...
Man, 49, arrested on suspicion of murder after consecutive collisions on Saturday afternoonA woman has died after she was one of four people injured by a car in two separate collisions in Rochdale on Saturday.The pedestrian was airlifted to hospital after the incident on Whitworth Road but died from her injuries, Greater Manchester police said. Continue reading...
Echoing comments by Nigel Farage, Zia Yusuf says judicial reviews, injunctions and planning laws will be usedReform UK has vowed to use every instrument of power" to resist housing people seeking asylum in areas where it now controls councils, its chair has confirmed.Zia Yusuf, the party chair and a major donor, acknowledged Reform may not be able to stop people seeking asylum being put up in hotels where the Home Office has contracts with accommodation providers. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Louise Haigh urges Starmer to pick some battles' with the right to demonstrate to voters party is on their sideLouise Haigh has urged Keir Starmer to avoid a simplistic and naive" response by lurching to the right after Reform UK's success in the local elections, in her first interview since being in effect sacked as transport secretary.The former cabinet minister warned the prime minister to pick some battles" with the right as it would not be enough to ask progressive-minded voters to back Labour at the next election just to keep Nigel Farage out of power. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6X26Q)
CHPI thinktank found five firms made an eye-watering' 169m in 2023-24, as ministers call for contract capProfits made from treating NHS eye patients by five private firms are so large they equal those made by the 100 with private finance initiative (PFI) hospital contracts, research shows.The disclosure has led to calls for ministers to cap what can be eye-watering" levels of profit made by private operators when they take over key public services. Continue reading...
Such a takeover would be one of biggest deals ever in oil and gas industryShell is talking to advisers about the potential for a takeover of the rival oil producer BP, according to reports.The oil company has been discussing the feasibility and merits of a takeover of BP with its advisers in recent weeks, according to a report from Bloomberg, which cited people familiar with the matter. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6X25C)
Too many people at risk of becoming martyrs' by not getting symptoms checked as they do not want to burden health service, report warnsToo many people are at risk of becoming martyrs" by not getting symptoms of cancer checked out because they do not want to burden the NHS, a report warns, which calls for earlier testing to diagnose those at higher risk.The report, by the health consultancy Incisive Health, sets out ways in which the NHS in England can catch more cancers early and thus save lives by becoming more of an early intervention service". It comes as the government draws up its first dedicated cancer strategy since 2015. Continue reading...
by Benita Kolovos Victorian state correspondent on (#6X25E)
Despite relentless commentary about the premier's unpopularity, the state swung even harder to Labor than in 2022, while the Liberal party blame game has begun
The Scottish musician breaks health-related hiatus with gig in support of the suicide prevention charity CalmLewis Capaldi performed on stage for the first time in two years after making a surprise appearance at a charity gig in Edinburgh to raise funds for suicide prevention.He appeared on Friday night at the concert - headlined by Tom Walker and Nina Nesbitt- at Edinburgh Assembly Halls, in aid of the charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm). Continue reading...
Exclusive: BBC presenter warns shared space for national debate' at risk from platforms that fail to challenge leadersFawning and partisan podcasts that give politicians hours of unchallenged airtime pose a danger to democracy, Nick Robinson has said, as he warned that Britain must guard against going down the same polarised route as US media.The BBC presenter said a nostalgia brigade" pining after confrontational television interviews, in which Brian Walden grilled Margaret Thatcher and Jeremy Paxman took on Michael Howard, had lost sight of the real danger in how politicians now used the media. He pointed to partisan or obsequious media platforms that risked damaging a shared space for a national debate". Continue reading...
LA Innocence Project believes evidence shows Peterson is not responsible for killing of pregnant wife Laci in 2002It's been more than 20 years since Scott Peterson was sentenced to death for the murder of his pregnant wife Laci in suburban California. For many, the case was considered open and shut.Then, in late April, the Los Angeles Innocence Project (LAIP) made a seemingly bombshell announcement. Continue reading...
Victims have had fingers chopped off by attackers in crimewave targeting entrepreneurs and their familiesFrench police are investigating a series of kidnappings of investors linked to cryptocurrency after a 60-year-old man had a finger chopped off by attackers who demanded his crypto-millionaire son pay a ransom.In the latest of several kidnappings of cryptocurrency figures in France and western Europe, the man, who owned a cryptocurrency marketing company with his son, was freed from a house south of Paris on Saturday night. He had been held for more than two days. Continue reading...
US president displays pathological megalomania' as cardinals gather to elect new pope after death of FrancisDonald Trump has been accused of mocking the election of a new leader of the Catholic church after posting an artificial intelligence-generated picture of himself as the pope on social media.The image, shared on Friday night on Trump's Truth Social site and the White House's official X account, raised eyebrows at the Vatican, which is still in the period of nine days of official mourning after Pope Francis's funeral on 26 April. Continue reading...
Lawsuit brought under Helms-Burton could spur others pursuing compensation for property seized by CastroLong before it became one of Cuba's most popular tourist destinations in the 1990s, the small island of Cayo Coco, with its pristine beaches and powdery white sands, attracted a different kind of clientele.Inspired by its unspoiled beauty, and his observations of shack-dwelling fishermen scratching out a meager living, Ernest Hemingway set scenes from two of his most famous books there, including the 1952 classic The Old Man and the Sea. Continue reading...
Survivors of abuse in county-run children's homes say closure will not come until monsters' are held accountableThousands of victims of abuse in juvenile facilities and foster homes across Los Angeles are being compensated for decades of mistreatment in a historic settlement, but some say the money will never rectify a system that hurt vulnerable children and protected their abusers.LA county officials this week unanimously approved a landmark $4bn settlement to address nearly 7,000 claims of sexual abuse at county-run facilities. Some of those claims date back to the 1950s, but most took place throughout the 1980s through the 2000s. The payout is the largest of its kind in US history. Continue reading...
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