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It comes after former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the party's treatment of Abbott was a disgrace'

Election campaigns kick off with policies on single market, climate crisis, NHS and clean seasPlaid Cymru and the Green party have launched their election campaigns, focusing on issues ranging from offshore windfarms' profits to initiatives for improving water and air quality.The parties, which hope to win about four seats each, vowed to keep a Labour government in check and to push the party's leader, Keir Starmer, to be bolder in areas such as health, housing and the environment. Continue reading...

Figures show statistics, computing, physics and maths have risen in popularity and languages bouncing backFewer pupils in England are studying drama, media and performing arts at GCSE and A-level, while the popularity of statistics, computing, physics and maths has gone up.Provisional figures for exam entries in England this summer, published by the exams regulator Ofqual on Thursday, also reveal a growing enthusiasm for modern foreign languages, which had been in long-term decline. Continue reading...

Gabriel Attal cautions against backing Marine Le Pen's National Rally, which leads solidly in polls for European electionsThe French prime minister, Gabriel Attal, has said voters choosing the far right in the European elections next week risk becoming like British people who regret backing Brexit.Don't be like the British who cried after Brexit," he told RTL radio on Thursday. A large majority of British people regret Brexit and sometimes regret not turning out to vote, or voting for something that was negative for their country. Continue reading...

The business groups' big ideas, from payroll savings schemes to making big tech compensate for fraud on its platformsBusiness interest groups are jostling for influence over political parties' priorities ahead of the 4 July election. Here are some of the big ideas being touted by the UK's largest industry bodies in their own manifestos. Continue reading...

Primary school teacher Fiona Beal sentenced to life after killing Nicholas Billingham at their home in 2021A primary school teacher who murdered her boyfriend and buried his body in their back garden has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years.Fiona Beal, 50, stabbed and killed her partner, Nicholas Billingham, 42, at their home in Northampton in 2021. His remains were discovered in March 2022, four and a half months after he had last been seen. Continue reading...

US anti-pornography campaigning group has advised, promoted and endorsed anti-LGBTQ+ activists and politicians in UgandaA long-standing US anti-pornography campaigning group has advised, promoted and endorsed anti-LGBTQ+ activists and politicians in Uganda, including a governing party member who endorsed anti-LGBTQ+ laws by saying gays should be castrated", and a virulently homophobic founder of a militaristic" Christian boys camp.The revelations about Washington DC-based National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) and its spin-offs and affiliates - based on documents, audio and video recordings and open-source materials - raise questions about its recent disavowals of its history of anti-LGBTQ+ positions, and its role in Uganda's passage last year of laws on homosexuality which are among the most punitive and restrictive in the world. Continue reading...

Ukraine's top commander says enemy sending reinforcements to area but lacks numbers for a major pushRussia's foreign ministry said on Thursday it was finalising a proposal for retaliatory measures" against the EU over the bloc's ban on the broadcast of four Russian media outlets on its territory.The EU said earlier this month it was suspending the distribution of the Voice of Europe, the RIA Novosti news agency and the Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspapers. Continue reading...

Haaretz journalist was warned of consequences' if he reported on attempts by Mossad chief to intimidate ex-prosecutor

Brick Fest Live promised lifesize models and rare collectibles but disappointed visitors of all agesAn event advertised as the UK's biggest Lego festival" has been called a complete rip-off" by attendees who described it as a half-empty room with piles of bricks.Brick Fest Live, which took place at the NEC in Birmingham over the bank holiday weekend, was promoted by organisers as the world's largest hands-on Lego event" with more than a million bricks on display. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Deputy leader says Abbott has not been treated fairly by some and confirms she has not been barred from running

Platja d'Aro announces fines up to 1,500 for appearing in public with clothing representing human genitals'A popular resort town on Spain's Costa Brava has banned inflatable penis costumes and sex dolls from stag and hen night celebrations, with fines of up to 1,500 (1,276).Platja d'Aro, whose population of 12,500 can host as many as 300,000 visitors on a summer weekend, is a favourite destination for bachelor and bachelorette nights. Numerous websites offer packages that include accommodation, cruises and male or female strippers. Continue reading...

Group says membership crisis means it cannot pay conference contracts as top writer condemns RWA's retreat from commitment to equality'For decades, the Romance Writers of America (RWA) served as a champion for the mostly female authors of one of the country's most popular - and denigrated - genres of fiction.But even as sales of romance novels have boomed in recent years, RWA has struggled, reporting that its membership has declined 80% amid bitter internal battles over racism within publishing, and within the group itself. Continue reading...

David Anderson says News Corp is obsessed' with the ABC after Tingle faces backlash over racist country' comments

Mike Sneesby a signatory to all-staff email detailing response to allegations of predatory behaviour and bullying in newsroomsNine Entertainment has acknowledged the trauma" caused by alleged acts of bullying, misuse of power and sexual harassment in its newsrooms and conceded to staff it needs to do more" to make it a safe place to work.In an all-staff email sent to staff late Thursday, Nine outlined its response to widespread reporting of predatory behaviour, bullying and sexual harassment by senior executives across the company. Continue reading...

Mary Bono had argued that she no longer needed to pay royalties to Cher after invoking a feature of US copyright law, but a judge has ruled otherwiseCher has prevailed in a long-running lawsuit that she filed against the widow of her former musical partner and husband, Sonny Bono.Cher had received royalties from her chart-topping song catalogue with Bono since an agreement in their 1978 divorce settlement, that stated publishing revenue would be split evenly between the pair. Bono died in 1998, and his share passed to his heirs. Continue reading...

The viral disease kills 5,000 people a year in west Africa, and has been described as an epidemic threat to global healthClinical trials for the first new treatment for Lassa fever in almost 40 years are planned to be held in Nigeria this year.The neglected tropical disease kills about 5,000 people a year and is endemic in west Africa. Continue reading...

Find out who's up and who's down in the latest polls - and how many seats each party is likely to win in the next general election

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Five-week pursuit by Australian company comes to end as last-ditch talks collapseAnglo American has survived an almost 39bn takeover plot by the Australian mining rival BHP after last-ditch talks over restructuring the 107-year-old company collapsed.The five-week pursuit came to an end after Anglo rejected BHP's 11th-hour appeal to extend the takeover talks for a second time, after three failed takeover proposals from the Melbourne-based miner. Continue reading...

Officials are still trying to pinpoint the exact death toll, as rescue teams are set to begin using heavy machinery to recover the deadOfficials in Papua New Guinea have said they do not expect to find survivors under the rubble of a massive landslide in the country's remote north, with the exact number of dead under almost two storeys of debris and mud still unknown.Heavy equipment and aid have been slow to arrive to the site of the landslide - which hit almost a week ago - because of the treacherous mountain terrain, a damaged bridge on the main road, and tribal unrest in the area. Continue reading...

Immigration minister says we know where they are', as Labor talks tough during fallout over visa cancellation and indefinite immigration detention

Party hopes to lure voters who want radical change and strong climate policies, rather than centrismLabour will face a renewed attack from the Green party in key marginal seats at this general election, as the group known primarily for its climate stance tries to reach voters who want radical change rather than centrism.In sharp contrast to all of the main parties, the Greens will make an unabashed argument for higher taxes, which they will say are needed to fund the NHS, education and other priorities, alongside their call much stronger action on the climate crisis. Continue reading...

The notorious ShinyHunters collective is claiming hack of personal details of 560 million global customers

Spain and France are among the most opaque when it comes to declaring who party funders are, analysis showsOnly seven out of 27 EU countries

Marion Marechal's Reconquete received nine times more donations than Marine Le Pen's National Rally, analysis revealsPolitical funding in France has swerved to the right, with private donations to the small nationalist group backed by Marine Le Pen's niece overtaking those raised by President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party.Reconquete received 5.5m (4.7m) from private donors in 2022, the year Macron secured a second term after a final round showdown against Le Pen, analysis by the Guardian of the annual reports of the 15 main French parties shows. Continue reading...

Figures from 200 parties in 25 countries suggest hardline groups have had rise in donations in recent years, increasing war chests before European parliament electionsA quarter of all private money donated to political parties in the EU is going to far-right, far-left and populist movements, boosting their finances by millions of euros before crucial European parliament elections next week.With the polls predicting a rise in support for hardline conservative, Eurosceptic and pro-Russia parties, the Guardian and other 26 media partners, led by the investigations group Follow the Money, are publishing Transparency Gap, the most extensive analysis yet of political financing in the EU. Continue reading...

Security services say spate of fires and infrastructure attacks could be part of systemic attempt by Russia to destabilise continent

More than 300 employees of federal, state and local governments sign letter warning against Australia's complicity' in war crimes

Ahmed Herzallah, his wife and three children have been catapulted into the uknown after fleeing their destroyed homeIn the darkened backroom of an Istanbul hotel packed with refugees from Gaza, the light from Ahmed Herzallah's phone screen illuminates a picture of his destroyed home in Gaza City. The building, with its curved black-and-white striped exterior that wrapped around a street corner, used to be a place for celebration, where the family gathered together for birthday parties, graduation ceremonies or when his sisters visited home at the beginning of each summer.The apartment building where Ahmed lived with his wife, children, parents, two brothers and their families was often filled with members of their extended family, the sound of singing, and the smell of homemade pastries and maftoul, a stew made of chicken and couscous. But the picture that he displayed on his phone was spliced with another, showing the entire block reduced to rubble. His extended family is now scattered around Gaza or exiled across the globe. Continue reading...

Federal police and border force say they have seized 4,200 litres of butanediol over the past three months - mostly imported from China

The IDF says that it is in operational' control of the buffer zone on Egypt's border, a move which risks complicating relations with Cairo, amid Rafah offensive

Yolu rapper says it was an honour' to be painted by Matt Adnate, who wins category judged by Art Gallery of New South Wales staff

Forensic assessments being carried out on items of interest' found in search for missing woman

Post-colonial anthem dropped in 1978 reinstituted with little debate amid escalating economic crisisNigeria has reverted to a national anthem it dropped nearly 50 years ago after lawmakers replaced the current one, prompting widespread criticism over the lack of public consultation on the change.The country's president, Bola Tinubu, confirmed the law on Wednesday, a day after it was approved by both chambers of Nigeria's national assembly, which is dominated by the governing party. The federal lawmakers introduced and passed the bill in less than a week - an unusually fast process for important bills that usually take weeks or months to be considered. Continue reading...

Tom Parry, 49, and Richie were due home in Cheshire after visiting Glen Nevis and GlencoeA man and his 12-year-old son are missing after a hillwalking trip in the Scottish Highlands, police have said.Tom Parry, 49, and his son Richie were due to return to their home in Cheshire on Wednesday after visiting Glen Nevis and Glencoe. Continue reading...

Rishi Sunak says timing of action days before general election appears to be politically motivated' to help LabourUp to 100,000 patients in England face having their NHS care cancelled days before the general election after junior doctors announced a fresh wave of strike action, with Rishi Sunak saying it appeared to be politically motivated.Health leaders expressed alarm, warning the five-day strike would jeopardise efforts to tackle the record waiting list and hit patients hard". Continue reading...

Brexit campaigner suggested he and prime minister should have a conversation' after favours he had done Tories over the yearsRishi Sunak has ruled out a deal with Nigel Farage after the Reform politician suggested they should have a conversation" before the election.Farage has held back from running as a candidate for the Reform party, which is led and funded by Richard Tice, but on Wednesday he extended an olive branch to Sunak in an interview with the Sun, telling him: Give me something back. We might have a conversation." Continue reading...

Comments at rally in east London follow Keir Starmer's denial that the Hackney MP would be barred from standing in the electionDiane Abbott has promised to stay on as an MP for as long as it is possible", setting up a likely clash with Keir Starmer after a deal for her to retire from parliament broke down.Abbott, the UK's first female black MP, had been set to make a dignified exit" from parliament, following a near 40-year career, in an arrangement in which she was given back the Labour whip after an investigation into comments she made about racism. Continue reading...

Even those who are not natural allies are concerned about the cack-handed treatment of the veteran MPThe long and sorry saga of Diane Abbott leaving parliament, where she arrived as a trailblazer, has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many colleagues - even those who are far from her natural allies.After almost 36 tortuous hours the UK's first black female MP is in the Labour party but possibly out of parliament, and no one seemingly wants to own how these decisions came about. Continue reading...

ANC majority in national election at risk for first time since 1990s as unemployment, corruption and power cuts erode support

Deaths of members of the British al-Hilli family and a French cyclist in a remote layby have baffled detectives since 2012Detectives from France's cold case unit have ordered DNA analysis of evidence in the unsolved killing of a British family and a French cyclist in a remote Alpine village 12 years ago.Clothes belonging to one of the victims, cigarette butts found at the scene and pieces of the gun used in the killings are to be tested in the hopes of solving the mystery of the murders, described by the local prosecutor as an act of gross savagery". Continue reading...

Publisher said to be working with another investor in sale that would be largest of its kind, according to BloombergSony Music is in talks to buy Queen's music catalogue, which includes songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody and Radio Gaga, in a potential $1bn (800m) deal, according to Bloomberg.Sony is said to be working with another investor on the transaction that would be the largest sale of its kind and include merchandising and other business opportunities, according to the Bloomberg report, which said talks were continuing and might not result in a deal. Continue reading...

Michael Matheson claimed the bill, incurred while on holiday in Morocco, as a parliamentary expenseScotland's former health secretary has been suspended as an MSP and docked 54 days' pay for wrongly claiming an 11,000 iPad bill on expenses, after a bitter row at Holyrood.MSPs voted by a large margin to suspend Michael Matheson for 27 days, as well as having his pay docked, after Scottish National party ministers and backbenchers abstained on the orders of John Swinney, the first minister and SNP leader. Continue reading...

Tony Gonzales defeated Brandon Herrera, a gun rights advocate endorsed by Freedom Caucus, by a wafer-thin marginTony Gonzales, a moderate Texas Republican congressman, has narrowly beaten an insurgent primary challenge from an opponent he branded a neo-Nazi and was endorsed by the GOP's far-right Freedom Caucus.Gonzales, 43, scraped home by a wafer-thin margin of 50.7% to 49.3% in a runoff election against Brandon Herrera after a huge fundraising effort and the explicit backing of the Republican establishment, including the House speaker, Mike Johnson. Continue reading...

Bao Li and Qing Bao will be the first pandas to reside at the Smithsonian zoo in Washington DC since last fallTwo new giant pandas will arrive at the Smithsonian's National zoo in Washington DC later this year, marking a very welcome return after the zoo's remaining pandas returned to China last fall.The Smithsonian announced on Wednesday that the pandas, named Bao Li and Qing Bao, would arrive in the US capital by the end of the year. Both pandas currently reside in China, but Bao Li already has a connection to Washington as his mother Bao Bao was born at the National zoo in 2013. Continue reading...

After Judge Juan Merchan instructs jury, Trump rails against proceedings, saying even saint could not beat these charges'

Sian Gray says she will miss the giggly laugh and big smile' of Amie Gray, who was stabbed to death last weekThe family of a woman stabbed to death on a Dorset beach have paid tribute to a beautiful and loving daughter, wife and mother.Sports coach Amie Gray, 34, was stabbed numerous times in an attack on her and another woman, 38, on Bournemouth beach. Continue reading...

Prime minister answers questions on proposed national service scheme and tax cutsSign up to our Election Edition newsletterThe Conservatives have been pushing a plan today to expand the number of apprenticeships, pledging 100,000 more apprenticeships a year by the end of the next parliament."It is unclear whether this figure includes the up to 20,000 more apprenticeships" that Sunak previously announced ten weeks ago.Under the plans, there would be legislation granting greater powers to the Office for Students, the universities regulator, to close degree courses that are underperforming. These would be chosen based on drop-out rates, job progression and future earnings potential.The Conservatives claim to have delivered 5.8m apprenticeships since 2010. But the number of people starting out on apprenticeships in England is in decline, falling from 500,000 in 2015 to 337,000 last year, according to Commons library statistics.First of all, you cannot generalise about entire subject areas. In almost all subjects there will be some institutions delivering well, and some not doing well. So for example, you take computer science, you know, you get earnings outcomes from young people studying computer science degrees which will range from 18,000 pounds to 80,000 pounds so it's not about an individual subjects but about specific courses.The second thing I genuinely don't think it will be right or fair to young people who are currently on an undergraduate course to have a politician come on the radio and namecheck that particular course that they are on. Continue reading...

Ann and Bernard McDonagh from Port Talbot cynically and brazenly' defrauded restaurants, says judgeA couple have been jailed for carrying out a string of dine and dash" offences, racking up large bills for food and drink before leaving without paying.A judge at Swansea crown court said Ann McDonagh, 39, and Bernard McDonagh, 41, had cynically and brazenly" defrauded restaurants and a takeaway in south Wales. Continue reading...