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...
Mette Frederiksen gives first interview since assault, saying it was a kind of attack on us all'Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, has said she is still not doing great" but will continue to work, in her first interview since she was assaulted in a Copenhagen square last week.Frederiksen, 46, suffered minor whiplash in the attack last Friday, which is not thought to have been politically motivated. A 39-year-old Polish man was detained on suspicion of assault. Continue reading...
Cubs killed by cars earlier in the day before spooked Nakoda ran on to highway, where another vehicle struck herNational park staff in Canada are mourning the devastating" loss of a rare white grizzly bear and her cubs after all three were killed in separate vehicle collisions on the same day.The bear formally referred to as GBF178 but named Nakoda by locals had in recent months been spotted with her two cubs foraging on spring dandelions along a stretch of highway between Lake Louise and Yoho national parks. Continue reading...
Eric Ciotti's announcement welcomed by Marine Le Pen as brave choice' but seen as betrayal by members of mainstream rightThe leader of France's mainstream right has said he would back an alliance with the far right in the snap legislative elections later this month, shocking opponents and party members and throwing French politics into further disarray.Eric Ciotti's announcement, welcomed by Marine Le Pen as a brave choice", is a historic departure for the opposition right and sparked accusations of betrayal from high-profile members of Les Republicains (LR). Continue reading...
by Rory Carroll, Ireland correspondent on (#6NEY2)
Backed by Annie Lennox and Susan Sarandon, Daly had appeared on state-leaning media in China and RussiaClare Daly, Ireland's outspoken and controversial Dublin MEP candidate, has lost her seat despite celebrity endorsements from Annie Lennox, Susan Sarandon and other prominent figures.The leftwing candidate was eliminated on Tuesday after falling behind rival candidates in the Dublin constituency on the 17th count. Continue reading...
Critics say funding of Tory manifesto's policies is implausible' and they would mainly benefit wealthier votersRishi Sunak has unveiled a 17bn tax giveaway as the centrepiece of the Conservative manifesto, an offer that was immediately condemned for being implausible" and mainly benefiting wealthier voters.The policy programme set out by the prime minister, seen by many Tory MPs as probably the party's last big chance to win over voters, contained few big surprises and was centred around cuts to national insurance and stamp duty, higher thresholds for child benefit and help for pensioners. Continue reading...
Aaron Myers, 51, faces second-degree murder charge in fatal shooting of Hazrat Ali Rohani, 17, at Big 5 store in RentonA teenager who tried to return a malfunctioning replica gun that shoots plastic projectiles to a sporting goods store in Washington state was shot to death by an off-duty security guard who believed the boy was holding a real gun and planned to rob the business, according to authorities.The man arrested in the killing, 51-year-old Aaron Myers, told police that he was not working at the time he shot and killed Hazrat Ali Rohani, who was returning a malfunctioning airsoft gun to the Big 5 store in Renton. But he had offered to keep watch due to alleged rising crime in the area. Continue reading...
More grave violations' committed in occupied territories and Israel than anywhere else in world, report saysMore grave violations against children were committed in Gaza, West Bank and Israel than anywhere else in the world last year, according to a UN report due to be published this week.The report on children and armed conflict, which has been seen by the Guardian, verified more cases of war crimes against children in the occupied territories and Israel than anywhere else, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Somalia, Nigeria and Sudan. Continue reading...
Port that processes the most cars and farm equipment in US opens to original depth and width after 26 March incidentThe main shipping channel into Baltimore's port has fully reopened to its original depth and width following the 26 March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which blocked most maritime traffic into the harbor.Officials announced the full reopening in a news release Monday evening. It comes after a massive cleanup effort as crews removed an estimated 50,000 tonnes of steel and concrete from the Patapsco River. Continue reading...
Two Animal Rising supporters cover monarch's face with Wallace character in protest against RSPCA-assured farmsAnimal rights activists have pasted a picture of the stop-motion cartoon character Wallace, from Wallace and Gromit, over the new portrait of King Charles, in a protest highlighting alleged cruelty at RSPCA-accredited farms.Two supporters of the group Animal Rising entered the Philip Mould gallery in central London after midday on Tuesday and carried out what they described as a comedic redecoration" of the portrait with apparently self-adhesive posters pressed into place with paint rollers. Continue reading...
by Vicky Graham (now) and Yohannes Lowe (earlier) on (#6NEDW)
Ukraine has fulfilled all necessary reform requirements to join bloc, European Commission president saysRussian tactical nuclear drills were made necessary by the tensions in Europe and the hostile actions of the US and European powers, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.Peskov told a briefing that drills such as the ones Russia is carrying out together with Belarus were normal practice. Continue reading...
by Martin Belam (now) and Jamie Grierson (earlier) on (#6NECH)
Official briefed by mediators says that neither Hamas or Israel has yet given a formal response to US-backed planIsrael's military has said it has intercepted some of a barrage of about 50 projectiles fired towards the Golan Heights from the direction of Lebanon. In a statement the IDF said:Following the sirens that sounded in northern Israel a short while ago, approximately 50 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into the area of the central Golan Heights. The IDF aerial defense array successfully intercepted a number of the projectiles. The rest of the launches fell in open areas. No injuries were reported. Continue reading...
Marine Le Pen congratulates brave choice' from Les Republicains' Eric Ciotti amid manoeuvring ahead of snap general electionAround one in two voters took part in the European elections last week, with the latest data showing turnout almost static.According to figures released by the European parliament on Tuesday, the 2024 turnout was 50.93%, a tiny improvement on the 50.66% reported in 2019. Continue reading...
Masoud Pezeshkian must convince disillusioned voters that he represents chance for credible changeThe one reformist candidate in Iran's presidential election, a 69-year-old doctor who raised his three children alone after his wife died in a car accident, faces an uphill but not impossible battle to convince a disenchanted Iranian electorate that he represents a chance for credible change.Masoud Pezeshkian, an MP for 20 years, was given clearance to stand by the 12-strong Guardian Council on Sunday and has until 28 June to reach the second round of the elections called after president Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash. No reformist was allowed to stand in the presidential election four years ago. Continue reading...
Most miscarriage of justice victims will still be denied compensation after two men lose test case in StrasbourgMost victims of miscarriages of justice will still be denied compensation in Britain after the European court of human rights ruled the government's test for payouts was lawful.A test case was brought by Sam Hallam and Victor Nealon, two men who between them served 24 years in prison for crimes they were later exonerated of. Neither was paid any compensation by the government despite new evidence being enough to overturn their convictions. Continue reading...
Wreckage of plane carrying Chilima and former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri found after weather warnings, says President ChakweraMalawi's vice-president, Saulos Chilima, and nine other people have been killed in a plane crash, the country's president, Lazarus Chakwera, said in a live televised address.The wreckage of the military plane carrying Chilima and the former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri to a funeral was found in a mountainous area in the north of the country on Monday. Continue reading...
Disgraced paedophile pop star told to pay 508,800 in damages including for lost earnings and future therapyThe disgraced paedophile pop star Gary Glitter has been ordered by a high court judge to pay 508,800 in damages to one of the women he abused.Glitter, whose real name is Paul Gadd, is being sued after his 2015 conviction for abusing the claimant and two other young people between 1975 and 1980. Continue reading...
Dennis Henry, 61, granted leave to remain after almost four decades of struggling to secure his immigration statusA Jamaican man in his 60s who arrived in the UK at the age of 23 has been granted leave to remain after four decades of struggling to secure his immigration status. But he will not be able to apply for British citizenship for another decade.Dennis Henry, 61, came to the UK in January 1986 to join members of his family. He was an apprentice tailor and dreamed of a career as an engineer in the music industry. He arrived on a six-month visa and was unsuccessful in attempts to regularise his status because, like some members of the Windrush generation, he was unable to evidence his years of residency in the UK. Continue reading...
Beverley McLachlin's resignation comes after British judge Lord Sumption also quit court of final appeal, condemning impossible political environment'A former chief justice of Canada's supreme court has announced she is stepping down from Hong Kong's court of final appeal - the latest in a string of resignations amid concerns about judicial independence from China.Beverley McLachlin, 80, said she was leaving the territory's top court to spend more time with her family but still held confidence in the members of the court, their independence and their determination to uphold the rule of law". Continue reading...
by Elias Visontay Transport and urban affairs reporte on (#6NEB3)
The airline has said that anyone who sustained serious injuries on SQ321 last month could be entitled to a larger paymentSingapore Airlines has offered US$10,000 compensation payments to passengers who suffered minor injuries during a flight last month that hit sudden, extreme turbulence.On Tuesday, the airline announced that it had sent compensation offers to passengers who were on board flight SQ321 from London to Singapore on 20 May, which dropped 54 metres in altitude in less than five seconds while flying over Myanmar. Continue reading...
Standup comedian says men appear to be handed late-night shows while women are relegated' to daytime TVThe comedian Katherine Ryan has lamented the lack of female late-night chatshow hosts in the UK in an interview for Grace Dent's Comfort Eating podcast.Ryan, a standup comedian who has appeared in UK panel shows and sitcoms, including The Duchess on Netflix, said men appear to be handed late-night shows while women tended to feature more in daytime TV. Continue reading...
by Presented by Michael Safi with Jon Henley; produce on (#6NEA4)
The far right has made significant gains in the European parliament elections. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has responded with a high-stakes gambleAs the results of the EU elections came in, the shocks kept coming. In France, Germany and Italy the far right made serious gains. Just under a quarter of MEPs in the European parliament will be drawn from these parties. But outside the biggest countries the picture was more complicated - in some places, the centre parties held their ground, in others, the left did well.The biggest fallout has been in France. Macron saw the surge in the far-right votes as a direct challenge to his rule and his response was to call snap elections for the French parliament. Why has he taken such a huge gamble and what could all this mean for France - and the direction of Europe? Continue reading...
by Rachel Savage in Johannesburg and Leonard Masauli on (#6NDYY)
President speaks of heartbreaking situation' after aircraft carrying Saulos Chilima and nine others goes missing in bad weatherSoldiers are searching mountainous forests in northern Malawi after an aircraft carrying vice-president Saulos Chilima and nine others went missing on Monday.The plane carrying Chilima, former first lady Shanil Dzimbiri and eight others left the capital, Lilongwe, at 9.17am and had been expected to land 45 minutes later at Mzuzu international airport, about 370km (230 miles) to the north. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6NE6Z)
Degrees often derided as low-value' or Mickey Mouse' subjects are praised as vital to UK's 108bn creative industriesMedia and communications studies, often derided as soft", low-value" or Mickey Mouse" subjects, are in fact popular, dynamic and have profound impact", according to a report.The British Academy study says that rather than being low value", such courses play a vital role in the UK's 108bn creative industries and have become increasingly relevant in a world grappling with new technologies, artificial intelligence and the dangers of disinformation. Continue reading...