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Ageism standing in way of older writers breaking into the industry, playwrights claimThe phrase emerging playwright" should not be restricted to those under the age of 40, leading UK theatre figures have said, as it risks excluding new talent outside generation z.The novelist and playwright Nell Leyshon told the Guardian that ageism" was standing in the way of progress for writers who come to the world of theatre in later life. Continue reading...

Consumer expert writes to chancellor outlining four changes to help remedy financial injusticesRachel Reeves must overhaul the allowance that has resulted in thousands of unpaid carers being saddled with life-changing debt, and in some cases threatened with criminal prosecution, the consumer finance expert Martin Lewis has said.Lewis has written to the chancellor, identifying four measures that he says are possible to enact without great cost to the taxpayer that would remedy financial injustices, including changes to the child benefit charge and removing withdrawal penalties from lifetime Isas. Continue reading...

Nottingham maternity review finds women were refused interpreters, mocked and treated unkindlyExpectant mothers at a scandal-hit NHS trust have experienced discriminatory and racist behaviour" including midwives mimicking their accents and refusing to provide interpreters, according to the head of an inquiry into its failings.As part of the largest inquiry into a single service in the history of the NHS, Donna Ockenden is speaking with more than 1,900 families who have experienced stillbirth, neonatal death, maternal death or babies diagnosed with brain damage at Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust (NUH). Continue reading...

Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists estimates $7.3bn a year for 30 years could avoid most extinctions, repair soils and restore rivers

Four teenagers sentenced to almost 20 years each after stabbing and stomping defenceless boy to death in Reservoir

Some injured cows were euthanised while others were found dead on the truck at the South Yarra crash scene

Resumption of flights comes after South boosted frontline broadcasts of K-pop songs and propaganda messages across the borderBalloons carrying rubbish sent by North Korea have fallen on the compound of South Korea's presidential office, according to the Yonhap news agency.Other South Korean media reported the balloons caused no damage. AFP reported that the balloons prompted Seoul to mobilise chemical response teams. Yonhap gave no further details. Continue reading...

Fallon had been named in reserves for Parramatta's round one clash with Brisbane this weekend

Michael Safi travels to southern Lebanon where Hezbollah is trading strikes with Israeli forces and one misstep could result in all-out conflictTravelling through a village called Kafr Kila in the mountains of southern Lebanon, all Michael Safi could see was destroyed buildings. Twisted wires and rubble littered the landscape and a solitary yellow Hezbollah flag fluttered in the rubble.It is dangerous territory, patrolled by the UN's peacekeeping force. Airstrikes from Israeli forces happen every few days and are met with volleys of Hezbollah rockets across the border. Ever since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, Hezbollah has stepped up its own conflict with Israel. The tit-for-tat attacks are calculated - with neither side wanting to fully escalate. But there is a growing tension and a fear that one misstep could result in all-out war. As Safi tours the country, he finds a population weary of war but also resilient and defiant. Continue reading...

President of Kobayashi Pharmaceutical standing down after damning report said company failed to act with sufficient urgency after alarm was raised in JanuaryThe chairman and president of a major Japanese dietary supplement maker is to resign, as the company probes up to 80 deaths potentially linked to dietary supplements meant to lower cholesterol.Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, a household name in Japan, is at the centre of heath fears linked to its over-the-counter tablets containing red yeast rice, which is fermented with a mould culture. Continue reading...

The incident follows the alleged sexual assault of an Australian tourist in Paris last weekend

Alberta officials order residents, seasonal workers and tourists to flee as fires and smoke descend on Rocky Mountain communityOut-of-control wildfires near the Canadian town of Jasper have forced more than 25,000 to flee one of the country's largest national parks as multiple blazes and thick smoke descended on the Rocky Mountain community.Officials in the province of Alberta ordered residents of the Jasper townsite to leave immediately on Monday night, and soon after they called for the park, more than 4,200 sq miles (10,900 sq km) in size, to be fully cleared out. The town is home to 5,000 full-time residents, alongside 5,000 seasonal workers. The park also had roughly 15,000 visitors at the time. Continue reading...

Banking body reports increase to 1.5m in 2023 - the highest since before Covid - despite move to cashless societyThere has been an unexpected jump in the number of people who mainly use notes and coins for their daily spending, despite the UK moving closer to becoming a cashless society, a report has found.The volume of contactless and mobile payments increased last year, while the number of cash payments resumed a downward trajectory after enjoying a brief comeback in 2022, the banking body UK Finance noted in its annual report on the UK payments market. Continue reading...

France's president says delay is to avoid disorder, after leftist coalition announces Lucie Castet as its pick to become PMEmmanuel Macron has said he will maintain the country's centrist caretaker government until the end of the Olympic Games in mid-August to avoid disorder, dismissing an effort by a leftwing alliance to name a prime minister.His announcement in a TV interview came shortly after the leftist coalition that won the most votes in this month's parliamentary elections selected the little-known civil servant Lucie Castets as its choice for prime minister. Continue reading...

Shadow home secretary says he is best placed' to unite party and that he aims to become prime ministerJames Cleverly has become the first candidate to throw his hat into the ring for the leadership for the Conservative party.The shadow home secretary said he was best placed" to unite the Tories and overturn Keir Starmer's loveless landslide" to re-enter government. Continue reading...

MPs reject SNP's amendment with 103 votes in favour and 363 againstJames O'Brien is on a week-long break from presenting LBC and he has a surprising stand-in on the airwaves: Suella Braverman. The former home secretary said told listeners she would vote for Donald Trump if she was a US citizen.I want Trump to be president," she said. If we look at the policy - don't look at the characters and the personalities - if we look at the policy, I think the world will be safer under Donald Trump. Continue reading...

National Audit Office says NHS in England too cash-strapped to treat patients quickly enoughThe NHS's finances are so dire that the whole health service may break unless it receives a massive cash injection, Whitehall's spending watchdog has warned.Years of underfunding have left the NHS in England so cash-strapped that it cannot treat patients quickly enough, and the rising tide of ill-health will make matters worse, the National Audit Office (NAO) said. Continue reading...

Gen Sir Roly Walker says west faces axis of uncertainty' with increasing threats from Russia, China and IranBritain must be prepared to fight a war in three years' time and double the lethality of its army as the separate threats of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea come to a head, the new chief of the army has warned.Gen Sir Roly Walker, the chief of the general staff, told reporters that the west faced an axis of upheaval" with increasing military ambition and that a conflict involving one of the countries could lead to a significant detonation" in another theatre. Continue reading...

The picturesque Ile-de-Brehat follows major cities such as Amsterdam and Venice with measures to reduce visitorsA small, picturesque island off the north coast of Brittany has imposed a summer tourist quota in an effort to ensure visitors have a more enjoyable experience and its 400-odd permanent residents do not feel swamped.From this week until 23 August, the number of people allowed on to Ile-de-Brehat - excluding local people, second homeowners and workers - between 8.30am and 2.30pm must not exceed 4,700, said the island's mayor, Olivier Carre. Continue reading...

Alan Sharp accused of killing Jenny Sharp, 80, after police found woman unresponsive at address in TolworthAn 80-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the murder of his wife at their home in south-west London.Alan Sharp, from Tolworth, is accused of killing 80-year-old Jenny Sharp at their house in Raeburn Avenue. Continue reading...

Four children had been removed from house in Harehills to prevent them being taken abroadRoma children who were taken into care, sparking unrest in Leeds last week, have been returned to their extended family.Police and social services removed the four children from a house in Harehills on Thursday to prevent them being taken abroad in breach of a court order. The children, aged between eight and 14, had been living with family members since being removed from their parents in April, the family court in Leeds heard on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Brokers hope Nationwide's mortgage deal is sign of summer of savings' for homebuyersFixed-rate mortgages priced below 4% are back on sale for homebuyers for the first time since February, with brokers hoping it is a sign of things to come".Nationwide Building Society said from Wednesday it would be cutting rates by up to 0.25 percentage points across its two-, three- and five-year fixed mortgage products. Continue reading...

Wegovy wins approvals from MHRA as drug to help reduce risk of heart problems in people who are overweightHealth officials in the UK have given the green light for a weight-loss jab to be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes in overweight people.Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Wegovy, has already been approved for weight management in people with obesity. Continue reading...

ME expert said he wrote to hospital chief executive after Maeve Boothby O'Neill's deathA leading ME expert has told an inquest there is still no hospital ward in England capable of managing patients with the illness, and said it was a travesty" that some medical professionals did not believe it was a real physical condition.Speaking at the inquest of a woman who died with ME in 2021, Dr David Strain also expressed concern at aspects of the treatment Maeve Boothby O'Neill received at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital. Continue reading...

Cheatle steps down a day after House hearing where members of both parties called for her to quit

Expected to be the only candidate to lead Welsh Labour, she will have to use her experience to unite her party

The owners of Kanaan have said that wine glasses were smashed and the space was defiled by disgusting acts' in the attackVandals ransacked an Israeli-Palestinian restaurant in Berlin, smashing wine glasses and defiling the space with disgusting acts" a week after it hosted a queer Jewish-Muslim brunch, its owners have said.Kanaan, a casual eatery in the Prenzlauer Berg district of the city, has attracted national attention since the 7 October attacks on Israel by Hamas, for its message of unity over hate". Its owners, Oz Ben David, an Israeli, and Jalil Dabit, a Palestinian, have called it an island of peace". Continue reading...

High court hears case brought by claimants who say rights have been breached as result of adaptation planIn December, council officials ordered Kevin Jordan to leave his home, warning him it was at risk of falling into the sea at any moment.On Tuesday he had his day in court, accusing the government of failing to do enough to adapt to the changes the UK is facing as a result of climate breakdown. Continue reading...

Ayaan Waeys, who had Somali heritage, had shown symptoms of pre-eclampsia and died at St Thomas' hospital after giving birth to stillborn girl

Lady Neville-Rolfe says she had road to Damascus' moment when MPs raised flaws in prosecutions with executives

Statistics raise concerns that rise in demand for data processing driven by AI could derail climate targetsIreland's energy-hungry datacentres consumed more electricity last year than all of its urban homes combined, according to official figures.The country's growing fleet of datacentres used 21% of its electricity, an increase of a fifth on 2022, according to the Central Statistics Office. Continue reading...

Officer stabbed in chest at Frankland prison is conscious and talking' in hospital, police sayA police officer is conscious and talking" in hospital after being stabbed in the chest at Frankland prison, Durham Constabulary have said.A force spokesperson said officers were called to HMP Frankland in Durham city shortly after 11am. A police officer, who was visiting the facility from an outside force, suffered a stab wound to the chest during the incident. Continue reading...

Tim Davie said that fun and entertainment should prevail amid recent accusations about the behaviour of some of the show's professionalsThe BBC wants to make Strictly Come Dancing more fun and less competitive, its director general, Tim Davie, has said as he confirmed the next series of the show will definitely go ahead this autumn.Davie added he was worried that the Saturday night show had lost track of its purpose, with dancers too focused on winning the top prize. Continue reading...

Choudary convicted of having caretaker role' in Al-Muhajiroun and drumming up support onlineThe Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary has been found guilty of directing the terrorist group Al-Muhajiroun (ALM) and drumming up cross-border support for the banned organisation online.After a trial at Woolwich crown court in south London, Choudary was convicted on Tuesday of having a caretaker role" in directing ALM. Continue reading...

Corporation faces stark challenge as it struggles to reach younger audiences who are watching Netflix and YouTubeHalf a million households cancelled their licence fee last year as the BBC struggled to connect with younger audiences drifting away to Netflix and YouTube.The stark extent of the BBC's challenges are set out in the corporation's annual report, which shows the total number of British households paying the 169.50 licence fee fell to 23.9 million, suggesting a growing number of people feel able to go without BBC services. Continue reading...

Labor unions who back Harris are keen to see continuation of Biden administration's strong record of union supportUS unions have begun to rally round Vice-President Kamala Harris as Democrats and Republicans gear up for a fight over the labor vote in November.The unions who have rallied to Harris so far are keen to see a continuation of the Biden administration's strong record of union support. Biden has been touted as the most pro-union president ever, and became the first sitting president to walk a picket line during the United Auto Workers strike last year. Continue reading...

Women who sorted frankincense told to change their story or face consequences' in doTERRA's investigationAn investigation into the abuse of women working to supply frankincense to a leading US essential oils brand built on ethical sourcing has left workers unpaid and frightened, with some saying they were told to change their stories or face the consequences".Last year doTERRA, which sells essential oils and other wellness products to a mostly female customer base, launched an investigation into its frankincense supplier in Somaliland after reporting by the Fuller Project uncovered allegations of serious abuses, including sexual harassment and assault. Many women hired as frankincense sorters said they were routinely underpaid and faced harsh working conditions that had impacted their health. Continue reading...

Research shows forever chemicals' increasingly found in products as agency claims the chemicals aren't being usedToxic PFAS forever chemicals" are widely added to pesticides, and are increasingly used in the products in recent years, new research finds, a practice that creates a health threat by spreading the dangerous compounds directly into the US's food and water supply.The analysis of active and inert ingredients that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved for use in pesticides proves recent agency claims that the chemicals aren't used in pesticides are false. Continue reading...

Bob Dean Jr gets probation after pleading no contest to counts of cruelty to infirmed people and healthcare fraudA Louisiana nursing home magnate who left 800 elderly residents to endure a potent hurricane inside a fetid warehouse has avoided jail time after choosing not to dispute the cruelty charges facing him.Bob Dean Jr on Monday received three years of probation - along with about $2m in penalties, court costs and restitution - after pleading no contest to eight counts of cruelty to infirmed people, five of healthcare fraud and two of obstruction of justice. Continue reading...

Australian federal police say Arncliffe man is accused of facilitating travel of a 17-year-old as part of an alleged trafficking ring

Australian chef de mission Anna Meares says athletes have been advised to take care outside Olympic village after reports of assault

Exclusive: Senior Australian government source says ICJ ruling the continued Israeli occupation of territory seized in 1967 was illegal can't be ignored'

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Haley Terei likely to be charged with perverting the course of justice, judge says

Nearly 700 beverages with almost double the allowed maximum caffeine content seized from South Australian retailers

Tasmanian Labradoodles agrees to close to avoid charges laid for alleged overbreeding

Kerrie Struhs was scheduled to meet a parole officer before her daughter died from diabetes medicine being allegedly withheld, a Queensland trial has been told

Harris insiders say she is more likely to engage in public criticism of the Israeli prime minister than Joe Biden and to focus attention on the civilian toll in GazaOne of the key intrigues hanging over Benjamin Netanyahu's contentious visit to Washington this week is what kind of reception he will receive from the White House, and how he will be received by Joe Biden and his vice-president - and the likely Democratic party nominee - Kamala Harris.For much of Monday, no meetings between Netanyahu and either Biden or Harris had been confirmed, even though the Israeli PM had already departed for the US and was scheduled on Wednesday to address a joint session of Congress at the request of the House leader, Mike Johnson, a Republican. Continue reading...

Sakina Muhammad Jan, 48, to be sentenced on Monday after becoming first person found guilty of forced marriage

Detective in charge of investigating Haigh's disappearance told the court he regarded the case as a potential murder almost from the outset'