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Faced with little time to find new platforms, sellers say ban also furthers idea that sexual pleasure is taboo'Etsy has always been a home for sellers of bespoke, artisanal and alternative items - including erotic jewellery and sex toys.But as of next month, some of these companies will be kicked off the platform, which they see as a betrayal of Etsy's sizeable sex-positive community. Continue reading...

Local media reports say 17-year-old is suspected of stunt, which was posted on InstagramA teenager has been reported to police after allegedly sneaking around Florence's Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore overnight and climbing up to its Cupola del Brunelleschi to take a selfie.Wearing a black hoodie, jeans and trainers, a person filmed himself walking up an inside stairwell of the world heritage site before reaching the dome level, stepping on to a small platform outside and taking a picture of himself. Continue reading...

Roger Hallam, Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin face long sentences after verdictFive environmental activists are facing long sentences after they were found guilty of conspiring to block traffic on the M25, after a trial in which the defendants were arrested various times for defying the court.Roger Hallam, Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu and Cressida Gethin were charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance for organising direct action protests that caused gridlock on London's orbital motorway in November 2022. Continue reading...

Mayor of French city says all public resources are mobilised' after fire breaks out in spireHere are some images from Rouen today.All public resources are mobilised," wrote the mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, sharing a photo of the fire at the cathedral. Continue reading...

Prime minister to hold bilateral talks next week on sidelines of gathering of European leaders at Blenheim PalaceKeir Starmer is to kickstart the resetting of the UK's relationship with the EU with bilateral meetings next week with the prime ministers of Ireland of France, two of the country's most important neighbours.He will meet the taoiseach, Simon Harris, at Chequers on Wednesday on the eve of the fourth meeting of the European Political Community (EPC), a conference of more then 45 EU and non-EU prime ministers, which takes this place this year at Blenheim Palace near Oxford. Continue reading...

Dan Jarvis says government examining legislation as part of commitment to halve violence against woman and girlsMinisters will move at pace" to review the law on crossbow ownership, the security minister has said, after three women were killed in a suspected crossbow attack in Hertfordshire.Dan Jarvis said it was entirely reasonable" to question whether existing laws on the weapons were fit for purpose and that ministers would act decisively if they needed to be changed. Continue reading...

Elizabeth's father wrote she never said she wanted to stop insulin', according to messages read to Queensland's supreme court

The seats of Blaxland and Watson have higher percentages of Muslim voters than Labor's 2022 winning margin

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Changes will allow companies to skip shareholder votes on takeovers, which critics say risk diluting the quality' of the UK marketThe City watchdog will trigger the biggest shake-up of London stock market rules in more than 30 years this month, in an attempt to make the UK a more attractive place to list shares.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) confirmed on Thursday it would streamline and loosen rules for listed companies on 29 July, after months of hand-wringing over an exodus of companies from the London Stock Exchange for rival financial hubs. Continue reading...

Police search for Kyle Clifford, 26, after discovery of bodies of Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters, Hannah and Louise

Two leaders meet during Nato summit in Washington as prime minister works on EU-UK security pactJoe Biden has appeared to back Keir Starmer's ambition for the UK having a closer relationship with the European Union as the leaders held their first bilateral talks at the White House.The US president called the US and the UK the best of allies" as he met the prime minister in the Oval Office, describing Britain as the knot" that tied the transatlantic relationship together. Continue reading...

Neuron Mobility says technology is trained to recognise city's roads and footpaths and will issue a warning in real time

Man, 28, facing three domestic violence murder charges and five counts of attempted murder following weekend blaze at Lalor Park

First vicar of tiny St Mary's church in Cadgwith took part in RNLI rescue of 456 people from stricken liner SuevicA tiny church speedily built from corrugated iron more than a century ago and synonymous with one of the UK's most famous sea rescues has been given protected status.Historic England has declared that St Mary's in the Cornish fishing village of Cadgwith is important both for its architectural worth and its link to the rescue of 456 passengers and crew from the Suevic in 1907, after the ocean liner ran aground on rocks off nearby Lizard Point. Continue reading...

EU agency says 96% of respondents reported anti-Jewish behaviour, with conflict in Middle East one of the causesEurope is experiencing a wave of antisemitism" caused partly by the conflict in the Middle East, the EU's leading rights agency has said, as it published a survey finding that nearly all respondents reported recent anti-Jewish prejudice.The survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights found that 96% of respondents had experienced antisemitism in the year before the survey, which was carried out between January and June 2023. A total of 84% considered antisemitism to be a very big" or fairly big problem" in their country, while fewer than one in five (18%) thought governments were handling it effectively. Continue reading...

Warnings to avoid nearby waterways as EPA says same Melbourne factory was issued notices after previous fire

We need to think about the long-term solutions' to violence, says mayor Matt Paterson

A team led by an Australian researcher captured the pair swimming about 1.5km after two failed attemptsA record-breaking swim by two lion brothers across a predator-filled African river has been documented by a team led by a researcher from an Australian university.The two-male lion coalition was filmed crossing the Kazinga Channel in Uganda at night using high-definition heat detection cameras on drones. Continue reading...

Josh Klinghoffer, who is touring with Pearl Jam, is being sued after allegedly hitting and killing a pedestrian in a crash in Alhambra earlier this yearEx-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer is being sued for wrongful death and negligence after allegedly hitting and killing a pedestrian earlier this year.

Nato's communique highlights concerns over Beijing's nuclear arsenal and its capabilities in space, with Jens Stoltenberg calling it an important message

Pacific country must maintain independence' in security partnerships, military commander warns, amid spread of deals struck with other countries

This live blog is now closed. For more on the Dutch and Danish governments' statement at the summit, read our report:

Hugh Bayley says NGOs would also benefit as he releases report on impact of UK programme in AfghanistanThe UK should consider restoring its diplomatic presence in Afghanistan to support Afghan women and to help monitor the impact of British aid, a commissioner for the official UK aid watchdog has suggested.Hugh Bayley, who visited Kabul in May, said he believed Afghan women and NGOs would welcome more western diplomats to represent the opinions of women to the Taliban as he released a report by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) on the effectiveness of the UK programme, which is the second largest operated by Britain. Continue reading...

Retired newsagent who fundraised 50,000 for legal battle was due to take case to court in autumnA retired newsagent and local legend" from Merseyside has said he feels marvellous after a Home Office U-turn granted him the right to live in the UK almost 50 years after he arrived.Nelson Shardey, 75, launched legal action against the Home Office and fundraised almost 50,000 earlier this year after he was refused the right to stay in the UK permanently, despite living in the country since 1977 and running his shop, Nelson's News, in Wirral for 31 years. Continue reading...

Dr Henrietta Hughes said focus on budgets had led to substandard care and dismissal of legitimate fears

England's patient safety commissioner says NHS patients raising concerns are dismissed as difficult women'

Government to announce terms which could free more than 20,000 inmates in coming months to manage capacityThe shocking" prisons crisis is even worse than feared, Keir Starmer has said as the government prepares to release tens of thousands of inmates early in a bid to prevent jails becoming full.The prime minister suggested he was opposed to freeing violent criminals and sex offenders when ministers announce the terms of a new prisoner release scheme for England and Wales on Friday. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed. For the latest on Democrats showing skepticism toward Biden's campaign, read our full report:

Judgement deems one of Baghdadi's widows complicit in crimes against Yazidi womenAn Iraqi court has issued a death sentence against one of the widows of the late Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, alleging that she was complicit in crimes committed against Yazidi women captured by the militant group.The ruling comes weeks before the 10-year mark since IS launched a series of attacks against the Yazidi religious minority in the northern Iraqi region of Sinjar in early August 2014, killing and capturing thousands - including women and girls who were subjected to human trafficking and sexual abuse. The UN said the campaign against the Yazidis amounted to genocide. Continue reading...

Alexi Saenz pleads guilty to racketeering and firearms charges in case including killings of two high school girlsA leader of an MS-13 gang clique in New York pleaded guilty on Wednesday to racketeering and firearms charges in a case involving eight murders, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls who were hacked and beaten to death as they strolled through their leafy, suburban neighborhood on Long Island.Alexi Saenz entered the plea in federal court in Central Islip. Prosecutors previously withdrew an attempt to seek the death penalty in his case. Continue reading...

Manhunt was launched after Carol Hunt, 61, and two of her daughters, Hannah and Louise, were found at their home, where they later diedA resident living near the scene of the triple murder has told Sky News that suddenly last night there was a large number of police cars in the street, and that some of the officers were armed. He said that at first he thought it must have been a terrorism incident. Derek Turner told viewersIt was like an explosion in the street of police cars and ambulances. I would say in just this little bit here there were at least ten police cars. And we didn't know what was going on. We didn't have a clue. And suddenly there were police outside in black uniforms with semi-automatic guns walking around. So I initially thought it might be terrorists or something.But that's all I can say. It's all been blocked off. It's been a bit of a shock because it's a really residential area. Nothing much ever goes on around here at all apart from people going back and forwards to work. Continue reading...

Star's big-budget western sequel taken off release schedule after first has struggled to pass $25m mark at the box officeThe second part of Kevin Costner's big-budget Horizon saga has been pulled from its August release date after the first film underperformed.The first film premiered at the Cannes film festival in May to negative reviews, scoring a 48% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw called it a handsome-looking but oddly listless" western. Continue reading...

Human rights barrister says US expects Labour government to continue UK challenge to proposed action against Israeli PM

Evacuation order follows deadly airstrikes on locations including schools and shelters in past few daysThe Israeli military told all Palestinian civilians to leave Gaza City and head south on Wednesday as it stepped up a military offensive in the territory that has killed dozens of people over the past 48 hours.The evacuation order, carried out by dropping leaflets urging all those in Gaza City" to take two safe routes" south to the area around the central town of Deir al-Balah, came after a series of deadly strikes over the past two days in other parts of Gaza. Continue reading...

MP says she won't be silenced' after posting on social media to celebrate ethnic diversity of her Westminster cohortDawn Butler has said she won't be silenced" over celebrating ethnic minority representation after she appeared to have been reported to the police online for praising the Labour government showing off the melanin".After Monday's meeting of the parliamentary Labour party, attended by all 411 MPs, Butler posted the phrase with three photographs on X, one of which featured her with eight colleagues: Kim Johnson, Zarah Sultana, Apsana Begum, Florence Esholomi, Juliet Campbell, Miatta Fahnbulleh and Taiwo Owatemi. Continue reading...

Bob Blackman, picked as the 1922 Committee chair, will play a major role in shaping the contest to replace Rishi SunakRishi Sunak remains leader of the Conservatives for now but the party's most important figure is arguably a veteran backbencher with little national profile and zero ministerial experience.Bob Blackman, the MP for Harrow East, has taken on a pivotal role in shaping his party's forthcoming leadership contest after being elected as chair of the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs. Continue reading...

Tory leadership contender says views of activists, members and friends who lost seats after giving everything to campaign' matterUkraine must decide for itself whether it uses Britain's storm shadow missiles to strike military targets inside Russia, Keir Starmer has said.The prime minister said the long range missiles should be used for defensive purposes but that Kyiv would make its own decisions on targeting.We're obviously providing military aid, that is obviously to be used in accordance with international humanitarian law as you would expect.It is for defensive purposes but it is for Ukraine to decide how to deploy it for those defensive purposes. I'm not going to get into a discussion here as you'd imagine on targeting, that wouldn't be appropriate, but that is the position.I'm delighted to be returning to the Department for Education. There are real challenges facing our schools and I am looking forward to being part of a renewed drive to ensure that we tackle these with bold and fresh new ideas, to deliver high and rising standards in every corner of the country.Sir Kevan has been an outstanding force for good in schools, especially his work advocating for our teachers and children during the pandemic and he will play a crucial role in advising the department. Continue reading...

Government adviser warns effort to halve violence against women and girls will increase numbers heading to nearly full jails

Group of masked men approached wooden vessel in dinghies, prompting panic during rescue by charity shipA group of masked and armed men have threatened a wooden boat in distress in the central Mediterranean, provoking the frightened passengers to throw themselves into the sea.The incident happened early on Tuesday morning as crew from Ocean Viking, a rescue ship operated by the charity SOS Mediterranee, were evacuating 93 people who had been crammed on to the blue wooden vessel in distress about 19 miles (30km) off the coast of Libya. Continue reading...

Tori Towey's case was raised for second day in row in Irish parliamentThe Irish premier, Simon Harris, has said that a travel ban imposed by Dubai authorities on Tori Towey, an Irish woman who was reportedly charged with attempted suicide, has been lifted.Towey, 28, a flight attendant from Co Roscommon, was charged with attempted suicide and alcohol abuse after waking up in a police station after an attack, Irish parliamentarians were told. Continue reading...

Previously unreported poll shows Biden's Latino support declining as Trump's rises - but congressman's popularity could offer a liftAfter a dismal debate performance that has thrown the viability of Joe Biden's candidacy into question, Democrats worry he will drag other candidates on the ballot down with him. But in Arizona, there is hope that the strength of the US Senate candidate Ruben Gallego will have the opposite effect, boosting Biden.Equis Research, a Democratic group started by Obama administration alumni, privately released a poll in May that showed Gallego, who is facing the former TV anchor and Trump acolyte Kari Lake in the Senate race, had the highest support among Democrats running for Senate in six key states compared to the president, outperforming Biden by 13 points among Latinos. Continue reading...

The president might have wiggled out of a dire circumstance after his debate after Democrats missed their chance, but uncertainty still lingersIn his dotage and with images of his epic Georgia debate meltdown still fresh in the popular mind, Joe Biden is probably nobody's idea of a Harry Houdini copycat.Yet, with the Democratic party seemingly paralysed between the terror of a second Donald Trump presidency and fear of the consequences of taking decisive action, the US president may - barring mishaps - be on the cusp of one of history's great political escape acts. Continue reading...

Housebuilder cites economic and political uncertainty as expected number of completed homes drops by up to 7%

Five climate protesters deny conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance after motorway actionA climate activist accused of plotting to bring the M25 to a standstill urged jurors to apply their conscience and common sense" to the case before they began their deliberations.Just Stop Oil protesters are said to have caused more than 500,000 worth of damage and delayed about 480,000 rush-hour journeys by scaling gantries over the motorway between 7 and 10 November 2022. Continue reading...

Show will follow former Tory MP, his six children and family's nanny in run-up to and aftermath of election

Fares for road tunnels under Thames could be halved for low-income local residents, as pricing consultation opensDrivers will be charged up to 4 at peak times for a one-way trip through either the Blackwall tunnel or the new Silvertown tunnel after the latter opens in 2025, Transport for London has announced.However, TfL is proposing to halve these charges for low-income local residents in east London to use either of the road tunnels under the Thames, as well as exempting buses, black taxis and zero-emission cabs. Continue reading...

Ahead of UK-US bilateral talks, PM says primary driver for cutting peers' retirement age is size of Lords chamber

Brexit supporter calls for new chancellor to rectify tax inequality' in hospitality industryTim Martin, the politically outspoken boss of the JD Wetherspoon pub chain, has praised the new Labour chancellor's economic pedigree", as he called for tax changes to help the struggling hospitality sector.Martin regularly publishes economic and political commentary alongside his company's results and has previously voiced support for Brexit and Boris Johnson. Continue reading...

Kyiv says it downed 14 of 20 drones launched by Russia, but strikes kill two in Odesa and hit energy supplies in RivneKatarina Mathernova, the European Union's ambassador to Kyiv, has posted pictures of a group of ambassadors visiting the site of the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in central Kyiv.She described the attack on the building earlier this week as the latest Russian terror and destruction" and described it as gut-wrenching". Continue reading...