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Employees voiced frustrations at how the administration process had been conducted, sources say

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...

GMB poll receives reports of workers being stabbed, punched and threatened with syringesOne in three Asda staff have been attacked at work, according to research that included reports of workers being stabbed, punched and threatened with syringes.The poll of almost 1,000 members of GMB, one of the UK's biggest unions, returned stories of delivery drivers being chased by people in cars, while store workers had food thrown at them. More than half (58%) of respondents said they had suffered injury or illness on the job. Continue reading...

Party's proposals involve about 140m to refurbish school classrooms, but nothing extra to increase staffing

Party figures including Braverman and Jenrick waiting to see how public responds to pledges, insiders sayConservative rightwingers are planning to present Rishi Sunak with demands for tougher action on immigration and human rights law before the election if the prime minister's manifesto promises on Tuesday fall flat.Prominent party figures including Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick are said by Tory insiders to be among those waiting to see how the manifesto is received by the public before they act. Continue reading...

Only Russia abstains in vote on plan calling for hostage and prisoner swap in six-week ceasefire leading to wider dealThe UN security council has adopted a resolution calling for Hamas to agree to a three-phase hostage-for-ceasefire proposal outlined by Joe Biden, the first time the body has endorsed a comprehensive peace deal to end the Gaza war.A Hamas statement said the group welcomed the resolution, though it was not immediately clear if that meant the leadership in Gaza accepted the ceasefire plan. Continue reading...

Man shot in chest by officer while attempting to flee police who had forced speeding vehicle to stopFrench police are questioning an officer after the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man as he fled an attempted control of a vehicle for speeding, prosecutors said.It was the latest incidence of alleged police violence against suspects that has prompted protests in recent years by critics citing heavy-handed tactics, in particular against people from ethnic minorities. Continue reading...

PM acknowledges in BBC Panorama interview to air tonight that it is a challenge for people to buy their first home

Taxes, D-day, Farage and NHS waiting lists were all on the agenda as the prime minister jousted with Nick RobinsonRishi Sunak was the first party leader to sit down with the BBC's Nick Robinson for the broadcasters's series of long-form election interviews. Here are the key points from the PM's grilling. Continue reading...

Fears of negative press outweighed by sadness and disbelief after TV presenter's body was found five days after he went missingThank God we found him." Seated in his black leather office chair, surrounded by icons, oil paintings, photographs, medals and models ships, Lefteris Papakaloudoukas, Symi's longtime mayor, is clearly relieved.It's 9am and almost 24 hours have elapsed since the body of the TV presenter Michael Mosley was found lying in a gulley of rocks and thistle only metres from the sea, beneath the perimeter fence of a beach bar. Continue reading...

European Conservatives and Reformists party includes members such as Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy and Poland's Law and Justice

Party's spokesperson says Ian Gribbin's comments that Britain should have accepted Nazi offer probably true'

In Soissons, where the National Rally won over 50% of votes in the European elections, there is unease about the snap electionEveryone is in total shock," said Baptiste Lopata, a radiologist, sitting in his trade union office in the small northern French town of Soissons. Now we've all got to mobilise against the far right."When Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration, far-right National Rally (RN) won a historic victory in the European elections on Sunday night, its highest scores were here, in the north-eastern departement of l'Aisne, where it won over 50%, and even 60% in some rural villages, compared with a 31% score nationwide. Continue reading...

Exclusive: names include Debbie Soloman who stood for Brexit party and used #NeverTrustATory

Steve Endacott claims his artificial intelligence-produced avatar would answer constituents' questions and concernsPolitics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians, so the saying goes.This may be why a businessman in the south of England is proposing a novel solution: putting himself forward as a candidate in the UK general election as the first AI MP". Continue reading...

Destroyed artefacts in St Anne's Anglican church include unique paintings by Group of Seven art collectiveAn early morning fire at a Toronto church has destroyed both a historic site and rare paintings by an acclaimed group of Canadian artists, leaving the city reeling from a heartbreaking" loss.Fire crews responded on Sunday to a blaze engulfing St Anne's Anglican church, a national historic site in the city's Little Portugal neighbourhood. Continue reading...

Macron's bombshell adds uncertainty to the race to be European Commission president, and the incumbent will need to look left or right for supportUrsula von der Leyen has begun trying to craft a majority for a second term as European Commission president, after major gains for the far right that are likely to mean a less stable European parliament.Von der Leyen, a German Christian Democrat, was jubilant after her European People's party (EPP) secured 186 of the 720 seats in the European elections, maintaining its 25-year hold as the largest group and leaving her a narrow path to a second term. Continue reading...

Bezalel Smotrich calls deal with Hamas collective suicide' as PM grapples with fallout from Benny Gantz resignationThe prospect of a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas appears to be rapidly receding after the far-right Israeli cabinet member Bezalel Smotrich - on whom Benjamin Netanyahu is now reliant after the resignations of more moderate ministers at the weekend - said he would oppose a deal.Smotrich's comments, during a Knesset committee meeting, came amid the fallout from the resignation of the former army chief of staff Benny Gantz from the war cabinet. Gantz quit on the same weekend that Israel rescued four Israeli hostages held in Gaza in an operation that Gaza's health ministry said killed more than 270 Palestinians and injured hundreds more. Continue reading...

Family angered by Anne Sacoolas's refusal to give evidence in person over motorcyclist's death in 2019Harry Dunn's mother has said she is unspeakably hurt" that her son's killer, Anne Sacoolas, has refused to attend the inquest into his death, saying it was bitterly disappointing and, as a mother, utterly incomprehensible".An inquest into Dunn's death resumed on Monday, almost five years after the 19-year-old was killed when his motorcycle collided head-on with Sacoolas, who was driving on the wrong side of the road outside RAF Croughton, a US military base in Northamptonshire. Continue reading...

Some polls give Labour huge majority but confounding issues such as Gaza war mean things may not be so clearcut

Exclusive: It comes after women's safety taskforce recommended establishment of permanent forensic positions in all hospitals

Supermarket's purchase limit applies everywhere except WA as more than 500,000 chickens euthanised due to avian influenza

Antony Blinken also visiting Middle East this week in push to nail down support for deal to end hostilities

US secretary of state, who is visiting the region, says Egyptian mediators have spoken to Hamas

Pair become two of youngest convicted murderers in UK after machete attack in parkTwo 12-year-old boys have been found guilty of the murder of Shawn Seesahai, 19, who was killed in an apparently unprovoked machete attack in a Wolverhampton park.The pair, who cannot be named because of their age, have become two of the youngest convicted murderers in the UK. Continue reading...

PM says he does not accept that election result is foregone conclusion as he returns to campaign trail

Ukraine military says surface-to-air systems in Dzhankoi and anti-aircraft missile units in Chornomorske and Yevpatoria hitBelarus said on Monday its army was taking part in the second stage of Russian exercises to practice the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, Reuters reports.The first phase of the drills, ordered by president Vladimir Putin, took place last month.

Exclusive: German police hope to intercept group before they can clash with England fans in GelsenkirchenGerman police believe a squad of up to 500 Serbian hooligans will try to cause violence at England men's first game at Euro 2024 on Sunday.Peter Both, the chief of police in Gelsenkirchen, said the challenge would be to intercept the group before they were able to clash with England fans in the west German city. Continue reading...

Mainstream groups hold on to majority in European parliament but far right gains weaken governments in France and Germany

After populist gains in France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands in EU elections, Macron announces he will dissolve French parliament. Plus: a new series exploring the angst at heart of US election

Met Office reports tentative signs of building high pressure but forecasts sunny spells and showers for this weekThere are tentative signs of high pressure building from the west but cool, wet weather is likely to continue across the UK, forecasters say.After a cool and windy weekend, Monday and Tuesday will remain cool for the time of year, the Met Office said, although will feel warmer in sheltered sunshine. Continue reading...

Surprise announcement comes amid internal party pressure and fresh allegations over expenses claims

Crowds attending drone show at Sydney's winter light festival feared crowd crush and were left feeling trapped and panicked

Chris Philp says PM has apologised for not attending commemoration and will be back bouncing around the campaign trail'Chris Philp, the policing minister, said he was left feeling surprised and disappointed" on learning Rishi Sunak had left D-day commemorations early, but insisted the prime minister would recover politically from the mistake.As the row over Sunak's decision to miss events in Normandy involving other world leaders rumbled into a second week, he is scheduled to resume speaking to journalists in a planned policing-based visit to West Sussex. Continue reading...

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London hospitals struggling to match patients' blood at usual speed - and O-type safe to use for all patientsAn appeal has been launched for O blood-type donors to book appointments across England after the ransomware attack affecting major London hospitals.NHS Blood and Transplant is appealing for O blood-type donations as this is safe to use for all patients. The cyber-attack means the affected hospitals cannot match patients' blood at the same frequency as usual. Continue reading...

Chris Minns says review of Molly Ticehurst's interactions with government agencies will be provided to her family and the public

Far right celebrates in France, Germany and Austria, but mainstream centre parties on course to hold majority

Police called to Kings Domain Monday morning to find head removed and paint thrown at monument

Money raised in manifesto commitment would be used to recruit 8,000 more GPs and speed up cancer treatmentThe Liberal Democrats are to announce plans to overhaul capital gains tax to raise 5bn for the NHS, making them the first party to announce a big tax change as part of their spending plans.The party's leader, Ed Davey, said the change was making tax fairer" and the party said it would hit only the wealthiest. The party will unveil its manifesto on Monday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Campaign group says 319 households accepted tenancy offers outside capital in 2023, with many under threat of being made destitute'Hundreds of homeless families were permanently forced out of London by councils last year after many were given 24-hour ultimatums to either accept a private tenancy far away from the capital or be kicked out of temporary accommodation and left on the streets.The campaign group Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth (HASL) found that 319 households in 2023 accepted offers of a private tenancy outside London. They were often given 24 hours by council officials to accept homes out of the capital or risk making themselves intentionally homeless" by refusing an offer. Continue reading...

Repairs complete but security concerns after Israeli operation to free hostages mean food has not yet been distributedHumanitarian assistance has begun to come ashore in Gaza from a US-made pier once more, two weeks after the short-lived sea corridor was suspended due to storm damage, but security concerns after one of the bloodiest days of the war meant the aid was not distributed.The head of the World Food Programme (WFP), Cindy McCain, said the food distribution from the pier had been paused" because she was concerned about the safety of our people". An Israeli military operation on Saturday freed four hostages but killed 274 Palestinians and left one Israeli commando dead. McCain said two of WFP's warehouses in Gaza had also been rocketed and a staffer injured. Continue reading...

Exclusive: New study also shows forces in England and Wales 10 times more likely to search black peopleBlack children are more than six times more likely than white children to be subjected to a strip-search by police, a new study shows.Of the forces in England and Wales that provided data for the study, 10 showed a disparity where black people were 10 times more likely to be strip-searched. Sussex police were 18 times more likely to subject a black person to a strip search. Continue reading...

GambleAware signals collision course with industry as charity brands current warnings inadequate'Adverts for bookmakers and online casinos should carry smoking-style warnings, the UK's leading gambling charity has said, as it warned that a marketing surge during the Euro 2024 football tournament could make it harder for people to cut down or quit.GambleAware called for an end to the industry-approved Take Time To Think" slogan, which appears on gambling adverts, labelling the message inadequate". Continue reading...

Cambridge engineers re-create mathematician Dr John Venn's machine, which launched balls at 33mphA wooden contraption that bowled out an Australian international cricketer four times in 1909 has been re-created by engineers at the University of Cambridge.The bowling machine was designed by Dr John Venn, the mathematician who gave his name to Venn diagrams, in the early 1900s. Continue reading...

Muhammad Yunus tells the Guardian charges against him are politically motivated, and expresses concern about personal attacks from politiciansThe Nobel peace laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus has said that years of fighting what he calls dirty" politically motivated attacks on his work to alleviate poverty in Bangladesh have made life totally miserable".Yunus told the Guardian he had come under 20 years of pressure from the Bangladeshi government for his work, which is credited with improving the lives of millions of poor people, particularly women. Continue reading...

European commission president says there remains a majority in the centre for a strong Europe' as far right makes huge gains across continent; Emmanuel Macron makes shock election move

The governing coalition of Alexander De Croo lost its ability to form a majority - while an expected surge for far right Vlaams Belang failed to materialiseBelgium is heading for a new government after a general election in which an expected surge for the far right party Vlaams Belang failed to materialise and the outgoing governing coalition headed by liberal prime minister Alexander De Croo lost its ability to form a majority.Vlaams Belang's arch rival the nationalist party N-VA (New Flemish Alliance) was on course to remain the largest party in Belgium's parliament on Sunday while De Croo's liberal party, Open VLD, slumped in Flanders, the Dutch speaking part of the country. Continue reading...

Survey commissioned by Just.Equal Australia comes as Brisbane's Citipointe Christian College says it regrets distress caused by 2022 enrolment contract

Acclaimed soul singer claims multiple drivers refused to take her home on Friday night, with one allegedly saying he didn't serve her kind of people'