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Prosecution of three high-ranking Syrian officials to be tried in absentia could pave way for president's caseAt midnight on 3 November 2013, five Syrian officials dragged arts and humanities student Patrick Dabbagh from his home in the Mezzeh district of Damascus.The following day, at the same hour, the same men, including a representative of the Syrian air force's intelligence unit, returned with a dozen soldiers to arrest the 20-year-old's father Mazzen. Continue reading...

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Benny Gantz's threat to withdraw his opposition party from coalition calls into question future of governmentThe Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz has threatened to resign if Benjamin Netanyahu fails to adopt an agreed plan for Gaza, calling into question the future of the Israeli government.During a press conference on Saturday, Gantz announced that if a plan for postwar governance of the territory is not consolidated and approved by 8 June, his opposition National Unity party will withdraw from the coalition government. Continue reading...

In latest Opinium poll, only 16% say accepting rightwing Tory MP's defection was the right move - against 33% who see it as a mistakeMore voters believe Keir Starmer was wrong to allow a rightwing Tory MP into Labour than think it was the right move, after anger from within the party's ranks over the defection.Natalie Elphicke, the Dover MP, said the Tories had become a byword for incompetence and division" when she made her shock departure to Labour earlier in May. The party leadership regarded it as a major coup to win the support of the MP on the frontline of the Channel crossings issue that Rishi Sunak has attempted to prioritise. The move came despite concerns among MPs that her views conflict with Labour in a variety of areas. Continue reading...

As the inquiry publishes it final report, the chancellor is under pressure to find 10bn to put right a longstanding injusticeThe chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, will come under pressure to stay true to his word and sign off on immediate compensation payments totalling up to 10bn to victims of the contaminated blood scandal when the long-awaited final report on the affair is published on Monday.The scandal is described as the worst treatment disaster in NHS history, with more than 3,000 people having died as a result of receiving contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. It is estimated that, even today, a person infected during the scandal dies every four days. Continue reading...

IDF says senior terrorist operative' Islam Khamayseh was killed in strike on the city of JeninIsrael says its jets have struck 70 targets across Gaza in the past 24 hours, while an airstrike in Jenin killed a significant" Islamic Jihad figure who operated as the head of logistics for the organisation's brigade in the city.The strike, carried out on Friday night by a fighter jet and a helicopter, killed Islam Khamayseh, a senior terrorist operative in the Jenin camp" who was responsible for a series of attacks in the area, the IDF said. Continue reading...

Head of Church of England Justin Welby tells Observer that ending policy would lift thousands of UK children out of poverty

Media is barred from hearing as 71-year-old man appears in closed session over attempted assassination of prime ministerThe suspect in the shooting of Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico appeared in a closed court hearing on Saturday outside Bratislava amid growing fears about the future of the deeply divided nation.The media was barred from the hearing, and reporters were kept behind a gate by armed police officers wearing balaclavas. Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more of our Israel-Gaza war coverage hereIsrael on Friday attacked South Africa's case against it in the international court of justice as an obscene exploitation" of the genocide convention, claiming it aimed not to protect Palestinian civilians but to defend Hamas militants.Israel's representatives told the court their country was fighting a war of self-defence it did not want and did not start". They said Israel had made extraordinary" efforts to protect civilians, and had complied with orders from the court to let more aid into Gaza. Continue reading...

Locals hope TV adaptation of One Hundred Years of Solitude will bring new life to Aracataca, birthplace of author's magical realismIn sweltering mid-afternoon heat, children splash in the clear water of the canal that threads through town as elderly neighbours look on from rocking chairs on the porches of their sun-washed houses. Butterflies spring from every bush, sometimes fluttering together in kaleidoscopes.At the foot of Colombia's Sierra Nevada mountains, about 20 miles from the Caribbean coast, Gabriel Garcia Marquez's fictional world of Macondo lives on. Continue reading...

Myrteza Hilaj and Kreshnik Kadena convicted after NCA operation into Albanian crime group involved in illegal migrationTwo men who used a plane to smuggle people from northern France to an aerodrome in Essex have been jailed.Myrteza Hilaj and Kreshnik Kadena, both from Leyton in east London, were found guilty at Southwark crown court in March of facilitating the commission of a breach of immigration law. Continue reading...

When on holiday in Berwick the artist often gave his work away. Now a new exhibition reveals the value of drawings that survived in a shoeboxA 1958 drawing of a family with their dogs by LS Lowry from one of his many holidays in Berwick-upon-Tweed is to go on public display for the first time. But the sketch is lucky to have survived: it was kept in a shoe box for 43 years, emerging somewhat creased because its recipient had little idea of Lowry's significance.The signed and dated drawing on headed notepaper from the Castle Hotel, where the artist stayed for most summers from the 1930s until the 1970s, was given to hotel receptionist, Anne Mather. I didn't think much about it, and only after he died did I remember it," Mather told the Berwick Advertiser in 2001 when she put the sketch up for auction. He was quiet and reclusive, but I can still visualise him in the lounge. He would sit and doodle, with his glasses at the end of his nose." Continue reading...

Nelson Shardey, 74, became tearful on hearing of support for effort to gain settled status after 50 years in UKA retired 74-year-old newsagent who has lived in the UK for nearly 50 years said tears were running" from his eyes after strangers fundraised more than 30,000 to support his legal fight to remain in the country.Nelson Shardey, who has been described as a Merseyside local legend", is pursuing a legal challenge against the Home Office after he was refused indefinite leave to remain, despite living and working in the UK since 1977. Continue reading...

Victoria Atkins says she has asked officials to look into claims doctors and nurses who have spoken up were mistreatedThe NHS must listen to whistleblowers and investigate their concerns in the interests of patient safety, the health secretary has said.Victoria Atkins said she had asked officials to look into cases where there were claims of mistreatment of people who had spoken up about the issues they had experienced. Continue reading...

New York actor was taken to hospital after a stranger punched him in the face while he was walking in Manhattan on 8 MayA man wanted in connection with the random attack on actor Steve Buscemi on a New York City street earlier this month was arrested on an assault charge on Friday, police said.The 66-year-old star of Boardwalk Empire and Fargo was walking in midtown Manhattan on 8 May when a stranger punched him in the face, city police said. He was taken to a hospital with bruising, swelling and bleeding to his left eye, but was otherwise OK, his publicist said at the time. Continue reading...

With thousands now held without charge, lawyers say Israel is

Researcher uncovers vast Facebook campaign and accuses Meta of lack of willingness' to counter itThe stories are doom-laden, laced with vitriolic sneers about Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Ursula von der Leyen. Ukrainians are ready to depose" their leader, Macron is breaking French rules" with aid to Ukraine, an uncontrolled influx" from the east is seriously harming the Germans".According to new research, these are just a few examples of a vast pro-Russian propaganda campaign washing over Facebook accounts of French and German citizens, before the European parliament elections next month. Continue reading...

Six motions calling for end to Israel-Gaza conflict carried after Jacinta Allan says she is disgusted' by behaviour of protesters at Labor state conference

Campaigners say move to electronic permits by end of the year is a recipe for disaster' that could leave immigrants without proof of statusLawyers and migrant rights campaigners have warned that the government is heading for a repeat of the Windrush scandal after imposing a cliff edge" deadline for immigrants to switch to new digital visas.By the end of this year an estimated 500,000 or more non-EU immigrants with leave to remain in the UK will need to replace their physical biometric residence permits (BRPs) - which demonstrate proof of their right to reside, rent, work and claim benefits - with digital e-visas. Continue reading...

Gender stereotypes at home may hamper female students' ability to progress in the classroom, research suggestsParents are more likely to overestimate maths ability in sons than daughters, according to research that suggests that gender stereotypes at home may hinder the progress of female students.The findings, presented in a lecture at University College London this week, found that parents tend to be overconfident about their children's academic performance in reading and maths regardless of gender. But, in maths, parents overestimated boys' skills to a significantly greater extent. Continue reading...

There was more business than usual and some bemused regulars after El Califa de Leon was rewarded for its exceptional' offeringEl Califa de Leon, an unassuming taco joint in Mexico City, measures just 3 metres by 3 metres and has space for only about six people to stand at a squeeze. Locals usually wait for 5 minutes between ordering and picking up their food.All that changed on Wednesday, however, when it became the first Mexican taco stand ever to win a Michelin star, putting it in the exalted company of fine dining restaurants around the world, and drawing crowds like it has never seen. Continue reading...

Previous 25,000 maximum no longer enough to fund some home improvements, says building societyNationwide building society has doubled the maximum personal loan it will offer borrowers to 50,000, citing the continued increase in building costs as the reason for the change.The society previously offered up to 25,000 for qualifying customers but said this was no longer enough to fund some home improvement projects. Continue reading...

The blood friends' swap stories and medical advice to help one another feel unburdened by their experiencesVictims of the infected blood inquiry are joining forces to share stories and support.Sue Wathen, Joan Edgington and Nicola Leahey were diagnosed with hepatitis C after struggling through years of unexplained symptoms that were dismissed by doctors. Continue reading...

Eight-year-olds' video, which racked up 14m views, hits a sore point for mobilers who have struggled with the cost of livingLike the totemic 8 pint or 5 coffee, the cost of a Mr Whippy ice-cream has become a barometer of a world gone mad. But really, nine quid for two ice-creams? Bloody hell.That was the damning verdict of an eight-year-old whose TikTok rant over the cost of two screwballs from an ice cream van in the park has racked up 14m views at the time of writing. Continue reading...

Jacinta Allan proposes stronger penalties for people who assault, threaten or intimidate retail, hospitality, and other workers

Boy charged after an alleged fight ended in a man being stabbed multiple times in Acacia Ridge

Hotel surveillance cameras at InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles captured incident Combs had vehemently deniedA newly released video shows Sean Diddy" Combs manhandling and kicking singer Cassie Ventura - his former girlfriend - in plain view of hotel surveillance cameras in 2016, before the rapper, music producer and businessman rapidly settled a lawsuit that she brought against him this past November, according to footage exclusively obtained by CNN.The video in question illustrates in the most graphic nature possible one of the beatings alleged and described in Ventura's lawsuit, which Combs had vehemently denied. Continue reading...

Man, 41, arrested and charged with online grooming after allegedly sending inappropriate images to someone he thought was 13

Accountancy firm argues it is not liable since it had taken all reasonable steps' to prevent such behaviour

Strikingly large' sum being recouped from people who fell foul of system that did not flag overpaymentsMinisters are clawing back more than 250m from unpaid carers over benefit infringements that occurred largely as a result of government failures, it can be revealed.More than 134,000 people who care for loved ones are being forced to repay often huge carer's allowance overpayments. The debts are incurred in many cases through no fault of their own, and leave carers saddled with enormous debts, and some with criminal convictions. Continue reading...

Firm asked to back up claims about Fiona Harvey after executive's appearance before select committeeAn MP has asked Netflix to provide evidence that the woman who inspired the character Martha Scott in Baby Reindeer is a convicted stalker", claiming that a record of her conviction has not yet been found.Netflix's director of public policy, Benjamin King, told the culture media and sport committee on 8 May that the show was the true story of the horrific abuse that the writer and protagonist, Richard Gadd, suffered at the hands of a convicted stalker". Continue reading...

Exclusive: FoI request reveals Arts Council updated guidance after discussing Gaza conflict with DCMSArts Council England (ACE) issued a warning that political statements" could break funding agreements after discussions with the government about artists speaking out over the Israel-Gaza war, newly released documents suggest.A freedom of information request made by the actors' union Equity has revealed that the conflict was discussed in a meeting between ACE and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in December. Continue reading...

Bodies of Amit Buskila and Itzhak Gelerenter also recovered from Gaza as Israel says 129 hostages remain in captivityThe bodies of three hostages kidnapped by Hamas, including the German-Israeli Shani Louk, have been retrieved from Gaza by the Israeli military, it announced.The other two hostages were identified as Amit Buskila, 28, and Itzhak Gelerenter, 56, according to the military spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, who said the three victims were taken to Gaza after being killed by Hamas at the Nova music festival. Continue reading...

Creator of popular videos for children drew backlash as online commenters alleged she purposely ignored children in IsraelRachel Accurso, the popular YouTube star for young children known as Ms Rachel, says she is facing bullying" after launching a fundraiser for children in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.Accurso, who has more than 9 million subscribers on YouTube and is known for her colorful, educational videos that weave in music and dancing, has faced online backlash after being accused of failing to include children in Israel in a fundraiser she launched. Continue reading...

A woman alleged that the magician sexually assaulted her on his private island in 2007. His lawyers said he was falsely accusedLacey Carroll headed straight to Harborview Medical Center after touching down in Seattle following a three-day stay on David Copperfield's private island in the Bahamas. It was August 2007 and - according to police records - she had gone to get medical treatment for sexual assault.The 20-year-old later alleged to Seattle police and in court filings that she had embarked on the long journey to Musha Cay - the islands in the Bahamas that Copperfield reportedly bought for $50m in 2006 - because she had been offered a chance to do promotional work and some modeling there along with a team of others. Instead, she claimed, she found herself alone with Copperfield and a few members of his staff. Copperfield, she alleged, raped and assaulted her multiple times. Continue reading...

Writedown by Canadian pension fund Omers highlights growing financial crisis at utilities firmThames Water's biggest investor has slashed the value of its stake in the company to zero in the latest sign of an escalating financial crisis for Britain's biggest water supplier.The Canadian pension fund Omers issued a full writedown" of its 31.7% stake in Thames's troubled parent company in its annual report published on Friday, signalling that it believes its share is worth nothing. Continue reading...

Plaid Cymru has ended its cooperation agreement with Welsh Labour government in the Senedd over concerns regarding donations to leader Vaughan GethingThe Daily Express and Daily Mail have both asked questions about the taxing of pensions. Jeremy Hunt is on combative grounds here. He is asked when calling Labour's plans a myth" is he accusing them of lying. He says:Well, calling them a myth is about as rude as I get. But frankly, it is a lie. I don't make any bones about it. It is fake news. And it is an absolute disgrace to try and win this election by scaring pensioners about a policy that is not true.Our argument is this is about the future growth of the economy, because we can see looking around the world that more lightly taxed economies have more dynamic private sectors, they grow faster, and in the end that is more money for precious public services like the NHS. Continue reading...

Firm run by the Ticket Queen' sold tickets worth more than 6.5m on sites including Viagogo and StubHubTicket touts who conspired to fleece" fans of artists including Ed Sheeran, Liam Gallagher and Lady Gaga have been jailed for operating a fraudulent trading" scheme worth more than 6.5m.Judge Batiste sentenced four touts, who fraudulently bought and sold hundreds of tickets through a business called TQ Tickets, to up to four years in prison each on Friday. Continue reading...

Speaking at Cannes, the director says Megalopolis, his reworking of ancient Rome's Catiline conspiracy, has become ever more prescientMegalopolis review - Coppola's passion project is megabloated and megaboringThe US, whose founders tried to emulate the laws and governmental structures of the Roman republic, is headed for a similarly self-inflicted collapse, director Francis Ford Coppola has said at the premiere of his first film in more than a decade.What's happening in America, in our republic, in our democracy, is exactly how Rome lost their republic thousands of years ago," Coppola told a press conference at the Cannes film festival on Friday. Our politics has taken us to the point where we might lose our republic." Continue reading...

Presenter, who cared for late husband, said she was approached by people in street pleading for interventionThe TV presenter Kate Garraway has said the UK government's prosecution of unpaid carers for thousands of pounds in benefit payments has a horrible echo" of the Post Office scandal.In an emotional intervention on ITV's Good Morning Britain, Garraway said many people had pleaded with her to please do something" to help those being pursued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Continue reading...

This live blog is now closed, you can read more on this story hereChmouel Lubecki, a rabbi in Rouen, said today's incident was shocking."It is important to light the candles of Shabbat to exactly show that we are not afraid," he said. Continue reading...

Little change at top between 2021 and 2022 but European names such as Nova beginning to gain favourNew entries to the list of top 100 baby names in England and Wales for 2022 suggest European names are gradually gaining favour, data from the Office for National Statistics shows.While girls' names remained largely unchanged from 2021, with Olivia top (most popular with mothers aged 25 and older), followed by Amelia (most popular with mothers aged under 25), Isla and Ava, more unusual names are creeping in. Continue reading...

Robberies, shootings, extortion and rapes have surged since the Rwandan-backed M23 militia cut off the eastern Congolese capitalIn broad daylight on 16 April, three armed and uniformed men held up a city centre mobile phone shop.Threatening staff, they helped themselves to about 700 worth of goods, before making off on a motorbike, disappearing into the busy streets of Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Continue reading...

One in 10 officials to be based in city within three years and current 70-strong team will increase to 500The Bank of England governor, Andrew Bailey, has announced a big expansion of its operations in Leeds, with one in 10 officials to be based in the West Yorkshire city within three years.Bailey said the current 70-strong team at the central bank's northern hub would swell sevenfold to 500 by 2027 through a combination of voluntary relocation and local recruitment. Continue reading...

Chancellor attempts to draw election battle lines, suggesting he wants to reduce national insurance and Labour intends to raise tax

Encampment at Arts West building continues as tensions simmer at other university campusesPro-Palestine protesters and University of Melbourne administrators remain in a deadlock despite a warning that police could be called to enter the campus at any time.As tensions simmer between university administrations and student activists across the nation, those camped inside the Arts West building have defied the University of Melbourne's demands and the threat of police intervention. Continue reading...

As much as 40cm fell in less than a day in part of Seoraksan national park. Plus, a powerful tornado in AustraliaThere was unusually heavy snowfall this week in the highlands of the mountainous region of eastern Gangwon province in South Korea. Between 5.30pm local time on Wednesday and 9am on Thursday, as much as 40cm fell at the Socheong shelter of Seoraksan national park, while 20cm was recorded at its Jungcheong shelter.This unexpected snowfall has caused damage ahead of a harvest on wild vegetable farms that operate on the mountains. Conditions over the next few days are expected to improve, with warmer and drier weather over the weekend. Continue reading...

Owners of historic buildings used in likes of Bridgerton warned of potential damage to possessions and reputationsWhen the owner of Drayton House in Northamptonshire was approached to allow his 127-room mansion to be the location of a film called Saltburn, it was 100%" the generous fee on offer that swayed his decision, he said, adding: These houses don't run on water."But there were unintended consequences of Charles Stopford Sackville's decision after the movie's release last year. The popularity of Emerald Fennell's class satire led to a rush of selfie-taking trespassers after TikTok videos giving directions to the estate went viral. Continue reading...

Education select committee concerned that excessive workload is driving teachers out of professionTeachers' workloads are being increasingly stretched by their pupils' mental health and family difficulties, according to MPs who were critical of the government's efforts to tackle chronic staff shortages in England's schools.The education select committee said it was concerned that since the pandemic teachers are spending more time on addressing issues that would typically fall outside the remit of schools, including family conflict resolution and mental health support," and called for the government to support better provision inside and outside schools. Continue reading...

Mike Lee told students that Sonoma State would become first US university to refuse to work with Israeli academic institutionsA public university in California has placed its president on leave for insubordination" after he agreed to student demands for an academic boycott of Israel.Mike Lee was suspended from Sonoma State University following an announcement on Tuesday that the liberal arts college north of San Francisco had agreed with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) to become the first US university to refuse to work with Israeli academic institutions. Continue reading...