Minimum price of bottle of whisky set at 18.20 as ministers mull health tax to retrieve higher revenue from shopsScottish consumers will be unable to buy a bottle of red wine for less than 6.09 or a bottle of whisky for under 18.20 from October, after the minimum price for alcohol was raised by 30%.Shona Robison, the deputy first minister, confirmed a Guardian story earlier this week that the minimum unit price (MUP) will increase from 50p a unit to 65p to keep pace with inflation and ensure prices are kept relatively high. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#6JFV5)
More than 26,000 section 21 notices issued in five years since ban was announced, while social housing stock has plummetedPrivate renters in England were hit by a triple whammy of bad news on Thursday as official figures showed soaring no-fault evictions, a net loss of more than 16,000 homes for social rent and a fresh delay to long-promised laws to give renters greater security.The number of households evicted by bailiffs as a result of no-fault evictions rose 39% in 2023 compared with 2022, according to analysis by the housing charity Shelter of new Ministry of Justice figures. Continue reading...
Humza Yousaf attempts to refresh his government after Michael Matheson resigns over 11,000 iPad roaming billHumza Yousaf has carried out a mini cabinet reshuffle after his beleaguered health secretary quit over a parliamentary investigation into how he racked up a near-11,000 bill on his work iPad.The first minister attempted to refresh his government after enduring intense cross-party attacks at Holyrood over the resignation of Michael Matheson on Thursday. Matheson had previously refused repeated demands to stand down. Continue reading...
by Edwin Okoth in Thika and Emily Dugan on (#6JFWW)
Civil claim relating to alleged killing, rape and attacks by guards at pineapple farm should be struck out, claim firm's lawyersFresh Del Monte has claimed it should not be held liable for a civil lawsuit alleging killing, rape and violence by security guards at its Kenyan pineapple farm because it is domiciled in the Cayman Islands.In the high court in Thika on Thursday, lawyers for the company's Kenyan subsidiary, Del Monte Kenya, also applied to have a case against the farm struck out altogether. Continue reading...
Prime minister says he was making a point about Keir Starmer and using tragedy to detract from point I was making is worst of politics'Rishi Sunak has refused to apologise for the anti-trans jibe he made about Keir Starmer at PMQs yesterday, after being told Brianna Ghey's mother would be listening in the public gallery.Speaking to journalists in Cornwall, Sunak insisted that he was just making a point about Starmer. And he said that to link what he said to the death of Brianna, whose murder was partly motivated by transphobia, was the worst of politics".If you look at what I said, I was very clear, talking about Keir Starmer's proven track record of U-turns on major policies because he doesn't have a plan.A point only proven by today's reports that the Labour party and Keir Starmer are apparently planning to reverse on their signature economic green spending policy.But to use that tragedy to detract from the very separate and clear point I was making about Keir Starmer's proven track record of multiple U-turns on major policies, because he doesn't have a plan, I think is both sad and wrong, and it demonstrates the worst of politics.Today's announcement will give confidence to the oil and gas industry and those who stand to benefit from a fossil fuel energy system. For the rest of us, faced with unaffordable energy bills, fossil fuel-funded wars, and the floods, storms and droughts that the climate crisis brings, this is a deeply disappointing signal on the low level of ambition a future government has when it comes to the biggest challenge the world is facing.Green investment doesn't just deliver for the planet; it also benefits our health and economy. Cutting it would be shortsighted and cost the country dearly.The UK is already lagging behind in the race to manufacture green steel, build electric vehicles, and develop giga-battery factories. Thousands of jobs are at risk if we don't match the investment the US and the rest of Europe are making in these industries ... Continue reading...
Houston attorney Mason Herring pleaded guilty to two charges for spiking then pregnant wife's drinks to induce abortionA Texas man who drugged his wife's drinks in an attempt to induce an abortion was sentenced to 180 days in jail and 10 years on probation.Mason Herring, a 39-year-old Houston attorney, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to injury to a child and assault of a pregnant person. He had initially been charged with felony assault to induce abortion. Continue reading...
Preliminary results of largest study of its kind show 55% of survivors are living with depression, while 74% have respiratory issuesRates of depression, respiratory problems and kidney abnormalities are soaring among survivors of the Maui wildfire, according to the preliminary findings from a groundbreaking study.The University of Hawaii (UH) has partnered with community health groups to track, understand and address the impacts on health and social conditions caused by the deadliest American wildfire in more than a century, which killed 100 people and destroyed more than 2,200 buildings as it razed the historic town of Lahaina.55% are experiencing symptoms of depression - significantly higher than the rate reported by Maui residents (33%) in a 2023 survey. Depression rates were higher among older residents, with 75% of 50-something fire survivors reporting low mood, insomnia, and poor concentration, among other symptoms. About 1.3% of participants reported recent suicidal thoughts.74% are experiencing respiratory issues, with 49% exhibiting signs of lung obstruction and 33% experiencing compromised lung function linked to low oxygen levels.Initial blood biomarker tests indicated that 8% to 18% of participants may have compromised kidney function.Three out of four participants have an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, including 21% with high blood pressure at a level that warrants medical attention. Continue reading...
by Tom Ambrose (now); Amy Sedghi and Martin Belam (ea on (#6JFCQ)
This live blog is now closed, you can read more on the Middle East hereA journalist and his son have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the central Gaza Strip, reports Al Jazeera.Nafez Abdel Jawad, who worked for Palestine TV, was killed in a bombing of a residential building in the al-Salam neighbourhood in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip last night, says Al Jazeera. The news organisation said that his only son also died in the airstrike and other injuries had also been reported. Continue reading...
Watchdog receives complaint, reportedly from Santander UK, that advert paints misleading picture of bank branch closuresDominic West's portrayal of an arrogant, smoothie-drinking, branch-closing banker has landed Nationwide in potentially hot water, with the building society now facing a formal complaint over its TV advert from a rival lender.Santander UK is understood to have lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over the television commercial, on the basis that it discredits and denigrates" Nationwide's rivals and paints a misleading picture about bank branch closures. Continue reading...
by Constance Malleret in Rio de Janeiro on (#6JFMS)
Police seize passport as agents carry out 33 searches and four arrests across Brazil, targeting allies of far-right former presidentBrazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro has surrendered his passport as part of a police investigation into the attempted coup on 8 January 2023, which sought to keep him in power, his lawyers have said.In operations that also targeted key allies of the former far-right leader, federal police agents carried out 33 searches and four arrests across Brazil on Thursday morning. Continue reading...
Chief executive, Rene Haas, says UK-based firm is benefiting from huge demand for AI-powered products and appsShares in Arm have soared by more than 50% after raising profit and revenue forecasts amid red-hot demand for artificial intelligence technology, valuing the UK-based tech company at double the market capitalisation when it floated in September.Shares in the world's biggest supplier of design elements for processing chips used in products from smartphones to games consoles opened up 58% on the Nasdaq in the US on Thursday. Continue reading...
President's gaffes stoke concern over his age as election campaign against his presumptive opponent - also advanced in age - picks upJoe Biden has twice made gaffes this week in which he told anecdotes wrongly identifying dead European leaders as having talked to him about the events of the attack on the Capitol on 6 January 2021.On Wednesday in New York, Biden reportedly referred to the former German chancellor Helmut Kohl as talking to him about European concerns about the attempt to stop the certification of his 2020 election win, when he apparently meant Angela Merkel. Kohl died in 2017. Continue reading...
Johan Van Overtveldt, chair of the European parliament's budgets committee, says newly agreed 50bn aid to Kyiv is will leave a shortfallFarmers today continued demonstrating in different parts of Europe.Here are the latest photos: Continue reading...
Eruption in Reykjanes peninsula disrupts hot water supply for 20,000 people as lava edges closer to Svartsengi power plantA volcano in Iceland has erupted for the second time this year and the third time since December, pumping lava up to 80 metres (260ft) into the air and disrupting life in the Reykjanes peninsula in the south-west of the country.Fountains of bright orange molten rock spewed from cracks in the ground and lava crossed a road near the Blue Lagoon, a luxury geothermal spa, which had closed on Thursday. Continue reading...
Names of troops not yet released after aircraft went down in stormy weather in mountains near San DiegoFive marines who disappeared in a helicopter crash in the mountains outside San Diego, California, were confirmed dead, the military said on Thursday morning.The names of the marines were not immediately released. They were first reported missing on Tuesday. Continue reading...
by Martin Belam (now) and Tom Ambrose (earlier) on (#6JFE4)
This live blog is now closedWe're pausing our coverage now. Here is a summary of the day's developments so far":Up to 25cm of snow is forecast in parts of England and Wales on Thursday, as the Met Office issued weather alerts and warned of disruption to travel. Amber weather warnings for snow have been issued for parts of northern England and north Wales, while a mixture of yellow rain and snow warnings will be in force across the four nations, PA Media reports.The Met Office said strong and gusty easterly winds may lead to some drifting in places", and that 10-15cm of snow is expected quite widely across the warning area. A separate amber warning for snow and ice will be in place between 8am and 3pm on Thursday across north Wales and north-west Shropshire, with 20-25cm of snow forecast in areas above 200 metres.Flooding between Swindon and Chippenham has blocked some railway lines, with disruption expected until 2pm. As a result, trains running between these stations may be cancelled or delayed by up to 45 minutes.An amber weather warning means travel delays on roads are likely; public transport vehicles and cars could be stranded; power cuts are possible; and some rural communities could be cut off temporarily. In the area covered by the snow and ice warning, the Met Office said untreated pavements and cycle paths could be impassable, PA reports. Met Office meteorologist Amy Bokota said an easterly wind meant that places inland and higher up" were likely to see the most snow.The train company ScotRail has warned passengers to take extra caution while travelling today. It tweeted: A yellow Met Office weather warning is in place for snow and ice from 18:00 today, until 15:00 tomorrow. This covers southern Scotland, up to and including Perth and Dundee. Please take extra care when travelling and keep up to date with your journey using our app or website."Further yellow snow and ice warnings cover southern and central Scotland from 6pm on Thursday to 3pm on Friday, and from 10am on Thursday until 6pm on Friday in Northern Ireland. The Met Office said up to 8cm of snow could fall in Northern Ireland and up to 10cm in parts of Scotland, with 1-3cm more widely in both regions. Another yellow warning for snow and ice is in place in northern Scotland from 4pm on Wednesday to 10am on Thursday, PA reports. Continue reading...
Massimiliano Melargo, who was stopped at airport, has permission to enter and leave UK while awaiting settlement decisionAn Italian man has been removed from the UK despite holding a Home Office certificate explicitly stating he has a right to travel in and out of the country while officials process his application to live and work in the country post-Brexit.Massimiliano Melargo, 27, told how he was detained overnight, separated from his Ukrainian partner, and put on the first plane to Venice by Border Force officials in a step lawyers say contravenes the withdrawal agreement between the EU and the UK. Continue reading...
Trade union poll found 60% of 200 female public sector workers personally experienced harassment in defence industryMore than 120 female civil servants have said they have experienced sexual harassment at the Ministry of Defence or public sector defence agencies in a survey conducted by Prospect, the trade union.Prospect found that 60% of the 200 female public sector workers in the defence industry who responded had personally experienced problems, while a similar number had witnessed sexual harassment. Continue reading...
Boris Nadezhdin says central election commission has refused to register him as a candidateRussia's electoral authority has banned an anti-war candidate who gathered unexpected momentum from running against Vladimir Putin in the carefully managed presidential elections in March.The central elections commission (CEC) said it had found irregularities" in over 9,000 of more than 100,000 signatures of support submitted by Boris Nadezhdin. Continue reading...
by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor on (#6JF7R)
Official cites Ukraine war and China threat and raises concern over turnover of top government ministersBritish defence intelligence officials say the UK is closer to a large-scale conflict than at any recent point, as the Middle East crisis intensifies while Russia pursues an expansionist agenda and China develops advanced weapons.One senior official said the secretive 4,500-strong unit was the busiest it had been in at least a decade, and said the fast turnover of ministers made it harder to ensure key politicians were making informed decisions. Continue reading...
Letter sent to UN raises concerns about Alice Wairimu Nderitu's ability to act with effectiveness and impartiality'Leading Palestinian human rights groups have accused the UN special adviser on the prevention of genocide of failing to fulfil her mandate after she issued only one statement on the war in Gaza - largely supportive of Israel - that has claimed 26,000 Palestinian lives.In a statement issued in October, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, a Kenyan, omitted any criticism of Israel. Continue reading...
Exclusive: IDF troops shed light on their experience of fighting in the territory, where Palestinian casualties have passed 27,700Demobilised Israeli reservists have described how they deployed massive fire power in a brutal, complex and often one-sided war of sporadic but intense clashes that has reduced much of Gaza to ruins.They spoke, too, of the challenge of fighting on unfamiliar ground that is well-known to Hamas and which offered easy opportunities for surprise attacks, despite Israel's conventional military superiority and air power. Continue reading...
Phone services suspended for security reasons as voting begins, a day after at least 30 killed in attacks in Balochistan provincePhone services were suspended in Pakistan on Thursday as polls opened in its general election, a day after two bomb blasts at the election offices of a political party and an independent candidate in south-west Pakistan killed at least 30 people and wounded dozens more.Pakistan's caretaker government said that phone services, including mobile internet, had been temporarily suspended for security reasons. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#6JFBJ)
Social housing resident Filippe Scalora alleges a stranger moved into his flat while he could not get home in pandemicA social housing tenant is suing his landlord for 1m in damages, alleging that a housing officer illegally sublet his home when he was stranded abroad at the start of the Covid pandemic in 2020.Filippe Scalora's case against Clarion will allege that when he returned to the flat he discovered a stranger had been sleeping in his bed and using his towels, cutlery, crockery and computer. Continue reading...
Hong Kong fans need answers over missed fixture, government says, amid online furore over Inter Miami tourChinese state media, Hong Kong politicians and fans have cried foul after Lionel Messi played in a match in Japan, just days after he stayed on the bench in a highly anticipated match in Hong Kong.Many in Hong Kong were dismayed on Sunday when the 36-year-old Argentinian player did not come on to the field during a much-hyped Inter Miami fixture to a sell-out crowd with fans demanding answers and a refund. Continue reading...
More than 7,000 people used route between west Africa and Canary Islands last month, up from 500 in January last yearThe head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, have flown to Mauritania to sign a series of deals on migration and energy, as data reveals there has been a surge in people-smuggling operations to the Canary Islands.Figures soon to be published by Frontex, the EU's border agency, are expected to show that the number of people risking their lives by making the perilous journey from west African shores to the Spanish islands has risen dramatically in the past year. Continue reading...
by Elias Visontay Transport and urban affairs reporte on (#6JFA7)
Consumer group finds Connected Services' feature can send personal and vehicle data to third parties, with drivers told removing components risks voiding warranty
King issues first statement since diagnosis, with Palace and Downing Street keen to show he is still carrying out constitutional dutiesBuckingham Palace and Downing Street were keen to demonstrate that King Charles remains in close contact with the government on Wednesday, even as he recovers from his first session of cancer treatment.No 10 took the unusual step of confirming that Rishi Sunak would be telephoning the king in the evening after an agreement with the palace to disclose the information. Continue reading...
People may be exposed to abuses such as torture and degrading treatment in Rwanda, says watchdogEurope's leading anti-torture watchdog has called on the government to process asylum claims in the UK rather than sending people to Rwanda because of the risk they may be exposed to human rights abuses there.In a report published on Thursday, the Council of Europe's committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment raises a litany of concerns after an 11-day visit to the UK in March and April last year. Continue reading...
by Ben Beaumont-Thomas and Robyn Vinter on (#6JF3Q)
London MC wins best male and song of the year, while Potter Payper beats stiff competition to win album of the yearCentral Cee has topped the winners at the 2024 Mobo awards, winning best male for the second year in a row, and best song for Sprinter, his collaborative track with Dave, that dominated the summer months with a 10-week run at No 1.Elsewhere the awards, which celebrate black musical artistry in the UK and globally, spread the garlands across a diverse range of music, with no one artist dominating. Continue reading...
Immigration minister Marc Miller frustrated by impasse over list of about 1,000 people trapped in Palestinian territoryCanada's immigration minister, Marc Miller, has said he is pissed off" that extended family members of Canadians are being blocked from leaving war-torn Gaza.Ottawa last month provided a list of about 1,000 people approved to come to Canada to Israeli and Egyptian authorities, who jointly control the only border crossing out of the Palestinian territory, at Rafah. Continue reading...
Ex-Barcelona defender is accused of raping a woman in a nightclub in December 2022The former Brazil international footballer Dani Alves has denied raping a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub as he took the stand on the last day of his trial in Spain.If she wanted to leave, she could have left, she was not obligated to be there," the 40-year-old told the court in Barcelona on Wednesday, adding that the woman at no time" asked to leave. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Deputy political editor on (#6JEXQ)
Peter Spooner describes comment made in an exchange at prime minister's questions as absolutely dehumanising'The father of the murdered teenager Brianna Ghey has demanded Rishi Sunak apologise after the prime minister made a jibe at the expense of transgender people just after being told Brianna's mother was watching him in the House of Commons.After the exchanges, at prime minister's questions, Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, called Sunak's comments absolutely dehumanising". Continue reading...
Draft policy to remove HMO regulations for landlords in England and Wales withdrawn hours before high court challengeA controversial policy to remove basic housing protections from asylum seekers has been withdrawn by the government.The policy, first disclosed by the Guardian, outlined a proposed removal of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) regulations for landlords accommodating asylum seekers in their properties. Non-asylum seekers are still entitled to access these safeguards. Continue reading...
French actor alleges arthouse film-maker Benoit Jacquot groomed her when she was 14 and he was 39French prosecutors have opened a rape inquiry after the actor Judith Godreche filed a complaint against the arthouse film director Benoit Jacquot, who she says groomed her when she was 14 and he was 39.A formal complaint was filed against Jacquot, 77, for the alleged rape of a minor by a person in a position of authority. The French police's specialist juvenile protection unit is handling the inquiry, which will investigate several allegations, including rape of a minor by a person in a position of authority, rape, domestic violence and sexual assault. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6JEXT)
Andy Burnham and Andy Street team up with consortium to explore options including lower-speed lineAndy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, and Andy Street, the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, have joined forces on alternative and cheaper plans for the scrapped section of HS2, warning that to do nothing is not an option".Burnham and Street shared a stage on Wednesday to put forward three options after the government abandoned the long-promised northern section of the high-speed rail line. Continue reading...
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