Former PM says Starmer could face an even gloomier economic situation than he inherited from John MajorKeir Starmer's Labour must accept it will not be able to tax and spend its way out of financial trouble, Tony Blair has warned.The party's former leader and ex-prime minister told the Financial Times the Conservatives had taxed and spent to the point [of]... economic crisis" and said Starmer would be facing an even gloomier situation than he had inherited from John Major. Continue reading...
Measures include making it easier for Taiwanese people to live and work in China, but the plan comes amid major military exercisesChina's government has unveiled a new path towards integrated development" with Taiwan, including proposals to make it easier for Taiwanese people to live, study and work in China.At the same time, it sent the largest number of warships to gather in years to the waters on Taiwan's east, in what analysts said signalled a choice between peaceful reunification" and military violence, just months out from Taiwan's presidential election. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6EQ0E)
RAC calls on government to boost council funding as data shows road maintenance dropped by almost a thirdThe mileage of local roads in England being resurfaced or treated to avoid potholes has fallen to its lowest level in five years, research has shown.There has been a decline of almost one-third in the total amount of life-extending road maintenance by local councils, according to analysis of government data by the RAC motoring organisation. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6EQ0F)
Analysis shows that since the pandemic those living in poverty were 3.7 times more likely to be sent home than other pupilsIncreasing numbers of children from poor backgrounds are being suspended from schools in England since the pandemic, according to analysis that estimates more than 3,000 pupils were sent home every day.The analysis was published as teachers, who took part in a separate survey, said verbal and physical abuse from pupils has increased significantly" post-pandemic, with some having furniture thrown at them, being bitten, spat at, head-butted, punched and kicked. Continue reading...
Activists call for reassurances to be given to those who gave information to parliamentariansFinn Lau's meeting with a Westminster researcher who was later arrested on suspicion of spying for China lasted just 20 minutes. Nearly a year later he is mulling the potential consequences.Lau, an exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activist with a 100,000 bounty on his head, has a lingering suspicion that some of his ideas for putting more pressure on China appear not to have made it beyond their meeting. Continue reading...
Demonstrators picket outside CBS Studios in New York to protest decision to resume production without unionized writersProtesters slammed host Drew Barrymore for restarting her daytime talkshow without its unionized writers amid the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.Chanting slogans such as shut it down", at least a dozen demonstrators picketed in front of CBS Studios in New York on Monday to protest against Barrymore's decision to resume production of her talkshow's fourth season. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#6EPTT)
Nine in 10 seven to 21-year-olds feel worried or anxious and only 17% feel very happy, shows devastating' Girlguiding surveyHappiness among girls and young women has hit its lowest level since 2009, according to devastating" polling for Girlguiding, which shows that nine out of 10 seven to 21-year-olds are worried or anxious.In figures that Angela Salt, the UK movement's chief executive, said showed girls and young women have been let down", only 17% aged seven to 21 now feel very happy compared with 40% in 2009. Continue reading...
by Peter Walker Deputy political editor on (#6EPTS)
Electoral Commission says policy could exclude hundreds of thousands of voters in a general electionHundreds of thousands of people could be excluded from voting in a UK general election because of voter ID laws, the government's election watchdog has said.The laws could have a disproportionate effect on poorer people, those with disabilities and people from minority ethnic backgrounds, the Electoral Commission warned. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#6EPTW)
About 120 MPs and 180 peers have taken part in mindfulness courses over the last decadeMore than 300 British politicians have been trained in mindfulness in the last decade, new estimates have suggested, sparking fresh calls for a meditation room to be installed in parliament.About 120 MPs, including Tracey Crouch, the Conservative former minister and Clive Lewis, of Labour, plus about 180 peers have joined courses in the secular practice, which is rooted in ancient Buddhist meditation techniques, a new report has found. Continue reading...
KCL study finds many leading UK institutions remain highly dependent on Chinese studentsUK universities would be hugely damaged by a sustained diplomatic rift between Britain and China, according to a report that predicts difficulty in replacing the Chinese students who now take up more than one in four PhD places.The study, co-authored by the former universities minister Jo Johnson, found that many leading institutions remain highly dependent on Chinese students for tuition fee income as well as to fill postgraduate research courses in subjects such as economics, science and technology. Continue reading...
Emma Coronel was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 after pleading guilty to three counts of helping the Sinaloa drug cartelEmma Coronel, the wife of the imprisoned Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo" Guzman, will be freed in Los Angeles on Wednesday following her arrest in 2021 on drug trafficking charges, according to the US Bureau of Prisons.The US-born 34-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 after pleading guilty to three counts of helping the Sinaloa drug cartel, including conspiracy to launder money and distribute illegal drugs and engaging in financial dealings. Continue reading...
Police launch investigation after protesters gather at south London hair products storePolice are investigating an incident at a hair products shop in south London where a video posted online apparently showed a black female customer being grabbed by the throat by a man attempting to restrain her.The Metropolitan police said they were investigating the incident after being called out to the shop in Peckham on Monday, and appealed for calm after protesters gathered outside the store on Tuesday. Continue reading...
by Charlotte Graham-McLay in Wellington on (#6EPH6)
Latest survey sees support for New Zealand First exceed 5% for second month as Labour falters and National remains unchanged ahead of October electionNeither a Labour nor a National coalition could form a government without the support of populist minor party New Zealand First after the October election, according to the latest Guardian Essential political poll - which showed respondents unwilling to give either major party a commanding victory.Since August, the governing Labour party slumped 2.5 points to 26.9% in the survey, which also recorded unsure voters - 5.3% in September - in its final result. But the results showed apathy towards both of the biggest parties, with centre-right National failing to pick up any speed from August, despite remaining ahead on 34.5%. Continue reading...
Storm threatens to affect parts of Bermuda, New England and Atlantic Canada with winds up to 115mphHurricane Lee continues to grow larger in size as it moves northward and threatens to affects parts of Bermuda, New England and Atlantic Canada.Moving at 7mph (11.3km/h) and packing winds of up to 115mph (185km/h), Lee was positioned 380 miles (612km) north of the northern Leeward Islands as well as 600 miles (965km) south of Bermuda, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Monday evening. That track triggered a tropical storm watch for Bermuda. Continue reading...
The Center for Reproductive Rights has taken legal action on behalf of women denied care in Idaho, Oklahoma and TennesseeWomen who say they were denied abortions in medical emergencies have taken legal action in Idaho, Oklahoma and Tennessee, in the latest attempt to challenge abortion bans that, abortion patients and doctors say, prevent people from getting care even when their health is in danger.The lawsuits in Idaho and Tennessee, along with a federal complaint against a hospital in Oklahoma, were filed on Tuesday by the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of women in Texas earlier this year. Tuesday's filings were first reported by the Washington Post. Continue reading...
Government insiders believe they can justify tweaking' formula that decides pension increase in order to save 1bnTreasury officials are discussing a one-off break from the pensions triple lock that could save 1bn by preventing a bumper 8.5% increase in the state pension next year.The government is considering stripping out public sector bonuses that were awarded to workers to prevent strikes over the summer from the calculation that determines the annual rise in pensions. Continue reading...
Lord Frost, Brexit negotiator for former PM, tells House of Lords that government never wanted unsatisfactory' protocol to workRayner says Labour will update trade union laws to make them fit for the 21st century.The laws affecting union reps and officials do not take into account technological advancements, she says.First, we will update regulations to outlaw the use of predictive technologies for blacklisting and safeguard against singling out workers for mistreatment or the sack without any evidence of human interaction.Second, we will act to end the loophole that allows employers to pass the dirty work down to third party contractors, so that any third party found to be carrying out blacklisting can legally be held to account.The Tories pushed through the 2016 Trade Union Act, preventing fair bargaining and holding back living standards.And this year they gave us the minimum service levels bill [the Strikes Act] ... Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6EPB9)
New CQC report also finds growing number of patients think there are too few nurses to care for themTwo in five people admitted to hospital for planned care in England last year had their health worsen while they were on the NHS waiting list, a major survey reveals.The finding emerged in a new report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) that also found that growing numbers of patients think there are too few nurses on duty to care for them.39% of patients would like to have been admitted sooner.Almost one in five (18%) felt they waited far too long" to get a bed once they had been admitted - a big rise on the 8% who said that in 2020.Only 52% thought there were always enough nurses on duty.Discharge was often unsatisfactory for patients, with only 48% given enough notice about when they would leave and only 45% told how their post-hospital care would happen.Hospital care was less good than before Covid struck in 2020, patients said. Continue reading...
Labour deputy leader tells TUC party would also seek to repeal anti-strike laws within 100 days of entering governmentAngela Rayner has given a cast iron guarantee" that Labour would bring in a new bill to ban zero-hours contracts and repeal anti-strike laws within 100 days of a new government.The deputy Labour leader, who leads for the party on workers' rights, told the TUC's annual conference that it was putting improving the lives of workers at its core, and would bring in a proper living wage" to raise pay. Continue reading...
Striking down of reasonableness' clause abolishing ability to overrule government could trigger constitutional crisisIsrael's supreme court justices have begun hearing petitions against a key part of the rightwing government's judicial overhaul limiting the court's powers, a development that could trigger an unprecedented constitutional crisis.For the first time, a panel of all 15 judges convened on Tuesday to discuss eight filings aimed at striking down the reasonableness" clause, passed by the Knesset in July, which abolished the supreme court's ability to overrule government decisions. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique , Pippa Crerar and Aletha Adu on (#6EP6M)
Nine people were suing Labour for failure to protect their data after they were identified in leaked reportNine people who were suing the Labour party after they were named as complainants in a leaked report over antisemitism have dropped their case.The nine were suing Labour for failure to protect their data and invasion of privacy after they were identified as having made complaints about antisemitism in an 860-page document that claimed factional hostility towards Jeremy Corbyn contributed to the party's ineffective handling of such complaints. Continue reading...
Frontman is under doctor's orders not to perform for 30 days during band's farewell tour, Peace OutAerosmith's Steven Tyler has suffered serious vocal cord damage, resulting in the postponement of six shows during the band's farewell tour.Tyler wrote: I'm heartbroken to say I have received strict doctor's orders not to sing for the next 30 days. I sustained vocal cord damage during Saturday's show that led to subsequent bleeding. We'll need to postpone a few dates so that we can come back and give you the performance you deserve." Continue reading...
The UK network has made a multi-year' deal with Disney to screen the annual awards, as Sky ends its 20-year connectionITV has acquired the UK broadcast rights for the Academy Awards ceremony, after Sky ended its 20-year connection with Hollywood's annual prizegiving event.ITV announced the news in a statement on Tuesday, in which it said it had made a multi-year" deal with Disney Entertainment, who are licensed by the Oscars for global TV distribution. ITV's coverage will start with the 2024 ceremony, and it plans to screen the event live on ITV1 and the ITVX streaming service. Continue reading...
Owner of Slug & Lettuce and Yates's to raise prices at times such as weekends to help cover costsA pint of beer during the busiest periods will cost drinkers 20p more under a dynamic pricing" system introduced by Britain's largest pub group.Stonegate Group, which owns chains including the Slug & Lettuce and Yates's, said it was raising prices at 800 of its venues during peak times, such as weekends, to help cover soaring costs. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Republic's Graham Smith seeking judicial review of lawfulness of arrest as well as damagesMetropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, is being sued over the arrest of the chief executive of Britain's leading republican movement on the day of the king's coronation, in what is being billed as a first test case of new protest laws.Graham Smith, who was detained for 14 hours on 6 May, is seeking a judicial review of the lawfulness of his arrest as well as damages and an admission of fault from Scotland Yard, according to legal papers seen by the Guardian. Continue reading...
Former Tory leader says it is time to stop party's adherence to policy, amid reports some in government are considering changesThe former Conservative leader William Hague has said it is time to ditch the triple lock on pensions - as figures showed the policy meant the state pension was likely to rise by 8.5% in April.The cabinet minister Michelle Donelan later mounted a defence of the lock, which means increases in the state pension should be in line with whichever is highest of the average earnings increase, inflation or 2.5%. But the scale of the likely increase presents questions for both the Tories and Labour. Continue reading...
Dutch art detective traces lost artwork seized from Amsterdam museum during Covid lockdownA Dutch art detective has recovered a precious Vincent van Gogh painting that was stolen from a museum in a daring midnight heist during the coronavirus lockdown three-and-a-half years ago, police said.Arthur Brand took possession of the missing painting, the Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring, painted in 1884 and worth 3m-6m (2.6m-5.2m), at his Amsterdam home on Monday, stuffed in a blue Ikea bag. Continue reading...
The woman is suing state for negligence over claims 75-year-old ex-teacher asked her to engage in sexually perverted activities"A woman who claims Chris Dawson groomed her, sexually abused her and asked her to get an abortion when she was a teenager is seeking financial compensation from the New South Wales state.The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is suing the state of NSW for negligence, saying she suffered injuries and loss because the now 75-year-old ex-teacher asked her to engage in sexually perverted activities" when she was a teenager.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...
by Harriet Sherwood Arts and culture correspondent on (#6EP00)
Museum agrees to care for stelae dating from second half of first millennium BC until it is safe to return themThe V&A is to look after four ancient carved funerary stones that were found by police in a shop in east London in a historic agreement with Yemen.The stelae, which date from the second half of the first millennium BC, come from necropoli that have been looted in recent years. Continue reading...
The summit, the continent's largest meeting on the climate crisis, finished last week amid arguments over false solutions', unfulfilled promises and western corporate meddlingMore than a dozen African leaders stood outside Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi last Wednesday to review what had been billed as the continent's largest meeting on the climate crisis.Earlier that morning, the Nairobi Declaration had been adopted as a blueprint to guide the continent in future negotiations with the west in global forums such as the G20 meeting; the UN general assembly; the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund; and Cop28. Continue reading...
Gurpreet Singh Johal calls for increased pressure to free brother Jagtar after Rishi Sunak raised case with Narendra ModiThe brother of a British man held in an Indian jail for six years fears the UK government is more talk" and no action", after Rishi Sunak raised the case with Narendra Modi at the recent G20 summit in Delhi.Jagtar Singh Johal, 36, claims to have been tortured and forced to make a confession since he was detained in India in 2017. He faces terrorism charges and the first stages of his trial have only just got under way after repeated delays caused by disputes over evidence. He denies the charges, and he could face a death sentence if convicted. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: They're responsible for a spate of recent attacks, leading the home secretary to commission advice on outlawing them - yet opponents target owners instead Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Dog attacks have been back in the news after a video of an 11-year-old girl being attacked by an American bully XL surfaced on social media, prompting the home secretary, Suella Braverman, to announce she has commissioned urgent advice on outlawing the dogs - a move criticised as too slow by family members of victims. In the disturbing footage, the girl can be heard screaming as people try to get her to safety. Two men who intervened were taken to hospital to be treated for their wounds.Environment | The World Bank poured billions of dollars into fossil fuels around the world last year despite repeated promises to refocus on shifting to a low-carbon economy, research for Urgewald, a campaign group that tracks global fossil fuel finance, has found. The money, about $3.7bn (2.95bn), went through a special form of funding known as trade finance, which is used to facilitate global transactions.China espionage | MPs have vented their fury over a six-month silence that followed an aide operating at the heart of parliament being arrested on suspicion of allegedly spying for China. On Monday, some voiced concern that the gap meant they had been unable to take their own security precautions.Health | Vulnerable eating disorder patients from England are being sent hundreds of miles from their homes to Scotland for treatment, as the number of available beds south of the border has dropped in two years. 84 patients were sent from England to Scotland between 2020 to May 23, costing a total of almost 9m.Teaching | Only half of the required number of trainee secondary school teachers in England have been recruited as the academic year gets under way, analysis shows. The figures, obtained by the National Education Union (NEU) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), show ministers are on course to miss their recruitment targets by 48%.North Korea | Kim Jong-un has arrived in Russia for a rare summit with president Vladimir Putin to discuss a possible deal to supply North Korean arms for the war in Ukraine. Kim's armoured train arrived at Khasan station, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported today, citing an unnamed Russian official source. The meeting is expected to be held this afternoon in Vladivostok, where Putin has already arrived. Continue reading...
Studio City home used for exterior shots in the famed sitcom was recently renovated to also look like the Brady house insideThe Los Angeles house that stood in for the home in The Brady Bunch has sold for US$3.2m (2.55m, A$4.97m), 42% below the $5.5m asking price.The 1959 Studio City property was used as the exterior of the Brady family home from 1969 when the sitcom began until it finished in 1974, with all the interiors filmed on a sound stage. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6ENWQ)
Figures show government is well short of 26,360 target amid crisis in teacher recruitment and retentionOnly half of the required number of trainee secondary school teachers in England have been recruited as the academic year gets under way, analysis shows.The figures, obtained by the National Education Union (NEU) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), show ministers are on course to miss their recruitment targets by 48%. Continue reading...
Aid tied to drug prevention programmes given to 92 lower-income countries, including Afghanistan after the Taliban takeoverAlmost $1bn (800m) of aid has been spent on a global war on drugs" over the past decade that has fuelled human rights abuses, according to a new report.Analysing data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the NGO Harm Reduction International (HRI) found that, between 2012 and 2021, the US and the EU spent $550m and $282m of their aid budgets respectively on programmes that supported drug control policies. The UK has spent $22m since 2012 - more than $10m of that in 2012 - which has been used to support surveillance capabilities in Colombia, Mozambique and the Dominican Republic, and undercover policing in Peru. Continue reading...
The legal tactic to halt claims against churches and other organisations has been blasted by support groups, saying institutions benefit from delays to justice
The dropping of charges against Ressa and Rappler, the news website she founded, is the latest legal victory for the Nobel laureatePhilippine Nobel laureate Maria Ressa has been acquitted of her final tax evasion charge in the latest legal victory for the veteran journalist as she battles to stay out of prison over cases that she has previously described as part of a pattern of harassment.The 59-year-old, who won a Nobel peace prize in 2021, has spent a number of years fighting multiple charges that were filed during then president Rodrigo Duterte's administration. Continue reading...
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