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National emergency test alert will be sent to all compatible mobile devices on 27 July, with domestic violence advocates advising how to turn off safe phones

PM urged to end cover-up culture' and order independent review taking in evidence that has emerged on 1994 crashThe families of those killed in an RAF Chinook crash in 1994 have urged Andy Burnham to end Britain's cover-up culture" and order an independent review into the disaster.Twenty-nine serving military personnel died when the Chinook HC2 helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre in south-west Scotland during a flight from Northern Ireland. Continue reading...

Bank of England expected to keep rates on hold on Thursday but renewed Iran conflict casts shadow over energy costsThe Bank of England could be forced to tear up its economic forecasts and raise interest rates later this year if oil prices return to above $100 a barrel, according to City economists.Before a meeting of Bank officials on Thursday, economists said that while an interest rate hike would probably be avoided this week there could be some in the future because of conflict in the Middle East. Continue reading...

Four others arrested on suspicion of same murder in Luton after death of 17-year-oldA 16-year-old boy has been charged with murdering a teenager who died from multiple stab wounds at a park in Luton, police said.Four other teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of the same murder. Continue reading...

Airport's bars and restaurants were also unable to serve drinks to passengers because of lack of running waterWater supply has been restored to most of Gatwick airport after passengers spent hours without access to working toilets, and bars and restaurants were closed.Most toilets had reopened across both terminals on Sunday evening, with the remaining facilities, including bars and restaurants, expected to return to normal for the first of Monday's flights. Continue reading...

Abdul Ballout, 21, reportedly shot in operation at allotment in Spandau district after fatal attack in Tiergarten parkA man suspected of driving a van into a crowd near Berlin's Pride festival then going on a knife rampage in an Islamist terror attack has been shot dead by police, German officials have said.Police confirmed on Sunday evening that the chief suspect had been shot dead, reportedly during an operation at an allotment garden complex in the capital's Spandau district. Continue reading...

Director Ryan Coogler announces British actor in lead role alongside co-stars Letitia Wright and Winston DukeThe British actor David Jonsson has been unveiled as the new Black Panther by the film's director, Ryan Coogler.Jonsson, 32, known for roles in Industry, The Long Walk and Alien: Romulus, will play the son of Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa in the third Black Panther movie. Continue reading...

King's Fund report finds men and women live, on average, for 80 years and nearly 84 years, but gains are in southThe north-south divide in life expectancy in England has grown over the past decade, with people in northern regions facing more illnesses such as heart disease and cancer, but also suicides and deaths related to alcohol and drug misuse.Provisional figures show life expectancy reached an all-time high in 2025, with men and women in England living, on average, for 80 years and nearly 84 years respectively, but the gains were overwhelmingly in the south, the King's Fund said. Continue reading...

Ally forced to resign, with opposition parties reinvigorated and strongman leader's grip over media channels rockedEven the night before Narendra Modi accepted the resignation of his education minister, India's prime minister appeared confident that the largest mass uprising to take place in his 12 years in power would do little to rattle his government.Addressing his young friends" in a late-night Instagram selfie reel on Friday, he thanked the people - who were mobilised en masse across the country, shouting anti-government slogans - for their thoughtful suggestions". Continue reading...

Mythical home of the ancient Greek gods designated alongside the D-day landing beaches in NormandyAfter a 12-year wait, Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the ancient Greek gods, has been inducted into a hall of more modern fame as Unesco announced it would be added to its world heritage list.Greece's highest mountain made the list alongside the second world war D-day landing beaches in northern France and the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara. South Sudan's Boma-Badingilo landscape, host to one of the world's largest land mammal migrations, also won a designation - a first for the east African country. Continue reading...

Authorities issue wanted notice for Abdul Ballout, 21, after deadly van ramming described as Islamist terrorismGerman authorities have issued a wanted notice for a suspect in a deadly van ramming near Berlin's Pride festival that has been described as an Islamist attack.The interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, named the chief suspect as 21-year-old Abdul Ballout. German media reported he was a supporter of Islamic State with a criminal conviction in May. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Malcolm Roberts uses white supremacist concept to describe the party's plans for deporting 200,000 people from AustraliaSenator Malcolm Roberts claims One Nation wants to deport at least 200,000 people and has repeatedly referred to the far-right concept of remigration" in podcast interviews and speeches to niche platforms.In two recent podcasts, Roberts said One Nation wanted to deport 100,000 temporary residents as well as 100,000 international students - a total much higher than the party's published policy. The senator said after those people were removed, he wanted to start working on the higher numbers of people we need to get rid of". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Tribunal accepts three siblings could face persecution' for refusing military conscription due to their political opinion on warThree Israeli citizens facing conscription into the Israel Defense Forces have been granted the right to reapply for protection visas in Australia, after a government tribunal found they held a genuine fear they would be forced to break international humanitarian law in Gaza.The Administrative Review Tribunal found the punishment the young adults could face from the state of Israel - including imprisonment as conscientious objectors - would amount to persecution. Continue reading...

F-16 fighter jet intercepted drone in Romanian airspace over Black Sea, defence minister saysRomania has said it was summoning Russia's ambassador after the Nato member's military shot down the third drone in as many days.Romania has experienced frequent drone incursions since Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but had not shot down any until Friday. Continue reading...

Fires displace people on massive scale and trigger one of the largest peacetime civilian evacuation operations ever carried out in France

Preliminary study shows older people who avoided food four hours before bed did better in problem solving testsConfining mealtimes and snacks to a nine-hour window and avoiding food for four hours before bed may help stave off cognitive decline in older age, researchers say.A pilot study of older women living with overweight or obesity found hints of improvement in mental skills among those who ate within the restricted period compared with those who spread their meals over a longer time. Continue reading...

PM promises to defend national interest before anything else' in first big broadcast interview since entering No 10Andy Burnham has promised to disagree with Donald Trump if necessary, including in public, in his first big broadcast interview since becoming prime minister.Burnham's comments came as Wes Streeting, the new defence secretary, said he did not believe the Trump administration was looking for allies who suck up", but rather those with the confidence to set out disagreements when needed. Continue reading...

England's progress provides best football-related uplift of recent years, with one pub too packed to host its Dolly Parton tributeLate opening hours and England's progress to the semi-final of an expanded World Cup helped provide the best football-related uplift of recent years for pubs, figures suggest.Pubs poured 30m extra pints over the course of the tournament compared with a normal trading period, with busy pumps delivering 150m in added sales, according to the British Beer & Pubs Association (BBPA). Continue reading...

Adrian Howe's family believe that fears his deal would be financially ruinous led him to kill himselfThe family of a former mobile phone store manager who was found drowned days before his new Vodafone franchise was to open its doors is pressing the government to introduce a new franchising law in his name.The call comes a week after Vodafone settled a long-running legal claim filed by 62 of its former franchisees who alleged that the company unjustly enriched" itself at their expense by up to 85m. Continue reading...

The president really has no power over elections - but that hasn't stopped Trump from laying the groundwork to challenge results in NovemberWhen Donald Trump commandeered primetime US television last Friday, he delivered a familiar, but still extraordinary, message. The president argued once again that the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden, were illegitimate.US elections are vulnerable to being rigged and stolen", Trump alleged, claiming that the trust of the American people was lost" when he was defeated. Continue reading...

Government-backed investigation finds risks are normalised amid a narrowing of the public conversation'Journalists are self-censoring their reporting on rightwing protests, Donald Trump's administration and trans issues because of growing concerns about their personal safety, with newsrooms accused of normalising" the risks they face.Hundreds of journalists from across the UK have anonymously disclosed increasing nervousness over their security. Some have reported avoiding or altering coverage on certain topics due to intimidation, leading to self-censorship and a narrowing of the public conversation". Continue reading...

Allowing use of two neonicotinoids to combat crop-ruining disease will kill bees and reduce harvests, union saysBeekeepers and environmentalists in France have reacted furiously after parliament approved a bill reauthorising two banned pesticides scientists say can poison bees.There are no words to describe the frustration," said Carolyn Bouguet, a beekeeper in Essonne, greater Paris. Bee populations have already been badly compromised by climate change, new parasites and loss of habitat. And now this." Continue reading...

This blog is now closedWe're cohesive': PM says after muted ALP national conferenceThe prime minister, Anthony Albanese, spoke with David Speers on Insiders as Labor's 50th national conference in Adelaide was wrapping up.Well, our government does listen to people but [there was a] broad consensus about the direction in which we're taking government ... A government that doesn't sit idle. We don't just occupy the space. And there's recognition of that from delegates that we are a united party We're cohesive. Continue reading...

Campaigners say existing federal ban on phone or video calls for assisted dying consultations adversely affects people living in regional Australia

Scottish first minister thanks Nethy Bridge residents and aid workers after earlier requesting UK military aid to fight 10-day fireResidents of Nethy Bridge have been told they can return to their homes after a large fire broke out in the Cairngorms national park.Supt Judy Hill of Police Scotland said: Thanks to the efforts of fire crews, gamekeepers, contractors, partners and many others over the past 24 hours, there is no longer the immediate threat which prompted the evacuation of properties in Nethy Bridge. Continue reading...

Scotland Yard is looking at two 250,000 donations to the party by Britain Means Business before the 2024 electionPayments to Reform UK first revealed by the Guardian are now being investigated by the Metropolitan police.The inquiry is scrutinising payments made to the party via a company controlled by its deputy leader, Richard Tice. Continue reading...

Vega made remarks to ABC's John Quinones at National Association of Hispanic Journalists conferenceCecilia Vega, the former 60 Minutes correspondent, said on Thursday she felt pressured by CBS News's executives to incorporate political bias" into segments for the broadcast program.Vega made the remarks during an onstage interview with John Quinones, the ABC News correspondent, at the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' annual conference in New Orleans. Her comments were first reported by Status. Continue reading...

Meanwhile, in the UK, a blaze in the Cairngorms national park has been described as very serious' by Scotland's first minister

Hundreds of firefighters battle blazes as strong winds drive fires towards Bordeaux and smoke prompts health warnings in MadridUnrestrained wildfires in Spain and France have forced more than 250,000 people to flee, authorities from both countries have said, as they struggle to contain the blazes.About 70,000 people were evacuated from central Spain, while 197,000 people fled in France, including tens of thousands from the wine region city of Bordeaux. Continue reading...

Dharmendra Pradhan steps down after demonstrations over exam leak scandal, prompting celebrations among thousands of protestersIndia's education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has resigned after a week of mass demonstrations, handing a major victory to a new youth movement that has posed an unprecedented challenge to Narendra Modi's government.In a statement on Saturday afternoon, Pradhan said he had submitted his letter of resignation to the prime minister after student pressure. Continue reading...

Bollywood stars accused of cowardice' as hundreds of thousands of young Indians take to the streets to challenge governmentBollywood stars and other Indian celebrities have faced fierce criticism for staying silent in the face of some of the biggest protests India has seen in years.Hundreds of thousands of young Indians took to the streets this week as part of a new youth movement that calls itself the Cockroach Janata party (CJP), demanding accountability over exam paper leaks in an unprecedented challenge to prime minister Narendra Modi's government. Many vented their anger against what they saw as cowardice" from India's biggest celebrities. Continue reading...

Robot from company that acquired sex doll maker to be introduced in school with large Native American populationA humanoid robot is being introduced as part of a pilot program, along with an AI teaching assistant, at Salamanca high school in Salamanca, New York, located on the Allegany territory of the Seneca nation.Teachers have criticized the program, deeming it inappropriate" and claiming it dehumanizes the profession with the introduction of human-like robots. Some local Native American residents have also criticized the pilot program, citing its implementation as culturally tone deaf". Continue reading...

Initiatives including cutting permits just to serve ice-cream amount to a sweeping program of deregulationRed Scare? The democratic socialist mayor of New York City spent this week talking about red tape.On Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani - the politician at the center of a revived rightwing panic about socialists and purported communists winning elections across America - posted a video on X of himself putting a sheet of paper with the phrase RED TAPE" into a paper shredder. Other pieces of paper, with phrases like cumbersome fees and fines" and a permit you need just to serve ice-cream", were shredded too. The video, set to Wu Tang Clan's If Time Is Money, shows Mamdani joining a handful of city officials and small business owners throwing the resulting paper shreds into the air like confetti. Continue reading...

Jewellery made from BC Iran worn at Odyssey photocall throws spotlight on the trade of rare archeological findsThe Odyssey has stormed cinemas, but while its take on the Homeric epic has created ripples among western classicists, it is an actor's earrings that have made waves further afield.Zendaya, who portrays the goddess Athena in the movie, provoked outrage when she appeared at a London photocall wearing earrings that were allegedly made from Iranian artefacts dating back to the 1st millennium BC. Continue reading...

Comment follows news Axel Rudakubana was transferred from prison to psychiatric hospitalThe lawyer for the families of Axel Rudakubana's victims has said the Southport killer is trying to retraumatise the families from his cell" after it emerged he had been transferred from prison to a psychiatric hospital.Rudakubana, now 19, was given a life sentence for the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults. Continue reading...

I can't tolerate this life,' said the 24-year-old in his last voice message to his relatives. Attacked by the military, a rebel army and criminal gangs, Siraz Ullah risked all for a better futureThe fear was audible as he spoke, recording a message to his family, asking for their prayers. After pressing send, 24-year-old Siraz Ullah boarded a boat he hoped could deliver him from the violence and persecution surrounding him at home in Myanmar.Instead, Siraz is among 500 Rohingya refugees who have vanished at sea after setting sail for Malaysia in late June. Continue reading...

Campaigners urge government to introduce right of access to water, particularly as heatwaves become more commonAlmost three-quarters of riverbanks in England have no public access, according to data released by the Right to Roam campaign.Across the country, the public cannot use riverbanks or gain access to the rivers themselves in most of the river catchments from the west of Cornwall up to the Tweed, which flows through northern England and Scotland. Continue reading...

In the Warrington suburb of Culcheth, people are hopeful about what one of their own can achieve as the first northern PM in half a centuryThe Cherry Tree pub is an unassuming local. On a busy road in the Cheshire village of Culcheth, it is a chain-run pub where four shots cost 8, every burger comes with a soft drink, and sport is shown all day on the big screens. It is also a favourite of Andy Burnham, the new prime minister.Many of the drinkers have a story about - arguably - Culcheth's most famous son. Continue reading...

Jalsa Salana in Hampshire has had enhanced support from police, emergency services and local authoritiesSecurity has been increased by several hundred additional staff at the UK's largest Muslim convention, Jalsa Salana, alongside enhanced coordination with police, emergency services and local authorities, against a backdrop of growing anti-Muslim sentiment.Last month, another big Islamic gathering was forced to close early after 12 people were arrested, including three on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, over a suspected far-right threat. Continue reading...

In sea pools built with sandbags and rubble, Amjed Tantesh gives traumatised children brief respite from their daily livesSwimming classes have started again in Gaza after three years of war, with hundreds of children learning to float, doggy paddle and take their first strokes in five makeshift sea pools built from sandbags and rubble.The lessons allow a few hundred girls and boys to reclaim their childhood for a few hours in a place where there are no playgrounds, no formal education and children live in fear of continuing Israeli attacks. A UN survey in March found that 96% of children felt death was imminent.Activity on the Gaza seafront Continue reading...

Don't delay in taking advantage of the competition that is pushing up interest rates and increasing choice, experts sayIt is shaping up to be a decent summer for savers as fierce competition among providers pushes up interest rates and increases choice.You can currently get instant- and easy-access accounts that pay up to 5% interest, and fixed-rate savings bonds that pay almost that much. Meanwhile, those looking for a regular savings account can now get up to 8%. Continue reading...

Syngenta says it will stop selling paraquat in Australia after new regulations on chemical linked to Parkinson's disease

Officials have long lobbied for peak that rises 2,918 metres above sea level to be given coveted designationMore than four decades have elapsed since Evangelos Geroliolios made his first ascent to the home of the ancient gods. At the top of Mount Olympus, on the rocky peak of Greece's highest mountain, he felt unalloyed awe.I've never forgotten that unique moment, that unique feeling up there on the throne of Zeus," recalled Geroliolios, who as mayor of Dion-Olympus now spends a great deal of his time administering the area around the site. Continue reading...

Highly unpredictable' blaze forces evacuation of Cap Ferret on French coast and Spain declares national emergencyMore than 200,000 people have fled or been ordered to lock down as huge wildfires swept Spain and France on Friday, prompting Madrid to declare a national emergency and the French authorities to order the total evacuation, by land and sea, of one of the country's best-known holiday spots.Authorities in south-west France ordered the Cap Ferret peninsula on the Atlantic coast to be evacuated village by village" in the face of an intense, highly unpredictable" wildfire that has burned through more than 19,000 hectares (47,000 acres) of forest. Continue reading...

Isobella Perrie Sullivan, 25, remanded in custody after intelligence-led operation against dissident republicansA 25-year-old law student has been charged in relation to an extremely significant" bomb intercepted near the UK-Irish border.Isobella Perrie Sullivan, from Clane, County Kildare, was charged with possession of explosives at a special sitting of Trim district court on Friday evening. Continue reading...

After Google fined 890m by EU, US president said Brussels was robbing' American companies and taxpayers

The film-maker, also behind A Nightmare on Elm Street 3, died on Wednesday in his San Diego homeDirector Chuck Russell, who helped propel actors such as Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz and Dwayne The Rock" Johnson to the Hollywood A-list, was found dead in his San Diego, California, home on Wednesday. He was 74.Russell directed several box office hits in his decades-long career including A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, The Blob and The Mask. In 2002, his film The Scorpion King featured The Rock in his first leading role. Continue reading...

Colt Gray, who was 14 at time of attack on Apalachee high school, admits 55 charges including four counts of murderThe wife of a teacher killed in a high school shooting in Georgia two years ago told a court on Friday that the families of the four victims had been handed a life sentence of grief and trauma" by the teenage student who murdered them.Shayna Aspinwall, whose husband Richard died at Apalachee high school, about 45 miles north-east Atlanta, on 4 September 2024, was speaking at the sentencing hearing for Colt Gray, 16, who earlier pleaded to 55 charges, including second-degree murder. Continue reading...

Joanna Ruth Shields' body was discovered in a pool of water with suspicious marks, driving speculation she was attackedA young woman whose body was found in the backcountry of California's Big Sur with suspicious marks on her face and neck died of alcohol withdrawal, the Monterey county sheriff's office said on Thursday.The discovery of Joanna Ruth Shields' body back in April had driven widespread suspicion that she had been the victim of a violent attack. A group of hikers found Shields, 37, naked in a pool of water in the Sykes hot springs area of the Ventana wilderness with marks on her neck and a cut across her forehead. Continue reading...

The latest milestone, a recorded 2,318 infections, makes 2026 the worst year for measles in the US since 1991The US has officially surpassed last year's record number of measles infections, marking the highest case count since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.New figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on Friday show the country has recorded 2,318 measles cases in 2026, overtaking the 2,289 cases reported during all of 2025 - with five months still remaining in the year. The country crossed the 2,000-case threshold last month before climbing even higher in July. Continue reading...