by Paul Karp Chief political correspondent on (#6CPGJ)
Exclusive: Former human services minister denies claim made to parliament's audit committee by ex-Synergy 360 insider that it proposed a structure for him to benefit from government contracts
Some fishers say they lack information and worry about Japan's plan to discharge treated wastewater into the seaEvery day fisher Charlie Maleb takes his string lines and his nets out from Wala Island, Vanuatu, into the Pacific Ocean.The 54-year-old drops his net around 5am and waits an hour before pulling it out, hoping to catch sardines, poulet and mangrove fish. Later in the day Maleb drops a line attached to a traditional fishing rod, fashioned out of a long tree branch. Continue reading...
Ambassador Lynne Tracey was allowed to meet the journalist in a Moscow jail in her second such visit since his arrest in MarchRussia has granted the US consular access to jailed Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich after a more than two-month gap, with the US ambassador reporting him in good health.The state department said ambassador Lynne Tracey met Gershkovich at the Lefortovo prison in Moscow on Monday, only her second such meeting with him since he was arrested on 29 March during a reporting trip in the Urals. Continue reading...
Telecoms providers added insult to injury' as prices rose, says report by Which? for year to January 2023More than half of UK broadband customers have experienced problems with their connections, according to a report that says telecoms providers are adding insult to injury" after forcing inflation-busting price rises on to their customers.Many of the UK's mobile and telecoms companies have been accused of greedflation" for pushing through mid-contract price increases of up to 17.3%. Continue reading...
The south and the midwest were hit hard, and the greatest increases were seen in Native American and Alaska Native womenMaternal deaths across the US have more than doubled over the course of two decades, with the most deaths occurring among Black women, researchers said on Monday.The findings were laid out in a new study published on Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jama). Researchers looked at maternal deaths between 1999 and 2019 - but not the pandemic spike - for every state and five racial and ethnic groups. Continue reading...
Decision by Parole Board to free Colin Pitchfork, who raped and killed two teenagers in 1988, called unthinkable' by Alex ChalkThe justice secretary has asked the Parole Board to reconsider its decision to allow the double child-killer Colin Pitchfork to be released from prison.Announcing the move, Alex Chalk said it was vital that dangerous offenders be kept behind bars. Continue reading...
Mikheil Saakashvili appears frail and emaciated on court video link, leading to concern about his treatmentGeorgia's former president Mikheil Saakashvili has appeared on television for the first time in months, looking frail and emaciated, fuelling concerns over the detained politician's treatment.The 55-year-old was almost unrecognisable and looked like a ghost of his former self when he appeared in a video link for a court hearing on Monday. Continue reading...
Peers voted against government-proposed measures on detention and deportation of asylum seekersThe government's small boats bill suffered a series of defeats in the House of Lords on Monday as Channel crossings in June by people seeking asylum set a new record.Peers voted to limit the time that children and pregnant women who claim asylum after arriving by irregular means can be detained, and backed preventing LGBTQ+ people from being deported to a country where they would have a well-founded fear of persecution. Continue reading...
Civil inquiry finds Gray's talks over role without telling bosses is prima facie' breach of codeA Cabinet Office investigation has said Sue Gray apparently breached the civil service code by discussing a role with Keir Starmer without telling her Whitehall bosses, prompting a vehement fightback by Gray's allies, who said the inquiry was arbitrary and politically motivated.Jeremy Quin, a Cabinet Office minister, said a civil inquiry found a prima facie" breach of the code about outside interests to be clear and transparent - meaning an apparent contravention of the rules based on first impressions. Continue reading...
Pair - aged 27 and 17 - arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder over stabbing on ThursdayDetectives have arrested two men suspects over a double murder in north London in which 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and a 23-year-old man were killed.The pair - aged 27 and 17 - were arrested on Monday evening on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and are in custody at a north London police station. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Bridget Phillipson says early-years education key to improving life chancesMore graduate teachers would be parachuted into nurseries under plans being considered by Labour to improve education for under-fours, the Guardian has learned.There could also be more nursery places in primary school settings as the opposition works up proposals to drive up standards and formally integrate early years into the English education system. Continue reading...
Actor's eldest daughter, Drena, makes announcement on Instagram but family has not released details about cause of deathLeandro De Niro Rodriguez, the grandson of actor Robert De Niro, has died at the age of 19, family members announced on Monday.De Niro's eldest daughter, Drena, posted on Instagram to say her son had died. She said the family had lost a sweet angel". Continue reading...
Gautier was one of 177 green berets in the Kieffer unit which stormed the Normandy beaches on 6 June 1944Leon Gautier, the last surviving member of the French commando unit that waded ashore on D-day alongside allied troops to begin the liberation of France, died on Monday. He was 100 years old.Gautier was one of 177 French green berets who stormed the Normandy beaches defended by Hitler's forces in 1944. Continue reading...
Tom Tugendhat asks Treasury to review whether banks are blacklisting those with controversial viewsIt should be completely unacceptable" for banks to close accounts on political grounds", a Home Office minister has said, as Conservatives weighed in on a so-called freedom of speech row prompted by claims from Nigel Farage.Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, was speaking in parliament after the culture secretary, Lucy Frazer, urged regulators to take action against banks that shut off access to people with controversial views. Continue reading...
Rain and technical problems with BBC coverage add up to a troubled opening day for tennis tournamentIt is supposed to be one of the highlights of the British summer. But the first day of Wimbledon proved less than ideal for thousands of fans who flocked to SW19 on Monday.Some queued for up to 10 hours to get in, rain lashed the tennis championships in short, sharp bursts, and technical problems affected television coverage of the opening matches. Continue reading...
European Commission head is seeking to curb Russian influence in central and eastern EuropeThe EU has said it will be impossible to envisage a future for the bloc without Ukraine and Moldova as members, in part to reduce Russian influence in east and central Europe.While other countries such as Romania and Bulgaria took 11 years to become members of the EU, joining in 2007, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, hinted the future of the new accession candidates will be swiftly decided. Continue reading...
by Sammy Gecsoyler (now); Martin Belam and Adam Fulto on (#6CNS1)
Child among people injured in attack in Sumy; Lynne Tracy visits Wall Street Journal reporter in prison after court upholds FSB request to extend his detention
Lords inflicts three defeats on government in favour of amendments to billRishi Sunak has accused Australia of breaking the spirit of cricket over the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow at Lord's, PA Media reports. PA says:England's Bairstow was stumped in bizarre circumstances on a tense final day in the second Test, with Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey throwing down the stumps after the batter ducked the final ball of the over and set off to talk to partner Ben Stokes in the apparent belief the over had ended.At the morning lobby briefing, the prime minister's spokesperson said Sunak, a keen cricket fan, agreed with the views of England captain Stokes about the incident. Continue reading...
Frontrunner Sandra Torres alleged votes were manipulated after centrist Bernardo Arevalo claimed surprise runner-up spotThe US has issued a warning over possible efforts to interfere with Guatemala's presidential election result, after the country's top court ordered ballots from the first-round vote be reviewed, setting up the potential for a recount.US secretary of state Antony Blinken said Washington had endorsed findings from observers over the vote's validity, and said undermining the outcome would be a grave threat to democracy with far-reaching implications". Continue reading...
Zafar Khan's disqualification comes more than five years after outsourcing firm's collapseThe former finance director of the collapsed outsourcing company Carillion has been banned from serving as a company director for 11 years over his role in the company dishing out dividends of more than 50m while misstating its financial position by more than 200m.The outsourcer's implosion in 2018 was one of the most high-profile failures in British corporate history, costing 3,000 jobs and plunging 450 public sector projects, including hospitals, schools and prisons, into chaos. Continue reading...
People turn out across the country to support local government after arrests on Sunday fell to 49 from 719 on SaturdayViolent protests in France over the police shooting of teenager Nahel M appeared to ease after five nights of unrest as crowds gathered at town halls across the country to show solidarity with local governments targeted in the violence.Police made 49 arrests nationwide on Sunday, French media reported, citing the interior ministry, down significantly from 719 arrests the day before, and 1,300 on Friday. Continue reading...
Politicians on the left have criticised the collection, set up by a far-right activist, but GoFundMe has refused to take it downA row has broken out over a collection for the family of the French police officer under investigation for shooting dead a 17-year-old that has topped more than 1m in donations.A similar collection to help the family of the victim, Nahel Merzouk, killed a week ago in Nanterre outside Paris after being stopped by two motorcycle patrol officers, has collected less than 200,000. Continue reading...
Alleged victim says he told police the actor was known to be up to no good' while running the Old Vic theatre in LondonKevin Spacey was a predator" who good-looking young men were warned about because it was well known he was up to no good", a court has heard.An alleged victim of the Oscar-winning actor told police that Spacey was a very slippery, snaky, difficult person" who groomed him. He said the 63-year-old actor tried to reel him in with promises of introductions to Hollywood stars before assaulting him a dozen times. Continue reading...
by Bethan McKernan in Jenin and Peter Beaumont on (#6CNTA)
At least eight Palestinians killed and dozens injured as major Israeli offensive targets city of JeninIsrael has launched a major aerial and ground offensive into the West Bank city of Jenin, its biggest military operation in the Palestinian territory in years, in what it described as an extensive counter-terrorism effort".At least eight Palestinians were killed and 50 injured, 10 seriously, in the attack that began at about 1am on Monday, and the death toll is likely to rise, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Continue reading...
New Conservatives such as Miriam Cates also say large number of arrivals risks damaging UK's cultural securityRishi Sunak risks damaging cultural security" and faces defeat at the next general election unless emergency measures to curb net migration are introduced, a new group of Conservative MPs has warned.As Downing Street slapped down the group's proposals to cut visas issued to care workers, members of the New Conservatives grouping said that ignoring their 12-point plan could end in electoral defeat. Continue reading...
Spokesperson says prime minister agrees with Ben Stokes about Jonny Bairstow's dismissal at Lord'sRishi Sunak has accused Australia of breaking the spirit of cricket over the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow at Lord's.England's Bairstow was stumped in bizarre circumstances on a tense final day in the second Test, with the Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey throwing down the stumps after the batter ducked the final ball of the over and set off to talk to partner Ben Stokes in the apparent belief the over had ended. Continue reading...
Centre aims to bring perpetrators of sexual violence, kidnapping and other unspeakable horrors' to justiceA centre for the prosecution of crimes of aggression committed in Ukraine has opened in The Hague with the backing of the EU, the US and the international criminal court (ICC).Ursula von der Leyen said the aim of the centre was to bring to justice those involved in unspeakable horrors" such as sexual violence, kidnapping of children and displacement of civilians. Continue reading...
by Mark BrownNorth of England correspondent on (#6CNZ0)
Mayor of Waverley, Sydney sent video message to support plan to bring lido on Longsands back to lifeThe mayor for Bondi Beach in Sydney is among those lobbying a council in north-east England to support ambitious plans to restore an outdoor swimming pool which fell into disrepair during the 1970s.Tynemouth outdoor pool was something of an institution for decades after its opening in 1925. Perched on the sprawling and golden Tynemouth Longsands beach, the concrete saltwater pool was a much-loved, if bracing, part of life for generations of local people and visitors. Continue reading...
Specialist officers watch for Just Stop Oil protesters, with chalk also banned as tournament security is increasedUndercover specialist police officers are being positioned in key spots in Wimbledon crowds and chalk has been banned from the tennis championships for the first time, as organisers attempt to thwart environmental protesters.Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), said specialist behavioural detection officers (BDOs) would work with intelligence officers to identify and anticipate protesters from Just Stop Oil, who have disrupted a number of sporting events in recent months. Continue reading...
British Chambers of Commerce aiming to replace troubled CBI as leading voice of UK businessesThe British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has launched an economic forecasting unit in an apparent move to further its campaign to replace the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) as the leading voice of businesses in the UK.The BCC, which is made up of 53 regional chambers of commerce affiliated to a central body, last month announced the launch of a business council as a new national offer" for businesses, as its rival the CBI fights for survival in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct. Continue reading...
Rightwing TV channels' use of politicians as presenters comes under scrutiny following complaintsOfcom has launched investigations into GB News and TalkTV as the media regulator struggles to handle how rightwing television channels are employing serving politicians as presenters.GB News and TalkTV's willingness to push opinionated television news in a manner not traditionally seen on British television has left Ofcom playing catch-up, trying to apply a broadcast code written in a different era dominated by the BBC and ITV. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6CNX2)
Industrial action will run from 17-22 July, coinciding with strikes by RMT and disrupting train servicesRail disruption in Britain at the start of the summer holidays is set to intensify as the train drivers' union Aslef announced another week of industrial action.A new overtime ban across the major train operating companies in England will run from Monday 17 July to Saturday 22 July, coinciding with two of the first of three 24-hour strikes by the RMT union. Continue reading...
by Theo Gkousarov & James Parrish (Metdesk) on (#6CNVR)
High concentration of particulate matter has led to health officials distributing masks and advising people to stay indoorsMore than 500 fires have been raging across Canadian provinces for nearly a month, spreading an orange-brown haze across eastern Canada and midwest and nort-east regions of the US, leading to a suffocating smog extending to major American cities. Toronto and New York have been ranked as the most polluted urban areas affected by wildfires in Canada, according to IQAir.com.The high concentration of particulate matter in the smoke has led to health officials distributing masks and advising people to stay indoors. As wildfires continue to burn through the rest of the season, until cooler temperatures, rain and snow arrive, further episodes of often very poor air quality are to be expected across parts of the US. Continue reading...
by Shah Meer Baloch in Mandi Bahauddin on (#6CNSX)
Officials in Punjab say they can't to stop the exodus, as families tell of loved ones lost on the perilous route via Africa and the MediterraneanIn one of the busiest hubs for trafficking in Pakistan, would-be migrants are continuing to leave for Europe despite hundreds of people drowning after a trawler sank off the Greek coast last month, the Guardian has found.In the past week, at least two more people from the district of Mandi Bahauddin, in eastern Pakistan, have left with the help of traffickers. The continued migration comes as families mourn loved ones believed to be on the Greek shipwreck, most of whose passengers were from Pakistan, and those missing after previous forlorn attempts to reach Europe. Continue reading...
by Nadia Khomami Arts and culture correspondent on (#6CNSZ)
Like any author, translators want to receive credit for their work instead of being treated as an afterthoughtThey have often been overlooked in the artistic and literary process, but translators have long claimed they have the power to change everything.There are tales of myths being born, societies being forged and cities destroyed with just a slip of the pen, such as the supposed translation error that allegedly led to the US deciding to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, or the speculation about life on Mars after the mistranslation of an Italian astronomer. Continue reading...
In today's newsletter: the Labour leader may well win the next election - but why are so many of his policies being ditched? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Keir Starmer has undergone a political transformation since he became leader of the Labour party. During the leadership contest, he positioned himself as a colleague and friend" of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, in whose shadow cabinet he had served. His list of policy pledges presented him as a more competent version of Corbyn, with none of the political baggage.NHS | Seven in 10 people in the UK believe charges for NHS care will creep in over the next decade, ending the health service's record of being free at the point of use, polling has found. Ahead of the service's 75th birthday this week the Guardian also asked five experts for their ideas on how to make the NHS thrive again.House of Lords | Two British peers were among 50 people who attended a party organised by the Russian ambassador to the UK at his opulent residence in west London last month. The event was to mark the creation of a Russia independent of the Soviet Union.Scotland | Orkney could leave the UK to become a self-governing territory of Norway after its council opted to explore alternative forms of governance". The archipelago off the north coast of Scotland will also consider changing its legal status within Britain as it seeks to provide more economic opportunities.Israel | As many as 50 Conservative MPs are threatening to rebel against a government proposal that would impose fines on public bodies, including local councils, that seek to mount boycotts against Israel. The scale of the unease on a foreign policy issue has caught government whips by surprise.France | The riots over the police shooting of teenager Nahel M appeared to ease after five nights of unrest that have seen thousands arrested and widespread destruction. French media reported that police made 49 arrests nationwide yesterday, down significantly from more than 2,000 over the previous two days. Continue reading...
Exclusive: Ranem Elkhalidi meeting Foreign Office officials this week as she continues fight to bring her son homeA woman whose seven-year-old son was kidnapped by his father and taken to Saudi Arabia has said lawyers in the country are too afraid to get involved with her case, as she prepares for a meeting with the Foreign Office this week.Ranem Elkhalidi has vowed to keep fighting for the safe return of her Cheshire-born son Ibrahim, who was taken from his primary school six months ago by her estranged husband, Hamzah Faraj, a Saudi national, in breach of a court order. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6CNQT)
Doctors and senior hospital figures - as well as the official statistics - paint a bleak picture. But is there cause for hope?Dr Nick Scriven can pinpoint the exact day he realised the NHS could no longer cope. I first noticed it when I was on call on New Year's Day 2012. We ran out of beds in our hospital. As a result medical patients had to occupy the beds in a surgical ward meant for people with broken bones waiting to have planned orthopaedic surgery.We'd always had outliers', the occasional medical patient who'd ended up in a surgical bed. But this was the first time cases like that had ended up taking over almost all the 30 beds on the orthopaedic ward. This went on for a month and was a massive stress for everyone as we'd never had to cope with this amount of patients being looked after elsewhere before. Continue reading...
Government pledged to bring end to abhorrent' practices five years ago but legislation has been beset by delaysActivists have called for a ban on so-called gay conversion therapy to be brought forward immediately with no loopholes" five years after the government first promised it would ban the practice.Stonewall said lives were continuing to be ruined by attempts to cure" LGBTQ+ people of being themselves" as Monday marked half a decade since the government vowed it would introduce legislation to outlaw conversion practices. Continue reading...
Richard Curtis, Emma Thompson and others say bank is financing and profiting from climate chaos'Richard Curtis, Emma Thompson and Deborah Meaden are among celebrities who have called on Wimbledon to end its new partnership with Barclays over the bank's multibillion-pound support for fossil fuel projects.As the 2023 championships get under way on Monday, the group claims the sponsorship deal, reportedly worth at least 20m a year, is damaging the club's reputation. Continue reading...
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