Police are reviewing all the evidence after the destruction of The Crooked House near Dudley, West Midlands shortly after saleAn 18th-century pub thought to be the wonkiest in Britain has been reduced to rubble after being gutted by a fire at the weekend.Images posted on social media seem to show that the structure of The Crooked House near Dudley had collapsed on Monday. The building on Himley Road in the West Midlands city was extensively damaged after the fire on Saturday evening. Continue reading...
by Gwyn Topham Transport correspondent on (#6DMPS)
Government accused of vandalism against communities' after cuts revealed in traffic reportAt least 1,500 bus routes were cut in the last two years in England, figures published by the Department for Transport have revealed.The latest report from the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain showed that the number of local registrations fell from just over 12,000 in 2021 to fewer than 9,000 in 2023, although the DfT said many of the routes had been reclassified rather than lost altogether. Continue reading...
Leaders of the two Nato countries say they expect provocations from their neighbouring Russian ally and Wagner fightersBelarus has begun military exercises near its border with Poland and Lithuania, as tensions heighten with the two Nato members over Russia-linked Wagner mercenaries who moved to Belarus after their short-lived mutiny in Russia.Both Poland and Lithuania have increased border security since thousands of Wagner fighters arrived in Russia-allied Belarus under a deal that ended their armed rebellion in late June and allowed them and their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to avoid criminal charges. Continue reading...
by Robyn Vinter North of England correspondent on (#6DMMX)
Police have arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after collision on SaturdayA 12-year-old boy who was hit by a car on the M62 on Saturday evening has been named by police.It is believed Callum Rycroft from Harehills, Leeds, was struck by the car as he attempted to cross the motorway from the hard shoulder. Continue reading...
by Diane Taylor, Sammy Gecsoyler and Rajeev Syal on (#6DMKR)
As first 15 people move on to Bibby Stockholm, lawyers say they are intervening to halt transfer of dozens morePeople seeking refuge who were ordered to live on a controversial giant barge have been reprieved after legal challenges claimed the vessel was unsafe and unsuitable for traumatised people.As the first tranche of 15 people were moved on to the Bibby Stockholm in Portland, Dorset, lawyers say they are intervening to halt the transfer of dozens more on to the 220-bedroom vessel. Continue reading...
Lance O'Connor was accused of intimidating organisers and attenders at story-telling event for childrenA man has been found guilty of a public order offence after protesting against a drag queen story-telling event for children at Tate Britain.Lance O'Connor, of Plaistow in east London, was accused of being aggressive and intimidating" towards organisers and attenders and making comments that were motivated by hostility relating to sexual orientation and transgender identity". Continue reading...
Privileges committee chair says Tory colleagues stood up to real harassment' during inquiry into ex-PM's statementsHarriet Harman has said the four Conservative MPs who ruled Boris Johnson misled the Commons carried out heroic service" by withstanding intolerable pressure from other Tory backbenchers.The Labour MP said her Tory colleagues on the Commons privileges committee suffered real harassment" from Johnson's supporters, who wanted to interfere with the inquiry into the former prime minister's Partygate statements at Westminster. Continue reading...
BMA highlights government's complete disregard' for the health service and its patientsConsultants in England will strike for two additional days in September if the government continues to refuse pay talks and fails to present the profession with a credible offer, the British Medical Association has said.The BMA said on Monday it had written to the health secretary, Steve Barclay, to inform him that on top of strikes by consultants on 24 and 25 August, there would be additional strikes on 19 and 20 September unless the government agreed to further negotiations. Continue reading...
Clashes were latest in string of global skirmishes that have drawn scrutiny to human rights abuses in EritreaA weekend of Eritrean cultural festivities in Toronto was canceled by city officials following outbreaks of violence and demonstrations by oponents of the Eritrean government.Clashes between attendees and protestors left nine people in hospital and were the latest in a string of global skirmishes that have drawn fresh attention to human rights abuses in Eritrea and tensions between diaspora populations. Continue reading...
Lytton First Nation in British Columbia ordered to evacuate on Friday as out-of-control wildfire just 328 yards from reserve landMembers of a First Nation in British Columbia have once again been advised to flee their homes to escape record-setting wildfires, just two years after the community in western Canada was devastated in an earlier blaze.Residents of the Lytton First Nation were ordered to evacuate late on Friday. By Sunday, the out-of-control Stein Mountain fire was just 300 meters (328 yards) from reserve land, burning its way down a steep slope that has stymied firefighting efforts, the community's chief, Niakia Hanna, told Reuters. Continue reading...
by Robyn Vinter North of England Correspondent on (#6DMCV)
Judgment rules jury's verdict may have been different' in case of Andrew Malkinson if defence had been given full factsThe conviction of a man who spent 17 years behind bars for a rape he did not commit was unsafe because police withheld crucial information from his defence lawyers, the court of appeal has found.Andrew Malkinson was wrongly convicted of raping, beating and strangling a woman in 2003 after he was picked out of a police lineup, despite not matching the victim's description of the attacker. Continue reading...
by Jessica Murray Midlands correspondent on (#6DMCW)
Staffordshire force investigating how blaze took hold of West Midlands site days after it was soldPolice have said they are reviewing all of the available evidence" on the cause of a fire that destroyed the famous Crooked House pub in the West Midlands just two weeks after it was sold to a private buyer.The pub in Himley, near Dudley, was completely gutted on Saturday night by a blaze that took 30 firefighters to extinguish, days after being sold by the brewer Marston's. Continue reading...
After massive hacks at Optus and Medibank,survey from information commissioner finds three-quarters of people feel data breaches are among biggest risk to privacy
Giacomo Chiapparini, 74, from Romano di Lombardia, was buried when a shelf broke in his warehouseAn Italian man has been crushed to death under thousands of vast wheels of a parmesan-style hard cheese, which weigh about 40kg each, firefighters said on Monday.Giacomo Chiapparini, 74, was buried under the cheeses when a shelf broke in his warehouse in the northern Lombardy region on Sunday, creating a domino effect which brought down thousands of wheels, firefighter Antonio Dusi from Bergamo told AFP. Continue reading...
Promoters of the event claim that Matty Healy's onstage kiss with bandmate tarnished' the festival's reputation and are calling on the musicians to acknowledge liability and provide compensationThe organisers of the Good Vibes festival in Kuala Lumpur are taking legal action against the 1975 after frontman Matty Healy criticised Malaysia's punitive anti-LGBTQ+ legislation during their headline set.On 21 July, Healy told the crowd: I don't see the fucking point of inviting the 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with. Unfortunately, you don't get a set of loads of uplifting songs because I'm fucking furious. Continue reading...
Three of the inquiries relate to shows hosted by politicians Esther McVey, Philip Davies and Jacob Rees-MoggGB News is being investigated for four further potential breaches of impartiality rules, as the media regulator Ofcom struggles with the rightwing channel's willingness to push the boundaries of British broadcasting rules.GB News has repeatedly shown itself willing to challenge the broadcasting code, mocking Ofcom's investigations on air and airing presenters who suggest Ofcom are guilty of hypocrisy and are targeting the channel. Continue reading...
Emerald Fennell's film, starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi and Rosamund Pike, is a tale of privilege and desire' following a young student at OxfordSaltburn, writer-director Emerald Fennell's follow-up to Promising Young Woman, has been selected as the opening film for the 2023 edition of the London film festival in October, it has been announced.Starring Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi and Rosamund Pike, Saltburn is described as a tale of privilege and desire". Its published plot synopsis says: Student Oliver Quick (Keoghan) is struggling to find his place at Oxford University and finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton (Elordi), who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family's sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten." Continue reading...
UK Scouts chief says organisation of event in South Korea had been poor, even before threat of Typhoon KhanunThe 1m cost of relocating the 4,500-strong UK contingent at the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea will affect the work of the Scout Association for as much as five years, the organisation's boss has said.Matt Hyde, the UK Scouts chief executive, said the association had been forced to dip into its reserves after the event's organisers decided to clear the campsite five days early because of an incoming typhoon that is expected to make landfall over the Korean peninsula in the coming days. Continue reading...
Site has been plagued by issues including heatwave that left hundreds ill last weekAll participants at this year's World Scout Jamboree in South Korea will be evacuated from the event's campsite before the scheduled end date of 12 August due to a typhoon that is expected to make landfall over the Korean peninsula in the coming days.The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) said on Monday it had received confirmation from the South Korean government that, due to the expected impact of Typhoon Khanun, an early departure would be planned for all participants at the global youth event in the south-western county of Buan. Continue reading...
Senator Chris Van Hollen says president should reassess military aid to Israel in light of extreme rightward tilt of governmentA leading Democratic senator has called on Joe Biden to get more personally engaged" in stopping racists" in the Israeli government from a land grab in the occupied territories and committing gross violations" of Palestinian rights or risk damage to the US's credibility.After a visit to Israel and the West Bank last month, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland told the Guardian in an interview that the US president should begin by reassessing the US's huge military aid to Israel to prevent it from being used to facilitate annexation of the West Bank and oppression of the Palestinians, including the army's complicity in escalating settler violence against the Arab civilian population. Continue reading...
Armed forces stand ready, says junta, as west African country defies threat of military intervention by EcowasNiger is waiting for a response from the west African regional bloc after coup leaders in Niamey ignored a deadline to reinstate the ousted president - a move the bloc has warned could lead it to authorise a military intervention.The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has said it will issue a statement on its next steps in response to the junta's refusal to cave in to external pressure to stand down by Sunday after the power grab on 26 July. Continue reading...
Items also include Queen singer's moustache comb and the piano used to write Bohemian RhapsodyAs the frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury's musical legacy is undisputed - the band had more than 50 UK Top 40 hits across three decades. But, as an auction and exhibition opening this week at Sotheby's details, the singer was a style leader too.Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own is made up of the contents of his home, Garden Lodge - he left the property and everything in it to his close friend Mary Austin when he died in 1991, and she has decided to sell the contents. It includes 30,000 items, everything from the baby grand piano used to compose Bohemian Rhapsody to his personal Polaroids, original song lyrics, and paintings and drawings by artists including Goya and Salvador Dali. It is his clothing that dominates the exhibition rooms of Sothebys, with more than 200 items on display. Continue reading...
Mother of the Euphoria star, who was found dead a month after his father died, said that he might have accidentally' overdosedAngus Cloud's mother has dismissed speculation that the actor's recent and unexpected death - occurring within a week of his father's funeral - may have intentionally been of his own doing.Lisa Cloud McLaughlin published a statement on Facebook over the weekend which asserted that her son was reorganizing his room and placing items around the house with the intent to stay a while in the home he loved" before his death on 31 July shocked the entertainment world. Continue reading...
Barbie is now the biggest film to be directed by one woman, with director Greta Gerwig supplanting Wonder Woman's Patty JenkinsBarbie has broken the US$1bn mark since its debut more than two weeks ago, with director Greta Gerwig breaking a record for female directors previously held by Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins.Warner Bros Pictures announced on Sunday that the movie took in $459m from North American theatres and another $572.1m overseas over the weekend, for a total of $1.0315bn (A$1.56bn, 800m). The figure was confirmed by media analytics firm Comscore. Continue reading...
Six killed and a blood transfusion centre destroyed in overnight Russian missile strikes; Kyiv's Mother Ukraine statue has its Soviet-era hammer-and-sickle emblem replacedA multi-wave overnight assault on Ukraine - said to be in retaliation for successful strikes against Russian naval vessels - killed six people and destroyed a blood transfusion centre. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned the guided air bomb" strike against the medical facility as a war crime of beasts".Despite the strikes, Zelenskiy said Ukraine was seeing significant results" from US and German air defence systems. Ukraine had shot down a significant part of Russia's attacks over the past week, which included 65 missiles of various kinds and 178 assault drones, including 87 Shaheds, he said.The Chonhar bridge to the occupied Crimean peninsula was damaged by a missile strike, the Moscow-installed governor said. Another of the three road links between Crimea and Russian-occupied parts of mainland Ukraine, near the town of Henichesk, was shelled and a civilian driver wounded, a Moscow-appointed official said.A hostile drone was destroyed by Russian air defences as it approached Moscow on Sunday morning, the city's mayor said. The capital's Vnukovo airport temporarily suspended flights.Russia has said its forces struck military airbases in the Khmelnytskyi and Rivne regions in western Ukraine and that all targets were hit". The deputy governor of the Khmelnytskyi region, Serhiy Tiurin, said on Sunday that a military airfield in Starokostiantyniv was among the targets. He said most of the missiles were shot down but explosions had damaged several houses, a cultural institution and the bus station, and a fire had broken out at a grain silo.The Mother Ukraine statue in Kyiv, one of the nation's most recognisable landmarks, has lost its hammer-and-sickle symbol after officials replaced the Soviet-era emblem with the country's trident coat of arms. The move is part of a wider shift to reclaim Ukraine's cultural identity from the Communist past.A weekend conference in Saudi Arabia of senior officials from some 40 countries including the US, China and India - part of a diplomatic push by Ukraine to build support beyond its core Western backers - ended with no concrete action beyond a commitment to further consultations. Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said the discussions had been very productive, but did not give details. Continue reading...
Committee's report says devices including home security systems used to coerce and control victimsMPs have called on the UK government to tackle tech abuse", as they warned devices including smart home security systems were being used to coerce and control victims of domestic abuse.The culture, media and sport committee launched an inquiry last year to consider the benefits and harms of connected technology, including virtual assistants and fitness trackers. Continue reading...
by Sally Weale Education correspondent on (#6DKST)
Tens of thousands of students face likely drop in As and A*s as ministers aim to return results in England to pre-pandemic levelsTens of thousands of A-level students face disappointment on results day next week, amid warnings that nearly 100,000 fewer As and A*s could be awarded as the government seeks to return grades to pre-pandemic levels.Up to 50,000 candidates this summer are likely to miss out on the top grades they might have expected last year, according to one estimate, throwing applications for the most competitive universities into doubt. Continue reading...
Offensive chants about tragedies such as Hillsborough can be public order offences under new guidanceFootball fans in England and Wales could be banned from matches if they mock tragedies such as the Hillsborough disaster, under updated guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service.The CPS guidance will state that actions such as singing, chanting or displaying offensive messages about disasters or accidents involving players or fans can be seen as a public order offence. Continue reading...
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