Election victory marred by criticism of voting process from other parties and official observersEmmerson Mnangagwa has a secured second term as Zimbabwe's president in a poll marred by electoral malpractice.The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared Mnangagwa the winner, with 52.6% of the vote, beating Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC), who trailed at 44%. Continue reading...
Potential leaked data from system with access to names, ranks and photos of officers could do incalculable damage in the wrong hands'The Metropolitan police is on high alert after a security breach involving the IT system of one of its suppliers, the force said.Scotland Yard is working with the company to understand the scale of the incident but said on Saturday evening that any leaked data could do incalculable damage" in the wrong hands. Continue reading...
Currently rare prison orders with little chance of parole would become default for worst offenders under MoJ proposalsMurderers whose offences have a sexual motivation face spending the whole of their lives behind bars - with no chance of being released - under plans announced by the government on Saturday.Ministers plan to expand the use of the rare whole-life term, the sentence given to the child serial killer Lucy Letby, so it can be handed down to more of the most serious offenders. Continue reading...
Former minister accuses PM of whipping public frenzy' against her in letter sent 11 weeks after she said she would stand downThe Tory MP and former minister Nadine Dorries has resigned her Commons seat and accused Rishi Sunak of demeaning his office" by speaking out against her.Two-and-a-half months after first announcing her intention to step down as MP for Mid Bedfordshire in protest at not receiving a peerage, Dorries on Saturday accused the prime minister of abandoning the fundamental principles of Conservatism", telling him: History will not judge you kindly." Continue reading...
Exclusive: Greyhound Racing NSW estimates betting ban would cost sector $20m a year while animal welfare advocates say claims of increased cruelty are absurd
Researchers call for urgent stabilisation efforts so the ship, which brought settlers to the state in 1836 and was used in whaling, can be studiedThe wreck of a ship that brought immigrants to Australia, served as a whaling platform and was used as a makeshift prison for the first Aboriginal person to kill a European in South Australia is at risk.The South Australian, originally named the Marquess of Salisbury, started out carrying mail across the Atlantic before embarking on a more chequered career. Continue reading...
Papers reveal how Richard Nixon was briefed on impending military takeover in Chile that ushered in 17-year dictatorshipTwo more US Department of State documents relating to Augusto Pinochet's coup d'etat in Chile have been declassified, revealing how President Richard Nixon was briefed on the impending military takeover.The president's daily brief from 11 September 1973, the morning of the US-backed military coup, informed Nixon that Chilean military officers were determined to restore political and economic order", but may still lack an effectively coordinated plan that would capitalize on the widespread civilian opposition". Continue reading...
The position of the PM's wife as a shareholder in a company that could benefit from an agreement is a major headache for No 10 Read more: Rishi Sunak faces fresh conflict of interest row of India trade talksWith a general election not far away and the economy still struggling, Rishi Sunak is on the hunt for good news. Next month he will be in New Delhi for the G20 summit - a visit that will be unusually rich with picture opportunities and chances to strike deals. Sunak's parents are of Indian Punjabi descent and his wife, Akshata Murthy, is a hugely wealthy Indian businesswoman, fashion designer and venture capitalist. In many ways it will be a homecoming for the first Asian couple ever to occupy No 10.Sunak's business and trade secretary, Kemi Badenoch, has been in India over the past few days, laying the ground for a string of announcements with her G20 counterparts. Inevitably, much of the talk in UK and Indian diplomatic, business and trade circles has been about the possibility of a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and India. The two governments had hoped to conclude one last autumn but negotiations have dragged on. Continue reading...
by Toby Helm, Political Editor, and Amrit Dhillon in on (#6E6KS)
Exclusive: Labour has called for more financial transparency after it was revealed the prime minister's wife's shares could benefit from the agreement Read more: trade deal with Indian could be double-edged sword for SunakRishi Sunak faces a new conflict of interest row before a G20 summit in New Delhi next month over claims that his family could stand to benefit financially from a post-Brexit trade deal that he is negotiating with India.MPs and trade experts say there are concerns at the highest levels of government over potential transparency" issues relating to his wife Akshata Murty's shareholding - worth almost 500m - in the massive Bengaluru-based international IT services and consultancy company Infosys. Continue reading...
by Mattha Busby (now); Clea Skopeliti and Adam Fulton on (#6E67F)
Decree published on Kremlin website obliges anyone working on behalf of the military in Ukraine to swear a formal oath of allegianceThe crash that killed militia leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has raised serious questions about the future of the mercenary Wagner Group of which he was the leader, especially following Putin's demand for fighters to sign an oath of allegiance.In African countries where Wagner provided security against groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State, officials and commentators predict Russia will likely maintain its presence, placing the forces under new leadership. Others, however, say Prigozhin built deep, personal connections that Moscow could find challenging to replace quickly. Continue reading...
Body of black man aged between 40 and 50 with beard and moustache was recovered near Bankside PierPolice have renewed calls for information on a body found 10 years ago that is yet to be formally identified.Metropolitan police were called to Bankside Pier in Southwark on 26 August 2013 after reports a member of the public had seen a man's body in the River Thames. Continue reading...
Ronnie-Lee Gray, from Essex, calmly phoned emergency services and explained the situationA seven-year-old boy has been praised for his quick thinking after he dialled 999 when his mother collapsed at home.Ronnie-Lee Gray, from Tilbury in Essex, called emergency services after his mother, Becky, fell unconscious at their home earlier this month. His mature actions meant an ambulance arrived quickly. Continue reading...
Eric Duprey died after a police officer threw a picnic cooler at him, knocking him off his motorbikeThe death of a new New York scooter rider who died during a buy-and-bust" police operation in the Bronx has been upgraded to a homicide, the city medical examiner has said.The examiner ruled Eric Duprey's death a homicide, caused by blunt force trauma to his head. Continue reading...
From the red carpet to the high street - as modelled by Gwyneth Paltrow and Marilyn Monroe - styles that reveal the bare stomach are everywhereThis summer might have been a washout, but that's not immediately obvious when walking down a typical UK high street. Along with sandals, sunglasses and shorts, any fashion-conscious observer might notice something else: the ubiquitous midriff.Making a showcase of this part of the body is not so much a trend as a given for young consumers - so much so, in fact, that this year marks 10 years since the midriff became an established fashion statement. Continue reading...
Compact teaching timetables will allow cash-strapped undergraduates to dovetail jobs with studiesUniversities are reducing the number of days students are required to be on campus to enable them to work part-time as they struggle to survive the cost of living crisis.Compact teaching timetables, where lectures and seminars are scheduled over two or three days rather than dotted throughout the week, are being introduced by a number of institutions. The move makes it easier for the growing number of undergraduates who have to take on part-time jobs to make ends meet. More than half of students now work alongside their studies, up from 45% in 2022 and 34% in 2021. Continue reading...
Price of more than 30 different kinds of period underwear to be lowered at stores from next weekJohn Lewis and Waitrose are cutting the price of their period underwear by a fifth, becoming the latest retailer to join the effort to make reusable period products more affordable.The price of more than 30 different kinds of period underwear will be reduced at stores from next week as they join the Say Pants to the Tax campaign, which was launched by Marks & Spencer and the Wuka this month. Continue reading...
One man confessed to having set four other fires on the island of Evia as the Greek authorities struggle to contain 111 blazesFire department officials in Greece have arrested two men for allegedly starting wildfires on purpose, while hundreds of firefighters battled blazes that have killed at least 21 people in the past week.One man was arrested on the Greek island of Evia for allegedly setting fire to dried grass in the Karystos area. The fire department said the man confessed to having set four other fires in the area in July and August. Continue reading...
Officers responded to shooting at game in Choctaw where police also fired weapon, though suspect remains at largeFour people were shot during a high school football game on Friday night in Oklahoma where a police officer also fired a weapon, authorities said.Officers responded to a report of a shooting around 10.30pm at a game in Choctaw between Choctaw high school and Del City high school, the Choctaw police chief, Kelly Marshall, said. Continue reading...
Taoiseach says whole nation mourns' after three teenagers and 24-year-old die on exam results nightFour young people who died in a crash in County Tipperary while on the way to exam results celebrations have been named.Luke McSweeney, 24, his sister Grace McSweeney, 18, Nicole Murphy, 18, and Zoey Coffey, 18, died at the scene after the car they were travelling in struck a wall on Friday, Gardai said. Continue reading...
Astronauts from US, Denmark, Japan and Russia will reach ISS on Sunday and say we're a united team with a common mission'Four astronauts from four countries rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday.They should reach the orbiting lab in their SpaceX capsule on Sunday, replacing four astronauts who have been living there since March. Continue reading...
Campaigners to return to the courts after planned two-mile tunnel near site, blocked in 2021, is greenlit againCampaigners have launched a fresh legal battle after the government once again greenlit plans for a controversial road tunnel at Stonehenge, after the development was successfully blocked two years ago.The Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site campaign (SSWHS) is challenging the decision by the transport secretary, Mark Harper, to allow a 1.7bn scheme to widen roads and dig a two-mile tunnel near the ancient site. The plan is designed to improve traffic on the A303, a congestion hotspot in south-west England. Continue reading...
Suspect to appear at Manchester and Salford magistrates' court on Saturday after man's body discoveredA man is due to appear in court charged with murder after police officers searching for a missing dog found the body of a man.Ian Gary Connell, 39, who is from Bolton, will appear at Manchester and Salford magistrates court on Saturday, Greater Manchester police (GMP) said. Continue reading...
Investigation under way into blaze at business centre that was attended by about 100 firefightersAn investigation is under way into a fire at a business centre with flats in east London that residents have said will keep them from their homes for most of the bank holiday weekend.About 100 firefighters were sent to deal with the fire in the Bow area of the capital after the alarm was raised at about 6pm on Friday, bringing it under control within three hours. Continue reading...
Railway says smuggled-in gas cylinder caused blaze that burned for two hours at Madurai station in Tamil NaduNine people have died after a fire broke out in a stationary train compartment at a railway station in southern India, officials said.The blaze broke out at 5am on Saturday and burned for two hours before firefighters were able to put it out, authorities said. Continue reading...
Governing body says it will take necessary legal action' against female players protesting over Luis Rubiales kiss scandalThe Spanish football federation has threatened to sue Jenni Hermoso, the player at the centre of a row over its president's conduct, for lying and defamation.It has also threatened to sue the 79 women's football players who signed a letter in which they refused to play for their country as long as Luis Rubiales remained in his post. Continue reading...
Guitarist discusses treatment that leaves him radioactive' and says he was previously told he needed end-of-life careThe former Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor has revealed that his prostate cancer is asymptomatic" after he was previously classified as needing palliative, end-of-life care".The 62-year-old musician was diagnosed in 2018 with stage-four prostate cancer. Continue reading...
Institution's chair of trustees admits its reputation has been damaged by suspected theftsThe recovery of missing British Museum artefacts is under way, George Osborne, the institution's chair of trustees, has said as he apologised over the scandal that has engulfed the museum, and admitted that its reputation had been damaged.About 2,000 items are believed to be missing, Osborne told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the day after the organisation's head resigned and his deputy stepped back. Continue reading...
Kayley Asher was left with permanent brain injuries by nurse in 1991 and has been upset by news of another nurse's crimesSince the Lucy Letby trial reached its conclusion, Kayley Asher has been living in a state of heightened fear. She checks under her bed and in her wardrobe, convinced that Letby is coming to get her.Kayley was 14 months old when another nurse, Beverley Allitt, tried to kill her in 1991. Allitt was said to have twice injected air under Kayley's armpit, which made her lungs collapse. The respiratory arrest left her with permanent brain injuries. Continue reading...
Deal offered over three years, and money invested will help finance windfarms and tree plantingSavers who want to make a difference with their cash no longer have to sacrifice a decent return after National Savings and Investments raised the rate on its green bond to 5.7%.The UK government-backed provider is offering the deal over a three-year term and savers will not be able to access their money in that period. Continue reading...
Carnival boss ready for celebratory event expected to draw 2m people over bank holiday weekendBands playing at this year's Notting Hill carnival will pay homage to the Windrush generation as the 2023 event coincides with the 75th anniversary of the ship's arrival in Britain.Matthew Philip, the carnival's chief executive, said he hoped it would be as community-oriented as ever". Continue reading...
Films' success pushes admissions to over 17.6m in July and combined takings have passed 130m markIt was billed as the definitive box office showdown, but the summer phenomenon that was Barbie v Oppenheimer ultimately proved to be the catalyst to get the UK's struggling cinema sector back on track.The extraordinary success of both films, released on the same day, pushed admissions in July to more than 17.6m - the biggest month for UK cinemagoing since December 2019. And the popularity of Barbenheimer" has continued into this month, with experts predicting 13.5m admissions for August. Continue reading...
KC blames deep cuts to justice system for failures at Criminal Cases Review Commission such as Andrew Malkinson scandalThe wheels are coming off" the miscarriage of justice watchdog, legal experts have warned, after it emerged that the commission's chair has been in Montenegro promoting her property business during one of its biggest modern scandals.The Guardian revealed on Friday that Helen Pitcher, head of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), was pictured barefoot outside a mussels bar promoting her holiday home business while her organisation was in crisis over its handling of the Andrew Malkinson case. Continue reading...
Some operators will run no trains and others a reduced timetable, while weather will be sun and showersHolidaymakers and festivalgoers face disruption this weekend as the latest train strikes threaten to derail bank holiday plans.The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is staging a strike on Saturday, with 20,000 workers expected to take part, in a dispute over pay and working conditions. Continue reading...
Demonstrations against the Assad regime have taken hold in two southern provinces after the government ended fuel subsidiesRare protests against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's government continued on Friday, with demonstrations reported in a string of towns in Daraa and Sweida provinces.The protests began late last week after the government ended fuel subsidies, dealing a heavy blow to Syrians reeling from years of war and economic crisis. Continue reading...
The ultimatum was rejected by France's foreign ministry, which said it did not recognise the junta's authorityNiger's junta said on Friday it had ordered French ambassador Sylvain Itte to leave the country within 48 hours, as relations between the west African country and its former colonial ruler deteriorated further.The junta-appointed foreign ministry said the decision to expel the ambassador was a response to actions taken by the French government that were contrary to the interests of Niger". Continue reading...
Lukashenko says Prigozhin dismissed warnings about threats to his life; Kremlin denies being behind plane crash; flight recorders and 10 bodies recovered
Opposition leader Peter Dutton says he supports Ley along with other Liberals facing challenge, including Alex Hawke, Paul Fletcher and Melissa McIntosh
Ruling comes on same day Missouri judge rules similar law can take effect, prohibiting doctors giving crucial care to trans youthA Texas judge on Friday blocked the state's upcoming ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors, the latest in a legal fight over efforts by conservatives to restrict such care around the country.The decision came on the same day a Missouri judge ruled that a similar law can take effect. Continue reading...
A further 80 people injured trying to enter stadium, with 11 in critical conditionTwelve people have died and about 80 have been injured in a crush as sports fans tried to enter Madagascar's national stadium for the opening ceremony of the Indian Ocean Island Games, the prime minister said.Christian Ntsay said 11 of the injured were in a critical condition after the incident on Friday. Continue reading...
Police are treating the incident at Chatham Memorial synagogue in Rochester as a hate crimeA man has been arrested after gravestones were damaged in a Jewish cemetery in Kent.Officers have been investigating the incident as a hate crime, with the damage believed to total about 19,000. Continue reading...
Plume of smoke visible for miles as 15 fire engines attend site in Bow, where no casualties have yet been reportedThick black smoke billowed into the sky on Friday evening when a huge fire broke out in east London. About 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at a business centre with flats in Fairfield Road in Bow.The London fire brigade (LFB) described it as a very visible fire" and said most of the roof of the six-storey building was alight. The cause of the fire is not yet known and there were no reports of injuries. Continue reading...
Suspects, aged 66 and 33, released by Staffordshire police investigating Himley blazeTwo men arrested after a fire at the Crooked House pub in the West Midlands have been released on bail, with detectives continuing to appeal for information.A 66-year-old man from Dudley and a 33-year-old man from Milton Keynes were arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life on Thursday. Continue reading...
by Charlie Moloney , Sammy Gecsoyler and Helen Sulliv on (#6E57R)
Flight recorders also recovered, Russian officials say; Alexander Lukashenko says he warned Wagner bosses to be aware of threats to their lives. This live blog is closedRishi Sunak has reaffirmed the UK defence ministry's comments from Friday morning, saying intelligence suggested Prigozhin was most likely" on the plane.We're obviously monitoring the situation very closely, working with our allies to establish what happened," the British prime minister told reporters. Continue reading...
Suspect, 43, held over child neglect after girl believed to have fallen from sixth-floor flatAn eight-year-old girl has died after apparently falling from a balcony in a tower block in Portsmouth.A 43-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect and was being questioned by police about the fall at Pickwick House, to which police and paramedics were called at 6.50pm on Thursday. About a dozen police cars were seen parked outside the 11-storey block of flats and a wide cordon was in place. Continue reading...
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