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Police say no evidence of criminal offence committed, as presenter's wife names him as the man at the centre of the allegationsSouth Wales police say they have ended their inquiries into the matter.The force said a meeting with the BBC and Met police earlier this week led to them carrying out fresh inquiries. Continue reading...

Comments come after Ukrainian leader complained his country had not been given firm timetable for joining allianceBritain's defence secretary and the US national security adviser have suggested Ukraine ought to show more gratitude for the help it has received from the west, in response to Volodymyr Zelenskiy's complaints that his country has not been issued a firm timetable or set of conditions for joining Nato.Their unscripted remarks - at two different events on the margins of the second day of the Nato summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius - appeared to prompt a change of tack from the Ukrainian leader on Wednesday, who later said he was grateful to all leaders of Nato countries" for their support and help. Continue reading...

Venus of the Rags, one of the contemporary Italian artist's most famous works, was burnt to cindersOne of the most famous works by Italian contemporary artist Michelangelo Pistoletto, Venus of the Rags, has been burnt to cinders in a suspected arson attack in Naples.The installation, in which a statue of the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility stands next to a vast pile of coloured, discarded clothes, was destroyed where it stood on display near the town hall in the southern Italian city. Continue reading...

Another 14 wounded after seven improvised devices set off in attack by organized crime group in Tlajomulco, Jalisco stateFour police officers and two civilians have been killed by bombs planted in a road in western Mexico that officials said were an ambush set by a drug cartel.The attack late on Tuesday appeared to mark the first time that Mexican criminals have successfully targeted law-enforcement personnel with improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, in the latest example of the brazen military challenge posed by organized crime groups in the country. Continue reading...

Junior doctor leaders have threatened to keep up industrial action until spring unless they receive a credible pay offer'Rishi Sunak's pledge to cut NHS waiting times will be impossible to meet if strikes are still disrupting care beyond the summer, health service chiefs have privately warned ministers.The prime minister promised in January that NHS waiting lists will fall" when he outlined five pledges, reflecting the people's priorities", by which voters should judge his performance, he said. Continue reading...

Documents containing allegations of torture filed to court in support of complaint made by Bobi WineThe Uganda president, Yoweri Museveni, and his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba have been accused of sponsoring violence and abusing critics in harrowing testimony filed before the international criminal court.The submissions contain detailed allegations of the torture of opposition figures and activists who report being arrested arbitrarily and being held incommunicado in torture centres", where they were reportedly interrogated about their links with the opposition figure Bobi Wine and subjected to physical harm and indignifying treatment. Continue reading...

RSL president Bernadine Evaristo highlights need to change to become an organisation for all writers rather than just the white and middle classBroadcaster and writer Emma Dabiri, young adult author Patrick Ness, Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik and poet Anthony Anaxagorou are among the fellows newly elected to the Royal Society of Literature (RSL).The RSL, a UK charity aimed at advancing literature, announced its 62 new fellows during a ceremony at the Garden Museum in London on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Zelenskiy suggests Ukraine could get up in the morning and express our words of gratitude personally to the minister'What we know on day 504 of the invasionIn the last few moments an air alert that had been in place across some of southern Ukraine has been lifted, however there is still a warning in place about artillery fire in Nikopol.This is not unusual, as the city lies on the right-bank of the Dnipro, opposite Russian occupied territory near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and occupied city of Enerhodar.This is Martin Belam taking over the live blog in London. You can contact me at martin.belam@theguardian.com Continue reading...

Inquiry into disappearance of boy, 2, who went missing on Saturday will shift to evaluation of evidence already gathered'A massive air and land search for a toddler missing for four days in a hamlet in the French Alps has been called off, with investigators saying the focus will now shift to the evaluation of evidence already gathered.The two-year-old boy, named only as Emile, 2, was staying with his grandparents when he went missing on Saturday. He was last seen by two neighbours walking alone on a street of Haut Vernet, a tiny village of 25 inhabitants. Continue reading...

Writer speaks to the BBC about his physical and mental health as well as his thoughts on his attempted murdererSalman Rushdie has spoken about the crazy dreams" he has experienced since being attacked in New York.The 76-year-old writer spoke to the BBC about the incident, which saw him stabbed as he prepared to give a lecture, and his physical health. I have a very good therapist who has a lot of work to do," he said. I have crazy dreams." Continue reading...

This live blog has now closed, you can read more of our UK political coverage hereCivil service chief Simon Case said the last five years had seen a deterioration in relations between officials and politicians, although he added the situation had improved since Rishi Sunak became prime minister, PA News reports.The cabinet secretary told MPs:The last five years or so have seen, I think, an increased number of attacks on civil servants individually and collectively by significant political figures which has undoubtedly undermined the good functioning of government.I'm very happy to say that under this prime minister things have changed very significantly.Obviously I don't agree with a characterisation which is insulting, dehumanising, totally unacceptable.It would surprise me if current ministers were using this language, not least because if they were it would indicate something akin to self-defeating cowardice.Yes, was aware of those communications and have flagged them to both the chief whip and Speaker of the House. Continue reading...

Surfacing of old posts threatens to damage reputation of Tim Sheehy, one of party's leading hopes to take control of SenateThe US Senate campaign of Montana Republican Tim Sheehy has been forced on to the defensive following the publication of misogynistic and racist social media posts he is alleged to have written.Sheehy is one of his party's leading hopes to help it take control of the Senate in next year's elections, and he is running for the Republican nomination to challenge Jon Tester, seen as one of the most vulnerable Democrats seeking re-election. Continue reading...

Bank of England says millions of homeowners will be paying up to 220 more a month by end of yearAlmost 1 million UK homeowners will be forced to shell out at least 500 more a month to cover mortgage payments by the end of 2026, as borrowers suffer the consequences" of rising interest rates, the Bank of England has warned.Forecasts released on Wednesday showed that of the 4 million homeowners expected to roll on to new mortgage contracts over the next three years, the majority will be paying up to 220 more a month to cover the mortgage by the end of this year because of the difficulty of finding contracts with comparable rates. Continue reading...

State's efforts unable to persuade company to stay amid growing risk for carriers as climate crisis increases strength of stormsFarmers Insurance became the latest property insurer to pull out of Florida on Tuesday despite repeated efforts by the state's legislature and its Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, to try to calm the volatile market that is making home ownership less affordable.Farmers informed the state that it was discontinuing new coverage of auto, home and umbrella policies. The company said in a statement that the decision would affect policies issued through its exclusive agency distribution channel". It said there would be no effect on 70% of current policies in Florida. Continue reading...

Comb and gold hair-ring dating back more than 3,000 years unearthed near Barry in south WalesThey are sometimes depicted as unkempt and wild-haired but the discovery of what is being billed as possibly the UK's oldest wooden comb suggests prehistoric people liked to take care of their appearance.The comb and a beautifully crafted hair-ring, dating back more than 3,000 years to the bronze age, were unearthed near the seaside town of Barry in south Wales. Continue reading...

Broadcaster prepared to accept consequences of dropping defence and paying damages less than two weeks before start of trial

Tesla Electric seeks executive with healthy scepticism of status quo' to manage entry into UK energy marketElon Musk's Tesla is poised to disrupt Britain's energy market with the launch of a new household supplier.The maker of electric cars, which also runs an energy supply business in the US, plans to begin selling electricity to homes and running virtual power plants", according to a recent job listing. Continue reading...

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Plea comes after administrators were appointed to Nassif's firm Toplace while he remains subject to an arrest warrant

Professional standards committee has reprimanded Teo and imposed conditions on his registration

US couple gives evidence to New Zealand court in case against island's owners and tourism operatorsAn American couple who were badly burned when Whakaari/White Island erupted in December 2019, killing 22 of the 47 people in its crater, told a New Zealand court that neither their guides nor anyone else involved in their trip to the crater told them that such an event was likely - or even possible. Information about the dangers they faced on the island volcano was minimal, they said, and safety protections lax.Evidence from Matthew Urey, 40, and Lauren Urey, 36, opened the prosecution's case in the Auckland district court on Wednesday, beginning a lengthy trial for the island's owners and other tourism companies involved in the ill-fated trip. Continue reading...

Rocket went 1,000km, says South Korea, after Kim Jong-un's sister threatened shocking' consequences for alleged US spy plane flightsNorth Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast towards Japan on Wednesday, South Korea's joint chiefs of staff said, in a move that followed threats of retaliation for alleged US spy plane flights.The missile flew about 1,000km (621 miles) before crashing into the water, South Korea's military said. Japan's chief cabinet secretary said the missile came down about 250km west of Okushiri island in Japan's northernmost Hokkaido prefecture, after a flight taking 74 minutes that reached an altitude of more than 6,000km. Continue reading...

Antony Blinken speaks at launch of US-led coalition to address synthetic drug threatsWho is responsible for the United States' opioid epidemic? According to the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, the culprits are transnational criminal enterprises" who need to be tackled via international law enforcement operations.But according to Chinese state media, the fentanyl crisis in the United States is demand-driven", primarily by the users themselves". Continue reading...

Magistrates under fire amid controversial inquiries involving leading figures in Meloni coalitionItaly's far-right government is embroiled in a power struggle with magistrates amid controversial investigations involving leading figures within the ruling coalition.In a memo citing sources from the office of the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, a segment of the judiciary" came under attack for choosing to play an active opposition role" in allegedly attempting to bring down her administration ahead of next year's European parliamentary elections. Continue reading...

Senate inquiry told about firings at KPMG, Deloitte and EY in wake of tax scandal at PwC

Nathaniel Whitehall, 55, represented a woman for a traffic infringement in court despite being unqualified

But Sag-Aftra says it will not extend Wednesday night deadline to reach deal before going on strikeAs Hollywood was bracing for the possibility of the first simultaneous strike by Hollywood writers and actors in more than sixty years, the Screen Actors Guild said it had agreed to a last-minute request" to work with a federal mediator in contract negotiations with film and TV studios.But the union said it would not extend its Wednesday night deadline to reach a deal before its 160,000 members go on strike, citing their frustration with the studios' negotiating tactics. Continue reading...

When Wagner forces turned their guns against Russian forces it led to panic in Moscow. But after the coup was aborted and its leader accused of treachery, it was business as usual for the group's lucrative Africa operations. Pjotr Sauer and Jason Burke reportYevgeny Prigozhin's march on Moscow caused panic and led Vladimir Putin to go on the airways to condemn the head of Wagner. He decried the treachery' and vowed to liquidate' what remained of Wagner - and many assumed Prigozhin himself.In the days that followed, something more subtle happened. As our correspondent Pjotr Sauer tells Nosheen Iqbal, while Russian state TV has called Prigozhin corrupt and traitorous, it emerged that he had been invited for a face-to-face meeting with the Russian president. Continue reading...

Federal court rules 65-year-old Wakka Wakka man had not demonstrated any lesser enjoyment of right to social security

Roberts-Smith is appealing federal court verdict which found, on the balance of probabilities, he was complicit in four murders in Afghanistan

HC-One employed nurse at Tower Bridge Care Centre, which was found to be not safe' by inspectorsOne of Britain's biggest care home companies employed an 80-year-old senior nurse in a short-staffed care home who was older than some residents and not strong enough to help lift them.HC-One employed the octogenarian at Tower Bridge Care Centre, which was found by inspectors to be inadequate" and not safe", in a case that highlights a chronic shortage of care workers across the UK. Continue reading...

Advertising Standards Authority rules against two promoted tweets featuring Premier League coachesThe advertising watchdog has banned two adverts run by the sports betting business Ladbrokes for appealing to under-18s by featuring well-known Premier League managers including Frank Lampard and Eddie Howe.The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) launched an investigation into the two promoted tweets, published in January and February, after concerns that the use of images of managers of top flight teams would break UK rules banning ads that have a strong appeal" to young people under 18 years old. Continue reading...

Theresa May and Tim Loughton among more than a dozen backbench Tories criticising billRishi Sunak's immigration bill was heavily criticised by senior Conservative MPs as the government overturned amendments made by the House of Lords.Theresa May and Tim Loughton were among more than a dozen backbench Tories seeking further changes to the illegal migration bill, which the prime minister says is crucial to stopping small boats from crossing the Channel. Continue reading...

NSW police say the woman has not been formally identified but is believed to be in her 50s

Leaders of military alliance sign off on declaration that does not give Ukraine firm membership timetable

Separate allegations emerge as police force investigates whether there is a criminal case to answerThe Metropolitan police have asked the BBC to pause its inquiries into a suspended male presenter while specialist officers decide if there is any justification for a criminal investigation.The BBC director general, Tim Davie, said the Met had taken control of the inquiry, although the police were still at the scoping" stage of their inquiries and may decide there was no criminal case to answer. Continue reading...

As the Sun distances itself from a key part of the story, questions hang over what actions it took before publishingThe Sun is facing questions over the reporting that led to the suspension of a well-known male BBC presenter.On Saturday the tabloid broke the story with a front page article, claiming a well-known presenter" gave a 20-year-old crack cocaine user more than 35,000 since they were 17 in return for sordid images". Continue reading...

Teenager remains in police custody after Jamie Sansom suffered stab wound at Tewkesbury AcademyA popular teacher who was stabbed in a Gloucestershire school has said he is hoping to be back in the classroom before the end of the summer term and insisted that no children were under threat during the attack.Jamie Sansom, who suffered a single stab wound at Tewkesbury Academy at the start of the school day on Monday, said reports that he was breaking up a fight were not correct. Continue reading...

Campaigners call for ban of nitrates and nitrites in food production with 61 trusts across country affectedScores of hospitals are giving patients meat cured with chemicals that scientists and food safety experts increasingly fear may cause cancer.Sixty-one NHS trusts in England are serving meat in their hospitals that may contain nitrates or nitrites despite growing evidence internationally implicating them in the development of cancer. Continue reading...

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg says alliance will issue invitation after conditions are met'

Deividas Skebas found to have committed killing last July and is expected to be given hospital orderDeividas Skebas killed nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte by stabbing her in the heart as she played with a hula hoop in the street, a jury has decided.Skebas, 23, was deemed unfit to plead or face trial due to his mental health, and on Tuesday after a two-day trial of the facts at Lincoln crown court he was found to have committed the killing. Continue reading...

Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition wins first of three votes required for controversial changes to become lawTens of thousands of Israeli demonstrators have blocked motorways across the country and access to Tel Aviv's airport as part of a day of disruption" in protest against the government's renewed push to advance controversial legislation overhauling the judiciary.In the first of three readings on Monday night, Israel's parliament - in which the governing coalition headed by the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, holds 64 of 120 seats - voted in favour of a bill scrapping the reasonableness" standard that allows the supreme court to overrule government decisions. Continue reading...

Lenders expected to put money aside in second quarter to protect against defaults

Nepali pilot and five Mexican passengers killed after aircraft crashes soon after takeoff near LuklaAll six people onboard a tourist helicopter in Nepal have been killed after it crashed soon after takeoff in the Everest region.The Manang Air flight was heading for the capital, Kathmandu, from near Lukla, a gateway for climbing expeditions to the world's highest peak, with five Mexican tourists - two men and three women - and a Nepali pilot onboard. Continue reading...

Latest updates: Tim Davie says gap between initial contact and approaching presenter was reasonable but there may be some learnings' from caseAt the BBC annual report press briefing, director general Tim Davie made a statement addressing the unfolding situation concerning the allegations against the BBC presenter.He said:This is clearly a complex and difficult situation where we need to manage a number of factors - properly responding to serious allegations, sensitively managing duty of care issues, appropriately respecting the privacy of individuals and justified public interest.We do believe we are navigating these responsibly and judicially but we recognise it's not easy to do so.As a result of this the BBC has been asked to pause its own investigation into the allegations while they scope future work. We will pass any material that we have to them.We know that questions have been asked how this case was initially managed and the timeline of events, so today we have published an update that sets out key dates and further detail. Continue reading...

Miranda Dickson says it is sad a second complaint was made when there are so many more serious issues'An Edinburgh woman who was forced to repaint her bright pink door after a protracted row with her local council is facing a further investigation into her interpretation of off-white".Miranda Dickson painted her door pink when she renovated her childhood home in Drummond Place, situated within the Unesco world heritage-listed New Town area of the city, after the death of her parents. Continue reading...

Mothers say recommendations unlikely to secure meaningful change after Zephaniah McLeod's deadly attacks in 2020Jo Billington can vividly remember the moment police came to her home in Crosby, Liverpool, at 5am on 6 September 2020. They told her that her 23-year-old son, Jacob, had been killed in Birmingham, where he had been on a night out with his friends.They left saying we don't know anything about the incident, we just know Jacob has passed away. It's all in the news,'" she said. They gave me a non-emergency number to call but after an hour of trying to get through I rang 999 and said to the call handler: I've just been told my son has been killed in Birmingham, can somebody help me?' It was pretty grim." Continue reading...

Poverty campaigners, women's safety advocates and night time industries among those condemning First Bus plansA decision by a private company to scrap Glasgow's only night bus service has prompted an outcry from poverty campaigners, environmentalists and women's safety advocates as well as uniting pub and club bosses and politicians in condemnation.When First Bus announced on Monday that it was withdrawing its weekend night bus services across Scotland's biggest city from the end of July it resulted in an overnight backlash. Continue reading...

Former Smiths frontman criticises holiday firm for selling tickets for Tenerife zoo that offers animal showsMorrissey has written to Jet2holidays urging the tour operator to drop its association with marine parks that continue to use captive orcas and dolphins for entertainment.In a letter to the Jet2 chief executive, Steve Heapy, the former frontman of the Smiths said the mammals belonged in the open ocean where they could find food and socialise, which they could not do if they were in a cramped, concrete tank". Continue reading...

Death comes after state's chief health officer warned young people were at heightened risk from flu strain