John Holland-Kaye says TikTok video has led to rise in people trying to get fast-tracked through airportAirline passengers are skipping queues at Heathrow by pretending to need wheelchairs after watching a video showing this on TikTok, the airport’s boss has said.John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow airport, told LBC radio that some passengers were using the wheelchair support available to try to get fast-tracked through the airport, adding that this was “the wrong thing to be doing”. Continue reading...
Boris Johnson tells MPs 2018 trip was in line with security protocols and officials knew of it in advanceBoris Johnson has told MPs that no government business was discussed “as far as I am aware” when he met the former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev at an Italian palazzo without officials present when he was foreign secretary.The prime minister admitted this month that he met the businessman in April 2018 after making a trip to a restored castle in Perugia owned by Evgeny Lebedev, Alexander’s son, for a weekend-long party after attending a Nato foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels that discussed the security situation with Russia. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Chief political correspondent on (#61TEQ)
Analysis: Poor strategy in Tory leadership race has allowed former chancellor to be painted as timid, fear supportersMonday’s debate was supposed to be a turning point for Rishi Sunak, a moment billed as his chance to change his fortunes after polling suggested he was trailing Liz Truss in the Tory leadership contest.Her awkwardness, her less fluent grasp of detail could be shown up in the head-to-head – similarly to how poorly she performed in the last two debates. “The more they see of her, the more they like him,” was the refrain from Sunak supporters. Continue reading...
CEO says government has rebuffed industry requests as airline reports £133m hit from travel disruptionThe boss of easyJet has criticised the government’s refusal to permit more visas for EU cabin crew and ground handling staff, arguing that easing restrictions would relieve pressure on aviation after weeks of travel chaos.Despite widespread worker shortages and recruitment difficulties for roles including airport security staff and ground handlers, industry requests to allow in more EU citizens to fill the gaps are “not something that they have responded positively to”, Johan Lundgren said. Continue reading...
by Jessica Elgot Chief political correspondent on (#61T4V)
After BBC debate against Liz Truss, former chancellor accused of ‘mansplaining’A Treasury minister has said his former boss Rishi Sunak took an “extremely aggressive” approach in the Conservative leadership debate with Liz Truss, after allies of Truss accused him of “mansplaining”.Simon Clarke, the chief secretary to the Treasury who is backing Truss, said Sunak was “certainly extremely aggressive” in parts of the debate. “It was a pretty intense approach to the early parts of the debate last night,” he told LBC. Continue reading...
Zelenskiy accused Moscow of ‘gas war’ after Russian state-controlled energy company says it is halting a turbine due to its ‘technical condition’The Russian state-controlled energy company Gazprom has announced a drastic cut to gas deliveries through its main pipeline to Europe from Wednesday, prompting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to accuse Moscow of waging a “gas war”.The Russian gas export monopoly said it was halting the operation of one of the last two operating turbines due to the “technical condition of the engine”, cutting daily gas deliveries via the Nord Stream pipeline to 33m cubic metres a day – about 20% of the pipeline’s capacity. Continue reading...
A 10-year-old girl and two boys, aged seven and five months, found dead inside a house fire in the Western Australian town on 19 JulyA mother has faced court charged with the murder of her three children after they were found dead following a house fire in the West Australian town of Port Hedland.The bodies of the 10-year-old girl and two boys, aged seven and five months, were found inside the Anderson St property by firefighters who responded to the blaze on 19 July. Continue reading...
Historic England £774,000 programme will also feature Deptford’s ‘gut girls’ and Durham’s miners’ welfare clubsMorecambe’s infamous “no-nonsense” seaside landladies and the “gut girls” of Deptford’s 19th-century offal yards are to be celebrated as part of a series of projects focused on England’s working-class heritage.Often cruelly caricatured on seaside postcards, the formidable B&B hosts of the Lancashire town will claim their place as part of a Historic England programme funding 57 community-led projects to preserve often overlooked working-class histories. Continue reading...
Collapse of Avro among those highlighted in MPs’ damning report blaming much of fiasco on OfgemAs customers of Avro Energy forked out for their gas and electricity direct debits, they had no idea that they were only postponing the death of a badly run business whose collapse would end up costing bill payers £700m.Despite having no apparent background in the complex energy industry, Avro’s founder, Jake Brown, a former non-league footballer, set up the company with a family loan in 2016. Within a few years of the company’s entry into the market, Avro had amassed half a million customers while enriching Brown and his family along the way. Continue reading...
Public accounts committee says it is unknown whether cost of implementing international travel curbs was worth the disruptionAt least £486m of taxpayer funds were spent on implementing the “traffic light system” for international arrivals during the coronavirus pandemic. But the government “does not know” whether it worked or not, according to a powerful committee of MPs.The traffic light system set the rules for arrivals from every country depending on whether it was on the red, amber or green list. Arrivals from red list countries had to stay in a quarantine hotel for at least 10 days. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#61T14)
Alcohol-related mortality rates over 20 years set to rise due to people increasing consumption during CovidUp to 25,000 more people than usual could die over the next 20 years in England as a result of heavy drinking habits that began during the Covid lockdowns, two studies have found. They could also result in almost 1m more hospital admissions and cost the NHS more than £5bn.The NHS-funded findings prompted fresh calls from health experts for more determined government action to reduce alcohol-related harm by tackling its price, availability and promotion. Continue reading...
Tax cuts and recession fears among the front page topics as the fight between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss intensifies in first televised debateThe newspaper coverage of the increasingly personal battle between Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss for the Tory leadership reveals a fascinating picture of the party’s divisions.The tone of the front pages of titles that were most loyal to Boris Johnson are strongly in favour of the foreign secretary, with the chancellor struggling to shake off his image as the man who knifed the outgoing prime minister. Continue reading...
by Samantha Lock (now); Joanna Walters, Gloria Oladip on (#61RV3)
This live blog is now closed, you can find our latest coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war hereOne of the Russian-imposed officials in Ukraine’s occupied Zaporizhzhia region has told the RIA Novosti news agency that a referendum on the region joining the Russian Federation will most likely take place in September, alongside a similar one in occupied Kherson.The agency quotes Vladimir Rogov saying: “Everything is moving towards the fact that the referendum will be in the first half of September. I will not name the exact date yet. Election commissions are being formed.”The house of culture, where people were hiding in the basement, was actually destroyed by the occupiers. Rescuers have already freed three people from the rubble, but there were still people in the basement. In addition, residential buildings, an educational institution were damaged, and open areas were hit. Continue reading...
Tanya Plibersek’s department gave green light despite state of environment report finding Australia’s natural heritage is in poor and deteriorating health
Pontiff apologises on visit to country over ‘catastrophic’ historical mistreatment of Indigenous childrenPope Francis has apologised for the “disastrous error” and “evil” of Canada’s church-run residential schools, asking survivors of the system that abused tens of thousands of children for forgiveness as he toured the country on a “pilgrimage of penance”.The pontiff’s widely anticipated apology came during a Monday morning visit to the community of Maskwacis, Alberta – the first formal event of his one-week tour after landing in the western province on Sunday. Continue reading...
Pandemic may have changed decision-making, according to research published in Journal of Medical EthicsDoctors are less likely to resuscitate the most seriously ill patients in the wake of the pandemic, a survey suggests.Covid-19 may have changed doctors’ decision-making regarding end of life, making them more willing not to resuscitate very sick or frail patients and raising the threshold for referral to intensive care, according to the results of the research published in the Journal of Medical Ethics. Continue reading...
by Martin Belam (now) and Andrew Sparrow (earlier) on (#61RYX)
Latest updates: final two candidates exchange blows over plans for cost of living, levelling up and ChinaStarmer says Labour’s approach to levelling up will be based on a practical plan, unlike the government’s.And he says he was impressed by the approach of Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, whom he met in Berlin recently. Starmer suggests Britain could learn from the way new battery factories are located in poor regions in Germany.There will be no magic money tree economics with us. Continue reading...
by Rajeev Syal, Ben Quinn and Jessica Elgot on (#61STE)
Leadership candidates ignored calls from fellow Conservatives not to ‘tarnish the brand’ as they wrangled over tax cuts, inflation and relations with ChinaThe battle to become the UK’s next prime minister descended into fierce clashes on Monday night as Rishi Sunak launched repeated attacks on the economic policies of the favourite Liz Truss in their first head-to-head TV debate.The two Conservative leadership hopefuls traded blows over tax cuts, China and inflation, with the former chancellor Sunak accusing the foreign secretary of seeking “a short-term sugar rush” by cutting national insurance. Continue reading...
The rivals did not pull their punches, on the economy or China, as they kicked off a month of debatesAfter a weekend of rancorous briefings against each other, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak faced each other during an hour-long live TV debate from Stoke-on-Trent. Here are five key takeaways, on a night where Sunak seemed as assured as ever, but Truss did not do anything to significantly harm her chances.Indeed, one of the few rounds of applause from the audience was when she simply said she was not the slickest performer. Continue reading...
Fire burning near famous national park exploded in size over weekend but crews achieved 10% containment Monday morningFirefighters made progress against a ferocious wildfire in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada that forced thousands of residents from their homes in the gateway to Yosemite national park.The Oak fire started on Friday near the town of Midpines, California, and exploded in size over the weekend. Continue reading...
by Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent on (#61S8G)
Division flares in run-up to first such meeting of bishops from around world in 14 yearsThe archbishop of Canterbury has been forced into a last-minute rethink of plans to ask Anglican bishops to oppose same-sex marriage when they meet this week for the first Lambeth conference – held in Canterbury – in 14 years.Liberal Anglicans and gay rights campaigners in the Church of England voiced outrage after the conference recently circulated a series of “calls” – similar to motions – for the 650 bishops and archbishops from around the world to consider. Continue reading...
Businessman could face jail after failing to pay a penny of £100m divorce settlement awarded to Lady Hiroko BarclaySir Frederick Barclay, once one the UK’s richest men, has been accused by his wife of 34 years of transferring all his wealth to his daughter and to a complex series of trusts “in order to avoid paying any tax”.The 87-year-old – who, together with his twin brother, the late Sir David Barclay, built up a vast business empire including the Daily Telegraph – faces a potential prison sentence for contempt of court after failing to pay a penny of the £100m divorce settlement awarded to his ex wife. Continue reading...
MPs urge candidates to pull out of TV debates as Dorries ups the ante with mockery of former chancellor’s footwearAllies of Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss have been accused of “bullying” and firing “poisonous” criticism in pursuit of their leadership rivalry, as Nadine Dorries upped the ante of “blue-on-blue” attacks by mocking the former chancellor’s expensive outfits.Amid fears the Tory race was descending into “horrific nastiness”, some MPs urged the two remaining candidates to stop “knocking seven shades of shit out of each other” and pull out of the remaining head-to-head TV debates.On the coup (which he helped orchestrate) which toppled the outgoing PM, he says he ‘didn’t take any pleasure’ before adding: ‘I was sad about that.’ His sadness was most apparent when he triumphantly punched the air in glee as he made the final two.Having fun blocking Rishi campaign or otherwise pro-Rishi foreign government bots. #LizForLeaderThis ‘tough on China’ announcement is surprising. After all, over the last two years, the Treasury has pushed hard for an economic deal with China. This is despite China sanctioning myself and four UK parliamentarians. Despite China brutally cracking down on peaceful democracy campaigners in Hong Kong, threatening Taiwan, illegally occupying the South China Sea, committing genocide on the Uyghurs and increasing its influence in our universities. After such a litany, I have one simple question: where have you been over the last two years?Good to see remainer Truss on the side of human rights lawyers. Continue reading...
The Ferrari 458 Italia is capable of chasing down joyriders at speeds of up to 200mphPolice in the Czech Republic have turned a high-powered Ferrari they seized from criminals into a patrol car capable of chasing down joyriders at speeds of up to 200mph.The 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia was formerly coloured racing red, but the authorities painted it with yellow and blue reflective stripes and mounted a panel of lights on top. It will be used to chase stolen cars and to crack down on illegal road races, police said in a statement. Continue reading...
One in five had average weekly shortfall of £60 between earnings and money needed to cover essentials including rent, data showsA fifth of UK households now have an average shortfall of £60 a week between what they earn and what they need to cover essentials such as energy bills, rent, transport and food, as the rising cost of living leaves people with the lowest amount of spare cash in almost five years.Soaring living costs, up 11% year on year in June, led to a record 18% drop in average household disposable income of £175.80 a month, according to data from the Asda Income Tracker collated by the Centre for Business and Economic Research (Cber). Continue reading...
Authorities in Yamaguchi to use tranquilliser guns after macaques – or possibly one aggressive individual – uncharacteristically target adults and childrenLocal authorities in a Japanese city are to use tranquilliser guns to confront marauding monkeys that have injured 42 people in recent weeks.Japanese macaques are common across large parts of the country and are a pest in some areas, eating crops and sometimes entering homes. But a spate of monkey attacks in Yamaguchi in the west of the country has been unusual, with adults and children suffering wounds including scratches and bites. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#61S3Y)
Parents have been fighting for son with ‘catastrophic’ brain injury to continue receiving treatmentThe parents of a 12-year-old boy who suffered a “catastrophic” brain injury have been refused permission to appeal against a decision to end his life support treatment.Three judges, sitting at the court of appeal in central London, ruled on Monday that the decision of a high court judge to reject the plea by the parents of Archie Battersbee for him to be allowed to die a “natural” death had been based on the child’s best interests. Continue reading...
Research confirms ‘extremely broad’ range of symptoms reported by sufferers for more than two yearsA reduced sex drive, hallucinations and hair loss are among a wider set of long Covid symptoms, according to a study of people who were infected but not hospitalised during the pandemic.The most common symptoms in the weeks and months after a bout of coronavirus have long been known to include loss of smell and shortness of breath. The NHS list of common Covid symptoms also includes signs such as fatigue, rashes and brain fog. Continue reading...
by Jim Waterson Media editor, and Aubrey Allegretti on (#61S34)
BBC says programme will have ‘glorious Ukraine at its heart’, with cities invited to bid to host eventThe Eurovision song contest will be hosted in the UK next year after Ukraine’s public broadcaster dropped its objections and agreed to work with the BBC on the event.Ukraine won this year’s Eurovision with the song Stefania by Kalush Orchestra, earning the right to host the 2023 edition. However, organisers concluded this could not be done safely while the country was at war with Russia – angering the Ukrainian government, which said it had submitted a workable safety plan. Continue reading...
Regulator says World at One failed to properly balance suggestions democracy had become corrupted under SNP governmentThe BBC was guilty of breaching impartiality rules when it allowed the then Scottish Conservative leader, Ruth Davidson, to accuse the Scottish government of corruption on air.The broadcasting regulator Ofcom said BBC Radio 4’s news programme World at One had failed to properly balance Davidson’s allegations, made during a long interview last year on the controversies surrounding the Alex Salmond inquiry by the Scottish parliament. Continue reading...
Exclusive: former BBC employee raised concerns with executives but felt they were warned against further actionA former BBC employee raised concerns about “unacceptable bullying” by Tim Westwood when he was a Radio 1 DJ but felt they were warned against taking further action, the Guardian has learned.The corporation is facing further questions over its handling of complaints made against Westwood after another former staff member described a sexist “boys’ club” culture at Radio 1 during his 19 years as a presenter, mainly in the 1990s and 2000s. Continue reading...
Divers and a mini-submarine search for Aran Chada, 51, who disappeared below the waters of Lake Garda in Italy during a family holidayTributes have been paid to a British man who is believed to have drowned in Lake Garda in Italy after diving in to rescue his son.Aran Chada, a 51-year-old sales director from Leicestershire, is thought to have had a seizure when he leapt from a boat into the water. Continue reading...
Analysis: Foreign minister seeks to win friends and influence people in countries where closeness can be traced back to USSRSergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, is arriving in Uganda today on the latest stop of his tour of Africa, aimed at rallying support on the continent for Russia as the war in Ukraine goes into its sixth month.Many African leaders have refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and have accused the US and Nato of starting or prolonging the conflict. Continue reading...
Democracy figures, including former lawmaker in Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, executed after being accused of carrying out ‘terror acts’Myanmar’s junta has executed four prisoners including a former politician and a veteran activist, drawing shock and revulsion at the country’s first use of capital punishment in decades.Junta-controlled media reported on Monday that four men, including Phyo Zeya Thaw, a rapper and former lawmaker from Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, and the prominent democracy activist Kyaw Min Yu, known as Jimmy, had been executed. They were accused of conspiring to commit terror acts and were sentenced to death in January in closed trials. Continue reading...
by Lisa O'Carroll and Aubrey Allegretti on (#61RZ8)
Cross-Channel ferry passengers told to arrive in good time for border checks after weekend of delaysCross-Channel ferry passengers are being told to arrive in good time at Dover as queues build at the Port of Dover amid fears the severe disruption of recent days could return to Kent throughout the summer.The ferry operator DFDS told passengers there were queues of about an hour for French border checks on Monday morning and to “allow a minimum of 120 minutes before your departure to complete all controls”. Continue reading...
Supermarket chain’s move comes as employers face fierce competition for staff after Covid and BrexitAldi has raised pay for shop workers for the second time in a year in the latest sign of the intense competition for workers in the UK.From September, the grocery discounter is to put up hourly pay by 40p to a minimum of £10.50 outside the M25 and to £11.95 in London, an increase of at least 3.5%. Continue reading...
Peter Meehan, who led audit of failed outsourcer, will also have to pay fine of £250,000The KPMG partner who led the audit of failed outsourcer Carillion has been banned from the accounting profession for a decade for providing false and misleading information to regulators.Peter Meehan will also have to pay a fine of £250,000 after a Financial Reporting Council (FRC) tribunal found that he and other KPMG managers had misled the regulator using forged documents. Continue reading...
by Vincent Ni China affairs correspondent on (#61S2J)
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson asks for restraint after Rishi Sunak labels country UK’s ‘biggest long-term threat’Beijing has urged British politicians to exercise restraint in their comments on China, saying “hyping the China threat” would not help solve the UK’s own problems.Asked about Rishi Sunak’s comments, where he labelled China as Britain’s biggest long-term threat and pledged to close all UK-based Confucius Institutes, Zhao Lijian, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, declined to offer specific comments, saying the election of the next Tory leader is the UK’s internal affair. Continue reading...
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