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Frans Timmermans’ comments reveal depth of concern about rule of law in central European countryA senior European Commission official has criticised a decision by his colleagues to approve Poland’s Covid recovery plan, in comments that reveal the depth of concern about the rule of law in the central European country.Frans Timmermans, a commission vice-president, who spent nearly four years leading EU efforts to safeguard independent courts in Poland, said the approval of Poland’s long-delayed Covid recovery plan last month was “incorrect”. Continue reading...

Court request comes as president faces criticism for ditching promise to turn Saudi Arabia into a ‘pariah’A US judge has asked the Biden administration to weigh in on whether Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, should be granted sovereign immunity in a civil case brought against him in the US by Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of Jamal Khashoggi, the journalist who was killed by Saudi agents in 2018.John Bates, a district court judge, gave the US government until 1 August to declare its interests in the civil case or give the court notice that it has no view on the matter. Continue reading...

The smell was not overpowering when Jess Williams returned home before an explosion that led to 70% burns

The director’s landmark achievements include a nine-hour Mahabharata, putting Shakespeare on trapezes and directing Olivier, Gielgud and Scofield at the RSC

PM under pressure to explain what he knew about former deputy chief whip’s alleged sexual misconductBoris Johnson is facing accusations he ignored warnings about alleged sexual misconduct by his former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, after a string of further claims about the MP emerged.The prime minister is under pressure to explain what he knew about Pincher’s conduct, amid claims by the former No 10 aide Dominic Cummings that Johnson referred to him as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature”. Continue reading...

Man drowns after boat capsizes in Abbotsford; vaccination mandates to ease on international flights; PM says ADF available as thousands are urged to evacuate in Sydney flood crisis; 30 Covid deaths recorded nationwide. This blog is now closed

Danger is a daily reality for the health workers, and moments of upheaval raise the risk, expert saysBoulder, Colorado, has for decades made its abortion providers feel welcome. The city council passed one of the country’s first laws regulating how close demonstrators could get to patients seeking reproductive care, and residents took to the streets in protest when it became clear that the supreme court was ready to overturn the constitutional right to abortion, as it did last month.“Boulder is probably the most pro-choice community in the country,” said Warren Hern, director of the Boulder Abortion Clinic. “But there are people in the community who want me dead.” Continue reading...

Cases rejected include assaults on health workers and harrassment offencesSolicitors in London are turning down new instructions for defendants accused of assaults on emergency workers and harassment offences in an escalating dispute over legal aid fees.Criminal defence lawyers in the capital are already refusing burglary cases because they say legal aid fees are too low. Continue reading...

The advent of the micropub is the latest trend to be reflected in changing pub signsInn is out. Bar, on the other hand, is very much in. Traditional pub names are on the decline, a reflection of the problems facing licensees and the success of the craft brewing boom.Data from the Food Standards Agency shows there were 103 fewer licensed establishments with “Inn” in the name in 2022 compared with 2020 – the biggest faller. “Arms” was also down by 49, while “Bar” was up by 119 and “Tap” up by 48. Continue reading...

‘Disastrous’ attempt to intervene over Pincher may intensify backbench calls for prime minister to goThe former Tory whip who has been suspended as an MP for allegedly groping two male colleagues said on Saturday he was seeking “professional medical support” for his problems as the latest Tory sex scandal spelt yet more trouble for Boris Johnson.Chris Pincher, who has been referred to the independent complaints and grievance scheme in relation to incidents at the Carlton Club in central London on Wednesday evening, said he was “truly sorry” and that he hoped be back serving his constituents again “as soon as possible.” Continue reading...

Courtroom battle looms as author argues her book revealing inspiration for character became basis of an American novelTwo authors are to go head to head in the high court in London this week in a bitter literary plagiarism row that revolves around the love life one of the most romantic of all heroines, Lara Antipova from the Russian epic Dr Zhivago.British author Anna Pasternak, a descendant of the Russian author of the original novel, will argue in court that substantial sections of her own factual account of the real-life inspiration for the character of Lara have since been copied and exploited in an American novel. Continue reading...

Overseas students have vanished from courses and then been found working in exploitative conditionsUniversities have been urged to be on high alert for human trafficking after suspected victims brought to Britain on student visas vanished from their courses and were found working in exploitative conditions hundreds of miles away.In a recent case, Indian students at Greenwich, Chester and Teesside universities stopped attending lectures shortly after arriving in the UK, according to a report by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) seen by the Observer. Continue reading...

People arriving in the country will no longer need to use the digital passenger declaration under changes to come into effect next week

Former emergency services minister offered a state funeral to honour her ‘life of service’

Officials allege contract was corruptly procured by business duo behind P&ID as saga of energy project and secretive tribunal heads for high courtIt has been described as one of the most extraordinary cases ever to come before the high court, involving an Irish impresario, an alleged $50,000 bribe stuffed into a bag and potentially one of the biggest payouts in legal history.The saga of two Irish businessmen, Michael Quinn and Brendan Cahill, who promised to revolutionise Nigeria’s energy sector, will be at the centre of a high court trial early next year. Continue reading...

Experiment in London speeds up handover by emergency ambulance crews to doctors and is safer for patientsParamedics have begun looking after patients inside an A&E unit, in an initiative by the health service to stop ambulances queueing outside hospitals and ease the strain on overstretched casualty staff.The scheme has led to patients being handed over much more quickly at a hospital that was one of the worst in England for sick people being stuck, sometimes for many hours, in the back of an ambulance. Continue reading...

Murders, corruption and ‘Mocro Maffia’ prompt Dutch to set up war chest to tackle wave of organised crime sweeping nationJournalists and lawyers under protection or murdered on the streets, court hearings guarded by the army, witness statements anonymised, and billions in dirty drug money that leaches through society, corrupting as it goes.This is the Netherlands, where these facts have now inspired a crackdown pitting some €500m a year against a level of organised crime that politicians fear is increasingly “undermining” public order. Continue reading...

Federal health minister Mark Butler says new BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants increase the risk of reinfection

Planned action by the airline’s Spain-based cabin crew over working conditions will increase disruption for holidaymakersBritish holidaymakers are braced for fresh travel chaos across Europe this summer with staff at Ryanair on Saturday becoming the latest to threaten strike action.As striking airport workers in Paris forced the cancellation of dozens of flights on Saturday and promised more industrial action later in July, Spain-based cabin crew at Ryanair revealed they now plan to strike for 12 days in July. Continue reading...

NSW State Emergency Service issues emergency alert text messages as severe weather threatens low-lying areas

Redlands mayor Karen Williams is due in court next month after crashing her vehicle while allegedly three times over the legal blood alcohol limit

Department for Transport says accreditation for aviation workers being processed in under 10 daysMinisters battling to dampen the chaos at airports claim security tests for new workers are being completed in record times as passengers criticised “disaster movie” scenes.The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, is trying to alleviate flight disruption this summer to avert the mayhem seen over the Easter and jubilee holidays. Continue reading...

Many teens and young adults are caught between systems for supporting adults and the child protection system

Defence minister says Australia must ‘make right this appalling set of circumstances’ and promises to keep parliament informed of progress

Greens say ‘staggering’ figures should be examined as part of parliamentary inquiry into management and protection of state’s wildlife

Exclusive: Submission to state inquiry alleges Queensland police routinely hid domestic violence failures from coroner

Claire Chandler asks supporters to donate to $45,000 ‘action fund’ to raise awareness around the issueLiberal senator Claire Chandler is continuing to raise funds on the issue of the participation of trans women in female sport, after putting legislation on the issue on the backburner, admitting it does not have enough support to pass in the new parliament.The sports minister, Anika Wells, has said the federal government has no plans to introduce legislative change on the issue, adding that Chandler’s “alienating bill can go right to the back of the shelf to gather dust”. Continue reading...

Trusts reveal only five wholly new hospitals planned, as Labour says the scheme ‘exists only in PM’s imagination’The government’s official spending watchdog is to launch an inquiry into Boris Johnson’s claim that 40 new hospitals will be built by 2030, as concerns grow in Whitehall that the pledge is unaffordable and has been greatly oversold to the public.In a move that could prove hugely embarrassing for the prime minister, the independent National Audit Office (NAO) has decided to conduct a “value for money review” into the entire scheme, which was a cornerstone of the Conservative party’s 2019 general election manifesto. Continue reading...

British Medical Association says move will put patients and healthcare workers in England at significant riskScrapping special Covid leave for NHS staff is “completely unacceptable” and will put patients and healthcare workers at significant risk, the British Medical Association has warned.From 7 July the government plans to withdraw the special paid leave for Covid-related sickness and isolation for NHS staff in England, meaning they will revert to normal contractual sick pay arrangements. Continue reading...

Rolling coverage of the annual LGBTQ+ celebrations in the capital as events mark 50th anniversary of the UK’s first Pride parade

Spokesperson claims they have ‘completely’ encircled last stronghold in Luhansk region

Marta Kauffman will fund professorship in African and African American studies at her alma materThe co-creator of the TV sitcom Friends is planning to donate $4m to an African and African American studies project because she’s so “embarrassed” by – and feels such “guilt” at – the white homogeneity of the characters on the classic coming of age series.Marta Kauffman told the Los Angeles Times that she intends for her planned gift to fund the Marta F Kauffman ’78 Professorship in African and African American Studies at her alma mater, Brandeis University, a liberal arts college in Massachusetts. Continue reading...

Demonstrators storm eastern city’s legislature over political deadlock and deteriorating living conditionsProtesters have stormed Libya’s parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk and set parts of it ablaze, venting their anger at deteriorating living conditions and months of political deadlock.Black smoke billowed as men burned tyres and torched cars during the incident on Friday after a protester smashed through the compound’s gate with a bulldozer and others attacked the walls with construction tools, local media reported. Continue reading...

Officials are understood to be actively investigating cases of two Britons captured and charged with ‘mercenary activities’The UK government has condemned the exploitation of prisoners of war after two more British men held by Russian proxies in east Ukraine and charged with “mercenary activities” could face the death penalty.A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office released a statement following the news that Andrew Hill of Plymouth and Dylan Healy of Huntingdon were reported to have been charged with “forcible seizure of power” and undergoing “terrorist” training, according to a state news agency in Russian-controlled Donetsk. Continue reading...

At least three people rescued from ship that broke in two during typhoon but more than two dozen still missingMore than two dozen crew members are unaccounted for after their ship broke in two during a typhoon in the South China Sea on Saturday, with rescuers scrambling to find them, officials have said.Authorities dispatched planes and helicopters to help with the rescue. At least three people from the crew of 30 had been brought to safety as of 5.30pm local time (1030 GMT). Continue reading...

After an investigation, Disney+ said the 53-year-old English actor had been sacked from the follow-up seriesHugo Speer, star of The Full Monty, has been sacked from a Disney+ reboot series of the hit film after allegations of “inappropriate conduct”.The 53-year-old English actor had been booked to reprise the role of Guy – alongside former castmates, including Robert Carlyle as Gaz and Lesley Sharp as Jean – 25 years after the release of the 1997 Bafta-winning film about a group of unemployed men in Sheffield who create a striptease act. Continue reading...

Campaigner says 1972 march was about wider social change, not just equal rights for LGBTQ+ community

Former model cites ‘irreconcilable differences’ with billionaire media mogul after six years of marriageJerry Hall has filed for divorce from Rupert Murdoch, citing “irreconcilable differences” with the billionaire media mogul.In a petition filed in a California court on Friday, six years after they were married, the former model sought spousal support and legal fees from the 91-year-old. Continue reading...

Rules designed to better manage visitors – who often far outnumber residents – will come into force in JanuaryVenice will oblige day-trippers to make reservations and pay a fee to visit the historic lagoon city, in an attempt to better manage visitors who often far outnumber residents in the historic centre.Venice officials on Friday unveiled new rules for day-trippers, which will be in effect from 16 January 2023. Continue reading...

Momentous decisions on abortion, guns, the environment and religion have left many wondering: what next?Last week the US Supreme Court started its summer break, but it left behind an America that many believe has been fundamentally reshaped after a momentous series of decisions by the conservative majority on abortion, guns, the power of government agencies, and the role of religion in public life.The series of decisions have spurred extensive condemnation outside conservative America and many are left wondering what, if anything, can be done. Continue reading...

WaterNSW is preparing for Warragamba Dam to spill after days of persistent rain pushes water levels to capacity

Technical issues, wet weather, school holidays and staff shortages blamed for long queues

Warning comes as Amigo plans lending comeback offering loan with annual interest rate of 49.9%Struggling UK households are turning to high-cost lenders in growing numbers as the cost of living crisis leaves them unable to pay their bills, anti-poverty charities have warned.It comes as the subprime lender Amigo, which has agreed to pay compensation to customers sold unaffordable loans, revealed plans to launch using a new brand called RewardRate. It wants to offer a personal loan with an annual interest rate of 49.9% and a guarantor loan at 39.9%. Continue reading...

Reports say airline’s services are likely to be the most heavily affected by cancellationsBritish Airways has responded to reports its Heathrow services are expected to bear the brunt of new cancellations by saying it welcomes the new measures allowing them to take place.It comes after another week of travel chaos at Heathrow when the airport ordered flights to be cancelled because it could not handle them. On Thursday and Friday, passengers at the airport complained of long queues, cancelled flights and lost baggage as “schedule intervention” and disruptions at UK airports were exacerbated by strikes in Spain. Continue reading...

Rescue work carried out after 12 also injured in magnitude-6.1 quake followed by two others and more than dozen aftershocksAt least five people were killed by a magnitude-6.1 earthquake in southern Iran early on Saturday, state media reported, with the area also hit by two later strong quakes of up to 6.3 magnitude.“Five people have died in the earthquake … and so far 12 are hospitalised,” Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, the head of emergency management in Hormozgan province on Iran’s Gulf coast, told state TV. Continue reading...

Ukraine nuclear plant surveillance systems restored; at least 14 Russian arms companies ‘have not been sanctioned’; warning on war’s environmental cost

This blog is closed. All the Guardian’s Ukraine coverage can be found hereTwo children are among 18 people killed by a missile strike in Odesa, according to the latest update from regional governor Maksym Marchenko.He posted to Telegram to say:As a result of a night missile strike by Tu-22 strategic aircraft from the Black Sea in the Belgorod-Dniester district of Odesa region, three X-22 missiles hit an apartment building and a recreation centre.As of 9am, 18 victims were identified, including 2 children, and 31 people were hospitalised, including 4 children and a pregnant woman. Another 8 sought medical help. 8 people were rescued from the rubble, including 3 children. Rescue work continues. Continue reading...

Russia has charged former soldier Andrew Hill and Dylan Healy, believed to have been doing humanitarian work, with fighting as mercenariesTwo more Britons held by Russian proxies in east Ukraine have been charged with fighting as mercenaries, Russian state media have reported, indicating that they could face the death penalty in a likely attempt to pressure western countries to make a deal for their freedom.Britons Andrew Hill of Plymouth and Dylan Healy of Huntingdon were reported to have also been charged with “forcible seizure of power” and undergoing “terrorist” training, according to a state news agency in Russian-controlled Donetsk. The report was sourced to an anonymous official and has not been confirmed. Continue reading...

Analysis: longer mortgages would unlock the bind many renters find themselves in but could be expensiveA 50-year home loan might sound depressing to some, but perhaps not if the alternative is never being able to buy a property. Long-term fixed-rate mortgages are an emerging financial product that should in theory allow first-time buyers who are currently priced out of the market to get on the housing ladder.By spreading the repayments over longer – the average for mortgages taken out this year is 29 years – buyers should be able to borrow up to eight times their income, rather than the current average of 3.2 times, say potential providers. The loans would be backed by borrowing from pension funds and insurance companies rather than against less stable consumer deposits, to satisfy the Bank of England’s prudential requirement. Continue reading...

Cautious welcome for idea to tackle housing crisis but experts warn of risks to those inheritingDowning Street is exploring the idea of trying to tackle the housing crisis with ultra-long mortgages of up to 50 years that could pass between generations, allowing more people to build up equity rather than pay rent.Mortgage experts said the idea could bring some benefits but flagged problems, including the potential to saddle children with debt, and the fact it would not tackle the fundamental issue of housing supply. Continue reading...