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Back in 2016, Dan prophesied about what the post-EU sunlit uplands would be like on this very day - no spoiler alert neededBliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be Dan was very heaven! O wondrous day. One of which dreams are made. Especially if you've been taking large quantities of hallucinogenics. The day forever named Daniel Hannan Day. We will never see his like again. With any luck. The Man with a brain the size of a Higgs Boson particle. You know it must be there somewhere but only the Large Hadron Collider can conjure it into existence for a nanosecond.Yet in that fleeting moment, Dan can achieve great things. Can share the marvels he has seen. For Dan's unique ability is to be wrong about almost everything, all the time. Failing is his niche talent and his fans applaud his every disaster. Triumph and recognition are his alone. For Dan has long since been rewarded for being the dimmest man alive with a peerage. Living proof that even halfwits and liabilities need not be excluded from the upper chamber. And where Dan leads, Toby Young and others follow. Continue reading...

The government's new security strategy said it has to actively prepare for potential wartime scenariosBritain needs to prepare for the possibility of being attacked on its own soil, the government has warned in its security strategy, laying out in stark terms the range of threats ministers say the UK now faces.Russia's military buildup and Iran's increasing attacks on dissidents abroad mean the country could soon find itself involved in a domestic war, the review says. Continue reading...

Retailer to ban goods from Israel, Iran and 15 other places it says are internationally recognised' for abusesThe Co-op is to stop sourcing goods from Israel, Iran and 15 other countries where it says there are internationally recognised" human rights abuses and violations of international law.The mutual, which operates about 2,300 grocery stores in the UK, has drawn up a list of about 100 products affected by the change, including Israeli carrots and mangos from Mali. Continue reading...

Activists threatened to fill the canal around the Scuola della Misericordia with inflatable crocodiles to block accessCampaigners in Venice have claimed victory after Jeff Bezos was reportedly forced to change the venue for his wedding celebrations in the city as his guests started arriving on Tuesday for the three-day jamboree.The main reception for the wedding of Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, a former TV journalist, was due to be held in the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, a majestic 16-century building in the city centre. Continue reading...

A $50m pledge to revolutionise research into the disease has divided academics and public health experts

PM says current system is broken' and there is a clear moral case for change'

Nick Merriman's exit, for personal reasons, welcomed by some after redundancies and winter closures aimed at financial sustainability'The chief executive of English Heritage has stepped down, to relief from some staff angered by cost cutting under his watch.News of Nick Merriman's departure was welcomed by some heritage experts and others who had been adversely affected by his restructuring plans. Continue reading...

Forecaster warns of some showers and risk of isolated thunderstorms but mainly dry and warm weather expectedMusic fans are likely to avoid any major downpours or stifling heatwaves at this year's Glastonbury festival, forecasters have said.The festival in Somerset will see some scattered showers, sunshine, clouds, and temperature highs between 22C and 25C - but revellers can be fairly confident that they will avoid any heavy rainfall. Continue reading...

Nato plan to increase military spending overlooks risks to security posed by environmental breakdown and social decay, say economistsEurope risks choosing militarism over social and environmental security, economists have warned, as the head of Nato said all 32 members had agreed to increase weapons spending.Analyses drafted in anticipation of a Nato summit beginning on Tuesday warned of the opportunity cost that higher military spending would pose to the continent's climate mitigation and social programmes, which are consistently underfunded. Continue reading...

Jack Watkin, who featured in Rich Kids of Instagram, lured people to invest large sums on designer bags that failed to materialiseA fraudster who described himself as the Kardashian of Cheshire" persuaded people to invest thousands of pounds in luxury handbags that failed to materialise by flaunting his luxury lifestyle on social media.

Organisations say planned four-point rule will not properly take into account menstruation and other hygiene needs

Thomas White's family say his spending years in prison on IPP sentence without release date was psychiatric abuse'A prisoner driven to psychosis after being jailed for more than a decade under an indeterminate sentence has finally been moved to a hospital for a treatment after a six-year battle by his family and supporters.Thomas White was sentenced to a minimum of two years in custody under the imprisonment for public protection (IPP) scheme in 2012 for stealing a mobile phone, but remains in prison over a decade later. Continue reading...

Man jailed after using gadget in his car in London to message victims without being stopped by mobile networkA portable phone mast that blitzes every nearby mobile phone with credible-looking scam text messages is the latest weapon being used by fraudsters.The SMS blaster" lets criminals send out texts without the need for them to have obtained the victims' numbers and without being stopped by the phone networks' anti-spam measures. Continue reading...

This blog is now closed

Australia's most gas-reliant state takes a significant step to move households and businesses away from fossil fuels and cut energy bills

Former Liberal staffer accused of raping a woman after meeting her at a strip club in Queensland in 2021Bruce Lehrmann has sought to halt a rape case against him, claiming that police illegally obtained" his lawyers' phone calls.Lehrmann, 30, is accused of raping a woman twice during the morning of 10 October, 2021 after they met at a strip club the previous night in Toowoomba, west of Brisbane.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

Victorian woman, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder following a fatal mushroom lunch in Leongatha in 2023. Follow liveBeale turns to the good character" evidence in the case.He says the jury has heard evidence from a range of family and friends who said Patterson was a devoted mother and good daughter-in-law. Continue reading...

In today's newsletter: The US president responds to Iran's limited retaliation by celebrating the end of the war, with Israel confirming agreement to proposalGood morning. After the United States attacked Iranian nuclear sites early on Sunday, the question was how Tehran would respond. Last night, we saw the beginnings of the answer - and, at least according to Donald Trump, the end of it.The retaliation came in the form of ballistic missile attacks on a US base in Qatar. While the Iranian authorities called the operation a mighty and successful response", no Americans were harmed - apparently by design. Trump described it as a very weak response", suggested that the Iranians had gotten it all out of their system'", and added: CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE!"Protest | UK home secretary Yvette Cooper has vowed to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws, after activists from the group broke into RAF Brize Norton and spray-painted two military planes. PA's lawyers said that Cooper's proposal was an attack on freedom of expression and assembly.Politics | Labour MPs have launched a significant rebellion against the government's benefit cuts with an amendment that could kill its welfare bill, spearheaded by senior select committee chairs and which sources say could be signed by up to 100 MPs.NHS | UK health secretary Wes Streeting has launched a national investigation into systemic" failures in NHS maternity services in England, saying maternity units are failing, hospitals are failing, trusts are failing, regulators are failing" and there is too much passing the buck".Ukraine | Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia, Iran and North Korea as a coalition of murderers" during a visit to London, where he held talks with Kier Starmer on how to put further pressure on Moscow to end the war. Ukraine's president has accused Tehran of being complicit in Russia's invasion.Music | U2 guitarist The Edge has officially become an Irish citizen, 62 years after moving from Britain to Ireland, in a step he said was long overdue". Continue reading...

US president likely to be in self-congratulatory mood, with most allies persuaded to sign up to defence spending targetDonald Trump was expected to fly into the Nato summit in The Hague on Tuesday to perform a victory lap. After decades of complaining about European defence spending, with the help of Mark Rutte, Nato's new secretary general, allies are ready to sign up to a target to raise, in most cases, core defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035.On top of that, it is just a few days since the first major military intervention of Trump's second term - the bombing of Iran's nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan over the weekend - and hours since his declaration of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Continue reading...

Supermarket employees say they are left working solo on shop floor in smaller stores or when colleagues step awayCo-op staff have accused the supermarket of putting their safety and security at risk by having too few people on duty - with some saying they have been threatened while working alone on the shop floor.Despite a surge in theft, many report being left alone to pack online orders and manage self-checkouts and tills in some small stores. In larger outlets, staff say they can be left in the same position when a colleague takes a break or is managing deliveries. Continue reading...

A looming wage fight, the end of the coal boom and a shared equity scheme for first home buyers is on the cards

Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said there had been disruptions to flights with temporary airspace closures in the region'

The Minns Labor government appears obsessed with keeping the state's AAA ratings - so citizens of New South Wales will just have to wait

Senior officer engaged in serious misconduct' in regional town when man was self-harming. He thought Aboriginal people tried to manipulate the system'

Financial position of Australia's most populous state then expected to improve with a projected surplus by 2027-28

This blog is closed, you can continue to follow our live coverage on our new blog here.Monumental damage" was done to all Nuclear sites" in Iran during the US attack on the country at the weekend, Donald Trump has said in his latest comments, after officials said the extent of damage done remained unconfirmed. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social the US president wrote:Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term! The white structure shown is deeply imbedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame. The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!The world has long agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon and we support action to prevent that - that is what this is. The US action was directed at specific sites central to Iran's nuclear program. We don't want escalation and a full-scale war.We continue to call for dialogue and for diplomacy. As I have said for many days now, we are deeply concerned about any escalation in the region and we want to see diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation. Continue reading...

Alliance in best interests of Australia, UK and US, say lawmakers, after Trump administration announced 30-day review of pact

The English guitarist, who had been bedridden after a stroke in 2016, is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in NovemberMick Ralphs, singer, songwriter, guitarist and founding member of the classic British rock bands Bad Company and Mott the Hoople, has died aged 81.A statement posted to the band's official website on Monday announced Ralphs' death. Ralphs had a stroke days after what would be his final performance with Bad Company at London's O2 Arena in 2016, and had been bedridden ever since, the statement said. No further details on the circumstances of his death were provided. Continue reading...

US strikes on Iran are adding to the pressure on carriers, which are having to avoid war-torn regions, lengthening routes and pushing up costsWith barely 48 hours elapsed since the US launched strikes against Iran, the swift resumption of near-normal service circumnavigating the war zone underlines that few crises, short of the global pandemic, have stopped airlines and their passengers flying for long.British Airways had been planning to restart flights to the Middle East cities of Doha and Dubai again, after cancelling departures from Heathrow at the weekend. However, on Monday evening Qatar temporarily closed its airspace again as Iran launched a missile attack on US bases in the country. Continue reading...

Researchers say contamination found at Montebello Islands is part of fallout from 1950s British tests and will persist for thousands of years

The 67-year-old, who also worked for ITV, BBC and Channel 4, says he is responding positively to excellent treatment'The former BBC and Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.The 67-year-old announced his diagnosis on social media, saying it was one of stage four advanced cancer. Continue reading...

Doha attack follows strikes between Israel and Iran as Donald Trump raises prospect of regime change in TehranExplosions were reported around the Qatari capital, Doha, late on Monday, as Tehran announced it had launched a missile attack on US bases in the Gulf state and Iraq, in what it said was retaliation for US participation in Israel's bombing campaign against Iran the day before.The attacks followed a wave of missile strikes between Israel and Iran, with Israel bombing the notorious Evin prison, and came after Donald Trump raised the prospect of regime change in Tehran, further provoking a situation that was drastically inflamed by US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Continue reading...

Amendment intended to kill off legislation that would cut benefits could be backed by up to 100 Labour MPs including senior figuresLabour MPs have launched a significant rebellion against the government's benefit cuts with an amendment that could kill its welfare bill, spearheaded by senior select committee chairs.The amendment - which sources said could be signed by up to 100 MPs - declines to pass the government's welfare changes and calls for a pause, including for further consultation and for support to be in place before any further cuts are made. Continue reading...

Prosecutors have cited drug-fueled multi-day events as evidence of sex-trafficking charges against the music mogulThe jury at Sean Diddy" Combs's sex-trafficking trial viewed more video recordings on Monday of the sex marathons that have played a prominent role in a prosecution that was likely to rest by Tuesday.The assistant US attorney Maurene Comey sometimes referred to the mostly 1- or 2-minute clips filmed by the music mogul as explicit" videos, a signal for jurors to put on headsets that enabled them to hear and view the recordings without them being heard or seen by spectators in the Manhattan courtroom. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president says two countries will deepen defence cooperation with the objective to stop Russian terror'Ukraine and the UK are to deepen their defence cooperation by jointly producing long-range drones, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday after talks with Keir Starmer in Downing Street aimed at forcing Russia to think about peace".Zelenskyy said his main objective was to save as many lives as possible" and to stop Russian terror". Writing on social media, he called for maximum political and diplomatic coordination" and closer work on joint defence projects and weapons production". Continue reading...

UK foreign secretary wants Iran to return to negotiating table but refuses to endorse strikes by US and Israel

Foreign secretary David Lammy says further flights will follow in the coming daysBy the way, if you actually wanted to read the Modern Industrial Strategy document published by the government today, you can find it here.The government has just pushed out a joint statement from business leaders welcoming it, which says:The Industrial Strategy launched today marks a significant step forward and a valuable opportunity for the business community to rally behind a new vision for the UK - boosting confidence, sentiment, and enthusiasm for investment.From start-ups and small businesses to large corporates, businesses need a more attractive, stable environment that enables faster, easier, and more certain investment decisions.For too long high electricity costs have held back British businesses, as a result of our reliance on gas sold on volatile international markets.As part of our modern industrial strategy we're unlocking the potential of British industry by slashing industrial electricity prices in key sectors. Continue reading...

Proscribing organisation under anti-terrorism laws raises stakes amid already increased powers to stop protestsThe crackdown on protest in England and Wales has been ringing alarm bells for years, but the decision to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws raises the stakes dramatically.As the group itself has said, it is the first time the government has attempted to proscribe a direct action protest organisation under the Terrorism Act, placing it alongside the likes of Islamic State, al-Qaida and National Action. Continue reading...

Health secretary launches national inquiry into care of mothers and babies in England, saying there is too much passing the buck'

Ukrainian president to hold talks with UK PM after meeting with kingFor more updates on the Israel-Iran war, including US president Donald Trump's call to make Iran great again", you can also follow our live blog here run by Jane Clinton:Let's stop for a moment on that question of the EU-Israel association agreement, which sees Spain calling for immediate suspension of the deal, while Germany appears to be distancing itself from it. Continue reading...

Marks & Spencer's sales slumped, while Next, Zara and H&M experienced pickup, analysts sayNext, Zara and H&M all benefited from extra sales when their rival Marks & Spencer was forced to halt orders on its website for almost seven weeks after a major cyber-attack that weighed on its own sales.Clothing sales at M&S slumped by a fifth in the four weeks to 25 May compared with the same period a year before after the website, which usually accounts for a third of M&S's clothing and homeware sales, stopped taking orders. Sales had soared 11.5% in the prior three months, according to the latest figures from analysts at Kantar. Continue reading...

Home secretary to ignore warning from group's lawyers that doing so would be unlawful, dangerous and ill thought out'

Letter from 12 members demanding congressional approval for war follows Trump's unauthorized bombing of Iran

Premier says you can respect people's money' and still lift public services as LNP hands down first budget since 2014

A growing number of abortions happen through telehealth - including for women in states with strict bansThree years after the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade, erasing the national right to abortion and paving the way for more than a dozen states to ban the procedure, the number of abortions performed in the US is still on the rise - including in some states that ban the procedure.US abortion providers performed 1.14m abortions in 2024, according to new data released Monday by #WeCount, a Society of Family Planning project that has tracked abortion provision since 2022. That's the highest number on record in recent years. Continue reading...

Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss how Keir Starmer's government is responding to the US president's decision to launch attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. What might happen next? And what could it mean for the UK and the world? Continue reading...

US bombing increases fears for man's parents and sister, who won tribunal ruling that they had right to live in UKA British man has told of his fears for his family who are trapped in Iran after winning the right to reunite in the UK, because the Home Office have appealed against the decision.After news broke in the early hours of Sunday morning that the US had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran, fears for the safety of the man's parents and sister, currently stranded in Tehran, are mounting. Continue reading...

Head of International Atomic Energy Agency says no one in a position to fully assess damage to Iran's nuclear capabilities Live coverage: Iran's Fordow nuclear site hit again, state media saysDonald Trump has doubled down on claims monumental damage" had been done to Iran's nuclear sites, as the head of the UN's nuclear agency said that while he anticipated very significant damage" at the underground Fordow site, the agency had not been able to assess it.Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed that Iran had told the agency it had planned to take special measures" to protect equipment and nuclear materials on 13 June. Continue reading...

Fintech firm's founder Nik Storonsky has reportedly secured Elon Musk-style deal that would pay out in stages

Police release CCTV images of suspect in hunt for instrument allegedly stolen from a north London pub in FebruaryPolice are appealing for help to recover a missing 285-year-old violin after it was allegedly stolen from a London pub.Detectives have been trying to find the instrument since 18 February, when the violin, valued at more than 150,000, went missing from the Marquess Tavern on Canonbury Street. The victim reported the theft to the Metropolitan police that evening. Continue reading...