Killing of Canadian national was significant escalation in India's repression efforts' but leaders shake hands at G7Canada's spy agency has warned that the assassination in British Columbia of a prominent Sikh activist signaled a significant escalation in India's repression efforts" and reflects a broader, transnational campaign by the government in New Delhi to threaten dissidents.The report was made public a day after Mark Carney shook hands with Narendra Modi at the G7 and pledged to restore diplomatic relations in a very public attempt to turn the page on the bitter diplomatic row unleashed by the murder of the Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Continue reading...
Department for Work and Pensions publishes text of bill cutting benefits and claims three-month transitional period is one of most generous ever'Angela Rayner, the deputy PM, will be taking PMQs shortly. And she will be up against Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary.When Kemi Badenoch became Tory leader, she did not appoint a deputy (or even a de factor deputy", a post that has existed in Tory politics in recent years) and she said she would decide who would stand in for her at PMQs on a case by case basis. Alex Burghart, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, got the gig the first time Starmer was away.Chris Philp follows Alex Burghart in rotating for Kemi Badenoch at PMQs. One Westminster wag asks When is it going to be Robert Jenrick's turn?"We have this profound challenge of the number of people joining the armed forces being outweighed by the outflow the people leaving. So ultimately its about retention.And the number one issue reason cited in last month's attitude survey for the armed forces for leaving was family life. We know the quality of housing is unfortunately poor. It's due to the basically to the structural nature of those homes.To wrap up this topic, the state of housing for the armed forces is in a poor state because your government did not do enough for it?[The housing] which is not in a good enough state because of your government?What did I do about it? I did something that hasn't been done for 30 years - yes, it completed under Labour - and now we would recommend to the government, when they bring forth their housing defence white paper, that we set up a housing association. Continue reading...
While some in Moscow have tried to put positive spin on Israel's assault, Kremlin risks losing key strategic partnerWhen a group of Russian and Iranian foreign policy officials arranged to meet in Moscow for a conference titled Russian-Iranian cooperation in a changing world", they probably did not anticipate just how timely that phrase would turn out to be.Seated around a table on Wednesday at the President hotel near the Kremlin, officials from both sides were forced to confront a stark new reality: Iran's regime - a key ally of Moscow - is facing its most serious threat in decades. Continue reading...
More than 130 were injured in Tuesday's attack on Ukrainian capitalAnd speaking of Russia's impact on its neighbours, let's quickly go to Miranda Bryant in the Nordics and see how the region monitors the global threat of war, terror and piracy on seas from its Maritime Cyber Resilience Centre.The European Commission has insisted there will be no return to Russian gas, as it published plans to phase out fossil fuel imports from its eastern neighbour by 2028. Continue reading...
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent on (#6Y2KN)
Exclusive: Whipps Cross hospital objected to fruit that is symbol of Palestine amid censorship of flagA senior NHS nurse who says he was ordered to remove a background on his video calls that showed a fruit bowl containing a watermelon because it could be perceived as antisemitic has launched legal action against his employer.Ahmad Baker, who is British-Palestinian and works at Whipps Cross hospital, north London, is one of three medical staff claiming Barts Health NHS trust's ban on staff displaying symbols perceived as politically or nationally affiliated is disproportionate and discriminatory. Watermelons became symbols of Palestine amid censorship of the Palestinian flag because of its similar colours. Continue reading...
Yvonne Ford, from Barnsley, had contact with stray animal while on holiday, UK Health Security Agency saysA woman from Yorkshire has died from rabies after contact with a stray dog while on holiday in Morocco, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.Yvonne Ford, from Barnsley in South Yorkshire, was diagnosed in Yorkshire and Humber after returning from the north African country in February. Continue reading...
Withdrawal from event follows string of appearances as Catherine seeks right balance after cancer treatmentThe Princess of Wales has pulled out of attending Royal Ascot as she continues to seek the right balance of public engagements after her treatment for cancer.Catherine was said to be disappointed not to attend the race meeting on Wednesday with her husband and King Charles and Queen Camilla. Continue reading...
Higher fatality rates during Operation Rough Rider signals change in US policy and what could come in Iran, says monitoring group Airwars Middle East crisis - live updatesThe US bombing campaign of Yemen under Donald Trump led to the deaths of almost as many civilians in two months as in the previous 23 years of US attacks on Islamists and militants in the country.An analysis of Operation Rough Rider by monitoring group Airwars has concluded that 224 civilians had been killed between March and the end of the campaign in May, compared to 258 between 2002 and 2024. Continue reading...
Judge says refusing to hire people from hostile' states to roles that deal with national security is not discriminationRefusing to give a job to Chinese and Russian people in companies that deal with issues of national security and require security clearance is not racist, an employment tribunal has ruled.It is not discriminatory to stop people from hostile" states taking up certain jobs in the defence sector because of the risk to British security, the judgment says. Continue reading...
Academic and Lib Dem peer ask where funds go when candidates receive more than limit, and who donors areAlmost 2m given to candidates in the 2024 general election has essentially disappeared" from the public's view of British political campaign finance, a report claims.It notes that 170 candidates received in total almost 2m more than they were legally allowed to spend locally during the election, raising questions about where the surplus funds went after the campaign. The donors who funded them are also tricky to identify, especially if the candidate was unsuccessful. Continue reading...
Amendment to crime and policing bill would make it criminal offence to profit from selling sex onlineA ban on pimping websites has been proposed by MPs, as part of measures designed to rewrite legislation regulating the sexual exploitation of women.Campaigners say ordering a woman to be sexually exploited has become as straightforward as ordering a takeaway online, with the proliferation of websites that allow buyers to browse images and videos of women, and refine their search by postcode. Continue reading...
Garments thrown out by consumers from Next, George, M&S and others found in or near conservation areasClothes discarded by UK consumers and shipped to Ghana have been found in a huge rubbish dump in protected wetlands, an investigation has found.Reporters for Unearthed working with Greenpeace Africa found garments from Next in the dump and other sites, and items from George at Asda and Marks & Spencer washed up nearby. Continue reading...
Experts say the strikes have delayed Tehran's bomb-making by months - but may undermine chances of a diplomatic solutionIn just a few days of war, Israel has killed more than a dozen of Iran's top nuclear scientists, taken out much of its top military hierarchy and attacked key parts of its nuclear programme.It has been a powerful display of Israeli military and intelligence dominance, but has not critically damaged Iran's widely dispersed and heavily protected nuclear programme, Israeli military commanders and international nuclear proliferation experts agree. Continue reading...
by Agence France Presse and Nick Visser on (#6Y266)
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on the island of Flores, east of Bali, erupted on Tuesday afternoon, leading to several airlines cancelling flightsA volcano in eastern Indonesia has spewed a colossal ash tower into the sky, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights to and from Bali.Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584m twin-peaked volcano on the tourist island of Flores, east of Bali, erupted at 5.35pm local time on Tuesday, the volcanology agency said in a statement. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6Y23V)
MPs urged to slash bureaucracy preventing dentists from abroad plugging huge gaps in dental careOverseas-trained dentists are working in McDonald's and other takeaways in the UK even though millions of patients are finding it impossible to get NHS dental care.The disclosure comes in a new report being sent to MPs on Wednesday, which urges ministers to slash bureaucracy stopping dentists from abroad plugging the huge gaps in NHS dental care. Continue reading...
Public accounts committee calls on government to urgently address deficit on high needs spending hitting at end of financial yearCouncils in England face being overwhelmed by billions of pounds in debts and reforms that are divorced from reality, according to an influential committee of MPs.In its inquiry into local government finances, the public accounts committee (PAC) told the Treasury and other departments to urgently address the estimated 5bn deficit on high needs spending - mainly on special educational needs - that will hit council balance sheets at the end of the financial year, potentially driving many insolvent. Continue reading...
by Julian Borger in Jaffa, Patrick Wintour and Peter on (#6Y1XV)
US president triggers speculation about American military involvement after five days of Israeli bombing and retaliatory Iranian missile strikesIsrael's war on Iran appeared to be approaching a pivotal moment on Tuesday night after five days of bombing and retaliatory Iranian missile strikes, as Donald Trump demanded unconditional surrender" from Tehran and weighed his military options.Trump convened a meeting of his national security team in the White House situation room after a day of febrile rhetoric in which the president gave sharply conflicting signals over whether US forces would participate directly in Israel's bombing campaign over Iran. Continue reading...
Judge rules Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner can serve six-year sentence in apartment, citing age and security reasonsA federal court in Argentina has granted former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's request to serve a six-year prison sentence for corruption at her home in Buenos Aires.Judges ruled that Fernandez, 72, can serve time in the apartment, where she lives with her daughter and her granddaughter, citing her age and security reasons. Fernandez was the victim of an attempted assassination three years ago. Continue reading...
The women launched the challenge against the universal credit system after being denied claims under the rape clause'Two mothers who conceived children while in physically abusive relationships have been discriminated against after being denied access to benefits, a court has been told.The women launched a challenge against the universal credit system after being denied an exception to the two-child cap. Continue reading...
Jazwell Brown to serve at least 39 years for killing his partner Joanne Pearson and neighbour Teohna GrantA man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering two women and trying to kill two other people, including his son, in Milton Keynes on Christmas Day last year.Jazwell Brown launched unprovoked and frenzied" attacks on four people after taking cocaine, a court heard. He fatally stabbed Joanne Pearson and beat her in their flat in the Buckinghamshire town before stabbing his son Jake Brown, leaving him with a life-threatening wound to his chest, Luton crown court heard. Continue reading...
Planning permission quashed by high court after officials failed to consider impact of spreading manure on landPlanning permission for a poultry megafarm in Shropshire has been overturned in a ruling that campaigners have welcomed as a win for cleaner rivers.The judgment on Tuesday upheld a judicial review by Dr Alison Caffyn, who argued that Shropshire council had failed to take into account all the environmental impacts of an industrial chicken unit containing 230,000 birds at any one time when it granted planning permission. Continue reading...
Pallavi Devulapalli says party is diverging from founding principles towards a more leftwing authoritarian culture'The Green party is veering away from its founding culture towards a more leftwing authoritarianism, its former health spokesperson has claimed.Dr Pallavi Devulapalli said trans rights had become an obvious totem in the new climate, and accused the party of trying to purge anyone with gender-critical views. Continue reading...
Juror 6 reportedly claimed during jury selection that he lived in the Bronx but told court staff he lived in New JerseyThe judge presiding over the high-profile federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean Diddy" Combs dismissed a juror on Monday over conflicting statements about his residency.The juror, identified as Juror 6, reportedly claimed during jury selection that he lived in the Bronx, but last week, prosecutors said that he told a court staff member that he had been living in New Jersey, making him ineligible for a Manhattan federal jury. Continue reading...
Spectacular' discovery at site of about 30 graves includes pearls, coins, ceramics and a box containing gold threadA 10th-century burial site believed to have belonged to a Viking noble family has been discovered in northern Denmark, packed with a spectacular" trove of ancient objects, a museum has said.The discovery came almost by chance when pearls, coins, ceramics and a box containing a gold thread were unearthed during construction work near Lisbjerg, a village located 4 miles (7km) north of Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city. Continue reading...
by Denis Campbell Health policy editor on (#6Y18Y)
Radiographers voice concerns about being filmed without consent and say trend could violate other patients' privacyNHS staff have voiced concern about the growing numbers of patients who are filming themselves undergoing medical treatment and uploading it to TikTok and Instagram.Radiographers, who take X-rays and scans, fear the trend could compromise the privacy of other patients being treated nearby and lead to staff having their work discussed online. Continue reading...
by Mark Brown North of England correspondent on (#6Y1E5)
Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, AKA the Wigwam', recognised as one of UK's most important buildingsIt's known locally as the Wigwam" or the Mersey Funnel", although one architect also likened it to a gargantuan concrete aberration from the Apollo space programme".Love it or not, Liverpool's Catholic cathedral can now be regarded as one of the most important buildings in the UK. Continue reading...
Former NT police officer, who was cleared of murder over the shooting death of Indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker in 2022, listed as speaker at Sydney summit
Kraamzorg system, where care assistants visit new mothers at home, is threatened by labour shortage and competitionA key pillar of Dutch maternity services that has led to the Netherlands being hailed as a world leader in postnatal care is under threat, healthcare unions in the country have warned.The Netherlands has long prided itself on its unique system of kraamzorg (maternity care), whereby a maternity care assistant comes to a new family's home for eight days after a baby's birth, caring for mother and infant. Continue reading...
by Chris Osuh Community affairs correspondent on (#6Y1CS)
Sarah Douglas says salary requirement means her husband would be ineligible for family visa to join her and their childrenA British woman whose family cannot return to the UK because of Brexit visa rules has said she feels forgotten and rejected" by the country of her birth.Sarah Douglas moved to Italy to teach English in 2007 before marrying Matteo Ricci, an Italian software developer, in 2010. Continue reading...
Global study shows 54% of Americans receive news from social media, while the UK has highest proportion of news avoiders at 46%Social media has overtaken television as a source of news in the US for the first time, according to a comprehensive analysis of media consumption confirming the rapid rise of news influencers".In a watershed moment for the US media, 54% of Americans said they received news from social media, according to the research carried out after President Trump's second inauguration. Half said they sourced news from the once all-powerful TV networks. Continue reading...
While many in GOP condemn attacks, president calls Tim Walz terrible governor' and Musk pushes misinformationUtah senator Mike Lee sounded like a lot of other Republican politicians after the fatal shootings of Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota this weekend.These hateful attacks have no place in Utah, Minnesota, or anywhere in America. Please join me in condemning this senseless violence, and praying for the victims and their families," he wrote on Twitter/X. Continue reading...
First Choice is fighting New Jersey subpoena as part of an investigation into potentially unlawful practicesThe US supreme court agreed on Monday to consider reviving a New Jersey anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center operator's bid to block the Democratic-led state's attorney general from investigating whether it deceived women into believing it offered abortions.The justices took up an appeal by First Choice Women's Resource Centers of a lower court's ruling that the Christian faith-based organization must first contest Attorney General Matthew Platkin's subpoena in state court before bringing a federal lawsuit challenging it. Continue reading...
by Cecilia Nowell (now); Tom Ambrose, Charlie Moloney on (#6Y0JY)
Hostilities continue for fourth day; Israeli foreign minister says operation in Iran is not done as Netanyahu claims strikes have set Tehran back a very long time'
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