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Allegations against Christopher Pincher focus attention on £1,700-a-year Tory haunt in central LondonJust inside the grand entrance to the Carlton Club, the private members’ venue in central London where the Conservative MP Christopher Pincher is alleged to have groped two men, is an area known as Cads’ Corner.The club, which is closely tied to the Conservative party, boasts about this “inviting corner” that features a small cluster of chairs underneath a grand staircase – but its website is somewhat coy about how Cads’ Corner gained its name. As Dr Seth Thévoz, a historian of London’s private members’ clubs, explained: “It’s the spot where male members could stand to stare up the skirts of female guests walking up and down the stairs.” Continue reading...

Review body said to have told DfE 3% rise inadequate and instead recommended 5%Teaching unions have said strikes may still be called in England despite reports of an improved offer being considered by the Treasury.Mary Bousted, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), welcomed suggestions of a 5% pay rise but feared it still amounted to a pay cut after taking inflation into account. Continue reading...

Industrial action expected on buses and trains with airports and Post Office threatened with more disruptionA fresh wave of industrial action across British transport and services starts this weekend as bus workers in Merseyside went on strike, while other action is due on the rail network and threatened at airports and at post offices.The strike by Stagecoach drivers and other bus workers from Monday comes as Arriva bus drivers in West Yorkshire agreed to suspend strikes after a month of action, and while talks continued to head off more national rail strikes. Continue reading...

Schools, charities, tennis clubs, and 14,000 people from local community invited to attend celebrationMore than 1,500 refugees from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria will fill the seats of Wimbledon’s Centre Court on Sunday as part of celebrations to mark the tennis venue’s 100-year anniversary.The centenary celebrations, which will take place on Centre Court on Sunday afternoon, will be presented by Sue Barker, Clare Balding and the former Wimbledon and US Open champion John McEnroe. Continue reading...

PM’s tenure has been characterised by disrepute, from lockdown breaches to serious sexual assaultsBoris Johnson’s premiership has been characterised by a string of scandals since he entered No 10 in December 2019. From “Pestminster” to “Wallpapergate”, the prime minister has sought to ride out every storm during his two and a half years in charge. Here is a timeline of the sleaze so far: Continue reading...

At least 19 dead after Russian missile strikes multi-story apartment building in Odesa; Russian forces withdraw from Snake Island in Black Sea

Analysis: Chinese president talks of patriotism and prosperity but need for foreign investment could be an issueIn his first trip outside mainland China since the Covid pandemic began, President Xi Jinping declared a new era for Hong Kong, which, in his words had “risen from the ashes”. New priorities have been set for a city that until two years ago was engulfed in street protests: political loyalty, social stability and economic development.Xi praised the “one country, two systems” policy, and said there was no reason to change it, and it must be “upheld for the long term”. But, perhaps unsurprisingly, his speech, as well as one by new chief executive, John Lee, overwhelmingly emphasised Hong Kong’s convergence with Beijing rather than its divergence. Continue reading...

Variety reports accusations against actor of attack in Iceland in 2020 and incident in Berlin this yearTwo women who allege threatening behaviour by Ezra Miller have spoken out against the actor.One woman, who was the victim of a choking attack by Miller outside a bar in Iceland in 2020 has broken her silence on the incident, telling Variety: “I think, ‘It’s just fun and games’ – but then it wasn’t. All of a sudden, [they’re] on top of me, choking me, still screaming in my face if I want to fight.” Continue reading...

More than half country’s shoreline managed by private concessions despite being public propertyThere’s an Italian expression, derived from a 1963 song by Piero Focaccia, that neatly encapsulates the deeply ingrained rituals of summertime beachgoers: Stessa spiaggia, stesso mare (Same sea, same beach).Year in, year out, this often extends to paying a tidy sum to rent the same cabin, same lounger and same umbrella covering the same patch of sand, at the same lido or beach resort, preferably in a prestigious row close to the shoreline, for an entire season. Continue reading...

Contamination found at plant in Belgium run by Swiss group Barry CallebautProduction has been halted in the world’s biggest chocolate plant, run by the Swiss group Barry Callebaut in Wieze, Belgium, after salmonella contaminations were found.A company spokesman said production had been protectively halted at the factory, which produces liquid chocolate in wholesale batches for 73 clients making confectionery. Continue reading...

Human Rights Watch calls for donors to cut off funding to security forces and urges international court to investigatePalestinian authorities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip systematically torture critics in detention, a practice that could amount to crimes against humanity, an international rights group has said.In its report, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for donor countries to cut off funding to Palestinian security forces that commit such crimes and urged the international criminal court to investigate. Continue reading...

Chinese president says ‘one country, two systems’ will endure and democracy flourishes after unprecedented unpicking of freedoms

CEO and co-founder will leave at end of July, having still received £250,000 salary despite taxpayer bailoutThe chief executive and co-founder of the collapsed energy firm Bulb will leave at the end of July, having continued to receive a six-figure salary while the firm was being propped up by billions in taxpayer loans.Hayden Wood is leaving Britain’s seventh biggest energy supplier, which has about 1.5 million customers, as the government continues to seek a buyer to save Bulb. Continue reading...

UK government accused of leaving former employees and their families ‘in limbo’ in Afghanistan, where they are targets for the TalibanMore than 170 people who worked for the British embassy in Kabul remain in hiding in Afghanistan in fear for their lives, almost a year after the Taliban retook the country.A list of Afghans currently in hiding, seen by the Guardian, shows almost 200 former interpreters, security guards and local staff waiting for a response from the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office, the departments responsible for relocating people at risk. All of those on the list are eligible for transfer to the UK under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (Arap), intended to bring those formerly employed by the UK government, and their family members, to safety in Britain. Continue reading...

Party figures understood to have urged leader to rein in acolytes after candidates from left excluded from longlistsKeir Starmer’s allies have rejected claims he is acting to block “anyone to the left of Tony Blair” from standing for the party at the next general election, as his project of reshaping Labour moves to its next stage: parliamentary selections.Since the swing of more than 12% to Labour in last week’s Wakefield byelection raised the possibility of an outright majority for Starmer at the next general election, the focus on the party’s next wave of MPs has intensified. Continue reading...

Second judge suspended as legal challenge from first judge due to begin, escalating ongoing controversy over separation of powers

Richard Marles signals change in tone with biggest trading partner but pledges to avoid Coalition’s ‘chest-beating’

Experts sceptical of claim, as state media urge citizens to watch out for ‘alien things coming by wind’North Korea has blamed its Covid-19 outbreak on balloons sent over its border with the South by groups of defectors, in an apparent attempt to shift the blame onto its neighbour.After two years of insisting that it had not recorded a single case of the virus, the North admitted its first infections on 12 May, sparking fears of a public health disaster in the impoverished country. Continue reading...

Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s final report includes call for campaign to dispel ‘rape myths’

Agreement between government and Indigenous leaders includes fuel price cut and mining restrictionsEcuador’s government and the country’s main Indigenous group have reached an agreement to end 18 days of often-violent strikes that had virtually paralysed the country and killed at least four people.

CoreLogic’s home value index drops for the second month in a row, after declining 0.6% in June

Days before new SA abortion laws start, David Speirs, three of his colleagues and Labor minister Clare Scriven will feature in training day

Twenty hectares near Inca ruins affected in blaze started by farmers burning grass before sowing cropsPeruvian firefighters were fighting to contain a forest fire near the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu as the blaze threatened to close in on the ancient city in the Andean mountains on Thursday.The fire, which had engulfed an area about half the size of Vatican City, was started on Tuesday by farmers burning grass and debris to prepare to sow crops. Continue reading...

Analysis of data on almost 6,000 children found breastfeeding boosted brain development in disadvantaged mothers’ babiesChildren of poorer mothers who breastfeed are much better at tasks involving speaking, drawing and comprehension as a direct result, a British study has found.They do 8% better in tests of their cognitive ability up to the age of seven – if they were breastfed for at least three months – than those who were bottle-fed, according to the research. Continue reading...

‘She’d watch every match that was on the TV,’ says British wildcard after beating former world No 1 Karoline Pliskova in second roundThe Wimbledon wildcard Katie Boulter has pulled off a remarkable win against a former world No 1, just two days after her grandmother died.The Leicester-born 25-year-old broke down in tears after defeating the Czech Republic’s Karolína Plíšková 3-6 7-6 (4) 6-4 on Thursday in one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. The British No 3 dedicated her second-round victory to her grandmother, Jill, a regional tennis champion, as her grandfather, Brian, and her mother, Sue, beamed with pride from the player box. Continue reading...

PM says increase to 2.5% of GDP will be reached by end of decade as UK needs to adapt to more dangerous worldBoris Johnson has signalled a significant increase in the UK’s defence budget to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade, raising questions about his commitment to cutting taxes, as a Nato summit dominated by the Ukraine conflict drew to an end in Madrid.“We need to invest for the long term in vital capabilities like future combat air while simultaneously adapting to a more dangerous and more competitive world,” the prime minister told a press conference. Continue reading...

Talks to save 2015 deal now on brink of collapse as Tehran also accused of testing missiles capable of delivering nuclear weaponsIran has been accused of making “maximalist demands” in the latest unsuccessful round of talks on reviving the nuclear non-proliferation deal at a grave session of the UN security council in which it was widely acknowledged the talks – and the whole 2015 deal – were now on the brink of collapse.Iranian and US officials, with the EU acting as mediators, held two days of talks in Doha in a bid to break a months-long impasse, but no progress was made on Iran’s central demand that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps be removed from US sanctions and its list of foreign terrorist organisations. Continue reading...

Former F1 chief called Russian president ‘first-class person’ and blamed war on Zelenskiy

From fire pits and mulled wine to live music and festive feasts, we’ve got you covered to do the chilly season right

Police and home security cameras have so far registered seven cases but there could have been moreCzech police are looking for a man who has been breaking into people’s homes at night and watching them as they sleep, committing petty theft at times.“Home security camera footage makes it clear the perpetrator does not mind the presence of people,” Prague police spokesperson Jan Rybanský said in a statement on Thursday. Continue reading...

Embattled prime minister embraces a desire to keep quiet on matters of electability after being branded delusional for third-term commentIt began last Sunday when Boris Johnson, newly arrived at the G7 summit in southern Germany, told ITV that his “golden rule” for politics – one not seemingly aired before – was that politicians should not talk about themselves, just their policies.The next day, talking to BBC News, the prime minister similarly dismissed all questions about domestic political troubles, including a double byelection loss and new rumblings of discontent among Tory MPs. Continue reading...

Members of anti-vax convoy have vowed to maintain a presence over the summer initially mingling with the annual celebrationsResidents of downtown Ottawa are bracing for a Canada Day unlike any other, after “freedom convoy” protesters vowed to return to Parliament Hill on 1 July, and maintain a presence over the remainder of the summer.Every Canada Day, people congregate on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to watch musical performances and fireworks on the anniversary of Canadian confederation. This year, it will probably be difficult for police to distinguish between celebrators and convoy members – which is what protesters are banking on. Continue reading...

After weeks of controversy, former NSW deputy premier stands down from $500,000 role that he created while in office

Magistrate dismisses application for woman’s charges of assault and intimidation to be dealt with under Mental Health Act

Caderyn Neville has made headlines but the selection of Quade Cooper is key to unlocking the team’s attacking mojoA golden oldie debutante, a front row firebrand, the return of the Rising Sun triangle, a dirty dozen Brumbies but no Tongan Thor and just one Red. Dave Rennie’s 23-man Wallabies squad for the first Test against England on Saturday is a tough, fast, freewheeling outfit designed to run England ragged, snap Eddie Jones’s eight-game winning streak and reverse England’s 3-0 whitewash of 2016.Brumbies lock Caderyn Neville has caught the headlines, set to debut at age 33 after being part of national squads since 2012. The 120kg, 2.02-metre tall journeyman who represented Australia in rowing at the Youth Olympics in 2006 and played his first game of rugby at age 21 has been named in the run-on side at last, after being overlooked by four Wallabies coaches across the past decade. Continue reading...

The review into the rules was ordered by Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle in NovemberMPs should not be allowed to bring babies into the House of Commons chamber during debates, a cross-party review has recommended after mounting “confusion” about the rules.The procedure committee report was ordered amid an outcry over Labour backbencher Stella Creasy being told she could no longer bring her newborn son while making statements or asking questions in parliament. Continue reading...

Vacancies blamed on ticketholders wining and dining and technical issues with re-saleSwathes of empty seats on Wimbledon’s Centre Court have been blamed on hospitality guests wining and dining rather than watching the tennis.Fans unable to find Centre Court tickets have complained about the large number of empty seats at key matches this week – including those of Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray on Wednesday. Continue reading...

New minister for territories, Kristy McBain, says Labor is seeking to bring on bill in first week of parliament in July

Investigation into allegations made about duchess will stay private due to ‘confidentiality’ obligationsA Buckingham Palace investigation into the handling of bullying allegations made by staff against the Duchess of Sussex will not be published due to “confidentiality” obligations, a senior palace source has said.The independent review was announced in March 2021 to see what “lessons could be learned” after it was alleged Meghan had driven out two personal assistants and “humiliated” staff on several occasions. Continue reading...

Outsourcing accelerated by Lansley’s shakeup in 2012 linked to drop in care quality in landmark reviewThe privatisation of NHS care accelerated by Tory policies a decade ago has corresponded with a decline in quality and “significantly increased” rates of death from treatable causes, the first study of its kind says.The hugely controversial shakeup of the health service in England in 2012 by the health secretary, Andrew Lansley, in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government, forced local health bodies to put contracts for services out to tender. Continue reading...

Attacks on the press have increased 85% in the three years since president Andrés Manuel López Obrador took powerYet another Mexican reporter has been shot to death, bringing to 12 the number of journalists killed this year in the country, one of the world’s most dangerous for media workers.Antonio de la Cruz, 47, was shot on Wednesday as he was leaving his house with his 23-year-old daughter, who was seriously injured, according to state prosecutors and the newspaper that employed him. Continue reading...

The move signals the initial stages of a public health concern as 306 cases of the virus have been recorded in the USThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has activated an emergency operations unit for monkeypox that signals the initial stages of a public health concern.The Emergency Operations Center (EOC), was activated on Tuesday to boost operational support for addressing a monkeypox outbreak. Continue reading...

EU chief says UK and EU are ‘natural allies’ against Russian aggression and repeats criticism of Northern Ireland protocol billA senior EU official has urged Boris Johnson’s government to move on from Brexit and work with the bloc in the face of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine.Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commission’s vice-president who is in charge of UK relations, repeated his criticism of the government’s “illegal” plan to rip up parts of the Northern Ireland protocol, two days after the bill cleared its first hurdle in the House of Commons. Continue reading...

Nick Watt told court he was intimidated by protesters at anti-lockdown rally in LondonA BBC journalist said he felt “very scared” and “shaken” as he was chased by a mob of anti-vaxxers in London last year.Anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown protesters, who had been attending at rally in central London, called Nick Watt a “traitor” and shouted in his face, Westminster magistrates court heard on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Stricter CCGs told patients that they have to attain a certain body mass index before surgeryThe number of knee replacement operations carried out has dropped in regions of England with restrictions on surgery for overweight patients, with people in more deprived areas worst affected, researchers have found.Patients needing surgery but unable to lose weight are being denied surgery that could ease pain and increase mobility, the team from the University of Bristol said. Continue reading...

Footage shows Edwin Afriyie standing with arms folded despite officers saying he was in ‘fighting stance’Police officers lied in statements to justify Tasering a black social worker who was posing no threat, the high court has been told.Edwin Afriyie, 36, had his arms folded and was standing apart from officers when he was Tasered by City of London police after a road traffic stop, body-worn video played in court shows. Continue reading...

Negative views of China at highest level in years in many of the 19 countries that took part in surveyConcerns about China’s policies on human rights have led to negative views towards the world’s most populous nation, a Pew public opinion survey has found.Negative views of China remain at or near historic highs in many of the 19 countries polled in this year’s survey, which spoke to people in North America, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. The findings are largely consistent with Pew’s previous study in 2020, but with some countries now reporting even more unfavourable views of China. Continue reading...

Exclusive: former minister will spend 80 hours a year chairing advisory board of RTC EducationGavin Williamson has taken a £50,000-a-year second job as an adviser to a firm that runs private schools, university courses and education investments – less than a year after leaving the role of education secretary.The former chief whip has taken a job as chair of the advisory board of RTC Education Ltd, which has given more than £165,000 to the Conservatives. Continue reading...