Sandwell Labour MPs write to borough Reform leader after alleged posts by Stuart Prior Labour MPs have called for a Reform UK election candidate in Essex to be suspended after he allegedly celebrated the rape of two Sikh women in the Midlands. A joint investigation by The Mirror and the anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate alleged Stuart Prior, who is standing for Reform in Rayleigh West (for Essex county council) as well as Sweyne Park and Grange (for Rochford district council), had made a string of racist comments on social media in the past few months. This included declaring white people the “master race” and calling Muslim people “rats”. Continue reading...

Disclosure made at preliminary hearing for civil case in which four women accuse the influencer and his brother of rape Andrew Tate sought written assurances from prosecutors that he would not be arrested if he returned to the UK for a civil case in which he is accused of rape, a court has heard. Lawyers for the influencer and self-described misogynist, who has been charged with 10 criminal offences and is under investigation by various forces, made the submission last year. Continue reading...

British No 1 pulls out at short notice with post-viral illness Raducanu has been absent from circuit since March Emma Raducanu has withdrawn from the Italian Open because of her continued difficulties with post-viral illness, less than 30 minutes after positively discussing her presence in Rome during her pre-tournament media interviews. Raducanu has spent the last few days competing at the Foro Italico, playing practice sets with other competitors and, having received a bye as a seeded player, she was scheduled to contest her second-round match against Solana Sierra or a qualifier. Continue reading...

Revelation comes after report commissioned by department released in response to charity’s FoI request The Ministry of Defence has no system for examining whether UK military action has killed or injured civilians in war, a study commissioned by the department has revealed. The MoD also “does not maintain a central register of civilian harm incidents or allegations” and, despite mass casualties caused by other countries, has concluded there is no need to do so because its existing mitigation is considered effective. Continue reading...

Staff told to prosecute as quickly as they can, rather than waiting to gather all evidence, to tackle ‘climate of fear’ felt by Jewish community Prosecutors in England and Wales have been told to “fast-track” hate crime prosecutions after a spate of antisemitic attacks that the prime minister on Tuesday called a “crisis for all of us”. Stephen Parkinson, the director of public prosecutions, issued guidance to his staff on Tuesday telling them to bring forward prosecutions against any sort of hate crime as quickly as they could, rather than waiting until they had gathered all possible evidence. Continue reading...

Jonathan Pollard, who served 30 years for selling US military secrets, advocates ‘forcible removal’ of Palestinians Jonathan Pollard, a former US navy intelligence analyst jailed for 30 years for spying for Israel, has said he will stand for election to the Knesset this year on a platform of ethnic cleansing. Speaking to Channel 13 television, Pollard said: “I personally prefer the forcible removal of all current residents of Gaza, and the annexation of Gaza and its repopulation by us.” Continue reading...

A landmark ruling set back the right Congress granted – of racial equality in electoral opportunity – to keep Republicans in power In the late 19th century, after Reconstruction, US federal protections for Black voters began to erode. Southern states sought to reshape their electoral systems – through poll taxes, literacy tests and districting – to consolidate political control for white supremacist politicians. Over decades this led to Jim Crow laws, under which most Black Americans in the south were effectively disenfranchised despite constitutional rights. The Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 was supposed to end that iniquity. The US supreme court is turning the clock back; reviving a system where formal voting rights for minorities remain, but political power does not. What is striking today is the speed of the reversal: following last week’s court decision to substantially weaken section 2 of the VRA – the main federal limitation on gerrymandering in many red states – Republicans are moving swiftly to redraw maps, placing previously protected Black congressional districts at risk. Moira Donegan argued in the Guardian last week that the court’s 6-3 decision not only reflected its rightwing bias but completed chief justice John Roberts’s long project of dismantling the VRA. It’s hard to disagree. Continue reading...

The rising number of private renters in Britain have for too long put up with chronically insecure tenancy agreements and poor conditions The defining trend in British housing in recent decades has been towards private renting. The sector in England nearly doubled in size between 2004 and 2013. By 2023 almost two-fifths of households were either renting privately or socially. Meanwhile, the dream of home ownership has steadily eroded: 39% of 25- to 34-year-olds owned their home in 2023, 20 percentage points lower than the peak (59%) in 2000. Many younger adults now rent from a private landlord as the default, and expect to do so for the rest of their lives. Which is why the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act is important. Until last week, landlords could evict a tenant for requesting a reasonable repair, or challenging a rent hike. A poll in 2023 for the charity Shelter found that tenants who complained to their landlord or local authority were 159% more likely to be served a no-fault eviction notice than those who did not. The fear was that complaints could cost tenants their homes. It was customary for landlords to pre-emptively evict tenants if they wanted to raise rents. Continue reading...

Tom Watson, who had role in attempted coup against Tony Blair in 2006, said move would go down extremely badly with voters Labour MPs have been urged to stop plotting to remove Keir Starmer by Tom Watson, who as a junior minister spearheaded the last attempted coup against a Labour prime minister, faced by Tony Blair in 2006. Watson’s warning came as Steve Reed, the housing and communities secretary, and a key Starmer loyalist, said Labour would risk “annihilation” if it decided to try to change leaders. Continue reading...

Russian pavilion to stay closed as outcry over Israel’s inclusion also grows – but nesting seagull provides some light relief The 61st Venice Biennale vernissage began on Tuesday under grey clouds and rain showers, as political tension, parties and protest dominated proceedings at one of the art world’s biggest events. Lubaina Himid, the British entrant, who has spent a career creating work that picks at her country’s colonial past, took over the UK’s pavilion with her large-scale paintings and sound collage that recalls a “perfect British summer’s day”. Continue reading...

Manchester City did not choke at Everton to hand Arsenal the advantage but it was another reminder the Premier League’s random qualities are still key For me Clive, it’s all about the Socratic paradox. The wisest man is the man who knows enough to know he knows nothing. I’ve always said that. Or never said it. Or only said it sometimes. One of those. Either way the Premier League title race could have been designed to prove that, in an age of thundering takes and mega-certainties, nobody actually has any idea what’s going on here. Manchester City’s draw at Everton on Monday night has already been described as The Moment. Advantage Arsenal. This is the consensus. On Tuesday morning, Rob Earnshaw was asked on Sky Sports if this is “the week the season will be decided” and replied: “ABSOLUTELY,” almost before the question had ended. And while you have to admire Rob Earnshaw’s sense of showmanship, there is still a large chance this might not actually be the case. Continue reading...

Authorities investigate leak of 2.9 million voters’ details, adding to turmoil around independence push Alberta separatists have delivered more than 300,000 signatures to elections officials in western Canada, in support of their attempt to force an independence referendum in Canada’s oil-rich province. But the effort stumbled immediately as a separatist-linked group posted the personal data of nearly three million residents online in one of the largest data breaches in Canadian history, fomenting fears of a possible political interference crisis. Continue reading...

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Ryan Kelly, 41, had ‘explosive device’, say police, who are treating death of woman, Jo Shaw, 35, as homicide A man forced his way into a house in Bristol with an “explosive device” a few minutes before a blast that killed his ex-partner and himself. Police said they were treating the death of the woman, whom they believe to be 35-year-old Jo Shaw, as homicide and named the man who died as her former partner, Ryan Kelly, 41. Continue reading...

Greg Brockman has faced questions about his emails, texts and writings in his personal diary in second week of the trial As Elon Musk’s case against OpenAI entered its second week, focus shifted to the company’s president, Greg Brockman. Over the course of several hours on Monday and Tuesday, Brockman faced questions about his emails, texts and one piece of evidence that has become central to the trial: his personal diary. Musk’s lawsuit revolves around his allegation that Brockman, OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, violated the founding agreement of the artificial intelligence firm by turning it into a for-profit entity. Musk argues that Altman and Brockman also unjustly enriched themselves in the process, essentially taking Musk’s money while deceiving him about their true intent for the business. He is seeking Altman and Brockman’s removal, the undoing of the for-profit restructuring and $134bn, which Musk wants distributed to OpenAI’s non-profit. Continue reading...

From economic woes to concerns that war could break out again at any moment, underlying worries run deep In the weeks since the fragile ceasefire with the US and Israel took hold, life in Tehran has – on the surface at least – largely returned to something like pre-war normality. Many security checkpoints have been taken down, coffee shops are bustling, parks are full of people gathering for picnics, musicians are playing again in the streets, highways are jammed with traffic and the metro - free to use since the war - runs packed. But underlying worries run deep, and many Iranians fear the war could return at any moment. The uncertainty was underlined on Monday when the US and Iran launched fresh attacks in the Gulf as the two sides continue to blockade of the strait of Hormuz. The war’s economic toll has been severe too. Many people have lost their jobs and inflation is surging. The International Monetary Fund estimates it could reach 70% this year. Continue reading...

A Swedish firm’s pursuit of the product testing company Intertek suggests investors’ price expectations are yet to be shifted by the Iran war It was a bad day for the FTSE 100 index on Tuesday – down 1.4% – but the puzzle in many quarters is why share prices haven’t fallen further since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. The index is still up by a couple of percentage points since new year, which is not a bet most would have made at the time if they had been told an inflationary energy price shock lay around the corner. An absence of Iran-related corporate profits warnings partly explains the relative resilience, even if those usually take a while to arrive. So, too, the fact that the Footsie is overpopulated with overseas earners for whom the US economy, which isn’t suffering Europe’s soaring natural gas prices, matters more than their home market. And higher oil prices obviously help the likes of Shell and BP. Continue reading...

Three people have died after an outbreak of hantavirus onboard a cruise ship travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde. The World Health Organization says that a total of seven cases – two confirmed by laboratory testing and five suspected – have been identified on the cruise ship so far. They are also investigating whether rare human-to-human transmission of the virus could be behind the cases. Madeleine Finlay talks to Prof Jonathan Ball from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to find out where the virus comes from, how it is transmitted to humans, and what health agencies will be doing to try to contain it British crew member in need of urgent medical care amid suspected hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship Support the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod Continue reading...

Leaked remarks by Maj Gen Avi Bluth describe fatal shootings of stone-throwers and different treatment for Jewish settlers The Israeli army chief in the West Bank has said his troops were “killing like we haven’t killed since 1967”, including fatally shooting Palestinian stone-throwers, according to an Israeli report of his comments. The remarks by Maj Gen Avi Bluth, head of the army’s central command, were made in a recent closed forum but were leaked to Israel’s Haaretz newspaper. Bluth has so far not denied the authenticity of the Haaretz account. The Israel Defense Forces did not respond to a request for comment. Continue reading...

French publication Le Monde says Laure Ferrari ‘dodged’ question when quizzed over property purchase in Clacton Nigel Farage’s partner, Laure Ferrari, has refused to confirm how she paid for a house in the Reform leader and MP’s constituency of Clacton, adding “there’s more than one way to pay for a house”. In an interview with French publication Le Monde, Ferrari was questioned over revelations in the Guardian that she had purchased a house in her name in Clacton after Farage had claimed to be the buyer. Continue reading...

Hachette, Macmillan and others allege that Meta pirated millions of works from textbooks to novels for Llama model Five major publishers sued Meta Platforms in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, alleging that the tech giant misused their books and journal articles to train its artificial intelligence models. Elsevier, Cengage, Hachette, Macmillan and McGraw Hill, as well as author Scott Turow, alleged in the proposed class-action complaint that Meta pirated millions of their works and used them without permission to train its Llama large language models to respond to human prompts. Continue reading...

Marine biologists step up criticism of privately funded operation to release stranded humpback whale off Germany’s Baltic Coast Marine biologists and whale experts have stepped up their criticism of a privately funded operation to release a humpback whale that was stranded for weeks off Germany’s Baltic Coast after it emerged that a tracker fitted to the whale was not working. The whereabouts and health of the young male whale – nicknamed Timmy after one of the sandbanks that it was stranded on – remain unknown three days after it was transported in a water-holding barge pulled by a tugboat to waters off the coast of Denmark. Continue reading...

Bruno Fernandes will earn around £250,000 a week Majority of squad will benefit from return to Champions League Manchester United’s qualification for the Champions League means a 25% rise in salary for most of the squad. While not all players who will be paid more will receive the 25% increase, the majority will. Bruno Fernandes, the club’s highest paid player, will earn around £250,000 a week with the increase. Kobbie Mainoo signed a new five-year contract worth around £120,000-a-week last week, while Harry Maguire also recently agreed a new one-year contract. Both players’ deals are thought to be incentivised in regards to their involvement in next season’s Champions League. It is unclear which United players are to miss out completely, though it is understood to relate to individual clauses in contracts. Continue reading...

Everton recognise ‘swift response’ by supporters Marc Guéhi was also subjected to racist abuse online A 71-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City during their 3-3 draw at Everton on Monday, when his teammate Marc Guéhi was subjected to racist abuse online. Merseyside police arrested the man after supporters and stewards reported the incident at Hill Dickinson Stadium. He has been bailed with conditions, including restrictions preventing him from going within one mile of any designated sports stadium for a period of up to four hours before kick-off, during matches and up to four hours after the final whistle. Continue reading...

⚽️ Champions League news, 8pm BST kick-off (first leg: 1-1) ⚽️ Today’s Football Daily | Follow us on Bluesky | Mail Scott The two biggest names in European football never to win the continent’s biggest prize meet for a place in the final. It’s 20 years since Arsenal found themselves 14 minutes from glory, only for Barcelona to hit them with a couple of sucker punches; their continental roll of honour (one Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, one Cup Winners’ Cup) is absurdly short given the size and status of the grand old club. Atlético Madrid have made more of an imprint in Europe, with three Europa Leagues, a Cup Winners’ Cup and three Super Cups, but the big one has eluded them as well: they’ve suffered the trophy being snatched from under their nose in excruciating circumstances not just once but three times, in 1974, 2014 and 2016, insult being bundled up with injury on the latter two occasions by good old Real Madrid. We’re not quite at the Something’s Got To Give stage, seeing this is just the semi, and whoever gets through will be strong second favourites against either Bayern Munich or PSG. But something’s got to give at some point, surely, and reaching the final is the necessary step in making that dream possible. So here we are. Atleti were the better side last week in Madrid, yet Arsenal were nevertheless a contentious penalty decision away from a priceless victory. Mikel Arteta’s men were certainly the better side when the teams met during the league phase last October, though, scoring four goals in 14 second-half minutes. So both teams will fancy their chances. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. Extra time and penalties not beyond the realms. It’s on! Continue reading...