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for 3 timeer siden

Man who attempted to kidnap Princess Anne in 1974 claims innocence

Ian Ball now says kidnap was always supposed to have failed and was plot to garner publicity to sell autobiography The gunman who shot police officers during a botched attempt to kidnap Princess Anne has claimed he is innocent, six years after being released from a psychiatric hospital. Ian Ball, who uses the pseudonym Anthony Stewart, claimed he expected Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter to have been swapped for a double and the gunpowder removed from his bullets ahead of the attempt in March 1974. Continue reading...

for 8 timeer siden

Airbnb guest says images were altered in false £12,000 damage claim

Woman wins apology and refund of almost £4,300 after claiming host’s photos were digitally manipulated Airbnb has apologised to a woman after an apartment host falsely claimed she had caused thousands of pounds’ worth of damage and used images she says were digitally manipulated to back up his allegations. The London-based academic was refunded almost £4,300, and an internal review of how the case was dealt with has been launched at the short-term accommodation rental company. Continue reading...

for 15 timeer siden

Georgia detainee with prosthetic legs who objected to flooded cell sent to solitary

Rodney Taylor placed in ‘restrictive unit’ for refusing to enter flooded cell because his prosthetic legs can’t get wet A Liberian-born man detained by Ice in Georgia was put in solitary confinement after complaining about flooding in the common area outside his cell at the Stewart detention center that he said was potentially dangerous for his electronic prosthetic legs, the Guardian can reveal. Rodney Taylor recently spent three days in what CoreCivic calls a “restrictive housing unit” at Georgia’s Stewart detention center, after refusing to enter his cell because faulty air conditioning had left the floor in the area outside his cell covered with about an inch of water. That would be a potential disaster for Taylor, since his battery-powered, microprocessor-controlled prosthetic legs can’t get wet. Continue reading...

for 22 timeer siden

TV union and women’s group call for this year’s MasterChef to be shelved

Bectu and Fawcett Society say airing show would distress complainants about Gregg Wallace and John Torode The BBC is facing mounting pressure to scrap this year’s series of MasterChef after the sacking of the presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode. The heads of the broadcast union Bectu and a leading women’s rights organisation have joined those calling for the series to be shelved, arguing it would cause distress to the people who had made complaints about the two men. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

Tourist discovers ‘extinct’ jellyfish while rock-pooling in Outer Hebrides

Thistle-shaped Depastrum cyathiforme was last seen in France in 1976, but has now been found on South Uist For nearly 50 years, there has been no trace of Depastrum cyathiforme, a stalked jellyfish that resembles a thistle flower. The distinctive jellyfish was feared globally extinct after being last spotted in Roscoff, northern France, in 1976. Continue reading...

for 1 dag siden

State of emergency in New York City and New Jersey over rains and flash flooding

A powerful storm system is bringing torrential rain, with forecasters predicting possibility of at least 3in an hour A state of emergency has been declared in New York City and New Jersey as a powerful storm system hits the US east coast from New York to Washington DC, with dangerous torrential rainfall and flash flooding under way in the region. Forecasters had predicted intense rainfall, with rates possibly reaching up to 3 inches an hour and some isolated locations could see as much as 5 to 8 inches. Continue reading...

for 6 dager siden

Survivors of coercive control are being criminalised in England, research finds

Centre for Women’s Justice says the criminalisation of women for their abusive partners’ actions is ‘shocking’ Survivors of coercive control are being unfairly criminalised in England and punished by a justice system that should be protecting them, research has found. A report from the Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) drew on the experiences of seven women who were criminalised because of their abusive partners. They include a police officer who was convicted of misconduct in public office and lost her job after her controlling ex-boyfriend, also a police officer, coerced her into giving him her password into the police computer system, and a woman who was prosecuted for theft and fraud after her abusive and controlling partner used her bank account and phone number to sell stolen caravans. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘Excellent size’: UK blueberry crop up nearly a quarter after warm spring

New technology also helps fruit yield, while strawberry, raspberry and blackberry output has risen British blueberries are the latest fruit to benefit from the warmest spring on record, with the harvest up by almost a quarter so far this year. Growers say the weather has produced an early crop with more and larger berries, while new varieties can bring higher yields and better resilience. About 5,133 tonnes are expected by the end of August, up significantly from almost 4,187 tonnes by the same point last year. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘It’s time for us to be louder’: Germany’s Pride parades face up to rise in attacks

Christopher Street Day event organisers urge vigilance amid increase in abuse from rightwing extremists The organisers of the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin have urged participants to be vigilant amid a rise in attacks on LGBTQ+ events across Germany. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to take to the streets of the German capital this weekend for a loud and colourful celebration held in memory of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, Christopher Street being the location of the Stonewall Inn. But behind the party atmosphere there is a more sombre mood than usual as LGBTQ+ organisations warn that attacks have become more frequent. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Family sues after funeral home sends son’s brain in unmarked leaking box

Remains of Timothy Garlington shipped from Georgia funeral home to another in Pennsylvania Two funeral homes allegedly gave grieving parents their deceased son’s brain in a box, which began to smell, leaked into their car and got on the father’s hands when he moved it, according to an updated lawsuit filed this week. The father, Lawrence Butler, said the discovery was overwhelming at a news conference on Thursday, leaving a horrific memory that mars the other memories of a “good young man”, their son, Timothy Garlington. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

NSW real estate agents threaten renters with fees if they are not home for tradespeople – but legally they don’t have to be

More than 2,100 people contacted the tenants’ union in 2024 for advice about access, despite ‘no basis’ for the charge Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast New South Wales real estate agents are threatening renters with fees as high as $330 if they are not at home to let maintenance workers in, despite there being no legal requirement for renters to personally allow entry. On 8 July, Lauren Gillin’s agency told her she needed to be home during a two-and-a-half-hour window seven days from that date to allow access for a smoke alarm inspector or pay a $90 fee. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘It’s spectacular’: volunteer Dorset divers see summer of surging seahorses

After efforts to make conditions better for the elusive creatures in Studland Bay, sightings are greatly increasing The divers emerged from the water smiling with satisfaction. They had found what they were looking for in the undersea meadows off the south coast of England. “Seahorses are tricky to spot,” said Mark Fox. “The seagrass sways and they blend into it pretty well. It helps if it’s sunny and not too choppy but you have to get your eye in. When you see them, it’s brilliant.” Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Too much moose meat was factor in plane crash that killed Alaska lawmaker’s husband

Antlers strapped to a wing also caused small plane that Mary Peltola’s husband was piloting to crash in 2023 Antlers strapped to a wing and too much moose meat on board caused a small plane crash that killed the husband of then Alaska Democratic congresswoman Mary Peltola in 2023, according to a US national transportation safety board (NTSB) report that was recently released. Though the report doesn’t name him, Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr was the pilot and lone person on the Piper PA-18 plane involved in the deadly wreck, which occurred near St Mary’s, Alaska, on 12 September 2023, officials had previously said. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘Intrinsically connected’: how human neurodiversity could help save nature

Biodiversity is linked to people’s diversity, and nature lends itself to people who are different, says author Joe Harkness When Joe Harkness received a message from a friend about macerating moth abdomens to check their genitalia to identify the species, it sparked an idea for a new book about wildlife obsessions. But over time, this developed into a completely different book: a clarion call to embrace neurodiversity in the fight against the extinction crisis. Across Britain, 15% of people are thought to be neurodivergent. In the process of writing Neurodivergent, By Nature, Harkness discovered that an estimated 30% of conservation employees were neurodivergent. Why? Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Late Jesuit global leader didn’t stop known child molester from becoming priest – court documents

Pedro Arrupe is a candidate for sainthood, but an abuse victim’s lawsuit turned up evidence that he didn’t prevent child molester Donald Dickerson from being ordained after learning of allegations Pedro Arrupe, the late, former worldwide leader of the Jesuit religious order and a candidate for Catholic sainthood, acknowledged in records produced as part of a New Orleans court case that he was warned about how one of the group’s aspiring priests had been accused of sexually molesting two minors and acknowledged making sexual advances on a third. The man was ultimately ordained, and there is no indication in records in the court case in Louisiana state court that Arrupe – who coined the Jesuits’ slogan “men for others” – took steps to prevent him from becoming a priest. The man was later accused of molesting other minors he met through his ministry. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

‘Save Colbert’ rally in New York City touts petition signed by 250,000 people

Democratic lawmakers join dozens on march to Paramount headquarters: ‘This is so much bigger than one TV show’ Several dozen people on Wednesday took to the streets outside the Manhattan studio of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to call for CBS and its parent company, Paramount, to reverse the cancellation of the popular show. During the rally, which began at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater and wound its way to the Paramount headquarters in Times Square, demonstrators delivered 10 boxes filled with “Save Colbert” petitions to the company. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Nearly one in five NSW trains ran late in past year, falling well short of own performance target, data shows

Government aims for 92% on-time running but only 82.5% of Sydney Trains services arrived within five or six minutes of schedule, down from 87.9% in previous year Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Sydney Trains have hit a new low for on-time services with only 82.5% of trains arriving within five or six minutes of scheduled times over the last year. The result, based on data in the year to 30 June, represents a significant slide in performance from the previous year, when 87.9% of trains ran on time. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Mokie, world’s oldest horse once owned by film star Burt Reynolds, dies at 40

The Arabian horse – born on the actor’s farm in 1985 – spent his latter years in Florida serving as a therapy animal Guinness World Records’s oldest living horse – who was once owned by legendary actor Burt Reynolds – has died shortly after attaining the title, the organization announced recently. Mokie the Arabian horse was 40 years old, having spent some of his latter years in Florida serving as a therapy animal for “people going through some of the darkest times of their lives”, Guinness wrote Monday on its website. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Sunday school teacher jailed for sexually abusing nine children was protected by church leader, Victorian cult inquiry hears

Former Geelong Revival Centre members tell inquiry abuse went unreported because group believed its authority was ‘higher than the law of the land’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A Sunday school teacher who was jailed for sexually abusing nine children was protected by the leader of his fundamentalist church, after parents reported the abuse to him instead of police, a Victorian parliamentary inquiry has heard. Catherine and Ryan Carey, former members of the Geelong Revival Centre (GRC), gave evidence at the first hearing of the parliamentary inquiry into the practices of cults and organised fringe groups on Wednesday. Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

More than 100 survivors of alleged sexual abuse enter Harrods scheme for compensation

Payments for general damages and ‘wrongful testing’ offered by company formerly owned by Mohamed Al Fayed More than 100 survivors of alleged sexual abuse by the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have entered the company’s compensation scheme, the luxury department store has confirmed. The retailer set up the scheme after dozens of women came forward with allegations of abuse by the late entrepreneur going back as far as 1977 after the broadcast last year of the BBC documentary Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods. Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...

for 1 uke siden

Ibiza venue cancels music events after deaths of two British men in two weeks

Ice hockey player Gary Kelly died at Ibiza Rocks Hotel as did fellow Scot Evan Thomson, who fell to his death on 7 July An Ibiza hotel and music venue has cancelled a number of music events after the deaths of two British men on its premises in the space of two weeks. Gary Kelly, 19, who was a professional ice hockey player for the Dundee Stars, died at the Ibiza Rocks hotel on Monday. His club paid tribute to the “hugely talented and charismatic individual” who “had a great future ahead of him”. Continue reading...

for 2 ukeer siden

Michigan deacon thwarted attack on church by ramming truck into shooter

When Richard Pryor saw the man firing in the parking lot, he sprang into action, buying time before guards arrived A Michigan church deacon who had a hand in thwarting a rifle-wielding man’s attempts to shoot worshippers at a service in June by ramming the attacker with his truck says he sprang into action because waiting for first responders’ help was not feasible. “I’m just realizing there’s no time,” Richard Pryor – who drew gunfire while protecting the congregation of CrossPointe Community church in Wayne, Michigan – said during a recent Associated Press interview in which he revisited his state of mind that day. “I didn’t have a weapon on me, in the truck or anything, so what are your options?” Continue reading...

for 2 ukeer siden

Southern Water issues hosepipe ban for 1m people in Hampshire and Isle of Wight

Announcement takes number of people hit by restrictions across England to about 8.5 million Southern Water has become the fourth English utility to issue a hosepipe ban, taking the number of people hit by such restrictions to about 8.5 million. The latest ban, which comes into force for about 1 million residents across large swathes of Hampshire and all of the Isle of Wight from 9am on Monday, comes after Yorkshire, Thames and South East Water announced similar measures. Continue reading...

for 2 ukeer siden

‘Inquisitive, relaxed’ humpback whale swimming in Sydney Harbour delays ferries and boats

Whale is having a ‘full harbour experience’, says an expert aboard a maritime boat shadowing the supersized mammal Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast An “inquisitive” humpback whale that wandered from its usual migratory route and into the centre of Sydney Harbour is causing “navigational challenges” for ferries and vessels as its tour of the world-famous harbour continues. The sub-adult whale was spotted by commuters on a harbour ferry service near Fort Denison about 8am on Wednesday. It swam to Circular Quay – Sydney’s central ferry terminal – before moving east towards the defence base of Garden Island then to Watsons Bay and north to Balmoral Bay. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

for 2 ukeer siden

Hannah McGuire murder trial: killer claims ex-partner hit her head during argument

Workmate of accused murderer Lachlan Young tells jury he did not know 23-year-old was inside ute set on fire in remote bushland Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The man accused of murdering Victorian woman Hannah McGuire claims the 23-year-old hit her head on the floor and died after an argument became physical. Lachlan Young’s barrister made the allegation as he questioned witness Benjamin O’Keefe over his involvement in McGuire’s death. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

for 2 ukeer siden

German backpacker who went missing in WA outback says she got lost after hitting head in car crash

Carolina Wilga says she spent 11 nights in outback after leaving van in ‘state of confusion’ Carolina Wilga hit her head in a car crash and left her vehicle in a “state of confusion” before going missing in the Western Australian outback for 11 nights, the German backpacker has revealed. In the 26-year-old’s first statement since flagging down a local woman, Tania, in a passing car on Friday afternoon, Wilga explained the series of events that led to her disappearance. Continue reading...

for 2 ukeer siden

Two dead and three injured, including state trooper, in Kentucky shootings

Unidentified shooter wounded trooper near airport in Lexington, then fled to a nearby church and opened fire A suspect shot and wounded a state trooper near a Kentucky airport on Sunday before fleeing to a nearby church, killing two women and wounding two men, before being fatally shot. At 11.36am ET on Sunday an unidentified shooter opened fire near Blue Grass airport in Lexington and wounded a state trooper, according to authorities. The shooting occurred after the trooper had pulled over a vehicle after receiving a licence plate reader alert in the area of Versailles Road, Lexington police said. Continue reading...

for 2 ukeer siden

‘Serious incident’ at Southend airport after small plane crashes

Emergency services at the scene after Beechcraft B200 aircraft involved in collision at about 4pm on Sunday A small passenger plane has crashed after taking off in Essex. The Beechcraft B200 aircraft crashed at around 4pm on Sunday, soon after taking off from Southend airport, and was seen in flames with dark smoke billowing from it, according to photos circulating on social media. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Risotto rice under threat from flamingoes in north-eastern Italy

Farmers are seeking ways to fend off birds who are stirring up soil in flooded paddy fields in Ferrara province An unusual bird is ravaging crops and infuriating farmers in north-eastern Italy: the flamingo. Flamingos are relatively recent arrivals in the area, and have settled into the flooded fields that produce rice for risotto in Ferrara province, between Venice and Ravenna. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Detection of fire ants in Queensland 800km from closest infestation sparks fury over gaps in eradication funding

Businesses and industry urged to stay alert after invasive species discovered at coalmine in Moranbah, about 150km inland from Mackay Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Fire ants have been detected in central Queensland for the first time in history after a major outbreak at a BHP Broadmeadow coalmine. The discovery has prompted fury among the Invasive Species Council, who have questioned how the invasive pest had travelled almost 800km from the closest known infestation zone. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Texas floods: death toll reaches at least 120 people as recovery efforts continue

Rising number of flood victims is starting to plateau, a bleak sign that rescuers have made little progress in past 24 hours The rising number of victims from the devastating central Texas floods is beginning to plateau, with at least 120 people found dead in the state – a bleak sign that rescuers have made little progress to find victims amid wreckage in the past 24 hours. On Thursday morning, local officials in Kerr county, which was hit the hardest by the 4 July flash flood, announced that 96 people had died, the same number reported on Wednesday evening. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

‘We feared the worst’: 31 construction workers rescued after LA tunnel collapse

Cave-in apparently occurred between tunnel boring machine 5 miles from sole entry and workers 6 miles in Thirty-one construction workers inside a huge industrial tunnel in Los Angeles made it to safety after a portion of it collapsed Wednesday evening, an outcome officials called a blessing after they initially feared much worse. The cave-in appears to have occurred between the tunnel boring machine 5 miles (8km) in from the sole entrance and the construction workers who were working 6 miles in, said Michael Chee, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, which is in charge of the nearly $700m project. The workers were about 400ft (121 meters) underground. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Thursday briefing: Why young people fear ‘there’s nothing here for us’ in England’s coastal towns

In today’s newsletter: As a new Guardian project begins, we hear from the teenagers navigating deprivation, isolation and a sense of being forgotten Good morning. A few weeks ago, 18-year-old Tamsin Jarman-Smith, born and raised in a small town just outside Blackpool, sat on a battered sofa at House of Wingz, a community youth organisation tucked down an alleyway a few streets from the beach, and explained what it felt like to be a young person growing up in a coastal town. “I’m lucky because I found this passion for dancing and I come to this place, which has saved me I think, especially my creativity and hope for opportunities for myself, but lots of people my age feel like there is nothing here for them,” she said. Europe | Talks over a British and French migration deal remained deadlocked on Wednesday night, as negotiators haggled over how much Britain will pay towards the cost of policing small boat crossings. UK news | Campaigners have decried as “dangerously naive” the UK government’s sweeping deal with Google to provide free technology to the public sector. Europe | Police have raided the headquarters of France’s far-right National Rally and seized documents as part of an investigation into alleged illegal campaign financing. UK news | Thames Water has refused to claw back almost £2.5m paid to senior managers from an emergency loan that was meant to keep the failing utilities company afloat. Housing | The Bank of England has rolled out looser mortgage rules that policymakers hope will help 36,000 more first-time buyers on to the housing ladder each year. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

AI-generated child sexual abuse videos surging online, watchdog says

Internet Watch Foundation verified 1,286 AI-made videos in first half of year, mostly in worst category of abuse The number of videos online of child sexual abuse generated by artificial intelligence has surged as paedophiles have pounced on developments in the technology. The Internet Watch Foundation said AI videos of abuse had “crossed the threshold” of being near-indistinguishable from “real imagery” and had sharply increased in prevalence online this year. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Texas flooding death toll climbs to 119 as search for more people continues

Amid cleanup efforts, residents and news outlets question the government’s pre-flooding alarm and warning systems Among the Texas flood victims: campers, staff, grandparents and teachers The number of people who have died from the flooding in Texas continues to rise, with at least 119 people dead throughout the state, officials said on Wednesday morning. Search crews continue to look for people, as residents and news organizations question the government’s alarm and warning systems. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Teen suspected of setting off fireworks that sparked California wildfire

Boy, 13, arrested after Rancho fire raced through dry brush in Laguna Beach and forced evacuation of about 100 homes A 13-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of setting off fireworks that sparked a wildfire this week in coastal southern California, forcing the evacuations of about 100 canyon homes, authorities said. Crews with air support protected residences from the Rancho fire as flames raced through dry brush on Monday afternoon in Laguna Beach. It was held to 4 acres (1.6 hectares) with no damage to structures. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Girl, seven, ‘fought like hell’ and shielded others, parents tell Southport inquiry

Daughter escaped but was dragged back and stabbed another 20-plus times in 11 seconds, before fleeing again The parents of a seven-year-old girl who was stabbed 33 times in the Southport atrocity have described how their daughter “fought like hell” to escape after shielding other children from the attacker. The girl suffered “catastrophic” injuries when she was set upon by Axel Rudakubana as she tried to protect another child at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class last year. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Three dead as flash flooding hits mountain town in New Mexico, officials say

Heavy rains triggered flash flooding in Ruidoso that was so intense an entire house was swept downstream Three people have died in a mountain town in southern New Mexico that is a popular summer retreat after monsoon rains triggered flash flooding that was so intense an entire house was swept downstream, officials said. A man and two children were swept away Tuesday by flood waters, the village of Ruidoso said in a statement. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Sauce Boss the rodeo bull becomes latest US animal escape artist

Bull also known as Twinkle Toes eluded capture for days in Colorado after reportedly escaping through a fence gap Animals that have proven themselves to be escape artists as of late in the US have included a terrier and nearly four dozen monkeys. And now a rodeo bull reportedly referred to by the names of Sauce Boss and Twinkle Toes can join their ranks after breaking free from his handlers and spending four days at large. The bull in question was being unloaded in preparation for the Snowmass Village, Colorado, rodeo on 2 July when he somehow got away, local police chief Brian Olson told the state’s Aspen Times. Olson suspected the creature found and forced his way through a gap in the fencing that was being used during the unloading. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Affinity Education childcare worker facing multiple child sexual abuse charges

Worker – who cannot be named – has pleaded not guilty to offences relating to eight alleged victims Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A New South Wales childcare worker employed by Affinity Education who pleaded not guilty to nine child sexual abuse offences last year appeared before a regional court on Wednesday. The 51-year-old NSW man was charged in October for allegedly sexually abusing children at a childcare centre owned by Affinity Education in a small NSW town. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

‘Serious risk to life’: scenic Isle of Wight road could fall into sea, warns council

Military Road on island’s south is threatened by erosion, with some parts now less than 5 metres from steep cliffs It is considered one of the most scenic routes in the UK, an 11-mile stretch of road that skirts the coastal cliffs and enjoys sweeping views of the Channel. The problem is that Military Road on the southern coast of the Isle of Wight is getting just a little too close to those plunging cliffs for comfort. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Among the Texas flood victims: campers, staff, grandparents and teachers

Campers and counselors from Camp Mystic are among the dead, along with scores of others caught in the flood As search-and-rescue operations continue across central Texas, the death toll from the devastating and catastrophic flash flooding of the Guadalupe River continues to rise. On Sunday, Texas’s governor, Greg Abbott, said more than 40 people remain missing. More than 100 people have now died in the floods. At least 27 of those are children. The crisis is being described as one of the US’s deadliest floods in decades and has caused between $18bn and $22bn in total damage and economic loss, according to a preliminary estimate from AccuWeather. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Post Office scandal may have led to more than 13 suicides, inquiry finds

First report from Horizon IT hearings reveals 10,000 people seeking compensation, far higher than the 1,000 prosecuted More than 13 people may have killed themselves as a result of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal, while it drove at least 59 more to contemplate suicide, according to the first findings from the public inquiry into what has been labelled the worst miscarriage of justice in UK history. The 162-page phase one report from Sir Wyn Williams, the retired judge who chaired the hearings, looks at the “human impact” on the hundreds of post office operators who were wrongly accused of taking money from their branches because faulty software showed a shortfall. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

‘Deep rooted’ camp tradition continues in Texas despite flood devastation

Mothers say it is important to return to normalcy after deadly floods in which 27 campers and counselors were among those killed As search crews were continuing to pick through the wreckage from Friday’s deadly floods in Texas’s Hill Country, mothers on Monday were dropping their teenage children off at Trinity Baptist church in hard-hit Kerrville for camp. For the past few days, the church had served as a meeting point for families coming to – hopefully – be reunited with children who had attended other camps in the area. One of those was Camp Mystic in Kerr county, which lost more than two dozen campers and counselors during Friday’s deluge. The death toll as of Monday had exceeded 100 across Texas. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

UK to test nationwide emergency alert system for second time

Alert to take place on 7 September, designed to warn of danger to life, and putting phone on silent will not mute it The UK will hold a further test of its emergency alert system on 7 September this year – and putting your mobile phone on silent will not mute the alarm. The government system is designed to warn if there is danger to life nearby, including severe weather threats. It also allows for the sending of vital information and advice. Continue reading...

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Texas floods: search efforts enter fifth day as death toll passes 100 – latest updates

At least 84 of the victims - 56 adults and 28 children - died in Kerr County, the worst affected area, along with 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic We are restarting our live coverage of the devastating Texas floods. The death toll from the flash floods that struck central Texas on Friday has passed 100 and is expected to rise further as search efforts continue into a fifth day. Continue reading...

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Yorkshire Water announces hosepipe ban after driest spring in 132 years

Restrictions to be brought in from Friday after region receives just 15cm of rainfall between February and June Business live – latest updates Yorkshire Water has introduced hosepipe restrictions after the region recorded its driest spring in 132 years. Yorkshire received just 15cm of rainfall between February and June, less than half of what is expected in an average year, pushing the region to an official drought status. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Tiny fungus farming beetle from WA could wreak havoc on Sydney’s heritage trees

Invasive shot-hole borer only found in Perth in Australia, but as WA moves from eradication to management of pest, risk of spread is ‘heightened’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The chief scientist of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney is warning of an imminent and deadly risk to the city’s trees posed by an invasive beetle that has led to the removal of thousands of trees in Perth. The tiny polyphagous shot-hole borer, which is native to south-east Asia, is a “fungus farmer” that burrows into trees and can spread a fungus that kills the host tree. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Drugs smuggled by drone undermining rehabilitation in prisons, watchdog warns

Chief inspector says jails in England and Wales are overwhelmed by contraband, overcrowding and lack of staff The volume of drugs being delivered by drones into prisons is severely undermining hopes of rehabilitation among inmates, a watchdog has warned. Criminal gangs are smuggling contraband to bored and vulnerable inmates who are locked up for most of the day in filthy cells with little activity, the chief inspector of prisons’ annual report said. Continue reading...

for 3 ukeer siden

Erin Patterson’s hospital visit – and what the beef wellingtons really looked like: mushroom murder exhibits revealed

Evidence presented in the mushroom murder trial shows the dining table used in the fateful lunch and social media chats Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Five key moments in the murder trial of Australia’s mushroom lunch cook Erin Patterson For more than two months, Erin Patterson’s triple-murder trial gripped people around the world. But while millions were glued to news updates, only a handful of people had access to the full case. Jurors heard from more than 50 witnesses and were introduced to more than 120 pieces of evidence by the prosecution and defence throughout the lengthy proceedings. Continue reading...

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Weather tracker: supercharged storms hit Texas’s ‘Flash Flood Alley’

Storms that led to deadly flash floods were heightened by moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry Texas was hit by catastrophic flash floods on Friday after powerful thunderstorms unleashed torrential rainfall across the region. Kerr County, in the south-central Hill Country, received more than 300mm of rain in just a few hours. As of Sunday evening, at least 68 people had been confirmed dead, and 28 girls were missing after flood waters tore through a summer camp. Continue reading...

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‘We have no support’: foster carers take employment rights fight to UK supreme court

Foster carers describe financial struggles and ‘lack of respect’ in ‘broken model’ propped up by benefit system Nearly a quarter of foster places in England provided by private equity-backed firms Louise* starts her workday getting the children breakfast and ready for school. After drop-off, she attends meetings, completes training and works through a growing pile of paperwork. She’s also on standby as there’s almost always a call to collect a child if there’s been an issue at school. Then there’s everything else that comes with parenting: GP and dentist appointments, buying clothes, arranging therapeutic support, and managing what’s known as “contact” with the children’s birth parents. The problem for Louise, and thousands of foster carers across the country, is that they are not considered to be workers. Although their jobs are vital, this lack of recognition means they have no annual leave, no sick pay and no guarantee they won’t face consequences just for raising concerns. Continue reading...

for 4 ukeer siden

Allez, allez, allez! Quebec says sports fans can cheer ‘go!’ in English at provincial sports games

Province’s language police had a petit contretemps when it challenged Montreal transit agency’s use of word on buses Quebec’s mercurial and controversial language police have decided that using the word “go” is a legitimate way to cheer on sports teams in the province, paving the way for excited fans – and Montreal’s transit agency - to celebrate without fear of recrimination. In new guidelines, the Office Québécois de la Langue Française (OQLF, the Quebec Board of the French Language) said that “go” was now “partially legitimized”, according to reporting by the Canadian Press, although the language watchdog says it prefers the French equivalent: allez. Continue reading...