6 h. ago Entire US firing squad 'botches' execution leaving death row inmate to die slowly

An autopsy has revealed that South Carolina death row inmate Mikal Mahdi 'suffered' longer than the 10-15 second window he was supposed to after being shot in the heart by a firing squad

Events

16 h. ago Revealed: Autopsy suggests South Carolina botched firing squad execution

Records obtained by the Guardian indicate shooters did not hit Mikal Mahdi according to protocol, which lawyers say caused prolonged sufferingA South Carolina firing squad botched the execution of Mikal Mahdi last month, with shooters missing the target area on the man’s heart, causing him to suffer a prolonged death, according to autopsy records and his attorneys.Mahdi, 42, was shot dead by corrections employees last month in the second firing squad execution this year in South Carolina. The state has aggressively revived capital punishment over the last seven months and brought back the controversial firearm method that has rarely been used in the modern death penalty era. Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago Lawyers for man executed by firing squad in South Carolina say bullets mostly missed his heart

A pathologist hired by attorneys for death row inmates says a South Carolina man executed by firing squad was conscious and likely in extreme pain for as long as a minute

Politics

18 h. ago New guide highlights delights of south west Scotland to electric car drivers

The South West Coastal 300 reveals everything from untamed coastlines and timeless forests to storybook castles and quaint small towns.

Transport

40 h. ago Police issue update on death of 'loving' boy, 14, who was killed in fire at derelict warehouse after 16 children arrested in manslaughter probe were released on bail

Police investigating the death of 14-year-old boy in a fire at an industrial estate in Gateshead have released 16 boys and girls on bail following their arrest for suspected manslaughter.

Events

42 h. ago Police investigating death of boy, 14, after fire make fresh appeal

Layton Carr’s body was found inside a building at an industrial park in Gateshead on Friday evening.

Events

3 d. ago Gateshead fire: Major update over death of Layton Carr, 14, as more kids arrested

The body of Layton Carr, 14, was found following a fire at Fairfield industrial park in the Bill Quay area of Gateshead on Friday evening - two more children have now been arrested

Events

3 d. ago Gateshead fire: Major update over death of Layton Carr, 14, as 16 children arrested

The body of Layton Carr, 14, was found following a fire at Fairfield industrial park in the Bill Quay area of Gateshead on Friday evening - two more children have now been arrested

Events

3 d. ago Family of Layton Carr, 14, issue statement after tragic Gateshead fire death

Layton Carr, 14, was described as a “kind, caring and loving boy” and his family added: “He was loved by all that met him, and it showed”

Events

4 d. ago 14 children bailed after manslaughter arrests over death of boy in a warehouse fire

The body is believed to be that of Layton Carr, 14, who was reported missing on Friday

Events

4 d. ago Tributes pour in for boy, 14, killed in fire at derelict warehouse

Devastated relatives of a 14-year-old boy killed in a fire at a derelict industrial site - leading to the arrest of 14 children - told how they had been left 'numb' by the tragedy.

Events

5 d. ago South Africa cricket superstar reveals he's serving provisional drugs ban

Kagiso Rabada is currently ranked as the second best bowler in the world by the International Cricket Council Test, but the 29-year-old is currently serving a provisional suspension after testing positive for a recreational drug

Events

5 d. ago South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada banned after failing recreational drug test

Pace bowler due to lead attack at Lord’s WTC final in June‘I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down’The South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has revealed he is serving a provisional suspension after testing positive for a recreational drug. Rabada, who sits second in the International Cricket Council Test bowling rankings, returned home after playing just two matches with Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League last month.The Titans said at the time he had done so to tend to an “important personal matter” and the 29-year-old disclosed this was due to returning an adverse analytical finding for a recreational substance. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago I backpacked India and Nepal like the Race Across the World teams — this is everything I learnt

Lydia Swinscoe recalls all the highs and lows of her solo travels through South Asia — and reveals what it taught her about making the most of the route

Politics

9 d. ago Two children among 15 dead as guests jump from windows to escape fire at six

Police say most victims died of suffocation, while at least one man died trying to jump from the Rituraj Hotel in Kolkata

Events

9 d. ago Chinese restaurant fire kills 22 as Xi Jinping laments ‘deeply sobering lesson’

Cause of blaze in northeastern Liaoyang city not immediately clear

Events

2 w. ago Lewis Ferguson transfer latest as Napoli plan to woo Bologna captain to the south of Italy revealed

Italy's top clubs are set to renew their interest in the Scotland start next summer

Politics

2 w. ago Gruesome details of 'fire seat' death said to be 'the most horrific known in human history'

Historians have identified one specific execution in Hungary that they say stands out from the crowd for its complexity, cruelty as well as its sheer barbarity.

Events

2 w. ago Congo boat disaster death toll rises to 148, with more than 100 still missing

Fire broke out during onboard cooking before wooden vessel capsized with 500 passengers aboardThe death toll from a boat fire and capsizing in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this week has risen to 148 with more than 100 people still missing, officials said on Friday.About 500 passengers were on board the wooden boat when it capsized on Tuesday after catching fire on the Congo River in the country’s north-west. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Wombats, wallabies and whales: four days walking in Wilsons Promontory national park

It’s one of Victoria’s favourite national parks for good reason. Hiking the park’s south reveals stunning coastlines and complex history, topped off by a night in a lighthouseGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailWe left the Wilsons Promontory Lightstation with one last look out to sea, admiring the chain of islands leading like stepping stones across the Strait. They’re the remnants of a landbridge between the Prom and Tasmania’s Freycinet, a link easily seen in the areas’ shared beauty: fine white sand, rough granite and bright orange lichen contrasting with a startlingly blue sea. It’s the nature, the beauty and the walking that brought us here, as well as a sense of unfinished business.My husband and I had been coming to Wilsons Prom for decades, for day walks and multi-day hikes. But we’d never made it to the lighthouse, or stayed in the cottages converted to walkers’ accommodation. To tackle the trip, we booked two bunkrooms and roped in the Schultz family. It would be th...

Politics