70 m. ago The Guardian view on Labour’s spending review: the chancellor tightened belts and loosened seams | Editorial

The government offers capital investment and fiscal prudence but real-terms department cuts and grand promises could strain political credibilityBrexit’s ghost haunts a Labour spending review intended to lay the foundations for a second term. Its headlines echo the twin themes of the referendum campaign: control immigration, fund the NHS. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said she would end the use of hotels for asylum seekers “in this parliament” saving £1bn a year, while NHS spending will rise by 3% a year. Ms Reeves framed it as a politics of security and compassion. Yet it reads as Brexit’s populist promises, filtered through Westminster orthodoxy.The risk is that this is all slogan and very little solution. The asylum savings are speculative, and the annual increase in NHS budgets is below its historical average. There are also real-terms cuts or essentially flat budgets for key departments such as transport, education and local government. The Home Office faces cuts deeper than a...

Politics

74 m. ago R Kelly files request for release from prison citing murder plot against him

Singer’s lawyer said Aryan Brotherhood and prison officials were plotting to kill him, and asked for home confinement Attorneys for R&B singer R Kelly have filed an urgent request for his release from federal prison, citing a serious threat to his life. The motion asks that the 58-year-old be placed under home detention due to what they describe as an orchestrated plan to have him killed behind bars.In a filing submitted on Tuesday, Kelly’s legal team claims that his safety is at risk. The motion alleges that three officials from the Bureau of Prisons attempted to recruit another inmate to murder the singer. Continue reading...

Events

74 m. ago Harvey Weinstein found guilty on one charge in New York sex crimes retrial

Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting Miriam Haley, but was acquitted of a second charge of sexually assaulting Kaja SokolaThe movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty on one charge of committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree by a Manhattan jury, concluding a three-week trial that revived accusations from a successful 2020 prosecution that was overturned on appeal.Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting Miriam Haley, but was acquitted of a second charge of sexually assaulting Kaja Sokola. Continue reading...

Events

82 m. ago UK equalities watchdog: Transgender people may be asked about gender status in workplace

Trans people who feel they’ve lost rights should ‘distinguish between rights in law and preference for things to be a certain way’, EHCR chair saidTransgender people may be asked about their gender status in the workplace, the equalities watchdog has said, with its chair arguing people should “distinguish between rights in law, and a preference for things to be a certain way”.Giving evidence to the women and equalities select committee, the chair and chief executive of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said trans people should not be fearful of the repercussions of April’s supreme court ruling, which found the word “woman” in the Equality Act refers only to a biological woman. Continue reading...

Politics

85 m. ago Labour promised people we would rebuild Britain – and that’s what we’re doing | Keir Starmer

This week’s spending review marks a new stage in the mission of national renewal, built on the foundations laid last yearKeir Starmer is the prime minister of the United KingdomThe mandate we received from the British people could not have been clearer. First, we had to stop the chaos and return Britain to economic stability. Second, we had to turn the page on Tory decline with clear Labour choices. Third, we were instructed to rebuild our country.Wednesday’s spending review turbocharged that rebuilding. It is an investment in Britain’s renewal, so working people have more money in their pocket, more pride in their community and more hope for their children’s future. It’s what people voted for. An NHS cutting waiting lists, with care closer to the community. Wealth and opportunity no longer hoarded by only a few towns and cities. Continue reading...

Politics

87 m. ago Pete Wicks' desperate plea to give 'beloved' dog a home before he dies

Kind-hearted TV star Pete Wicks is urging Mirror readers to adopt Neapolitan Mastiff Theo who may only have months left to live because of a heart condition

Events

1 hour ago Starc leads Australia fightback after Rabada stars for South Africa on day one of WTC final

Day one: Australia 212; South Africa 43-4Rabada takes 5-51 but Proteas’ reply faltersSouth Africa have had to put up with a fair few grumbles about their place in this World Test Championship final and grew tired of the topic during the build-up. Other than pointing folks in the direction of the International Cricket Council, the teams who can afford to arrange more fixtures, and the league table they topped, the only response they could really give was to compete out on the field.It was a case of mission accomplished with the ball, at least, even if a topsy-turvy opening day that saw 14 wickets fall ended with Australia in the ascendancy. Led by Kagiso Rabada, a player dogged by headlines about his recent ban for cocaine use, the Proteas were delighted to skittle the defending champions for 212 in two-and-a-half sessions, only to close on a troubling 43 for four in reply. Continue reading...

Sport

2 h. ago Marines in Los Angeles have power to detain people, says major general, as US cities brace for more protests – live

Maj Gen Scott Sherman says marines would be in the city ‘soon’; rallies protesting against sweeping immigration raids spread across USGovernor Greg Abbott has pledged to deploy National Guard troops across his state of Texas, becoming the first governor to do so as protests against Trump’s immigration raids spread throughout the United States.Abbott said on X that the Texas National Guard will “use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order”. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Raducanu and Boulter laugh off Queen’s doubles defeat with singles to come

British pair lose 6-2, 7-5 to Routliffe and KichenokSonay Kartal beaten 6-1, 6-3 by Amanda AnisimovaWith a place in the semi-finals on her debut at Queen’s hanging in the balance, Emma Raducanu flitted towards the net in an attempt to pluck a floating ball out of the air. She has effortlessly dispatched similar balls thousands of times, but on game point while a set down, her forehand drive volley landed closer to the back fence than the court.Normally, she would react with frustration to such an easy miss on an important point. This, however, was only doubles. As she turned away and comically planted her palm on her face, she could not hide her smile. Katie Boulter, her doubles partner, laughed out loud. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Evenepoel blows away field on stage four of Criterium du Dauphiné to take overall lead

Belgian wins time trial 21 seconds ahead of VingegaardPogacar drops to eighth, 38 seconds behindTime-trial specialist Remco Evenepoel laid down a marker in the fourth stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné on Wednesday, winning the 17.4km race against the clock in style to move top of the overall classification. The 25-year-old Belgian tasted Olympic gold in the discipline last year and is also the double time-trial world champion. He showed his pedigree by blowing away a field containing Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar.Evenpoel raced home 21 seconds ahead of Dane Vingegaard, with Matteo Jorgenson a further 17 seconds back in third. Pogacar just missed the podium at 49 seconds behind Evenepoel, with Florian Lipowitz fifth and Mathieu van der Poel sixth. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago UK yet to commit to Nato plan for rise in defence spending to 3.5% of GDP

Nato chief Mark Rutte wants members to agree to plan at summit later this month but UK remains cautiousBritain has still not committed to agreeing an increase in defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by the mid-2030s at the Nato summit later this month in line with a proposal from the alliance secretary general, Mark Rutte, defence sources said.Though Rutte visited Downing St on Monday and the Nato chief expressed confidence in a speech in London afterwards that countries would sign up, senior insiders complained that Britain was still dragging its heels over the issue. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Luke Littler ready for ‘one of the best feelings’ playing at World Cup

Littler will represent England for the first time.

Politics

2 h. ago British & Irish Lions calm fears over Tadhg Furlong’s fitness for Australia tour

Leinster prop may feature in URC final against Bulls‘We will put our best foot forward for Argentina’The British & Irish Lions have insisted they have no fitness concerns over the veteran tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong and have revealed he and other Premiership and URC finalists will be considered for their opening match against Argentina in Dublin next Friday.Furlong, who has started the last nine Lions Tests, has not played for his province since early May due to a calf injury, prompting fears over his availability for the Australia tour. Zander Fagerson also withdrew from the squad on Monday, leaving options at tighthead severely limited. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Ben Jennings on Elon Musk’s show of remorse after feuding with Donald Trump – cartoon

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Politics

2 h. ago I survived October 7: Gaza tourist Greta Thunberg's ridiculous 'kidnapping' claims are a slap in the face to REAL victims... now her stunt has backfired

When I read Greta Thunberg's claim that she'd been 'kidnapped' by the Israeli military while trying to deliver aid to Gaza, I did a double-take.

Events

2 h. ago Brian Wilson, visionary creative spirit for the Beach Boys, dies aged 82

Musician, who suffered from mental health problems, wrote and produced the 1966 album Pet Sounds – seen by many as the greatest album of all timeBrian Wilson, the Beach Boys musician, songwriter and producer who created some of history’s most purely beautiful pop music, has died aged 82.In a post shared on Instagram on Wednesday, Wilson’s family wrote: “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy.” Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Funds to tackle Europe’s forest fires poorly targeted, says EU watchdog

Report raises concerns that money allocated to combat fires not reaching areas where it could make biggest differenceEuropean funds to prevent forest fires have been poorly targeted and sometimes distributed in a hurry, according to a report from the EU’s spending watchdog.The number of forest fires in EU countries has increased dramatically over the last two decades as the climate crisis fuels ever bigger conflagrations. An area twice the size of Luxembourg has been consumed by flames in an average recent year, killing people, destroying homes and wildlife and sending megatonnes of planet-heating emissions into the air. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Ryan Thomas says 'I'm still not right' as brother Scott reveals hilarious 'intervention'

Ryan and his younger twin brothers Scott and Adam have got plenty of reaction to the first conversation heard in their new podcast

Politics

2 h. ago Queen Camilla makes surprise book awards appearance and reveals holiday reading list

Queen Camilla dropped into an event ahead of the 30th annual Women's Prize for Fiction awards, where she met authors as well as book lovers and let them know what she had been reading

Politics

2 h. ago Queen Camilla reveals holiday reading list as she makes surprise book awards appearance

Queen Camilla dropped into an event ahead of the 30th annual Women's Prize for Fiction awards, where she met authors as well as book lovers and let them know what she had been reading

Politics