CATEGORIES

Rushdie points at US Republicans in warning on rise of authoritarianism

Salman Rushdie has warned of the threat of authoritarianism globally and said the US Republican party is \"seeking to undermine\" democratic values, at a forum in Philadelphia to discuss the threats against free speech in the US and around the world.

Rock lickers and nostril hair counters: Ig Nobels laud the weirdest science of 2023

From using dead spiders to grip objects to probing the weird feeling that can occur when the same word is written over and over again, researchers investigating some of the quirkiest conundrums in science have been honoured in this year's Ig Nobel prizes.

Hunter Biden indicted on federal gun charges after plea agreement falls apart

Federal prosecutors last night indicted Hunter Biden on gun charges after a plea deal with the US president's son fell apart in July.

HS2 at risk of fresh cuts amid budget squeeze

The HS2 high-speed rail line is at risk of further cuts to its route north of Birmingham as the government considers whether it can afford high-cost projects before the autumn budget.

Martha's rule to be introduced in England

The health secretary has announced that the government is committed to bringing in \"Martha's rule\" in England, making it easier for patients and their families to get a second medical opinion if they believe their concerns are not being taken seriously by medical staff.

Starmer criticised by left and right over plan to end small boats crisis

Proposals to reduce asylum backlog and end use of hotels and barges Labour leader warned against appealing to anti-migrant sentiment

'Nervous' Evans in the flow as GB defeat Australia

Leon Smith began this year's Davis Cup group stages with a positive dilemma. With four quality singles players to choose from, the Great Britain Davis Cup captain was charged with deciding which combination stood the best chance of delivering GB their first win after the bitter week in Glasgow last year.

Destructive Stokes blazes England to win

Record-breaking batter flays the New Zealand attack in partnership with Malan after loss of early wickets

Phillips repays Southgate's faith despite his City exile

Pep Guardiola seems not to trust 27-year-old but he looks like the perfect fit next to Declan Rice with England

Fears of UK recession rise after figures show output fell in July

The UK economy shrank in July by 0.5% amid industrial action and extremely wet weather, official figures indicate, heightening fears of a recession in the second half of the year.

Post-Brexit lenders invest less in UK than EU bank did, data shows

Public sector lenders created by the government since Brexit are investing two-thirds less than the UK was receiving from the EU's European Investment Bank, a report has found.

BP board 'faces governance questions' following Looney's shock departure

BP's board of directors faces questions over what it knew about former chief executive Bernard Looney's personal relationships with colleagues after his shock resignation from the oil firm on Tuesday night.

Wine paints Portuguese town red after distillery vats burst

Alcohol flowed freely in the Portuguese town of Levira over the weekend after two vats holding about 2.2m litres of wine at a distillery burst and flooded the streets.

Russian journalist living in exile 'was hacked with Pegasus spyware'

An award-winning Russian journalist living in exile in Europe was hacked using spyware made by the Israeli NSO Group, according to a joint investigation by the Citizen Lab and Access Now.

Trump in talks with Republicans over attempt to impeach Biden

Donald Trump has been in discussions with influential House Republicans over the party's longshot attempt to impeach Joe Biden over unproven corruption allegations relating to his son Hunter Biden's foreign business dealings.

Period pain not taken seriously by many doctors, poll reveals

Millions of women and girls experience debilitating periods, yet nearly a third never seek medical help and more than half say that their symptoms are not taken seriously, according to research.

Selfie-seekers urged to steer clear of ponies after foal dies

Visitors to a Welsh beauty spot have been warned not to go close to ponies to take selfies after a newborn foal fell to its death from a cliff.

Lynch says ticket office closures would deter rail travel after sundown

The closure of ticket offices in England will lead to a railway where people will \"not want to travel once the sun's gone down\", the union leader Mick Lynch told MPs, describing a recent consultation as a \"sham\".

Earth's first 'scientific health check' finds system damage

Earth's life support systems have been so damaged that the planet is \"well outside of the safe operating space for humanity\", scientists have warned. Their assessment found that six out of nine \"planetary boundaries\" had been broken because of human-caused pollution and destruction of the natural world.

Relatives wanted over death of Sara Sharif arrested at Gatwick

The father, stepmother and uncle of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who was found dead at her home in Surrey last month, were arrested on suspicion of murder last night following their return to Britain from Pakistan.

Watchdog 'failing to do its job' on auditing water firms' sewage dumping

The Environment Agency is failing to regularly audit water companies to check they are telling the truth about pollution and illegal sewage dumping in England, the Guardian can reveal.

'You can see the decline' Rutherglen voters hope whoever wins byelection focuses on cost of living

Burnside - an affluent neighbourhood of Rutherglen - enjoys a \"pleasant village feel\" according to the local estate agent, with a cluster of bustling cafes, dry-cleaners and independent retailers backing on to a grid of stone-fronted terraces with well-kept gardens.

'Really traumatic' My whole life has changed, says Clapham protester

There is one thing that Patsy Stevenson can't stand when people see the now notorious image of her being pinned down on the floor by police on the night of the Sarah Everard vigil: when they say that she looked good.

British Library given archive of SDP founder Shirley Williams

The British Library has acquired the archive of Shirley Williams, one of the most influential figures in British social democracy in the second half of the 20th century, who was known as \"Shirl the Pearl\" by her admirers.

Better by a whisker? Vegan diets may be good for cats, say experts

Cats, owners will attest, are natural-born killers and for most of their evolutionary history have enjoyed an almost entirely meatbased diet. However, fresh research suggests a vegan diet may be safe for pet cats, and even have health benefits for them.

Rugby World Cup organisers change their tune over 'butchered' anthems

After a chorus of criticism, the organisers of the men's Rugby World Cup in France have bowed to pressure and promised to re-record the pre-match national anthems, which they said fans found \"disturbing\".

Handling of Malkinson case to be investigated by watchdog

The police watchdog has announced an investigation into the handling of Andrew Malkinson's case by Greater Manchester police (GMP).

Starmer courting global support to tackle people trafficking gangs

Keir Starmer embarked on an international trip last night, to garner support for Labour's immigration plan to \"smash criminal trafficking gangs\", in a tour that is expected to include meetings with Emmanuel Macron and Justin Trudeau.

Death toll from Libya flood could hit 20,000

International aid is slowly starting to reach the devastated port city of Derna as questions are raised over how up to 20,000 people may have died after Storm Daniel hit the northern coast of Libya on Saturday.

Met payout to women held at vigil for Everard

Scotland Yard has apologised and paid \"substantial damages\" to two women arrested at the vigil for Sarah Everard in a big climbdown after years of legal battles over policing during the event.