Ministers urged to press ahead with ban on zero-hours contracts pred 12 urami in 41 minutami Campaigners reject claims that tougher rules will deter hiring – and lock young people out of jobsMinisters should press ahead with a ban on zero-hours contracts, campaigners say, despite claims by business leaders that it would deter hiring and lock more young people out of the labour market.The Child Poverty Action Group and the union umbrella organisation the TUC were among eight signatories to a letter to the department of business and trade calling on the government to “ignore the noise” from businesses, which want zero-hours contracts to remain. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Reform UK’s Makerfield candidate appeared to doubt seriousness of Covid on X pred 12 urami in 46 minutami Exclusive: Robert Kenyon has been linked to vaccine scepticism and advised a person with the virus to ‘stop having boosters’The Reform UK candidate in this month’s Makerfield byelection appeared to express doubt over the seriousness of Covid and the efficacy of vaccines for the virus in another tranche of messages unearthed from now-deleted social media posts.Previously seen messages from Robert Kenyon showed him interacting with far-right figures and expressing strong support for Donald Trump. Separately, the broadcaster Carol Vorderman has asked Kenyon to apologise for “disgusting comments” he made about her on X in the past. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Salem witch trials help explain why Faithfuls fail to spot real Traitors, says David Olusoga pred 12 urami in 48 minutami Historical events like Spanish Inquisition show the ‘velocity’ at which rumours move to conviction, says Celebrity Traitors contestantHistory might explain why Faithfuls find it so difficult to root out Traitors in the hit BBC show, suggests one member of the Celebrity Traitors cohort, who were record-breakingly bad at the game.The roundtable – where contestants discuss who should be cast out – was somewhat “frightening” because of the “velocity in which something goes from a suspicion to belief, to faith, to condemnation”, said the broadcaster and historian David Olusoga. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Implosion’ at Washington state packaging plant kills unknown number of people pred 12 urami in 59 minutami Tank containing white liquor, a chemical solution used in the paper industry, ruptured, according to fire departmentSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailAuthorities in Washington state are responding to an “implosion” at a packaging plant early on Tuesday morning that killed an unknown number of people and left multiple others with chemical burns.The Longview fire department said in a statement there was a hazardous materials incident at Nippon Dynawave Packaging that occurred when a tank containing white liquor, a chemical solution used in the paper industry, ruptured. According to the state, the plant has a kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging facility, and employs roughly 1,000 employees. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Turkish police fire teargas to break up protest after opposition leader ousted pred 13 urami in 14 minutami Water cannon also used at rally called by Özgür Özel days after court dismissed him as CHP leaderRiot police in Turkey have fired teargas and water cannon to break up a rally called by the ousted opposition leader Özgür Özel days after a court dismissed him from office.On Sunday, riot police had battered their way into the main opposition CHP’s headquarters in the capital, Ankara, firing teargas and beating party members before throwing them out, Özel said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Manchester University to offer work placements to all undergraduates pred 13 urami in 29 minutami Russell Group university promises students, from chemical engineering to classics, ‘meaningful real-world experience’A leading UK university is promising work placements to all undergraduates regardless of their degree, to better equip them for the challenges of the job market.In what appears to be a first for a large Russell Group institution, the University of Manchester is planning to offer “meaningful real-world experience” to all students, in subjects from classics to chemical engineering. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iran remains in peace talks despite first US strikes since ceasefire pred 13 urami in 48 minutami Tehran condemns ‘definitive violation’ but announces no specific reprisals as negotiations near decisive stageMiddle East crisis – live updatesA proposed peace agreement between Iran and the US seemed to still be on the table on Tuesday despite US bombings of Iranian targets – the first military action by Washington since the 8 April ceasefire.The Iranian foreign ministry denounced the US attack – aimed at missile launchers and efforts to lay fresh mines in the strait of Hormuz – as “an act of bad faith” and “a definitive violation of the ceasefire” and said it would not leave aggression unanswered. But it conspicuously did not pull out of the talks that were continuing under the joint mediation of Pakistan and Qatar. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
SNP accused of ‘embezzling’ voters over Peter Murrell’s theft of party funds pred 15 urami in 4 minutami Scottish National party’s attempt to focus on call for independence referendum overshadowed by embezzlement scandalThe Scottish National party was accused of “embezzling” voters after opposition leaders highlighted the crisis over Peter Murrell’s misuse of £400,000 from party funds.The scandal over Murrell’s guilty plea on Monday to embezzling £400,310.65 while he was the SNP’s chief executive overshadowed a Holyrood motion tabled by John Swinney to call for a second independence referendum. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Italy’s top court rules against tourist refused tap water in Dolomites hotel pred 15 urami in 19 minutami Woman argued water was a universal human right but court ruled no law obliged hoteliers to serve it from tapsA tourist’s simple request for a glass of tap water at a hotel restaurant in the Italian Dolomites has culminated in Italy’s top court ruling that being served water from the tap is not a consumer right, after a lengthy and costly legal saga.The case dates back to 2019 when the woman spent a week at the five-star hotel in the ski resort of Corvara, in Badia, over Christmas and new year. She was on a half-board deal with the evening meal included, except for drinks. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Federal court blocks new Republican-friendly voting map in Alabama pred 15 urami in 25 minutami Panel of three judges says congressional map was drawn to intentionally discriminate against Black votersAlabama cannot use a new Republican-friendly map in this year’s midterm elections because it was drawn to intentionally discriminate against Black voters, a panel of three federal judges ruled on Tuesday.The decision blocks Alabama from using a congressional map lawmakers passed in 2023 but never went into effect because the same court found it was drawn with intent to discriminate. Alabama was eventually ordered to adopt a map with two majority-Black districts that both elected Democrats. After the US supreme court gutted a major provision of the Voting Rights Act in a case called Louisiana v Callais in April, Alabama took the extraordinary step of moving its imminent congressional primary and sought to use the 2023 congressional map this year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
