‘UK’s oldest twins’ turn 102: Stourport-on-Severn pair mark birthday
Twin sisters Irene Crump and Phyllis Jones put their longevity down to luck and eating "good food".
Brexit: Backlash over May’s EU nationals ‘queue jumping’ vow
The prime minister faces a backlash over her comments on ending EU free movement after Brexit.
Italian police confiscate Mafia villas in Rome swoop
Italian police on Tuesday confiscated eight luxury villas illegally built in Rome by its most infamous and entrenched Mafia clan in dawn raids involving some 600 police.
Russia says Moscow and Ankara must take swift decisions on Syria’s Idlib – agencies
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told his Turkish counterpart on Tuesday that Moscow and Ankara needed to take swift decisions to support a demilitarised zone in Syria's Idlib Province.
DUP’s Wilson says his party will work to defeat May’s Brexit deal
Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party which props up British Prime Minister Theresa May's government will focus on trying to kill off her draft Brexit deal, the party's Brexit spokesman said on Tuesday.
What it’s like to be in a ‘throuple’ relationship
Cathy and Thomas are married. They're also in a relationship with Nicole. They are in a three-way relationship, often referred to as a ‘throuple’.
Indonesia: dead whale had 1,000 pieces of plastic in stomach
Sperm whale washed up in Sulawesi had flip-flops, bottles, bags and 115 drinking cups in its stomach
A dead whale that washed ashore in eastern Indonesia had a large lump of plastic waste in its stomach, including flip-flops and 115 drinking cups, a park official has said, causing concern among environmentalists and government officials in one of the world’s largest plastic polluting countries.
Related: 'Sad surprise': Amazon fish contaminated by plastic particles
Continue reading...Southampton students’ union president resigns in WW1 mural row
It follows a social media backlash over her comments about "white men" war casualties.
Elon Musk renames his BFR spacecraft Starship
The entrepreneur would not reveal why he had renamed the craft, which has still not yet been built.
Yemen: fighting returns to Hodeidah despite UN ceasefire calls
Saudi-led coalition launches airstrikes on Houthi rebels after recent lull in hostilities
Fighting between Saudi-led coalition forces and Houthi rebels in Yemen has flared up again around the Red Sea port of Hodeidah despite UN calls for a ceasefire, Yemeni officials and witnesses have said.
The escalation after a recent lull began late on Monday with coalition airstrikes against the Houthis in and around the city.
Continue reading...UK’s top court rejects government bid to stop ECJ hearing Brexit reversal case
Britain's Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a last ditch bid by the British government to stop Europe's top court from considering a case which seeks to determine whether London can unilaterally reverse Brexit.
Northern Irish kingmakers send PM May a warning over Brexit deal
The Northern Irish kingmakers who prop up British Prime Minister Theresa May's government sent her a stark warning over her draft Brexit divorce deal, pulling support in several parliamentary votes on a finance bill.
European court rules Turkey violated pro-Kurdish politician’s right to speedy trial
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday that Turkey violated the right to a speedy trial for the former head of the pro-Kurdish opposition, Selahattin Demirtas.
Saudi Arabia and UAE announce $500 million aid programme for Yemen
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which together lead a coalition of Arab states fighting against in Yemen against the Houthi movement that controls the capital, pledged a new $500 million (389.5 million pounds) food aid programme for Yemen on Tuesday.
China blames ‘excuses’ for APEC discord, as U.S. ties sour again
A major Asia-Pacific summit's failure to agree on a communique resulted from certain countries "excusing" protectionism, a top Chinese diplomat said, in a veiled criticism of Washington that further sours the tone of China-U.S. ties ahead of a G20 meet.
Kremlin accuses U.S. senators of trying to meddle in Interpol election
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that a statement by a group of U.S. senators opposing the election of a Russian candidate to head international police organisation Interpol amounted to election meddling.
Cricket – Finch wants Australia to play aggressively against India
Australia have the ideal opportunity to arrest their slide with some aggressive cricket in the three-match Twenty20 series against India, limited-overs captain Aaron Finch said in Brisbane on Tuesday.
Ryder Cup selection led to form return, says Garcia
Former U.S. Masters champion Sergio Garcia has credited Thomas Bjorn's decision to hand him a Ryder Cup captain's pick for his resurgence in form in the latter part of the year.
PM’s ‘defeatist’ Brexit deal ‘based on lack of understanding’
Brexiters launch pamphlet detailing ‘17 myths’ about leaving the customs union
Conservative Brexiters are attempting to reignite opposition to Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement by claiming it is based on “defeatist” fears and scare stories about leaving the customs union.
Continue reading...Brexit: DUP defends not backing May on finance bill, saying ‘consequences were inevitable’ – Politics live
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
A new survey has shown 60% of people in Scotland would vote to remain in the UK in a referendum, the Press Association reports. The Survation poll on behalf of a pro-union group asked a different question from that put to voters in the 2014 independence referendum. Instead of asking if the country should be independent, it asked whether they would like to remain as part of the UK. Results also show 28% of yes voters in 2014 would back remain, while 15% of former no voters would choose to leave.
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said:
This bombshell poll shows that a huge majority of Scots want to remain in the UK and are turned off by Nicola Sturgeon’s desperate attempts to use Brexit to break up Britain.
Voters know that we are better off as part of the UK and it makes sense to remain with our oldest friends, neighbours and allies - rather than divide us in the name of nationalism.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, is travelling to London this morning for a series of meeting at Westminster where she will attempt to act as deal-maker for a cross-party alternative plan to Theresa May’s Brexit.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, the Scottish government’s Brexit secretary Michael Russell set out Sturgeon’s plans. He said:
What the first minister will do today is meet opposition leaders and Theresa May, and point out that there is a process to vote down this deal. She is not attempting to renegotiate May’s deal - that deal is dead - but this is a discussion about the alternatives.
This is a time for grown-up, responsible governance in the public interest – something which has been sadly lacking to date as the Tory party has continued to put its own interests ahead of the interests of jobs, communities and businesses.
It mustn’t be an option between frying pan or fire – but it is now incumbent on all of us who oppose that false choice to propose a workable alternative.
Continue reading...Carlos Ghosn no longer capable of leading Renault, says French minister
Car executive, who is also chairman of Nissan, arrested in Japan over alleged misconduct
France’s finance minister has declared Carlos Ghosn is no longer capable of leading Renault, after the executive, one of the leading figures in the global car industry, was arrested on Monday by Japanese prosecutors.
“Carlos Ghosn is no longer in a position where he is capable of leading Renault,” the finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, told France Info radio. “Renault has been weakened, which makes it all the more necessary to act quickly.”
Continue reading...PM May appeals to Northern Ireland voters to back Brexit deal
Prime Minister Theresa May made a direct appeal to Northern Irish voters on Tuesday to back her Brexit deal, writing in the Belfast Telegraph that the deal would put the region in a "fantastic position."
Second baby dies in Queensland, a day after nine-month-old found on beach
Baby girl dies in Queensland Children’s hospital, as locals say they had contacted authorities about homeless family of first girl
A day after a baby girl was found dead on a Queensland beach, a four-month-old girl has died in suspicious circumstances.
Police said a woman, 35, and a man, 37, were assisting with inquiries into the death on Tuesday of a four-month-old infant from the Logan district.
Continue reading...We don’t need to leave the EU to control immigration, Mrs May | Charles Clarke and Alan Johnson
Those arguing for a people’s vote must address the legitimate concerns revealed by the Brexit result. Here’s how
The dramatic events of last week have significantly increased the possibility of a “people’s vote” on Brexit. The case for such a vote has become compelling because the parliamentary arithmetic points to gridlock on the agreement reached with the European commission.
Theresa May’s personal demeanour, and the efforts of extreme Brexiters to scapegoat her for the probable failure of their project, have undoubtedly aroused much sympathy for her among voters. Some of that sympathy is justified. Certainly, no other Conservative leader would have been better able to resolve the contradictions of Brexit. Despite holding positions of real government power, Brexit’s main leaders have been utterly unable to offer any realistic alternative approach.
Continue reading...Expected rains could hinder search for California wildfire victims
Heavy rains are expected in northern California on Tuesday, raising the risk of mudslides and hindering the search for more victims of the deadliest wildfire in the state's history as nearly 1,000 people remain listed as missing.
Brexit – DUP says to work with UK PM May to try to change deal
Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party will continue to work with British Prime Minister Theresa May's government to try to get her to change her EU withdrawal deal, the party's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said on Tuesday.
Philippine senators ask Duterte to disclose China energy plan
Philippine opposition senators have demanded President Rodrigo Duterte reveal details of joint energy exploration plans with China, warning such a deal risked affirming Chinese territorial claims that are not recognised under international law.
Police ‘could let violent suspects go if public do not help’
A police federation chief speaks out after footage of officers being dragged and kicked goes viral.
Spain to vote against Brexit accord if text on Gibraltar not changed – PM
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday that Spain will vote against the European Union's draft Brexit agreement if the included text on Gibraltar was not changed.
Security forces storm PNG parliament over unpaid APEC wages
A group of up to 100 Papua New Guinea (PNG) security personnel forced their way into parliament on Tuesday to demand unpaid wages, just days after world leaders attended a regional summit in the impoverished island nation.
Council removes Saddam Hussein bench tribute
A plaque seemingly dedicated to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been removed from a bench on a busy east London shopping street.
First full-body 3D scanner images revealed
Images from the world's first full-body 3D medical scanner, EXPLORER, have been released.
Bitcoin price plunges below $4,500 mark in new 2018 low
Cryptocurrency’s value has slumped by more than a quarter in less than a week
The price of bitcoin continued to plunge on Tuesday as it fell another 7% to $4,387, taking its losses to almost 30% in the past week.
A 14% tumble in the price of the world’s biggest and best-known cryptocurrency on Monday had taken bitcoin below $5,000 for the first time in 13 months. It is now at its lowest level since October last year.
Continue reading...Train derails in north Spain, killing one, 44 hurt
A commuter train derailed outside the Spanish city of Barcelona on Tuesday, killing one person and leaving 44 injured, the emergency services said on twitter.
UK minister Gauke says Brexit deal can get through parliament
British Prime Minister Theresa May can get her draft European Union divorce deal through parliament because opponents will see it is the only way forward and employers will put pressure on lawmakers, the UK's justice minister said on Tuesday.
‘This is the moment’: activists warm to the task of ousting Tony Abbott
More than 350 people attend meeting organised by GetUp in Warringah, as a rival rightwing group announces its arrival
More than 350 people turned up to a GetUp information night in Tony Abbott’s Sydney seat of Warringah on Tuesday night – a sign that the former prime minister is facing a highly organised and well-supported campaign against his re-election from within his own community.
The crowd at Manly Senior Citizens club, who came to hear what they could do to unseat their MP, filled two rooms and then spilled outside.
Continue reading...Golf – Not quite a moon shot as PGA Tour unveils Japan event
The PGA Tour announced a six-year deal on Tuesday for an official tournament in Japan from next year, to be sponsored by a company whose CEO has signed up to orbit the moon.
Pakistan summons U.S. envoy to protest Trump’s criticism
Pakistan on Tuesday summoned the U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Islamabad to protest against remarks made by President Donald Trump who has criticised Pakistan's role in fighting terrorism fight and the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Nissan shares slide after Carlos Ghosn’s arrest shocks Japan – business live
All the day’s economic and financial news, including the latest on the Carlos Ghosn investigation and a Bank of England hearing at the UK parliament
- Latest: French government says Ghosn ‘not fit’ to lead Renault
- Nissan shares slide 5.5% in heavy trading
- Nissan: Ghosn committed serious financial misconduct
- Ghosn has run Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi alliance for years
- Chairman alleged to have misreported his salary, misused funds
More developments: Mitsubishi will hold a board meeting next week to decide whether to dismiss Ghosn as chairman.
[reminder: Mitsubishi is partly owned by Nissan, making it the smallest member of Ghosn’s auto alliance].
Newsflash: Renault says it will hold a board meeting later today to discuss the situation.
Renault board to meet Tuesday to discuss Ghosn: company | via @AFP
Continue reading...Twitter CEO criticised for upsetting Hindu nationals during India visit
Jack Dorsey accused of hate speech after posing with sign opposing country’s caste system
Twitter’s chief executive, Jack Dorsey, has upset Hindu nationalists in India by posing for a picture with a placard reading: “Smash Brahminical patriarchy”.
Related: WhatsApp struggling to control fake news in India, researchers say
Continue reading...