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Labour minister claims that visions of Britain based on warm ale, pubs, and black Labradors are a ‘far-right’ fantasy that ‘never really existed’
Labour nature minister Jenny Riddell-Carpenter has claimed that nostalgic visions of Britain—centred on warm ale, countryside pubs, black Labradors and fox hunting—represent a far-right fantasy that “never really existed”. Speaking at the party’s conference, she expressed concern that the far-right will weaponise rural and nature issues in the next election, and stated that Labour must…
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Iran court upholds lashes sentence for singer who performed without hijab
Iran’s appeals court has upheld a sentence of 74 lashes against singer Parastoo Ahmadi for performing without the mandatory hijab in a livestreamed concert last December. The court rejected the defendants’ appeal without holding a hearing, confirming the conviction of Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team on charges including “offending public…
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Ireland’s 3-0 win over Israel marred by Gaza protest and tensions
Ireland’s 3-0 Nations League win over Israel was overshadowed by a protest over Israel’s military actions in Gaza and sharp remarks from Israel captain Manor Solomon. The Irish players looked down during Israel’s anthem, staff turned away from the pitch, and the team declined to shake hands or exchange pennants. Solomon said the teams disliked…
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Canadian child killer granted 60 days’ escorted community leave for rehabilitation
Shane Ertmoed, serving a life sentence in Canada for sexually assaulting and murdering ten-year-old Heather Thomas, has been granted 60 days of unescorted temporary leave despite being denied parole last year. The decision allows him to take part in work and rehabilitation in the community, prompting renewed concern from Thomas’s family, who oppose his release.…
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Marra says Scottish voters reject SNP but doubt Labour’s credibility
Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra said voters were dissatisfied with the SNP’s record but did not see Labour as a credible alternative. He made the assessment at a Labour Friends of Scotland event during the party conference in Liverpool, after Labour’s poor result in the May Holyrood election. Labour fell from 21 seats to 17,…
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OED credits Scottish novelist with popularising humorous term for pyjamas
The Oxford English Dictionary has added “jim-jams”, a humorous colloquial term for pyjamas, and credited Scottish novelist Isabel Cameron with popularising it. Researchers found the earliest known printed use in Cameron’s 1957 novel *Mossford Manse*, in which a character says, “I’ll get Teddy and my jim-jams.” Cameron wrote several novels about life in the Highlands…
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Elderly Bay Area couple took TURNS shooting son-in-law, 40, until he died, prosecutors say
Jonathan McKinsey, a 40-year-old engineering leader for the New York Times games division, was fatally shot in a California car park on Saturday, police say. His parents-in-law, Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77, were arrested on suspicion of murder; authorities have not disclosed a possible motive. Witnesses reportedly saw two masked attackers approach McKinsey…
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Defensive flux gives Tuchel headache but answer may lie with Alexander-Arnold | Jacob Steinberg
England have kept just four clean sheets in 13 matches this year, raising questions about the defence as Thomas Tuchel prepares for the Nations League game against Czechia. Their attacking approach showed promise in a 3-2 defeat by Spain, but they gave up a lead and allowed Spain to create several good chances; a win…
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Builder ‘too drunk to stand up’ jailed for 10 years after he drove his van into coned-off area of motorway and killed highways worker
A 38-year-old Lithuanian builder, Vilius Domarkas, has been sentenced to ten years in prison after driving his van into a coned-off work area on the M23 motorway and fatally striking highways worker Anthony Howe, aged 65. The incident highlights the catastrophic consequences of driving whilst severely intoxicated, as Domarkas was between three and four times…