Public Invited To Monitor Local Rivers To Gauge Scale Of Pollution

People in Britain and Ireland are being asked to monitor their local rivers for pollution so that a leading water charity can measure the scale of the sewage crisis.

Cricket in shock after death of young spinner Baker

Worcestershire have been left \"heartbroken\" and \"devastated\" after the death of Josh Baker, their promising left-arm spinner, at the age of 20.

El Kaabi fires hat-trick to leave Villa needing night of heroics

Aston Villa's first major European semi-final since 1982 ultimately fell flat and unless Unai Emery can inspire a memorable turnaround in the port of Piraeus next week, his side's adventure will end in disappointment.

O'Sullivan shows an integrity sadly lacking in politics

Former world champion's sportsmanship may have cost him the match but it won him something greater

Gazprom posts first annual loss in 22 years as gas sales plunge

The Kremlin-owned gas company Gazprom plunged to a net loss of 629bn roubles (£5.5bn) in 2023, its first annual loss in more than 20 years, after gas sales more than halved following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Lawyer: my actions may have helped Trump into White House

A lawyer who brokered the alleged hush-money deals at the centre of Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York yesterday recalled his \"gallows humour\" reaction to Trump's 2016 election win - and the realisation that his efforts might have helped it to happen.

Concerns grow over polluter's donations to Vaughan Gething

There is growing anger and concern within the Labour party that the new Welsh first minister, Vaughan Gething, took £200,000 from a company whose owner was convicted of environmental crimes, with insiders warning it is undermining his authority and could cost the party votes at the general election.

Task of unearthing wrongful convictions given to interns

The job of trawling through cases for potential wrongful convictions for rape and murder in a review prompted by Andrew Malkinson's exoneration has been given to interns, the Guardian can reveal.

London black-cab drivers launch £250m class action against Uber

More than 10,500 of London's blackcab drivers have launched a £250m legal case against Uber, accusing it of breaking the capital's taxi booking rules and deliberately misleading authorities to secure a licence.

Cleese: I cut racist slur from Fawlty Towers play as people 'don't get irony'

John Cleese said yesterday he decided to cut the N-word from a scene in his West End revival of Fawlty Towers because there were too many \"literal-minded people\" in contemporary Britain who \"don't understand irony\".

Protesters in London block transfer of asylum seekers to Bibby Stockholm barge

Hundreds of protesters blocked an attempt yesterday to collect asylum seekers from a London hotel and take them to the Bibby Stockholm barge.

'Just unforgivable': outrage after more shows axed at new Manchester venue

Take That announced last night that they were moving shows scheduled for the Co-op Live to a rival venue as the troubled Manchester arena said it would be taking a \"short pause\".

Japan's empty homes top 9m as population keeps falling

As the declining population continues to affect Japan's society, the number of vacant houses has topped 9m - enough to accommodate the entire population of Australia at three people per dwelling.

Dozens held across UK as ministers pave way for flightsto Rwanda

UK ministers have acknowledged for the first time that they are detaining asylum seekers to be removed to Rwanda, sparking demonstrations outside Home Office buildings.

Waking a dormant giant: Marseille are on a mission

Getting to grips with the French club is like 'sitting on a volcano' but they are thinking big and a Europa League semi-final awaits.

Surrey’s Steel flexes golden arm to thrust himself into limelight

Leg-spinner who isthe top wicket-taker despite early start to Championship has England ambitions

Netanyahu faces new pressure to let more aid into Gaza as talks on hostages continue

Israel's leaders were under renewed pressure to allow more aid into Gaza yesterday, after the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told Benjamin Netanyahu to \"accelerate and sustain improvements\" in the amount of humanitarian assistance reaching the territory.

EU calls for halt to police violence inGeorgia after force used on protesters

Western politicians and diplomats have called for a halt to rising violence in Georgia after security forces used water cannon, tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets overnight to break up a peaceful rally against a \"foreign influence\" bill.

Trans rights row with Rowling is really sad’Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe has described his rupture with JK Rowling over trans rights as \"really sad\", and said that her role in his life as the creator of Harry Potter \"doesn't mean you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life\".

School pays tribute to 'gentle, caring' boy killed in east London sword attack

The 14-year-old boy killed in the east London sword attack was praised as a \"true scholar\", gentle and a gifted footballer, as it emerged he attended the same school as one of the victims of the 2023 Nottingham stabbings.

Khan says Tories are unpatriotic for 'always trying to do London down'

Sadiq Khan says the Conservatives’ treatment of London is “unpatriotic” and accuses the government of putting obstacles in his way every day of his eight years running the capital.

Key expects ‘slugfest' as England's batting muscle ripples from top

Amidrising tide of Twenty20 run-rates, the defending champions have opted for more aggression in selection

Whitbread to cut 1,500 jobs and sell 126 restaurants

The Premier Inn owner Whitbread is to cut 1,500 jobs in the UK and shut more than 100 struggling restaurants despite announcing a significant rise in returns to shareholders.

Trump fined 9,000 for violating gag order and warned of jail time

Donald Trump was fined 9,000 yesterday for nine violations of a gag order designed to protect participants in the former US president’s criminal trial in New York as thejudge warned him faced jail ifhe continued to violate the order.

Shh! Intimate Ralph Lauren runway show whispers quiet sophistication

In recent years, the settings for Ralph Lauren's runway shows have become something akin to displays of the designer's power and influence.

Running round a Wall of Death may aid astronauts’ fitness on moon

As humans prepare to return to the moon after an absence of more than half a century, researchers have hit on a radical approach to keeping astronauts fit as they potter around the ball of rock.

Two men charged over felling of famous Sycamore Gap tree

Police have charged two men in their 30s over the felling of the famous Sycamore Gap tree last September.

‘We are here’ Galloway's Workers party reveals first general election candidates

The former England cricketer Monty Panesar and a former Ukip MEP are among hundreds of candidates who will run under the banner of George Galloway's Workers party in the general election.

Vote to admit women as Garrick members or we quit, Sting and Stephen Fry tell club

The musicians Sting and Mark Knopfler have co-signed a letter with some of London's leading theatre producers, warning that they will be obliged to resign their memberships of the men-only Garrick Club if members refuse to approve a decision to admit women in a vote next Tuesday.

King Charles meets cancer patients on his return to public duties

King Charles told patients he was well yesterday during a visit to a London cancer treatment centre, where he also spoke of the \"shock\" of receiving his cancer diagnosis.