Thursday evening news briefing: Starmer will not allow far-Right to co-ordinate ‘summer of riots’
Good evening. The prime minister has said he will not allow the far-Right to co-ordinate a “summer of riots” after violence spread across the country over the Southport stabbings.
Elsewhere, jailed journalist Evan Gershkovich was released by Russia today as part of the biggest prisoner swap between the US and Russia since the Cold War.
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Starmer will not allow far-Right to co-ordinate ‘summer of riots’
During a press conference to address the escalating disorder, Sir Keir said that the violence was a “coordinated” action by the far-Right, and said that the government would “ensure this is met with the most robust response in the coming days and weeks”.
The 17-year-old Southport suspect was named earlier as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana after reporting restrictions were lifted. Meanwhile, a former head of MI6 has said that Russia’s fake news about the Southport stabbings is part of Vladimir Putin’s “grey warfare” against the West.
Evan Gershkovich released in major Russia-US prisoner swap
Mr Gershkovich, a WSJ reporter, was freed alongside former US Marine Paul Whelan, according to officials in Turkey. The pair were imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges that both they and the US deny. The exchange between Russia and the US included 26 prisoners and took place at Ankara airport.
Female boxer feared for life during brutal fight against opponent who failed gender test
Italy’s Angela Carini was forced after only 46 seconds to abandon a fight out of fear for her life against an Algerian boxer who had failed two gender tests, claiming she had been hit so hard by Imane Khelif that she “couldn’t breathe any more”.
Gender row | TV viewers left in dark by Eurosport and BBC
Suzanne Moore | Of course biology matters in sport – this video proves it
Paris 2024 | Fighter hits out at ‘incredibly dangerous’ boxers who failed gender tests outside Olympics
Evening Briefing: Today’s essential headlines
Economy | The Bank of England has cut interest rates in a post-election boost for Labour. Policymakers voted by a majority of 5-4 to lower rates for the first time since 2020 – follow live updates.
Pictured | Child sex offender who sent Huw Edwards indecent images on WhatsApp
Middle East | Hamas chief killed by bomb smuggled into his Tehran room ‘months ago’
Olympics briefing: Today’s essential headlines
By Josh Burrows
Digital Sports Editor
Helen Glover, the team GB flagbearer, ended her distinguished Olympics career with a silver medal this morning in the women’s four. The 38-year-old admitted to mixed feelings about ending on the wrong side of a photo finish with the Dutch because “we had the potential to win”.
Team GB’s other medals today have been bronzes, in the men’s four and the women’s double sculls, after which Mathilda Hodgkins Byrne paid tribute to Glover for being an inspiration to sporting mothers.
The best chance of another GB medal this afternoon was Joe Clarke who qualified fastest for the K1 canoe slalom final. Find out how he got on in our live coverage.
Aside from the boxing, the day’s big controversy comes in the swimming pool where an Australian coach said that the 100m freestyle world record set yesterday by a Chinese athlete was “not humanly possible”.
Elsewhere, Katie Boulter and Heather Watson have been knocked out of the tennis women’s doubles and there are fears about the severity of a shoulder injury to Sky Brown, the 16-year-old skateboarding medal prospect.
Comment and analysis
Tom Harris | Democrats have learnt nothing from their 2016 Trump bashing
John Oxley | Labour should know better than to start a fight with Nigel Farage
George Chesterton | ‘Weird’ JD Vance is becoming a big problem for Trump
Wes Streeting | I want to reset relationship between NHS GPs and their Government
David Axe | Russia and China probe American air defences – but this time the US is pushing back
Pictured: Just Stop Oil Heathrow Airport protest fails – again
The demonstration follows several other attempts to block holidaymakers this week.
Editor’s choice
Reader debate | ‘Donald Trump will damage the UK’
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Life | ‘I was an ex-soldier facing life on disability – now I run a diving school in paradise’
Pre-sex NDAs and background checks: What it’s like to date the rich and famous
Relationships are often marked by milestones – first kiss, first date – but there are a few more hoops to jump through in the celeb world.
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