Gun laws: More than 700 people shot dead in the US since the Texas school shooting - Sky News

There have been gun killings in 43 of the 50 US states in the two weeks since the Texas school shooting.

More than 650 incidents have resulted in 730 deaths since 24 May, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.

Twenty-three of those who died were children, more than the total number who died in Uvalde, and 66 were teenagers.

The figures provide the deeply troubling context for politicians on Capitol Hill as they struggle to find common ground over how, or even if, to reform America's gun laws.

Politicians will hear testimony from the parents and survivors of the school shooting in Uvalde two weeks ago.

The witnesses will include 11-year-old Miah Cerrillo who smeared her dead friend's blood on herself. She played dead to survive.

The hearing by the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee is titled 'The Urgent Need to Address the Gun Violence Epidemic' and comes as Republican and Democratic politicians remain divided over the extent to which gun laws should be changed.

This chart of daily gun deaths shows that the day of Uvalde wasn't even exceptional in the US - there have only been five days since the shooting on which fewer deaths occurred from guns than on 24 May.

Most incidents involve one person dying, often after the escalation of a street fight or in domestic violence situations, or at the hands of police.

For example, on the same day as the shooting at Robb Elementary School, a 15-year-old boy was killed by a 19-year-old after a fight outside a home in Akron, Ohio.

Read more: Uvalde-born actor Matthew McConaughey calls for more gun control in White House speech
'Why only in America?' - Mark Stone challenges Ted Cruz

In Mobile, Alabama, a 24-year-old man shot dead his 61-year-old father. In Jersey City, New Jersey, a 59-year-old was killed by police after pulling a gun on his partner, and in Atlanta, Georgia, a 32-year-old killed a 31-year-old over a gambling dispute.

These are a selection of 33 incidents on 24 May alone.

Analysis: This time something feels different

Last weekend alone there were 12 mass shootings across the US.

Every time there is a particularly large one, especially if it involves children, the calls for change come. And every time, so far, little change actually emerges.

This time though, something feels different. As actor Matthew McConaughey said in the White House on Tuesday: “We are in a window of opportunity right now that we have not been in before. A window where it seems like real change, real change can happen.”

McConaughey’s plea for reform from the White House press room was powerful. At one point he punched the podium with emotion. The actor grew up in Uvalde, Texas. Are his words just wishful thinking?

At the heart of the debate is how to balance the nation’s Second Amendment rights to bear arms with the need to control how easy it is for people to get hold of them.

Is it necessary for AR-15 military style assault rifles to be on sale to anyone? Yes, say responsible gun enthusiasts; just limit who can get them.

Should the age of sale be increased? In many states you need to be 21 to buy a pistol but you can get an AR-15 at 18.

What about "red flag" laws? These would allow police, family members and co-workers to petition a court to temporarily remove a gun from a person they believe may be a threat.

Beyond the constitutional right many Americans fall back on in the debate over guns, another critical issue is influencing the debate. There is significant mistrust of law enforcement. Rather than relying on the police to defend them, many believe self-defence with their own weapons is vital. It's an issue exacerbated by the poor police response to the Uvalde shooting.

This is a country divided on so many issues, and yet, on guns, opinion polls suggest there is some degree of public agreement on the need for change and reform.

But the politicians remain deeply entrenched and on Capitol Hill the arithmetic to precipitate radical reform is just not there.

Mass shootings since Uvalde

But since Uvalde there have also been 34 mass shooting incidents in the US, where four or more people are killed or injured in one incident.

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Those 34 mass attacks have happened in 17 different states, resulting in 161 injuries and 35 deaths. There have been three new incidents in Texas alone since the Uvalde shooting.

In the first six months of 2022 there have been almost 250 mass shootings, a similar rate to the year before.

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The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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2022-06-08 02:10:10Z
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Ukraine war: Teenager returns to ruined school in prom dress she never got to wear - Sky News

Among the ruins of her school destroyed in Ukraine's war, a teenager has been pictured in the ballgown which she would have worn for her prom ceremony.

Anna Episheva, from Toronto, Canada, posted the photo of her 16-year-old niece, who she says studied at School 134 in Kharkiv before the country was invaded by Russia.

The student, called Valerie, is said to have been looking forward to the day they would graduate from school, and had been preparing with her friends for the event.

Ms Episheva's Facebook account quotes Valerie as saying: "... I'm 16 years old... Studied at school 134 in Kharkiv... had a lot of friends from school, we were like one big family...

"With the girls we were choosing dresses and were excited that everyone would be very beautiful on the prom day. But to us came 'Rysskiy World' and ruined all our plans that we so dreamed of! "

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In a caption under the photo posted on Monday, Ms Episheva says: "My niece was supposed to graduate this year from her high school. She and her friends planned the graduation event, bought dresses, and were looking forward to the big day...

"Then the Russians came. Her school was directly hit and destroyed on Feb 27th, 2022.

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"Today she came back to what is left of her school and her plans for the graduation. Thank you, my dear Valerie, for being strong and brave, so proud of you and love you so much. Glory to Ukraine!"

While asking people to highlight the damage done to Kharkiv and the school, she says the photo was taken and supplied by Valerie's mother, who she doesn't name.

Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, was attacked in the early days of the war as it was close to the Russian border.

Image: A picture taken on 2 June, of another Kharkiv school, this time a primary, said to have been destroyed by Russian attacks. Pic: AP

It came under intense fire during the early months but was never taken by Russian forces and, according to the UK Ministry of Defence, a Ukraine counter attack pushed back so that Russian units had largely withdrawn by mid-May.

However, while it is calmer than it was between February and April, air and missile strikes have continued so that, on Tuesday, one person was killed and three more wounded, local mayor Ihor Terekhov said on television.

Mr Terekhov said Russia "does not leave Kharkiv alone and constantly keeps people in fear".

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2022-06-07 17:02:37Z
CBMidWh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L3VrcmFpbmUtd2FyLXRlZW5hZ2VyLXJldHVybnMtdG8tcnVpbmVkLXNjaG9vbC1pbi1wcm9tLWRyZXNzLXNoZS1uZXZlci1nb3QtdG8td2Vhci0xMjYyOTQ5NtIBeWh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2FtcC91a3JhaW5lLXdhci10ZWVuYWdlci1yZXR1cm5zLXRvLXJ1aW5lZC1zY2hvb2wtaW4tcHJvbS1kcmVzcy1zaGUtbmV2ZXItZ290LXRvLXdlYXItMTI2Mjk0OTY

Ukraine war: Russia renews focus on northern axis as it begins handing over remains of Mariupol fighters - Sky News

Reports of heavy shelling near Izyum in the east of Ukraine suggests Russia is preparing to make a renewed effort on the northern axis, Britain's defence ministry has said.

In a tweet it said that Russia's progress made through May on the southern Popasna axis has stalled over the last week and that the country is seeking to make gains elsewhere.

"Russia will almost certainly need to achieve a breakthrough on at least one of these axes to translate tactical gains to operational level success and progress towards its political objective of controlling all of Donetsk Oblast," the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Russia has begun handing over the remains of Ukrainian fighters killed in the Azovstal steelworks, the scene of the last stand in the battle for Mariupol.

Dozens of bodies from the complex and its maze of tunnels are being taken to Kyiv for DNA testing, according to an Azov Regiment spokeswoman and one of its military leaders.

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The regiment was among the Ukrainian forces holed up alongside civilians in the steelworks as it was bombarded by Russian attacks for about three months.

Ukrainian forces in Azovstal surrendered in May amid dire conditions, handing Russia control of the southern city that had endured the worst onslaught of the war.

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It is unclear how many bodies may still be inside the plant.

The fate of many of the fighters who were allowed to leave is also uncertain and President Zelenskyy has said 2,500 of them are being held prisoner.

The first official confirmed swap of military remains since the war began took place on Saturday in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to Ukrainian officials.

Each side got back 160 bodies.

Anna Holovko, a spokeswoman for the Azov Regiment, said all the Ukrainians were from Azovstal and that at least 52 are thought to be from the regiment.

A former Azov leader now in Kyiv, Maksym Zhorin, confirmed that bodies from the steel plant were among those exchanged.

Image: The state of the war on 6 June

Sievierodonetsk heroes 'do not give up'

Russia is now focussed on the Donbas - a region in Ukraine's east that it is determined to capture after failing to seize other areas, such as the capital Kyiv.

Sievierodonetsk, a city of about 100,000, is key to that plan and intense battles are rumbling on.

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy was near the front line earlier this week. In his nightly address on Monday, he said: "Our heroes do not give up positions in Sievierodonetsk.

"In the city, fierce street fighting continues."

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2:39

Zelenskyy visits the front line

The country's defence ministry said Russia was adding troops and equipment as it tries to capture the city - the largest remaining Ukrainian-held city in Luhansk - one of the two regions that make up the Donbas.

The battle appears finely poised with "the situation changing from hour to hour", according to Oleksandr Stryuk, head of the Sievierodonetsk administration.

Mr Zelenskyy also warned that Russian wanted to take the city of Zaporizhzhia, in the southeast, home to more than 700,000 people, a move that could see the enemy moving closer to the centre of Ukraine.

"In the Zaporizhzhia region... there is the most threatening situation there," the president said.

Both the UK and US are sending precise long-range missile systems to Ukraine so it can take on the Russian artillery that's causing so much damage in the Donbas.

President Putin warned on Sunday that new targets would be attacked if the West supplied such weapons. The same day, missiles hit Kyiv for the first time in over a month.

Image: The M270 rocket system being donated by Britain can hit targets up to 50 miles away

Russian envoy storms out of meeting over food crisis accusation

Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stormed out of a Security Council meeting on Monday as European Council President Charles Michel accused Moscow of fuelling a global food crisis with its invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Michel had also accused Russian troops of war crimes and crimes against humanity, specifically citing reports of sexual violence - the focus of the Security Council meeting - and describing it as "a tactic of torture, terror and repression".

During his own statement earlier in the meeting, Mr Nebenzia had "categorically refuted" any accusations of sexual violence by Russian soldiers, condemning what he said was a "lie".

As he left the Security Council chamber during Michel's statement, a visibly irritated Mr Nebenzia told Reuters: "I
couldn't stay" because of "the lies that Charles Michel came here to distribute".

Britons could face death penalty

On Monday, two people were killed in shelling in Donetsk and Luhansk as Russian forces fired at more than 20 communities, said Ukraine's military. Russia denies targeting civilians.

The defence ministry also said Russia was advancing towards Sloviansk, a city about 53 miles (85km) west of Sievierodonetsk.

"The front line is under constant shelling," Donetsk regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said on television.

"The enemy is also shelling near Lyman with the aim of wrecking our defensive positions and advancing on Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. There is also shelling of Svyatohirsk with the same aim."

Attempts are ongoing to evacuate people from the area, including from Sloviansk which has about 24,000 people still there.

"People are now understanding, though it is late, that it is time to leave," said Mr Kyrylenko.

In other developments, three British men said to have been fighting as mercenaries for Ukraine are being put on trial in the separatist Donetsk People's Republic, said the president of the self-declared breakaway region.

They could be executed if convicted of charges that include trying to seize power.

Many foreigners with military experience have travelled to Ukraine from around the world to fight in the war.

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2022-06-07 06:56:15Z
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London Playbook: Brady crunch — Resignation watch — Tube strike - POLITICO Europe

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Presented by Amazon.

By ELENI COUREA

PRESENTED BY

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TUBE STRIKE: A Tube strike will cause “severe disruption” and the closure of several stations today, according to TfL, which is advising against travel in the capital.

Good Monday morning. This is Eleni Courea, in the Playbook hot seat for the first part of this week.

In case you missed his farewell, Friday was Alex Wickham’s last day as Playbook editor after a two-year run which saw him break a string of agenda-setting scoops as well as delivering essential analysis in your inboxes at 7 a.m. each morning. While we recruit our next editor, I’ll be writing the email a few days a week, as will the rest of our stellar team of Playbookers Esther Webber, Emilio Casalicchio and Annabelle Dickson and ace reporter Andrew McDonald. As ever you can email me with any tips (or ask for ProtonMail/Signal).

With a pair of critical by-elections looming, the prospect of both a Tory and a Labour leadership contest this summer and speculation about an early general election, it should be a pretty quiet few months. Let’s crack on.

**A message from Amazon: This week we are in Westminster to talk about sustainability in retail, logistics and technology. Amazon is co-founder of The Climate Pledge, a group of more than 300 organisations that are committed to being net-zero carbon by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement. Find out more here.**

DRIVING THE DAY

BRADY CRUNCH: Tory MPs flocking back to Westminster are preparing for the prospect of a crunch vote to decide Boris Johnson’s fate this week — with even the PM’s allies suggesting it is now a matter of when, not if.

Postcard from Altrincham: Among those making their way back to parliament after spending a long weekend talking to constituents at Jubilee garden parties and village fetes is Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 committee who at this moment in time is the only person in the world who knows whether the requisite 54 letters of no confidence have been submitted.

Breaking this morning: Less than an hour ago, ITV’s Paul Brand tweeted: “Tory rebels expect Sir Graham Brady to make a statement this morning announcing that there will be a vote of no confidence in Boris Johnson. Only Brady knows the exact details, but this is as certain as anyone has sounded that a vote is on.”

Rebel camp: Last night Playbook spoke to Tory rebel ringleaders — insomuch as there are any — who tentatively indicated they believed they’d met the threshold. “The chances that we have done it are better than 50/50,” one letter-writer said. “I think it was hit last week — but Graham was never going to say anything before the Jubilee,” according to another.

State of play: The consensus that’s taken hold is that Brady will have held off any announcement during the Jubilee weekend and so, if the letters are in, today is the first day we would know about it. Brady maintained his trademark sphinx-like silence when approached by Playbook last night.

When not if: Several reporters including the FT’s Seb Payne, the Guardian’s Jess Elgot and Bloomberg’s Kitty Donaldson detected a shift in the mood among allies of the PM who concede that regardless of whether it happens today, a confidence vote is now a matter of time. Business Minister Paul Scully admitted on Channel 4’s Andrew Neil show last night that the party “may well have a vote of confidence” over Johnson’s leadership but insisted: “If it does happen, the prime minister, I know, will face it down.”

How will things play out?: Theresa May’s experience in 2018 is instructive. Brady told BBC Breakfast back then that he phoned May on Tuesday night when the threshold was reached to “consult her on how the process should be ordered and what the timetable for that might be,” within the parameters of party rules. May was keen on a swift resolution, so the announcement was made straight away on Wednesday morning, she addressed the 1922 committee at 5 p.m. to make her case and a ballot was held between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., with the result made public straight after.

That means: We could see a very similar sequence of events this week — suggesting that No. 10 will have some discretion over the precise day the vote is held. In his weekend read, the Sunday Times’ Tim Shipman said that Wednesday has already been penciled in by the 1922 exec.

No. 10 response: Expect to see “love bombing” of Tory waverers by No. 10, with some speculation among 2019ers that members of their intake could be offered ministerial jobs as part of the effort to keep them sweet. On the other hand, the Telegraph’s Ben Riley-Smith reports that the PM’s allies are warning there could be an early general election in their attempts to dissuade MPs from submitting letters of no confidence.

A trip back in time: Over a bowl of late-night pasta and with help from our reporter Andrew McDonald, your Playbook author has pulled together a quick run-through of what happened to previous Tory leaders who faced a confidence vote among their parliamentary party:

— Theresa May: Won her confidence vote with a majority of 83 in December 2018 and survived for a few more months before resigning following a catastrophic European Parliament election in May 2019.

— Iain Duncan Smith: Forced to resign after barely two years as Tory leader when he lost a confidence vote by 90 to 75 in October 2003.

— John Major: Triggered a leadership contest to square off against Tory Euroskeptics in June 1995; defeated his challenger John Redwood to be reelected … and went on to resoundingly lose the 1997 general election to Tony Blair.

— Margaret Thatcher: Became the only PM to be removed from office by a party leadership ballot in November 1990. Having faced down a challenge from Europhile backbencher Anthony Meyer the previous year, Thatcher was challenged again by Michael Heseltine. She won by 204 to 152 — not enough to avoid a second round under the rules at the time — and was persuaded to stand down by a Cabinet revolt.

— Ted Heath: Agreed with the 1922 committee to hold a leadership contest in February 1975 after narrowly losing the general election to Labour, and unexpectedly lost that vote to Margaret Thatcher.  

Shady Brady: The Guardian’s Jess Elgot has an enjoyable profile of the man who may become the first 1922 committee chairman to oversee two votes of no confidence.

Waiting in the wings: There is speculation that Penny Mordaunt could resign as a minister as soon as today as part of an attempt oust Johnson and stand herself, according to the Times’ Matt Dathan. Meanwhile, the Mail’s Dan Martin has on-the-record quotes from Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi, himself touted by some as a potential leadership candidate, warning that “people do not vote for divided teams” and urging his colleagues to “get behind” the PM.

Moment of truth: There are between 160 and 170 MPs on the government payroll, according to the IfG tally, a number helpfully close to the 180 MPs who need to back the PM if he is to win the confidence vote (which he is expected to do comfortably). Things will start to look very different if the very fact of a vote tips some ministers over the edge, however. “The swing votes if there is a no-confidence vote will be ministers,” one Tory rebel predicted to Playbook last night. “A lot of them will not have said anything, they’ll be scrupulously loyal in public because they take collective responsibility seriously, but depending on their seat, depending on how they rate their chances under somebody else rather than Boris, a number of them could vote against him.”

Obligatory health warning: Everyone could be wrong, the number of letters could be well under 54 and we’ll all be left scratching our heads as Brady gets on with his day job and the PM prepares to deliver a speech on housebuilding. Should that happen, then June 23 — the date of the Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton by-elections, both of which the Tories are now expected to lose — is widely seen as the next flash point for the PM. The FT’s George Parker and Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe have a fun weekend read from Tiverton.

Meeting tonight: The One Nation group of Tory MPs — a 40-strong caucus that now has the power to make or break the PM — will hold its regular weekly catch-up at 6 p.m. tonight. No prizes for guessing what they might talk about.

Dossier of doom: A document branding Johnson the “Conservative Corbyn” that did the rounds among Tory rebels over the weekend gets a good billing in most of the papers after being leaked to reporters including PolHome’s Adam Payne and the Sun’s Jonny Riley. Branded the “dossier of doom” by the Daily Mail, its provenance is unclear and the fact that it was drawn up in the exact style of a Conservative Research Department briefing has raised eyebrows. One MP speculated it could have been “set by CCHQ as a leak” (though if that were true surely they would have bothered to throw us off the scent by changing the font).

TODAY IN WESTMINSTER

HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with Work and Pensions questions, followed by any UQs or statements … MPs will then move through the second reading of the National Security Bill, which is aimed at modernizing British espionage laws … and Labour MP Dan Carden has an adjournment debate on the hospitality industry in Liverpool.

IN OTHER NEWS: It’s “health week” for No. 10 as the government attempts to shift the dial, kicking off with an announcement from NHS England that its “one stop shops” have delivered 1 million checks since the rollout began. “This week we will be setting out the progress made tackling the COVID backlog through the additional investment being put into the NHS and crucially, new ways of working,” a senior government source told Playbook.

Cost of living latest: New polling by More in Common published today suggests public concern over the cost of living has grown despite the government’s latest package of measures — 67 percent cited it as a top issue facing the country, up 3 percentage points since April. In better news for Rishi Sunak — who facing a grilling on this at a Treasury select committee hearing this afternoon — the proportion of people who think the “right amount” is being done to deal with the problem has risen from 18 percent to 29 percent, but 59 percent still think the government’s measures are insufficient. Luke Tryl, U.K. Director for More in Common: “Whatever the drama in Westminster over the next few days, it won’t change the simple fact that for the public, their first, second and third concern is the rising cost of living.”

Baltic solidarity: Liz Truss is speaking at Policy Exchange this afternoon alongside Estonian PM Kaja Kallas. “We will keep going until Russia is defeated in Ukraine and for Ukraine to be restored as a sovereign nation,” she is expected to say. “That means more weapons and more sanctions. It is imperative that we completely cut off Russian gas.” (Kallas is facing some brewing challenges of her own back home, meanwhile, after her center-right alliance broke down on Friday over welfare and education reforms.)

Whistleblower protection: With the National Security Bill getting its second reading in the Commons today, former justice sec Robert Buckland is expected to put forward an amendment that would introduce a statutory public interest defense to protect public servants who reveal state secrets in the public good. Buckland makes his case in today’s Thunderer column in the Times.

Getting the house in order: Boris Johnson is expected to give a speech in the second half of the week announcing plans to extend the right to buy to millions of people who rent from housing associations. More details in Saturday’s Times and in the Telegraph last month.

Call Keir: Over in Labour land, Keir Starmer is doing one of his regular LBC call-ins with Nick Ferrari at 9 a.m. today.

BRITISH COUNCIL SCOOP: POLITICO’s Seb Whale has a remarkable story about discrimination and harassment claims inside the British Council in Kenya. A British Council official dismissed allegations made by staff as “pure evil” during a call with company staff, a recording of which was passed to Seb. Read more here.

Committee corridor: Chancellor Rishi Sunak is up at the Treasury committee for a set-piece showdown on his support for the cost of living crisis (1.45 p.m.) … and the leveling up committee will look at local authority efforts to collect council tax arrears with councillors and industry experts (4 p.m.).

Lords: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with questions on electric vehicles, the Church of England’s report on child poverty strategy and the government’s expected international development strategy … Followed by the second reading of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill.

NURSING CRISIS: Nursing leader Pat Cullen will warn today that staffing shortages are putting hospital patients at risk, as the Royal College of Nursing’s annual conference begins in Glasgow. The nursing body has a report out to mark the conference which shows that more in eight in 10 nurses (83 percent) said the staffing levels on their last shift were not sufficient to meet the needs of patients.

NI NEWS: Former Brexit negotiator David Frost has blamed the relative “weakness” of the U.K.’s position in Brexit negotiations with the EU for shaping the Northern Ireland protocol and the issues it has caused, in the foreword to a new Policy Exchange report. The Guardian’s Jessica Elgot has more. No 10 could publish its new protocol legislation — which is expected to allow the government to override parts of the protocol — as soon as later this week.

UKRAINE UPDATE

WAR RETURNS TO KYIV: Russian missiles hit Kyiv Sunday, ending weeks of calm in the Ukrainian capital. Cruise missiles hit targets on the capital’s outskirts — Moscow claims it was aiming for a site storing armored vehicles, Kyiv claims it hit a train repair plant. The fresh attack came alongside a warning from Vladimir Putin that Russia would expand its range of targets if Ukraine received more long-range weapons from the U.S. and other Western countries, after the former agreed to send Ukraine more long-range artillery last week. Here’s the Times write-up.

Digest: ICYMI over the jubilee weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron again said the West should not “humiliate” Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine so as to preserve the chance to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis … A Russian state media journalist claimed that a Russian general was killed during fighting in eastern Ukraine. The fiercest fighting continues to take place in the key city of Severodonetsk … Spain is to send tanks and anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, according to El País … and Ukraine’s world-cup dreams were dashed by Wales last night — here’s Mari Eccles match report for POLITICO.

NFI: Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Serbia today has been canceled, the Russian state-run Interfax press agency reported Sunday. The move came after Serbian newspaper Danas reported Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Montenegro had closed their airspace to Lavrov’s plane.

**A message from Amazon: Amazon has launched the Right Now Climate Fund, committing €20 million to restore and protect forests, wetlands, and peatlands in Europe. Find out more here.**

MEDIA ROUND

Health Secretary Sajid Javid broadcast round: Sky News (7.05 a.m.) … Times radio (7.20 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … talkTV (9 a.m.).

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting: BBC Breakfast (6.30 a.m.) … talkTV (7.45 a.m.) … Sky News (8.05 a.m.) … Times radio (8.35 a.m.).

Also on BBC Breakfast: Crossbench peer Tanni Grey-Thompson (7.10 a.m.).

Also on Kay Burley (Sky News): Former No. 10 pollster James Johnson (8.30 a.m.).

Also on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast (LBC): TFL COO Andy Lord (7.40 a.m.) … Phone-in with Labour leader Keir Starmer (9 a.m.).

Also on Times Radio breakfast: Oncologist Pat Price (7.50 a.m.) … Tory MP Michael Fabricant (8.07 a.m.) … Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former senior civil servant (8.15 a.m.).

Also on talkTV breakfast show: Tory peer Robert Hayward (8 a.m.) … Tory MP James Sunderland (8.45 a.m.) … Reclaim deputy leader Martin Daubney (9.15 a.m.).

Politics Live (BBC Two 12.15 p.m.): Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith … Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy … The Telegraph’s Camilla Tominey … Guardian columnist Rafael Behr.

The Briefing with Gloria De Piero (GB News noon): Tory MP Nigel Mills … Labour MP Carolyn Harris … Former Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

Cross Question with Iain Dale (LBC 8 p.m.): Green peer Natalie Bennett … Tory London Assembly Member Emma Best … New Statesman’s Rachel Cunliffe … Historian David Starkey.

Reviewing the paper’s tonight: Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): The Mirror’s Pippa Crerar and the Times’ Matt Dathan.

TODAY’S FRONT PAGES

(Click on the publication’s name to see its front page.)

Bloomberg: Johnson Braced for Tory Rebels to Force Confidence Vote in Days.

Daily Express: My heart has been with you all.

Daily Mail: My heart has been with you all.

Daily Mirror: My heart is with you all.

Daily Star: Long to rain over us.

Financial Times: IPO values plummet 90 percent in Europe and U.S. as inflation and war take toll.

i: Vote on Johnson future turning toxic for Tories.

Metro: Majical.

POLITICO UK: British Council criticized for handling of discrimination complaints.

PoliticsHome: Tory rebels warn party faces ‘substantial’ election defeat under Boris Johnson in leaked document.

The Daily Telegraph: ‘While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all’ — The queen’s platinum jubilee.

The Guardian: Johnson allies accept vote of no confidence in PM is close.

The Independent: Climate cost of Sunak’s tax breaks for fossil fuels.

The Sun: Thank you, ma’am.

The Times: Queen’s balcony message — this is the future of our monarchy.

LONDON CALLING

NOW HIRING: Times Radio’s Matt Chorley is recruiting an executive producer. Guido Fawkes is hiring paid summer interns for three weeks at a time.

WESTMINSTER WEATHER: ☁️☁️☁️ Dry and breezy. Highs of 18C.

BIRTHDAYS: Government Whip Amanda Solloway … Wycombe MP Steve Baker … Bracknell MP James Sunderland … Labour peer and former Home Secretary David Blunkett … Lib Dem peer Jamie Palumbo … Former Supreme Court Judge Jonathan Mance.

PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editor Zoya Sheftalovich, reporter Andrew McDonald and producer Grace Stranger.

SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | Playbook Paris | Politico Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Digital Bridge | China Direct | Berlin Bulletin | D.C. Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters

More from ... Eleni Courea

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2022-06-06 06:32:21Z
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Nigeria: More than 50 feared dead as gunmen attack Catholic church - Sky News

More than 50 people are feared dead after gunmen opened fire on worshippers at a Catholic church in Nigeria.

The attackers targeted the St Francis Catholic Church in the town of Owo in the southwestern state of Ondo just as worshippers gathered on Pentecost Sunday, state politician Ogunmolasuyi Oluwole said.

Authorities did not immediately release an official death toll, but Mr Oluwole said many children were among the dead.

Adelegbe Timileyin, who represents the Owo area in Nigeria’s lower legislative chamber, said at least 50 people had been killed, though others put the figure higher.

Image: Pic: Rahaman A Yusuf/AP

Mr Timileyin added that the church's priest was also abducted.

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Videos appearing to be from the scene of the attack showed worshippers lying in pools of blood while people around them wailed.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.

More on Nigeria

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'Our hearts are heavy'

The state's governor Rotimi Akeredolu said he was shocked by the attack, adding: "Our peace and tranquillity have been attacked by the enemies of the people".

In a statement, Nigeria's president Muhammadu Buhari said: "Only fiends from the nether region could have conceived and carried out such dastardly act."

The president was elected after vowing to end Nigeria's prolonged security crisis.

Pope Francis prays for victims

The Vatican said Pope Francis was "praying for the victims and the country painfully affected at a time of celebration".

Image: Pic: Rahaman A Yusuf/AP

While much of Nigeria has struggled with security issues, Ondo is widely known as one of Nigeria's most peaceful states.

The town of Owo is around 214 miles (345km) east of the country's capital, Lagos.

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2022-06-05 22:10:41Z
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Platinum Jubilee: Queen appears on balcony with three heirs to throne - Metro.co.uk

The Queen thrilled crowds gathered to watch the final day of festivities celebrating her Platinum Jubilee with a surprise appearance from the Buckingham Palace balcony.

It was a moment for the history books, filled with poignancy, as the frail one-of-a-kind monarch, resplendent in vivid green, stepped out to bid those gathered outside the gates farewell.

Her 70-year milestone is unlikely to ever be repeated and tens of thousands crammed into The Mall to take their chance to serenade their sovereign with the national anthem in unison.

Flanked by her three heirs – son, grandson and great-grandson – it offered a glimpse into the monarchy’s future.

She shared the stage with just seven of her family – the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince George, as well as two future Queens – the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Cambridge – and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Then with smiles and a few waves of her white-gloved hands, she turned and was gone, back through the doors, achieving her aim of being seen to be believed in less than three minutes.

From left, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince George, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Kate Duchess of Cambridge (Picture: AP)

The Queen was on public view in person for just over 27 minutes throughout the weekend.

But her presence was felt large – and the pre-recorded comedy sketch with Paddington bear brought a fresh light on her humour and love of fun.

With the monarch confessing to not being able to move, observers will be questioning whether Elizabeth II will be asked take to the balcony again as she continues with her lifelong pledge to serve.

The Queen later said she was ‘humbled and deeply touched’ by the nation’s reaction to her Jubilee celebrations, in a written message.

Queen 'humbled and deeply touched' by Jubilee celebrations

When it comes to how to mark seventy years as your Queen, there is no guidebook to follow. It really is a first.

But I have been humbled and deeply touched that so many people have taken to the streets to celebrate my Platinum Jubilee.

While I may not have attended every event in person, my heart has been with you all; and I remain committed to serving you to the best of my ability, supported by my family.

I have been inspired by the kindness, joy and kinship that has been so evident in recent days, and I hope this renewed sense of togetherness will be felt for many years to come.

I thank you most sincerely for your good wishes and for the part you have all played in these happy celebrations.

ELIZABETH R

‘Seeing the Queen has been the best bit of this week’

Paula and Patrick Queenan, from Radlett in Hertfordshire, said the Queen and the royal family coming out on to the balcony was the best part of the jubilee celebrations.

Mrs Queenan, 57, said: ‘Seeing the Queen come out on the balcony was amazing.

‘We didn’t know if she’d come or not. This was the first day that I’ve been here and this was the real highlight.’

Mr Queenan, 58, added: ‘I came for the fly past on Thursday and the atmosphere was fantastic.

‘Our daughter and her fiancé came down from Sheffield today. They’re both doctors and so they’re going to head back now and they’re on duty tonight.

‘We had a street party on Friday, the whole street came to ours and sang the National Anthem. Seeing the Queen has been the best bit of this week.’

The Queen’s appearance thrilled the crowd which gathered outside the Palace (Picture: AP)

An 82-year-old who witnessed the Queen’s coronation said it was ‘amazing’ to see the monarch again on her Platinum Jubilee.

Anne Newing, from Sevenoaks in Kent, said: ‘I came to the coronation when I was 11 and I’m now 82, it was just incredible, just lovely.’

The octogenarian was impressed with the carnival parade, especially seeing the ‘golden coach come down with her photo in the window’.

‘Such a lot of hard work has gone into the costumes and to bring it all together – fantastic,’ she said.

She was in London with her daughter, Susan Newing, 59, who said her mother took her to many royal events as a child.

Prince Charles during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant outside Buckingham Palace (Picture: AP)

Prince George and Prince William (Picture: Getty)

Ed Sheeran performs outside Buckingham Palace (Picture: AP)

‘I hope people will feel a great sense of pride’

Thousands gathered to watch the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, with the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis looking on from the royal box.

Charles spoke about the camaraderie the Jubilee celebrations have fostered, telling revellers at The Big Lunch’s flagship event in London he hoped ‘bickering’ does not return after the feeling of ‘togetherness’ across the nation.

His sentiment was echoed by Pageant Master Adrian Evans, who has spent 18 months planning the £15 million event, featuring some 10,000 people including a cast of 6,000 performers.

Mr Evans told BBC News: ‘I hope at the end of the day people will feel a great sense of pride in what they’ve seen, enjoyment in what they’ve seen, humour and joy is an important part of what we’re doing today but also connected, that we are much more connected then we think we are.’

The Gold State Coach (Picture: WireImage)

A hologram of Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation is projected in the window (Picture: Getty)

The extravaganza closed the four-day celebration of the Queen’s reign (Picture: Reuters)

People perform during the Platinum Jubilee Pageant (Picture: Reuters)

A Batala band parades (Picture: EPA)

The Daleks from Doctor Who TV series participate in the Platinum Pageant (Picture: EPA)

The pageant was split into four acts: For Queen And Country with a military parade; The Time Of Our Lives progressing through seven decades of culture, music and fashion; Let’s Celebrate telling the story of the Queen’s life in 12 chapters with corgi puppets and carnival creations; and the Happy And Glorious musical spectacle.

Moments before the Queen appeared, Ed Sheeran performed his song ‘Perfect’ as a tribute to Her Majesty and her late husband Prince Philip.

The Gold State Coach, featuring archive footage of the Queen beamed onto the windows, led the parade of military units and it seemed as if the monarch was sat in the carriage.

Later, celebrities travelled on decorated open top double-decker buses for the decade-by-decade celebrations.

Close to 200 national treasures then took to the stage to serenade the Queen by singing the national anthem at the grand finale of the Platinum Jubilee festivities.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee 2022

Dust off your Union Jack bunting, Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee is well and truly upon us.

Taking place from Thursday, June 2, to Sunday, June 5, the celebrations mark Her Majesty's record-breaking 70th year on the throne.

Across the UK, there will be street parties, concerts, and other special events attended by the Queen and senior members of the Royal Family.

Visit Metro.co.uk's Platinum Jubilee page for all the latest updates.

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2022-06-05 16:07:00Z
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