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Britain’s Conservatives trounced in local elections as Labour makes gains

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Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visits Teesside in Tees Valley, Darlington, Britain, May 3, 2024 (Aljazeera)

Britain’s ruling Conservative Party has suffered a resounding defeat in local elections, a further sign that it is likely to be removed from power in upcoming general elections.

With nearly all council results in, the Conservatives have lost 473 seats, while the opposition Labour Party has picked up 185, as counting was under way on Saturday for a few more assembly and mayoral polls.

Critically, Labour’s Sadiq Khan won London’s mayoral race, securing a record third term and dealing the Conservatives another damaging defeat.

With the results in from 106 of 107 council elections, the Conservatives lost about half of those it was defending, costing it control of 10 councils.

Its rival Labour Party wrestled control of eight councils, while also winning three newly created mayoral seats, including one in Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s own northern English constituency.

Labour also won a by-election for the Blackpool South parliamentary seat, triggered by the resignation of the scandal-plagued Conservative MP Scott Benton.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said the emphatic victories nationwide sent the prime minister a clear message to hold a nationwide vote.

“Voters in Blackpool South have sent a direct message to Rishi Sunak: Make way, let’s have a general election,” said Starmer.

Sunak, whose Tories are down about 20 points in the polls to Labour must order a general election to be held by January 28 next year at the latest.

Labour performed strongly in areas that voted for Britain’s exit from the European Union, such as Hartlepool in the northeast of England, and Thurrock in southeastern England. Labour also seized control of Rushmoor, a leafy and military-heavy council in the south of England where it had never won.

In addition to its council victories, Labour won mayoral seats in the York and North Yorkshire, North East and East Midlands areas.

“Let’s turn the page on decline,” Starmer told supporters on Saturday in the East Midlands.

Conservative mayor Ben Houchen was re-elected in Tees Valley, a rare success, although with a greatly reduced majority.

A few more mayor races will be called over the weekend.

“We are probably looking at certainly one of the worst, if not the worst, Conservative performances in local government elections for the last 40 years,” John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde, told BBC radio.

While Labour had an overall strong showing, its candidates appear to have suffered in some areas with large Muslim populations, such as Blackburn and Oldham in northwest England, due to the party leadership’s stance on Israel’swar on Gaza including an initial refusal to call for a ceasefire.

In areas that have a greater than 10 percent Muslim population, Labour’s vote share dropped by an average of 11 percent, according to the BBC.

The Workers Party of George Galloway, who was re-elected to parliament in March touting a pro-Palestinian message, picked up four seats.

Sunak, while acknowledging the results were “disappointing”, has remained positive about his party’s chances in the general elections. “Come a general election, voters are going to stick with us,” Sunak said on Friday while celebrating the Conservative win in Tees Valley.

Sunak, who has failed to improve the party’s popularity since succeeding Liz Truss in October 2022, previously said he planned to call for a general election in the second half of 2024.

If that contest plays out similarly to the local elections, Labour would be expected to win about 34 percent of the vote, with the Conservatives trailing by nine points, according to the BBC.

Writing in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunak admitted the returns showed “voters are frustrated” but added that “we Conservatives have everything to fight for”.

(Aljazeera)



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USA midfielder sues doctors after on-pitch cardiac arrest

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Savannah DeMelo collapsed during a league match between Racing Louisville and Seattle Reign [BBC]

United States women’s national team player Savannah DeMelo is suing a hospital and two doctors after she suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch last year.

Midfielder DeMelo, who has seven senior caps for the USA, has filed a lawsuit against University of Louisville Health (UofL Health) for negligence.

The 28-year-old, who plays for Racing Louisville, collapsed in the first half of a National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) match on 14 September 2025.

According to documents seen by BBC Sport, the case was filed on Tuesday morning with Jefferson Circuit Court in Kentucky, where her club is based – a year and a day after her on-field collapse.

DeMelo’s filing claims UofL Health and two doctors, Dr Sarabjeet Suri and Dr Jennifer Daily, “failed to act as a reasonably prudent and competent medical practice, and such negligence was a substantial factor in causing DeMelo to suffer severe physical injuries, including, but not limited to, her cardiac arrest”.

Dr Daily, according to her online UofL biography, is Racing Louisville’s chief medical officer. The lawsuit states DeMelo was under the care of Dr Daily from January 2024 to July 2026.

It states that in March 2025, Dr Daily referred DeMelo to Dr Suri for “evaluation and treatment” after she had been complaining of chest pain, dizziness and shortness of air; Dr Suri obtained a history, performed a physical examination and ordered diagnostic tests.

Nearly six months later, DeMelo suffered the cardiac arrest.

“She was subsequently diagnosed and treated for ventricular tachycardia [an abnormal heart rhythm],” the suit states.

DeMelo, who has spent her entire professional career with Racing Louisville, has not played since her collapse.

In a post to her instagram page on Tuesday, De Melo – who was picked in the USA squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup and started their first two games – marked the anniversary of the incident.

“A year ago today, while playing soccer, I collapsed due to an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia, that caused me to go into cardiac arrest,” she wrote.

“I respect and appreciate the privacy everyone has met me with while going through everything I have this year. I’ll never be able to fully put into words how emotionally hard this year has been. There has been a lot of uncertainty and emotions intertwined with it all.”

[BBC]

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Death toll from Philippines ferry fire rises to 76, with more still missing

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The ferry caught fire near tourist hotspot Coron on Wednesday [BBC]

The Philippine Coast Guard says it has recovered 41 bodies from the wreckage of a ferry that caught fire this week, bringing the total death toll to 76.

More than 130 people were on board the MV June Aster when the blaze erupted on Wednesday as it neared its destination at the tourist hotspot of Coron, after departing from Manila.

The coast guard said on Saturday the number of survivors remained 43, with many receiving treatment in hospital, but 13 people remain unaccounted for.

Recovery of bodies had been hampered due to toxic fumes and lingering heat, which meant authorities were unable to board until Friday.

Geronimo Tuvilla, an official for the Philippine Coast Guard, said the priority was identifying victims and determining the cause of the blaze.

Kristine Ablana, a tourism official in Coron, said relatives were being asked to help identify family members through personal items and DNA testing.

“Once someone is able to verify that this photo or these belongings are indeed those of their relative, they will be asked to provide a DNA sample,” she said.

Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the fire began in a cargo hold before spreading.

She said survivors had described hearing a loud explosion, “the appearance of smoke and then fire. It spread very quickly”. She added that those who had made it off the ship did not have time to put on lifejackets.

A survivor who was hauled to safety on a rescue boat told the BBC he had heard frantic cries onboard when the fire erupted, and was trampled by panicked people as he tried to escape.

The ferry, built in 2002, held valid safety certificates and passed an enforcement inspection in March, but investigators are looking into potential manifest discrepancies, cargo loading integrity, and crew emergency response protocols, the Palawan Daily reported.

The vessel was carrying 117 passengers and 17 crew members.

Atienza Interisland Ferries, the vessel’s operator, has pledged full co-operation with the inquiry.

[BBC]

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Princess Diana’s ‘revenge dress’ goes up for auction on 9th December

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[pic BBC]

A dress worn by Princess Diana to a party in London hours after a documentary was televised in which the then-Prince Charles admitted to committing adultery during their marriage is going up for auction.

Her dramatic arrival at the Serpentine Gallery in 1994 in a custom-made black silk evening dress by designer Christina Stambolian became an iconic pop-culture moment.

The media dubbed her outfit the “revenge dress”.

Auction house Sotheby’s expects the dress to sell for up to £220,000 ($300,000) when it goes under the hammer on 9 December.

A press release from Sotheby’s said it is the first time the dress has been offered at auction since 1997, when the late princess sold 79 of her dresses to raise money for charities.

Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s Global Head of Handbags and Fashion, said in a statement that Princess Diana “understood instinctively” that fashion can be a language in its own right.

“On her own terms, Princess Diana turned the dress into one of the most powerful messages she ever made, during one of the most scrutinised and emotionally charged episodes of her life,” Halimi said.

“She walked into a moment in which so much of her story was being told for her and, through what she chose to wear, reclaimed the narrative for herself.”

Martin Keene/PA Wire Princess Diana arriving at the Serpentine Gallery wearing a dress designed by Christina Stambolian dress. The famous "revenge dress" worn worn by Diana during a Vanity Fair fundraising dinner at the Serpentine Gallery in London, on the same night her then-husband the Prince of Wales publicly admitted his infidelity on national television
[BBC]

According to Sotheby’s, Anna Harvey, her stylist at the time, said Diana “wanted to look a million dollars”.

The princess made a last-minute wardrobe change for the fundraising dinner and chose the strapless evening dress by the Greek designer Christina Stambolian – which she accessorised with a royal jewel, a black clutch and black heels.

The vintage Jaguar XJ40 car that Diana arrived in at the event was sold at auction earlier this year for £66,250.

The revenge dress is expected to fetch a considerably higher price.

If it does, it will not be the first time an item from the princess’s wardrobe has sold for a significant sum.

Princess Diana’s sweater featuring a black sheep among rows of white ones was sold for £920,000 at an auction by Sotheby’s in New York in 2023.

[BBC]

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