Top story: Imran Khan on top in election aftermath
Hello, it’s Warren Murray, and this Thursday morning we are looking first at the unsettled outcome of the Pakistani elections.
With less than half of the vote counted, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is ahead in projected partial results, leading in 100 seats, to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN)’s 68 seats. We are continuing to cover the situation live. Most projections have the PTI winning between 107 and 120 seats, short of the 137 seats needed to form a majority government, meaning the PTI may have to make a deal with some of the nation’s smaller parties.
Though results are not official, Khan supporters have been celebrating overnight, with a PTI spokesman copping criticism for pre-emptively calling Imran Khan “prime minister” and congratulating him on his victory.
There have been allegations of election rigging, with party officials claiming voting irregularities, including that polling agents were not allowed into polling stations and voters were not given forms on time. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) led by Shehbaz Sharif has raised “serious reservations”. The election commissioner has insisted the poll was “100% fair and transparent”. Election day was beset with violence: at least 31 people were killed on Wednesday in a suicide attack outside a ballot station in Quetta and others were killed in shooting attacks around the country. Women in the highly conservative northern regions of Dir, Kohistan and Waziristan voted for the first time in decades.
* * *
Deadly restraint – Today we are throwing a spotlight on deaths in police custody, which have hit a 10-year high amid warnings from police, campaigners and experts that austerity pressures on mental health services have driven the figure up. More than half of those who died had mental health problems such as psychosis, depression and self-harm or suicidal tendencies, while 18 had drug or alcohol issues. These and other facts are alarming and warrant a full reading. A disproportionate number of black people died after officers used force or restraint. We present some of the human stories behind the statistics, while an ex-Met officer related to Rashan Charles believes the inquest verdict of accidental death is badly flawed.
* * *
‘A huge win’ – New Zealand has once again shown the world how progress is done by becoming the first country in the world to introduce paid domestic violence leave. Any person experiencing domestic violence will be entitled to 10 days’ paid leave from work, in addition to holidays and sick leave. Jan Logie, a Green party MP who sought the change for seven years, said the legislation was the first step in tackling the country’s “horrifying” domestic abuse rates.
* * *
‘Avoidance of disaster is not success’ – Donald Trump has been rebuked by Fox News, his favourite channel, after CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins was banned from a White House event for asking the president questions he didn’t like. Separately, Trump said his meeting with the EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker
produced a deal to “work together toward zero tariffs, zero non-tariff barriers and zero subsidies on non-auto industrial goods”. But Trump likes to talk up “deals” that have questionable substance. Bart Oosterveld, from the Atlantic Council, said: “The avoidance of a disaster is not a success. What I think we saw is the resumption of some basic dialogue … I don’t think the EU would agree to a major revision of trade terms without steel and aluminium being taken off the table first.”
* * *
Jewish papers attack Corbyn – The Jewish Chronicle, Jewish News and Jewish Telegraph have published a joint editorial saying the prospect of a Corbyn government is “an existential threat to Jewish life in this country” and accusing the Labour leader of “default blindness to the Jewish community’s fears”. Labour is under fire for its record on the issue under Corbyn, including its national executive only adopting a watered-down definition of antisemitism. The Labour MP Ian Austin said the move by the papers was “unprecedented” and every member of the party “should be ashamed”. A party spokesperson said a Labour government posed “no threat of any kind whatsoever to Jewish people … We understand the strong concerns raised in the Jewish community and are seeking to engage with communal organisations to build trust and confidence in our party.”
* * *
Acid attack – One of the five men charged over the Worcester acid attack is the father of the three-year-old victim, it has emerged. The father, 39, who can’t be named, has appeared in court alongside Adam Cech, 27, Jan Dudi 25, and Norbert Pulko, 22, all from London, and Jabar Paktia, 41, from Wolverhampton. The boy suffered burns to his face and an arm at a Home Bargains store in the Tallow Hill area of Worcester on Saturday afternoon. The accused, all charged with conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, are due back in court on 28 August.
* * *
Colourful wardrobe – The news is overall a bit dark today, isn’t it. So here is the Queen in a green outfit, to accompany Hannah Marriott’s story on how women’s fashion fell out of love with black and starting looking on the bright side.
Lunchtime read: Rightwingers jump at the sound of a snowflake
“Snowflake” students have become the target of a new conservative crusade. This narrative can now be found in news stories, political speeches and op-ed columns in Britain on a daily basis: that young people simply gang up to howl down views they don’t like, rather than engage in debate.
Rightwingers claim it is a form of censorship, and that the young need to get better at enduring hardship and “hearing what you don’t want to hear”. In a decade of economic stagnation, it is a convenient put-down to use against a generation faced with low pay, high house prices and deterioriating mental health, and a system regulated in such a way as to “maximise the security of asset holders, while impoverishing the future of everyone under 40”, writes William Davies.
Sport
Chris Froome has pledged to do everything he can to help his teammate Geraint Thomas secure a first yellow jersey after watching his chances of a fifth Tour de France vanish on the 2,215m-high Col Du Portet. Meanwhile, Sir Dave Brailsford has apologised for his comments earlier this week in which he suggested that spitting was “a French cultural thing.”
Mohamed Salah made a goalscoring return as Liverpool beat a youthful Manchester City side 2-1 thanks to Saido Mané’s stoppage-time penalty in the International Champions Cup. Liverpool’s new signing, Xherdan Shaqiri, has shrugged off criticism from the Neville brothers and former teammate Charlie Adam and says his “conscience is clear” and he wanted to move to Anfield four years ago.
Moeen Ali looks set to return to England’s Test plans for next week’s series opener with India as one of two spinners in the squad alongside Jack Leach. And Alex Danson scored in her 200th international as England and the USA drew 1-1 in their hockey World Cup pool B match.
Business
With inflation about to hit a million per cent, people in Venezuela fear that pretty soon they will live a repeat of the hyperinflation seen in 1920s Germany when wheelbarrows were the preferred means of transporting enough money to buy a loaf of bread. “We are millionaires, but we are poor,” said Maigualida Oronoz, a 43-year-old nurse.
In Australia, the Nine TV network has bought the venerable newspaper group Fairfax Media for $4bn, much to the horror of current and former journalists. Asian markets were quiet and the FTSE100 is set to open flat. The pound is buying $1.32 and €1.125.
The papers
The sun is rising on some incendiary headlines this morning as Britain’s press turns up the heat (sorry). “Furnace Friday!” shouts the Mail, saying it’s going to hit 37C. The Mirror works up a sweat just thinking about it: “Britain on red alert – UK’s hottest day ever”. If you hate rodents don’t buy the Sun as its front page, hot(!) off the press, has a picture of one baring its teeth; the furniture says “Gnaws – Extra bin rounds as heat sparks plague of rats”. The Telegraph looks at the bigger picture: “Britain at the mercy of deadly heatwaves” – from trains to offices, homes to schools, we’re just not set up for this.
The Guardian leads with deaths in police custody, also covering the heatwave and the Pakistan elections on the front. The Times reports the US president’s talks with the EU’s Juncker as “Trump strikes deal with EU to prevent trade war”. The FT has a less positive spin: “GM and Fiat Chrysler dented as Trump’s trade war takes toll”. Finally in the Express it’s “Postcode lottery for PM’s diabetes patch” which is to do with access to glucose monitors on the NHS.
Sign up
The Guardian morning briefing is delivered to thousands of inboxes bright and early every weekday. If you are not already receiving it by email, make sure to subscribe.
For more news: www.theguardian.com
