Independent News & People Network Desk of News

Robodebt whistleblower was told her royal commission evidence ‘could cost you your job’, court hears

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T15:00:34+00:00

Exclusive: Jeannie-Marie Blake is suing the Australian government over alleged threats, which her department denies makingGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA key robodebt whistleblower is suing the Australian government, alleging she was threatened before she appeared at a royal commission and was warned that her testimony “could cost you your job”.Services Australia whistleblower Jeannie-Marie Blake has filed proceedings in the federal court, alleging her department made repeated threats against her before and after her explosive evidence to the robodebt royal commiss

Discussion
•••

Peter Falconio murder: British expert says he has identified a ‘most likely’ burial location

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T15:00:34+00:00

UK police adviser in the early 2000s and global consultant in ‘no-body’ homicide cases says he has narrowed down the outback search area• Peter Falconio murder 25 years on: new footage shows dying Australian outback killer’s refusal to reveal body’s locationThe former British government expert who consulted on the search for the remains of the murdered backpacker Peter Falconio says he has now identified a “most likely” potential burial location – an abandoned racetrack only 8km from the scene of the infamous outback attack at Barrow Creek.In July 2001, Falconio and his partner, Joanne Lees, b

Discussion
•••

Ribena owner invests in helping blackcurrants withstand extreme weather

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T15:00:32+00:00

The £200,000 move comes after harvests in Britain hit by wet winter, spring frost and hail, then heatwavesThe owner of Ribena is to invest £200,000 in helping blackcurrant bushes withstand stress after extreme weather put a squeeze on this year’s UK harvest.That harvest is now under way in the berry’s main growing regions including East Anglia, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Kent and Scotland. It is expected to be about 10% below the average of 10,000 tonnes, as the climate crisis drives extreme weather across Britain and elsewhere. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

Jio profit rises 9% on subscriber addition, ARPU growth

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-07-17T15:00:07+00:00

Revenue grew 12%, driven by continued gains in subscriber market share, organic ARPU growth and scale up of digital services

Discussion
•••

Section of MRF workers in Perambalur factory on strike

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-07-17T14:57:02+00:00

Production at the plant is said to be continuing with the help of temporary workers and apprentices.

Discussion
•••

Federal Bank logs 36.50% increase in Q1 FY27 net profit at ₹1,177 crore

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-07-17T14:56:07+00:00

The Bank’s board on Friday approved raising of funds in Indian currency or any other permitted foreign currency by way of issue of debt instruments up to ₹10,000 crore on a private placement basis

Discussion
•••

Southern Water fined £7m after illegally dumping sewage off Kent coast

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:56:01+00:00

Firm pleaded guilty to 13 offences over discharges at Margate and Broadstairs wastewater pumping stationsSouthern Water has been fined more than £7m after dumping sewage illegally off the Kent coast between 2019 and 2021.The company, described by the judge as having a “record of criminality” which is “an exceptionally serious aggravating factor”, pleaded guilty to 13 offences at Medway magistrates court last April over sewage discharges at Margate and Broadstairs wastewater pumping stations between 2019 and 2021. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••

Cuban Dissident Is Missing A Week After Prison Release

Source: New York Times - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:54:30+00:00

A Cuban artist awaiting permission from the Trump administration to enter the United States is being held in an unknown location in Cuba.

Discussion
•••

Section of MRF workers in Perambalur factory on strike

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-07-17T14:53:50+00:00

Production at the plant is said to be continuing with the help of temporary workers and apprentices.

Discussion
•••

Iran proves it can still inflict damage despite waves of US attacks

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:52:10+00:00

Leaked US intelligence report concluded Iran retained 70% of missiles and launchers after 38-day spring campaignIran and the US have been trading blows for six consecutive nights and there are no shortage of signs that the renewed fighting will worsen further. Tehran and Washington remain far apart diplomatically, and though the US retains a significant military overmatch, Iran has more than enough capability to inflict damage.Friday’s developments are a case in point. A wave of US attacks, with missiles launched from jets, drones and warships, targeted Iranian ports and the south of the count

Discussion
•••

Brenda Fricker, Oscar winner for My Left Foot, dies aged 81

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:48:53+00:00

The acclaimed Irish actor started her career in Coronation Street and Casualty before a string of high-profile Hollywood rolesBrenda Fricker, who became the first female Irish Oscar winner for acting with My Left Foot, has died aged 81. Her agent Phil Belfield told the BBC in a statement: “We will never see her like again and the world is lesser for the lack of her … I was honoured to know, love and work with her and she will always have a place in my heart and in the heart of so many film and TV fans the world over.”In My Left Foot, Fricker plays the mother of Christy Brown, whose cerebral pa

Discussion
•••

Ceccherini salda i debiti con l’erario grazie a 300 mila euro donati da Matteo Garrone

Source: Repubblica Homepage · Published: 2026-07-17T14:43:26+00:00

L’attore aveva accumulato 1 milione e 400 mila euro di “rosso” per il vizio del gioco: ogni mese restituirà al fisco 500 euro fino a esaurimento della cifra. Il regista si dichiara estraneo alla vicenda, ma i riferimenti nella sentenza sembrano portare a lui

Discussion
•••

Trump speech lays groundwork for him to tamper with midterm results, critics warn

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:36:47+00:00

Democrats and advocates sound alarm at Trump rehashing false claims about 2020 election in his primetime addressDemocrats and voting rights groups say Donald Trump’s primetime speech making unverified claims of Chinese interference in the 2020 election are the clearest sign yet that the president is laying the groundwork to tamper with the results of November’s midterms.The upcoming elections to decide the balance of power in Congress and many state legislatures will be a major test of Trump’s appeal to voters two years after he resoundingly beat the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris to retur

Discussion
•••

Democrats slam Trump’s ‘pathetic attempt’ to sow doubt in election process – US politics live

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:26:58+00:00

Democrats accuse president of ‘working to rig the midterms’ in advance after primetime speech rehashed debunked claims Sign up for US News Breaking emailTrump makes unverified claims of China ‘election meddling’Trump also took to Truth Social today to claim that there were “great reviews” of his address to the nation on Thursday – where he repeated baseless claims undermining the electoral integrity of the 2020 election, and the safety of the election process at large in the US. During his speech, Trump also tried to unveil new information – with scant evidence – that China’s interfered i

Discussion
•••

Iranian airport and bridges hit as US forces board ship amid ports blockade – as it happened

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:24:32+00:00

This blog is now closed, you can read more on this story here:US marines board tanker amid blockade of Iranian portsThe IRGC has threatened “more crushing” attacks against neighbouring countries hosting US bases, warning that they will pay a “devastating price” if American forces continue to attack Iran’s civilian infrastructure.In a statement carried by state media, it said:The American enemy and the hosts of its bases in the region should know that crossing red lines and attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure will have a very severe and devastating price to pay. Should the enemy con

Discussion
•••

NLC India Renewables appoints book running lead managers for IPO

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-07-17T14:22:46+00:00

The proposed IPO is expected to strengthen NIRL’s capital base and support its long-term growth strategy in the renewable energy sector

Discussion
•••

What Andy Burnham’s first speech as Labour leader tells us

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:20:39+00:00

The incoming prime minister showed his oratorical skill and that he is prepared to borrow from populismUK politics live – latest updatesNearing the end of his speech accepting the Labour leadership, Andy Burnham paused. “I know what to do,” he said. “I have a plan.” Perhaps he does. But even after half an hour of dense rhetoric, it is still not especially clear what this is.Burnham, who will become prime minister on Monday after this formal party coronation, is a politician who runs largely on vibes, and that was the driving force of his address to the Labour faithful in central London. Contin

Discussion
•••

Mother of Henry Nowak’s murderer jailed for removing knife from scene

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-07-17T14:18:58+00:00

Kiran Kaur, 53, sentenced to three years for assisting her son, Vickrum Digwa, after his fatal stabbing of student in SouthamptonThe mother of Vickrum Digwa, whose false claims of racism against the man he killed triggered riots in Southampton, has been jailed for removing a knife from the murder scene.Appearing at Southampton crown court, Kiran Kaur, 53, was jailed for three years for assisting an offender, her son, by removing the knife from where he had murdered the student Henry Nowak. Continue reading...

Discussion
•••
news

Editorial wall of the news flow

A query on the internal database produces an ordered selection of articles, ready for reading and discussion.