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Liz Truss vowed to “get Britain through the tempest” and insisted “everyone will benefit” from the result of her economic policies in her keynote party conference speech during which she was heckled by climate activists.

Addressing Conservative members at the event in Birmingham, as she battles to save her premiership, the prime minister acknowledged that “these are stormy days”.

“In these tough times, we need to step up,” she continued.

“I am determined to get Britain moving, to get us through the tempest and put us on a stronger footing as a nation.”

Liz Truss’s speech stopped by protest – Politics latest

She continued: “Whenever there is change there is disruption. Not everyone will be in favour but everyone will benefit from the result.”

Ms Truss was interrupted by two Greenpeace protesters who shouted: “Who voted for this,” as they held up a banner.

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They were quickly removed by security in the conference hall.

In a tweet after the incident, Greenpeace said activists were there to “denounce the prime minister ‘shredding’ her party’s 2019 manifesto promises”.

The group added: “The PM is U-turning on fracking, strong climate action, and world-leading environmental protections. Who voted for this?”

Continuing, Ms Truss told the audience she and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng “will keep closely co-ordinating our monetary and fiscal policy” after the government’s tax-cutting mini-budget saw the pound slump to a record level.

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This is the moment two Greenpeace protesters interrupted Liz Truss’s Conservative Party conference speech, with a banner reading

‘Chancellor and I are in lockstep’

She promised “an iron grip on the nation’s finances” and vowed to break Britain out of a “high-tax, low-growth cycle”, adding: “The chancellor and I are in lockstep on this.”

Ms Truss said she is “working flat out” to make sure people can get through the economic crisis.

“So let me be clear: we have your back,” the PM added.

The Conservative leader said she and Mr Kwarteng U-turned on abolishing the 45p tax rate on top earners because it “became a distraction”.

“I get it and I have listened,” she told the audience.

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Liz Truss speech highlights

The tax cut for the wealthiest 1% was one of a raft announced by Mr Kwarteng in his mini-budget less than two weeks ago that led to market turmoil – with the pound plummeting, mortgage products being withdrawn, and the Bank of England having to step in to rescue pension funds.

On Tuesday, Home Secretary Suella Braverman accused Tory MPs of staging a “coup” against the PM over the 45p tax rate.

Fellow cabinet minister Simon Clarke also publicly disclosed his objection to the reversal of the policy.

Read more:
How Liz Truss’s speech looks as a word cloud
Nineties band M People ‘livid’ song was used in Truss’s conference speech

Home secretary attacks Tory MPs who ‘staged coup’ over tax cut

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Prime Minister Liz Truss has promised ‘an iron grip on the nation’s finances’ and vowed to break Britain out of a ‘high-tax, low-growth cycle’, adding that she and Kwasi Kwarteng are ‘in lockstep on this’.

‘Growth, growth and growth’

Outlining her three priorities for Britain’s economy: “growth, growth and growth”, Ms Truss said she “will not allow the anti-growth coalition of Labour, the Lib Dems and the SNP to hold us back”.

She accused Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of having “no long-term plan and no vision for Britain”.

Hinting at more “disruption”, the PM also promised that her government will always be “fiscally responsible”.

Ms Truss received applause for saying she is the first prime minister to have gone a comprehensive school.

Gordon Brown went to a state school which was selective but is now comprehensive, John Major went to a grammar school that is now a comprehensive and Theresa May went to a grammar school which became a comprehensive while she was there.

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Truss: ‘No shame’ over tax U-turn

‘I don’t want my song used as soundtrack to lies’

The prime minister walked onto the stage to M People’s ‘Moving on Up’.

But one member of the 90s dance band was not pleased with the song being used, posting on social media: “I don’t want my song being a soundtrack to lies.”

Labour also pointed out that Heather Small from M People has attended Labour dinners in the past and that her son is a recently elected Labour councillor.

The first standing ovation came when Ms Truss referenced the war in Ukraine, telling the audience of Tory members: “We will make sure this never happens again.”

But the speech, which was just over half an hour long, contained no new policy announcements and made no reference to benefits – which the PM is facing another split within her cabinet over.

On Tuesday, Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt joined backbench rebels in calling for welfare payments to be raised in line with inflation, which has been at around 10%, rather than earnings at 5%.

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Do the public and cabinet still trust Truss?

‘Status quo not an option’

Two additional cabinet ministers have also told Sky News that they believe benefits should be uprated in line with inflation.

It is understood that Chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs Sir Graham Brady has warned Ms Truss that any attempt to uprate benefits by average earnings rather than by inflation is unlikely to get through Parliament.

But closing her first conference speech as PM, Ms Truss vowed to “stay the course” amid the infighting within the Conservative Party over her policy agenda.

She urged both Tory members and MPs to “trust me to do what it takes” to push through her “difficult but necessary” pro-growth agenda.

“The status quo is not an option. That is why we can’t give in to the voices of decline,” she said.

“We can’t give in to those who say Britain can’t grow faster. We can’t give in to those who say we can’t do better.”

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‘Reverse kamikaze budget’

Responding to the speech, Labour’s shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “The most important thing the prime minister can do right now to stabilise the economy is to immediately reverse her government’s kamikaze budget when Parliament returns next week.”

While Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described the address as a “disaster for families and the economy”.

Ms Truss exited the stage to applause and quickly left the conference venue.

The under-pressure pound fell against the US dollar following her speech.

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Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

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Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Donald Trump next week amid calls for Gaza ceasefire

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials.

The visit on 7 July comes after Mr Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week.

On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”

At least 60 people killed across Gaza on Monday, in what turned out to be some of the heaviest attacks in weeks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with US President Donald Trump. Pic: Reuters
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Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Donald Trump during a previous meeting. Pic: Reuters

According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56,500 people have been killed in the 20-month war.

The visit by Mr Netanyahu to Washington has not been formally announced and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke on condition of anonymity.

An Israeli official in Washington also confirmed the meeting next Monday.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was in constant communication with the Israeli government.

She said Mr Trump viewed ending the war in Gaza and returning remaining hostages held by Hamas as a top priority.

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The war in Gaza broke out in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw a further 250 taken hostage.

An eight-week ceasefire was reached in the final days of Joe Biden’s US presidency, but Israel resumed the war in March after trying to get Hamas to accept new terms on next steps.

Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire.

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Brutal murder on ‘date’ exposes robbery gang suspected of targeting dozens of women in South Africa

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Brutal murder on 'date' exposes robbery gang suspected of targeting dozens of women in South Africa

Thirty-year-old Olorato Mongale made sure to take all the measures necessary for a safe first date in South Africa’s biggest city, Johannesburg.

She had agreed to meet ‘John’ in the daytime. She sent her friends her phone location after leaving her house and promptly texted them “on the road” at 2.47pm.

They replied “enjoy!”, hoping she would find love.

An hour later, their friend had gone silent and her phone location was showing up in dangerous areas of the city.

A search party of seven friends set off to trace Olorato’s digital footsteps.

Olorato Mongale
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It’s believed Olorato’s killers were part of a gang robbing young women at gunpoint

“It didn’t make sense. Where is she? Why is she missing?” says Karabo Mokoena, as we drove to the locations involved in their search.

“Every place we went to looked dodgier and dodgier. It made me panic – I was very scared.”

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After finding her bag on a pile of bricks off the side of a main road, they filed a missing person report at a police station.

“I thought there was no way we were not going to find her. We did end up finding her but not in the way we would have hoped,” says Karabo.

Olorato’s body had been dumped at the dirt entrance of a random house less than 100m from where her friends were searching into the night.

Her face was swollen and her eyes black-blue from violent impact. Her top was ripped open to expose her breasts.

Police told Sky News that her post-mortem showed signs of blunt force trauma. She was likely beaten to death.

Red gate where Olorato Mongale's body was found
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Olorato’s body was dumped outside this gate – she was likely beaten to death

“It was like I was dreaming, seeing her body like that with those bruises and blood everywhere,” says Olorato’s mother, Keabetswe Poppy Mongale, describing the moment she had to identify her only child at the morgue.

“I don’t think what I saw will ever go away,” she adds.

“It was very painful. I don’t wish that on any parent because my beautiful little girl looked different because someone chose to do that to her.”

Olorato Mongale's mother
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Olorato’s mother says the image of her daughter in the morgue will never go away

CCTV from the driveway of Olorato’s building shows the last time she was seen alive, leaving her home to meet ‘John’.

In the video, she walks towards a white Volkswagen Polo and hesitates as she reaches the left back door. John had come with a friend.

Four days after Olorato was killed, police found the car in a different province with traces of her blood splattered across the back seat.

CCTV of car and Olorato Mongale
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CCTV showed Olorato walking to a car for what she thought was a date

VW Polo used by killers
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One suspect was shot dead but the second man is still on the run

Philangenkosi Sibongokuhle Makanya – ‘John’ – was shot dead by police in KwaZulu-Natal shortly after they found the vehicle.

The second man in the car, Bongani Mthimkhulu, is still on the run.

The two men have since been identified as part of a dangerous criminal syndicate that lure young women out on dates and rob them at gunpoint.

“Within the four days, the investigating officers received 94 calls from women who were raising concerns and identifying the suspects as those they once met,” South African Police Service deputy national commissioner Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili told Sky News.

“It was unfortunate about Olorato, but others were released after being robbed.”

Olorato Mongale
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Olorato’s friends say she ‘ticked all the boxes when it came to being careful’

A 24-year-old student who survived an armed robbery at the hands of Olorato’s suspected killers says she was happy to see Philangenkosi killed but she’s still scared for her life.

“As women, we are not even safe anymore – we can’t even walk freely,” she says.

“The moment you leave your house you wonder if you will make it back alive. I don’t feel comfortable walking around the street. I leave the house and then turn back.

“Even when I’m home, I still don’t feel safe and always want to keep myself locked indoors,” she says with a shaky voice – choosing to remain anonymous.

After meeting other victims of the syndicate, she was shocked to hear details of almost identical abductions.

“This other girl was surprised because we went through the exact same situation. They also approached her with the same tactic – let me take you out to lunch to get to know you – only for her to be robbed.”

Graphic on femicide in South Africa
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South Africa has one of the highest femicide rates in the world – an average 15 women are killed a day, many by their intimate partners.

According to police statistics, more than 5,500 women were murdered in South Africa last year. An increase of 33.8% compared with the previous year.

“South Africa has six times the average rate of femicide – hundreds of women have already been killed since Olorato’s murder,” says Cameron Kasambala from Women for Change.

The advocacy group raises awareness of rising cases of femicide and gender-based violence across South Africa.

Cameron Kasambala
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Campaigner Cameron Kasambala says many femicide cases take a long time to be resolved

In the hours after her murder, Olorato’s friends contacted Women for Change to share her missing poster after receiving little immediate help from the local police station.

“I think her friends were the real heroes in that moment,” says Cameron.

“Two police stations that were 10 minutes apart, one finds a body and one has a missing case, don’t make a connection for hours. It’s not the most reassuring police work. And if the friends had not come forward, how long would it have taken?

“Unfortunately, Olorato’s case is an exception. Most cases are not handled that quickly.”

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Olorato Mongale
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Olorato’s friends say she would be ‘proud to know that her name has not gone in vain’

Olorato’s friends are still contending with the violence of her death – what it means for their daily lives and how they navigate their safety as women in South Africa.

“It is difficult to process and difficult to believe. This is somebody who ticked all the boxes when it came to being careful – being meticulous, checking her surroundings and leaving clues,” says Olorato’s friend, Koketso Sejosengoe.

“It shows it can happen to anybody no matter how safe you are. It is happening to the average girl. They are being targeted. These men know what they are doing and who they are looking for.”

“In the purest sense, Olorato wanted women to be safe and wanted women to be protected,” adds Koketso.

“I think she would be very proud to know that her name has not gone in vain and that her death is standing for something – that there will be change that comes with this.”

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European heatwave leaves Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece in sweltering 40C heat

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European heatwave leaves Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece in sweltering 40C heat

Major heatwaves across southern Europe have left Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece in sweltering conditions of more than 40C (104F).

Two-thirds of Portugal was on high alert for extreme heat and risk of wildfires on Sunday, with temperatures in Lisbon expected to exceed 42C (107F).

In parts of southern Spain, temperatures are well above average, with 42C also expected in Seville and other cities.

The country’s meteorological service says June is likely to be the hottest Spain has experienced since records began.

In several Italian regions, including Lazio, Tuscany, Calabria, Puglia, and Umbria, outdoor work was banned during peak hours of sun on Sunday, with trade unions pushing for the measures to be extended and rolled out nationwide.

Twenty-one out of 27 cities were under the highest possible heat alert, including Rome, Milan, and Naples.

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What’s actually happening underneath your sunburn

Greece has already been plagued by wildfires this summer, with one breaking out south of Athens on Thursday, and several on the island of Chios last Sunday.

Near Athens, authorities deployed 130 firefighters, 12 helicopters, and 12 planes, with 40 people evacuated from the highest-risk areas.

A woman was arrested on suspicion of unintentional arson after wildfires spread across brush and pastureland for three days on Chios.

Flames rise above Thymari, near Athens after wildfires broke out on Friday. Pic: Reuters
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Flames rise above Thymari, near Athens, after wildfires broke out on Friday. Pic: Reuters

Tourists battle scorching temperatures at the Parthenon in Greece on Friday. Pic: Reuters
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Tourists battle scorching temperatures at the Parthenon in Greece on Friday. Pic: Reuters

Scientists link increasing frequencies of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, wildfires, and storms to climate change.

In France and Germany, at least three people died amid stormy conditions.

A ridge of high pressure above central and western Europe is driving the scorching conditions, says Sky News meteorologist Chris England.

Hotter-than-normal sea temperatures, dry land, and surface winds are also partly to blame, he added.

Tourists in Retiro Park in Madrid on Saturday. Pic: AP
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Tourists in Retiro Park in Madrid on Saturday. Pic: AP

Locals fan themselves in Lisbon on Saturday. Pic: AP
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Locals fan themselves in Lisbon on Saturday. Pic: AP

UK heatwave also likely

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UK heatwaves explained

The UK is halfway through a four-day amber heat health alert, with temperatures expected to peak in the mid-30s (86F) on Tuesday.

Heat health alerts are not public weather warnings – but are instead designed to prepare health and social care bodies for the potential impact on their infrastructure and vulnerable groups.

Heatwave thresholds are likely to be met on Monday and Tuesday, which vary between 28C (82F) in the south of England and 25C (77F) across the rest of the country.

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