Latest from Telegraph
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Two women shot dead at Kentucky church
Two women were fatally shot at a Kentucky church on Sunday, following a shooting spree that began when a police officer pulled over a vehicle. The officer stopped the vehicle near Blue Grass airport in Lexington at 11.36am local time on Sunday (15:36 GMT), after receiving a 'licence plate reader alert'. The shooter then opened fire on the officer, before proceeding to car-jack a vehicle and drive approximately 26 kilometres to Richmond Road Baptist Church. The suspect then shot and killed two women at the church, who have been identified as Beverly Gum, 72, and Christina Combs, 32. He was later shot by police and died at the scene. 'The suspect was shot by responding law enforcement and was pronounced deceased at the scene,' Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said. Two men who were wounded at the church were admitted to hospital, with one victim sustaining critical injuries. The police officer from the traffic stop was in a stable condition. 'Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church,' the police chief added. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear posted on X that 'violence like this has no place in our commonwealth or country'. I'm heartbroken to share the shooting in Lexington at Richmond Road Baptist Church has taken the lives of two people. Other injuries — including a Kentucky State Police trooper from the initial stop — are being treated at a nearby hospital. The shooter has also been killed. 1/3 — Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) July 13, 2025 State Attorney General Russell Coleman said detectives were ready to support local and state agencies. 'Today, violence invaded the Lord's House,' Mr Coleman said in a statement. 'The attack on law enforcement and people of faith in Lexington shocked the entire Commonwealth.'
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
It falls to all of us to protect vital water resources in an era of shortage
SIR – It comes as no surprise that South East Water has imposed a hosepipe ban in my area. The combined action of hot weather, a lack of rainfall and thousands of houses being built meant a ban was inevitable. The responsibility for this now regular occurrence must be borne by us all, namely South East Water, the consumers and the Government. Water is a vital resource and should not be squandered by consumers, who need to be much more aware of their actions. At the same time the Government should support the water authorities in improving both the collection and storing of water, as well as upgrading the supply network. Stan Kirby East Malling, Kent SIR – Dynamic pricing on holiday flights, hotel accommodation or in petrol stations smacks of profiteering, but charging consumers extra for vital resources because of adverse weather conditions ('Families to pay more for water in heatwaves', report, July 12) is downright antisocial and cruel. Patrick Kelly Chippenham, Wiltshire SIR – I do not think I can remember a year when there has not been outcry about the lack of water and the fear of drought during summer months. We are fortunate that our country receives plenty of rainfall. Why is nothing done to preserve it and prevent leaks? Susan Eccles Tunbridge Wells, Kent SIR – Property developers who build too many houses in the South East with inadequate infrastructure should foot the bill for new reservoirs and the desalinisation plants we're surely going to need in the future. It doesn't take a genius to work out that reckless and greedy over-development has contributed to severe water shortages. Caroline J Evans Haywards Heath, West Sussex SIR – Water companies wish to keep their business size the same, ignore wastage and charge customers more for the same amount (or less) delivered. In any other business that would be commercial suicide, yet their monopoly supports this strategy. The Government must push back and assist with planning to increase supply. Forcing people to cut water use is not consistent with public health. Bathing less, washing clothes and linen less frequently and not flushing toilets after every use should not be propagated as 'solutions' for the water industry's failure to satisfy demand. Gillian Courage Cheltenham, Gloucestershire SIR – If a fraction of the money splurged on carbon capture and storage, wind farms, solar farms and grid upgrades had been spent on insulation, flood defences and water storage we would be in a far better place than we are now. Jonathan Carr Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Watch: Luis Enrique joins fight between Chelsea and PSG after Club World Cup final
Luis Enrique, the manager of Paris St-Germain, swung for Joao Pedro, the Chelsea forward as a fight broke out at the end of the Club World Cup final. Chelsea were the surprise winners of the competition, thoroughly outplaying their French opponents in New York. The match was watched by Donald Trump, who joined the Chelsea celebrations at full time. The scenes at the final whistle were unsavoury, however, as both sets of players clashed. The PSG goalkeeper, Gianluigi Donnarumma, also appeared to be in the middle of the fracas. The match is over… but the tempers aren't 👀 Tensions were boiling after full-time. GLOBAL HOME OF FOOTBALL | Live All Summer Long | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #CHEPSG — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) July 13, 2025 The match itself had not been played in notably poor spirits, although Joao Neves, the PSG midfielder, was sent off ten minutes from the end for pulling the hair of Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella.
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Rayner's employment law forcing ‘stealth tax' on workers
's employment law reforms will act as a £5 billion 'stealth tax' on workers, a report has warned. The Deputy Prime Minister is planning a raft of reforms that will make it easier for workers to strike and introduce new 'day-one' rights against unfair dismissal and zero-hours contracts. But they will also work to suppress wages, effectively taxing employees by increasing costs for their bosses, according to analysis by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). The think tank said smaller pay rises will equate to a £5 billion 'stealth payroll tax', based on the Government's own impact assessment of the cost on workers. Business groups have already raised the alarm over the reforms, which they say will make firms more reluctant to hire workers. The Employment Rights Bill, which returns to the Commons on Monday, contains measures to make it easier for workers to form unions and launch strike action. Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary, said they would result in 1970s-style union militancy and hammer struggling businesses. 'Labour's love-in with the unions is dragging Britain back to the worst economic mistakes of the 1970s,' he said. 'The so-called Employment Rights Bill is nothing more than a Trojan horse for union power and state interference. 'Far from protecting workers, it will price people out of jobs, deterring investment and sending small businesses to the wall.' In June, the Conservatives pledged to scrap the Bill if they return to office, warning the plans would 'grind our economy to a halt'. The IEA's report, by Prof J.R. Shackleton, argues that the plans will 'put the public through the wringer' and 'extort more pay from the government – which means, of course, the taxpayer'. The Telegraph understands the workers' rights plan has already been the subject of dispute between Ms Rayner and the Treasury, which is concerned about the impact on business confidence and economic growth. The Office for Budget Responsibility, Britain's independent fiscal watchdog, has said they will have a 'probably net negative' impact on a range of economic indicators, including employment, prices, and productivity. The Government's impact assessment found that the reforms will result in £5 billion higher costs for businesses, which the IEA said would be passed to workers in the form of lower wages. Ms Rayner has argued that the new rules will boost living standards, giving the public an 'upgrade to our growth prospects and the reforms our economy so desperately needs'. 'Billions in hidden costs' The professor of economics at the University of Buckingham said: 'Politicians love to announce new employment 'rights' because they think employers pay the bill – but that's an illusion. 'Every mandate, from parental leave to holiday entitlements, acts like a stealth tax that gets passed back to workers through smaller pay rises than they would otherwise receive. The only difference is that no money is raised for the Exchequer,' said Prof Shackleton. 'The Employment Rights Bill will make this much worse, imposing billions in hidden costs that workers will ultimately bear themselves. 'The Government is not protecting workers – it is harming them and undermining its own alleged number one priority to boost economic growth.' A government spokesman said: 'Too many workers are trapped in insecure, low-paid work, with weak protections that are poorly enforced. 'Through our transformative Plan for Change, this government will deliver the biggest upgrade to workers' rights in a generation, contributing to economic growth, and our measures have strong support from businesses and the public.'
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Viktor Gyokeres' agent waives fee for brokering deal between Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon
Arsenal's long search for a centre-forward is almost over, with the club on the brink an agreement with Sporting CP to sign Viktor Gyokeres. The two clubs are finalising a transfer that is expected to be worth an initial £55 million, with a further £8.5 million in potential add-ons. The breakthrough has come after the striker's agent agreed to waive his cut of the deal, which is thought to be about £6 million. On Sunday night, the clubs were working on the final terms of the add-ons. It emerged last week that Arsenal were prioritising a move for Gyokeres ahead of other attacking targets such as RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins. Gyokeres, the former Brighton and Coventry City forward, had made it clear that he wanted to move to north London by not reporting for pre-season training over the past few days. The increasingly fractious relationship between Sporting and Gyokeres has made the deal more complicated for Andrea Berta, Arsenal's sporting director. Last month, the Sporting president said he would not bow down to 'blackmail and insults' amid claims that Gyokeres believed a gentleman's agreement had been disrespected. The Sweden international has been a sensation in Portugal, scoring 97 goals in 102 matches since moving from Coventry in the summer of 2023. A new striker was Arsenal's top priority for this transfer window after they were unable to close deals for Sesko a year ago and Watkins in January. Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus meant that Mikel Arteta deployed midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift No 9 in the second half of last season. If Arsenal complete deals for Gyokeres and Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, who is set to sign for the club in the coming days, it would take their summer transfer spending to more than £170 million. Gyokeres and Madueke would join midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard as new arrivals. Arsenal have also signed goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for £5 million.
