• Comedian, 80, faces possible 15 to 30 years in prison after trial
  
• Verdict in 2004 incident follows dozens of accusations against Cosby

In a verdict that seemed destined to stand as a major milestone in the #MeToo movement against sexual assault, the once beloved actor and comedian Bill Cosby was convicted by a Pennsylvania jury on Thursday of drugging and molesting an acquaintance in 2004.

The jury announced its verdict after fewer than two days of deliberation. Cosby, 80, faces a possible maximum prison sentence of 15 to 30 years.

Home secretary urged to quit as she promises to ditch targets she told MPs had not been set

Amber Rudd has vowed to scrap Home Office targets for removing people from Britain, after a chaotic 24 hours where she was summoned to the House of Commons to admit officials did have targets for departures, having previously denied their existence.

The home secretary was hauled back in front of MPs on Thursday to answer an urgent question from Labour’s Diane Abbott, after documents revealed targets had previously been set for voluntary removals.

US president will not receive full fanfare of state visit in one-day trip on Friday 13 July

Donald Trump will make a “working visit” to the UK on Friday 13 July, the UK and US have both confirmed, with the US president set to meet the Queen during the trip.

The visit, which will take place immediately after a Nato summit in Brussels, will include bilateral talks with Theresa May, according to Britain’s ambassador to the US.

Home secretary had appeared to leave open the possibility of remaining in customs union during lunch with lobby journalists

Amber Rudd has been forced to issue a hasty clarification after appearing to hold out the possibility that Britain could remain in a customs union with the EU after Brexit.

At a lunch with journalists in Westminster, which took place as MPs were debating the issue in the House of Commons, the home secretary was asked if she would vote to stay in in a customs union if she were still a backbencher.

The 39-year-old says she is expecting a baby in October after undergoing IVF treatment

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson, has announced that she is 13 weeks pregnant with her first child.

The 39-year-old said she and her partner, Jen Wilson, were delighted to be expecting a baby in October after undergoing IVF treatment.

Health service chief calls for affordable access to CAR-T, which modifies immune system to destroy cancer cells

The NHS is preparing to fast-track a “game-changing” cancer treatment into hospitals, its chief executive has said, calling for the manufacturers to help by setting an affordable price.

Simon Stevens said CAR-T therapy, which has been licensed in the US but not yet in the UK, could be approved for use this year. The treatments, which are hugely expensive, work by genetically engineering the patient’s immune system’s killer T-cells to recognise and destroy cancer cells.

Swedish star remembered as ‘sensitive guy’ who was not made for the music business

The family of the Swedish DJ Avicii, who was found dead last week, have released a statement saying he “could not go on any longer” and “he wanted to find peace”.

Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, was found dead in Muscat, Oman, on Friday. Omani police said no evidence of foul play had been found, although the cause of death has not been announced.

Police say 15 rescued and one still missing from group hiking south of Dead Sea

Nine Israeli teenagers who were hiking south of the Dead Sea have been killed by flash floods, Israel’s rescue service said.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 25 students in a pre-army course were “caught off guard” near Arava in southern Israel and some were “washed away” by heavy rains. He said 15 hikers were rescued and one was still missing. Eight of those killed were men and one was a woman; they were all 18.

After intense legal battle over life support, family offers to work with medical team on palliative care plan

The father of 23-month-old Alfie Evans, who is at the centre of a life-support treatment battle, has said he wants to build bridges with hospital staff.

Making a statement outside Alder Hey children’s hospital, where his son is being treated, Tom Evans thanked staff “for their dignity and professionalism” and acknowledged the legal battle must have been an “incredibly difficult time” for them.

British film director asks if Charles Michel had examined the evidence before accusing him of anti-Jewish comments

Ken Loach has responded with fury at a hastily convened press conference to a suggestion by the Belgian prime minister that a leading university was wrong to honour him following complaints that it had overlooked allegations of antisemitism.

An hour before the 81-year-old British director received his honorary degree from the free university of Brussels (ULB) on Thursday, he told reporters he could not allow Charles Michel’s comments to go unanswered.