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Trump defends Amy Acton's estranged mother, who stayed with her husband charged with raping her daughter, and touts Vivek Ramaswamy's well coordinated' attack ad

Student List movement hopes to oust the party of veteran leader Aleksandar Vucic in a pivotal vote on Sunday

Australian of the Year would become the first astronaut in space to qualify under the Australian flag if she embarks on the 2028 mission

NSW supreme court judge otherwise dismisses case brought by film's co-producers and awards Wilson almost $400,000 after star countersuedAustralian A-lister Rebel Wilson has secured a major court victory after co-producers of her debut film accused her of sabotage, lying and breaching contracts.The Pitch Perfect star directed, co-produced and starred in The Deb, a musical comedy that became the battleground for multiple legal battles in Australia and the US. Continue reading...

Violent storms overnight knocked over utility poles and trees and carried thunder and heavy winds through stateYet more severe weather struck Thursday in the US south-west as the Four Corners region surveyed blown-away roofs, trees knocked on to homes and power lines downed from overnight tornadoes that injured one person.The injuries weren't life-threatening but rare for an area better known for scalding heat. But this fall has been unusually soggy in the south-west with El Nino conditions that have sent one tropical system after another in from the Pacific, causing the Grand Canyon and surrounding deserts to rage with floods. Continue reading...

Caricom commission chair Hilary Beckles wants king to ensure Commonwealth becomes a moral institution committed to human justice'The head of the Caribbean's reparations commission has appealed to King Charles III as a human brother" whose family he said had benefited from slavery to support reparations talks at next month's Commonwealth leaders meeting in the Caribbean.Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in Antigua and Barbuda next month, professor Hilary Beckles urged the king to use his influence to advance slavery reparations talks between Britain and the Caribbean. Continue reading...

CQC research finds long delays are making conditions harder to treat and highlights regional disparities in careThousands of children in England are experiencing some of the sharpest rises in waiting times for healthcare in the history of the NHS, a report has revealed.While some adult waiting times have improved, children and young people are being hit hardest" amid soaring demand and falling numbers of staff, according to the annual state of care report by the Care Quality Commission. Continue reading...

PM pledges commitment to address climate crisis, saying in Guardian article that his determination is unwavering'

Aisha Zaman, 27, charged with two firearms offences after incident in city centre on SundayA 27-year-old woman has been charged after a police officer was shot while attending an incident in Nottingham.Aisha Zaman, from the Hyson Green area of the city, has been charged with possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of that firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence. Continue reading...

PM will also announce funding for specialised protective gear and the deployment of military aircraftThe UK government is to create an AI Cobra unit to spot wildfires after this year's record-breaking summer saw devastating blazes across the country.The country experienced its hottest-ever summer this year, with prolonged dry periods and extreme heat fuelling wildfires that triggered an emergency alert to mobile phones in England and Wales. Figures released on 8 October showed a clear upward trend in the number of fires recorded each year. Continue reading...

Singer who has had record-breaking Brit awards success adds to haul thanks to massively ambitious big-band albumRaye is the winner of the 2026 Mercury prize, for her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope.Her win - for a hugely ambitious 73-minute record that spanned big band jazz, power balladry, funk and more - caps an ongoing renaissance for a British singer who at one point was in the doldrums, lashing out publicly at her record label for not letting her release a studio album. Continue reading...

Actors in the mix to play 007 in Denis Villeneuve's installment include Callum Turner and Jack LowdenThe search for the next James Bond may finally be nearing its end: according to reports, a very select group of actors will screen-test to become the next British agent 007 this weekend.According to the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, citing several sources, a group of actors reportedly including Callum Turner and Slow Horses' Jack Lowden, will appear in front of cameras as the secret agent this weekend in London. Continue reading...

Regulators say removing unnecessary burdens' will save businesses about 2bn over 10 yearsThe UK is watering down rules introduced in the aftermath of the financial crisis that were designed to hold City bosses accountable for wrongdoing.The plans, put forward by the financial industry's two top regulators, the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), include a reduction in reporting for lower-level misconduct" and would also free 140,000 managers from extra checks. Continue reading...

Political candidates' once reflexive support for Israel has increasingly become a liabilityWhen the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the most prominent pro-Israel lobby group in the US, announced on Wednesday that it would stop endorsing candidates or make direct contributions to them, its many critics were quick to hail the development as Aipac's admission of how toxic its brand had become.The announcement marked a significant reversal that underscored just how profoundly US public opinion of Israel has shifted over the latest war in Gaza, and how political candidates' once reflexive support for Israel has increasingly become a liability. Continue reading...

Be Ready campaign aims to prepare UK for impact of climate crisis, technological dependency and threats by hostile stateEvery Briton is being urged to stock up to nine litres of bottled water and three days' worth of food in new government guidance designed to ensure that households can survive a weather, cyber or other serious emergency.The Be Ready campaign is aimed at persuading people to stock up with supplies to last 72 hours, amid growing official concern about the impact of the climate crisis, technological dependency and hostile state threats. Continue reading...

Miatta Fahnbulleh says reference to awkward' interview was meant to be lighthearted and self-deprecatingThe energy secretary has been forced to clarify that she backs Shabana Mahmood's migration policy, after earlier joking that she had not been able to lie" about supporting a key element of the changes.Miatta Fahnbulleh made the original remarks to a journalists' event in Westminster, referring to an awkward" Sky News interview in which she repeatedly refused to say she was in favour of plans to make foreign workers wait 15 years to get permanent residency. Continue reading...

Stage show based on late singer reportedly set to feature her best-loved songs with involvement from her father MitchA musical based on Amy Winehouse is in development for London's West End.The project is still in early stages with Catherine Schreiber, a Tony award-winning producer (Cabaret, Rent), attached to the project, according to Variety. Casting is reported to currently be under way. Continue reading...

Far-right activist says he used private investigators to track down journalists but denies trying to intimidate themThe far-right activist Tommy Robinson has told his harassment trial that he used private investigators to track down journalists who had written about his alleged role in the 2024 riots, and had photos taken of their homes to put pressure" on them.Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, denied in court that his actions, which included sharing photos of the wife and daughter of one of the journalists, were designed to intimidate and bully. Continue reading...

With ICE arrests and detentions at their highest levels, immigration remains a key issue for voters less than two weeks before election day.

At 3pm BST / 4pm CEST Friday 23 Oct, Guardian Europe columnists Rokhaya Diallo and Alexander Hurst will be live taking questions from our readers about the riots and protests in France. Send your questions by email now to conversations@theguardian.com, or join the discussion on FridayAfter weeks of protests and a weekend of riots in which a town hall was set ablaze, 2,000-plus shops were looted, 2,300 people were arrested and 1,000 police injured, the repercussions for France - for its society and its economy - continue. Allegations of police brutality surfaced, and the violent protests unnerved investors, resulting in a debt sell-off, with borrowing costs rising higher than for Greece. All of this ahead of a hotly contested presidential election that's now just six months away.The French government's escalating financial problems were covered by the Guardian's Europe correspondent Jon Henley who wrote: France's national debt, at 119% of GDP, is at its highest level since 1946. Its budget deficit, at 5.1%, is also among the highest in the EU. There is just no money in the bank to ease the cost of living squeeze that brought 550,000 people on to the streets on Saturday." Continue reading...

Parents, colleagues and others encouraged her to go to police but she feared she would not be believedA woman told her mother that Russell Brand had raped her and didn't stop even when she screamed out in pain", a court has heard.The woman also told a colleague she was bleeding everywhere" and that Brand had shouted at her, saying, Look what you've done to my fucking sheets", Southwark crown court heard on Thursday. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Sasan Ghandehari's partnership with religious foundation raises questions about past dealings with republic criticised by Nigel FarageNigel Farage's newest billionaire donor was in business with a powerful Iranian religious foundation under the authority of the country's supreme leader, raising questions about his past dealings with the hardline republic.Hossein Ghandehari, also called Sasan, was little known in the UK until he pledged to give millions to Reform UK this summer and donated 50,000 to Farage to cover the cost of two passes for the Davos World Economic Forum. Continue reading...

French president will decide on concrete next steps' regarding demonstrations on Friday as part of tough security response to recent rioting

Some 32 government services are offline while work is carried out to address potential cybersecurity issues, a minister has said

Experts say Russia is trying to destroy energy infrastructure before winter and US appeasement and flattery' will not achieve peace

Charities say tip of iceberg' figures show government is not fulfilling pledge to halve violence against women and girlsAlmost one in 10 adults in England and Wales have experienced domestic abuse in the last year, a survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has found.The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) found that 9.6% of people aged 16 and over had experienced domestic abuse in the last year - which equates to about 4.7 million people. Continue reading...

The PM is heard having a long discussion about crisps in the trailer to the show, which is in aid of Stand Up To CancerFrom ranking his favourite crisps in the pub to complaining about people watching TikToks out loud on the train, Andy Burnham has made efforts to show he has the common touch.Now he will become the first prime minister to appear on the popular TV show Gogglebox, in a special charity episode on Friday. Continue reading...

The social media personality denies allegations he gave a girl alcohol until she was drunk and sexually assaulted herThe looksmaxxing" livestreamer Braden Peters, better known by his stage name Clavicular, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he raped a 17-year-old girl at his family's Massachusetts home.A social media personality known for promoting extreme devotion to male beauty, Peters, 20, is accused of giving the girl alcohol until she was drunk and then sexually assaulting her when she visited him in Chatham, on Cape Cod, in May 2025. Continue reading...

Fears over lack of scrutiny for key sectors as health editor position also to go in cuts aimed at saving 5.5mThe BBC will no longer have a dedicated education editor as part of a cost-cutting drive in which 100 jobs are to go across BBC News under a plan that school leaders described as deeply regrettable".BBC staff have been told that the roles of education editor and social affairs editor are to be combined into a single position as part of a round of changes that will save 5.5m. However, prominent unions and campaigners are saying the reform will dilute scrutiny of two specialisms that are too important to go without a dedicated BBC role. Continue reading...

John Lawrence Smart charged with being armed in a way that may cause fear but Perth lawyer expresses concern for mental health

Assessment finds global heating is endangering 96% of coral reefs across 80 countries - a figure scientists say should serve as a wake-up call'

Exclusive: British Chambers of Commerce president tells PM to level the playing field' for struggling high streets

Kim Aris says hearing her voice again means more than words can express' amid loosening of detention restrictionsThe son of Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi has been allowed to speak to the detained former democratic leader for the first time in more than five years.Today, I was finally able to speak with my mother, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, after more than five years. Hearing her voice again means more than words can express," Kim Aris said in a post on Facebook on Thursday. Continue reading...

Supermarket urges government not to further aggravate' pressure on costs for businesses in next week's budgetSainsbury's has warned of a pretty challenging" market in the run-up to Christmas as households are finding it tough" and food producers face rising costs.Simon Roberts, the chief executive of the UK's second biggest supermarket, called on the government not to further aggravate" pressure on costs for business in this month's budget. He said it was important this government does not repeat what we have seen in previous budgets" in raising business rates and employers' national insurance contributions. That's been really hard," he said. Continue reading...

Each place, selected from longlist of nine, will be given 125,000 to develop bids before winner is announced in new yearBlackpool, Sheffield, Milton Keynes and Wrexham have been shortlisted to be the UK city of culture 2029, an award viewed as a way to boost local economies, foster civic pride and, above all, have some fun.The four places were chosen from a longlist of nine and each will be given 125,000 to develop their bids before the winner is announced in the new year. Continue reading...

Agency declines to reveal in which state latest measles death occurred as it delays reporting other measles deathsThe US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added a third measles death to its dashboard on Wednesday, but the agency would not reveal whether the death occurred in Pennsylvania or another state - which is notable" as the agency delays reporting other measles deaths, experts say.The CDC cited privacy laws in not sharing the name of the state, but experts say there are no privacy concerns in doing so - and this information is important for the public to have as the outbreak continues accelerating, growing by 8% in one week to 4,410 confirmed cases so far this year, nearly double last year's count. Continue reading...

Democrats believe circumstances have aligned for them to win a slew of competitive elections in the stateMary Peltola's campaign to represent Alaska in the US Senate has taken her to parts of the massive state's interior that are inaccessible by road and on the frontlines of the cost-of-living crisis she hopes will make her the first Democrat to win the seat in nearly two decades.She has been to towns where paper towels retail for $40, a half gallon of oat milk goes for $21 and the cost of a new freezer can be quadruple what it is in the state's largest city, Anchorage, simply because it's so complicated to get there. Along the Arctic Ocean, she's heard of communities where power bills have climbed to $1,500 a month because they rely on generators for power and the Iran war has pushed the cost of diesel to new heights. Continue reading...

CCTV footage shows the police officer buying fast food, attending hospital, and visiting three separate Bunnings stores in the days after the alleged murder

Perth man charged with being armed in a way that may cause fear' - days after Helen Haines was allegedly attacked with 4WD outside her Victorian office

Accommodation platform acts after long-standing guest complaints over doing dishes, taking out rubbish and stripping bedsAirbnb hosts will no longer be able to ask guests to strip beds or wash dishes under the accommodation platform's new rules.The changes, which apply to Airbnb reservations covered by the platform's global policy, including bookings in Australia, will come into effect on 20 November and limit chores imposed on guests. Continue reading...

Test yourself on topical news trivia, pop culture and general knowledge every Thursday. How will you fare?The Thursday quiz is aware of standard international units of time, such as the Liz Truss (49 days) and the Scaramucci (11 days). Now a new unit of measurement has entered the chat: the Zacharia (five days). But whatever arbitrary length of time the world invents to measure chaos, political downfalls or social media meltdowns, the Thursday news quiz remains resolutely fixed. It is always seven days apart, unwavering, inescapable and ultimately reliable. Which means, once again, it is time for some questions on topical news, pop culture and general knowledge, with no prizes on offer except pride. Or shame. Allons-y!The Thursday news quiz, No 270 Continue reading...

Andy Burnham advertises for policy experts in technology, economic growth and cost-of-living challengesAndy Burnham is to recruit a number of advisers to plug gaps in No 10, including an expert on how AI will affect society.The roles advertised by Downing Street give a glimpse into the biggest challenges facing the prime minister - and what he has decided to prioritise. Continue reading...

Grocer launches Cricklewood store as part of 1bn investment plan, with Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, to follow next monthAs part of a 1bn investment plan, Waitrose has chosen Cricklewood in north London as the location for its first supermarket in eight years.The upmarket grocer will open the store on Thursday and another supermarket in Hale Barns, Greater Manchester, next month. It also plans four smaller stores next year, including a supermarket in Oakham, Rutland, and three convenience stores in Bedminster (Bristol), Chalk Farm (London) and Springstead Village (Cambridge). Continue reading...

Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, issues warning after inspecting border fortifications against backdrop of rising tensionsPropaganda loudspeakers aimed at South Korea will be ready to restart within days along the entire border, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has said amid a worsening of ties between the two countries.The statement, carried by the state news agency KCNA on Thursday, came a day after she said the loudspeakers would be in operation along the whole border from some time in October. Continue reading...

Swimming banned at Maroubra and Coogee while council prioritises culturally respectful' approach to remains

Antiques store owner, 74, pleads guilty to 13 charges after regulator uncovers hundreds of animals at his home and shop

Former reality star and wellness influencer stands accused of choking and assaulting wife at Noosa in Queensland

Leaders criticised for spreading misleading information as France prepares for further protests this weekendEmmanuel Macron has accused Donald Trump and other foreign leaders of making stupid comments" about France's street unrest for political gain, as the country prepared for more protests this weekend.Speaking during a visit to Qatar, the French president did not name names but said manipulation of information" after Saturday's riots had led to comments that are as unacceptable as they are stupid, from many people, including foreign leaders". Continue reading...

Home and office safety a common concern in Australian federal police and Asio safety briefings with politicians following alleged attack on MP Helen Haines