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Four astronauts pulled up at International Space Station after eight-hour express flight led by Jessica WatkinsFour astronauts pulled up at the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday after launching on an eight-hour express that set a US speed record, and that created further history with the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit.SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her crew for Nasa after a three-week delay to fix their Dragon capsule's leaking fuel system. Thick clouds threatened all morning to halt the countdown but skies cleared enough to allow a safe liftoff from Cape Canaveral at 11.10am (1510 GMT). Continue reading...

NSW police allege the men, aged 18, 19 and 20, broke into homes in Arncliffe and Bankstown this week before assaulting the women aged 31 and 32

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Lamarre-Condon asked fellow officer if Paul Thijssen would have gotten away with' James's murder if he hadn't subsequently killed himself

Latin America correspondent Tom Phillips reports on this Sunday's historic presidential elections in Brazil, as the son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro hopes to take powerYou would have been forgiven for thinking that when Jair Bolsonaro was convicted in September 2025 of attempting a coup, his political career was finished and his legacy forever tainted.But in the first round of Brazil's presidential elections this Sunday, another Bolsonaro has genuine hopes of victory - not Jair, but his son Flavio, who ialso campaigning to have his father released released. Continue reading...

EU Copernicus report shows surface air temperatures from June to August were 2.5C above decadal averageThe scorching heat that persistently baked western Europe this summer was the worst on record, a report has found, with more than half the continent seared by very strong" heat stress that felt hotter than 38C.Surface air temperatures in western Europe from June to August were 2.5C above the recent decadal average, according to an update from the EU's Copernicus climate monitoring service on Friday, while milder but still deadly heat across the rest of the continent made the summer Europe's third hottest on record. Continue reading...

Officials in Wyoming had called notion to host game in Grand Teton national park deeply unwelcome'Major League Baseball (MLB) leadership is no longer considering holding a game inside a national park, according to a letter commissioner Robert Manfred sent to officials in Teton county, Wyoming, on Thursday in what could be the league's biggest swing-and-a-miss off the diamond.On 26 September, the Washington Post reported that MLB had reached out to the White House about staging a one-day game at Grand Teton national park in Wyoming. Teton county describes itself as a a year-round resort community" and sits within the Jackson Hole valley. It's also a habitat for grizzly bears, osprey, bison and more. Continue reading...

Migration agents and lawyers selling false hope' to people seeking to stay in Australia also in government's sights as it seeks to reduce overseas arrivalsVisa hopping" international students, migration agents and lawyers trying to game" the migration system will be targeted by the government, as Labor unveils a further crackdown.The changes announced on Friday mean international students will soon need to apply for a separate visa to transfer courses, on top of previously announced rules that prevent transferring to a lower grade course, such as switching from a bachelor or masters' degree to a vocational program. Continue reading...

Russia's foreign ministry had called planned shows unacceptable due to rapper's glorification' of Adolf HitlerTwo sold-out shows that Kanye West was due to play in Russia have been cancelled after weeks of confusion, organisers have confirmed.The US rapper, who now goes by the name Ye, had been due to perform at the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg on 10 and 11 October.Press Association contributed to this report Continue reading...

Rock band will still tour the UK, Europe and US over the next year but say decision to fall dormant' feels liberating'The British rock band Enter Shikari have announced they will go on hiatus at the end of 2027, a decision that may result in the band's extinction".The St Albans band, who formed in 1999 as Hybryd, are due to tour the UK in November, Europe and the US next year, and said they hoped to play some of their favourite places one last time". Continue reading...

After five years of work, 5,750 panels of toughened glass will help keep hundred of plants safe from Scottish winters - but more work needs to be doneIn the early autumn sunlight, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh's extensive plant collection appears safe in their glass enclosures. But danger lurks from above for the tropical ferns, cycads and rare alpine heathers.Soon the September sunshine will give way to the storms and gales of the Scottish winter, which can bring hundreds of glass panels crashing to the greenhouse floor on the windiest days. Nobody is allowed inside when the wind is above 30mph. Continue reading...

Planned rule change forms part of Burnham's bid to crack down on the little charges that add up'Airlines will be blocked from charging parents extra to sit with their children on planes, according to government plans.The new rule would require airlines to seat passengers aged under 14 next to their parents or an accompanying adult free of charge. Passengers will also no longer need to pay to tweak the name on their flight booking if they need to correct a mistake. Continue reading...

More than $237m will be distributed to drivers over firm labeling them independent contractors and not employeesLyft agreed to pay the state of California $272.5m on Thursday to settle claims that it stole drivers' wages by mislabeling them as independent contractors rather than employees.Rob Bonta, California's attorney general, called the agreement a landmark win for workers" and said it was the largest settlement involving wage theft claims in the state's history. Continue reading...

PM has praised Abu Dhabi group as huge partner' in reshaping Manchester, but critics say this ignores public cost of city's transformationIn July 2016, the Manchester City player Yaya Toure ambled into a small bar near Beijing's Workers' Stadium and offered a bemused smile as dozens of Chinese fans rushed towards him.Manchester City had just won their sixth trophy under the big-spending ownership of Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group and the blues were international megastars. They were also magnets for investment. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Plan under discussion involves intensive support to help young people into employmentMinisters are working up sweeping plans for welfare changes including scrapping a key disability benefit for under-25s and replacing it with a multibillion-pound package of support to get into work, the Guardian has learned.Whitehall sources said the package of changes under debate was much bigger than previously thought, as Andy Burnham's government hopes to persuade more people on benefits back into work. Continue reading...

Jorge Messias calls Guardian report an important alert for Brazilian sovereignty' as nation prepares to go to pollsBrazil's attorney general has said foreign meddling in his country's institutions and democracy cannot be tolerated" after a Guardian report revealed how the Trump administration was pushing to direct funds to a campaign against the Brazilian supreme court.Writing on X, Jorge Messias called the report an important alert for Brazilian sovereignty". The information is especially serious in light of Brazil's electoral process and the recent episodes of external pressure on our institutions," Messias added. Continue reading...

Chancellor faces global volatility and soaring energy costs as some insiders worry lack of clarity could trigger fresh market shockSenior Labour figures are privately voicing unease about John Healey's approach to his crucial first budget this month, against the backdrop of volatile global markets and soaring energy costs.The chancellor's work has been made significantly harder by the global bond sell-off, which continues to raise the cost of government borrowing, and ever increasing energy prices as Donald Trump continues the US war with Iran. Continue reading...

The former marketing executive is expected to play a big role in promoting the UK and could be the most influential spouse in No 10 in yearsSarah Brown called Gordon her hero, Samantha Cameron insisted David was incredibly funny", while Akshata Murty said Rishi was her best friend. When Marie-France van Heel spoke about her husband, Andy Burnham, in a rare public interview a decade ago, she joked that she had noticed his good looks ... and monobrow".The spousal humanising of a party leader is a well-worn political tool, but van Heel is likely to be a very different prime ministerial partner. The former senior marketing executive is poised to play a more significant role in promoting Britain than any other spouse in the last two decades, stepping up her political engagements after stepping back from her own corporate career. Continue reading...

Counter-terrorism police arrest 27-year-old in Westminster, while second man questioned under cautionDetectives have arrested a dual UK-Iranian national on suspicion of terrorism offences as part of an investigation into a suspected plot near RAF Fairford.Counter-terrorism police said the 27-year-old man was arrested on Thursday in Westminster on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006. Continue reading...

Ministers discuss drawing down EU countries' reserves after Donald Trump threatens to cut off US suppliesBritain is in talks with European allies over releasing emergency diesel stockpiles after Donald Trump threatened to cut off US supplies of the fuel.Ministers held calls with counterparts from the European Commission, Germany, France, Italy and Ireland on Thursday to discuss whether to draw down reserves after the Trump administration told Germany and France to release their stockpiles to help ease soaring global energy prices or face a US export ban. Continue reading...

The president said it was a warning if any countries were considering an attack on RussiaThe EU Commission, France, Italy, Ireland and Britain are holding a call on the possible need to release diesel stocks, an EU official said, as reported by Reuters.A Commission spokesperson had earlier declined direct comment on reports that the Trump administration has told Germany and France to draw down emergency diesel inventories to help to ease global fuel prices or face a potential US diesel export ban. Continue reading...

A spokesperson said those responsible should face the appropriate consequences' if there is wrongdoingJust as a reminder of why prisoners are being released early, here is an explainer by Jamie Grierson which sets out how the scheme works, why it was introduced and the changes made by Burnham's government:Jamie writes:The Labour government says it inherited a prison system on the brink of collapse, with fewer than 100 spaces left in the summer of 2024. No 10 says a lack of investment in the prison estate, with just 500 net places added over a decade, has led to a situation where adult male prisons are now at 98% capacity. It says the steps are necessary while it builds capacity. Continue reading...

Jessica Watkins, the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit, is making her second trip to the space stationFour astronauts rocketed into orbit on Thursday on a space station mission that will stretch until spring, among them a Canadian whose wife will give birth while he is away.SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her crew for Nasa after a three-week delay to fix the capsule's leaking fuel system. Thick clouds threatened all morning to halt the countdown but in the end, the skies cleared enough to allow for a safe liftoff. Continue reading...

Collaboration regarded as really big thing' for retailer in some quarters despite backlash around designer's antisemitic remarks in 2011A month after it was announced that a planned exhibition dedicated to fashion designer John Galliano at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art would not proceed, his debut collection for fast fashion company Zara has been released.Called Re{form}, it was, according to a press release, authored by the couturier John Galliano. Built from our memory. Made for now." Continue reading...

Alternative ways being used to move fuel out of Gulf region, but flows of refined products such as diesel still constrainedExports of crude from the strait of Hormuz have largely returned to levels seen before the outbreak of the Iran war, as oil producers and the shipping industry have found alternative ways of transporting crucial fuel out of the Middle East.Pipeline exports and ship-to-ship transfers are among the methods being used, according to analysts tracking the situation, while the US military continues to escort some vessels. However, flows of refined products such as diesel remain constrained, pushing prices higher. Continue reading...

Supermodel was disqualified from role in 2024 after Charity Commission accused her of misusing funds and abdicating responsibilitiesNaomi Campbell has won a legal challenge to overturn a five-year ban on being a charity trustee after judges found she was unaware of serious misconduct at the charity she set up and helped oversee for several years.In 2024, the 56-year-old supermodel was disqualified from being a charity trustee for five years after the Charity Commission - which regulates charities in England and Wales - found mismanagement of funds at Fashion for Relief, which she founded. Continue reading...

Reform UK leader tells supporters PM's move has opened up a huge flank to us'

Alleged flydubai attacker interrogated by Saudi security services as investigation into apparent crash attempt opensThe Omani co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an apparent attempt to crash an Israel-bound flight from Dubai had previously undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and was suicidal, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has claimed.Israeli passengers intervened to stop the attack on Wednesday, restraining the co-pilot, while a reserve crew in the plane was able to stabilise the plummeting plane and ultimately land it safely in Saudi Arabia. Continue reading...

Melbourne researchers behind previous BV transmission breakthrough turn attention to understanding why some cases are harder to cureAustralian scientists have identified two contributors to recurrent bacterial vaginosis infections, a common sexual health condition that affects about one in four women globally.The condition, commonly called BV, is characterised by an imbalance of naturally occurring bacteria in the vagina, in which there is a reduction of good" bacteria and an overgrowth of other mixed bacteria. Continue reading...

Decision follows independent review into handling of February ceremony, where his involuntary tics caused a BBC crisisJohn Davidson, the Tourette syndrome campaigner whose outburst at the British Academy film awards in February led to a crisis for Bafta (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and the BBC, will attend the Bafta Scotland awards and watch the ceremony from a separate relaxed" space.In a letter sent to Bafta members on Thursday, the organisation's chair Sara Putt and CEO Jane Millichip said that, after an independent review, Bafta had strengthened and centralised our safeguarding, risk assessment and compliance processes" and had made arrangements in consultation with safeguarding and inclusion experts" for Davidson's attendance at the awards ceremony organised by Bafta's Scottish branch, which is due to take place in November. Continue reading...

London schoolgirl's father taught her to play when she was five, and three years later she beat former British championOver the weekend, 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest person ever to hold the title of woman grandmaster at the Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan while playing on a car booster seat so she could reach the board. By Tuesday morning she was back at school in north London for a design and technology lesson.Bodhana has to juggle the competing pressures of being an international chess sensation with the more ordinary challenges of childhood and her first term at secondary school. Continue reading...

Driver of East Midlands train, who died in June crash, received automatic warning after passing red light but train continued to accelerateThe train that ran into the back of another in the Bedford rail crash sped up after the driver received a warning that he had passed a red light, rail investigators have reported.The driver of the East Midlands train, who died in the crash in June, acknowledged the automatic warning but did not appear to act after passing a danger signal that was rarely ever red. Continue reading...

Critics noted that the plan does not discuss Israel; others praised it for not conflating Jews with the state of IsraelWhen the New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, announced the city's first-ever municipal strategy to address antisemitism - a nuanced, multi-pronged approach ranging from greater security measures for synagogues to an increased focus on Jewish history in public school education - critics were quick to note what the 33-page document does not mention at all: Israel.Israel has played an outsized role in Mamdani's campaign and since his election, with the mayor standing by his years-long support for Palestinians, and frequently describing Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal. Continue reading...

Credible threats appear to have been overlooked as administration focuses on unverified claims of voter fraudThe Trump administration has abandoned key security bodies meant to investigate direct threats to US elections by foreign actors and domestic terrorists, according to former officials and a recent report.While administration officials have been actively focused on unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud by noncitizens, other credible election threats appear to have been overlooked, the officials say. Continue reading...

Christa Pike, sentenced to death over 1995 murder, was heard snoring 40 minutes after lethal doses administered, witnesses saidA Tennessee woman convicted of murdering a schoolmate 30 years ago has been taken to hospital after surviving two attempts to execute her with lethal injections.Witnesses reported that Christa Pike was still breathing despite the injections intended to kill her late on Wednesday. It was the second botched execution in Tennessee this year. Continue reading...

Designer showcases wool alternatives and ocean-inspired clothes and says kindness requires real work'Stella McCartney has been talking about animal rights at fashion week for 30 years. She is usually a lone voice, but the issue is back in the headlines this season. Outcry over the physical restraining of a Peta protester at a catwalk show by Steven Kolb, the president of New York fashion week's governing body, has put cruelty in wool production - previously considered niche compared to the hot button topic of fur - on the news agenda.There is no wool on the runway this season, and I'm proud of that," McCartney said after her show. She has been working on wool alternatives, including Brewed Protein, a fermented alternative to cashmere and wool developed in collaboration with the Japanese biotech firm Spiber, which was first used in her collections a year ago. Continue reading...

Greens sources say the relationship between new leader David Shoebridge and runner-up Mehreen Faruqi is seriously strained

Two people from Sydney were on board flight to Tel Aviv that was dramatically diverted to Saudi Arabia after one pilot allegedly stabbed the other

Prices fell by 0.2% month on month in September as average price of a home slipped to 274,251, says Nationwide

Central bank estimates fewer than one in 100 borrowers owe more on their home than its worth

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Database names big companies - including Microsoft subsidiary and Netflix - that pay little corporate tax but notes there could be legitimate reasons

Estonian completed first of two attempts to navigate narrow ribbon, 160 metres long and 120 metres high, near the city's famous Gyeongbokgung palace on ThursdayThe lunchtime crowds drifted slowly back to their offices along central Seoul's main boulevard, heads up and phones raised to the sky.High above, a narrow ribbon ran between the Koreana hotel and the Dong-A Media Center, a few hundred metres from the capital's famous Gyeongbokgung palace and Gwanghwamun square. Continue reading...

Exclusive: ADHD UK may seek judicial review of West Yorkshire NHS integrated care board's unlawful' policyADHD UK has threatened legal action against an NHS organisation over its decision to impose a minimum two-year wait for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism assessments.In a legal letter to West Yorkshire NHS integrated care board (ICB), seen by the Guardian, the charity alleges that the decision to force patients to wait at least two years for such assessments was unlawful and says it will seek a judicial review if the board fails to reverse the policy. Continue reading...

Millions of people in Great Britain face increase from Thursday to an average of 1,723 a year for a typical homeJohn Healey is under growing pressure to offer fresh energy support for households in next month's budget as millions face a 4% rise in charges from Thursday to an average of 1,723 a year for a typical home.In his speech at Labour's conference in Liverpool this week, the chancellor warned that the government had limited resources to cushion the worldwide economic shocks hitting Britain, while arguing his budget would have fiscal discipline at its core. Continue reading...

Warning of a lack of hostel places for 2,000 criminals due to be released over the next month to ease overcrowdingHundreds of prisoners are due to be released early from jail on Thursday amid warnings that many will have nowhere to live and the probation system will struggle to monitor them.About 2,000 criminals including domestic abusers and violent offenders are to be freed over the next month, with another 3,000 in stages over the next year to ease overcrowding. The number was reduced from 6,000 after an intervention by the prime minister, Andy Burnham. Continue reading...

Some on streets of Jerusalem pledge their support to prime minister while others hope for changeOn the streets of Jerusalem, crowded with secular and ultra-Orthodox Jews, religious nationalists, settlers, Palestinians, and soldiers returning from deployments, uncertainty hangs over an election less than a month away that could mark a turning point for a country profoundly changed after the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and nearly three years of war in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.The political battle remains on a knife-edge. Continue reading...

Satellite imagery shows further destruction of homes, businesses and places of worship since fragile ceasefireAn update to Google Maps has revealed the extent of devastation during the three-year Gaza war and the severity of the continuing humanitarian crisis faced by the territory's 2.3 million inhabitants.The images were taken in June this year and show further destruction of homes, businesses, places of worship and infrastructure since a fragile ceasefire came into effect almost 12 months ago. Continue reading...