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Justin Stein blames confusion' for changing version of events around nine-year-old's death, trial told

Kye Schaefer died after being found with significant' stab wounds early on the morning of 2 May

Former pilot, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Russell Hill and Carol Clay, told police the deaths were the result of an accident

Parliamentary inquiry finds NSW mental health care is reactive and crisis-driven' because it is chronically and severely underfunded

Exclusive: Yvette Cooper says a Labour government would instruct new enforcement body to act over alleged exploitation of workersLabour will launch an investigation into the treatment of migrant workers in the British social care sector if it wins the election, the party has announced, after dozens of cases of alleged exploitation were uncovered.Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, called the allegations revealed by the Guardian a disgrace", accusing the government of turning a blind eye to the problem. Continue reading...

Parent company says P&O would be integrated into its sister line Carnival Cruise Line in March 2025

Guy Meogrossi, 30, faced court on charges of producing child abuse material and filming a person's private parts without their consent

Cecil Farley says implant, which could become standard treatment, means he can still see his wife of 63 yearsA 91-year-old man who became the first patient in England to have his sight saved by an artificial layer in his cornea has praised the procedure for allowing him to still see his wife.Cecil Farley, from Chobham in Surrey, had problems with his right eye for about 15 years before losing his vision. He required a cornea transplant to save his sight but his previous surgery - a graft with a human cornea - failed and doctors warned the next might too. And the shortage of human corneas from deceased donors meant Farley faced a year-long wait. Continue reading...

John Swinney claims Anas Sarwar not keeping to Rachel Reeves's constraints on NHS, schools and renewables funding as leaders clashThe SNP has accused Scottish Labour of completely rewriting" Rachel Reeves's spending plans, as the party leaders took part in the first televised debate of the election campaign.The clash between the the SNP, Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Liberal Democrats was screened by STV, without a studio audience, and involved intensive cross-examination of each leader by his political rivals. Continue reading...

Honorary president of the former Brexit party to make eighth attempt to enter parliamentThe Conservative party's faltering general election campaign suffered a potentially damaging blow when Nigel Farage announced he intended to stand as an MP and lead the Reform party for the next five years.The former Ukip and Brexit party leader said he would stand in Clacton, Essex, after changing his mind while spending time on the campaign trail. He claimed that he did not want to let his supporters down. Continue reading...

Nicola Forster was a safety training officer at Hendon Police College who developed PTSD after role during Grenfell Tower fireA Metropolitan police trainer took her own life after the actions of her employer made her mental health worse, an inquest has found.Nicola Nikki" Forster, 45, a safety training officer at Hendon Police College in north London, was found dead at her home in September 2022.In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Fine is largest ever in an animal welfare case imposed by US justice departmentResearch animal breeder Envigo pleaded guilty to animal welfare and environmental crimes on Monday, resolving a two-year US justice department investigation into its mistreatment of thousands of beagles, prosecutors said.Envigo agreed in federal court in the western district of Virginia to pay $22m in fines, plus an additional $13.5m to support animal welfare and environmental projects, cover law enforcement expenses and improve its own facilities. Continue reading...

Comment made despite signs of division in Israeli war cabinet and Netanyahu appearing to challenge the dealThe White House insisted that the ball was in Hamas's court" on whether to accept a new Gaza peace proposal, despite mixed signals from Benjamin Netanyahu reflecting turmoil within his governing coalition in Israel.The US national security spokesperson, John Kirby, insisted on Monday that it was an Israeli proposal - despite the fact it had been unveiled by Joe Biden on Friday, during the Jewish Sabbath, and Netanyahu had appeared to challenge it. The Israeli prime minister said any deal that did not lead to the complete destruction of Hamas's military and governing capacity would be a non-starter". Continue reading...

Deputy leader has voted against renewing Trident but says she supports triple lock' commitment to programme in near termAngela Rayner has said she has not changed her mind about nuclear weapons even though she supports Labour's policy to keep and renew them.The deputy Labour leader voted against the renewal of Trident in 2016 but said on Monday that she supported Labour's triple lock" - a commitment to maintain the UK's nuclear deterrent round the clock, build four new nuclear submarines, and carry out future upgrades. Continue reading...

Season's high temperatures come despite wettest spring since 1986 and the sixth wettest on recordThe UK had its warmest May and spring on record, despite the wet, dull conditions for many parts of the country, provisional Met Office figures show.The average temperature in May was 13.1C (55.6F), beating the previous record in 2008 by a full 1C, making it the warmest May in records dating back to 1884. Continue reading...

Some parents say processing error has left them unable to buy food for family as others say they are now facing bank chargesAbout 500,000 people in the UK expecting child benefit payments did not receive them on Monday, with some parents saying the shortfall left them unable to buy food for their children or facing bank charges.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) apologised after about 30% of child benefit payments scheduled for 3 June did not arrive in claimants' bank accounts. Late on Monday afternoon, it said those affected would now receive their money on Wednesday morning. Continue reading...

In Cardiff there is criticism and some support for first minister who is facing a motion against him in Welsh parliamentThere was no honeymoon period and precious little breathing room for Vaughan Gething to relish the historic achievement of becoming the first Black leader of a European country. Since he was chosen as Welsh Labour leader and first minister 11 weeks ago, Gething has faced a slew of allegations about donations, the deletion of messages during the pandemic and the sacking of a minister.On Wednesday he faces his most uncomfortable test yet, a vote on a motion of no confidence tabled by the Conservatives in the Senedd, the Welsh parliament. UK Labour leaders and strategists dismiss it as mischief-making but there is growing evidence in polling and doorstep conversations that the scandals are cutting through to voters. Continue reading...

Former Ukip chief says election needs a bit of gingering up'. This live blog is closed

Lion's share will go to three former executives of company condemned for hostile takeover of engineering firm GKN in 2018The UK engineering firm Melrose Industries has handed out a 176m reward pot to 21 of its current and former executives, with the lion's share going to three of them.In a move that is likely to further fuel the controversy over executive pay, the FTSE 100 company confirmed on Monday that the bosses had been issued with shares totalling 176m under a bonus scheme set up in 2020. Continue reading...

Israel's PM says US president only published some of the detail in his plan to wind down war in Gaza and says return of hostages key to any discussions. This live blog is closedPalestinian health officials said Israeli airstrikes killed 11 people overnight into Monday, including a woman and three children, in central Gaza, according to the Associated Press.

Survey also shows increasing desire for government regulation of hate speech and artificial intelligence

Establishment figures', journalists and experts banned from entering country over what it terms provocative anti-Russian rhetoric'Here's a bit of detail from the Financial Times' report that the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline project has run into trouble. Spokespeople for both Beijing and Moscow issued statements in relation to reports that the project is deadlocked - so in case you've not read the FT's report, this is what that's all about.Citing three people close to the matter, the FT reported that the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline project has stalled over demands made by Beijing on price and supply levels.What is Beijing asking for? It concerns both prices and supply, according to the FT's sources. The people familiar with the matter told the newspaper that China wants to pay little more than Russia's heavily subsidised domestic prices and would only commit to buying a small proportion of the pipeline's planned annual capacity.What does this mean? It shows how Beijing has the upper hand in this deal - Russia's invasion of Ukraine has left president Vladimir Putin increasingly dependent on China as Gazprom suffers heavy losses.What is the Kremlin asking for? When Putin and Xi met last month in Beijing, Putin made three key requests, according to the people familiar with the matter. A deal on the pipeline; more Chinese bank activity in Russia; and for China to decline to attend a peace conference being organised by Ukraine. Continue reading...

Musician who had huge 1984 hit with Agadoo had retired last monthColin Gibb, who had huge success as a core member of novelty pop band Black Lace, has died aged 70.His wife Sue Kelly announced the news on Facebook, writing: I love you Colin ... we were due to retire to Spain on Thursday, you were so happy, so looking forward to our new life, now you're gone. As we used to say, always love you forever." Continue reading...

Grief and adoration at ceremony just day after death of rugby league great, who dedicated last years to help others with diseaseA blue mural on a wall close to Headingley stadium in Leeds bears the words of Rob Burrow: In a world full of adversity, we must dare to dream."The former Leeds Rhinos rugby league scrum-half died on Sunday, five years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Continue reading...

State security service says it has uncovered major espionage case' involving husband and wifeChina's secret service has accused MI6 of turning two Chinese state workers and recruiting them as spies.The ministry of state security (MSS), which has responsibility for China's intelligence gathering and secret police, said on Monday it had uncovered the major espionage case" involving a husband and wife both working in core key units" of a Chinese state agency. Continue reading...

Hamas's ability to return to areas from which it was earlier forced to retreat threatens forever war'

This blog is now closed.

Former Mexico City mayor's Morena party also on track for possible two-thirds super majority in CongressClaudia Sheinbaum has been elected as Mexico's first female president, taking at least 58.3% of the vote, according to a quick count by the country's electoral commission.The former climate scientist's closest rival, Xochitl Galvez, from the opposition coalition, received at least 26.6% of the vote, while Jorge Alvarez Maynez, the candidate of the centrist Movimiento Ciudadano, came in third with at least 9.9%. Continue reading...

Blackstone to increase bid to level that would value London-listed group at nearly $1.6bn

Court shown part of 2021 police interview by former pilot, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Russell Hill and Carol Clay

Hundreds of complaints made to government over abusive behaviour from staff and low quality of food providedHundreds of complaints about ill treatment from staff looking after asylum seekers in hotels and other accommodation have been lodged with the Home Office, a Guardian investigation has found.The complaints have been lodged within the last year and asylum seekers say that they include abuse and harassment, failures to deal with vulnerabilities such as mental health problems and serious self-harm, and staff walking into their bedrooms unannounced. Continue reading...

Party is focusing on 80 seats it came closest to losing in last election and 20 seats it came closest to winningThe Conservative party is pursuing an ostrich strategy" on Facebook, spending almost all of its ad budget since the beginning of the year in constituencies that were once marginal but are now looking more like surefire losses, Guardian analysis shows.The strategy is known within the party as the 80/20" approach, in which it focuses all its spending on the 80 seats it came closest to losing in 2019 and the 20 seats it came closest to winning. Continue reading...

Justin Stein, who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Charlise Mutten, gave evidence in the NSW supreme court as his defence case began

Airline calls new system, which will see passengers split into six groups, the most significant change to boarding in a decade'

Leader Ed Davey tells party members it is critical moment as Tories pour election funds into keeping blue wall seatsThe Liberal Democrats have launched a new fundraising campaign called the Portillo pot", aimed at ousting cabinet ministers in blue wall seats.The party leader, Ed Davey, said he would most like to defeat the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, the justice secretary, Alex Chalk, and the education secretary, Gillian Keegan. Continue reading...

Arts hub described as heart of city's fringe advertised for redevelopment after benefactor outvoted on family trustSenior figures in the arts have warned that Edinburgh faces a cultural crisis after it emerged that one of the city's most famous venues, Summerhall, has been put up for sale.Summerhall, housed in the city's former veterinary school, has earned a reputation as one of the UK's most innovative and critically acclaimed venues since it was set up 12 years ago by a wealthy benefactor, Robert McDowell. Continue reading...

Royal College of Nursing says overcrowding is forcing practice that puts patients at serious riskOvercrowding is forcing hospitals to treat so many patients in corridors and storerooms that it constitutes a national emergency", the UK's nursing union has said.The growing and widespread practice is endangering patients' safety by leaving them without oxygen or easily able to attract staff's attention, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warned. Continue reading...

Library says it is deeply distressed' about incident and does not condone discrimination on grounds of cultural dress'

Rescue teams had worked around the clock looking for Mhey Yumol Jasmin after the blast in Whalan on Saturday

Minimum wage will increase to $24.10 an hour or $915.90 a week, with experts suggesting the rise will outpace inflation, delivering a lift in real salaries

We know more about extending our lifespans than ever before. After

Jane Hume is against opening preselection for former treasurer while Karen Andrews argues he would be absolute asset'

Queensland's capital is second only to Sydney with a median house value of $937,479, as lack of supply bitesFor the first time in 25 years, Brisbane is Australia's second-most expensive city for housing.The Queensland capital edged out Canberra in May, the latest CoreLogic report shows, with a median house value of $937,479. Sydney continues to have the priciest homes in the country. Continue reading...

Former political staffer listed no legal firm as acting for him in his notice of appeal lodged on Friday

Study also finds people from ethnic minorities with atrial fibrillation more than twice as likely to die than white patientsMinority ethnic patients with heart failure are more than a third more likely to die than their white counterparts, according to research.The study, by researchers at the University of Birmingham and supported by the British Heart Foundation, looked at data from more than 16,700 people from 12 existing clinical trials for heart failure patients. Continue reading...

Conservatives would change law so trans people could be excluded from single-sex spaces, if party wins electionKemi Badenoch has said the Conservatives will change the Equality Act to rewrite the definition of sex and allow organisations to bar transgender women from single-sex spaces, including hospital wards and sports events.The party will make clear that the protected characteristic of sex means biological sex, enabling those who wish to bar male-bodied people from organisations or activities to do so. Continue reading...

With PM as underdog hoping to use TV debates for comeback, Labour leader is also preparing for election to turn personalWhen the history of Keir Starmer's resurrection of the Labour party comes to be written, one of the most important turning points will be the decision to start playing the man, not the ball, when it came to Boris Johnson and Partygate.Rishi Sunak's key weak spot in the leader debates this election is his career as a hedge fund partner at the time of the financial crisis. Labour believes the prime minister's account of his past will be a fundamental test, given he has built his reputation on his economic competence. Continue reading...

Leader says he is committed to triple lock for UK's nuclear deterrent and will raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDPKeir Starmer will declare Labour is the party of national security" as he seeks to switch the focus of the general election campaign to issues of defence.The Labour leader will reaffirm his commitment to a triple lock" for the UK's nuclear deterrent, and his aim to raise defence spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product as soon as resources allow". Continue reading...

Keir Starmer aims to turn spotlight on Sunak's career before politics in lead up to first general election TV debateRishi Sunak must face questions about the fortune he earned at a hedge fund which engineered a deal at the heart of the financial crash, Labour has said, as it prepares to launch its first major attack on the prime minister ahead of the election debates.The party aims to turn the spotlight on Sunak's time before politics in the days before the first TV debate between the two leaders, after a week dominated by rows over Diane Abbott's candidacy. On Sunday, she confirmed she would stand as Labour's candidate. Continue reading...

Increase sharper than in any age group and likely linked to obesity levels, junk food and inactivity, say expertsThe number of people under 50 being diagnosed with cancer in the UK has risen 24% in two decades, a sharper increase than any other age group, according to figures experts say are likely linked to soaring obesity levels, cheap junk food and inactivity.Early onset incidence rates grew from 132.9 per 100,000 people in 1995 to 164.6 in 2019, analysis of data shows. About 35,000 under-50s are now developing cancer every year, almost 100 young women and men a day, the research reveals. Continue reading...