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Private proceedings retraumatise victims of abuse in England and Wales and fail to recognise children's experiences, report findsThe family courts are putting the safety of children at risk by failing to deal effectively with domestic abuse, a new report has found.In a publication released on Tuesday the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales has called for urgent reforms to a family justice system she claims retraumatises victims, minimises abuse and fails to hear the voice of the child. Continue reading...

Ex-US secretary of state's meeting with Li Shangfu comes amid hopes of improved ties between two countriesThe veteran US diplomat Henry Kissinger has met China's defence minister in Beijing.According to a readout on Tuesday from the Chinese defence ministry, Li Shangfu said friendly communication" between China and the US had been destroyed" because some people in the United States did not meet China halfway". Kissinger said he was a friend of China", according to the readout. Continue reading...

Australian mining company confirms hack occurred on 28 May but data disclosed was not confidential in nature'

Rishi Sunak's legislation faced challenges from peers including the archbishop of CanterburyA barge that will be used to house 500 asylum seekers has belatedly arrived in a port on England's southern coast after voting in the House of Lords paved the way for the government's small boats and migration bill to become law.The arrival of the Bibby Stockholm, which was pulled by a tug into Portland port in Dorset on Tuesday morning, coincided with condemnation of the previous night's drama in which the Conservative frontbench saw off five further changes to the bill peers were seeking, including modern slavery protections and child detention limits. Continue reading...

Debt-laden company has faced questions over financial stability and ability to raise fundsThe biggest investor in Thames Water has cut the value of its stake in the debt-laden utility company, which has faced questions over its financial stability and ability to raise crucial funds.The Ontario Municipal Employees' Retirement System (Omers), a Canadian pension fund that owns a 31% stake in Britain's biggest water supplier, reduced the valuation put on its investment last year, it has emerged. Continue reading...

Nominations for first batch of federal NSW seats reveal Scott Morrison allies Hawke and Melissa McIntosh face contest as does Paul Fletcher

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The absence of China's foreign minister has been commented on online, where some discussion appears to have been censoredChina's foreign minister, Qin Gang, has not been seen in public for over three weeks, despite a flurry of high-profile diplomatic efforts to repair ties with the United States.As a former ambassador to Washington DC, who is considered a protege of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Qin had been expected to play a key role in a string of high-level visits by US officials. Continue reading...

The 2026 Games, which Daniel Andrews announced would be cancelled, was set to be held across Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton

In today's newsletter: Rishi Sunak has a plan to tackle so-called rip-off' degrees - but what is the new policy, and how will it work? Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. The Conservatives have announced crackdowns on many things during their time in power: unions, antisocial behaviour, asylum seekers, people who claim benefits, protests - you name it, this government has promised to get tough on it. Now, the prime minister is promising to crack down on rip-off" degrees, to widen access", boost jobs" and grow the economy".The government insists that what it pejoratively describes as low value" degrees offer little in the way of job prospects and earning potential but still leave students saddled with debt.Health | The final results from a landmark study confirmed that donanemab slowed cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients by 35%. Trial results of a second drug, lecanemab, reduced the rate by 27%. After this stunning trial data, health regulators are being urged to rapidly approve the two dementia drugs in order to ensure millions of people who could benefit are not left in limbo".Housing | Private landlords in England have seen their assets grow in value by 400bn from rising house prices in the last three decades, which is enough money to build at least 3m council homes, research suggests.Public sector pay | In a report undermining Rishi Sunak's central argument against larger wage settlements, a leading thinktank has said raising pay by 10% on average for public sector workers would not add significantly to inflation.Labour | Jamie Driscoll, a leftwing regional mayor who has been blocked from standing as a Labour candidate to contest the north-east mayoralty, has announced that he is resigning from the party to run as an independent candidate. Labour has become embroiled in a factionalism row since Driscoll was excluded from the race because of an onstage appearance with Ken Loach, the film director and expelled Labour member.Water industry | South East Water has reported a pre-tax loss of nearly 75m, which it blamed in part on the cost of dealing with last year's extreme weather events" including the record-breaking heatwave. Continue reading...

Judge sides with Barngarla people when blocking facility near Kimba, citing apprehended bias' of former Coalition resources minister Keith Pitt

Sayings such as black mood' or whiter than white' reinforce racist connotations, says Reframing Race initiativePhrases and words that link negativity with blackness and positivity with whiteness - such as black mood", dark times" or whiter than white" - reinforce racist connotations and should be avoided, an anti-racism initiative has recommended.Reframing Race has put together a report titled Contains Strong Language to equip anti-racism and racial inequality campaigners with the words that have proven most effective in persuading people of the harm and structural nature of racism". Continue reading...

Exclusive: Private rentals have grown 400bn in value - making a mockery of landlords' demands for tax cuts, say campaignersPrivate landlords in England have made enough money from rising house prices in the last three decades to build at least 3m council homes, research suggests.Owners of private rental properties have seen their assets grow in value by 400bn since 1990, equivalent to the amount needed to build more than 50 times the number of council homes that were actually built in England in that period. Continue reading...

A battery egg ban in 13 years is far too soon, say farmers. Animal welfare advocates say it's long overdue

Perth's lord mayor is keen but all other Australian states have ruled out stepping in to replace Victoria

Meeting comes after strike announced on 13 July by actors' union, joining writers to negotiate for new contracts with producersSome of Hollywood's biggest stars met on Monday to discuss the actors' strike as their union warned that without transformative change" the entire profession is under threat.Members of Sag-Aftra, a labor union for US actors, gathered over Zoom on Monday to go over talking points and answer questions about their ongoing strike, Variety reported in an exclusive. The meeting was attended by about 500 agents, publicists and actors, including Lupita Nyong'o, Laverne Cox and Melissa McCarthy. Continue reading...

Force targets top 100 violent offenders against women as commissioner launches promises to rebuild public trustThe Metropolitan police has started using counter-terrorism tactics to hunt down the worst male offenders targeting women. Scotland Yard said it will rank the worst male offenders and then use the organised crime or terrorism approach" against those assessed to be the most harmful top 100.The announcement came as the force's commissioner launched a new set of promises - called A New Met for London - aimed at dragging Britain's largest force out of crisis. Mark Rowley vowed that it would be shaped by communities. Continue reading...

Jorge Minaya-Garay confessed to killing Karla Godoy but then pleaded not guiltyA man who strangled and buried his partner while on holiday in Peru has been found guilty of her murder.Jorge Minaya-Garay killed Karla Godoy, 37, then wrapped her body in a tarpaulin and dumped her in a makeshift grave on land owned by his family in Lima, Kent police said. Continue reading...

A1 Arbor Tree Services was convicted and fined more than $2m over the 2019 accident involving a defective machine

Letter from cross-party MPs and campaigners says slow progress on legislation is a moral failing'Senior Conservative MPs have accused the government of a moral failing" for delaying the long-promised ban on conversion practices that they say damage the lives of LGBT+ people.In a letter to Rishi Sunak, a cross-party group of politicians and campaigners criticised the slow progress in bringing forward new legislation since the pledge was made five years ago. Continue reading...

Only direct overland link damaged as Russia says it will pull out of UN-brokered grain deal

Caroline Dinenage, who is scrutinising proposed changes to media legislation, sponsored event this monthThe Tory MP in charge of scrutinising the British media hosted a parliamentary drinks party for GB News, the Guardian has learned.Caroline Dinenage sponsored an event for the rightwing television channel in a room on the parliamentary estate earlier this month. Continue reading...

Authorities announce new campaign to force women to wear the Islamic headscarf, after period of scaled-back policingAlmost 10 months after Mahsa Amini died in police custody, triggering weeks of protest across Iran, police vans are again patrolling the country's streets looking for women who are not wearing the hijab correctly". Now, however, the vans and officers will not bear the name morality police", and patrolmen will be wearing body cameras.The announcement on Sunday followed widespread reports that unmarked vans had been spotted on the streets of cities such as Tehran and Shiraz, stopping people not wearing the hijab. The move has already prompted demonstrations: on Sunday, protesters took to the streets in Rasht after three women were reportedly arrested. Continue reading...

Leftwing regional mayor hits out at Keir Starmer over broken pledges in scathing resignation letterA leftwing regional mayor who has been blocked from being Labour's representative to contest the north-east mayoralty has announced that he is resigning from the party to try to run as an independent candidate.The party has become embroiled in a factionalism row since Jamie Driscoll, the serving mayor of the North of Tyne, was excluded from the race in a move linked to an onstage appearance with Ken Loach, the film director and expelled Labour member. Continue reading...

No tougher penalties announces for offence formerly known as involuntary homicide by a driverThe French government has announced a clampdown on people who drive while unfit, months after a crash involving a high-profile comedian accused of drug-driving.The prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, announced the creation of a new offence, of causing a road killing", specifically aimed at those who are unfit to be behind the wheel. Continue reading...

Longer post-Brexit passport checks will significantly lengthen delays as peak holiday season gets under wayCross-Channel ferry passengers will face waits of up to two and a half hours at Dover this weekend, the port has warned, as the peak holiday season gets under way.Longer post-Brexit passport checks will significantly lengthen delays as holidaymakers head for France, despite a number of mitigation measures put in place by the port. Continue reading...

Shadow home secretary's comments come as Bibby Stockholm vessel heads to Dorset from Falmouth after a refit

Radically different' partnership aims to construct more than a million solar panels to power electrolysers

One family is among 13,000 waiting for their application to be processed after nightmare tree change left them with uninhabitable housing

Proposed mandatory closing times will still allow 361 venues to remain open after 2am, data suggests

Inquiry relates to Greatest Hits Radio's Face the Family' campaign, promoted on Bruce's morning showKen Bruce is under investigation for a potential breach of broadcasting rules after his new radio station demanded the government change the law to force criminal defendants into courtrooms.The former Radio 2 presenter moved his morning show to Greatest Hits Radio in March but is now having to deal with an Ofcom inquiry into the station's Face the Family" campaign, which was promoted on his show. Continue reading...

How can they speak about terrorism?' asked Ihor Terekhov, citing destruction visited on his city

PwC, Deloitte, KPMG and EY face scrutiny as critics warn core functions of democracy should not be outsourced

State health minister Shannon Fentiman says the federal government should subsidise the vaccines under national immunisation scheme

Event marking nine years until Olympics and Paralympics stopped after 350 drones fell into Yarra River on Friday

In today's newsletter: In April, fighting broke out between two rival factions - with no end in sight, the UN is investigating Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning.Last week the United Nations discovered a mass grave in Sudan's West Darfur in which 87 people were buried, prompting the UN high commissioner for Human Rights to demand a thorough and independent investigation" into activity in the region.Ukraine | Explosions have reportedly hit the Kerch bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to Russia, a heavily guarded road and rail link that is among the Kremlin's most important infrastructure projects. The head of the Russian-controlled administration in Crimea, said traffic had been stopped because of an emergency situation". Two people have been killed and a child was injured.Environment | Southern Europe is bracing for a second heat storm" in a week. Record temperatures across the Mediterranean could be broken on Tuesday, and people in Italy have been told to prepare for most intense heatwave of all time'. Meanwhile in the US more than 100 million people were under extreme heat advisories this weekend.Iran | Iran's morality police" have returned to the streets 10 months after the death of a woman in their custody sparked nationwide protests. It comes as authorities announce a new campaign to force women to wear the Islamic headscarf.Hospitals | The government is on track to break a key election promise from Boris Johnson to build 40 new hospitals in England by the end of the decade, a damning report by the public spending watchdog has found.Music | France's favourite petite Anglaise", the British-born singer and actor Jane Birkin, has died at her home in Paris aged 76. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, paid tribute to Birkin, saying she embodied freedom and sang the most beautiful words in our language". Continue reading...

Average was once every 16 seconds across 10 matches last season, with a total of 3,522 in West Ham v ChelseaBetting company logos appear as often as 3,500 times during the course of a televised football match, the majority on pitchside hoardings, prompting renewed scepticism about top-flight clubs' plan to give up front-of-shirt betting ads only.A study led by psychology experts from four universities measured the volume of gambling adverts during 10 matches that took place last season, featuring every Premier League club. Continue reading...

Lawyers for Network Ten are examining footage from Spotlight interview as they prepare to defend themselves against Lehrmann's defamation case

Mining company engaged a private law firm to investigate when directors became aware of an anonymous letter about the executive chairman

National Audit Office research finds delays and lack of value for money, and that only 11 projects are wholly new buildsThe government is on track to break a key election promise from Boris Johnson to build 40 new hospitals in England by the end of the decade, a damning report by the public spending watchdog has found.Delays to projects mean the target is unlikely to be met, with work on buildings in the second cohort of the scheme yet to have started as of May, according to the National Audit Office. Continue reading...

Kyiv reports fighting has intensified on eastern front, with its forces on defensive near Kupiansk

Israeli prime minister fitted with monitoring device after being kept overnight with dehydrationIsrael's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been discharged from hospital after heart monitoring tests showed no irregularities during an overnight admission for dehydration.Netanyahu, 73, was taken to hospital near his private residence in the coastal town of Caesarea on Saturday afternoon after complaining of dizziness and kept overnight for observation, his office said. Continue reading...

Firefighters says nobody injured in blaze that broke out on Saturday afternoonHigh winds hampered firefighters tackling a blaze at a hotel in Brighton, the East Sussex fire service has said.Fifteen fire trucks went to the scene just before 5.30pm on Saturday. At 5am on Sunday, the fire service said it was scaling back operations" but six fire trucks and two aerial ladder platforms remained on the scene. Continue reading...

A remarkable season in Kyiv has given artists and audience a brief respite from the horror of warMuch of the troupe is still abroad, performances are interrupted by air raid sirens and the number of tickets sold for each performance is limited to the number of people who can fit in the theatre's basement shelter.But as the curtain comes down on Sunday afternoon at the National Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv - the end of the storied theatre's 155th season - the artists can reflect on a remarkably full year of performances for a theatre operating in the heart of a country at war. Continue reading...

Deputy prime minister Richard Marles says byelection swing to LNP was half the average swing you would expect against a sitting government'

Airline and airport staff action comes at busiest travel time and amid record heatwave in EuropeStrikes by airport and airline staff have grounded hundreds of flights and left thousands of travellers stranded in Europe at the height of the busy summer tourism season.In Italy, about 1,000 flights, both domestic and international, were cancelled as a result of the strike by ground crew, according to airport and airline authorities. Continue reading...

Dorset police conclude Dorset Belle pleasure cruiser did not contribute to Joe Abbess and Sunnah Khan drowning in MayNo criminal offences were committed in relation to the death of two young swimmers off Bournemouth beach in May, a police force has concluded.A man in his 40s who was initially arrested on suspicion of manslaughter will face no further action, Dorset police said on Friday. Continue reading...

January death of Elvis Presley's daughter, 54, ruled as being from natural causes due to effects of small bowel obstructionLisa Marie Presley died from complications from bariatric surgery she had several years ago, authorities have said.The 12 January death at age 54 of the singer, songwriter, daughter and heir of Elvis Presley was ruled as being from natural causes due to effects of a small bowel obstruction. Continue reading...

Devyn Gale killed while tackling blaze outside Revelstoke as wildfires continue to rage across country with little reprieve

Extreme dry conditions raising fire risk; air quality alert for Minnesota took effect at 8am on Friday